What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

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What are the quickest ways to research colleges?
Mark GathercoleUniversity AdvisorIndependent University Advising

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

College websites are full of information you can use, but remember that they are essentially advertisements. A good resource for impartial descriptions of colleges can be found in the Fiske Guide to College, available in book form or as an iPad app. With Fiske, you can get a pretty complete and accurate description of a school in just two pages.

Zahir RobbCollege CounselorThe Right Fit College

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

The quickest way to learn more about campuses is through an internet search engine. Sites like College Prowler can give you a student’s perspective, while the search engine on College Board can give you a broad overview of campuses. The campus websites themselves are much more comprehensive and therefore more time consuming, but I would recommend you pay a visit there as well.

Janet Elfers

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

Clearly the internet has made researching colleges quicker and easier than ever before. But you can get bogged down in the glitz of a website. Instead of randomly browsing a site, pick out several elements that are important to you, then compare only those features of college websites you visit. That way you’re comparing the same elements. Here are some suggestions to get you started: majors offered, study abroad opportunities, greek life, online student newspaper, faculty accomplishments, admission profile. Add or subtract elements as you refine your search. And take notes or make a spreadsheet of facts and observations about each college.

Karen Ekman-BaurDirector of College CounselingLeysin American School

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

I suppose that the quickest way to research a college/university is to go to the institution’s website. You can find out information about how to apply, financial aid/scholarship options, activities, campus facilities, facts and data about the institution, and so on. An advantage to the website over printed material is that, depending on the school, the websites are usually kept up-to-date on an ongoing basis.

Each website is structured differently, so what the institutions choose to highlight will also differ. While there is a certain amount of marketing involved in the developing of the college websites, they are not as intensely focused on marketing as are the promotional brochures which are distributed because they are also sources of information for current students, their parents, and others already involved with the institutions. It’s a good idea to supplement the information which you find on the websites with research in independently-published books about college/university characteristics and features, conversations with current and former students at the institutions in which you are interested, input from your guidance counselor, visits to the schools which are on your “short list” – and basically, any other way that you can add to your knowledge of a college/university.
Karen Ekman-BaurDirector of College CounselingLeysin American School

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

I suppose that the quickest way to research a college/university is to go to the institution’s website. You can find out information about how to apply, financial aid/scholarship options, activities, campus facilities, facts and data about the institution, and so on. An advantage to the website over printed material is that, depending on the school, the websites are usually kept up-to-date on an ongoing basis.

Each website is structured differently, so what the institutions choose to highlight will also differ. While there is a certain amount of marketing involved in the developing of the college websites, they are not as intensely focused on marketing as are the promotional brochures which are distributed because they are also sources of information for current students, their parents, and others already involved with the institutions. It’s a good idea to supplement the information which you find on institutional websites with research in independently-published books about college/university characteristics and features, conversations with current and former students at the institutions in which you are interested, input from your guidance counselor, visits to the schools which are on your “short list” – and basically, any other way that you can add to your knowledge of a college/university.
Reecy ArestyCollege Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & AuthorPayless For College, Inc.

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

Take virtual tours on the Internet, talk to current & graduate students, visit schools close by if they’re on your list.

Inna BeilinaStudent

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

www.collegeboard.org/ go there!

Kris HintzFounderPosition U 4 College LLC

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

If you know what you want to study, start with academic programs. The College Finder by Steven Antonoff will help you identify colleges that should be on your radar screen for specific majors. Antonoff also has a website called InsideCollege.com. US News & World Report ranks some undergraduate programs, such as engineering and business.

If you know that affording college is going to be an issue, identify “best value” colleges from Kiplinger’s website. You can also do a quick search of merit scholarships at colleges you are interested in at MeritAid.com.
Reecy ArestyCollege Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & AuthorPayless For College, Inc.

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

Take virtual tours on the Internet, talk to current & students who graduated, visit schools close by if they’re on your list.

Angela ConleyCollege Admission ExpertVentureForth

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

Typically, I encourage those with whom I collaborate to use the following three web portals:

1) College Board is incredibly useful explaining “college choice” testing options and providing access to every school. www.collegeboard.org 2) In discerning which schools have four-year graduation rates and the diversity of its student body and staff, I encourage folks to consider: collegeresults.org 3) Finally, because college is as much business as education, I strongly encourage clients to consider the Forbes listing which describes the “ROI” or return on investment when considering indebtedness against the market value of a particular schools’ brand. Just as I apprise clients that the mantra for success in marketing their brand is: “hearts – your awareness and engagement in the larger world and community” “smarts – can you effectively compete in the intellectual setting that is your desired college as confirmed by your coursework, exam scores and manifest intellectual curiosity” “character – are there those, besides your relatives who will attest to your integrity, persistence and wherewithal in diverse settings both intellectual and interpersonal” Clients are encouraged to assess colleges, universities and other post-secondary settings in a similar way. One’s education is an investment, a rite of passage and a privilege which should not be entered into unadvisedly.
Wendy Andreen, PhD

