Welcome to CampusCompare, the starting point for finding your best-fit college. Discover more than 7000 2-year and 4-year colleges and dive into the real-time College Current from colleges across the country.
No, you’re not going blind. CampusCompare has gone and got itself a facelift. Beyond the obvious change in the look of the site, CampusCompare is also changing the game of how college search with our latest addition: The College CurrentTM.
The College Current lets you dive into college life head-first. Want to know what a campus looks like? Browse through hundreds of images online. Want to see what real students are up to? Watch user-generated videos. Want to hear what real people are saying about your-dream school? Eavesdrop on Twitter and read real-student reviews. There is no better way to get the buzz on a college than by seeing what everybody else on the web is saying about it this minute, all in one place. Dive on in!
Community colleges have been getting a lot of attention lately. Tightened budgets are encouraging students and their parents to begin their post secondary education at community colleges, because they are cheaper and closer to home. Another advantage of community colleges, regardless of the state of the economy, is that it can be a springboard to a 4 year university. They’re good places to get to know what you want to study and what you’re interested in. If and when you transfer to a 4 year, more expensive institution, you’ll have a better idea of what you want to do with your future.
Tim Wagner, a dad in our parent community, attended community college for the first two years of college. He was so pleased with his choice that he encouraged his daughter to follow the same route. In his words,
“When we talked about what she wanted to do for a career it was clear that she really didn’t have a particular direction. The solution we came up with was the same as what I did for my first two years - enroll in Monroe Community College. This allowed me and I’m sure my daughter the benefit of trying different curriculums, courses, etc. to see what she likes or doesn’t like without spending significant tuition while deciding on a career path.”
The financial benefit of going to community college is undeniable; however Wagner also stresses the value of extra time to decide what to do:
“Commuting to school while living at home saves money and expense, tuition costs are reasonable and the school has a good reputation for placing in a four year college (transferring credits). Once she makes up her mind on a particular career path after two years (or sooner), we can then focus on a school that is best for her.” The path worked out well for Tim, today he is founder and president of Direct2Market Sales Solutions.
You know who else recognizes the importance of community colleges?
President Barack Obama. We’ve been keenly following his administration’s education reform proposals. Improving the ability to educate the American workforce is crucial for the survival of the American economy. This idea has materialized into a plan, and the plan now has a name: the American Graduation Initiative (I admit, it sounds less intimidating than No Child Left Behind which sounds more like a disaster rescue mission).
He proposes a 10-year, $12 billion investment in community colleges.
Now it’s up to Congress to buttress this commitment by passing the AGI. A short while ago the feds simplified the federal student loans program by cutting out the subsidies to lender banks and making it easier to apply for financial aid. Obama wants to invest the savings in community colleges. Will congress support the materialization of this plan? Who knows, but at the very least it’s name is less intimidating that No Child Left Behind which sounded more like a disaster-rescue mission.
Two year community colleges are already very popular choices. If you’re in high school and you aren’t sure if you want to go to community college or a 4-year university, it can be a real challenge to compare different schools.. Great news… coming soon on the revamped CampusCompare site you can search for over 7000 colleges, BOTH 4-year AND 2-year. By exploring all your options in one place, you’ll be able to find the best school for your wallet and your future.
Want to stay up-to-date with CampusCompare’s revamp, which will include 4,000 more schools, a newer design, and better tools? Join our Facebook Fan-page, and get the sneak-peak!
Vanessa Van Petten is the teen author of the parenting book “You’re Grounded!” She writes a parenting blog along with 12 other teen writers from the kid’s perspective to help parents. Her work as a young family peacemaker has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Teen Vogue, Fox 5, CBS 4 and much more!
Picking schools can be tough. Students feel pressure to get into a great school, while still having it be ‘perfect’ for them. Parents also feel pressure because they want their children to make the best choices. Here are 5 tips for parents while helping their child choose the perfect school:
How to Choose the Perfect University
Your Perfect is Not Their Perfect
Everyone has different qualities, quirks, differences and similarities that they like in schools. What is right for your child might not be the school that you would have chosen for yourself. Likewise, the school that is ‘perfect’ for them might be a poor choice for their best friends. It is important to set a level of expectation for yourself and your child. Be sure to keep checking in with yourself that you are not pushing your choices onto your child and that your child is aware that their choice is for them, and it might not be the same as their friends.
Instinct Does Not Need Reasoning
The best way to help your child find the right school is to go visit the campuses and just sit on them. Go to the cafeteria, eavesdrop on a few conversations on the quad and see if your child feels like that school is right for them. Deep down we usually know if something feels right. Often times, this cannot be reasoned with. In fact, if you hear your child convincing themselves of a certain choice, like “well, I guess it has a good poli sci department, and the PE center is good enough…”, it is not the right one.
The Difference Between Making it Work and Loving It
Many families visit schools with the “we could make this work mindset” not the “lets find the perfect fit mindset.” I often hear this kind of reasoning when the school is more conveniently located, there is a scholarship involved or a legacy at the school. If one of these issues is insurmountable, then it should weigh in on the decision, but mostly, a school should feel awesome to your student, not just like they could make it work if they had to.
Prestige Can Be Confused with Perfection
High rankings, or great campus? Hopefully your student has the choice of both. But, often times students get into a ‘better’ school in terms of ranking and prestige, but feel better at another school. Four years of a bad fit is not worth the extra name kudos you will get from your diploma.
Nothing is Set in Stone
Lastly, I want to mention what happens when you do not feel there is a perfect fit. Nothing is set in stone. People transfer, and schools look very different from the campus tours. Often times, kids who do not get into their first choices and end up at their second choices find a whole different school waiting for them.
Always remember to keep an open mind when you search for college and be supportive of your child during this time; it is one of the first major life decisions they will make on their own!
Check out our other articles on teens, parents and college at Radical Parenting. Are you radical enough? http://www.RadicalParenting.com
