I received a copy of the Best Colleges 2014. This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own.
The Best Colleges 2014 is more than just a list of the best colleges and universities in the United States. It’s also part guide for high school students, and part personal with experiences and advice from recent grads and current college students.
For any teen and their family this is an invaluable resource when it comes to planning their higher education.
Throughout the book you will find personalized stories that will help you understand the process of applying for college including how current college students chose their college or university.
The book is laid out in segments with short chapters in those sections. It has five categories; figuring out your college needs, profiles on colleges and universities, the best colleges as ranked by U.S. News, getting in and finding money, and lastly a directory of all colleges and universities alphabetically. Throughout the book you’ll find fun photos of students, great photos of campus life, and perfect shots of campus buildings among stock photos.
To start the book dives right in to finding the right college for individuals. The central message is that college choice should be based on your learning style and your career goals. It also shouldn’t be solely about your grades or your activities. The right fit not only meets your need, but has a student body where you would add something interesting and different to the community.
Instead of focusing on a one-size-fits-all approach the book highlights schools that are creating unique learning opportunities for students. Some examples are experiential classrooms instead of lecture halls, bringing together students in similar majors to collaborate on a project like they would in any job, or even real-life experience. These innovations are becoming the norm as colleges adjust to meet the fast-paced demands of today’s world.
This section of the book also includes a section on the top 11 hot careers right now (with details and data for each), and honest advice from admissions officers on what to do and what NOT to do.
We also start to see indications of the changing landscape of college education. As income plateaued and unemployment rose prices at colleges have continued to rise. Thankfully there have been indications that most schools recognize the need for flexibility so that students can be retained. The book highlights a few examples such a free courses that are open to the public, and that may offer credits to students who attend.
Next up we come to the profiles section. This section profiles a number of schools and seemingly offers a look behind the scenes at these schools. However, I can’t help but notice that in the profiles of colleges there are only positives-no negatives. For an education that often costs upwards of $100,000 (for 4 years) I would hope to see a more balanced review of the communities at colleges and universities. Making such an expensive decision that affects your future deserves a pros and cons list. You won’t find that here. I would recommend that this section be the beginning of that list.
Sandwiched in between Profiles and advice on getting in and paying for school are the rankings and an explanation of how the rankings are made. This is handy for those looking to narrow their college choices down based on certain data and allows you to see where a potential school may fall on the reports.
In the next section the focus shifts from where to how to get accepted and pay for your college education.
We get some helpful advice on how to get in to school in both basic and more solid advice such as:
- Be honest about why and how you struggled
- Show the ‘whole picture’ of who you are
- Demonstrate interest through early admissions options
- Fill out essays on why you want to attend the school-especially for smaller schools if this isn’t filled out you’ll go right into the rejection pile
- Introduce yourself to the admissions person and consider consistent follow up
- List of goofs that may land your application in the reject pile such as not reading directions, a too-long resumé, repetitive phrases, or even lack of proofreading
A year-by-year to-do guide for high school students who are headed to college is helpful.
Finally, we come to the most personal part of the book where we read success stories from students and why students choose their schools. In this part of the book there are some frank and very real stories from students. Rejection letters, procrastination, not getting into the school of choice, and even a feature on a community college student all play a part.
Featuring immigrants, students of both genders, a variety of races, and with different backgrounds, test scores, and interests made this part of the book a great read. While you and your teens may not identify directly with any of the stories shared it is interesting to see the thought they put into their choices and how the process worked for them as individuals.
Now we get to the big topic that’s on everyone’s minds with college-money. Specifically how to pay for college and what options potential college students have for covering their costs.
Info includes:
- Tips for getting college costs covered such as negotiation
- What’s included in a typical aid package: grants, work-study, and subsidized loans
- Private colleges while more expensive tend to offer up better packages for academic achievers
- State schools tend to offer loans instead of grants
- Being clear and direct about your family’s circumstances especially if they change throughout the admissions process
There is also advice on finding additional money like looking for unusual scholarships. Savings tips are also offered including knocking out some basic credits ahead of time (just make sure they will transfer) and continually searching for scholarships.
It also point out that the Department of Education now requires all schools to post “net price calculators” on their websites. While schools will caution that these are ballpark estimates they are helpful to assess how much you’ll really have to pay.
Lastly, the section on money warns, rightfully so, about the perils of student loans and loan repayment. Student loans debt has now surpassed every other type of debt and numbers over one trillion dollars. While students may be eager to go to college, as parents we have to share how challenging those loans can be to pay back.
Advice on borrowing from the book:
- only borrow what you need-not extra for living expenses
- look at repayment options and when and where deferment applies
- check interest rates closely before you sign on the dotted line
- considering entry-level salaries for your student’s field of choice is a good gauge if the cost is worth going into debt
The inclusion of a chapter on health insurance is an important addition to the book. Health care costs add up fast and if you’re living away from home those costs may come at a premium. Schools offer coverage, too so check into those options, too.
Once you get into college the book has more advice on what you should do once you’re there.
A chapter on jobs that look great on résumés is a great start. Using social media know-how, acting as an ambassador on campus, or even working as at a staffer or research assistant are all ways you can get experience, but also a fair amount of cash. There’s also no reason you can’t start your own business while you go to school though juggling both may be challenging you’ll learn a lot.
Being creative when it comes to getting financing is another thing that’s pointed out via personal stories. Crowdfunding sites are another resource for savvy teens, while some parents prefer to set up a 529 plan at websites that allow family and friends to make contributions.
Finding ways to save is paramount for most families. The book includes some options for saving on expenses, and also a list of ‘Great Schools at Great Prices’ or those that offer the best price for the value or the education offered. In addition, it shares a list of students in the most debt, and those in the least debt from the graduating classes of 2012.
Lastly the guide finished with a directory of colleges and universities sorted by state which include the following info:
- Name and Location
- Phone number
- U.S. News ranking
- Website and admissions info
- Type of college and date of founding
- Any affiliations
- Freshman admission stats
- Deadlines
- Student body makeup (number of students, gender, race, and sorority and fraternity stats
- Popular majors
- Expenses
- Financial Aid
Overall I would recommend picking up this book if you have a middle school student or high school student. At $9.95 (and available in digital format) it’s worth the cost.
Order the book here and use code SCHOOL25 for 25% off.
What concerns do you have about college costs and helping your kids go to college?
Kelly
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.
