Key Features Of A Good College
Selecting a good college or university should not be too stressful. If you know what you want in life and you have your own criteria in searching for the right school, then it would not be too hard to pick the best among the rest. In general though, you should have an idea of what makes a good college.
The ranking of the best colleges and universities in America is one key feature considered by many people. The U.S. News and World Report rankings, for instance, are based on SAT/ACT scores, high school class ranks of freshmen, rates of retention, alumni donations and average salaries of faculty. Efforts have also been initiated to rate schools based on how their graduates fare after leaving school.
An institution’s reputation is also very important although this should not be just your sole consideration when choosing a college. A college or university with a good reputation means high standards, talent, more financial resources and hardworking administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni. And it does not always follow that popularity goes with a great reputation because there are highly regarded schools that are not well known. Do find out then what’s behind the good reputation.
A reputation may be due to age. For instance, a school may have been established a hundred years ago and have produced many top graduates, faculty and researchers. Their successful alumni may have helped finance new facilities and scholarship programs in the school.
The selection process in college admissions also contributes to a school’s reputation. A highly selective institution usually gets more applicants than it can admit and the students accepted show great achievements, leadership skills and talent in the academics and extra-curricular activities. This high degree of selectivity often leads to a reputation of quality education.
A good college should have a considerable number of professors. The presence of a large body of professors allows a school to offer many unique courses not available in lesser known colleges.
Opportunities for research are another consideration. This normally depends on the presence of accomplished professors who have completed and are still doing significant research projects.
A college or university with lots of extra-curricular activities in addition to its academics often attracts students. These are dependent on the clubs and other organizations existing in the school. Some schools though have quite interesting clubs that can’t be found at other institutions.
Other key features to guide you in your search include intelligence and competitiveness of student body, job networks, endowment, a pleasant campus, graduate school placement, strength of school programs, great sports teams and good food.