Take our free college quiz to discover your dream school
Selecting the right college for students is a determining step in forming your future, and our perfect quiz is a great benefit for you. It embraces more than academics, investigating students' lifestyle preferences, ideal environment, and interests. Our quiz assesses each response to discover colleges that fit your unique goals and preferences.
- Get matched with academic programs that fit your interests and goals
- Explore over 3,000 four-year colleges and universities in America
- Consider the cost of various colleges and financial aid options to make an informed decision
Understanding Your Preferences
Selecting the right school, college, or university is a comprehensive process that will require you to spend your spare time with high efficiency. Prior to choosing a college, you need to determine and understand your preferences like extracurricular organizations, athletics, academics, campus life, and a lot more. Consider the most significant preferences you have and you will likely choose the best fit for you among colleges and universities.
What type of campus environment do you find most appealing?
One of the essential things to consider when choosing a college is the campus environment because it is critical for your college experience. An important step to take into account is to decide the type of campus you prefer. Apart from the physical environment, you should also consider the social side of the environment. Consider the places, people, opportunities, and spaces off-campus that can affect what and how you will study in college.
- A bustling urban setting with lots of activities and public transport
- A suburban campus with a good balance of nature and city access
- The environment is less important than the academic programs offered
- A campus with a strong sense of community and extracurricular activities
What size university do you prefer?
The size of your future university also matters. You can answer questions regarding the size of your university to identify what size is better for you - whether large, medium, or small. It will help you understand how the school's size affects the college experience and best matches your personality. This is an important decision because you should know there are differences between studying at large and small universities. Both approach the learning process in different ways because the number of students varies. Typically, small universities include small classes, enabling students to easier connect with their professors when they need it. Larger universities are known for larger classes for subjects studied by all students, but they get more focused and smaller as the major progresses.
- A large university with many students and numerous resources
- A medium-sized university that balances resources with a sense of community
- A small university with a more personalized learning experience
Assessing Your Lifestyle
Evaluating the lifestyle and personal needs of yours represents another essential element of selecting a college or university that perfectly aligns with your personality. You can make the process of selecting the right college easier by carefully considering your future goals, personal values, and lifestyle needs. Such factors as campus culture, surroundings, extracurricular opportunities, and location can essentially affect your overall college or university experience. Assessing these factors will help you understand if a college provides the geographical environment, required activities, climate conditions, community support, and other lifestyle elements that match your individual lifestyle preferences.
How is your family, money-wise?
You should realize your financial opportunities prior to choosing a college or university to understand whether you can afford it. Do you have savings? Are there debts possessed by your family? Or insufficient pensions? You need to know that money management in a family refers to family expenses, savings, and putting money aside for emergencies. Discuss this aspect with your family and gauge it prior to selecting your university.
- We're still paying last month's debts
- We're rich to send me to a good college, but not much past that
- We're so rich...my dad just bought me a car!
- We're pretty well-off
Where do you want to be living when you get older?
When choosing a place of residence in old age, it is worth considering the following factors: 1) Financial situation, when you need to evaluate which options are available within the budget; 2) Medical needs, when you need to think about the current and future medical services that are available in the chosen location; 3) The desire to be with friends and family; 4) The required amount of space, considering that many people prefer to live in a more affordable house, for example, without stairs; and ) The desired lifestyle, when you think about what kind of lifestyle will be convenient in the chosen place.
- Massachusetts
- I don't know...just someplace close to home
- Southern Maryland...it's very pretty there
- New York...near Broadway, baby!
Evaluating Your Priorities
How important are extracurricular activities and campus life to you?
Extracurricular activities play an important role in the life of a student because these are arranged beyond your class activities. They will show your transferable skills to make your candidacy shine for graduate roles. What extracurricular activities can be suggested to you? It can be social clubs, volunteering, student government, sports clubs, or an internship. There are several activities that will be an advantage to you while on campus: cultural integration, social skills development, resume building improvement, and contribution to future career experience.
- Very important; I want a vibrant campus life with diverse activities and clubs
- Somewhat important; I'm interested but it's not a deal-breaker
- Not very important; I'm more focused on academic pursuits
What type of learning environment do you thrive in?
The following types of learning environments can be useful for successful student learning:
- Traditional environment, i.e. the physical presence of teachers and students, when the learning process takes place in a classroom, lecture hall, or laboratory.
- Virtual environment when technology is used to ensure the learning process beyond geographical and time constraints. It allows students to study anywhere and at home.
- Hybrid environment combines the advantages of traditional and virtual- environments, allowing teachers and students to create a flexible and balanced educational approach.
- Student-centered environment allows students to express their unique beliefs, skills, cultural background, and knowledge, and gives them control over the learning process and the content they consume.
- Knowledge-based environment, when real-world practical examples for deep analysis and generative learning are used. This environment gives students an opportunity to reflect on their ideas and discuss them respectfully.
When creating a learning environment, it is important to address the unique needs and preferences of students.
- Large lecture halls with high-profile professors
- Smaller, seminar-style classes that offer interactive learning
- Hands-on learning opportunities like labs, workshops, or co-op programs
What do you want to do for a living?
This question is not easy and superficial. It is comprehensive and should be given a lot of thought prior to being answered. To determine what you want to do for a living, you can use the following tips:
- Define your dreams and goals. Ask yourself what you want to achieve in life, and based on this, look for a career that will help you achieve these goals.
- Think about your interests. Write down those activities that bring you joy outside of work, and think about how they might be related to your career.
- Recall your childhood experience. Think about the games that were funny and joyful.
- Ask friends, family, and trusted colleagues what you might be doing if you weren't working in your current role.
