At this very moment, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of universities, colleges, and other post-secondary institutions vying for students across the country.

They all claim to offer you the best educational bang for your buck, but, ultimately, you will need to somehow whittle that lengthy list down to just one school that best suits your own personal academic needs.

So, how do you do it? It's not easy, but with a fair bit of research and a willingness to think long and hard about what you want to get out of your post-secondary years, it can be done. Here are a few factors to consider when choosing a school:

Programs offered - if you're going into a highly specialized career, there might only be a handful of institutions that offer programs in that field. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a more general program - an undergraduate degree in the arts or sciences, say - then your options are much wider, but you'll still be able to hone in on a handful of schools that offer exactly what you want. If you're unsure of what you ultimately want to major in after your first year of general courses, it might be wise to focus your interest on institutions that offer the widest range of choices for its students, or, at the very least, easy options for transferring to other schools during future years of study.

For a quick and easy way to compare programs, check out SchoolFinder.com's new Prereq Compare tool. This tool shows programs side-by-side for easy comparison of prerequisites, and all the other information you want to know!

If you are interested in a program in Agricultural Science, searching for a program in this field of study will give you lots of options. Highlight up to three programs, scroll to the bottom of the page, and hit 'Compare'.

Admission requirements - once you've got several schools/programs in mind, you need to take a close look at each institution's admission requirements to ensure you qualify for your program of choice. Do you have all the prerequisite high school courses you need? Is your GPA high enough to get in? Do you need a portfolio or recommendations from high school instructors to apply? When is the final deadline for application? Go to the school's website, flip through its course catalogue, or talk to a school guidance counsellor to find the answers.

Location - this can be a huge determining factor for many students. Some people are eager to leave their home communities for greener educational pastures halfway across the country. For them, it's an adventure, a chance to get out there on their own and make new friends in an unknown city. Other people, meanwhile, prefer the security of having familiar surroundings and support networks nearby as they deal with the stresses of post-secondary education. Still others fall somewhere in the middle - wanting to be far enough away from home to experience new things, but close enough to head back for the occasional weekend or holiday. You need to figure out where you fall on this continuum and then focus on the schools that match up with your needs.

You should also take a look at a school's specific location within a city. Would you feel comfortable being on a campus that's nestled in the downtown area of a huge metropolis - near lots of entertainment, shopping, and dining options, but also all the potential dangers that exist in most inner cities? On the flip side, would a campus located on the outskirts of town make it more difficult for you (both financially and timewise) to get to and from your school year home?

Cost - when comparing two or three similar programs, cost is probably going to be the deal-breaker for a lot of students.

When figuring out how much a year of schooling is going to cost you - and whether you can afford it - you need to take several things into account aside from basic tuition and books. You should also factor in the cost of room and board (in a dorm, sharing an apartment, or maybe living at home with your parents), transportation costs (mainly busing or driving to and from school, but also trips home if you're attending university in a different part of the country), and the overall costs of living in a given city (including the costs of eating out, going to the movies, etc.).

One other piece of advice about costs: the highest tuition fee doesn't always make for the best program for YOU. Just because you can't afford to go to the most expensive school in the country, doesn't mean your education will be any less valuable. On the flip side, don't let high costs scare you off from applying to a prestigious school - check out the school's financial aid options and you may find you're eligible for scholarships, bursaries, and other grants that can help take the financial edge off.

Size - when it comes to universities or colleges, size really does matter. Basically, based on your own learning preferences, you need to decide whether you want to go to a huge, sprawling campus, a small, intimate one, or something in between.

A smaller school will offer smaller class sizes and more one-on-one time with instructors, but may mean less choice in courses and possibly less access to various facilities (fewer computer labs, a smaller library, etc.). A larger school may allow you access to a greater range of programs and facilities (multi-level libraries, huge fitness centres, and so on), but you'll likely be just one face in a classroom of hundreds, not to mention just one small speck in a sea of students swarming around campus each day.

The best way to get a feel for how a school's size will affect your like/dislike of it, is to go check it out (or check out a similarly sized school in your area, if a specific school is too far away for a short trip). Sit in on a few classes, wander the halls, and keep an eye out for how students relate to one another. On a large campus, do you thrive in the anonymity of being surrounded by so many people, or do you feel overwhelmed and lost? At a smaller campus, are you unimpressed by the resources available, or do you enjoy the fact you can walk across the entire campus in under five minutes?

Program length - do you have the time and money to study for several years? Than university might be for you. Want to get out into the workplace as quickly as possible? Consider college. Do some research to find out how long it takes most students to successfully complete a program of study, and then decide whether it fits with your long- and short-term plans.

Success Rates - with a little digging, you should be able to find a school or program's statistics for its graduating students (some programs brag about these stats quite readily, others find it harder to keep track of former students. Either way, it never hurts to ask). Are most of them employed? Specifically, are they employed in the field they're trained for (remember, flipping burgers is, technically, employment)? A stat showing that a high percentage of former students are employed in a field directly related to their major is a very good sign for a school, since it means its students are being properly prepared for life in the workplace.

Reputation - reputation is a tricky thing. On the one hand, a degree or diploma from a school with a really great reputation may open doors with future employers. On the other hand, every student is an individual, and just because a school has a good rep, doesn't mean you'll be happy there. Still, finding out how a school is seen in the industry you're trying to get into isn't a bad idea - try to talk to people in the field to see what they have to say about a given school or program. It's also a good idea to find out what current and past students think about their experiences at a school - were they able to get a job on the merit of their education? Do they feel their instructors know what they're talking about?

All of these factors should play heavily in your decision when choosing a school. But, of course, there are plenty of others - the availability of work placement/co-op opportunities, school athletic programs, faculty credentials, campus social life, and more.

In the end, what it all comes down to is your own personal feelings about a given school or program. And the best way to find out how you feel about a school is to get to know it inside and out as a potential student long before you ever step foot on campus as an enrolled one. So figure out your priorities and do your research, and you will find the school that's right for you.

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