I think that guidebooks are one tool students should use in researching colleges. However, I hope that students don’t overly rely on the opinions of others. Personal research is important if a student is to find a college that is a good match.
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.
Everything and anything can be useful to select a school if used intelligently. Keep in mind that someone else wrote a guidebook, your relative is not you and a ranking does not mean a school is or is not a good choice for you. So yes, read everything. Yes, talk to relatives who went to a school you are considering. Yes, ask people questions. In the end, you are the only one who can know which school is right for you. Apply to schools you are qualified to attend. Trust your gut. Listen to others with a healthy respect. Choose a school that is a good fit for you.
Rankings provide a good introduction to the “hierarchy” of higher education and prove as an initial means of gauging the selectivity and resources of a particular institution. However, I would advise against relying on them to judge the quality and/or desirability of a college. Rankings, such as those provided by U.S. News, are largely based on student inputs–in other words, they can measure the credentials of incoming students or an institution’s investments in instruction and research, but they often cannot provide insight into an institution’s value-added impact (i.e., how the institution actually adds to the student’s learning, skills, abilities, etc.).
They certainly can be, as long as you make them one part of your college search. You’ll want to make sure that you look at several, that you understand what criteria the book or site uses to assign rank, and so on. They’re all a good way to start investigating, but not the best way to make your final selection.
All information is useful to a point. The prospective student needs to be able to articulately explain what they want in a college (big, small, rural, urban, etc) before soliciting information from outside sources. Family members are going to give you the best bits of their experiences–hardly the whole picture. Guide books will give facts and figures. Rankings are so vastly different that you have to know the matrix behind how they came up with the rankings. If a student knows how to wade through those pieces of information, they are useful.
All information is useful to a point. The prospective student needs to be able to articulately explain what they want in a college (big, small, rural, urban, etc) before soliciting information from outside sources. Family members are going to give you the best bits of their experiences–hardly the whole picture. Guide books will give facts and figures. Rankings are so vastly different that you have to know the matrix behind how they came up with the rankings. If a student knows how to wade through those pieces of information, with proper respect toward Uncle Division One’s glory days, they are useful.
Gathering information from multiple sources can be very helpful in the search process. However, you should always make informed decisions about what is best for you. Students should make well informed decisions based off multiple sources and after doing their own research. Students who spend time thinking and research the various colleges tend to have a better college experience.
Sure! Any information you can find out about a school is useful in your decision making. Be careful not to make your decision solely on the opinions of others, but to take this into account with your own findings. There is nothing like talking to admissions reps, actual students, and actually visiting the campus. They are definitely the best ways to decide if the school will fit your academic and personal goals.
Are they useful, yes. Are they determining factors, probably not. At the beginning of your college search these should be part of the myriad of different sources you use for information. Ultimately its about finding the right fit for YOU, not your mom or your great aunt. Rankings are typically not based on the factors that might be the most important to you as a student. Visiting the campus is always the best way to see if the college is right one for you, but if that is impossible certainly speaking to current students there and using expert guidebooks are helpful.
Rankings provide a good introduction to the “hierarchy” of higher education and prove as initial means of gauging the selectivity and resources of a particular institution. However, I would advise against relying on them solely to judge the quality and/or desirability of a college. Rankings, such as those provided by U.S. News, are largely based on student inputs–in other words, they can measure the credentials of incoming students or an institution’s investments in instruction and research, but they often cannot provide insight into an institution’s value-added impact (i.e., how the institution actually adds to the students learning, skills, abilities, etc.).
Rankings provide a good introduction to the “hierarchy” of higher education and prove as an initial means of gauging the selectivity and resources of a particular institution. However, I would advise against relying on them solely to judge the quality and/or desirability of a college. Rankings, such as those provided by U.S. News, are largely based on student inputs–in other words, they can measure the credentials of incoming students or an institution’s investments in instruction and research, but they often cannot provide insight into an institution’s value-added impact (i.e., how the institution actually adds to the student’s learning, skills, abilities, etc.).
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.
I think that doing your own homework is important, and that can include looking at guidebooks and speaking with different people. It is important to remember, however, that what another person might value, you may not, so keep it in perspective. A college visit is a great way for a student to determine if a certain college is a good fit for them. No guidebook or conversation can determine that.
Yes, of course. Various sources of information can be useful in choosing a college. Just be sure that you don’t choose or apply to schools that you have no interest in attending. The effort of transferring can be intense.
They can be but it has to be part of comprehensive research done on a particular college or university. Don’t simply rely on one or two things to determine whether or not a school is right for you. Visit the school, peruse the web site, email professors and students…these are other excellent ways to figure out if a school is right for you.
Guidebooks can give you general information – a bit more out-of-date than college websites, given that gathering the information, collating and publishing it, takes time. So the most current information will be on college websites, but guidebooks let you browse through information about a lot of colleges quickly – and the information is current within a couple of years if the publishing date.
Guidebooks can be helpful in choosing a school if for not other reason than they offer the statistics that are helpful to students when narrowing the college list. They also offer quick summaries of colleges that provide the quick analysis that students need to keep a school on the list or take it off. For example, if a college is primarily devoted to business majors, a student who wants to major in art might find that information useful. Also, students may choose prospective colleges based on the number of undergraduate students; a guidebook offers that information. One book that I find indispensable is “Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges” (Frederick Young).
Guidebooks such as the Fiske Guide and a few others can be very helpful in providing an objective view on colleges and universities. This type of research can help supplement college visits and online research. While relatives often have words of wisdom and recommendations on colleges, students need to keep in mind that this view is only representative of one person’s experience. Since relatives most likely know the student well, it is helpful to hear what they think may be a good match, but remember, don’t let these opinions sway your judgment too much as you need to make your own opinion. Rankings are not a good way to assess whether a school is a good match. The rankings are subjective and only include criteria deemed worthwhile by that respective organization. Just because a school is ranked highly does not mean it is a good fit for the needs of a student.
In context. The Princeton Review lists are both funny and revealing. US News lists certainly tells you what is popular, if that is what is important. The College Navigator is a wealth of information of college statistics with things like graduation rates, etc. There is a great list of lists (begun by me and taken over by someone else) at http://collegelists.pbworks.com/w/page/16119456/College%20Lists%20Wiki.
Guidebooks, relatives and rankings are all valuable components in the decision process. But college visits will help you decide whether or not the campus is a good fit. Talking to current students and even professors are other components in your decision. Relying solely on one or two things can cause you to have a distorted view of the college and keep you from being realistic about what they can offer you.
I am very selective in the use of all of these in choosing a school. After all, they are often collections of opinions and swayed by the attractive, the popular and, of course, data. The NACAC is very sensitive about the use of certain rankings. That is not to say, however, that guidebooks, relatives and rankings can’t be useful. The Fiske Guide is enormously helpful because of its format, readability and overlap schools (that’s a favorite of mine and particularly helpful when extending an applicant’s target list). Unigo is wonderful because it is written for this generation of college student and presents its content in an appealing visual manner and from the perspective of existing students. That is so helpful when applicants are comparing schools and validating their impressions. Success at a particular school varies so much with student interests and readiness, so users of all these sources should consider the circumstances.
not really. use them to gain different perspective. your experiences will be different from the others. Rankings create confusion and take individualized focus away from the college selection process.
