THE SOCIAL MEDIA HAS IMPACTED THE WAY THAT STUDENTS COMUNICATE WITH THEIR COLLEGES IN A POSITIVE WAY. MANY STUDENTS CAN CONTACT THEIR PROFESORS AND HAVE BULLETINS ABOUT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.

IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS OR ARE A BIT SLOW LEARNING AVOID LARGE GROUPS IN CLASSES THE PROFESSORS ATTENTION WILL BE MORE FRAGMENTIZED.

YES THEY WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR RANKING AND IF THEY ARE RECOGNIZED. LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO GET A DEGREE BY AN INSTITUION NO ONE RECOGNIZE OR WORST RECOGNIZES FOR BAD PREPARATION. DO THE HOME WORK SEARCH THE INTERNET AND OTHER MEDIA TOOLS FOR COMPARISON.

Class size does matter, and so does the teaching style! Are you going to thrive in a class that has 300 or more students and you're being lectured to, or are you going to do better in a small, discussions based and/or hands-on experiential learning environment? I attended a very large university because I didn't know any better. I didn't know there were different types of colleges as my parents weren't college grads. I would have liked smaller classes that were discussion - based. I would have like if my professors knew my name, that is, when I actually had a professor! Small discussion groups had about 75 students, and grad students were running those discussions. They were probably more interested in their own research and studies than they were in us. Eventually your going to need a professor to write you a letter of recommendation for grad school or for a job. How easy do you think it will be to find one who knows you really well enough to do this, if your classes are huge and your professor doesn't know your name. I know that I have a small school bias and I admit it. That's because I've experienced the opposite side during my undergrad experience. Since graduating, I have taken many courses with a small class size, where I am not intimidated to speak up and contribute my opinion or knowledge. I'd like to go back to college for a complete redo! This time around, I know much more about what I should be looking for in the next step of my education and how to find it!

This depends a great deal on the student. I've found that a lot of students can do just fine in a class of 400 people, while others feel lost and left out. I personally always enjoyed a smaller class. You have more opportunity to interact with the instructor and students. I also found that in a small class the risk of being called on at any moment made me prepare more for those classes. The stronger relationship with my instructor and classmates also made me work harder to avoid letting anyone down and looking stupid. Some people would hate that situation described above, implying that a large class is better suited for you. Eventually in your college career you are going to have a smaller class. Be prepared.

Remember that the college's website is a marketing tool. Many hours were put into the development of the site, especially where admissions is concerned. Take some time to check out the areas that you will use as a student. How accessible are the course catalog; graduation requirements; professor emails; etc. Spend some time navigating the site and see what you can learn about the different departments. Do they place emphasis in a given subject area? A website can be a portal into a school, so use a critical eye to see what you can uncover.

All of these items provide a good starting point to learn about new schools and increase your exposure, but I wouldn't put too much stock in the advice you get from these sources as the real "guidebook" is your own experience. Use the information you gather from these sources to help generate questions you may have about the school. If the rankings are low for a school's math program, make sure you sit in on a class when you visit; if your uncle tells you that the students have an attitude, walk around the school and talk to a few. kids.

10's of 1,000's of students constitute a large school, while 1,500-2,000 would be a small school. A big fish in a little pond could do well instead of being lost at a school with 50,000 students, but it's the curriculum that's most important - not the enrollment size.

I'm not a social media expert, but it's obviously had both positive & negative affects!

The most important rankings are the ones you make. Published rankings are based on what's important to someone else. Would you spend between $100,000 and $200,000 on a car or a house, just because someone else said they liked it - without checking it out for yourself? Of course not. You need to decide what's important, and what's essential to you in a college, then find colleges that have those characteristics and rank them based on YOUR criteria. Maybe a high rank in a published ranking is one of your criteria - but don't make it your only one. Be your own person and make your own rankings!

Goldilocks found the perfect porridge, chair, and bed. And you can find the perfect colleges to put on your list. A good place to start is Steven Antonoff’s book, College Finder. It lists colleges under every conceivable category. Look at the categories and then go explore the colleges. You can start in your own area to see whether you like city, suburban, or rural locations. Think about size and cost. Think about closeness to home and weather. Think about the match to your academic and extracurricular strengths. You can develop a great list and go from there.

