Tip Sheet: Determining College Fit and Value


Gloria Cordes Larson is the president of Bentley University, a private institution in Waltham, Mass.

The college search is about finding a place that is right for you, one that is going to best prepare you for a rewarding life and successful career when your college years are over.

“Prepare” is the operative word here. In a recent survey of employers by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, executives said they were looking for graduates with both field-specific skills and broad knowledge in the liberal arts for long-term career advancement. Today’s college graduates should be armed with a well-rounded, purpose-driven education that integrates concepts and numbers, people and profits, and left brain with right.

Here are some questions for college representatives that may help prospective students prepare for these long-term goals:

Is the Curriculum Relevant to My Goals?

Ensuring that your classes will be relevant to who you want to become, both personally and professionally, is so important. If you find that the programs offered do not address your diverse set of interests, find out if your prospective college or university offers opportunities to blend disciplines.

Consider asking these questions about the curriculum:

  • Can I have more than one major, and in different disciplines?
  • Will I have the opportunity to thoughtfully integrate my majors?
  • In what ways will I learn to hone soft skills, like the ability to make decisions, and how will I be challenged to execute those skills?
  • How do you help students improve their writing and oral communication skills?

What Types of Technology Will I Be Exposed To?

Our world is built on technology, and having exposure to and an understanding of evolving technology is important for students who will be entering the work force in just a few years.

To gauge how technology is incorporated in the learning experience of your prospective college, consider these questions:

  • What types of innovative technology will I have access to? What will I be expected to learn?
  • How is technology used in the classroom?
  • Do you offer courses that blend online and in-class instruction?

What Is the Learning Environment Like?

To get a feel for the culture of the school, especially among the students who will be your classmates and peers, consider asking these questions:

  • What are the more popular student groups on campus?
  • How do current students show leadership, on campus and off?
  • In what ways are students active in politics, community service and areas of social responsibility?

Don’t forget to focus on the right “social” fit for you:

  • How small (or large) is the student body?
  • Is there an athletic or other program that contributes to school spirit?
  • What do most students do for fun? How do they spend their weekends?

How Will I Be Prepared for the Work Force?

Nothing teaches students faster or better than practical, hands-on experience gained through internships, corporate immersion and service-learning, both locally and internationally. No matter which college you decide to attend, look for opportunities to engage deeply in problem-solving and innovation. This type of knowledge and experience can’t always be conveyed in a traditional classroom setting, but it can lead you to meaningful relationships with lifelong mentors and propel you to future jobs.

To gauge the career readiness resources at a college or university, consider asking these questions:

  • At what point will your school offer me career planning programs and services?
  • What percentage of students complete an internship (or two), and when can I expect to participate in my first one? Are they financed?
  • What are some examples of the places recent alumni have gone to work or graduate school?
  • Will I have the opportunity to study abroad? Where does your school have strong global partnerships?
  • How does this school partner with professionals working in the marketplace?
  • Does your school offer service-learning programs? Can I put these credits toward my degree?

Finally, what is most important is that you feel prepared after your college years to build a fulfilling career and meaningful life. Your college search should lead you to a place for growth and learning, where your long-held assumptions will be reconsidered, your opinions altered and your life goals established.

Your generation is grounded in reality and uplifted by hope. So be hopeful and realistic. If the answers you receive to the questions above ring true to you, then you have found a college or university worth the investment.

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Prospective students should also ask to see the library, if visiting a campus. They should find out whether the library has adequate study space and resources.

Thank you so much for this post. Choosing a college is a complex process and there a host of considerations for both students and their families. Size, curriculum, technology, and career placement services are definitely important. However, equally significant are the financial considerations. Can the student/family afford the tuition? Will the student amass large loans which will be a burden to repay? I think the school’s tuition must be considered early on in decision making process and not be an after thought once the student has their heart set on the ‘perfect school.’

Thank God, someone finally bothered to ask what employers want. If I read one more story about how a liberal arts education is no longer of value, I think I will cry.

LIberal arts colleges will far better prepare students for the complex world of work than a technical degree or major focused solely around just one area of interest.

If you can learn to understand the connection between ideas and how those ideas then play out in reality, which is what history, literature, politics, philosophy, physical sciences and the arts will teach (i.e. the LIBERAL ARTS), you will be better able to see those connections in the office place.

I have never taken a business course in my life, yet have built a highly successful career in public relations at the senior level, because I’m able to take in a wide range of concepts quickly, turn them into plain speech that target audiences can readily understand, and recommend PR strategies that actually result in new business only because my liberal arts degree taught me how to approach complex problems and challenges..

The attempts by some government wonks and political pundits to argue that “technical” degrees whether from a community college or acheived strictly through online degree programs is far more what the average American student needs given the high costs of college and high unemployment rates seems to be more based on an agenda of wanting to “dumb down” the electorate than it does on what employers really want and need.

Curiousity is the only way that R&D and new innovation will advance and curiousity comes from learning about disparate subjects that challenge what we think we know about the world and life. Rote learning centered around one basic area of study will kill American innovation as quickly as biased gossip wrapped up in the guise as “editorial analysis and reporting” by people like Rush Lumbaugh, Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly has killed any meaningful discourse about American democracy.

Caren Raylesberg, J.D. June 13, 2013 · 8:09 pm

Yes. It is important to “test drive” a college as much as possible so that you can make an informed decision. One note though… you can find a lot of information about a school by going through its website. Turn the school’s website inside out to see what courses/majors are offered, what professors are doing outside of the classroom, what community service opportunities are linked to the town the college is in, what study abroad programs are available, what popular majors are, what fields of graduate study alumni are going into, what kind of alumni network exists, etc. Follow every website link and see where it takes you. These days, students and their families are consumers and the university/college is a large investment of time and resources. Lastly, doing this kind of research will make you a more attractive candidate as your interactions with the school rep will show your interest and you will have a well informed answer to the essay question “why do you want to go to XYZ University”.

And the students will make their decision based on how pretty the campus is, how personable the student is who gave their campus tour, and how far it is from their parent’s home.