There’s an abundance of information about colleges out there, as well as plenty of friends and relatives who are more than willing to give you advice about where you should apply. Choosing a college that’s right for you is a complex process, and while it’s wise to do your research and gather information from as many sources as possible, don’t let publications or people have undue influence on your choices. A college might be ranked #1 in the nation, but that doesn’t mean it’s the #1 college for you. Aunt Sadie might have had an incredible experience at University X, but University Y might be a better fit for your personality and educational goals. Do your research, ask questions, and seek opinions, but remember that your most reliable expert in selecting a college is YOU. Use the tools that are available to you to explore your options, but when it comes to making a final decision, trust your own heart and mind first.
A guidebook, is just that, a guides and their value in the college search process is less about them than it is about the applicant, for the key is in how one uses them. Are they simply a centralized source of information, something that can save one from jumping from website to website or are they a bible, the last word about the supposed personality and character of a campus and a school. I must admit that I generally loath the annual guides put out by U.S. News for I believe that the rankings as well as much of their “advice” put too much emphasis on things of no real value to the educational process. At the same time, the second half of the guide is as good and comprehensive a collection of the basic facts—size, major programs, graduation rates, standardized test requirements, etc.—as one can find. Having all that together can be a big help in streamlining the search process. Readers must recognize that each guide has its own agenda, and in the increasingly competitive marketplace, publishers seek to present schools in way that sets their book apart. However, that slant does not guarantee the best presentation of the schools. Indeed, like us, the Unigo experts, every reference book and expert reflects some biases for we are dealing in the most human of processes–college admission. Consequently, in the end, guidebooks can be value but their real value depends upon what the reader is looking for and how they use the individual guide.
Guidebooks, relatives, friends, and ranking are all useful in choosing the appropriate college. There is no limit on information; the more you have, the better decision you will make. With relatives or friends, however, be aware that their input is anecdotal. Everyone’s college experience is unique. If Uncle Rob claims he went four years without being invited to a party, well, that just might be on Uncle Rob.
Yes, guidebooks can be helpful in choosing a school, because they might introduce you to a college that you’d never heard of and the same is true for a relative.
All three , have a place in the search for the college that is the right fit. However there is a difference between gathering a multitude of facts and being able to synthesize all of this information in a way that makes sense and can be applied to decision making. Start by making a list of the most important factors for you such as size, location and majors offered. Then use guidebooks, websites, current students and alumni and experts such as high school and college counselors to gather facts. Be sure to visit schools that are on your list since that is one of the very best ways to learn if a college feels right for you.
The following are college guides that students can purchase almost anywhere. It’s a great idea to start reviewing colleges before making any decisions that impact college lists:
But they are NOT the best way to get started choosing colleges! They may be useful in confirming details about a school and I did say may!. Aunt Fannie’s hairdresser’s nephew would likely not have the same experience at college ABC as you would, so why would you care if they were happy? And guidebooks, not to mention relatives may just have the WRONG, outdated information. The basis that many rankings use are just very limited and never seem to focus on what really matters- which is how engaged in learning is the student body.
Rising college costs and increased competition for admission are forcing families to consider the choice of a college more carefully than ever. In doing so, many are turning to college ranking guides to find the best colleges for their children. This would make good sense if the ranking guides were empirically driven—based on science and fact—and matched with a profile of the student’s talents, skill sets and needs.
Rankings, college representatives, friends, family can all provide a perspective on a school or your search. But, you know yourself better than anyone—trust your instincts. Be careful not to think in terms of “the one,” this is college, not marriage.
The best way to construct a list of schools is by participating in essential campus tours.
These resources are good starting points for in-depth personal investigations. College rankings, for example, are easily digestible resources for identifying reputable institutions. The problem with rankings is that they can become a shallow substitute for reflecting on the types of college learning that may bring success and happiness. At an extreme, reliance on one-size-fits-all college rankings ignores each individual’s unique strengths and requirements. The real issue is whether an applicant is considering colleges that will support his or her intellectual growth and exploration.
guidebooksand ranking
I always discuss with my families the importance of “being on the ground.” By that I mean, visiting the college when students are there so get a real feel for the campus and the students who attend there.
The right guide books can be really helpful. Your uncle’s opinion might be helpful, but only if you filter it through your own criteria for choosing a school. Rankings? Only if you can find a ranking that uses the same criteria that is important to you, which is not likely. I don’t know many students whose criteria includes what college presidents think of the schools they are considering. The best rankings are your own, based on your own criteria and research.
Read, mark and inwardly digest all guidebooks, advice from uncles and your Muse, and then work with your Independent Consultant to sort it all out.
It is difficult in the college discernment process to do just that: process all the seemingly disparate opinions, input and voices. Relatives are a difficult source: often biased toward their own alma maters and by their own experiences, positive or negative, what relatives think and feel may be utterly outdated by the time your turn comes around. Published books may have more credence than some online resources but not all. A word about rankings: consider the attributes that factor into ranking such as number of students rejected and almni donations. Now consider whether you feel the factors upon which the rankings are based impact whether or not a particular institution is a good fit for you! As pertains to this question, if you are seeking expert advice and choose to procure the services of an educational consultant, select one that is either an IECA professional member or a Certified Educational Planner. Ask him or her with how much frequency does he or she visit college campuses? Inquire how he or she participates in continuing education to continue to grow his or her expertise. And if any person claiming to be a professional guarantees you acceptance or offers to write any part of your application or use their connections to gain you acceptance, run in the other direction.
Any information is fair game in the college selection process. How much weight you put on each piece is variable. While guidebooks certainly facilitate an initial impression, depending on the author you may come away with different viewpoints. I personally like the Fiske Guide for it’s list of overlapping schools. The Insider’s Guide is equally valuable for it’s student perspective. While relatives always have opinions, they may be dated/biased not to mention pushy. Rankings are definitely not the end-all-be-all. They help sell magazines, their methodology is subject to change and often don’t even rank what’s really important to the student. I personally love the schools who participate in the National Survey on Student Engagement. These institutions get the fact that there is more to college than academics and by keeping the students active on campus, everyone is happy.
Yes, somewhat and probably not. The most important ranking for a school is your own particular one – think of a set of criteria that are important to you before you start your search, then do your own research and rank the schools yourself. It is YOU who is going to go after all, not the US News researcher!
Rankings and other statistically oriented resources are not the best exclusive places to get information on the colleges. They would just simply be the place to start the research.
Any information is fair game in the college selection process. How much weight you put on each piece is variable. While guidebooks certainly facilitate an initial impression, depending on the author you may come away with different viewpoints. I personally like the Fiske Guide for it’s list of overlapping schools. The Insider’s Guide is equally valuable for it’s student perspective. While relatives always have opinions, they may be dated/biased not to mention pushy. Rankings are definitely not the end-all-be-all. They help sell magazines, their methodology is subject to change and often don’t even rank what’s really important to the student. Of course Unigo as a worthy website is a given! I personally love the schools who participate in the National Survey on Student Engagement. These institutions get the fact that there is more to college than academics and by keeping the students active on campus, everyone is happy.
Not in choosing a school, but good for resources.
Any information is fair game in the college selection process. How much weight you put on each piece is variable. While guidebooks certainly facilitate an initial impression, depending on the author you may come away with different viewpoints. I personally like the Fiske Guide for it’s list of overlapping schools. The Insider’s Guide is equally valuable for it’s student perspective. While relatives always have opinions, they may be dated/biased not to mention pushy. Rankings are definitely not the end-all-be-all. They help sell magazines, their methodology is subject to change and often don’t even rank what’s really important to the student. Independent Educational Consultants make a point of touring campuses all year long. Thus, they can often be a wonderful resource when creating “the list.” Of course Unigo as a worthy website is a given! I personally love the schools who participate in the National Survey on Student Engagement. These institutions get the fact that there is more to college than academics and by keeping the students active on campus, everyone is happy.
