College decision day approaches as seniors finalize enrollment choices
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — High school seniors across the country are facing a major deadline this week as Friday marks College Decision Day, when many students must commit to the school they plan to attend in the fall.
For students like Brook Perry, the decision comes after months of applications, acceptances and careful consideration.
“I’m finally kind of anxious because it’s such a big step in my life,” Perry said.
Perry was accepted to several schools, including Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University, the College of Charleston, Belmont Abbey College, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wingate University, the University of North Carolina Asheville and Queens University of Charlotte.
As families review their options, experts say financial aid often plays a decisive role.
Jennifer Finetti, director of student advocacy at Scholarship Owl, said economic challenges over the past decade have made it harder for families to save for college.
“Even for families who have attempted to save over the years, you know, with the ups and downs of the economy, the Great Recession, inflation, COVID, all of these different things that have happened in the last 10 years that have really made an impact on families, and so they may not have as much saved as they hoped to,” Finetti said.
That reality is top of mind for Perry as she weighs her future.
“My parents have been teaching me, you don’t want to get out of college and have a bunch of debt, so I’m definitely going to be working a lot,” she said.
For her father, Seth Perry, the moment is both financial and emotional.
“And just realizing that my first born is going to be out of the house is surreal, you don’t think it’s really gonna happen until and all of sudden boom there it is and now we’re applying to colleges and thinking about financial aid and how we’re going to pay for it, there’s a lot to think about,” he said.
In the end, Perry said proximity to home and the coast also factored into her decision.
“After all of these considerations, I’ve decided to go to UNCW,” she said.
Education officials say the coming days can be stressful for students and families, as they balance academic goals, financial realities and personal preferences ahead of the deadline.
