All of the series in the same family lack sand or gravelly sand textures within a depth of 40 inches. In addition, the Atkinson, Calmar, Hitt, Plattville, Rockton, and Sibleyville, soils have their sola terminated by bedrock. Closest competitors are the Tippecanoe and Wea series which have sand or gravelly sand below 40 inches. Coupee and Volinia soils have contrasting textures. In addition, Coupee soils have base saturation less than 60 percent at a depth of 50 inches below the top of the argillic horizon.
Dowagiac soils are mollic intergrades.
Schoolcraft soils occur on outwash plains, terraces and valley trains of Wisconsinan Age. Slope gradients typically range from 0 to 4 percent with a total range as high as 12. The well drained Kalamazoo and Dowagiac , the somewhat poorly drained Matherton and Brady and the poorly or very poorly drained Sebewa and Gilford soils are the most common associates. Oshtemo and Boyer are well drained associates on some outwash plains. Runoff is slow to medium depending on the slope.