Guidebooks can be helpful when choosing a college, I recommend the Fiske Guide. It is, in my opinion, the best college guide out there. I love Colleges that Change Lives, as well. You can get them on Amazon from my blog at www.collegeadventures.net/blog. Are relatives useful? They can be, it is, however, important that the college fit YOU, not your relative. It is not the only reason you should go to a particular college. As far as rankings go, I am not a big fan. Two of the most intellectual colleges in the country, Reed College and Sarah Lawrence College, are not in the US News and World Report rankings because they do not require SAT/ACT scores. Data can also be “embellished” in the ranking game. Forbes also have a college ranking system, but as I said, the most important thing is that YOU like the college, YOU like the program, YOU will thrive in the environment. Don’t use rankings as a major reason to apply to colleges!
Guidebooks can be helpful when choosing a college, I recommend the Fiske Guide. It is, in my opinion, the best college guide out there. I love Colleges that Change Lives, as well. You can get them on Amazon from my blog at www.collegeadventures.net/blog. Are relatives useful? They can be, it is, however, important that the college fit YOU, not your relative. It is not the only reason you should go to a particular college. As far as rankings go, I am not a big fan. Two of the most intellectual colleges in the country, Reed College and Sarah Lawrence College, are not in the US News and World Report rankings because they do not require SAT/ACT scores. Data can also be “embellished” in the ranking game. Forbes also has a college ranking system, but as I said, the most important thing is that YOU like the college, YOU like the program, YOU will thrive in the environment. Don’t use rankings as a major reason to apply to colleges!
I think lots of information is always good–as long as you have the ability to sift through it. At some point, you will have to form your own opinions and make your own decisions. After all, you are the one is going to college.
Rankings, guidebooks, friends, and family are all useful tools in the process. However, no one factor should guide your final decision. As with life take what you want and leave the rest. Just because your family friend doesn’t like Big Campus U, doesn’t mean you won’t.
Outside “help” in shaping your college search is okay in the beginning, but just your own experience is what matters when it comes to making the final solution. Consider your college choice to be a four-year “real estate purchase”: the amenities you need, the comfort you feel, the availability of programs, services, and facilities can only be determined to be right by the ultimate consumer-YOU.
Everyone hates rankings, except colleges who find themselves ranked highly, and who isn’t? There are so many categories and that it is almost impossible to find a school that isn’t at the top of one category or another. They’re worthless. Guidebooks are ok in the initial search, but only for objective information like the number of students, cost of attendance, and admissions deadlines and requirements. I find that even average test scores are sometimes inaccurate in guidebooks, so I always double check the college websites to make sure I have the latest information. As for relatives, put in the earplugs. Everyone becomes an expert who “helped” get their niece or nephew or neighbor or son’s best friend into Harvard. Not true. Keep your vital statistics and your college list private. It’s nobody’s business and all they’re going to do is make you anxious. PLUS how do they know what school will really be the best fit for you? Do your own research, get your feet onto some college campuses, and go with your gut.
My expertise is Dance and there is a very good guide which Dance Magazine puts out every two years-the new edition is now available: http://www.dancemagazine.com/thecollegeguide/intro
There are multiple publications that provide rankings among schools. It is important to consider what factors were used to find the rankings, some publications use high school counselors views of a college in the equation, which makes part of the ranking subjective. Just because a counselor hasn’t heard about a school, does not mean that it isn’t a good school. With over 2,000 4 year schools, it is impossible to know about every one.
Research from all areas help prospective students make the best choices. Little known facts that may make the “right” fit are uncovered in seeking out this type of information.
All three can be valuable sources of information. Certain guidebooks are better than others for certain things, just as some relatives may have valuable information about particular schools, and rankings, while potentially misleading, can provide lots of important information when used properly. The important thing is to have a trusted professional that will help interpret, explain and discuss all the information with you.
Absolutely. I typically use only one or two websites and a couple of guides when working with students. I like guidebooks because their information tends to be very objective and statistical. By presenting this information to students and parents, they are able to see how they measure up to the admissions requirements of certain schools.
I think they may be helpful in beginning your search, but visiting the campus and meeting with students and admissions representatives is probably the best way for a prospective student to narrow choices.
Any resources that enable a student to learn more about an institution are potentially useful, but students need to be aware of the “motivation” behind each of the resources that he/she uses. Guidebooks produced by schools provide a great deal of useful information, but the student must realize that they are marketing tools for the institutions. Rankings can be helpful if the student carefully looks at the components of the ranking to see which aspects represent qualities which are important to him/her. More important would be the quality of the program or programs the student is interested in studying at any given school. If various relatives are knowledgeable about a school, their input can also be valuable, as can the input of students or former students of the institution, but the student should carefully consider the motivations driving the opinions.
Here’s the problem with all this information: It’s from someone else’s point of view. Worse, in the case of rankings, it’s based on data that can be skewed to enhance the institution’s marketing (Google “Iona College Falsified Data).
Guidebooks can be very useful and unbiased sources of information about colleges you are interested in attending. These sources contain the latest information, and will give you a good overview of each college. Relatives and rankings should be taken with a grain of salt, as these sources are not always reliable. While relatives will tell you about their particular experiences, every person is different and may have different views. It is always best to visit the campus and form your own opinion. Students and families should be cautious of rankings, as the methodologies behind many of these rankings have flaws. Also consider that just because a school is ranked highly, does not mean it will be the best “fit” for you. The bottom line is that students should attend a school where they feel most comfortable. I often say to my students to simply listen to your heart. If your heart is telling you that this can be home for four years, this is probably a college you want to attend.
Always remember that research is important therefore using a guidebook and looking at rankings are relevant when the school you are researching a truly potential school. To choose a school merely based on rankings and guidebooks may leave you disappointed with the college experience even if you are in the most prestigious institution and your parents’ are screaming it on a mountain. If you are not happy with the place you are going to live, work, and play for 4 years can any guidebook or ranking make that alright.
It is fine for you to read the guidebooks and rankings and listen to relatives/friends, but you should not rule out a college as a result of any of these influences. You need to research on the website, through unigo, and other unbiased resources before making a decision. The rankings are a huge money making venture and their methodology puts importance on factors that should not be as significant such as acceptance rate, alumni giving, etc., rather than student engagement and satisfaction. Each college has happy students and you need to research the programs that are important to you. College is not a one size fits all venture.
Relatives are great resources to draw from in terms of learning about colleges and universities. However, be cautious not to think that your experience at a particular will be just like your relative’s. People are different and how one experiences a particular college is based upon a variety of preferences, goals, and dispositions. So, while it’s good to probe relatives about their college experience, just be sure to weigh that information, like all information, against other sources you find in researching colleges.
Short Answer: Guidebooks? Ummmmm, sorta. Relatives and Rankings? Nope.
Short Answer: Guidebooks? Depends. Relatives and Rankings? Nope.
While information sessions and campus tours are the best way to get a detailed and personal view of a college, the down side is that you only have time to visit a limited number of schools. So how do you narrow down from the thousands of accredited schools to the select dozen or so that you considered carefully through campus tours and info sessions?
