<p>Obviously, I'm a high school student, and I have absolutely no idea how to judge the quality of academics at a college. I feel like overworked students will immediately say that the academics are rigorous, and colleges will never be honest about sub-par academics. Should I judge them based on reputation? internships? research? student testimonials? Where can I go to put all the brochure BS into perspective?</p>
<p>I would definitely get one of those “real deal books.” You should be judging academics based off HOW the classes are taught, their rigor, what real students say (not just tour guides) along with research/internships. I think every college says research/internships and, unless they’re known for it, don’t put much weight on it. When I was at a college visiting, I really checked HOW the classes were taught (TA/Professor/etc) along with size/style of it. Are they lecture-halls or small discussions? Especially find out what students say in books like the Insiders Guide. The lit from the admissions office always sounds good. Find out the truth!</p>
<p>Some info you can look for on websites or in guidebooks:</p>
<ul>
<li>What is the overall student-teacher ratio?</li>
<li>What percentage of classes have fewer than 20 students, or more than 100? How big is the largest lecture hall on campus?</li>
<li>What percentage of classes are taught by TAs?</li>
<li>What percentage of faculty have terminal degrees - that is, an M.A., Ph.D, or something else, depending on the standard for the field?</li>
<li>What kinds of opportunities are there for undergraduate research? Is there funding available? How many students participate? Are there any other special perks - e.g., stipends, private labs for undergraduates, etc.?</li>
<li>Is there an honors program? An opportunity to complete a thesis? Are there any other special programs - a winter term, the opportunity to study abroad, fellowships or guest lecturer programs in your field?</li>
<li>What kinds of academic talks are given on campus? Who comes to visit?</li>
<li>What are the academic resources like? How new/big are the library and the science facilities? What kinds of equipment is there? Is there a museum on campus? What are the art studios like? How about the language lab? etc. - depending on what you want to study.</li>
<li>If you know what you want to study: how many classes are offered, and how many majors graduate per year? How many faculty are there in your department? What are their qualifications? Check out their websites and read sample syllabi if possible. You can also read reviews of their teaching at ratemyprofessors.com, though take those reviews with a grain of salt.</li>
</ul>
<p>Sitting in on classes is a great idea. However, keep in mind that you’re only seeing one day in one class with one teacher. If possible, try to visit more than one, so your perspective will be a little less limited.</p>
<p>I’m an advocate of a high retention rate - the college experience is really enhanced when you go through with a stable cohort of colleagues instead of having a revolving door of new faces each year. Also, the percentage of students in the top 10% of their HS classes is telling. The University of Virginia and West Virginia University may have similar sounding names, but 88% of U.Va. students were in the top 10% of their class compared to 17% at WVU. The difference in the academic climate among those two groups is enormous.</p>
<p>I agree with gadad that retention rate after one year is a very good indicator of quality academics. Also, graduation rate. SATs 25th and 75th percentile are an excellent benchmark.</p>