College Search

Researching colleges can be a daunting process for many, but our hope is that you find this process to be exciting. Each family proceeds through the college search process at their own pace. Some students are eager to get started, and others may want to avoid the conversation for as long as possible. Many factors may influence the discussion. Opinions and suggestions will come from everywhere. Sorting it out can be a challenge.

A key aspect will be some self-reflection on the part of the student. Often those who do best at this are those who truly think about who they are as a person and what kind of learner they are. This is where the Maia Learning assessments help. While the reputation of a college is important, to some extent, to most people the more critical question is whether a school is a good “fit” or not.

Your beginning list of colleges should be the result of a team effort among student, parents, and counselor. Each brings certain knowledge and expertise that is important to the planning. The list may be quite long at first, but over the course of a student’s junior year, and fall of senior year, as a result of campus visits and ongoing discussion among students, parents, and counselor, the list will evolve and eventually result in the group of schools the student will actually apply to. Let’s remember, of course, that this is the student’s life we are talking about and s/he should decide where to look, apply, and attend after considering the thoughts of all concerned.