Questions you need to ask colleges before you apply or enroll:
Cost, Aid, and Transparency
- What is the total four-year cost of attendance, including expected increases?
- How do you determine who receives merit aid?
- Are there scholarships that don’t require separate applications?
- Will merit aid be automatically renewed each year, and are there GPA or enrollment requirements?
- Can you walk me through a sample financial aid award for a family with our income/assets?
- How much aid comes in the form of grants versus loans?
- Do you “front-load” aid—i.e., give more in the first year than in later years?
- If a parent loses a job or income drops, how flexible is your office in reassessing aid?
- Is work-study available to all students who qualify for it?
- What happens if we don’t qualify for need-based aid—do we still have a shot at merit awards?
- Do you “gap” students—i.e., admit them but don’t meet full need?
- Can you give me examples of recent financial aid appeals that were successful?
Academics & Intellectual Environment
- What are the largest and smallest classes in the first two years?
- Will I be taught by professors or teaching assistants as a freshman?
- How often can undergraduates engage in research, and in what ways?
- How accessible are faculty for mentoring, office hours, and career advice?
- Are academic advisors assigned, or do students find them on their own?
- What happens if a student wants to switch majors—are there barriers?
- Are there honors programs or learning communities, and what are the benefits?
- What is the support structure for students who struggle academically?
Outcomes & ROI (Return on Investment)
- How do you track student outcomes—both immediate and long-term?
- What percentage of students have jobs or graduate school acceptances within 6 months?
- Do you offer career coaching or job placement services beyond résumé reviews?
- What employers recruit on campus? What industries are common among graduates?
- Are there guaranteed internships or structured pathways for real-world experience?
- Are alumni engaged in mentoring or hiring students?
- What are some examples of “transformative” student experiences here?
Emotional Return on Investment (as Lieber frames it)
- What does your institution do to help students discover their purpose?
- How do you help students who feel like they don’t belong?
- What support do you offer for mental health, and how accessible are those services?
- Can students easily find mentors among professors, staff, or alumni?
- What do students say is the most joyful part of their experience here?
- Do students stay on campus over weekends, or is it a commuter culture?
- What traditions unite people across diverse backgrounds?
Family Considerations & Fit
- What do you wish more parents asked you about during this process?
- How do you handle the differences between “helicopter” parents and “hands-off” parents?
- What happens if my child doesn’t thrive here—what’s the off-ramp or support plan?
- How do you support students from non-traditional, working-class, or first-generation backgrounds?
- If your child had the exact interests and background as mine, would you recommend this school? Why or why not?
Value Alignment & Personal Fit
- What do your students tend to value most about this college?
- Can I sit in on a class that represents the academic culture here?
- What differentiates your school from others with similar rankings or offerings?
- What are students complaining about most right now?
- When students transfer out, what are the reasons they usually give?
Negotiation & Appeals (advanced/strategic)
- If we receive a better offer from another college, are you open to discussing a match or appeal?
- Are there scholarships or stipends available for travel, study abroad, or unpaid internships?
- What are the most prominent mistakes families make in applying for aid or evaluating cost?
