Research Colleges Early To Get Lifelong Benefits

A college investment is one of the largest expenses that most families will face in their lifetime.  Yet many students and parents find themselves choosing an institute of higher learning without doing any serious homework that could help identify best-fit colleges where students could prepare for the career of their dreams, at an affordable cost, with the likelihood of earning an impressive salary over the course of their career.

A good place for families to start their research is at www.CollegeBoard.org There they will find a College Search database that contains information on more than 2,000 four-year colleges in the United States.  By selecting specific criteria regarding school size, location, availability of on-campus housing, choice of major, and other aspects of college life, students can easily identify colleges that might be a great match.

Of course, students typically worry about their chances of getting accepted to an impressive college or university.  A little research, here too, can put into prospective the likelihood of meeting with success.  Forbes Magazine’s article, “Super Safety Schools: 10 Top Colleges You Can Actually Get Into,” cited statistics on popular schools.  It reported a 71% acceptance rate at Texas A & M which offers more than 100 undergraduate degree programs, is a major research hub, gets funding from NASA, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, and hosts more than 1,000 clubs and organizations. Similarly, it reported a 70% acceptance rate at Virginia Tech which offers more than 100 bachelor's degree programs through its seven undergraduate colleges and is the fourth-largest producer of engineers in the U.S.

The 2020 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges” includes a listing of  A+ Schools for B Students.  It includes many colleges popular with New Jersey students, such as Seton Hall and Monmouth universities (NJ), Ithaca and Marist colleges (NY), Temple and St. Joseph’s universities (PA), Quinnipiac and Fairfield universities (CT), the University of Delaware, and Loyola University in Maryland.

Students seeking information on colleges with the highest paid graduates can access the 2019 College Salary Report by PayScale.  Considering the mid-career annual salaries of students with a bachelor’s degree, the top New Jersey schools are Stevens Institute of Technology, Princeton University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University (New Brunswick and Newark), Seton Hall and The College of New Jersey.  All reported average mid-career annual salaries ranging between $140,000 and $100,000.

With a substantial investment of time and money at stake, students and parents should be sure to get all the facts before making their college decisions.

Susan Alaimo is the founder of SAT Smart. For the past 25 years, SAT Smart’s Ivy League educated tutors have prepared students for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, AP courses, and all high school subjects. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362.