The My College Fit Priorities Card Sort Activity is part of the College UnMazed family of resources designed to help students and families make informed college decisions. This activity was designed to help students and their families identify what is important to them in the college search process using the Six Keys of College Fit, which provides a structured way to identify, think about, and talk about an individual's college fit priorities. The deck includes 24 College Fit Priority cards to build college knowledge, identify which priorities are more and less important to you, and reduce stress while building confidence in the college search process.
When and How To Use
College-bound students
Parents who complete the My College Fit Priorities Card Sort Activity with their college-bound student can help to identify where priorities are aligned and where they may be different. This will help facilitate a dialogue that is helpful to both students and parents as they proceed together through the college choice and selection process. If you have different priorities in some areas than your student, discuss to understand and appreciate their perspective. Having different priorities during the college search and selection process can be a strength, as you are each paying attention to and emphasizing different priorities. This helps you learn more about each college, and how it fits your student and your family’s context.
Counselors and Educators
College-bound students will find it beneficial to complete the My College Fit Priorities Card Sort a few times during the college search and selection process. You will want to complete the Card Sort before you go on your first college visits to help you identify which colleges to visit, and the things you will want to pay attention to while you are visiting the campus and interacting with faculty and staff. As you participate in college visits and learn more about what life in college may look like for you, your College Fit Priorities might shift, and doing the Card Sort activity again before applying to colleges can help you see how things have changed for you over time. After you have received your decision letters and are deciding which college to attend, it may be helpful to again do the Card Sort activity to reassess the Six Keys of College Fit and ensure the college you choose to attend is best-suited to meeting your needs. Each time you complete the Card Sort, remember to review not only those things you rated as high priorities, but also review those things you rated as low priorities as they might represent ‘blind spots’ to pay more attention to and learn more about. If you do this activity with your parents, be sure to take the time to discuss why your priorities are important to you while appreciating that their priorities might be different. If they are different, that can be a source of strength and support for you.
Demonstration Video
In this 5 minute YouTube video you can learn a bit more about the My College Fit Priorities card sort activity, including how to use and score.
Parents
Counselors, Educators, and other College Access Professionals will find that the My College Fit Priorities Card Sort Activity is an interesting and engaging way to help students and their family members identify and discuss their priorities, and can help you guide the college search and selection process for your students/clients. Students and their parents are likely to benefit from doing the Card Sort activity at least twice, and perhaps three times. The first time we recommend using the Card Sort activity is before they start touring colleges. The second time we recommend administering the Card Sort Activity is before applications are submitted. The final time we recommend the Card Sort Activity be used is after decision letters have been received but before making a final decision. Participating in the Card Sort activity at each of these critical decision points helps students and their families identify what is important and what to pay attention to as they progress through the college choice and selection process, and provides a mechanism for facilitating dialogue among peers, with parents, and with you.
What’s inside
The My College Fit Priorities Card Sort Activity comes packaged in a durable tin container and has 24 College Fit Priority cards, 5 instruction cards, and 6 header cards. Also included are 15 Scorecards. You can also fill out the Scorecard online and have your scorecard emailed to you (free), or download and use printable Scorecards and Worksheets (also free).
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