Planning for a “Great Fit” College Experience

Pick up a copy of US News College Rankings and the back section is usually filled with tips for making sure you get a good college fit.  Tune in to any chat with college students on collegeweeklive.com and you will again hear the importance of finding the right college fit.  It just makes sense, saves time, saves money, and saves the pain and effort of transfer.  Getting the right college fit can make all the difference in a great college experience.  So be sure you pay attention to these 6 characteristics.

  1. Academics – be sure the institution has the major area of study in which you have interest, ability and desire.
  2. Geographic Location – consider your need to be close or far from home, the travel costs, and climate, urban, suburban, and rural.
  3. Cultural – how do students dress, are religious preferences readily available, what about food or dietary options.
  4. Social – are there sporting event venues, theater, what about fraternities or sororities, availability of favorite hobbies like skiing, golf, and cycling or paint ball.
  5. Athletics – an opportunity for you to engage in your sport as a college athlete (www.collegesportstrack.com for excellent recruiting advisement) or the venues for you to be a fan
  6. Financial – is it affordable, what could make it affordable, what is the earning potential given the degree you are looking to attain, does it make the cost worth the investment

Plan ahead and evaluate all of the characteristics to ensure a “Great Fit” college experience.