<p>If a school is not in PR's best XYZ Colleges, and is not in Fiske's Guide, etc., but is a reasonably ranked college or university by USNEWS, would you allow your child to matriculate there?</p>
<p>Yes. University of Evansville looks like a terrific school but doesn’t get a mention in anything but USNEWS.</p>
<p>I’ll second the plug for Evansville. As a NMF, DS only visited because the full tuition offer made it a financial safety, but was impressed enough that he very seriously considered attending. He eventually decided on Bradley, but Evansville hung in there longer than Northwestern or Rose-Hulman. LOTS of good, relatively unknown schools out there where the campus atmosphere and individual attention are a better fit for top students than some of the name brand places.</p>
<p>If the school was a good fit, absolutely. There are many hidden gems out there. Lucky are the kids who dig deep enough to find them.</p>
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<p>How much do these guide books matter when it comes to employment of the possibility of graduate school? I keep thinking that there must be a reason that some schools are passed over.</p>
<p>Take U of Evansville as an example. Whey would this school be passed over?</p>
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<p>Now there’s a great school that doesn’t always get mentioned. (Full disclosure: it’s my alma mater, I loved every minute of it and I hope your S does,too).</p>
<p>ahhhh, but Bradley makes PR’s Best XYZ college guide! I did not see it listed in my Fiske book, if it matters to anyone (it isn’t the most recent copy).</p>
<p>“I keep thinking that there must be a reason that some schools are passed over.”</p>
<p>Each books author(s) has their own biases. It would be fiendishly difficult for any one author (or even any one editorial group) to actually visit every single community college, college, and university in the nation, let alone spend enough time on each campus to truly develop an informed opinion, and then present it in a meaningful way.</p>
<p>I’ve looked at it from a different angle - if the college that I’m interested in is not in the book, then I’m not buying the book…</p>
<p>The Fiske guide from several years ago left out UC San Diego, so those guides can make mistakes…</p>
<p>University of Rochester isnt in the book and its a great school</p>
<p>Oh, wow, I am shocked. I would have definitely though U of Rochester would be in the PR book, but I did not see it in my edition. U of Rochester is in Fiske’s Guide.</p>
<p>Okay, this is very much on my mind. I am struggling with this. I’d like to read more opinion.</p>
<p>Kathiep, btw, that was funny!</p>
<p>My daughters tiny college, Principia, is not listed in most college guide books except the big ones but she got an excellent education, good merit aid, an exceptional study abroad, and has been gainfully employed, in her field, since she graduated.</p>
<p>kathiep, just checked and Principia is in Fiske’s guide. I did not check PR’s. Also, I sent a PM to you.</p>
<p>Wait… University of Rochester didn’t make PR? Wow, that’s realllly wrong in so many ways.</p>
<p>One of Son’s safeties, Roanoke College, isn’t in Fiske. (Never looked for it in PR.) </p>
<p>Imagine that! A PBK school overlooked in one of the guidebooks. Yet another reason why I take the “top colleges” books and all rankings with grain of salt.</p>
<p>I do believe that University of Rochester just made the PR’s Best “371” the new edition, but it was not in there before. I looked at it in the bookstore, but didn’t buy it. </p>
<p>A good fit and Freshmen Retention %, Graduation % in 4 years, what percentage live on campus? Those are 4 things that are important to our family. H is hung up on “PR’s Best” though. If the percentage of students living on campus is very low, that is a turnoff to us, as a commuter school isn’t what we are looking for. </p>
<p>Also weeding out the “suitcase” school, would be a major factor in looking at the lesser known hidden gems! 
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<p>My youngest attends a small private University outside Baltimore. It’s very well known in the Baltimore area but outside - not so much.
it is an “up and coming school” in USNEWS and is top tier in it’s category but that’s about it.
She loves the school and they have a great program for her major. Her scholarship pays for 1/2 her tuition and the price is very reasonable.
I am not worried about her getting into grad school as she is in a health profession and will most likely do her clinical at a nationally known top ranked hospital.
IMO, grad school is more about the individual than the school from which they hail.</p>
<p>northeastmom - are you thinking of a specific school?</p>
<p>Yes, but I don’t choose to name it. I’ll send a PM to you.</p>