Good to start early- you can ask teachers before they get ambushed by tons of parents and girls. Also have your daughter think about who they would ask recommendation letters from… It can make a big difference. I would advise talking to someone that knows your daughter personally, one that your daughter has a kesher with or likes her (just because female teachers would probably know more and feel more comfortably about giving seminary advice.).
Some good questions to pose (I went through these with someone I know and it helped narrow down choices for her).
(In no order of importance, just as they popped into my head)
1. Small or Large? Each has their own benefits. Is your daughter a social butterfly who would be more comfortable with a large crowd that can be varied in types (up to a point)? In these the staff might not know each girl so personally and each girl will not know the entire seminary that well (unless your daughter is the type to know the whole school’s name the first day of high school…) Or would she like a smaller, family-like setting where the staff knows the girls, each girl knows the rest of the seminary and it is more likely that the girls are more of a similar mindset hashkafically and academically, if your daughter has specific topics she is interested in or questions or subjects, or specific needs (food allergies) a smaller sem might be more suited and can adjust year to year easier than larger ones… Seminaries can be 30 girls (shoshanim, tiferes) to 150 (BJJ, Hadar)…
2. I hate the terms academic or non-academic. I dont like the questions that are “put yourself in a box and dont leave it for anything” type. Most seminaries teach, some just do more of it and stress it. Really book-ish? Are there not enough class hours in the day? (most girls by the end of sem love their teachers). If she is somewhere in between, I would recommend leaving this question unanswered until the end…
3. How yeshivish? (another boxy term I hate. Everyone is a little different and what one person considers one thing, another may consider it the opposite. for lack of better terms, here it is…) Is your family set on kollel-life? Is it possible or definite that she will go to some sort of college (community, touro, regular/secular college)? Some seminaries will try to convince your daughter that she “must do this” and if it is against your daughter’s ideals it can pose a problem if she doesnt want to end up that way.
4. Does your daughter think “out of the box” ever? Does she either question what teachers say, does she think for herself…? Some seminaries or types encourage it and others dont. There are BY or non YU seminaries that allow people to ask questions, albeit sometimes after class so not to take up time in class. Some seminaries discourage any type of self-expression of ideas, thoughts ect.
5. How old of a sem do you want? there are those that are in their second year, some that have been around for a while… It can make a difference: experience can be a good thing!
Ideas: Besides asking a teacher, have your daughter ask a girl whom she thinks is quite similar and find out where she went to seminary and what she thinks.