Top November Break College Tour Tips

 

The majority of public school students in New Jersey look forward to several days off, if not the entire week, in early November. That week, which includes Election Day and Teacher Convention Days, offers an ideal opportunity for high school students to visit potential colleges.  College classes, and the activities that surround them, are in full swing. So, visiting students can get the full experience of what life would be like on any particular campus.
 
It’s extremely beneficial for college bound students to tour the schools, to which they plan to apply, in advance of filing applications.  Sometimes, a campus visit will end up deleting the college from a student’s list as it may not be all that was envisioned. Other times, it may move the school to the top of the list, worthy of consideration for an Early Decision (binding) application. In addition to helping students prioritize their college list, such visits can actually increase their chances of gaining admission.  Colleges carefully track student visits as a sign of demonstrated interest, and they favor students whom they believe will actually enroll if accepted.  

2024 U.S. News “Best Colleges” Rankings Revealed

The highly anticipated “Best Colleges” rankings by U.S. News & World Report have been posted online, with the most elite schools retaining their rankings. (The printed guidebook is available for pre-order.) Princeton University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology held their place from the 2023 rankings as the #1 and #2 Best National Universities.  Yale, which last year tied Harvard and Stanford for third place, slipped down to the #5 spot.

While colleges often discuss opting out of the rankings – by not providing U.S. News with the statistical data they request – most find that it’s in their best interest to participate. 

In a recent N.Y. Times article, Why Colleges Can’t Quit the U.S. News Rankings, the impact of the rankings was undeniable.  “The rankings remain a front door, an easy way to reach and enchant possible applicants. And their reach goes beyond prospective students since proud alumni and donors track them, too,” reported the paper. 
 
In addition to ranking the Best National Universities, also listed are rankings for the Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, Best Regional Universities, Best Regional Colleges, and Top 30 Public National Universities. Perhaps most helpful to students, who know what field they plan to pursue in college, are the rankings for Best Business Programs, Best Engineering Programs, Best Computer Science Programs, and Best Nursing Programs.

2023 Top Paying College Majors with $100,000+ Salaries

The college years provide students with a multitude of opportunities for both social and academic growth.  Simultaneously, they are the years in which students prepare for what will hopefully be productive and lucrative careers.   

According to data released by CNBC, students seeking high-paying employment would do well to consider a major in the field of engineering, as eight of the Top 10 best paying careers are in this discipline.  Statistics from Bankrate placed Electrical Engineering in first place with a median salary of $110,000, followed by Computer Engineering with a median salary of $104,000. These were followed, respectively, by Chemical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering ($100,000), Materials Engineering/Materials Science ($98,500), Engineering Mechanics, Physics & Science and Mechanical Engineering ($95,000), and Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering ($90,000).   

 

Interspersed in these top paying careers were Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences & Administration, and Computer Science, both with a median salary of $100,000.

 

Students with an interest in engineering would do well to research potential colleges with a strong reputation in this field.  U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 issue of Best Colleges ranks the top programs at engineering schools where the highest degree is a doctorate, and those where the highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.