By now, you have probably heard many opinions about what makes a "good college." You might have a few ideas of your own. Now it is time to take a close look at what really makes a college good—good for you, that is!
If you have some ideas about what might make a college a good fit, it's time to "connect the dots." You can review your old ideas and consider what you've learned recently to come up with a clearer picture of your "ideal" college before you dive into a serious college search.
We're Talking About Priorities
Your first step toward defining your ideal college is to write down your current requirements and decide which ones are the most important. Knowing this will help you select a solid pool of colleges to consider applying to. It will help you narrow your choices down to the candidates most likely to meet your needs. It will help you resist impulse decisions, such as applying to colleges simply because it is easy and/or free. And ultimately, it will help you make a wise choice about which college to attend.
What's Most Important
To get started, divide your college requirements into three categories: "must have," "would like," and "tie breakers." Ask yourself why you're placing a requirement in a certain category. Be honest with yourself and look at the long, medium, and short views. For example:
- Long view: Which of your college requirements will help you in your career or in grad school? For example, does the college offer a strong program in your major? These are probably "must haves."
- Medium view: Which requirements will greatly benefit you during your time at college? For example, do you want a college near home so you can visit your parents easily? These could go in the "would like" column.
- Short view: Which qualities might make college life outside class more interesting, but are not essential to achieving your education goals? For example, do you want to play an intramural sport? These should go with the "tie breakers."
Within each category, prioritize requirements from most important to least important. Use the same "views" you used to categorize your initial set of requirements. This step not only clarifies your priorities, but provides you with strong arguments and reasons for each requirement, in case others question them.
Factoring in Feedback
Important people in your life may have opinions about what kind of college would make a good fit for you. They may even urge you to consider specific colleges. But consider the source. Does the person know you well? Are the person's educational values similar to yours? Does the person know a lot about the particular educational goal or career path you have in mind? Does the person have a stake in your decision? If the source makes sense to you, consider adding the college qualities they suggest to your requirements list. For more advice on evaluating outside opinions, see the article, But Everyone Else Says....
Making the Grade
Now begin searching for colleges that meet your top requirements. If you already have an initial list of colleges, identify the ones that best match these requirements and continue searching for more candidates. Our article You Gotta Start Somewhere gives you tips for starting your search.
Of course, there may be a college or two you've always wanted to attend, no matter what anybody says and no matter how little the school matches your essential requirements. You might reconsider these colleges now that you've learned more about your preferences and needs. On the other hand, you might discover that the reason you like such a school is that it has an attractive quality that you overlooked, or didn't initially think was important. Consider whether that quality belongs on your list of requirements.
Once you have settled on an initial list of colleges that look promising, your next step is to evaluate those colleges more carefully. For help, take a look at our article Looking at Colleges Side by Side.
Let It Evolve
Remember, the most important feedback to get is your own. Is that college feature you wanted so much at first still important? Are you learning more about what you like about colleges as you visit campuses? Keep reviewing your list of requirements as you continue your research. As you learn more about colleges and your preferences and needs, you may find yourself taking colleges on and off your list.
Staying Focused
Although it's usually possible to transfer to another college if the one you first attend does not work out, your goal should be to get it right the first time. The more you know about your "ideal" college before you start looking in earnest, the more likely you are to find it. The more you refine your requirements as you learn about colleges, the more likely you are to have a successful college experience. There are so many colleges to choose from, you should have no trouble finding several that have just about everything you want and at which you are likely to thrive.
CollegeData's College Match can help you learn more about colleges that match your requirements. You can use CollegeData's Admissions Tracker to see how the qualifications and backgrounds of admitted students match yours. Go to College Buzz to read the personal stories of students who discovered what they wanted in their ideal colleges.
