Posts Tagged ‘college rankings’

Spotlight: 5 Helpful College Admissions Sites

There is an unlimited number of online resources that cover various aspects of the college admissions process.  From time to time, our blog will spotlight those you should bookmark (or save to Evernote, one of my favorite online organizational tools).  Today, I’d like to share 5 sites prospective applicants should visit:

1. New York Times, The Choice

The Choice is a relatively new blog that provides context, from a variety of perspectives, for any student preparing to apply to college.  Two weeks ago, The Choice published a series of posts in which readers forwarded questions for William Fitzsimmons, the Harvard College Dean of Admissions.

2. The College Board

The place to register for the SAT and other College Board standardized tests.  The College Board was also one of the first organizations to bring useful information about the college application process online.  You can register for an SAT question of the day in either email or RSS formats, look up all the colleges in your state or conduct an advanced search of schools that fit your criteria, among other things.   I wouldn’t visit this site to get the latest admissions news (visit #1, The Choice, for that), but if you’re interested in college admissions generally, The College Board publishes reports and materials on the topic.

3. U.S. News and World Report

Each year, scores of editorials scrutinize the U.S. News and World Report methodology for ranking colleges and universities.  That being said, the site is the best comprehensive and accessible list of schools I’ve seen on the web.  And if you don’t like their rankings, just click on the A-Z Directory or do your own Advanced Search.

4. The Education Conservancy

I couldn’t in good conscience send you to U.S. News and World Report without recommending The Education Conservancy’s College Unranked also.  While U.S. News and World Report has an incredibly accessible college list that allows you to do a thorough search for schools, The Education Conservancy does a good job of explaining that finding the right college will have little to do with its ranking and everything to do with it being the right fit for you.

5. Colleges That Change Lives

First a book and now a website, Colleges That Change Lives has a focus similar to that of the The College Conservancy.  They both place an emphasis on a student-directed college search and application process.  The site offers facts and figures about colleges that fit their criteria for being standouts.


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The Ivy Compass Blog explores the world of selective college admissions.  It provides readers with news, insights and advice on applying to the country's most selective colleges and universities. We encourage readers to share their own experiences and seek advice.  The Ivy Compass Blog is edited and co-written by Erin Lewis, a former admissions officer at Yale University and Barnard College.  Contact her with questions, ideas or suggestions at blog@ivycompass.com.



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