There are many factors that determine whether a student will successfully transition to college or not. The first thing to consider is what is important in selecting the “right fit” school? It’s easy to get swayed by elite brand names, fancy marketing or the desire to “go where my friends are going.” But, take a step back and really think about whether that institution has the academics, culture, resources to really help you grow and thrive across the next 4-5 years. I believe there are many “right fit” colleges for each student. Here are some questions you can use to determine whether your target colleges are the right fit for you:
Academic Concerns:
- How do I learn best?
- How much flexibility do I want in choosing classes?
- Is having a relationship with professors important to me?
- How competitive/collaborative do I want my classmates to be?
- Do I want to extend my learning outside the classroom?
Social Concerns:
- Is school spirit important to me?
- How liberal/conservative am I? Really?
- Am I really prepared to live in a city? Beach? Snow?
- Can I identify clubs where I am likely to find people who share my interests?
- If I am going away to college, is the campus residential or does it empty out on weekends?
Personal Concerns:
- Do I need special resources?
- Can I manage the cost of the school?
- Do I know what career I want? Am I sure?
- Do I want to go to grad school?
- Are there special programs that I want?
To maximize the likeliness that your college-bound student will be successful, be sure to explore the other parts of The Complete Candidate’s College Transition Playbook:
Part 1: The College Roller Coaster
Part 2: College Success Framework