The short answer is yes, each of these things are helpful, espcially relatives that have had experience at the colleges you are looking at. However, to know if a school is a good fit for you, you have to visit. There is only so much information you can get online, by reading books or talking to people. A number of times those sources come with biases. Only if you get on campus, sit in on an info session, take a tour, eat in their dining facility, etc., are you going to get an idea of how good a fit a college is for you. You should at least eat a meal there and visit a dorm because if you are going to eat there and sleep there for four years, you must be somewhat satisfied with those two things.
All of the above referenced resources can be useful when it comes to selecting a school. I always caution students that they must do their own research. Try not to get caught up in school rankings and what guidebooks mention about schools. I always tell students if possible take a campus visit to get a feel for the campus.
Before the internet, guidebooks were the go-to source for information. Now, however, they are really best for finding out general information about a school such as its size, location, majors, and average class size. The data that is used in the books is often requested 6 months before the book is printed, so they’re not the best source for current data. School websites are better for most recent acceptance rates and tuition rates, for example. Rankings, in my opinion, are not useful. Some of the criteria used in the rankings, for example, the percentage of alumni who give money, do not reveal any information about the quality of the education a student will receive. Relatives can be helpful, as long as you keep two things in mind. First, if your relative attended the school more than two years ago, their information isn’t really relevent. Things change from year to year. More importantly, think about the personality and/or interests of your relative. If she is really outgoing, her opinion might not be as meaningful to you if you are super shy. Or, if she’s really interested in sports, her feedback might not be helpful if you’re looking for schools with amazing dance programs.
I believe that guidebooks, relatives, and rankings can all be helpful when sitting down to research schools you may be interested in applying to. All can give you different bits and pieces of information, that you can decide if you want to furthur pursue looking into the college more seriously. Guidebooks will give you an overview of the school itself, the academics, how to apply, what is expected of you, the types of majors that are offered, things you can do in and around the area of the school, etc. The guidebook is a good start to see if anything is appealing to you at that particular school. Relatives can be helpful and sometimes harmful, when it comes time for you to start looking at colleges. They can give you advice, re live their college days, and give you college stories, that can grab your attention. However, beware that some relatives may try to pressure you into going to the school of THEIR choice, and this may not neccessarily be the school of your choice. They may not mean any harm by this, that school is just their alma mater, or they feel is a good fit for you. But remember, to go with your gut, and your feelings about the school. Also, school rankings can give you a better idea of where that school falls in the area of specific things. This isn’t the end all be all of choosing a school though, this should, as well as the others I have mentioned, be just pieces of the college puzzle for you.
Guidebooks can be very helpful in researching colleges and I recommend balancing an objective guide with a subjective guide. The Fiske Guide is by far the best in terms of a subjective guide and Barron’s Guide to the Colleges, etc. is a solid objective source.
It’s always nice to hear or read what relatives and gudiebooks have to say and to look at rankings, (until you find out how the rankings are actually determined), but remember this is your search and what’s important to these other sources may not be important to you in what you’re looking for in your college experience. You need to learn about yourself first. Try taking a career and interest inventory. DOWHATYOUARE is a good one to start with. Try to also figure out if you want a large school, a small school, a city/suburban campus or one that is rural. Remember, you’re probably going to spend the rest of your life somewhere in a city or near one, so try something different for four years of college. Most colleges are in rural settings because there is so much going on there, they don’t need to rely on being in or near a city. Ask yourself what your learning style is? Do you learn best by listiening in large lecture halls filled with 300-500 other students, or do you want to be in a small classes where the professors know you by name and have interesting class discussions?.Or, are you a hands-on, experiential learner? Matching your learning style with the teaching style of a colllege is very important in determining how well you;’ll succeed. Does the college/university have a strong department in your area of interest? If you change your mind, is it difficult to transfer to another department or school within that university? Are the dorm facilities up to your expectations? There’s a lot to consider. I hope this gets you thinking!
The book I require in the Johns Hopkins CTY College Prep program is The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges, (the ISBN is 0312672950 if you are searching for it on an online bookstore). This is the strongest guide for given you a flavor of what your college life will be.
Guidebooks and rankings can be useful when you are looking for INFORMATION. Relatives MAY be useful if they are giving you college input provided they have YOUR best interests in mind.
As with any source, you need to take the advice/information provided by these sources with “a grain of salt”. Meaning, there is probably some value to these sources but you should not allow them or their information to be the single source of your final decision. Relatives can be good sources of information especially if they are knowledgeable about the college because they went there, have children attending the school or are in the community where it is located. But keep in mind that their impression of the school is completely influenced by who they are as a person. That may be a personality that is much different than your own. You can value their opinion and insight but use it as one source of information. Combine that information with other sources and most importantly, your own first hand impressions of the school after researching it on your own and then YOU make the decision if it is the right fit or not. Similarly, guidebooks can fill in the facts that you are seeking and you have decided are important factors in the school you will ultimately enroll. Most of these guidebooks will also indicate the rankings of schools on various factors. These rankings can give you a general sense but the ranking needs to be of importance to you and you need to be honest with yourself about what the ranking will do for you once you get your degree from the school. However, you do need to dig deeper about the rankings criteria to really understand if it has any relevance to you. For example, it may be important that your future academic program of study is highly ranked. But, just because a program is number 1 in their field, doesn’t mean it is a good match for you. Look more closely at factors such as the faculty and courses to know if it is a good match. Remember that the research that faculty pursue will greatly influence the examples and texts they use to teach the course content. If you look at the faculty and determine that their research is not of interest to you then I would recommend that you keep looking. Even if this were the number one program in the nation, I would recommend that you go through the list of top schools to determine not only that it has a decent ranking but that the faculty are working on issue interesting to you. In addition, I would suggest looking at the required coursework for the major to make sure they too are of interest to you. As you can see, using the information is only a beginning point for the further investigation and inquiry that you must do to really know if the school, program and faculty are the right combination that will continue to grow your academic interests.
Guidebooks, opinions from relatives, and magazines or websites that rank colleges based on their criteria are all tools that can have a place while you conduct your school search. And while they all may be useful to varying degrees while RESEARCHING a school, CHOOSING a school should be based on whether the school meets the criteria that is most important to you, be that choice of major, size, location, greek life, athletics, etc. Do your research and, most importantly, visit schools. This will put you in a solid position to make an informed choice based on what you want, not on the opinions of others.
My advice would be to use whatever resources you have available to assess your college options, but to remember to take each one with a grain of salt. Certain guidebooks can be useful for general knowledge about a school, while others are more subjective so you need to bear in mind that these are other people’s opinions which wouldn’t necessarily match yours. Relatives can be a good resource, but you need to remember that your priorities are likely different from theirs. Rankings should mostly be ignored as they are based on things that you wouldn’t likely care about as an incoming student such as: the salary of the president or faculty and what percentage of the alumni donate money; these rankings are NOT based on quality of education.
(1). GUIDEBOOKS: In an age of websites it’s hard to recommend guidebooks, but not long ago when my kids were going through the college process, we had hours of fun travelling to schools and reading the Princeton Review Best 376 Colleges (back then it was less than 300!!) New edition here: http://www.amazon.com/Best-Colleges-College-Admissions-Guides/dp/0375428399/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322835785&sr=1-1
Yes. Ask as many people as you can who have had an experience with colleges you are interested in. Rankings help (US News and World Report). Guidebooks will give you an overview of the college.
