We’ve received so many questions from parents regarding the college admissions process, and we couldn’t address them all in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions podcast series. I want to get to them all! So we are kicking off a Q&A series with Alyse Levine, top college counselor and founder of Premium Prep, to help answer the biggest questions from parents who want to guide their students through the admissions process and minimize the stress.

Today, we’re focusing on an excellent topic that so many of you have asked about: College fit.

Q: How do I know if a college is a good fit? What questions should I be asking to find out?

A: Start by asking yourself these 7 questions

1. Do I get that “feeling” when I step onto the campus? Often this feeling is indescribable, but I’ve been working with students long enough to know there is this inexplicable gut feeling students often get when they visit a school and know it’s the right school for them. I know, it sounds pretty corny — or almost like dating. But it’s the truth!

Here is a list of helpful questions I’ve put together that you can ask a student tour guide while visiting a college.

2. Do the practical details check all my boxes? Finding a good college fit means considering school size, location, distance from home, number of commuting students versus those on-campus, and the school setting (rural, suburban, urban, college town). These are the easiest answers to find and are readily available.

3. Do I like the college’s approach to academics? Whether it’s a liberal arts college with a flexible curriculum, a highly specialized STEM or Arts institution, or something in between, every college is going to have its own core curriculum and requirements that you should dig into.

• Be sure you understand the courses outside of your major that you’ll be required to take.
• Learn how flexible that curriculum is. Will you be able to take electives that interest you?
• Look at the academic calendar and typical class schedule; there’s a wide variety of approaches, from a traditional semester calendar, to year-round academics, to colleges where you take a single class at a time.
• Investigate how easy it is to change your major — about 80% of students do!

And it may sound obvious, but be sure a college has your intended major or area study to begin with. You may like absolutely everything else about a school, but if they don’t have rich opportunities in the area of study you want — inside the classroom and out — the school may not be a fit for you.

4. What are experiential learning requirements outside the standard coursework? A school may have a rich study abroad program — and they may even require you take a semester away. You may also be required to participate in research, internships, or volunteer work and you should think about whether that’s appealing to you. Also think about whether the college location provides the kinds of opportunities you want in the industry that interests you.

5. Are these my people? Is this my vibe? As counselors, we are getting more frequent questions about how students can ensure that they find a campus home where they are comfortable being themselves. Whether you’re passionate about activism, seeking a diverse range of perspectives, or hoping for a place that’s more apolitical, finding a college that aligns with your values is essential.

Beyond politics, look at the types of students the school attracts. Look into campus social life — do people stay on campus on the weekends our head out of town? Research the emphasis on Greek life — or lack thereof — a focus on sports, or performing arts. Look at the diversity by gender, race, religion, and geographic breakdown. A good hint that a college is prioritizing diversity and inclusion can be found in the application’s past supplemental essays.

Pro Tip: Reading the student publications, like a school newspaper, is a great glimpse into current events and conversations happening on campus.

6. Can my family afford this school? This is one of those practical and often difficult conversations that each family has to have together, and it is one of the most essential.  It’s important that parents be upfront with their children about the financial options they can afford, and factor in questions like the amount of merit aid a school gives.

7. Will this school challenge me in all the important ways that I want to grow in college? This question is really important! You want to be comfortable in college for sure, but I always say you also want to be a little uncomfortable too. This is what will help you grow academically and as a person. The willingness to extend beyond your comfort zone can be a big factor in how successful you will be in college, and that’s really want you want most out of a school.

Alyse Levine is one of the foremost college counseling experts in the country, and Founder & CEO of our partner for this series, Premium Prep. She was previously Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Washington University in St. Louis,  Associate Director of College Counseling at The Dalton School in New York City, and Associate Director of College Counseling at the Dwight–Englewood School, in Englewood, New Jersey.

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Visit our partner PremiumPrep.com and mention Cool Mom Picks or Spawned. Your student will get a free, one-on-one, 30-minute counseling session with a best-fit counselor that they select based on your child’s own needs, interests, and college ambitions. Premium Prep has helped guide 93% of their students into one of their top three college choices. Each of their 50 counselors has extensive experience in college admissions offices, in private high school college counseling, or both. They work with all kinds of kids, whatever their dreams or GPA. So… take advantage!

Learn more from our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions here

Top Photo: UC Davis College of Engineering, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons