College Matching: Why Choosing the Right College is Vital

Myth: There’s no such thing as the perfect school.

Truth: There is a perfect school for you.

The sheer number of four-year colleges may be overwhelming, and narrowing them down to make certain that you choose the right school is a difficult process. If you apply to the wrong schools, you may not be accepted or you may find that you do not fit into the environment once you arrive. College matching isn’t just about building a list of safety, target and reach schools—it is about finding the list of colleges that fits you best, and where you’d be happy attending any one of them.

Why College Matching is Important

With the college matching services provided by Going Ivy, Valley students from Basis, Brophy and from Gilbert to Glendale may find the colleges of their dreams that also fit their goals and personalities. We help students to reach their full potential and to get accepted to their dream schools, including the Ivy League and the most elite schools in the country. As graduates of Xavier and Brophy College Prep, our team of professionals has the knowledge and experience about how to choose the right schools that can see you on their campus just as much as you see yourself there.

Finding the Right Match and Fit

It is important to start searching for the right college early. Narrowing down your choices is difficult. In Arizona alone, there are more than 174 two- and four-year colleges and universities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were more than 4,700 degree-granting two- and four-year colleges and universities in 2014. With literally thousands of options, it is easy to understand why choosing your school may be difficult. College matching services from Going Ivy will help you by taking the time to get to know you and consider your personality, lifestyle and goals while looking for the school that will fit you the best.

A college is a good match if your numbers line up with its admission criteria, including your grade point average and your ACT and SAT scores. Having the right numbers for a particular school, however, is no guarantee that you will be accepted or that the school will be the right one for you. The second part of choosing the right school is whether or not it is a good fit for you. This may depend on your personality and how you approach problems. For instance, some schools encourage a more hands-on approach while others encourage a more philosophical approach to problem-solving and learning. If you are a more hands-on person, you may not be as successful in a school that emphasizes thinking over doing.

When you start thinking about your future university or college, it is important for you to think about the reasons why you are going and the type of person that you are and who you are becoming. You’ll want to think about how comfortable you are with being far away from your family, whether or not a large university or a smaller college is better for you and whether or not you have the scores and grades to get in.

It is also important for you and your family to understand that most people can afford to go to college, including the Ivy League schools. For example, Harvard does not require you to contribute anything if your parents make less than $65,000 per year, and it requires families who make between $65,000 to $150,000 to contribute between zero and 10 percent of their tuition bills. A majority of the students attending Harvard receive some type of financial aid. In addition, there are many types of scholarships, grants and student loans that are available to help you pay for college no matter where you attend.

College matching services involve assessing your strengths, personality, learning style, independence, financial considerations and more in order to identify the social and academic environments that will be the best fit for you. When you have identified the schools that fit your personality the best, you can better understand what you need to do while you are still in high school to increase your chances of gaining admission.

The Going Ivy Difference

When you have the help of the professional team at Going Ivy, finding and getting into your dream school is within your reach. We work with students across the Valley from all backgrounds, and we are available to help you 24 hours a day. By using a three-step process that includes assessing your strengths and personality, identifying your personal roadmap and working hand-in-hand with you, we can help you to realize your best potential. Contact us today to learn more how we can help you to find the school that fits you and your goals the best.