These can be extremely helpful in making sure the university has a strong department in your proposed major. What about getting the most for your dollar? Excellent! How about employment afterward? Excellent? Do not believe everything you read, but as stated use the information as a guide.
Yes all three are useful to an extent, but not if used singularly. And don’t forget about doing your own research online and in person (visiting campus) if possible.
It’s always nice to hear or read what relatives and gudiebooks have to say and to look at rankings, (until you find out how the rankings are actually determined), but remember this is your search and what’s important to your relatives and friends may not be important to you in what you’re looking for in your college experience. Guidebooks can be helpfful, but remember they all have a certain bias.
College Guidance professionals have long had a troubled relationship with college rankings. Whenever a parent comes to my office with a pile of the annual college rankings issues of Newsweek, US News, Forbes, etc. I know I’ve got my work cut out for me. Sure, these resources have some value, but they generally do more harm than good. A recent survey of college admissions experts from high schools and colleges agrees with me.
Guidebooks are informational, and can provide information regarding programming and resources at a school, but rarely assist with real-life opinions on how the education obtained is perceived in the world of work. Relatives can be very helpful, but keep in mind that their perception, their experience and their particular choices, both positive and negative, can clarify or cloud the process. Rankings are sort of like asking the movie critics about what films to watch – there are certain qualities the ranking organizations are looking for, and that rarely has anything to do with how the education is perceived in the world of work.
Guidebooks can be useful in choosing a school. The give you all of the details in a compact form. But remember colleges spend thousands of dollars on these, so the pictures are going to be perfect. That being said, just remember it doesn’t look that way on campus every day. Relatives are biased so it depends on the relative. If they went there they will probably give you all the positives because they will want you to go there as well. Rankings can be a good starting point for looking for colleges, but are not good for making your final decision. Your final decision should be made using a campus visit, the schools website, current students and/or admission officers.
Absolutely, but you have to use them. My favorite guidebooks are Rugg’s and Fiske. I like guidebooks that either provide comparative lists by concentration or have interesting short assessments about schools. Relatives can be helpful, but it depends on your relatives. Rankings can be helpful in deciding upon a school to research further, but are not a stand alone reason to apply to a school.
I think that guidebooks and rankings do have their place. Looking at them is a good place to start the college search process, but certainly should not be the final determining factor in choosing the right college for you. It would be important to find out exactly what criteria the ranking guide is looking at to determine their rankings. Do they even set foot on the college campus that they are ranking? How are graduation rates, retention rates, job placement rates calculated and validated? Even with valid statistics, just because a college is ranked highly, doesn’t mean the college is a good fit for you. Campus size, facilities, selectivity, location, religious preference, and campus organizations are all important factors. The biggest factor to me is the “feeling” you have while on campus. That cannot be quantified by a guide book or ranking guide. Do you feel at home, comfortable, and ready to do the most and best learning you have done in your whole life on this campus? Some extremely highly ranked schools are so competitive that students are stabbing each other in the back to be the highest ranked student or earn the highest grade on a research process. Many other schools are much more collaborative in nature. Campus feel to me is the biggest factor. You should know within a few minutes or an hour tops whether or not this campus feels right to you.
Aaargh! Guidebooks, relatives and rankings in choosing the right school for you are like asking someone to try on a suit or garment to see if it fits you. Everyone has an opinion, and there’s a saying that if you get five people in a room and ask their opinion, you might get six different opinions. The same holds true for guidebooks, relatives and rankings. One thing that rankles me is the lack of people going out and visiting colleges and finding out about their programs. In my practice, we probably visit some 100 colleges and universities each year. Guidebooks are a synopsis of schools based upon the focus, and bias, of the editors involved. And the research may be stale, based upon information of a year or two years ago. Relatives can make their suggestions, but their suggestions can be based on hearsay or ‘what it was like in my days’ [often days long-passed and with them the school’s focus and feel then rather than now]. And rankings! Please! Rankings are often like popularity contests and give little substantive information. The only rankings one might consider would be the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities. But even those pale to the actual visit, investigation and personal sense of the school you are considering for application and your college years. Take guidebooks, relatives and rankings with a grain of salt and do your own due diligence in exploration and discovery of what particular schools would offer you. The right fit is not someone else’s opinion or guidance for you might be. The right fit is what feels right to you.
I think that guidebooks and rankings do have their place. Looking at them is a good place to start the college search process, but certainly should not be the final determining factor in choosing the right college for you. It would be important to find out exactly what criteria the ranking guide is looking at to determine their rankings. Do they even set foot on the college campus that they are ranking? How are graduation rates, retention rates, job placement rates calculated and validated? Even with valid statistics, just because a college is ranked highly, doesn’t mean the college is a good fit for you. Campus size, facilities, selectivity, location, religious preference, and campus organizations are all important factors. Relatives, especially parents, can be a great source of information about colleges. Hopefully, your parents know you well and can help you understand more about the college(s) they attended or know the most about. Many parents put a lot of pressure on their child to attend their alma mater. Parents need to understand that their child is unique (not just an extension of themselves) and need to consider everything about a school, not just did mom or dad attend here. The biggest factor to me is the “feeling” you have while on campus. That cannot be quantified by a guide book or ranking guide. Do you feel at home, comfortable, and ready to do the most and best learning you have done in your whole life on this campus? Some extremely highly ranked schools are so competitive that students are stabbing each other in the back to be the highest ranked student or earn the highest grade on a research process. Many other schools are much more collaborative in nature. Campus feel to me is the biggest factor. You should know within a few minutes or an hour tops whether or not this campus feels right to you.
Guidebooks provide data that can help you find schools that meet your criteria in terms of major, location, size and cost. Relatives can provide “eyewitness” information from people whose opinions you value. Rankings tell a small part of the tale, as well.
The best thing any prospective student can do is the learn as much about the colleges you are considering as possible. Reading the guidebooks is certainly a start; this will give you a flavor for the nuts and bolts of the place but not for its spirit. For that you will need to visit or speak with a current student or a recent alum.
Absolutely! When you are beginning the application process, you MUST MUST MUST do your research. The more sources of information that you have, the better.
Throughout the college application process, you will receive information from every which corner. The entire process is a research-based process that should completed utilizing all reliable sources. The guidebooks will provide you with statistical information for which you can decide if this is a safety, target, or reach school for you. You family members may provide insight if they themselves attended or know others who have…remember each person is different and what one person likes or does not like does not necessarily mean the same will hold true for you. The college rankings are another statistical piece that should be viewed with care and consideration. Remember it is not where you go but what you do when you get there that counts the most!
The more information you use to make your final selection, the better the decision you will make and the smoother your transition from high school to university will be. The important factor to always remember is to consider the source of the information and their bias. The best way to take advantage of guide books, relatives’ advice and rankings is start with your own assessment of what is and isn’t important to you. At the end of the day, it’s your degree and your experience and no one else can better make that decision than you.
The fact is that everything and anything may be useful in the admissions process. Legacy may be beneficial, especially if the relative is an active alumni. It is important to research all schools of interest, and find out what they are historically looking for. Do they take a holistic approach to evaluating the student, or are they known for GPA/ranking
Choosing a college is one of the most important and expensive decisions you will make as a family. Every family wants their children to be happy and successful in college, as the experience that essentially transitions them to adulthood.
