Before you begin your college search, you need to think about the kind of institution, and community you would want to be part of as a student for the next 4-8 years of your life. This is not a minor decision as you are likely to spend 60 or more hours a week on campus. If you are not happy with your institution, colleagues, and community, your experience can be exhausting instead of stimulating.
To identify your "best" institutional fit you need to be honest in setting your own desires and needs.
- What is most important to you?
- Location
- School Size
- Greek Life
- Professional Opportunities
- Community and religious offerings
- Commute
- Other
- Now think about what your "ideal" situation would look like for the items below. Be as honest with yourself as possible regarding your specific desires and needs.
- Research (facilities, projects, participant availability, funding, collegial partnering. . .)
- Teaching (student population, class size, presence of graduate students, course load. . .)
- Service (of what sort, on-campus, off-campus, related to special needs dietary or otherwise...)
- Institution (political perspectives, curriculum, governance. . .)
- Professional Affiliations (e.g., partnering companies, internships, open-mindedness. . .)
- Community (service learning, consulting, volunteerism, religious tolerance. . .)
- What is your biggest concern regarding finding a school "that fits"?