College Information at Your Fingertips

Search engines have become the fastest way to investigate just about anything. There are several excellent avenues to research colleges: college fairs, personal visits/tours, guidebooks, brochures, alumni interviews, community meetings hosted by college admissions officers, and reps coming to high schools. Take advantage of all of these options whenever possible. For speed, use the internet. 1. Begin with the college website. Look for tabs that say things like, ‘Fast Facts’, ‘Quick Links’, ‘Prospective Students’. These will provide highlights and important information you need to know as an applicant. A majority of college websites offer virtual tours so you can see the campus in action. 2. When you don’t know which colleges have the degree or major you want, turn to the variety of search engines that provide ‘college matches’. Obviously, you are using one of the biggest right now, Unigo. Use the “Find a College” section to match you with prospective colleges and see data, pictures, & videos of campuses. 3. The two major admissions tests sites – ACT & SAT, each provide free college searches and data on universities. 4. Other sites that may be helpful include: CollegeMajors101.com, MyMajors.com, CollegeConfidential.com, and Naviance. You can experience information overload quickly, so take notes as you research and create your own computer files to store the information you want to retrieve later.

Scott WhiteDirector of GuidanceMontclair High School

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

There are many good college search engines: college board, princeton review, naviance, etc.

王文君 June ScortinoPresidentIVY Counselors Network

use online tools

most online tools are only good for academic match making process, the counselors can help students to finalize the list of schools and come up with the strategy for admissions. it will save time, money, and achieve better results.

Erin AveryCertified Educational PlannerAvery Educational Resources, LLC

College Finds

I appreciate that on Google, you can do an “advanced search” using specific words, phrases, or majors. I always have one tab opened to Collegeboard and one finger jammed inside The College Finder, my dear mentor and colleague, Steve Antonoff’s indispensable and utterly relevant book of college lists.

Annie ReznikCounselor/CEOCollege Guidance Coach

My Favorite Search Sites

1. College Navigator allows user-defined searching on a number of key parameters. http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

2. Perfect for students that loathe rankings, USA Today’s college search tool is based on the National Survey of Student Engagement. The methodology couldn’t be more different than US News. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/nsse.htm 3. The “Inside College” site is a list maker’s dream! Available lists span everything from “Schools for Gleeks” to “Schools with Distinction in Dance” to “Schools with a Club Sailing Team.” http://www.insidecollege.com/reno/home.do
Nancy MilneOwnerMilne Collegiate Consulting

Researching 101

Obviously the web will give you an immediate read on colleges. Whether you use school-specific sites, Unigo.com, or other search engines; there is nothing like the instant feedback from the internet. Talking to folks is another avenue to pursue when gleaning information. Guidebooks, view books, and educational consultants/guidance counselors are other options to consider.

Tam Warner MintonConsultantCollege Adventures

Research online first

Here is my advice on researching colleges online: INFORMATION TO CHECK ON EACH SCHOOL WEBSITE:

VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE SCHOOL/YOUNIVERSITY videos! ACCEPTANCE RATE PROFILE OF THE LAST ENTERING FRESHMAN CLASS AVERAGE GPA AVERAGE SAT/ACT MAJORS/DEGREES AND COURSES OFFERED: WHICH PROGRAMS AND MAJORS ARE YOU INTERESTED IN? DO YOU LIKE THE PROGRAM? CAMPUS LIFE: GREEK LIFE? CLUBS? HILLEL? ARE YOUR INTERESTS REPRESENTED? LOOK AT HOUSING AND RESIDENTIAL LIFE. HOW MANY STUDENTS LIVE ON CAMPUS? DOES THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY INTEREST YOU? WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT? WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE? CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF THERE? DO YOU WANT TO VISIT?
Diane Coburn Bruningchoreographer/counselor in performing artsCollege Match, Inc, Performing Arts Specialist

Dance and Performing Arts – a different way to research them

In the case of dance and the performing arts, outside of the usual search methods, a very savvy way to research the departments is by reading bios of artists in dance companies, orchestras, opera, theatre to learn which colleges they attended. These bios are often on the company websites and also in the playbills of the performances you may attend. If you read enough of them, you may see a trend toward several schools and get a feeling for which departments graduate the artists who work in companies to which you aspire.

Lora LewisEducational ConsultantLora Lewis Consulting

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

It’s easier than ever to access information about colleges. Official websites, guidebooks, and online college resources like Unigo offer many ways to learn about potential schools and explore whether they might be good fits for you.

