We measure how prepared you are to consider the right academic, social and financial fit when determining the best college for your child. Students often transfer or drop out because they found a fit in 1 or 2 of the areas, but not in all 3.

Academic fit means your child will be challenged, but not so much so that he or she is in over their head, and the college offers programs matching areas of interest.

Social fit takes into account the personality of the college and how it aligns with your son or daughter, as well as access and availability of things like sports and clubs that are important to them

Financial fit considers your family's financial situation, the gifts and talents of your child and how they align with a college's financial aid policy. This is perhaps the most challenging of the 3 for families to figure out because financial aid policies are not easily understood and in many cases change.

Paying for college is the second largest purchase most families will make in their lifetime, yet most know more about buying something comparatively insignificant like a television. Making things more complicated, like airline tickets there is no consistent pricing model and nearly everyone is paying a different price even though they are generally receiving the same education. We measure how prepared you are to make the college purchase and get the best financial deal for your family.