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?