If you have a list of things your future college must (or must not) have, such as a particular major or extracurricular, location or size) it can facilitate your search to use a search engine that will narrow down possibilities based on your criteria. Once you have this initial list, however, your research should be anything but quick. It takes time and effort to learn about what a college has to offer, and even more time to reflect and assess thoroughly whether it is a place where you will thrive. As with most aspects of the college admissions process, be prepared for this step to take time–a LOT of time. Don’t cut corners here, and you’ll likely end up saving yourself time later on.
Margaret TungStrategistYale University

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

1. Ask for their brochure and go to their website! 2. Contact any alumni friends your parents, brothers/sisters, or teachers might have who would be interested in discussing it with you–remember it’s not an interview, it’s an opportunity for you to see whether you’d be interested. 3. Google them! See what they’re about. Check out college forums, college profiles–their website, college newspapers and publications…

Cheryl Millington

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

The quickest ways to research colleges is by usuing guide books and rankings. But use both to narrow your choices and get further information from other sources.

Guide books I especially like the fact that you can research a number of schools in one place for a relatively small investment of cost and time. I also believe that it can be faster than visiting the websites and trying to summarize the web info of that many colleges. What is also great about guide books is that usually it is easy for you to compare all colleges on the same selected factors. This is a great place to start (but not end) your research. Pay attention to the tone of the review, while it may appear to be unbiased, it probably isn’t. Use guide books to make a short list of your schools and then get further information on them from other sources. Rankings Similar to guide books, rankings are nice to show the number of schools that may be a good fit for you. But it’s important to know the methodology of the ranking; how number one versus number 100 was determined. If you had access to the raw numbers, you’ll be surprised to know that sometimes there are very small differences in scores, for example, between number 15 and 20. Also, try to determine how the information was gathered. Who supplied the information? When was the research conducted? The answers to these questions can change the results of the rankings. Some of the factors considered may not be important to you or be as heavily weighted if you were to come up with your own ranking. You may have noticed that different rankings have different results, so look for consistency. I like to divide rankings into quarters and then see if a school consistently falls in a particular quarter. Not every school participates in every ranking, so don’t assume if they are not listed, they were below the lowest university on the ranking. Therefore, use the information carefully and wisely.
Cheryl Millington

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

The quickest ways to research colleges is by usuing guide books and rankings. But use both to narrow your choices and get further information from other sources.

Guide books I especially like the fact that you can research a number of schools in one place for a relatively small investment of cost and time. I also believe that it can be faster than visiting the websites and trying to summarize the web info of that many colleges. What is also great about guide books is that usually it is easy for you to compare all colleges on the same selected factors. This is a great place to start (but not end) your research. Pay attention to the tone of the review, while it may appear to be unbiased, it probably isn’t. Use guide books to make a short list of your schools and then get further information on them from other sources. Rankings Similar to guide books, rankings are nice to show the number of schools that may be a good fit for you. But it’s important to know the methodology of the ranking; how number one versus number 100 was determined. If you had access to the raw numbers, you’ll be surprised to know that sometimes there are very small differences in scores, for example, between number 15 and 20. Also, try to determine how the information was gathered. Who supplied the information? When was the research conducted? The answers to these questions can change the results of the rankings. Some of the factors considered may not be important to you or be as heavily weighted if you were to come up with your own ranking. You may have noticed that different rankings have different results, so look for consistency. I like to divide rankings into quarters and then see if a school consistently falls in a particular quarter. Not every school participates in every ranking, so don’t assume if they are not listed, they were below the lowest university on the ranking. Therefore, use the information carefully and wisely.
Bill PrudenHead of Upper School, College CounselorRavenscroft School

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

In this day and age the internet is without a doubt the quickest way to undertake initial college research. Whether you are focusing on size or location, program or cost, a few strategic, appropriately chosen words entered into a “Google search” can lead you to a wealth of first impression information from which you can later expand your search and get a more defined sense of the schools you might be interested in. Whether through lists or rankings, in numeric or narrative form, there is a wealth of information out there to be had, but much of its real value will stem from how carefully you have identified what it is you want to know. The search–even at its earliest stages—is about trying to find the best possible fit for the individual student.

Jessica BrondoFounder and CEOThe Edge in College Prep

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

– Research guides and websites like Unigo are the quickest ways, because they provide many qualitative and quantitative statistics and details in one place so you can easily compare schools with each other, as well as get a superficial snapshot of what the school is like.

Patty Finer

What are the quickest ways to research colleges?

the internet

Riche Holmes GrantPresidentInnovative Study Techniques

Quick ways to research colleges…

I love using the College Board’s college search tool: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp

For the “inside scoop,” I like using The Princeton Review’s search engine/rankings: http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx and College Confidential: http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_search/
Geoff BroomeAssistant Director of AdmissionsWidener University

The internet has everything!

Use the internet. That is the sure fire quickest way to research an institution. Use sites like Unigo, Collegeboard, or if your school uses Naviance. Make sure that you check out each schools specific sites too.