I think all sources of info are somewhat helpful, as they introduce you to schools you may not know of. However, in my opinion all guidebooks, and certainly all relatives or alumni who attended a particular school have limited perspectives, and their opinions may not reflect the points that are most significant to YOU. So listen and read, but always push beyond these sources for additional information and impressions.
All the information you can gather about a college is useful as long as it is accurate. I don’t think the rankings are helpful because they ignore the most important piece of the puzzle in choosing a college — YOU! To choose the schools that will be a good fit for you, you must get to know yourself and see if a college has people like you on campus. The guidebooks offer basic information that is provided by the colleges, therefore, some of what they say is advertising and not strictly factual. Relatives don’t know your grades, test scores, or really much about you as a student. Often the information they have on a college is out-of-date or simply someone else’s opinion about a college. Your own research and visit to a campus will give you the information you need.
Yes, all information that you can get your hands on will help you in this process. Think of it this way…pretend that you are buying a car of your choice. You can spend $5000 – $150,000 on it. You can have whatever options you want as well. If you look at car guide, they will usually give you a rundown of the vehicle (facts and stats). Cars are also ranked: safest, fastest, environmentally safe, etc. If you ask your parents or relatives what to buy, you will get hundreds of opinions. Yet the only opinion you need is your own.
Anything is useful, to the extent that you’ll be getting accurate information. I’d say the least reliable way to get such info is through friends who’ve heard things through the grapevine. College is such an individual experience that it’s hard to measure the value of subjective, third-party input.
As long as you’re thinking critically, the more information you get about a school, the better. No matter what the source, remember that information about schools ultimately comes down to three sources: actual students at that school, actual professors at that school, and the school itself. The school itself is obviously interested in self-promotion, so it’s good to get the perspective of actual students–though it’s been my experience that students with an ax to grind are more likely to seek out the comments section of online forums than students who are content.
For the most part yes- in terms of using it as a starting point for a student who is starting a college search process however, they are so many more unique schools that relatives and guidebooks (i.e. princeton review) might not mention especially the ranking system which usually includes the same schools. I personally have used “colleges that change life” a great book, that discusses great liberal art colleges that are unique in terms of their educational structure and graduation requirements.
All of these options are ok to look at but must be taken with a grain of salt. The most important aspect of choosing a school is finding a good fit. The rankings are often based on information not relevant to choosing a school. As far as relatives go, they often dont know the most important aspects of a school with regard to what’s best for you. Guidebooks have more general information and a good way to get a “feel” for the school but certainly not choose one.
As you approach your junior or senior year, you may be getting college advice from friends, relatives, or others who know that you will be making decisions about college in the near future. Some of this information may be helpful, and some may not. In order to maximize the chances of getting the information that will be helpful to you, a good way to start is by defining what you want. Are you looking for a small school, or are you more comfortable in a large university? Do you want to be near home, or do you want to explore other areas? Do you know what you want to study, or do you intend to make that decision later? Is cost a factor? These are just a few of the things to consider as you contemplate the many choices open to you. A counselor can help you to determine which variables are important to you. Guidebooks can be helpful in informing you about a college, and how it compares to others in areas that you have decided are important to you. It is likely that the guidance or college advising office in your high school will have some college guidebooks. If they do not, the books can usually be found in a public library. Relatives can be helpful if they have attended a school that interests you, or have specific knowledge about one. Rankings are frequently difficult to understand, as you do not always know what was included in the scoring. For example, if cost is a major concern for you, a ranking system that does not take cost into account will not be helpful to you. As you make your decisions about colleges, it is likely that you will draw on information obtained from many different sources…. people you know, your counselor, guidebooks, college websites, and college information sessions. Your goal in choosing a school is to find one that is a good fit in terms of all the factors that you personally consider to be important to you.
Everyone has an opinion…and relying on the opinions of others (including guidebooks/various “best of” comparisons and “expert” advice) should never become a substitute for determining what you are seeking and doing objective research in order to find the colleges that suit your individual desires. Most “best college” articles and guidebooks are heavily biased because they use a very subjective value judgement. For example, they often factor in graduation rates, or average SAT scores, or retention rates, or njmerous other categories that might make sense when considered individually…but when these categories are mixed and matched there is no accurate or meaningful way to determine the “best” college for ALL applicants. Just because a college is highly selective, or because someone’s relative loved going there, does not mean it is the the college that will meet your needs and desires.
College guidebooks are often packed with useful information, but the information can be presented in a subjective or biased manner. If you use guidebooks as part of your research process, make sure that you keep in mind that the authors have a specific purpose in mind…and their criteria for the ideal college might not be the same as yours.
I would say all of the above are to some degree helpful. It is important to understand though that college guidebiiks, relatives, and ranking organizations may not value the same things you value. The best way to determine if a school is right for you is by visiting the school. This may not always mean going to a Open House.
To a minimal extent, the answer could be yes. I recently had a student whose father, uncle, and grandfather attended a US Military Academy, and my student ultimately found that he wanted to continue the tradition of attending the same institution. I am sure that in his case, being a legacy was important to him. Other students, however, will run for the hills when hearing a relative suggest a college to them. That, too, is fair. As with any conversation about college, one with your relatives should be open-minded. Hear them out, but remember that ultimately it will be *you* attending a particular college, not your great uncle Harold, who is certain that you should go to his alma mater.
They have a purpose. These guidebooks, relatives, and rankings do provide useful information. However, they are not the end-all. It is important to go look for yourself. The guidebooks are just that – a guide. They are useful in giving financial information, general admissions requirements, and a general idea of the cost of attendance. Relatives give their own spin on the college, but it is just an opinion and should be considered as such. The rankings are useful in that it gives the reader of the rankings “some” comparison information. The rankings are most important to the colleges; students should realize they are no different from student rankings. Just because a student is not ranked highly, does not mean the student is not smart. Similarly, just because a college does not get a specific ranking does not mean it is not a good college.
Everyone has an opinion…and relying on the opinions of others (including guidebooks/various “best of” comparisons and “expert” advice) should never become a substitute for determining what you are seeking and doing objective research in order to find the colleges that suit your individual desires. Most “best college” articles and guidebooks are heavily biased because they use a very subjective value judgement. For example, they often factor in graduation rates, or average SAT scores, or retention rates, or numerous other categories that might make sense when considered individually…but when these categories are mixed and matched there is no accurate or meaningful way to determine the “best” college for ALL applicants. Just because a college is highly selective, or because someone’s relative loved going there, does not mean it is the the college that will meet your needs and desires.
That depends, depends, depends.
Yes of course as all background knowledge will increase your understanding of the subject. Should this be the only primary source when you choose a school? Probably not, but they should not be overlooked as many admission policies, financial offerings and prestige is tied to this information.
This all depends. You should never choose a school solely from a guidebook, but guidebooks and rankings can help you in your initial search when you have no idea where even to begin- they can help you eliminate or choose elements you know you do or don’t like (single sex, religious affiliation, size,), and facts about grades and SAT scores can help you determine which schools might be safeties or reach schools. Once you have a larger list of schools from those, relatives and friends who went there can talk to you about their school and give you the more personal lowdown. Ultimately a visit is the best way to see if you would be a good fit for the school too. A great money saving tip here is to visit after you receive your notices- it’s a waste of money to visit a school that would reject you! Apply to all the schools you think you would like, and then go and see the ones who want you, too.