After all, who would buy the magazines or guidebooks if there weren’t a new number one?  While some of the data used to derive the rankings are objective, subjective aspects such as perceived reputation are often used.  And statistics can be manipulated or misinterpreted.  Part of the problem is that the schools themselves provide much of the information going into the rankings. While many try to be absolutely accurate, some occasionally enhance their scores through creative data reporting. Should you ignore the rankings altogether?  Not necessarily.  But take them for what they are: a very small piece of the puzzle.

There are many resources to help students find the right colleges for them.  Starting out by visiting a few campuses in different settings will help to clarify what feels right.  Giving thought to your learning style, social character, intellectual interests and talents are other criteria that will pave the way toward finding the right college fit.  Finding college rankings for these criteria can be very helpful.  Two of my favorites are The College Finder by Steven Antonoff and The Rugg’s Recommendations by Frederick Rugg.  The US News rankings are of little help, however the articles and commentary are!

Do you raise your hand or hate to be called on?  Some students learn best in small groups; others thrive when they simply listen and take notes.  If you’re the first type, consider a small school.  If you’re the second, then maybe a large university is the place for you.  This distinction is not absolute; some smaller schools have some pretty big classes and large university introductory courses typically break into smaller sections.   Also, if you want a close knit, nurturing environment – think small.  If you’re an independent self starter who doesn't mind a little bit of anonymity – consider big.

Be creative and connect it with vacation trips, or “buddy-up” with friends, with parental approval of course, during school breaks or weekends. The visits don’t have to always be a family-bonding event. Scheduling independent visits can sometimes offer more travel opportunities. Local alumni associations and mentoring organizations sponsor group visits to campuses. Explore the technology available with virtual tours, CollegeWeekLive, and UNIGO. If cost is a concern, explore colleges with fly-in programs. Some focus on underrepresented populations, but definitely inquire, since many are open invitations. Many students must be selective with college visits. Since time and funds pose limitations, they must wait to visit after they have been accepted to colleges, in order to make their choice.

I admit to a small college bias. My college had 750 students, the same number as my high school class. It never felt too small. For one year I attended a large university and, while I enjoyed the spirit of the place, I disliked the anonymity. At the small school, I was encouraged to form my own opinion, find my voice and try it out. For me, the close community, the relationships I had with faculty who cared about me as a person, and the opportunity to have my independent research encouraged, was more important than anything the large college offered. 

Every year various companies post their annual college rankings.  Families clamor to these sources, imagining that the order of each college gives insight into its educational value.  The lower the number, the better the college, right? What rankings do not address is this: what do you need to be happy and successful at college? What environment will inspire you to take advantage of opportunities in and out of the classroom? Smart students will consider factors like teacher/student engagement, active learning experiences, and student culture. It’s important to find an academic and social setting that fits your unique style.

Absolutely nothing can replace a visit to a college campus for a prospective student. Experiencing the student culture, academic compatibility, and true match can best help determine your interest level. If you are unable to get on a campus then try pulling out your mobile device for your college searches.  More campuses are setting up apps where students can get a tour and information right at the touch of a smart phone screen. Colleges are catering to students that use their mobile devices as a source of information and connection.

Yes, it is ideal if you can visit each college in person, but through the power of the internet, you can still “see” each campus and meet some of the people there. To get a quick overview, go to www.youniversitytv.com. They have professional videos of hundreds of schools, and many also have student videos posted. Another site to consider is www.collegeweeklive.com. They have virtual college tours, college fairs, and ways to connect with current students at the schools you find appealing. Sign up and start touring!

Students are often limited in their experience based on what their high school is like and they narrow their college choices based on what they think they know.  A good student can find success in any environment, large, medium or small. But a student can optimize their experience when they have the most options.  Large universities provide a broader range of types of students to know and learn alongside.  Not only breadth of majors, but depth in the academic areas will be more prevalent at a large school.  Opportunities to take leadership roles will expand as the number of student run organizations increases, as will the scope of potential items to the student’s resume.