What is "fit" and why does it matter?
Faced with thousands of college choices, it can be exceptionally difficult to know how to find the perfect match for your child.
When to Begin?
"The benefit of the college search process is that it can begin at any age—it is never too early to start!" - Christopher W. Tremblay
For an active and engaged parent, the college planning process can begin as early as you'd like it to. In your child's primary school years, exposure to the idea of college will create an early awareness of certain post-secondary options. If your child is in middle or high school, you can encourage them to take a more active role in researching schools and discovering their interests. Organizing campus visits for your children can also be a great way to get them excited to eventually attend college.
Where to Begin?
It would be natural to begin the search for colleges at the Times Higher Education University Rankings. In fact, most parents I know have high aspirations for their children and often begin researching colleges through rankings. While this can be a fine place to begin, it's important not to treat it as your only resource. University rankings are just one of many options available for finding the perfect school for your child. However, I would suggest beginning with a discussion with your child about his or her future plans. This will create a sense of immediate involvement and engagement, as well as a feeling of ownership of the process for the child. It's very possible that you'll both be working with incomplete information about college options available, but that's completely fine. Together you can research and discover more about possible schools and the process of applying.
What is Fit?
The concept of "fit" is a crucial one to understand and keep in mind throughout the application process. We can loosely think of the idea of fit as being synonymous with compatibility. If a school matches what you and your students hope to experience during university, then it is a good fit.
One key realization about this definition of fit is that there are no schools which are perfect for everyone. For example, a student with top grades and test scores, is actively involved in Model United Nations, and wants to pursue a career in law, would probably be well-suited for Harvard University. But another student who perhaps has more average grades but an intense passion for architecture might be less suited for Harvard. The second student would likely be better at an architecture school, despite Harvard's prestige.
Why is Fit Important?
Finding a correct fit is crucial because it indicates how happy a student might potentially be when attending a particular school. Happiness is a factor that many people overlook because it can be hard to quantify, but I think that it's one of the most important elements of deciding which school to attend.
College represents an unparalleled opportunity for most students to expand their educational horizons and discover new interests. Being happy is a necessary part of this process because students who are unhappy are less likely to stray outside of their comfort zones, approach college with an open mind, and actually expand their options. There is more to college than grades and the ranking of the school which gives you your degree. Encourage your kids to find a school that they'd be excited to attend, and they will be more likely to succeed in college and beyond.
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