<p>When I was in college a generation ago, as a woman in a selective male-dominated "old boy network" institution, I got minimal advising re: career, graduate school, or academic plan. I'm not sure how much weight my D will give to this factor, but as a parent I believe the quality of advising services is an important factor to consider in the selection process. D is a high-achieving sophomore honors student who so far has excellent stats. Because of our financial picture, she will most likely end up applying to the most affordable choices for high achievers: the few selective private schools w/ significant merit $$ or tuition discounting, and public honors programs.<br>
So, this is a very general question, but what schools have the best advising for high achievers? What makes them the best in this area? And/or, how do we go about investigating the quality of advising services?</p>
<p>In my experience, these services are abysmal about everywhere.
I'd try to think of schools with strong alumni networks.
Guidance counseling undergrad is similarly a joke.</p>
<p>I don't think sweeping generalizations are necessarily true. DD1 found some GC assistance at Denison U (good merit aid awards as well). Advertising of the resources could be better. You have to ask around and show interest to find out where to go/who to contact.</p>
<p>This was a concern for us as well in our college search for our first born. I felt like you that I was left in the cold when I graduated from college 30 yrs ago but hopefully colleges have improved with the advent of the internet and alumni net-working. My D just started at Bucknell so long time experience I don't have but from every alumnus I've spoken to, the feeling is that Bucknell does an amazing job in counseling and guiding their students into graduate schools and jobs. But like anywhere, I am sure most universities and colleges have the resources and guidane if the student seeks them out. Good luck.</p>
<p>At my undergrad and at many other schools, the most helpful/useful career advising comes from professors and other informal advisers. Our career counseling office was strong (I went to a women's college, Spelman) but only in the business/financial sector. A lot of our graduates got great jobs at good Wall Street firms through the career office, and we had tons of career fairs and mock interviewing sessions run by actual interviewers from these firms.</p>
<p>I know our education recruiting (for future teachers) was pretty good, too. And a combination of career services and different student groups were really good at bringing top graduate schools to our campus. We had a law school expo every year where top law schools would come recruiting and we have a good track record of placing our students at top law and medical schools across the country.</p>
<p>I don't know if any subset of colleges offers the best advising; it's really something to ask a lot of current students at the schools if/when you visit. (Don't ask the school; they'll always say that their advising is great). In my case, I got most of my advisement from professors that I sought out myself. Most other students do, too. But alumnae/alumni networks help. Ours is small but very strong!</p>
<p>Sooo ... general consensus I get from these helpful replies is that in many places students have to be proactive to get advising ... go find it where they can, from profs or alum or advising staff. Any other experiences? Are there schools that have a well organized system of advising where they bring these resources to all students, as opposed to the students having to seek them out?</p>
<p>Ms.L, I don't know if this is true for all small liberal arts colleges, but anecdotal evidence from my son and his friends suggests that it is. </p>
<p>At Williams my son took advantage of superb academic counseling, internship opportunities, career and job support and detailed information graduate schools. As a graduate he continued to network both with fellow alums and with his former instructors. Same goes for ongoing help in preparing to apply to graduate school. The facilities are profoundly good.</p>