College-bound students are often overwhelmed at the task of identifying the “best-fit” school at which to continue their academic journey. With more than 4,000 colleges in the country, students should turn to available resources to guide their all-important decision.
One tool, that has stood the test of time, is the annual Best Colleges guide by U.S. News & World Report. In its newly released 40th edition, the guide ranks the “Best National Universities,” from #1 to #300+, with details on such qualities as graduation and retention rate, student/faculty ratio, and financial resources. Even more helpful to students who know what they want to study in college are the specific rankings within the guide on “Best Business Programs,” “Best Engineering Programs,” “Best Computer Science Programs,” and more. U.S. News and World Report also offers an online search tool, College Compass.
Students can also turn to College Board, the company that offers the PSAT and SAT exams, to utilize its “Big Future” online search tool. Students indicate the specific criteria they are seeking in a college, such as preferred size, location, specific major, particular sport or extracurricular activity, and housing options. The database then presents a list of all colleges that meet their requirements.
Of course, students need to be realistic regarding their likelihood of gaining admission to each of their preferred colleges. A helpful resource in gleaning this data is the website Niche.com. By typing in Princeton University, for example, one learns that it has a 6% acceptance rate, median SAT scores in the range of 1490 to 1580, and its most popular majors are Computer Science, Economics, and Public Policy Analysis.
Students should also go to Naviance, or whichever platform their high school is using, to compare their SAT scores and GPA with those of their peers from prior years who were either accepted, or rejected, by any specific school. This gives them a very good idea of their chances of acceptance.
Students seeking an affordable college experience should always consider their in-state public colleges and universities, where their tax-supported tuition is typically lower than that at private institutions. New Jersey offers plenty of options to its residents, including Rutgers in New Brunswick, Newark and Camden, TCNJ, Rowan, Ramapo, NJIT, Stockton, Montclair State, Kean, and more. Annual in-state tuition is less than $20,000 at many of these schools.
Choosing the ideal college is a big decision that students should make over time by conducting research, touring campuses, and identifying where their academic and social needs will best be met.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT®preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362
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