How Do I Find the “Right” College?

How do I know which college is the right one for me?

Top Three Takeaways

• There are many aspects to consider — cost, size, location, campus life, etc.
• Visiting the college and see how you feel there.
• What seems important at the beginning of the search process may end up not being a deal-breaker.

From the Pros

From Mary Beth Stephens, MBS College Coaching LLC: I believe you’ll know when you visit. There is no such thing as the perfect school. My own sons chose schools that were missing what they thought were high priority things: a Greek system and freshman-only dorms, for example. When a student loves a school, sometimes those high priority wishes fall by the wayside. It’s why I work so hard to find schools that I believe fit the student. I take into consideration their academics, their test scores, what they want to study (and if they don’t know what they want to study, that’s perfectly okay too), size, geographic location, offerings on and off campus, the school’s culture, and many more considerations. Sometimes this takes a long time, but that’s one of the things I love about my job – doing the research to find those right schools. If you want more information about my process, you can find me in the following places: www.mbscollegecoaching.com; on Facebook: MBS College Coaching, LLC; on LinkedIn: Mary Beth Stephens College Admissions Counselor (I’ve also written several articles on the college admissions process on LinkedIn). My email address is marybeth@mbscollegecoaching.com.

From Lynn Whalen, Executive Director, Public Relations and Marketing, Lincoln Land Community College: Research college websites, talk to friends and family members, and attend a Visit Day or schedule a tour. Get a “feel” for the campus.

From Springfield Academic: If a college checks the financial, academic and campus-living boxes, it is likely right for you. If a student has excelled academically and socially in high school, he or she will probably do well just about anywhere. If a student has struggled academically, was a “late-bloomer”, struggled with mental health or substance issues, or has a diagnosed disability, then the “right” school likely falls into a narrower field.

From a Mom

From Denise Beauman: My daughter knew what college was right for her because she felt comfortable there. She felt safe when we visited. She loved how the campus was laid out. She liked the students we met and how excited they were about going to school there. It felt right. As a parent I knew because the school she choose was the only one she ever talked about all the time.

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