Finding Your Perfect College: A Starting Guide for Parents and Students

The search for a college begins with a simple question: What makes the perfect college? While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, I will help you navigate this exciting yet complex process.

Think of college planning like building a house - you need a solid foundation before you can add the details. This guide will provide you with the critical building blocks to begin your search with confidence. 

Start Early, Plan Smart

The best college planning begins years before application season. Your student's path through high school shapes their college options. Help them choose challenging courses that match their interests and abilities. Good grades in challenging classes often catch the attention of admissions officers.

Beyond academics, encourage your student to develop:

• Strong study habits
• Time management skills
• Leadership abilities
• Extracurricular passions
• Writing capabilities

Test Prep Matters

While some colleges are test-optional, strong ACT or SAT scores still open doors. Start test prep early. Focus on:

• Yearly practice tests
• Identifying weak areas
• Learning test-taking strategies
• Managing test anxiety
• Timing and pacing

Finding the Right Fit

Avoid the common trap of focusing only on prestigious names. Consider these factors:

• Academic programs
• Campus culture
• Location
• Size
• Cost
• Career support
• Student life

We'll explore two powerful search strategies:

1. The Goldilocks Principle helps you find schools that are "just right" - not too easy, not too hard, but perfectly matched to your students' abilities and goals.
2. The Wrong Answer Technique eliminates poor fits first, narrowing your search to colleges that genuinely align with your child's aspirations and needs.

The Goldilocks Principle

Much like the fairy tale, the Goldilocks Principle of college search is about finding institutions that are neither too big nor too small, neither too prestigious nor too unknown, but just right for your child's academic and personal development. 

Here's how to apply it:

1. Assess Your Child's Academic Level: Determine your child's current academic level. Are they at the top of their class, average, or somewhere in between?
2. Match Interests and Programs: Look for colleges that offer programs or majors that align with your child's interests. For example, if your child is interested in saving the planet, look for colleges that are known for their good environmental studies programs.
3. Consider Campus Size and Culture: Some students thrive in large, bustling environments, while others do better in smaller, more intimate settings. Discuss what might be the best fit for your teen.
4. Evaluate Resources and Support: Colleges should provide the right level of challenge while also offering adequate support. Consider student services, academic advising, and the college's support for students throughout their educational journey.

The Wrong Answer Technique

This technique is about systematically eliminating colleges that are clearly not a good match:

1. Identify Deal Breakers: What are absolute no-goes? Maybe it's a college that's beyond your financial means, or it's a place that's too far from home or in a climate that your child can't tolerate.
2. Research and Cross-Off: Use college search tools to filter out colleges based on these deal-breakers. For example, if cost is a primary concern, remove colleges with tuition above a certain level.
3. Feedback from Your Teen: Involve your child in this process. Their feedback is crucial. Ask them which points they absolutely cannot compromise on and which ones they could be flexible with.
4. Refine Your List: After eliminating the obvious wrong choices, you'll have a more manageable list. Now, you can dive deeper into each school to ensure they're a good fit for your child's academic and personal needs.

Building the Perfect College List

With these strategies in place, here's how to build a list that truly resonates with your child. But before we do that, we need to be able to categorize colleges.

The traditional method is to rank colleges by the terms Safety, Target, and Reach. However, those terms are toxic and lack consistency in search results.

What is better to use is the Match & Fit System of school categorization.

Match & Fit Method

The Match & Fit Method replaces the traditional terms of Reach, Target, and Safety schools.

The terms Reach, Target, and Safety School establish a false relationship between you and the college.

If you were hoping to get into your Reach school, it means that school is too competitive for you, and you may not be a good fit (which is why it is a Reach school). 

If you were accepted to your Target school, you are disappointed because it was not your Reach school, and you feel like you are settling.

If you were accepted to a Safety school, you are above those students and do not belong.

Because of the failures of those terms, I developed the Match & Fit Method. Now we need to figure out how to apply it.

Match - A Data-Influenced Approach to Searching for Colleges

When you Match at a college, your grade point average is within + or - 0.33 grade points of the average incoming freshman grade point average, and your ACT or SAT scores are within 15 percentile points of that school's 75 percentile scores.

For example, the University of Nevada-Reno, has an average GPA of 3.38, a 75th percentile ACT score of 26, and an SAT score of 1200.

Student A has a grade point average of 3.45 and an SAT score of 1150, so UNR is a good Match because both the GPA and test scores are within the recommended threshold.

