Opportunity Cost, yo.

“Think about a time in your life where you had to choose between two or more options. Explain the opportunity cost involved in that decision.”

There is a significant time coming up in my life where I am going to have to make a decision about where I want to go to college. So far my options are Biola University, Corban University, Azusa Pacific University, and William Jessup University. My decision can greatly affect how my future plays out, so it is something where I really need to consider the opportunity cost of going to each college.

If I choose to go to Corban University in Salem, the opportunity cost will be going to California and experiencing a new place and meeting a lot of new people. I would be closer to my family, so I would probably still have some of their influence and not get to be as independent. However, if I went to any of the other three schools in California, the opportunity cost would be the ability to stay in touch with my family and friends more easily. The opportunity cost of going to one school versus another would simply be the people I meet and the experiences I have. I could even end up marrying a different person and settling down in a different location if I went to one place over another.

This is something that is really scary to think about. The opportunity cost of going to each college is ultimately uncertain since I don't know what experiences I would be giving up at the other colleges. It's insane that I have the ability to decide my future and really not know what I'm getting myself into. How can I tell which is the best option when I'm not completely sure of the consequences?