Every day we must make decisions that affect our lives. Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions in life, exceeded only by the choice of a wife or a husband. Financially speaking, college can easily be the second largest expenditure in life, surpassed only by the cost of a house. Some four year colleges cost far more than the average expense of a house in some states. College is more than a preparation for a career. Often, the person who graduates becomes a different person from what he or she was as an entering first year student. Furthermore, the imprint of a particular college or university can remain for life. Decades later, people may say knowingly, "He was a “hawk,” or “She went to Monmouth University.” For better or worse, the choice of a college has lifelong implications.