About Us
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.
6 Ways to Search
Location
State
Major
Major
Career
Career
Ivy League
Ivy League
Sports
Sports
A to Z
A to Z
Find Your Perfect Fit
What Are My Chances?

Compare Schools

Financial Aid Calculator

Posts Tagged ‘college search’

How do I get my daughter to think about the college search?

Friday, July 17th, 2009

Dear Babs,

My daughter is starting her senior year, and I’m trying to help her get started with her college search. She really hasn’t done too much thinking about it. How should she begin? Is there anything I should look out for? Thanks.

-Hints for Helen

—

Dear Helen,

Tell your daughter that discovering colleges really begins with discovering herself. It’s important for her to consider what kind of a person she is, what her future goals are, and what kind of environment she likes. Sound a little introspective? It should be. If you’re going to invest in 4 years of education, it better be at a college that suits who she is and what she wants out of life.

Try to get her started with some leading questions. Does she want to live close to home/her friends? Does she consider herself a city-girl, or does she love the outdoors? These questions will help her figure out where to start looking. Whether it’s in the neighbouring town or half-way across the country, it will help her get started.

The next step is to get her thinking about what she’s interested in, and what she might like to study. This is easier said than done. No one expects her to know what she wants to do with the rest of her life at 17, but having an inkling of her interests/talents will certainly help her out. If she absolutely hates math, than anything in the sciences should probably be ruled out. If she is a passionate reporter for her school paper, encourage her to apply to a school with a good communications program.

It can be hard to get a teenager to think about such big questions as “who am I” but it’s vital for their college search (as well as their future). Hopefully with a little prodding, your daughter will reflect on who she is and what she wants, and start to discover colleges are right for her.

Good Luck!

-Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Dear Babs, parents
07.17.09
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS

Should I only search for college in the Ivy League?

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009


Dear Babs,

What makes an Ivy League college education so advantageous? Should I only search for college in the Ivy League?

-Ivy Curious

college search

Dear Ivy C.,

The name “Ivy League” refers to an athletic conference of eight private colleges in the United States. Harvard University, Princeton University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and Yale University have been playing each other in basketball, football, and rowing for over one-hundred years. Beyond college sports, these eight schools were amongst the first colleges in this country, and (excluding Cornell, which was established in 1865) they have been building their reputation since before the Revolutionary War.

What this means in the year 2009 is that most have had over two-hundred years to secure their legacy of first-class academics, an impressive track record of producing leaders, and large endowments to fund top-rate professors. With such a tradition of excellence, it is no wonder that students from across the globe apply every year. Such a calibre of student body ensures that the Ivy League’s reputations will remain assured for generations to come.

So what does that mean to you? The main draw of an Ivy League education is that the name assures a high degree of academic excellence. If you are accepted, it is a stamp of approval on your diploma that you are among the brightest in the country. However, the Ivy League does not own the copyright to academic excellence-they are simply the most famous for it. There are many top-notch schools that are not part of the Ivy League that may even outperform some Ivy Leagues in some areas.

Take this entirely unrelated and rather silly example:

If you were to go up to the average Joe on the street, and ask if “The Beatles” are a good band, many would probably say “Sure.” However, how many Joe’s across the country would call themselves die-hard fans of The White Stripes? Far fewer. The Beatles are legendary for their rock success-other bands may be pretty fantastic, but not as many people are going to have heard of them.

Going to an Ivy League college has the benefits of going to a school with instant name-recognition. No matter what job you apply to, your potential employer will know that your education was top-notch and that you are probably a bright cookie. If that is the #1 thing that you are concerned with, than going to an Ivy League college should be a priority. Before you make up your mind though, please do a college search for other factors. Ivy League colleges don’t always have the best program for each major (and each Ivy League will have their own strengths) they just generally have excellent programs. Have an idea of what you want to study, and also the kind of environment where you study best. Regardless of the name of an institution, poor performance in college is no way to start off a career. Find colleges that will not only look good on a mantle, but that motivate you for even greater accomplishments in the future.

Good Luck!

-Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs
02.10.09
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS

Web 2.0 for the College Search

Friday, January 30th, 2009


Dear Babs,

My daughter has been doing her college search on peer-review sites and I’m concerned. Is that really the best way to search for college? It seems like it’s more of a soapbox for discontented students than a source of accurate college info. Shouldn’t she be looking up official stats?

