Big city? Beach town? How to help students find the right university

When you hear the term “best fit”, many things may come to mind. Perhaps your brain immediately jumps to clothing – as in, “my child’s shoes are a bit too small and aren’t quite the best fit”, or even, “I need a more formal look for my friend’s wedding, so this outfit isn’t the best fit for this particular event”.

Maybe you think of when you applied for jobs in the past, and perhaps a certain location or role was in the realm of your interests, but overall, it was not your favourite choice. So you turned it down because it wasn’t the best fit for your needs at that time.

All of these examples are great to think of, because it is a very similar concept when we, as counsellors, are describing “best fit” to our students when supporting them with their university applications.

It is vital that students take this best-fit approach when considering universities to apply to and attend. In the same way that a too-small pair of shoes is not ideal, it won’t be comfortable attending university for very long if this element of the application process is neglected. 

Encouraging students’ understanding of ‘best fit’

So, how exactly do we support students as they seek out their best-fit universities? How do we best encourage their understanding of best fit, and what specific factors play a role in determining this? 

There are many factors to take into consideration when determining best fit for students during their university-application process. Before even beginning the process, students must research and create a shortlist of universities they wish to apply to.

This process is highly individualised and specific to each student, based on their current performance and ability, and their desires for their university experience to come. 

Reach, target and safety

Most students and counsellors have heard the terms “reach”, “target” and “safety” used in the university-application context.

Reach refers to universities that require high academic marks for admissions or have only a very limited and selective number of places available.

Target refers to a university that offers acceptances in the range of a student’s current academic performance, and has a larger admissions percentage among its applicants.

Safety references schools that have a high percentage of admissions and where students have little need to worry about their chances of getting in.

It’s important that students fully understand their academic markings – their GPA, their IB predictions or their A-level predictions – and what each university requires, in order to successfully craft a well-balanced and best-fit university list.  

However, there is a wide array of factors to consider beyond simply categorising the university based on percentage chance of admission. And there is way more to a student’s university experience than rankings and outdated assumptions about “top universities” and their name reputation.

So many amazing universities in amazing locations exist around the world – 28,000+ and growing each year – and all of these lead to a degree that will support a student in their future workplace. 

Talking points for discussing best fit with students

Location

Is it important to you to be close to home? Is the university close to home? Is it in a location that has a bustling city population with many activities, or somewhere with small-town vibes, but cosy and quaint? These questions can help students to think about where they want to study.

Climate

What is the weather like? What hobbies are important to you? If you plan to continue with your passion of mountain biking, then perhaps studying in Florida, with its flat land and beaches, is not right for you. Alternatively, if you hate winter, then perhaps Florida is the right fit for you.

Visa opportunities

Some countries, like Canada, offer excellent and easy visa pathways that eventually lead to citizenship; in other countries, you can only stay for a certain amount of time after graduation before you must leave. Is your intention to remain abroad for ever in your location of study? Do you always plan to return to your home country? 

Population of school

Do you want to be surrounded by thousands of students in a lecture hall? Or do you prefer a school with smaller classes and a better teacher-to-student ratio? Are there ample activities on campus?

Population of city

Are you excited by the idea of being in London or New York: massive cities with huge diversity, creative art scenes and a wide array of activities at all times of the day? Or does that overwhelm you, and you’d prefer a smaller city or town, perhaps closer to friends and family?

Transport

Some students detest driving. Other students love having the freedom to travel long distances at their leisure. In some areas, such as many states in the US (for example, California and Florida), you need to have a car or you will have a very limited experience of activities off campus. By contrast, cities such as Amsterdam have a robust public-transit system, and you may never need a car a day in your life. A car is a huge financial commitment, with the purchase cost, gas/petrol, insurance, etc. And don’t forget you’ll be dealing with heavy traffic in some areas. What is important to you?

Study-abroad programmes

Do you want the chance to study abroad? If so, research which universities offer this. Study abroad can be a really rewarding experience, but it’s not available to everyone. Some universities even have campuses in multiple countries, making it easy to transfer back and forth at your leisure. 

Internship assistance

Some universities offer internships as a part of the university experience and others do not. Some internships are paid and others are not. Some may even guarantee you a paid internship or a co-op experience to work and make money, which helps you earn income and build a résumé. Is this important to you?

Housing

Do you want to live on campus or off campus? Some universities provide both options, whereas others require first-year students to live on campus. Others don’t let anyone live on campus. Some places – such as, again, Amsterdam – are experiencing a housing crisis, which makes finding accommodation a huge challenge. Have you thought about where you will live? What will make you most comfortable?

Finances

What are the tuition fees at the school? Do you have the grades needed for a merit-based scholarship? Does the school offer other external scholarships? Have you considered community colleges and the 2+2 option many US schools offer? Do you know your overall university budget?

When should counsellors start talking to students about best fit?

Counsellors should begin raising awareness about the university-application process early on in students’ high-school career. Always think about the beginning with the end in mind. 

Start early: consider having an underclassmen planning night each year in the fall, so grade 9 and 10 (Years 10 and 11) parents can learn about what will be upcoming in the upperclassmen years (Years 12 and 13). That way, they can begin doing research passively, with goals and academic achievements in mind.

Then, consider having separate planning nights for juniors and seniors (Years 12 and 13). This would offer specific grade-level information for each set of students, in order to individualise their university-application journey.

It is imperative to have a strict focus from the start on students understanding themselves and their future desires, and on doing research to achieve this. Students still unsure of themselves can take various personality and career-aptitude tests to learn more about their quirks and discover potential interests.

Planning for the fickleness of adolescence

Students change their minds and their interests all the time – and their university lists may change along with them. What was a best-fit university one week may no longer even be on the list the next.

With that in mind, it’s important to speak to students and their families regularly. Review their research and their tentative application list to make sure it truly is a best fit for the student and not just a university they are applying to because one of their friend’s parents told them it was great.

Perhaps consider having a best-fit checklist that students fill out for each university on their list, and edit it with them as needed. It really is a rewarding experience to help students find that perfect destination and university that fits (nearly) all of their needs. 

Applying to university – just like applying to a job – is a two-way street. As much as the student is applying to the university, the university and what it offers also has to be applicable and palatable to the student.

Students and their parents are putting a huge amount of money towards the students’ future, and it’s imperative that the money is well spent and that the university fits just right. Just as we wouldn’t want to walk miles and miles in a pair of shoes that don’t fit properly, so we don’t want students to invest years and years of time and money in a university that isn’t the perfect fit.

By taking the steps above, you can ensure that students will be happy and satisfied where they end up, as the time spent researching best fit upfront will guarantee success in the long run.