When considering colleges, the most important question to ask is “Will my teenager be both comfortable and challenged there?” After answering this initial question, there are then three kinds of college environments to think about.

Physical environment: Is the college big or small, old or new? Which would your teen prefer? This is important when considering a student could be there for four years.

Academic environment: Does the college have the programs and/or major your teen wants? Is it academically rigorous? What are the faculty’s expectations of students? What’s the overall academic atmosphere — is it a grind or a party school?

Social/cultural environment: Is the university a rural school or a city school? Is it conservative or liberal? Is it religious? Students are encouraged to view diversity on college campuses as a good thing — something between the homogeneity of high school and the wide diversity of the “real world.”

Other considerations should include a frank look at the question: What are a teen’s chances of being admitted to this school?

•Start with a school’s website, checking to see if it includes a profile of the entering class.

•Visit the campus.

•If you can’t take a trip to visit a campus, check with them to see if they have a virtual tour available.

Families should consider the annual cost at each college. Don’t let the “sticker price” of a school keep your student from applying. As a rule, the less you can afford a school, the more financial aid you can get there.

It is recommended that students apply to 10 to 12 colleges and universities. The list should include two to three “safety schools” (relatively easy for your teen), several “target schools” (places where your teen’s chances of getting accepted are 50 percent), and the remainder “reach schools” (schools your teen would like to attend but may not be qualified to attend).

Andrea Frimmer, owner of Prep4CollegeNow.com, is a San Diego-based certified independent college admissions counselor with over 30 years of experience in the education industry.