<p>Maybe at worst. I believe in fit very strongly because I have seen many times what happens when a student is a good fit for a school and when he or she is not. Not to mention the number of transfers every year....</p>
<p>And I disagree that it is SIMPLY a matter of personal identity - of finding like-minded peers. My son "fits" at his school like a hand in a glove, or maybe even moreso, like white on rice, not simply because of peers but because of the verfy specific programs, teachers, opportunities, geography, and more.</p>
<p>Fit is far, far, FAR more important than prestige or anything else. I know others on this board disagree with me ("fit is what we can afford!" they might say) but that's their view. As for others whose kids would fit at any one of a 100 schools - well, it depends on how deeply one has developed into an individual, knowing what he or she wants. The more unformed one is (and that's not a criticism - we are all unformed to some degree), the more places will fit.</p>