-2.0 Sceptic

—

Dear Sceptic,

You’re right to be concerned if your daughter’s only source of information about college is from college student reviews. However, you shouldn’t entirely discount them either.

Student reviews of college can be helpful in that they give potential applicants an idea of what real students who attend that particular school think about their education. Especially in cases where the high school student does not know many students at that college, or the college is far away, student reviews can give him or her a first-hand look at what their life might be like if they go there. Of course student reviews are biased-they’re personal opinions! But hopefully your daughter will read many, many reviews before making up her mind about a college. One poor review of a class, facility, or program should not dissuade her. However, if everyone complains about a lack of computers in the lab, terrible food, or overpriced athletics fees, it is something to take into consideration.

Let me ask you this: if your daughter was doing a report on El Salvador, would you tell her to only read one “official” book? Or would you have her read encyclopaedia articles from different sources, biographies of its important dignitaries, and many different historical studies of major events?

The college search is no different than doing a report on school. The more info she can get from the most sources, the more knowledgeable she will be. Online college info from peer-review sources is just one piece of the puzzle. On CampusCompare, college profiles include official statements from the colleges, statistics from the Board of Education, AND college student reviews. By reading up on all aspects of a college, not just “official” statements, your daughter is more likely to make an informed decision about her future.

Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs, parents
01.30.09
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS

Time Out to Find Colleges

Friday, November 14th, 2008

 I’m seeing more and more freshman and sophomores come into my office asking me about the college application process and how to get started.  Obviously, I love helping students any way that I can but right now my efforts are focused on my seniors trying to get their applications out ASAP.  How can I go about relaying this message to the younger students without them feeling betrayed or unimportant?

-Harried Counselor

—

Dear Harried,

Wow! You’ve got some eager freshmen and sophomores at your school! I think it’s wonderful that they are so eager to start their college search, but I understand your concern in needing to spend more time with seniors and juniors rather than underclassmen.

There is nothing wrong with politely telling students that you are only meeting with seniors at this time-as long as you give them a specific time to come back to see you. Perhaps you can have an Underclassman College Search Day in the week-after the seniors finish their apps, during which younger students can pop in with a question or concern about their college search.

If you can’t meet with students, why not have some information on hand to give them? Print out a copy of websites or books that can help them during their college search, like CampusCompare. The beauty of the CampusCompare website is that it is a fun, easy, and informative way for high schoolers of all ages to search for college on their own.

Get your students to talk about their college concerns amongst themselves: a little peer support can go a long way. Encourage them to start participating in chatboards and college prep groups. They can even use social networking sites to swap stories, compare test results, and vent their college frustrations. CampusCompare lets members friend other members, send each other notes, and swap college info.

Another idea is to include a college search tip during homeroom announcements that is specifically geared toward underclassmen. Students will love getting college advice in small doses like this, and the time commitment for you will be minimal. Plus, the more college information you give your students now, the more informed they will be as juniors and seniors when the college search really heats up!
Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs
11.14.08
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS

College Application Overload

Monday, November 10th, 2008

It seems as though my son wants to apply to every single school that he’s ever heard of. Not only is this time consuming but it costs a lot of money too - not only to apply but to visit the schools as well. How can we determine which schools are worth looking at and applying to? Do you have to visit every campus that you apply to? Should I put a cap on the number of colleges he can send applications to? I obviously want him to succeed and enjoy his college experience, but how much is too much?

It’s not uncommon for students today to apply to more than a dozen colleges, but I think it’s crazy. One can always argue that it is truly money well spent, but what really needs to be spent is time-that is, time spent on conducting a thorough college search.

If your son is mesmerized by every glossy college brochure bombarding your mailbox at this time of year, then it’s time to have a heart-to-heart talk with him. There are hundreds of schools that will be a good match for him, but that does not mean that he should apply to every one. Instead, your son should figure out what he’s really looking to get out of the next four years.

Even if your son doesn’t know what subject area he wants to major in, there are still a lot of other questions he can answer when it comes to choosing a school. Does he want a big school or a small one? Does he want to live in a bustling city or a quiet suburb? Does he want to continue with sports and activities that he enjoyed in high school? Once he’s figured out the answers to some of these questions, he can use an online search engine for college selection (I like the “Match Me Meter” at CampusCompare.com) to get a shortlist of schools that match his needs.

