When families begin the college search, one of the first questions I often hear is, “What’s the best school my student can get into?” It’s a natural impulse—after all, we’ve been conditioned to equate rankings with quality, and to treat college admissions as a high-stakes competition.

When it comes to finding great-fit colleges, it’s not just about prestige or rankings—it’s about finding a place where a student will thrive academically, socially, and personally.