Finding Your Fit: Making the College Decision

An array of North Carolina college pamphlets, including UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State, and UNC Charlotte. In recent years, over half of Watauga High School graduates have chosen to attend a 4-year university or 2-year institution after graduation. Photo credits: Bethany Atwood

Bethany Atwood, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

The jumps from college applications to applying to scholarships to finally waiting for decisions can create what feels like a never-ending season of stress. The light at the end of the tunnel can feel far away while writing essay after essay and spending hours crafting the perfect application. Thankfully, all this hard work comes to fruition as acceptances start to roll in, and you can finally start to relax. However, as the inevitable decision sits in front of you, the time has come to finally pick the place to further your education. Whether you’ve had an eye set on a special college for years or are still unsure, it is important to reflect and consider a wide range of factors.

When deciding where to go, there are a multitude of components of an institution to consider. These factors can be broken down into two distinct categories: Match and fit.

“A match is a school where the student’s academic profile, which is when their GPA and test scores are similar to the average admitted student,” said college and career counselor Courtney Gragg. “A fit refers to how well a college or university aligns with a student's individual needs, preferences, and goals.”

While a match focuses on academic suitability, a fit encompasses factors such as financial, social, and personal factors. Both are important to ensuring that a student thrives at the school they choose.

“It’s essentially about finding a college where a student feels comfortable, supported, and can thrive academically and personally,” said Gragg. “Students without a sense of belonging are 20 to 30% more likely to drop out, which is why match and fit are so important.”

It’s not difficult as a student to put more focus on a particular point of interest within a college than others, but it is important not to neglect aspects of college life when making your decision, such as school size or campus location. Factors that may not seem important now might be crucial during your college experience.

“I think I dismissed aspects of college life that are more important than just academics,” said Mia Llibre, who graduated from Watauga High School last year and attends Davidson. “For example, proximity to home or school size. I enjoy so much to be able to go home over one weekend and enjoy a home-cooked meal, that sort of thing. I really enjoy and really treasure a small school too, because I do feel very connected with my professors, with students, and with things going on on campus.”

Knowing what kind of school you want may not come automatically, and insight through school tours might make or break a decision. Before coming to a final conclusion to your college decision journey, school tours are a great resource for a student to know if it is truly the right fit for them.

“When I first started looking at colleges, I actually didn’t even consider ETSU,” said senior Anna Koontz. “I was definitely wanting to go to NC State until I actually went there and visited, and I didn’t love it. So then I went to ETSU because they had my major, and I loved it there.”

The idea of a college may be exciting, but visiting it allows the opportunity to solidify an existing opinion of a school. Experiencing a school in person allows students to envision themselves there and get a sense of whether or not the school is suitable for them.

“Make sure that you like it when you go,” said Koontz. “Don’t just do it because you think it would be a fun school to go to. Definitely something to consider is what campus life is like. Do they have what you want to do, and do they have a good community for you to be a part of?”

While considering a wide range of factors such as major, location, size, and finances, it is essential to find a school that can best serve your needs and allow you to grow. Regardless of what you find most important, there is assurance in knowing that there is a school for you.

“You want to make sure you feel like you belong when you walk on that campus, you can see yourself there, and you can envision yourself there,” said Gragg.