What key factors would you consider for a "right fit" college search for my child?

Hi Christie,

I advise my students to consider the following factors when determining if a college is a "right fit" for a student.  

The factors are type of college--private, public, religious, technical, liberal arts, historically black, college or university; the size of college--undergraduate enrollment, total student enrollment and size of the freshmen class; the male/female ratio; available majors and minors; the physical size of the campus; the location of campus and the distance from your home; the type of setting (city, urban, suburban, rural); where the college is located geographically; available transportation (to and from the college); what's available to students beyond the college campus; the average class size and faculty to student ratio; the total cost– includes tuition, room, board, books, fees, application fees, deposits, travel expenses, health insurance, and spending money; available financial and merit aid and other scholarships; available extracurricular activities-- clubs/organizations (how many, which ones); available athletics (varsity, club, intramurals); other opportunities (i.e, volunteer, mentoring, religious); available campus facilities (recreational, athletic and academic); housing options; available career services and available support services for students with disabilities.

Best regards,

Melissa Kupferschmid