Most Common Personality Types You’ll Meet in College

College is so much more than starting a new academic chapter. It’s a new life. With a new life comes new people, and these people, along with the experience of attending college, will mold you into a different person, too. Knowing major personality types will help you better understand yourself and others as you embark on your college career. You’ll know who meshes well with you, and who you may need to set boundaries with. Before you head off to college, prepare yourself socially by identifying the types of people you’ll meet in college.

What Types of People Will You Meet in College?

You will meet all kinds of people in college: social butterflies, jocks, nerds, party animals, and more. Though there may be truths to these stereotypes, it’s important to remember that with every person you meet, there’s more than meets the eye. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MTBI) has been helping people navigate the world around them since the 1940s. It’s a popular personality identifier utilized in the workplace, on sports teams, and in not-for-profits. Personality indicators can tell people more about themselves, like what drives their behavior or how best to interact with others. It can also help people shape their goals and move forward. While it’s never ok to use personality types to place people in a box, it can help you understand who someone is as well as their motivations. Below are the most common and uncommon types you may meet on your college campus. Use these personality types to comprehend and care for the people you meet.

The Most Common Personality Types

Myers Briggs breaks people down into two categories across four different indicators: • You’re either an extrovert (E), who gains energy by being around others, or an introvert (I), who needs time alone to recalibrate before being social. • You either sense (S) the world using your five senses, or you intuit (N) the world by identifying patterns of information. • You’re either thinking (T) or feeling (F). Thinkers use logic, like pros and cons, to respond to the world around them, while feelers use emotions, values, and impact to engage. • Finally, use either judge (J) or perceive (P) the outside world. Those who judge follow a more organized, settled way of life, and those who perceive are typically more spontaneous and adaptable. Below are the most common personality traits, according to Myers Briggs indicators, that you’ll encounter in college:

ISFJ

An introverted, sensing, feeling, judging person finds energy in time spent alone. They often excel in the classroom because of a love for learning and do great with group projects because they value everyone’s input and feelings. Large, group settings can be hard for them, and while they may not have multitudes of friends, the friendships they do have are deep and genuine.

ESFJ

An extroverted, sensing, feeling, judging student is a cheerleader, sometimes literally but always figuratively. They thrive when they are with others and can be counted on to encourage and take care of others. They do not do well with criticism and can feel especially vulnerable with a person or situation that has criticized them in the past.

ISTJ

An introverted, sensing, thinking, judging student has a deep respect for tradition, authority, and order. They think practically and appreciate learning things that are applicable to real life. At the same time, this student may struggle with the social aspects of college life. Because of their love for authority and order, they may not mesh well with students who are laid back, spontaneous, and shirk responsibilities, which many college students tend to dapple in during their time away from home.

ISFP

An introverted, sensing, feeling, perceiver is a student that loves to be creative with their downtime, which they need to be happy. They are sensitive to their own feelings as well as the feelings of others, making them compassionate confidantes. These students do not thrive in contentious situations, both in and outside of the classroom. They also need time to process academics as well as social situations.

ESTJ

An extroverted, sensing, thinking, judging student is a natural, outgoing leader. They have a rich social life and outspoken confidence. Sometimes, this outspoken confidence can make them appear bullish and immovable. In college, they must learn that they’re not always right and to consider others’ feelings over their own agenda.

The Least Common Personality Types

While most students that you meet will fall into the above categories, you’ll also come across these rarer personalities. Again, it’s important to discern that the people you meet in college are more than just a personality type. Don’t let these categories define them. Rather, use their strengths and vulnerabilities to foster a positive working and social relationship.

INFJ

An introverted, intuitive, feeling, judging student loves to be alone, whether that’s studying in the library for hours or spending weekend nights curled up in front of the TV. They are deep thinkers and feelers who don’t mind pushing themselves academically. At times, these students can take on too much, academically, however. Rather than pushing themselves in the classroom, they should pursue social goals. A great example of this may be going to a party for just an hour, leaving plenty of time to come home, slip on pajamas, and stream their favorite sitcom.

ENTJ

An extroverted, intuitive, thinking, judging student finds schoolwork easy. They hate to be lazy and thrive on being considered successful in academia. Additionally, they are natural-born leaders, with clear, direct communication skills. Sometimes, the drive to succeed can blind ENTJ’s to their own emotions as well as those of others. They can be seen as cold and a steamroller of other people and their feelings. Finally, this personality type can clash with authority, making them a difficult student at times.

INTJ

Introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging students are the rarest. While they love to learn, they can usually only do so in a completely quiet environment. They may struggle in a class that is noisy and chaotic but succeed during long study sessions. While INTJ’s may struggle immensely with the social aspects of high school, they love college. It’s here that they find peers with a deep love of learning that matches theirs. Because of this, their social life is tied up closely with their academic pursuits.

Scholarships Based on Personality

Did you know that you can find scholarships based on your personality, experience, and future goals? Fastweb takes your characteristics, school and work experience, and academic and career pursuits, and matches you to scholarships that you actually qualify for. Create your free Fastweb profile to see which scholarships you match to, and start the application processes to help you pay for school.