College Fit

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Students in all different grade levels are starting to contemplate what colleges might be a good fit for them in the future.  Seniors are at the point where they are looking with a critical eye at the schools which all seemed like a good possible fit when applying to determine now which one is the best fit for their future.  For juniors, working to develop the list of strong fit schools will make college applications more reasonable.  And even for freshmen and sophomores, while it might seem far away, it is fun to start exploring and thinking about what you might like for your futures and if college might be a part of that picture.

College fit is an essential component of the college search process.  The reality is that the college search process isn't a prize to be won by being accepted to the most schools or even to the most prestigious colleges.  It is a match to be made.  You will have your own goals and desires for what you want in a college environment.  The college will have their own goals and objectives of what they are searching for when building their classes.  When those goals align between the students and the college is when the best fit is present.

So how do you know if a college is a good fit for you?  There are a ton of different aspects you can consider when determining a fit.  Most specifically, you will typically be looking for colleges that are a fit across the domains of academics, social, and financial.

Academically, you are trying to find schools that offer your major, have good internship/ job placement opportunities, are at a rigor that you will feel comfortable, have class sizes that match what you're looking for, offer learning experiences that are engaging to you (such as honors programs or research opportunities), and that are a match for what you're wanting in your interactions with professors.

Financially, you are taking into consideration the cost of attending the college, how much debt you will have to take on, the distance you'll have to travel to and from the college to home, the cost of living on campus or in the community of the campus, and the opportunities available to work while you are at school.

Socially is actually the most broad category for looking for a fit.  College is more than just the classrooms and book instruction that you will be learning and so finding a school where you will be able to make friends, enjoy the food, and have clubs, sports or other activities that you enjoy, is really important to finding the college that will be a good fit for you socially.  Does the college have a greek life, volunteer opportunities, or engagement with social justice issues that matter to you?  Is school spirit, religious affiliation, or arts and other cultural experiences important to you?  Do you feel safe on campus and can you imagine spending the next 4 years living, learning, and interacting with the people around you?  If you think "ugh, I don't want to talk to these people" then it is a pretty good indication that this is not a good social fit for you.

There are so many additional questions that can help you determine if a school is going to be a good fit such as, do you want a large, fast paced environment or a smaller, laid-back space for learning?  But trust yourself.  Enjoy the process of exploring different campuses.  See what feels most comfortable to you.  And recognize that when you figure out the things that you don't care for as much in a college, you are actually that much closer to identifying what you do want in a college for your future!

Also, I read this article this week and loved it so I wanted to share it with you as well: When a College Says No