| But, you're the person who has go to that school every day and will most likely live there for four years. So how do you know where you will be the happiest? Here are some resources that you should use while making this crucial decision:
First, colleges have a ton of information that they can mail you or you can access online detailing every aspect about their program. Read it, but beware. It is their job to tell you all of the good stuff about their school. It is your job to learn how to read between the lines and ask admissions officers, current students, and friends the tough questions.
College visits are also play a huge role in choosing the right school. But most applicants can't visit every school on their preliminary list—it is usually prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. If people do get a chance to visit the school, they tend to go on a campus tour, which again, is just like a live brochure. You need to get "behind the scenes" to see the real day-in-the-life at that college. Extended college visits (when you spend a night or weekend in an actual dorm with an actual student) are great, but often take place after you apply and have been accepted. These will help you make your final decision.
So, beyond the promotional literature and a peek around the grounds, it's tricky to figure out what it's really like to be a student at a particular school. That's exactly why we wrote The Best 366 Colleges—to give you a full view of what it's really like at that school. This book offers invaluable commentary by the folks who know each school best: students who currently attend that school. Of course, you can buy the book, but you can also view all of the commentary online on each school's individual profile page (just click on the Students Say icon). Best 366 gives you the real scoop about the school…we move past the brochure, past the scripted college tour, and tell you want people really think about their experience.
They'll tell you how much they love their school, how they feel about academics, and what the social scene is all about. As you read through each Students Say section, focus on the categories that you feel are most important: Do you want to go to a school where discussion takes up most of the class time? Or would you prefer to sit in on lectures? Do you care? Do you want to go to a school that has a big Greek life, or is centered on spirituality? Or, for you, is it really more a question of diversity?
Just note that all The Best 366 College rankings and corresponding Students Say sections are based on our most recent student survey results. Meaning, they do not reflect our opinions, nor do they perfectly reflect reality. We can't, for example, tell you which schools make registration the biggest hassle. But we can tell you which schools' students are the most irritated by registration hassles. Our feeling is that students' self-perceptions are quite valuable. After all, what better way is there to judge a school than by how its students feel about it?
Use The Best 366 Colleges as a starting, rather than an ending, point. Your opinion is what should ultimately carry the most weight. Have fun exploring!
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