This all depends. You should never choose a school solely from a guidebook, but guidebooks and rankings can help you in your initial search when you have no idea where even to begin- they can help you eliminate or choose elements you know you do or don’t like (single sex, religious affiliation, size,), and facts about grades and SAT scores can help you determine which schools might be safeties or reach schools. Once you have a larger list of schools from those, relatives and friends who went there can talk to you about their school and give you the more personal lowdown. Ultimately a visit is the best way to see if you would be a good fit for the school too. A great money saving tip utilize the multitude of online resources that offer virtual tours and chatrooms with admissions officials to get a “real” sense of the campus without flying there.
While college statistics sites such as collegeboard.com are extreme useful, they only provide a small glimpse of the school in question. The best way to properly choose a school is to visit for yourself the schools in which you hope to attend.
The short answer is yes, each of these things are helpful, especially relatives that have had experience at the colleges you are looking at. However, to know if a school is a good fit for you, you have to visit. There is only so much information you can get online, by reading books or talking to people. A number of times those sources come with biases. Only if you get on campus, sit in on an info session, take a tour, eat in their dining facility, etc., are you going to get an idea of how good a fit a college is for you. You should at least eat a meal there and visit a dorm because if you are going to eat there and sleep there for four years, you must be somewhat satisfied with those two things.
Marginally. I’d try to speak with current students and recent grads as well as successful professional alumni.
Absolutely. Just remember that ALL information is biased. The more that a student researches a school the better decision he/she can make. Other places to look for information: 1. Websites such as this one. 2. Visit the school, if possible. 3. Books and periodicals 4. The schools admission’s official. 5. The schools information. Brochures, website, and video 6. People that have attended. 7. Current students
The more information you have the better when it comes to choosing a school, so all of these tools are useful resources. The more you know about a school, the more likely you’ll have a complete picture that you can use to determine if that school’s right for you. However, make sure that you evaluate where your information is coming from so you can use it properly.
Yes…and no. They are good for getting a general idea about a place, but you really need to make a visit. You can figure out average SAT scores of the students, get an idea about the size etc. However each school has a unique campus culture that you can only learn about by visiting.
Ideally, as a student, you will have your own personal list of criteria that constitutes the “right fit” college for you. For example, you may see yourself at a small liberal arts college, with access to ski mountains, an excellent psych department and Division III soccer. Your best friend may prefer a large state university, with lots of school spirit and active fraternities and sororities. Both options offer an excellent education but within very different environments. Choosing a college is about finding the best fit you personally – academically and personally.
Some of the best resources are going to be current students and alumni. While guidebooks and rankings can give you a general overview about the strength of programs, which will allow you to narrow down the list of hundreds of potential schools, once you’ve narrowed it down to the top 5 or 6 schools, rankings and guidebooks become less helpful. This is when you turn to alumni and current students. If you know the industry that you want to work in, e.g., marketing, start looking up people at marketing firms you’d be interested in working at who are alumni. Give them a call or drop them an email. You’ll find most alumni are more than happy to talk about their experience, good or bad. Additionally, it will likely give you insight into the types of people you’ll be working with in your program.
The best way to choose a school is for YOU to make an informed choice. Choosing your college is a very personal decision and cannot be mathematically calculated (as nice as that might be!). Relative’s advice and college rankings simply show other people’s opinions about a college–they can not predict how you will feel about that college. Choosing a college based on someone’s opinion would be like someone telling you who you should be friends with, what you should wear, what you should be interested in.
Guidebooks, relatives and rankings can all be useful or not depending on how you use them. Some of the standard guidebooks I recommend are “Fiske’s Guide to Colleges” and “The Insider’s Guide to Colleges”. Both provide basic information such as the website, ACT/SAT mid-range scores of admitted students as well a summary of a particular’s strengths and special programs. Depending on how recently your relative attended a particular school, that person can offer their personal perspective. Even if they graduated many years ago, perhaps they have children or even grandchildren who currently attend some of the colleges you would like to learn more about and can put you in touch with them to hear about their experiences. Each source has a bias and so it is important to use more than one source and if at all possible to visit yourself to form your own opinion. Ultimately your opinion is the one that matters the most.
These sources are a good place to start, however, you should not rely on these sources alone. Guidebooks such as FISKE are a good source to start the process with. Relatives have a lot of emotion attached to their decisions often and it does not mean it is right for the student.. for example the parent went to that school, or worse, a parent wants to keep a student close to home, but the right fit is 3,000 miles away and the child picks the parent’s choose school only to funk out…As for rankings, there are several things that the ranking look at the probably have no baring whatsoever on what you are to study at a school…
The best way to choose a school is for YOU to make an informed choice. Choosing your college is a very personal decision and the answer to what college is best for you cannot be mathematically calculated or looked up in a book (as nice as that might be!). Relative’s advice and college rankings show other people’s opinions about a college–they can not predict how you will feel about that college. Choosing a college based on someone’s opinion would be like someone telling you who you should be friends with, what you should wear, what you should be interested in.
Resources are just that…resources. Guidebooks offer summaries of a college’s characteristics and features that will help you understand academic programs, facts and figures. Your uncle and the neighbor may have positive or negative experiences to relay to you, but those are their experiences, not yours. The formal rankings, such as US News and World Report and Business Week should be reviewed cautiously…does being ranked number 47, regionally, help you determine if you will feel comfortable and supported on the campus? “Best Fit” is a somewhat elusive concept, so use as many resources as is practical to form your opinions. Of course, nothing substitutes a visit that includes classroom time and, ideally, an overnight in the dorm.
Yes, yes, and yes. The guidebooks I recommend are: The College Finder by Steven Antonoff (lists of schools known for excellence in specific majors), Colleges That Change Lives by Loren Pope (a way of looking at schools based on student engagement, along with 40 good examples). Rankings such as US News & World Report are certainly a place to start to see which schools belong on the radar screen overall and for specific programs such as business and engineering. Relatives and friends of the family can offer some perspective, depending on their own backgrounds and how in touch they are with college selectivity TODAY (not in the 1970’s—things have changed).
In choosing colleges every source is useful. But the most useful things to pay attention to are: -current students’ opinions on the concrete colleges; – EducationUSA advisors; – unigo information.
As the second most costly expenditure a family will make, a wise college choice is essential. Guidebooks, relatives, friends, counselors, rankings, college visits are all part of the exploration process in creating the college list that will suit the student best. These are simply resources and none should be taken as ‘the source of information’ upon which decisions are made. Of equal importance to the external search is the internal search. The more a student knows about themselves, the better they can identify colleges where they will thrive and be able to set the foundation for their future career success.
I think that your best resource in evaluating a college is by exploring its own website and literature, as a starting point. From there, you can explore guidebooks and websites such as Unigo, as well as websites such as College Navigator and U-CAN.
The answer is “Yes”.
All information can be helpful in choosing schools; just make sure you recognize the biases and limitations of your sources. Guidebooks are widely accepted as a useful tool in discovering colleges and gaining initial impressions about schools. Guidebooks can seem impartial, but remember that student quotes or impressions from a single visit can be subjective. In a ranking-crazy environment, it is hard not to hear about “best values” “top programs” “coolest campuses”, etc. Ranking are fine, even fun, as long as you understand they can easily be manipulated by the factors they evaluate and the formula used to determine final ranking. Finally, I don’t know if you could avoid input from your relatives. It seems like everyone wants to share their college experiences and suggestions with you. You may get some good information and you may have to smile, nod, and thank your relatives for their interest while you continue to pursue your own research. As long as you consult multiple sources and recognize that the best source of information is a college visit, guidebooks, ranking, and relatives can all be good resources.
