<p>As the title suggest... I'd like to know how "accurate" is having a "feel" for the right college. I have applied to 16 colleges and a teacher asked me how did I choose my 1st choice... I though about the campus environment, the settings of the college, prestige.... but I really wanted to say that I had a "feel" for this college. How ofted do students who "have a feel" for certain college later regret their choice?
Thank you!!</p>
<p>ps: if I'm unclear, please DO tell so that I may explain myself better.</p>
<p>usually by visiting the school. second best would be to read as much as you could about it, from various perspectives (not just 'official guidebooks')</p>
<p>Getting that "gut feeling" is important. Trust it.</p>
<p>Talk to people who attend, read the negatives about the school along with the positives (these can sometimes be more important in this decision), set-up an interview or ask your questions that are "more important" with officials of the school or knowledgable alumni, step on campus, take a tour of the campus/town.</p>
<p>For my sons the best fit became clear after staying overnight and attending classes at a few top choices. Understandably, an overnight is not always possible, but if you can make it work it is well worth the time and money when weighed against the cost of tuition/room/board.</p>
<p>We tend to minimize the importance of "feel". I think, however, that feel is really our mind's way of giving us information about unconcious observations that we have made over time. So when you are talking with someone and get a really uncomfortable vibe I think it is your way of reacting to information that your brain is receiving that you may not be aware of. </p>
<p>If you have 16 schools to choose from, you certainly have a lot of choices. You will be able to eliminate quite a few based on certain factors that are important to you, but your final choice may very well be on feel, mainly because we cannot quantify on paper.</p>
<p>My youngest had narrowed it down to 2 schools. School #1 made the most sense on paper, offered a bit more financial aid, and would have been a great school for him. But he didn't feel right about it inspite of numerous experiences with it. So he visited School #2 on invited student days and chose that one because he said he felt so comfortable there. He still loves the school and is being quite successful.</p>
<p>That being said, if he had chosen the other school, my guess is he would be quite happy there as well. If you head off to school with the attitude that you are going to be happy there it is more likely to be true. We spend so much time focusing on finding "the Perfect School" when in all likelihood there is no such thing and many schools will fit the bill. We just never realize that because most of us only attend one school, not many.</p>