There are so many great colleges for students. Whether you have an interest in studying engineering, psychology, or music composition, there are several colleges that could be a fit. Whether you’re an “A,” “B,” or “C” student, there are colleges that seek students with those academic profiles. (Listen to our podcast on Merit Aid to learn more about colleges that make college affordable for these distinct profiles.)
In considering academic fit, students would be well-served to research the kind of academic “flexibility” that various colleges offer. There is a range of options available and they fall into these general categories of flexibility:
- No requirements- These are colleges that have no course requirements at all, allowing students to design their own course of study. With this type of broad flexibility, a disciplined student may match better with this educational setting. Otherwise, the student can easily extend his college career into the six or eight year plan. Another consideration if students are selecting a college with this flexibility is whether there is an advisory system in place to help them navigate and design a curriculum.
Example: Amherst College
- Distribution of educational requirements- These colleges (typically liberal arts curriculum) allow students to choose among a range of course offerings across various fields of study. For example, all enrolled students may be required to take a math course during their four years of undergraduate study. No worries, if a student suffers from math anxiety, there will be many levels of course offerings to complete this math requirement.
Example: Stanford University
- Required core curriculum- These colleges require that every enrolled student take specific courses to qualify for graduation. If a student has a broad range of interests or is unsure of their interests, perhaps this curricular approach could be a good fit academically.
Example: Columbia University
Research on academic flexibility is an important criteria of selecting a college that fits. Students can research the curricular features by examining the course bulletin, graduation requirement schedule, and faculty publications. Once you’ve reviewed these materials and make the all-important campus visit, ask more questions about the curriculum to students, administrators, and faculty.