All of the above, plus additional sources are useful. Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions, and biggest investments, in a person’s life. All available resources should be utilized in making this decision. As a Counselor, I find it essential to cross reference and compile information from sources that are unique from each other. Guidebooks with statistical information, anecdotal evidence from relatives and friends, and rankings established from data and input from various sources should all be considered useful. Leave no stone left unturned. Utilize the web for information. Pay particular attention to each college’s website. Here you can dive deeper into a particular academic department, investigate course offerings, faculty interests, and look up contact information. Always remember who is producing the information provided. Ultimately you are deciding on a college that fits you best and nobody else. Seek all relevant information and pay particular attention to unbiased advice. Never rely strictly on one source to base your decision on.
Most important thing in choosing a college is to consider whether it is the right fit for you and only you. Yes, each has its merits in helping to choose a school to a certain extent. However, they cannot tell you whether a college will be the right fit for you. My advice is to begin the process by listing and prioritizing the things that you need and want in college experience to be happy and successful. With this list in hand, you can start to use these sources to evaluate whether a college is the right fit rather than allow these sources to persuade you in a particular direction.
Guidebooks and rankings are both useful at times, if you want to see where a college is ranked in specific majors and departments, however, this should not be used when deciding which college best suits a student.
The more you learn about a school you’re thinking about, of course the better…But, beware! When you’re reading different sources, consider opinion, perspective and fact. The rankings these days are pretty skewed because so many kids are applying to so many schools (and sometimes even encouraged to) so percentage of acceptances vs. applications received is a little sketchy.
Gathering information from as many data sources as possible will help you as you discern what school is the best fit for you. You should never use one single source as the “end all and be all” when it comes to choosing a school. Using school guidebooks definitely gives you a glimpse into how the school sees themselves, but also, the message they want YOU to receive, so you need to read between the lines to understand what they really have to offer. Relatives who have attended a school have their own, subjective opinion. They are unique, just as you are unique, so your experience may end up being differently from theirs. Make sure to ask them both what was positive as well as challenging as their experience. Finally, while rankings do tell us something about the strength of a school’s reputation, their resources, and offerings, I always use rankings with the caveat that what one person is look for and what they deem important in their college choice is not what someone else may consider important. Thus, rankings are only useful if you value and put weight on the same criteria that those who creating the rankings give value and weight to when making their lists. Ultimately, you should define your college choices based on information you have at hand and triangulate that data to see how you fit into that institution based on your academic performance, interests, and future goals.
Everything has a beginning and your college search is no different. If you don’t have any ideas where to start from, guidebooks, relatives, and rankings CAN be a jumping off point – but don’t rely ONLY on these three things to help guide you! There are a lot of great schools out there that are either as-yet undiscovered by the guides, schools that even your closest relatives and friends have never heard of, and schools that are unranked simply because they don’t fit into a particular ranking system’s algorithm. You don’t want to miss out on a great opportunity because you narrowed your focus too early on in the search process!
Of course you want to use all the resources you can as you’re searching for colleges, but here are some cautions. Guidebooks are factual, and can be great initially, but you should never choose your college based only on statistics. Colleges are communities of people and you have to meet them before you know if you have a good match. Relatives mean well, but you are an individual and what is good for your cousin isn’t necessarily good for you. If an older relative is giving you advice, remember that schools change and what he/she experienced 20 years ago might not be what you would experience today. Published rankings can really hurt your search if you put too much importance on them. If you want to use them, be sure you have studied the criteria used in the rankings and decide if those criteria have any value to you at all. Many times the criteria don’t relate to students’ needs and wishes. I suggest taking published rankings very lightly, concentrating on finding what is good for YOU rather than what others say.
The answer is YES! The more information and perspectives you have, the more of an informed decision you can make. You may find out information you never thought of or knew. Also, only using one source can hinder your viewpoint. Always use a global approach when selecting a school.
The college search process can be very confusing, so any resource can be helpful. Remember, however, to not lose yourself in this process. What do YOU want? What do YOU want to accomplish? Where do YOU fit? Where do YOU feel the most comfortable, but also the most challenged?
They can be useful if you take them in context. If your uncle wants to take you to his Alma mater to show you around and introduce you to a few people, that is something that may help you form some opinions on the school. Of course, the school should have been on your college list to begin with and you should already know if you are close to their requirements on GPA, test scores, etc. Now, if your uncle went somewhere that you have no interest in, and you have already found out that you are not a good match grade-wise, then his offer to show you around may not amount to much.
It is important to keep an open-mind while one is researching choosing a school. Guidebooks can be helpful in the process but keep in mind that is just one aspect of getting informed and going on the website, college visits and talking to current students are all the most vital ways of educating oneself in terms of what is the best fit college. While relatives can have the best of intentions they are often biased to their own personal experience regarding a specific college – so it is important to not let their opinion impact your own decision.
It’s always important to ask people who know the most for help. Most guidebooks are written by very knowledgeable people, and can clarify things for you, but be very careful about rankings or other information that tells you which colleges are “the best”. Choosing a college is a very personal process, and what’s best for you may not be best for your classmate. You need to know what matters to you, and use that criteria in selecting colleges to explore. Once you know that you need smaller classes with more interaction, or a booming social life, or access to big city museums or a local forest, use the guide books to direct you to schools that feature these things. If you’re not sure about how to do this kind of reflection about your needs, ask a counselor! Most of us are very experienced with helping students find their best fit.
There are many ways to get information about a school. Guidebooks can be useful if you’re at the beginning of your process and don’t have too many ideas about what you’re looking for. Friends and relatives who attended a school can give you useful information and perspective (but be careful of relatives who are just working off of a list of schools they have heard of, but don’t know anything specific about the school). And rankings, if not taken too literally, can be very helpful in telling you both school statistics and what academic professionals think about a school. Ultimately though, the choice belongs to you and your family and I would encourage you to visit, if possible, or, if not, do whatever you can to get firsthand information about a school, whether meeting with a representative off-campus or viewing a virtual tour online.
I always suggest that students gain multiple perspectives on any college they are looking at. This can include guidebooks, college web sites, third party web sites, alumni, current students, etc. Guidebooks can be useful, but look for ones which will give you not only the facts and figures, but also a perspective on the more intangibles.
Guidebooks, relatives and rankings are useful in choosing a school…to a point. You can get a great sense of the nuts and bolts of a college or university by reading these statistics. After all, they are published for a reason. In the end, though, choosing the right school is about finding the right “fit.” About half of all students entering college will change their major at least once, so attending a school that has the best Biology program in the nation might be great in theory, but if you switch to Creative Writing half way through your first year, it’s going to be more important that you’re comfortable on campus and in the region and feel connected to the faculty and other students.
I believe they help; but regardless, all are biased. Depending on the ranking and the company doing the ranking, some schools actually take out ads in the “magazines” or “newspapers” throughout the year – and coincidentally, they have a better ranking when the rankings are posted. Your best best is always to go to campus, as well as speak with alumni and obtain additional references.
Not much accreditation is important
Students who graduated in the same field of interest are a much more vital source than a guidebook, US News or someone else’s ranking.
They are useful as a guide to create a list of schools that you may want to look at. But, it is important to find a school that fits you. Just because Uncle Joe went to Duke does not mean that you should go there. A number one ranked school may not be number one ranked for you. Take all the information you get and synthesize it through your heart and mind.
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