- Try a new job, a new hobby, or take up a position outside your industry. New experiences will help you better understand yourself, what you like, and what you don't like.
- If you are unable to determine on your own what you want to do for a living, you can seek help from a career specialist.
Remember that people prefer staying in contact with those individuals who demonstrate enthusiasm and passion for what they do. The following scenarios and answers will not be effective:
- I have seriously given no thought to it
- I might do marine biology. I might be a musician....I don't know, but I'm thinking about it
- Play in a rock and roll band! Oh yeah!
- Be an actress or singer
What career paths are in demand?
You need to consider some career paths that may be in demand in the future to succeed in your life. The list may change over time, so check for the relevant information.
- Data Scientist, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Engineer, Software Developer, or Cybersecurity Analyst
- Biotech Researchers
- Digital Marketing Managers
- Business Analysts
- Renewable Energy Specialists
- Mental Health Professionals
- Nursing, Pharmaceuticals, Computer Science, or Education
- Dynamic careers with a lot of day-to-day variation, such as an Event Planner, Tour Guide, or Journalist
Considering Financial Factors
When choosing a college, you need to consider financial factors to make a choice that will be consistent with your long-term financial well-being.
What are the financial considerations when choosing a college?
When choosing a college, taking into account financial aspects is crucial because multiple schools reject students who were admitted on more favorable financial conditions. Take into consideration such elements as tuition fees, accommodation costs, the cost of books and educational materials, types of available loans, and loan repayment plans. You may also consider the long-term value of college because it will help you identify how studying there can help you achieve your career goals.
- Affordable tuition and financial aid options
- Availability of scholarships, grants, and private student loans
- Consideration of the cost of living in the college's location
How important is a college's ranking when deciding where to attend?
A college's ranking can be a useful tool when choosing a place to study, as it provides an overall assessment of the quality of the institution. However, you should not use it as the only indicator.
- College rankings can provide insight into academic quality and reputation, but shouldn't be the sole deciding factor
- Consider how well the school aligns with your academic and personal goals
Navigating College Options
Prior to choosing a college, it is wise to create a list of affordable options that suit you. Do not be in a hurry; devote a decent amount of time to this matter and you will see that it is easy to choose the right one from a few options.
Brainstorming a broad list of college options
- Consider reflecting on what is most important to you for your college experience
- Create a list of options to explore further using your academic goals and personal preferences
- Use resources like BigFuture from The College Board or EducationCorner.com to help you build your list of potential schools
Prioritizing your options: public universities, private colleges, and community colleges
- Public colleges and universities are funded by state governments and offer affordable tuition
- Private colleges are independently run institutions of higher education
- Community colleges offer associate's degrees and can be a cost-effective way to explore different fields
Taking the College Quiz
What to expect from our college quiz
Our quiz consists of a set of short questions aimed at identifying your preferences, interests, and needs to find the most appropriate option among schools to be the right choice for you namely.
- Answer a few short questions to streamline your college search and find institutions that match your interests and needs
- Get personalized recommendations based on your responses
How our college quiz can help you find your perfect match
With our quiz, you will have a chance to easily identify a college of your dream that totally aligns with your academics and interests.
- Our College Quiz eliminates guesswork by analyzing your preferences, interests, and academic goals
- Discover new colleges that align with your unique profile and academic aspirations
Finding Your Dream School
How to use your quiz results to inform your college search
Utilizing school search tools, using a school fit finder, and taking college quizzes can significantly assist in figuring out the school that matches you most.
- Research the colleges that match your interests and goals
- Consider factors such as academic programs, campus location, tuition costs, financial aid options, class sizes, and extracurricular opportunities
Tips for researching and visiting potential colleges
Take into account the following tips for researching potential schools and colleges:
- Determine your priorities (e.g., academic programs, location, size, and type of college, campus culture, cost, and financial aid options).
- ·Check out the official college websites
- Use online search engines
- Read reviews left by current and former students
- Keep an eye on social media
- Participate in forums and discussions
- Research the college's reputation, graduation rates, and job placement statistics
- Visit the college's campus to get a feel for the environment and community
Deciding What to Study
How to choose a major that aligns with your career goals
To choose a major that perfectly fits your career goals, try the following:
- Think about the subjects you like and what you excel at.
- Investigate different industries, roles, and opportunities for future development opportunities across different industries.
- Assess the workload and resources of the suggested majors.
- Ask for advice and recommendations from professional consultants and teachers.
- Consider your academic interests and career goals when choosing a major
- Research programs and resources offered by different colleges and universities to find the ones that align with your goals
What academic programs are available for your chosen career path?
- Some academic programs that may be available for different career paths: MBA (Business Administration); Computer science; Engineering specialties (mechanical, civil, electrical, and others); Nursing; Psychology
- Explore degree programs in fields such as Nursing, Pharmaceuticals, Computer Science, or Education
- Consider programs that offer hands-on learning opportunities, internships, or co-op programs
- The choice of an academic program depends on interests, opportunities, and goals
Next Steps
What to do next after taking the college match quiz
After completing the math quiz, you are free to go to the colleges or schools you have selected based on the answers. You can view all of them and decide on the most appropriate one. The next step is the application process.
- Research and visit potential colleges that match your interests and goals
- Consider applying to safety schools and reach schools
How to start your journey to success with your dream school
- Start preparing for the application early
- Prepare strategies for taking standardized tests
- Show interest in the dream school
- Consider an early application to increase the chances for admission
- Apply to your top-choice colleges and universities
- Explore financial aid options and scholarships to help fund your education
- Prepare for the interview