Finding a College That is "Right" For You
Be aware there is much redundancy of info on these sites, a fact of life on the Internet. As a practicing high school counselor, I have tried to highlight the particular qualities which make each site unique. If you don't know where to start, don't worry-pick one and enjoy exploring.
- Baptist Colleges
- Links to selected colleges affiliated with the Baptist faith.
- Baptist Colleges and Universities - Southern
- Links to financial resources at selected colleges affiliated with the Baptist faith.
- Best 361 Colleges, The (Princeton Review)
- Ignore the word "best" and just look at the student perspectives and other data about these 357 colleges. Hint: don't pick your dream school based solely on this info.
- BestCollegePicks.com
- User friendly site which focuses on what YOU want in a college. Select a college based on your goals and values. The site is attempting to be more personalized than everyone else's site. Try it, you'll like it.
- Black College Search
- Free online resource for prospective African American students. Information on black colleges, scholarships, financial aid and more.
- Campus Safety
- Offers campus crime statistics-interesting insights for students and parents.
- Campus Security Statistics
- Direct link to reported criminal offenses for over 6,000 colleges and universities in the US.
- Catholic Colleges and Universities
- Listing of over 200 schools, mostly in the US and Canada, some in other countries. Excellent starting point if you are looking for schools affiliated with the Catholic faith.
- ChristianColleges.com
- Good place to start if you want to know more about several hundred Christian schools.
- College Bound
- Peterson's site has a quick link to searching for colleges by GPA, location, major, and several other criteria. I like the detailed major options - this could help if you are unclear. Includes Guam, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
- CollegeNet
- User friendly search engine, this site has a customized application process for 1500 schools where common data travels from form to form.
- Colleges of Distinction
- Highly researched list of schools which engage students, offer great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes.
- College Planning Center
- Uncluttered comprehensive site by Iowa's student financial aid organization. I like its concise calendars for planning your junior and senior college application activities. Quick references for colleges in this state.
- Colleges and Universities - U.S. by State
- Links to home pages of schools across the nation. If you look at only one link in this category, this should be it.
- Colleges That Build Character
- Excellent summary of 405 exemplary colleges that "inspire students to lead ethical and civic minded lives". Worth a look on how the schools were evaluated. These items are what make a quality education. Of particular interest is the listing of schools which pay attention to helping students adjust to the personal freedom and responsibilities they experience during the first year of being away from home. The authors regularly list what they consider to be the top 100 colleges based on their criteria...if nothing else, this site gets you to thinking about what do you really want in a college.
- Colleges That Change Lives
- Based on Loren Pope's groundbreaking work, check out the link on 20 myths that can jinx your college selection. If you look at only one link on this website, this better be it!
- College View (Hobsons)
- College search, online virtual tours, financial aid info. I really like the feel of the college search criteria and the ease of navigation!
- CollegeinColorado
- Excellent search options from one location, find info about professors.
- Community Colleges - U.S. by State
- Links to community college home pages nationwide. Students with disappointing GPAs need to strongly consider starting at a Community College. It's not where you start, it's where you finish. Includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, and Puerto Rico.
- Culinary Schools
- Peterson's listing of major culinary schools worldwide. After exploring these schools, I guarantee you will be starving!
- Disability Friendly Colleges
- Good starting point for families seeking colleges with these special services.
- FastWEB.com
- FastWeb has search capabilities and access to 700 online college applications.
- Fiske Guide
- Fiske's highly popular guide to 300 schools has an interesting self-help quiz aimed at finding where you belong.
- Greenes' Guides
- Authors of the popular guides such as Hidden Ivies and Public Ivies share more of their wisdom with articles and additional links.
- Guide for Parents: Send Your Child to College
- No frills site compiled by a New York librarian. Has a few links not listed here. Primary audience is parents.
- Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges
- Ranking of 100 US institutions that offer academic excellence at an affordable price. Click "All in one table (easier to compare schools)" to see the entire list.
- Law Schools
- American Bar Association site with links to all 185 law schools in the US.
- Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
- Links to 10 schools in the Concordia university system. Also has updates on major Lutheran college fairs.
- Lutheran Colleges
- Focuses on Lutheran affiliated schools. Many good links.
- Medical Schools in US
- Links to major US medical schools. It might not hurt to check out what is really needed to get admitted to medical school today.
- Military Colleges and Schools
- Small collection of military related schools.
- Mother Jones' Top Activist Campuses
- Mother Jones magazine recently unveiled its latest survey of student activism on college campuses nationwide.
- Philadelphia, Find Colleges in and Around
- Excellent search tool if you want to look at all of the colleges in the Philadelphia region.
- Presbyterian Colleges and Universities
- Focuses on the Presbyterian affiliated schools across the United States. Excellent starting point.
- Princeton Review College Search Engine
- This search engine allows you to enter your preferences as well as your academic history; the wide range of suggested schools can be very helpful as you begin exploring your options.
- United Methodist Education Information
- Scholarships and college info source related to the United Methodist religion.
Last Update March 13, 2006 - Copyright Frieda Dietrich, Carpedm 2000
If you find a broken link, please email me. Frieda Dietrich
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