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So, you're picking out a college

By Kaitlin McCarthy

Picking a college that's right for you can be a huge endeavor and an overwhelming task. There are thousands and thousands of schools to choose from and figuring out where to start can be quite frightening. Many books and magazines are published every year with the intent of helping prospective college freshman find a school that is best suited for their future. The US News and the Princeton Review annually publish reviews of college that they have ranked as the best in the country. From there, the schools are specifically put into categories, based on academics and student life to give the reader a more in-depth look at the colleges and universities. These tools can be useful in the beginning to narrow down the massive search to a few specific schools.

The US News and the Princeton Review use vastly different ranking systems to rate the best colleges in the nation. Each review rates schools by different standards. It seems that the US News review is more formal and stiff in it's attempts to rank the schools, while The Princeton Review had a more relaxed, light-hearted approach to the grading system. The Review appeared to be trying to engage the potential students in the search and make them excited about going away to college. Both are, however, excellent reviews and serve a valid purpose in the long search for a school that will be suit the needs of the future students.

The US News review of college rankings takes the obvious approach to classifying colleges and universities nationwide. The schools are ranked by seven major categories: national universities-doctoral; liberal arts-bachelor's; universities-masters; comprehensive colleges; best values; student indebtedness; best undergraduate business programs; and best undergraduate engineering programs.

According to the review, it provides "an excellent starting point for families because they offer the opportunity to judge the quality, which are indicators of excellence." It's true that the schools are ranked by standards of excellence that enhance learning and student success. All of the basics are there-first year experiences, learning communities, study abroad programs, opportunities for undergraduate research and service learning.

Other highlighted efforts done in the US News review were taken into consideration for the rankings. The freshman retention rates, which can be directly related to how well the educational offerings are at each school, were among the researched areas. The ambitions and abilities of the students, reflected in SAT and ACT scores, were highly considered in this formal survey. Graduation rate can be an important indicator of just how effective the college's programs are. Also, alumni were accounted for as a measure of overall satisfaction.

Finally, US News called on the most important people in the academic world for the rankings: college presidents, chief academic officers, and deans of students. These respected individuals gave their opinions and helped rank the schools on terms that they felt were most important-the academics. Unfortunately, that is not the only important factor in choosing a school.

The US News left the students out of the ranking equation, leaving a huge gap in the overall review. The students are what makes college worthwhile and without their input, it is hard to get a view from both sides of college life; the work and the play. Facts and feelings about campus life, the overall feel of the schools, location, cost, financial aid, as well as courses and extra curricular offerings were missing in this review. Obviously students as well as parents want to be informed of the educational experience they believe that their children will be taking on. Yet, the real fun begins when the classes end and possible students want to be let in on what goes on around campus when they are not in the classroom. The college experience is about growing as an individual, not just as an intellectual.

The Princeton Review leaves off where the US News review ended in terms of showing examples of the social aspects of college and the voice of students all over the country. With a more laid back setting than the US News review, the Princeton Review seemed to encompass more of what is needed for a proper college search. The Review has been dedicated to "giving the statement of unbiased and uncensored views using real experts and college students." Students were surveyed across the country on everything from their opinions on professors, parties, and campus food.

The basics were listed in the Review as well. Obviously the academic experience is going to be a major category. The caliber and cushiness of each school was determined through carefully chosen questions about the accessibility of the schools and the overall point of views about the professors and classes from the students. The administration was rated by how well the students felt that the administrators worked for them. The demographics were also were measured based on how diverse each campus was with gender, race, sexual orientation, and religion.

Aside from all of the dry details listed, social life was made a large part of this survey because it is so important when choosing a college. No one wants to go to a school where they are completely unhappy and out of place. Everything from party scenes, Greek life, beer and pot consumption was given a part in the Review. Schools were ranged by "type", whether it be a jock, hippy, or party campus as a basic starting off point to fitting in. Since many college students are politically aware and involved, the colleges were listed as either politically dead or alive, Republican or Democrat. The existence of extra curricular activities was a vital part of the survey because it showed what the students were interested in, what was offered, and because these extras are so important in keeping students active in campus life. And finally, the overall quality of life was rated on the college campuses. Happiness and satisfaction were rated by the food; the look of the campus; the dorms; whether or not there were things to do in town; and the overall feeling of happiness at the school. The Princeton Review really shined through in this section because it gave a look into what really goes on at college campuses and it allows people to see what student life is all about, beside just the educational experience.

Although, the US News review and Princeton Review both had their ups and downs as far as reporting and evaluating college life, they are both extremely useful in picking out colleges. They can help reduce the amount of work that goes into finding a school and can really help narrow down the search. On the other hand, these books should just be used as an aid. The reviews should not replace researching the campus online; speaking to current students and alumni; or physically visiting the school for a tour or interview. Ultimately, no one can make the decision on where you are going to spend the next four years of your life and a review should be used as a guide and not the deciding factor.

Email Kaitlin at kmccart2@ithaca.edu.