5 Tips for Parents on Finding a College Match

I love it when I get feedback on our blog posts. Having people comment or email me directly shows that there is engagement, curiosity and maybe some clarity.

It’s that time in a high school parents’ life when they start to look at their son or daughter and think about college. What are they going to do? Where are they going to go? Given that these questions are swirling in the heads of many, I figured I would offer a few quick tips for parents who are eager to find the right college match for their kid.

1 - The size of the student body

Size affects so much of the social and academic experiences at college. Too often students are not honest with themselves and think that one of the two are more important than the other. That’s wrong. They work in tandem. Size affects many your child’s opportunities AND experiences such as:

• Range of academic courses offered
  
  
• Extracurricular possibilities
  
  
• Amount of personal attention
  
  
• Number of academic resources

2 - Location

Suburb, city or rural? Do you want your child home frequently? Are the comfortable being far away? Giving your child the necessary reassurance that they are ready for college is paramount. If this happens at 18 or 21, regardless, make sure the geography of their life fits with their maturity and academic readiness.

3 - Academic Programs

It is critical that your child properly assesses their strengths and weaknesses before they head off to college to ensure that they are productive while they are there. Picking a major may not happen right away -- usually not until the end of sophomore year -- but having a game plan almost guarantees success.

4 - Diversity

If it’s important to you, then it’s probably important to them. If you choose to send your child to where they will simply blend in and not learn much from others who are different from who they are, it’s probably an approach that will not yield bountiful results. Exploration is key to growth and experiential learning begins with interacting with others .

5 - Cost.

College is expensive. Make sure it matches your budget. Nuff said.