<p>I have seen many threads talking about how so and so got in a certain college because he or she was a good "fit" for the particular school. My question is, how do you know you belong to a certain school, how do schools know you belong, and how much research should you do on the schools your applying to, and how to go about researching schools you like (what should you look for in a school, ect...)</p>
<p>I initially thought that colleges were just places you applied to, not because you "fit" into the school but just because you like it for one reason or the other.</p>
<p>some places you go and just feel like this is the kind of place you want to be for the next ~4 years. in my case i didn't get into that school but its something that you can't predict but will know when it happens. try to do things like overnight stays so you can talk to students outside of the "x school is the best school ever! there is nothing wrong at all and we are all perfect" thing you get from presentations and crap. when you get to talk to students away from admissions officers, parents, etc. you get a feel for a school</p>
<p>some things to consider. u should look at schools' overall ranks, ranks in specific major/program u intend to major in, school's cost/financial aid program, its location, and very importantly, the social life. many schools have vastly different social settings from each other and it is important to figure out which school you comfortably would fit into socially.</p>
<p>You should expect to feel like you would fit in at the schools you're applying to. Things to look for are structure, curricula, financial aid, location, social life, academic quality/rank, campus setting, etc. Also, this is only something to take with a grain of salt, as it varies by students, but the notable alumni/ae can say a lot about the kind of people it churns out. For instance, if a school brags about its writing program but has never had any successful novelists attend, it might not necessarily be one of the best.</p>