Once your son has compiled a list of schools that might be a good fit for him, it might be a good idea to take an objective look at his chances of getting in. Make sure most of the schools where he’s applying have similar admissions standards to his own academic profile. Compare his academic record with his dream schools’ by looking up their average High School GPA, SAT, and class rank. Most of this information can be found on the school’s website, or to save time, try a “What Are My Chances?” online tool. Your son can fill out his academic info (confidentially) and get the probability of admission for the schools on his list. By narrowing his selection down to those schools he has a good chance of getting in, you’re saving loads of money on wasted application fees.

You shouldn’t have to break the bank just to apply to college (save that for tuition fees!).

By doing some careful research during the college search, you and your son will have a greater payoff come April when those acceptance letters start rolling in.

Good luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Dear Babs
11.10.08
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS

Should I make my college selection based on my friends?

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Linus security blanket

Dear Babs,

I always thought that I wanted to go to Emory University in Atlanta so I applied early decision. However, now that a lot of my friends are getting in to schools near home in the Northeast, I’m not so sure about that choice. Do you think I should pull my application out? Is it stupid for me to make my college decision based on friends? Please help me!

Stuck in Atlanta

- - -

Dear Stuck,

This is why ‘Early Decision’ is not always the best decision. It means committing yourself to one school, regardless of financial aid, friends, or any subsequent changes of heart. Perhaps now is a good time to check out an online college matching tool (I like CampusCompare’s “MatchMe Meter”) to see what other schools out there you might like. If you really think you might have neglected other options, perhaps you should withdraw your application; you can always resubmit in the regular pool.

But that doesn’t mean that you should pick your school based on your friends either. Part of the fun of college is meeting totally new people in a new setting. By choosing a school far away from your home, you are showing that you are more ready for independence than your friends. Although it’s hard to leave people behind, you’ll think it is worth it when you meet tons of new friends and experience living on your own. So cast off that security blanket and go forth, young freshman!

Instead of worrying about missing your friends, focus on whether Emory is the right decision for you. If you love the campus, got a great vibe from the people, and the programs are fantastic and interesting, then stick with your initial instinct and commit to ‘Early Decision.’ If, on the other hand, you think there might be some better schools out there for you (and not just because your friends will be there) then remove your application from ED and submit it along with others this January.

Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Dear Babs
11.06.08
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS

Can I Trust Online College Info?

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Dear Babs,

My parents keep buying college guidebooks for me, which are about as interesting as reading a phone book. I really want to use the Internet to find colleges that are right for me. I’ve come across some awesome sites, including CampusCompare, but can I really trust them as much as the Princeton Review and College Board?

Confused College Searcher

- - -

Dear Confused,

I’m glad to hear that your parents are taking an active role in your college search, but I think it’s time to bring them into the 21st century. An online college search is definitely the way to go, provided that you find sites that are reputable.
How can you determine if a college information website is legit? Here’s a few things to look for:

–Is the site updated often?  Check whether the site’s blogs are updated on a regular basis—that proves that there are live humans working to keep you updated on every phase of your college search.  No blogs on the site? That’s a whole other problem. At the very least, scroll to the bottom of the page and make sure it’s copyrighted for the current year!

–What kind of college information is on the site? You want to make sure that there is a mixture of information that includes facts from the school itself, such as tuition rate, app deadlines, and academic majors, but you also want the scoop from the students themselves. CampusCompare gives you a healthy mixture of campus facts and student reviews that discuss everything from sports teams and social activities to dorms and classes.

–What kind of ads are on the site? Some sites are so riddled with advertising they’re hard to read. That’s annoying, but not necessarily bad. On the other hand I definitely smell a rat when a site seems biased or to have ulterior motives. Ever notice that they’re all for financial aid? That site’s just trying to sign you up to a hefty loan. Are all the ads for College X and it “just so happens” that every review is glowing? Yeah, right.  CampusCompare does not run any ads on its site—we just don’t want anything to get between you and the college information you’re looking for.

One last thing—make sure there’s a way to contact someone at the site, like me! I’m always available to answer questions directly, and if I think your question can help others, I’ll post it on my blog.

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
10.20.08
RSS 2.0 | PERMALINK | TRACKBACK
NO COMMENTS