There is no perfect school out there. Nor is there a "best" school. However, the college search is about one thing: finding the right school for you. It will not necessarily be the same school your parents went to, or one that your friends are looking at, but that is ok. Because in the end, you need to be happy with your choice. That is why we talk about match before we talk about search. The search is a part of the process but first we need to understand what it is about you that may dictate the search, and what aspects of a school you would like to see. Only by understanding this can we hope to get productive results from any search tool.
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College MythsThere are a lot of misconceptions about this process. Before you start, read and dispel those nasty rumors standing in the way of your dreams.
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College Search EnginesThere are many out there but start here for a listing of popular, useful, and creative ways to search for a college and university that is right for you.
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Virtual ToursShort of actually going to a campus, technology lets us have a look at many schools from the comfort of the couch. Once you have narrowed your list, try looking here to get a feel for the campus.
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The Best School? Or The Best School For You?Popular author Malcolm Gladwell discusses how students can be successful when they find the right balance between rigor and rank. Elite Institution Cognitive Disorder, he calls it. A student with scores/grades placing them in the middle or bottom half of a class at Harvard may not be ultimately as successful as a student in the top 10% at Hartwick. Interesting concepts about creating opportunity and standing out. The topic is explored in detail in his best selling book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.
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