Hi all. Just wondering what you think about the Fiske Guide to Colleges. It looks like its not online yet (correct me if wrong). I found it very useful for researching campus culture and vibe when I was college searching back in '90s but given all the free online resources out there now, is it worth it to purchase a copy? BTW - In addition to CC, I’m using Niche, Naviance, CollegeExpress as well as various podcasts.
I definitely am glad we have it. I really like how the schools are described and rated by students, etc. We have Princeton Review as well and S24 feels like he is getting a much better sense of the vibe from Fiske. He also likes having something sitting on the coffee table he can pick up and look at at random or when he is hanging out, rather than rely on the internet.
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Your local library will probably have a copy … at least from the somewhat-recent past (Fiske updates every year, so your library’s copy will maybe be a few years old), so you could take a look before dropping money on it.
That being said, my wife and I both had fond memories of going through it with a pile of Post-Its when we were in high school, and got a copy for D22 when she was looking at different options. We were really glad we got it, if for nothing else, to paint a picture of what the vibe at different schools is like.
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Yes, it is. I don’t know how people can commit to spending a half-million dollars on a college based just on its USNews ranking.
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We also had Fiske. When we were done with them, our guidance department was happy to have them even though they were a year old. So ask there too!
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Another vote for Fiske and you can borrow it from most libraries.
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Thanks all for your advice. Amazon has the Fiske 2022 for under $5 and 1 day delivery. $5 well spent!
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It’s online.
It’s worth it. I’ve never found a better source of reliable and updated info. Fiske does its research. I also like having a physical copy, along with sticky markers.
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Fiske is what d20’s school college counselors rec and we found it really helpful for research. It is good to also read it after a visit because some things mentioned then make more sense. Family member gave us the Princeton Review but none of us really used it.
Fiske is not online AFAIK (says coming soon): Fiske Guide to Colleges-best and trusted college guide book
Do you have another source?
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I had a subscription for $19.95 for Fiske Online via collegecountdown.com since last year. We last used it this past summer when doing school trips. I don’t think we’ve accessed it since my student made her final application list.
I tried that link now, and it seems to be offline. I might claim a refund!
But it was good, with in-depth guides for around 300 schools. Not the best user interface, but it seemed to be more than the usual rah-rah stuff.
Yes, college countdown doesn’t provide Fiske online anymore. Fiske is embedded into some counselor software packages, but I don’t know of any way for students/families to access it online themselves.
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I just sent the company from which I ordered it a request to provide alternative online access info OR a refund! Will advise.
The book is good to have.
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In fact, I posted this last year:
I finally did figure out how to use it. But now it seems to have vanished!
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deleted - I see from above the online version is no longer available from College Countdown. Too bad, as it was helpful. Agree the paper version is still an invaluable resource.
I just got a copy of the 2023 edition today. If it matters to you, it has “more than 300” colleges listed, which means it necessarily doesn’t have many (probably smaller, or state) schools. Of the 8 schools S23 is considering, only 5 of them are in the book. It is fine for us; I mostly bought it for S24 who is less certain what he wants in a school, so it should give him someplace to start.
You’re a great enabler. I just ordered my own copy!
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It was great for getting my kids to look at a college. Even though they rarely picked it up from the coffee table, I could get away with saying, “read this it’s just 2 pages.”
I liked the Greek life info and lists of similar colleges.
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