Student B has a grade point average of 3.85 and an SAT score of 1400 (significantly above the recommended threshold). Based on the numbers, UNR MAY NOT be a good Match for Student B.

**Just because a school is or is not a good match does not mean it is not a good fit.**

Fit - An Emotion-Influenced Approach to Searching for Colleges

Match statistics only provide information about the cohort of first-year students. To determine if the school Fits your child's needs beyond the data, you need to understand what the school is known for and how it connects emotionally.

The Match concept is meant for the mind (logic-driven), while the Fit concept is meant for the heart (emotion-driven).

Pay attention to these categories to see what their heart says about the schools:

Activities

Your child will have a lot of free time at college because the schedule and pace are different from high school. Consider exploring new interests by pursuing things different from your current interests. You never know; your interests may change in the future.

Alumni

Does the school have proud alumni? Small colleges may not have large organizations but may have very passionate ones. Do former students come back for homecoming or participate in alumni events? Do these former students post proudly on social media? Or, do you hear people bashing or making excuses for their college (e.g., it was pretty good for a Safety School)? 

One possible way to determine if a school has made an exponential difference in a person's life is their desire to support the school's brand proudly. 

Campus and Culture

Some people want a campus in the middle of a big city, while others want a campus in the middle of nowhere to get the feel of a small college town. Do not just think about what you like at the moment. If you choose a small school with fewer than 2,000 students, will you outgrow it in 4 or 5 years? Or will the allure of the big city eventually get the best of you, and you'll long for a slower pace?

Career Options

What is the 20-year outlook for your field of study? Since there are no statistics on the future, you'll have to do a little fortune-telling here. You can look for trends and emerging markets but ignore fads. Today's newest and coolest may not exist tomorrow. Look for schools with innovative degree programs (more on that below).

Location & Size of College

Most college applicants have an ideal setting in their minds for college. But should they?

Should location be that big of a factor?

Location is a big deal, but kids can and should learn to adjust (their first job might be out of the area, so learning how to adapt is an important skill to have. College can teach you many different things if you let it.

Student Support

You will need help from the administration, your department, or a professor at some point in your college career. But how do you know how much assistance you will get?

Varied and Interesting Majors

Look for a college with an innovative approach to education that is not afraid to combine majors (e.g., creative writing and video game design or mechatronics and engineering). COVID has changed the world, and you should attend a college that is not afraid to take an innovative approach that will help you be future-ready.

A notable detail about majors is that 80% of students change their major at least once during their academic studies.

Campus Visits

Nothing beats the firsthand experience of visiting a campus:

• Virtual Tours: If physical visits are not possible, use virtual tours. Many universities offer comprehensive virtual experiences.
• In-Person Visits: If possible, plan campus tours, attend information sessions and sit in on a lecture if you can. Let your child experience the campus atmosphere firsthand.

Talk to Current Students and Alumni

Connecting with students currently attending or alumni can provide insights you won't find in brochures:

• Social Media: Engage with student groups on platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn.
• College Fairs: Attend college fairs where students often volunteer to talk about their experiences.

Financial Planning

Discuss the financial implications early on:

• Understand Financial Aid: Get familiar with the FAFSA, scholarships, grants, and student loans. Colleges might offer financial aid packages, but understanding how to maximize aid is key.
• Budgeting: Help your teen understand costs beyond tuition, such as books, living expenses and travel costs. Discuss ways to save or earn scholarships through high school benefits or part-time work.\

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The Application Process

As the application deadlines loom, guide your teen through the process:

• Organize Applications: Use a calendar or app to track deadlines for applications, financial aid forms, and scholarship submissions.
• Craft a Compelling Application: Beyond grades and test scores, essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular involvement tell a story. Help your child reflect on what makes them unique.
• Interview Preparation: If interviews are part of the process, prepare your teen by conducting mock interviews, discussing potential questions, and ensuring they can articulate their goals and interests clearly.

Decision Time

When acceptance letters arrive, consider:

• Fit Over Fame: Remind your child that the best college is not always the most famous one but the one where they will thrive.
• Financial Fit: Revisit the financial aid packages. Discuss how each college will impact future financial stability.
• Gut Feeling: Encourage your teen to listen to their intuition about where they feel most at home.

Final Thoughts

As parents, we may instinctively try to protect our children from the challenges and potential failures of college life. However, by stepping back and allowing them to navigate this journey under your guidance rather than your control, you are setting them up for success. Remember, the college experience is about learning, growing, and becoming independent.

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