9 Tips to Help Your Student Find Their Best-Fit College

It’s about identifying the schools that are right for your student—the ones in which you’ll find your child thriving academically, socially, culturally, and emotionally. If your student performs better academically when working one-on-one with teachers, your family should explore smaller colleges that offer personalized attention. If you do this work on the front end, “getting in” will be less of an issue.

College is first and foremost about education, so admission offers are made primarily on an academic basis. That means the work your child does in the classroom across all four years of high school is vital. Yes, we know they are also busy outside of the classroom, and we want your student to develop into a well-rounded individual. However, the high school transcript is the most important part of the application because it tells us a story about how your student challenges themselves, how they perform academically, and the choices they make in electives.

One of the questions I’m most often asked is whether it’s better to take an AP course and get a B or C, or to take a college prep course to get that A. My answer is: Students must challenge themselves, because college will challenge them. We can tell if your student simply chose the path of least resistance to protect a high GPA. The key is to challenge themselves appropriately. What is that sweet spot in which your child can take advanced courses, do well, and still be a high school student who develops in other ways? It’s not the same for everyone.

They’re important at some schools, so your student should consider taking both the ACT and SAT. We see that some students perform better on one and not as well on the other. But you should also know that many schools, including Rollins, offer some form of test-optional admission policy. Do your research to find out what is required where.

There are so many free resources out there to help you with this process! Khan Academy offers free video tutorials for the SAT. The National Association of College Admission Counseling hosts several online resources. Local community-based organizations may help review your student's applications before submitting them. And don’t forget about the high school college guidance counselor—they are there to help your student throughout this process.

Don’t assume a college admission office will automatically know why your child had a dip in grades the second semester of sophomore year, or why your student changed schools three times, or why there aren't any activities during junior year. If your student doesn't fill in the gaps or the questions on the application, we will be forced to—and we’re probably going to get it wrong. Most applications allow students to include additional information about themselves. And if they don’t, contact your admission counselor to see how you can. Bottom line: If there are inconsistencies in the application, let us know why.

Colleges aren’t looking for a certain formula when it comes to high school involvement—we just want to get a sense of the student as an actual person. Most of what we see on the application is numbers and letters. But keep in mind, we’re building a community of students on our campus. As a result, your child should create an authentic resume that helps the admission team connect with them on a personal level. When assisting your student, they should consider: What makes you you? What kind of student are you, what kind of friend are you, what kind of family member are you? Your student should be specific about how they spend their time outside the classroom, beyond just their resume, so we can see them as an individual. Part-time jobs, helping with siblings, favorite hobbies, and service work and causes they're passionate about all apply.

As applications to the nation’s most selective colleges increase, your student's demonstrated interest in their top college choices can play an important role in the admission decision. But demonstrate interest wisely. The key is to identify the top two or three schools and make yourself known to them authentically. Your student should visit at least two or three campuses, connect with their dedicated admission counselor, become active on social media, or ask to meet with a professor or member of the staff.