Finding a College That is "Right" For You
Research continues to show that the learning environment and active student involvement make a great deal of difference in the lives of successful college students. As one of the websites below suggests "an ideal college setting would excel at creating interaction with faculty, engaging students in experiential learning, and generating participation and leadership in extracurricular activities". In the real world, of course, we know that shopping malls, ski lifts, access to airports, the club scene can make a school appear to be "right" for a student.
- Art & Design Schools
- A consortium of 35 leading art schools in the US are featured on this user-friendly site. Check out location of schools, majors offered plus interesting details about how the field of art and design is affecting global business.
- Baptist Colleges
- Links to selected colleges affiliated with the Baptist faith.
- Best 371 Colleges, The (Princeton Review)
- Ignore the word "best" and just look at the student perspectives and other data about these 371 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, takes a little bit of time, but you'll like the results. Hint: you might want to skip questions about the tuition your family is willing to pay so as not to limit your search results. You can always evaluate with a more critical eye once you get some names of schools.
- Black College Search
- Free online resource for prospective African American students. Information on black colleges, scholarships, financial aid and more.
- Braintrack
- Want to explore colleges all over the globe? Check out this user friendly site with links to more than 10,000 higher education institutions in almost 200 countries.
- 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 in the US.
- CampusVisit.com
- Consortium of colleges assisting parents/students in planning their visits to major colleges in selected cities in the northeastern part of the United States. Excellent!
- 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.
- CollegeClickTV.com
- This website claims to have thousands of video comments by students attending colleges in all parts of the US...format appeals to Facebook fans and YouTube lovers. Offers a decent starting point for general information on size, location..not sure if I would use it to evaluate any significant aspect of one's college selection criteria.
- CollegeConfidential
- College Discussion section claims to be the Web's leading discussion forum for college admissions, financial aid, SAT prep.. Special caution: this site is not monitored for accuracy and is subject to the whims of any and all contributors (mostly students and well meaning parents with too much time on their hands, perhaps?). It is the bane of many college admissions offices and high school counselors since many times the information is based on rumor, gossip, and outright bad information. You would be far better off having a 30 minute conversation with your counselor.
- CollegeData.com
- "Fit" is important. This comprehensive online college search service allows you access to countless articles on the search process, a basic estimation of your chances of getting admitted (based on US national figures and not any one high school's data as shown through Naviance, for example), but still a good starting place.
- CollegeNavigator
- US Dept of Education search tool has some interesting features including fairly recent data on how many graduates majored in the various majors a school offers, the 4 and 6 year graduation stats, plus much more. Search tool offers a quick map for you to see where the university is located.
- CollegeNet
- User friendly search engine, this site has a customized application process for 1500 schools where common data travels from form to form. Not sure why students would use the application feature now that CommonApp and eduDOCs are streamlining the electronic submission process more and more each year.
- CollegePortraits.org
- Relatively new website still in development. Has easy to access data on student retention in state supported universities in the US.
- CollegeProwler
- This site claims to be "Your ultimate source for honest, unbiased information, an inside look at college....straight from the students' mouths". One doesn't need a college degree to realize that everyone has a bias. Use this site as a starting point, not a "deal breaker".
- Colleges of Distinction
- Highly researched list of schools which engage students, offer great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes.
- 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.
- College Sustainability Report Card
- Want to know how your college rates on the "green" continuum? Check out this interesting list of schools doing their part to recycle and manage resources.
- 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 misperceptions that can jinx your college selection. If you look at only one link on this website, this better be it! This group of colleges tours major cities in the US each year. Many of the schools are starting to come to Asia.
- College View
- College search, online virtual tours, financial aid info. I like the feel of the college search criteria and the ease of navigation.
- CollegeinColorado
- Excellent search options from one location, find info about professors.
- Combined Undergraduate/Medical School Programs
- There are 36 medical schools with one or more combined B.S./M.D. programs. It can be tricky locating information on the med school websites, but they are usually listed under "special programs".
- 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.
- CommunityCollegeReview.com
- Site offers new tools and data to help users compare colleges within their state and learn more about how community colleges work.
- Co-Op Education
- Drexel, Northeastern, BU, Wash U are amongst the 300+ universities which offer extensive opportunities to combine work experience and classwork while you are still in college. Pump up your resume to the next level with co-op programs!
- CSO CollegeCenter.com
- Online clearinghouse of college programs and admissions information serving first-generation, low-income, and under represented populations. I like some of the articles listed under the resources link. Don't be afraid to browse this site!
