What are the things you'd advise someone to look for in an undergraduate school?

Sitting in on her potential classes is the best, most important thing she can do, once she feels she is pretty sure on which school she’s interested in. It’s free to do so, but of course traveling might be expensive, but this is so important… she could waste years of her life through hoping/assuming a school’s structure is compatible with her. Taking 3 or 4 sample sit-in classes can really make or break a decision before its too late.

Dorm life, friendliness of the students, access to advisers. It’s great if you can spend a night at the colleges you are deciding among after admission. My son stayed at one he was considering and the host played video games all night because “that’s all there was to do there.”

She needs to think about what kind of environment she likes. Does she like small town atmosphere or would she prefer an urban campus?

Does she want to know everyone at school or attend a large school?

If she’s planning on moving on to graduate school, it won’t really matter where she gets her undergrad.

So I would recommend going to a school that isn’t hideously expensive, because it doesn’t matter as much to future employers.

With the biggest issue out of the way (money), I think trying to get a feel for the campus “personality” is very important. I started out at a big party school with lots and lots of politically hyperactive but undereducated hippies—it didn’t suit me. So I transferred to a cheaper school…and still was never very happy. The town was bleak, and what I could find of a social scene often involved drugs and binge drinking.

On the other hand, I have several friends who went to small liberal arts colleges where they really had the classic “college experience.” They met lifelong friends who were vibrant, enthusiastic, creative, intellectual, etc…some schools have a knack for attracting people like that, and for bringing out these qualities in their students.

So if she has the grades and the money to be choosy about where she goes, I would focus on this. Lots of luck to your niece—I hope she finds the perfect place.

Its good to realize that once you move out of official college housing (dormitories and whatnot) it’s not even remotely the same college experience – so consider big urban schools versus small urban schools versus small and large schools in other areas – the sophomore through senior year experience outside of class will be very different.