How to create your list of “Best Fit” colleges
You probably hear a lot about "best fit." There are a lot of components to what that means. I encourage families to think about it as a constellation of characteristics that center around academics, culture, geography, career and affordability. Here's what I mean:
Academics - Academics are probably the main reason you apply to a college. Colleges range from large research universities with 10,000’s of students to small liberal arts colleges with about 2,000 students. If you are considering a BFA which is a better fit, conservatory/art school or a liberal arts college (learn more about the differences here and the features of liberals arts colleges here). The variety in majors, minors, concentrations, curricula, access to professors, requirements and all things that relate to the education which you will receive is enormous. Some questions to ask yourself:
What are your academic interests? Art? Humanities? STEM? or a combination? Or do you think and interdisciplinary major is for you, here are a few interesting ones to start you thinking.
Do you have an academic interest that benefits from a direct admit program? Performing Arts, Nursing, Engineering, Business, etc.
What degree are you considering? BFA, BMA, BS, BA, AA, AFA read about their differences here.
Do you like big classes where you can be anonymous, or small seminars where you'll have direct contact with professors? Malcom Gladwell has an excellent TED talk on being a big fish in a little pond.
Are you OK with having to fulfill requirements (and schools have very different requirements) or would you rather structure your education as you see fit?
For art students, do you want to only study your art or do you want to have opportunities outside the arts in STEM or humanities?
For art students, do you want a "foundation year" or do you want to dive right into your major from the beginning?
Do you enjoy collaborating or working more on your own?
How much writing are you comfortable with? (some schools are more writing intensive than others)
Do you want to write a senior thesis, participate in a senior research project, or a senior art show?
Do you prefer short, intense courses (quarters) or longer more paced courses (semesters)? This blog explains the difference between the two calendars.
Are you interested in an Honors College?
Do you want the option to study abroad?
Do you need any specialized academic or health resources/support systems?
Culture - Finding the group of students and professors you want to learn from and live with for four years is as important as the academic program offered at a school. These relationships will hopefully be the start of lifelong friendships. Find schools where you align with the student body and the mission of the school. If you enjoy hiking and skiing, an urban school might not be a great option. If you are committed to social justice causes a school with strong community service connections might be perfect. Read the online school newspapers, look at the clubs offered, the non-academic departments available, they are all an invaluable resource for learning about campus culture and priorities. Some questions to ask yourself:
Do you want big parties (football games and greek life) or smaller get togethers maybe mainly on Saturday night?
Is LGBTQ+, both students and faculty, important to you?
Is diversity, both students and faculty, important to you?
Do you want a college mission that focuses on social justice? sustainability? environmental issues? racial issues?
What other facilities are important to you? Athletic? Artistic? Social?
What type of housing and bathrooms are you comfortable with?
Geography - What physical environment is most comfortable for you? This pertains to where in the country you want to spend four years, to what do you want your campus to look like. The physicality of a college really does matter. Some questions to think about:
Do you prefer urban, suburban or rural campuses?
What type of campus architecture do you prefer?
Do you want to be near mountains or water?
Do you love winter? or would you rather wear flip-flops 24/7?
How far from home/family is comfortable for you?
Career Guidance - While college will be your education and home for four years, it is also critical that upon graduation the school has the career opportunities that are right for you. Research internship opportunities, corporate recruiting, graduate school acceptances, connections to industry that you think might be important, alumni pages on LinkedIn and the like. Some questions to think about:
Do you want internships built into your curriculum, even if that might mean being in school for more than four years? If so, research co-op schools, some questions to consider about co-ops is here.
Are there certain industries or companies that specifically interest you?
Are you considering pursuing graduate/professional school?
Affordability - College is a major investment of both your time and your money. For many families it is your biggest investment after your house. If securing merit aid is a requirement make sure that schools on your list provide merit aid, not all do. If they do, know the criteria for receiving it. In many cases it is based on GPA and test scores (so make sure you take standardized tests if you can), in which case your best chances for receiving merit aid are if you are in the top 25% of a school's GPA and SAT/ACT range (for rough example, if you have a 3.9 GPA and a 32 ACT your best chances for merit are at schools where the average GPA is a 3.5 and ACT is a 29). For art students merit aid is often portfolio/audition based, read how to prepare a competitive portfolio here. For some schools aid is available if you apply by a certain date, so knowing that information is critical as well. The financial aid pages should be able to give you accurate information, if you still have questions call the financial aid office. Some questions to think about:
Will you need scholarship or other tuition assistance?
Will you need merit aid?
Are there any financial programs you qualify for and are relying on for your education (i.e. the GI Bill, employer assisted tuition, or the like)?
A quick word about rankings, an important part of the rankings game (and it is a game) that contributes to a college being highly ranked is obtaining a large volume of applications and rejecting as many students as possible, i.e. “acceptance rate.” Rankings are in some part about rejection. They do not necessarily speak to the quality of teaching, faculty mentorship, or campus environment and whether that environment is one a particular student would thrive in.
Remember, what is a “best fit” for you is not necessarily a “best fit” for your friend or even your sibling. Do your research and I can guarantee that among the almost 3,000 colleges in the U.S. you will find a whole host of schools which will make your four years in college a success.