College Solutions Blog

Forbes ranking does offer some insights

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

Forbes' list of public and private colleges and universities ranks the best schools--from the students' point of view http://tinyurl.com/283aqub

The Forbes college ranking has problems, just like every ranking.  But some key information can be found in the data.  Note that the colleges that make the top 100 all have less than 10,000 undergraduates, the date reports total students.  Most have 2-5,000 undergraduate students.  Few have teaching assistants.   The ranking may not be perfect but you can gain some general insights, remember there are 3,700 colleges in the US.  Maybe this is why children of college professors typically attend these type of colleges.  The exception is when they can attend their parent’s employer for free or nearly free tuition.  I see this regularly since 20% of our clients are professors, deans or trustees.

Larry Dannenberg www.collegesolutions.com

Staying Sane During Your Child’s College Search

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

Your child’s college search involves three of the things most important to you – your child, your money and your time^TM.

Faced with 3,500 choices of U.S. colleges, you and your child can easily become overwhelmed. Even when you’ve narrowed the choices, you still need to schedule interviews, visit colleges, research financial aid and complete applications.

As a parent, you’re used to having too much to do and not enough time to do it. But when your child is involved, emotions naturally creep in and can add to the stress. That’s why knowing what to expect and preparing for it can help tremendously.

Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Start the process early. High school juniors should start the college process early in the year. It’s not too early to start researching schools during a student’s freshman or sophomore year, especially if a student is considering an Ivy League school, is an athlete or is academically challenged.  Many students will have submitted applications by November 1^st of the senior year.
• Remember that you’re looking for the right college fit at the right price for your student. The high freshman transfer/dropout rate – 27% nationwide – is  linked to students choosing the wrong school – a school where they struggle academically or clash with the culture, or where parents don’t receive the aid they need or deserve. While you may love your alma mater, it may not be the best choice for your child.
• Have a plan and follow a clear process. You’d never begin a work project without a plan of attack, so don’t neglect one here. Statistics show that just 3% of college freshmen who committed to a selection plan eventually transfer or drop out.
• Consider your child’s academic strengths, personality, preferred style of learning, extracurricular interests, geographic preferences and cultural upbringing when exploring possible colleges. Grades and test scores are always a factor, but these other issues must be explored during a successful search.
• Ask the right questions. Traditional questions students ask about colleges involve school size and their desired major. But more meaningful questions focus on student-teacher ratios and preferred learning styles.
• Never choose a college based on a major. Ninety-three percent of college students change their major at least once, and many change it several times. 
   
• Pay careful attention to applications for admission and financial aid. Experts say that 80% of applications are submitted with incorrect or missing information.  Don’t forget, financial aid is based on the junior year.  Some schools ask for sophomore year info, too.  Planning early can save you significant money and stress.  This is especially true for divorced families and small business owners.
• Consider seeking assistance with the process. An objective and experienced person can offer tremendous support for families during the college search. They can help neutralize the emotions that naturally develop as students face leaving home and parents grapple with finances and feelings about their child’s imminent departure.

While you can’t avoid the reality that your child is leaving home for the first time, you can make the process run smoothly with a little preparation.