- Culinary Schools
- Peterson's listing of major culinary schools worldwide. After exploring these schools, I guarantee you will be starving.
- Disability Friendly Colleges
- This site focuses on two major US universities prepared to take on the special challenge of serving college students with diagnosed autistic spectrum learning needs.
- FACTS.org
- Want one stop shopping for Florida universities?? This is the answer to your prayers. Based on feedback from users, the site is updated regularly with timely articles.
- Fiske Guide
- Fiske's highly popular guide to 300 schools has an interesting self-help quiz aimed at finding where you belong. You don't have to buy the books, just take the quiz! It could get you out of an inert state of mind. This guidebook is found in most counseling offices.
- GameCareerGuide
- This site looks really cluttered but eventually you can click around and find a list of colleges (some outside the US) which offer various programs/majors in game design.
- Gay Friendly Colleges
- Good starting point for lists of schools which offer a supportive environment.
- Greenes' Guides
- Authors of the popular guides such as Hidden Ivies and Public Ivies share more of their wisdom with articles and additional links. Gives you an idea of the authors' philosophy on how to select a college.
- HBCU Connect
- Gateway to home pages for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I like the ease with which one can access information on this newly revamped site.
- Hillel
- The national organization of Jewish college students highlights over 500 colleges throughout the world, offering stats on number of Jewish Studies courses taught on each campus and more.
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
- Seeking a university with diversity? Check out the 200+ Hispanic-Serving Institutions plus links to many interesting scholarship resources.
- IT Schools to Watch 2008
- View listings of 56 top IT schools from across the country. Although focusing on graduate programs, it gives you a good idea of what's happening at the leading edge schools.
- How College Admission Works
- Read how one highly selective US university reviews its applicant files. Keeping in mind that each school has its own procedures, this brief overview does give you a sense of what they typically do.
- Jesuit Colleges and Universities
- Boston College, Georgetown, Gonzaga are just a few of the 28 Jesuit schools in the US. Use this site to get a quick overview of these selective schools.
- Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges
- Ranking of 100 US tax supported institutions that offer academic excellence at an affordable price. Click "All in one table" (easier to compare schools) to see the entire list.
- Kiplinger's Best Values in Private Colleges
- Ranking of 100 US private institutions. Good place to start if unsure of where to start your college search.
- Law Schools
- American Bar Association site with links to all 200 law schools in the US.
- Lutheran Colleges
- This site lists 42 Lutheran colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Each of these institutions focus on developing the whole self through active learning that engages the mind, body and spirit. Student does not have to be Lutheran to attend these schools; in fact, diversity of background can be a plus!
- Maclean's University Rankings
- Each November this site ranks over 47 Canadian colleges on selected criteria. I like the accompanying articles about campus life. Great place to start your search.
- Medical Schools in US
- Links to 129 US and 17 Canadian medical schools. It might not hurt to check out what is really needed to get admitted to medical school today. Don't assume anything.
- Military Colleges and Schools
- Small collection of military related schools.
- Mother Jones' MoJo Mini College Guide
- Highlights ten US colleges/universities "that will blow your mind, not your budget". Worth considering.
- OnlineCollegesandUniversities.com
- User-friendly site which can be a good starting point as you explore online options.
- Philadelphia, Find Colleges in and Around
- Excellent search tool if you want to look at all of the colleges in the Philadelphia region.
- 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.
- RWM.org
- Easy to use database of private vocational schools in the US and Canada.
- StuVu.com
- Want to know the full scoop on more than just the same old 200+ universities listed on similar social networking websites? This new data source offers more than just videos and statistics; check out the reviews on over 120 junior colleges as well.
- TheUniversityReview.com
- If you are seeking an awareness of the different schools in your favorite state, this site gives you a clutter free approach to get first hand insight from current students. Obviously, remember that just because a school gets a thumbs down on its food, it doesn't mean the school couldn't offer YOU just what you want out of a college experience.
- Texas State University System
- Jump start your search of the eight campuses within the Texas State University system.
- Unigo.com
- College reviews and videos, for students by students. Claims to give you the real story on schools. Definitely part of the social networking scene...I like some of the quirky videos.
- WomensColleges.org
- Want to know more about opportunities at women's colleges in the US? Click here!
Last Update September 2009- Copyright Frieda Dietrich
If you find a broken link, please email me. Frieda Dietrich
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