Ok, so I’m trying to form a very early and somewhat expansive college list for me to trim later on. However, I simply don’t know how to decide which colleges to include. I can look for, say, the top Liberal Arts colleges or whatever, but how do I differentiate between #4 and #6? Is there any way to get a better sense of the school, of it’s reputation or atmosphere? Or do I have to rely on objective figures to form my first list? Thanks!
I would be thrilled to even find a resource with a good description of the school, to have anything to rely on other than Student GPA, Grad Rate, etc.
Try the Fiske Guide http://www.fiskeguide.com
Also have the money talk with your parents to see how much they are willing to pay and get a $ amount. If you are in need of FA/merit aid, you can then target schools where your Stats will get you that FA.
Yep, Fiske is good, and, if you want instant gratification, go register on princeton review and you can read the descriptions of the school and student body under the “student body” and “campus life” tabs. Some folks find college niche helpful as well, also immediately available on the web. And then, of course, you can visit the forums for the schools you’re interested righ here on this very helpful site, or search for CC threads comparing similar schools (there are lots).
Should you be able to find a college with a singular quality – something meaningful that clearly distinguishes it from other fine, similarly ranked schools – that would be ideal. As you research further, a few favorites should become apparent. Then, up to a reasonable point, disregard rank.
Along these lines, if you are using USNWR statistics as a guide, “overall score” is mathematically more meaningful than rank. As an example, in the LAC category the 19th ranked school is closer by score to the 4th school than the 4th school is to the 1st.
As others have mentioned, the Fiske Guide is a great place to start. We also read Colleges that Change Lives and Hidden Ivies, both of which cover a much shorter list of colleges but in a bit more depth than Fiske. And online resources like niche can also be helpful in figuring out the “vibe” of a college. With this information, you can hopefully start figuring out what you are looking for in a college and which ones you should research more and visit.
One other thing that was recommended to us was to visit a large public, private, and small LAC close to home – sometimes you can get an idea on what might feel too big or too small, too urban, etc. without having to travel too far.
Would a public library have the Fiske guide?
Sure.
We visited a number of LACs during the college application process with my D. My sense is that many if not all LACs have a distinct “vibe”. My D eliminated some LACs she felt were too artsy, too preppy etc. And some LACs may have more of a STEM focus, others may have a humanities focus etc. Of the nine schools we visited she see herself being very happy at four of them. In the end the right fit is going to be more important than a bunch of statistics or if the LAC is ranked #4 or #6 by USNWR (an immaterial difference IMO)…
Visiting is the best way to get a sense for the school. I agree that reading books (ex. Fiske, Insiders Guide, Princeton Review) is a helpful first step. In addition to your library, your guidance dept may have some of these books available to students. You can also look at each school’s website, you can find most school newspapers online etc. which can also sometimes help you get a sense for the school.
- Do they have what I want to study;
- Do they have other stuff if I change my mind;
- Is it within any geographical/urban/rural constraints;
- Most importantly I know we can afford it.