Parents: You may not be in better shape than you were in college but, chances are, your alma mater is.

Are you the same person you were 25 years ago? Neither is the college you attended.

Nearly every time I meet with a family for the “List Meeting” one of the parents will dismiss a school I am recommending based on old stereotypes. Sometimes the impression is from decades ago, sometimes it is from only a few years ago when they visited a college with an older child.  The fact is: colleges change – often.

Universities are adding majors, special programs and buildings to keep up with – or stay ahead of – the changing demands of the global economy and student needs.

Big changes can happen in just a few years’ time.

To help your child find their best-fit college, keep an open mind, revisit with fresh eyes, and pay attention to each college’s strategic plan for growth and its vision for how they will support and prepare students for success.