According to the National Religious Vocations Conference, the following are mentioned:

	generally good health; adequate intellectual ability; healthy relationships, including good friends; sense of humor; ability to make a positive choice for celibacy; member of the Catholic Church; faith and sense of integrity;
	relationship with God; responsiveness to others; capacity to serve a variety of people; leadership ability; collaborative worker; ability to live simply, sharing a common life; can compromise for the common good.

Most religious communities would agree but they would look to see if the woman has a natural attraction to the charism of the particular community, a special gift to live it. Mother Theresa of Calcutta, for example, looked for those with a spirit of joy because that was necessary for anyone who would work with the poorest of the poor.