How did you decide your college of choice?

I've been thinking about trying distance education, but I haven't decided on which college I wanted to attend. I wanted to major in IT, have reasonable tuition fees, have a flexible schedule because I still have to work full time. I hear some employers have the tendency to hire those from prestigious colleges rather than obscure ones, can someone verify this?

Talk to people in IT. I just picked four colleges and went with the $$$ vs rank for my bs in criminal justice. For my MFA in photo there was three choices on the west coast and i just went with the one in my area. Which was the top five in the world anyways.

Distance from family and ranking in lists.

There were two main factors, first being distance. I wanted to be far enough away that dorming would be the best option, but still close enough that I could travel back in a couple of hours if need be. Second factor was money and rank. I went to Dominican University in Illinois, it's a decent amount (around 33,000 a year), but the school is one of the top ranked in the Midwest, so it's worth it.

Distance, internship opportunities, reputation, and if the university will "fit me". Reputation does play a role in our society, but it's up to the student if he wisely uses the resources of his university and his/her ability to network with different people, which can help him/her get a job in the future.
Edit: I have several friends that went to Harvard, UVA, and other known university/ colleges and they are in debt and have no job. However, some of them are secure because their family was financially secure or wealthy and have some reputation.

Mine was easy, but you should consider it in this order.
1. opportunities, how can it advance your life and career.
2. costs, can you afford it? are you willing to pay extra to go to a slightly better school?
3. distance, some people feel uncomfortable living too far from home, that can impact one's emotions and studies, vice versa.
4. fun, this is only an added bonus. If you go to college with fun as your priority, you're better off not going at all.

Here in Australia, or at least Melbourne, no matter which Uni you graduated from, if you have no experience of work, it's gonna be hard to get a job.
So, my consideration is:

1. Distance: How far or how close is it from the place I live in?
2. Ranking: Ranking can differ according to which major you're doing. Melbourne Uni is considered the best uni in Melbourne, but I don't think people who are doing Art or Business majors would go there, instead they would go to RMIT or Monash respectively.
3. Cost: My parents are kind enough to pay for my school tuition (Asian parents), so I am considering this factor for the sake of my parent's money.
4. Friends: Does any of my friends go there? Cause I don't wanna go to Uni in which I don't have any friends going there.

I went to a so-called "prestigious" college and grad school studying to be a history professor. I graduated just last year, and I had to learn a good bit about the hiring process. Now, obviously there are differences between IT and Professor-dom, but I hope what I have to say is accurate anyway.

From what I've been taught, actual college attended DOES have some sway in the process, but the most important bit is demonstrated competency. Where you went to college is held in less regard than the skill you demonstrate. So, if you're a smart guy/gal, you should have no problems.

I hope this helps!

I didn't want to live at home.
Had to have reasonable tuition rates.
Scholarships?
How good was the engineering school? The mechanical program in particular?
Campus size?

Distance and what best covered my field.

My college is 2 minutes away by car and they have the same programs as ASU or UOA for a fraction of the price. I go to GCC

Pretty much it was my local Community College because it was close, my grades weren't that hot and it's cheaper plus I want to go to UMD: College Park and the Community College I'm in has a great gateway to getting me into UMD plus I get a discount when I go to UMD.

Weigh all the pros and cons of each you plan to apply to (or have been accepted to, after that).

Cost, distance/how often you will want or need to be home, student body, classes and level classes for the major you are going to pursue, facilities, seasonal comfort, cost of living/school, campus appeal, etc.

Whatever factors have the greatest importance to you, place first.