Region and Interest College Matcher

Welcome to the TeenCollegeEducation College Matcher! We have worked tirelessly to bring you this list of colleges that will help find the right fit for you. This is by no means a comprehensive guide, but a starting point with what we considered to be the most striking colleges and universities in each field.

We divided the country into 4 regions: Northeast (NE), South (S), Midwest (MW), and West (W). We then categorized many schools into one of nine sub categories. These categories are Strictness, Artist Friendly, Urban, Math and Science, Late Bloomers, Super Diverse, Plush, Jock, and Philosophical/Intellectual. We tried to stay away from many of the obvious colleges for each category, but in some areas there was no avoiding it. Take a look and make sure to share with your friends!

If you have any suggestions or would like to see a particular college on the list, just let us know!

Strictness

NE

Manhattan College

Manhattan College is strict, but one of the safest colleges around. There is a zero tolerance policy regarding alcohol and drug use, but only drug use will get a student expelled. Alcohol will force an RA to write up a student, but the administration is not out to “catch” students.

Bucknell University

Bucknell University has a point system for students. If a student accumulates a certain number of points, the punishments range from losing privileges to expulsion. Drinking accumulates a point or two, and Bucknell is very strict with alcohol overall.

Grove City College

Grove City College is a liberal arts school with a zero tolerance policy on campus. Students who leave campus to drink must come back sober, or face consequences which could include expulsion. Despite this, campus security is friendly and also not necessarily looking to catch students.

S

Bob Jones University

 
Some students at Bob Jones University feel trapped by all the rules and regulations. The school has a demerit system where more than 150 demerits will could get a student expelled. Students earn demerits for actions such as being late to class, or most commonly, failing the daily room check.

West Point

It is no surprise that West Point is among the strictest campuses, it is the army after all. The school requires order and promotes discipline in all students. Everyone adheres to their honor code: “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. “ Not doing so is grounds for punishment and possible expulsion.

Claflin University

Claflin University is a religious school. Besides curfews for underclassmen, the school has some other interesting rules, such as no walking on the grass. However, punishments are usually not too severe.

Hampton University

Hampton University is a strict school, especially with visitors. Anyone entering campus from the outside, including students, is stopped and questioned upon entry. There is also a dress code that students must adhere to, although it has become a bit more lax over the years.

MW

Notre Dame

One would expect Notre Dame, a religious school, to be more strict. Although there is no prohibition of alcohol on campus, drug use and sex on campus will get a student expelled. Drinking too much could also result in fines.

Wheaton College

Wheaton College is a religious school, so their rules are also pretty strict. All students sign a Community Covenant and agree to live by the rules and regulations. Every rule is supported by the Bible, so there is little arguing about them. The school is not afraid to fine students for infractions

St. Olaf College

St. Olaf College is a dry campus, meaning that no alcohol is allowed even for students who are 21. Students found with alcohol will be punished. If students have an event, it is usually small and quiet.

W

Brigham Young

You might remember the basketball player who was punished at Brigham Young earlier in the year for violating the honor code; this school takes its values seriously. Students have been expelled for alcohol and drug use, and curfew violations could get a student suspended. The honor code also covers areas such as dress and grooming.

Pepperdine University

Pepperdine is notoriously strict with all of its students. The campus is completely dry, meaning that alcohol is prohibited. Students caught with alcohol, drinking, or returning to campus drunk face punishment and possible expulsion. Additionally, between 10 pm and 10 am, the campus observes “quiet hours,” meaning that a student who causes too much noise will be written up.

University of San Diego

University of San Diego is a religious school so it has rules and policies like all other religious schools. Additionally, parking is difficult at USD, and illegally parked cars are almost always fined.

For Artist Friendly and Urban Colleges Click HERE and Continue Reading

For Math, Science, and Late Bloomer Colleges Click HERE and Continue Reading

For Super Diverse and Plush Colleges Click HERE and Continue Reading
 

For Jock and Philosophical and Intellectual Colleges Click HERE and Continue Reading

All Images are from Google Images.

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2012 College Rankings

It is that time of year again, the time to start worrying about college. US News and World Report released their 2012 college rankings a few weeks ago, and for anyone who follows the admissions game, this is a big deal.

Colleges often compete with one another to improve their rankings and become even more exclusive. This results in more students applying to top notch universities, creating a larger pool of applicants. The university then gets to reject a larger number of applicants, lowering acceptance rate and adding to the "exclusive" feeling one gets at being at such a university. Acceptance becomes more difficult and students must work even harder in high school. It is a terrible cycle, but the rankings do have some value for quickly judging the caliper of a school. They give students and parents a basic and easy way to compare schools and see what is a reasonable college goal.

Here are the top 20 schools in the 2012 rankings for national universities:
(If more than one school has the same number, they are tied for that rank.)

1. Harvard
1. Princeton
3. Yale
4. Columbia
5. Cal Tech
5. MIT
5. Stanford
5. University of Chicago
5. University of Pennsylvania
10. Duke
11. Dartmouth
12. Northwestern
13. Johns Hopkins
14. Washington University in St. Louis
15. Brown
15. Cornell
17. Rice
17. Vanderbilt
19. University of Notre Dame
20. Emory

Here are the top 10 liberal arts colleges for 2012:

1. Williams
2. Amherst
3. Swarthmore
4. Pomona
5. Middlebury
6. Bowdoin
6. Carleton
6. Wellesley
9. Claremont MnKenna
10. Haverford

The full list of rankings for both national universities and liberal arts colleges can be found here.

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How to Pick the Right College

Each year, high school seniors take the SAT’s. They visit colleges around the nation. Then, they apply to the colleges that seem like the best fit academically, socially and financially. If these students are lucky enough, they get accepted to multiple schools. So, which college should you pick? Ask yourself these key questions to help you determine the right college for you.

What are your academic goals?

It is helpful if you have an idea of which career path you would like to take. However, a lot of high school seniors do not know that yet. Do you want a liberal arts education, or something more specific? If you are science-minded, does the college have a good chemistry department? If you know your major, where does the college rank in that area? Research how many students at the school are studying your intended major and how many faculty members are devoted to it. If your major is not very popular, you might wish to visit some of the large universities.

How important is the social scene to you?

Are the sororities and fraternities an important factor to consider? Not all colleges have a Greek system. Does the school offer a variety of extracurricular activities? If you are a die-hard environmental activist and the college does not have an environmental organization, this could be an important consideration. The same advice can be applied to sports. If you are an all-star soccer player, is the school known for its soccer program? Seeking out a college directory may give you a lot of answers about the college’s social scene.

How is the living situation?

Do a lot of students live on campus, or do many of them commute? Visiting a college campus can give you insight into just how close the quarters are. Some colleges have issues with overcrowding, but if you do not mind sharing a dorm room with two or three roommates, then that should not be a problem. As you visit colleges, keep detailed notes. Do the dorm rooms each have a bathroom or is there just one bathroom per floor? Are the dorms co-ed? Do you have the option of off-campus housing? These are all questions to ask yourself.

Can you afford the college in question?

You may be surprised by the scholarships and grants that many colleges offer. Talk with someone in the college’s Financial Aid department or research grants online. Some sites, such as College Scholarships.org, provide instructions for how to apply for these grants.

If you are able to answer all of these questions, choosing the right college should not be a difficult feat.

-Louise Baker

Louise Baker is a freelance blogger and journalist who writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning, and online degrees. She most recently wrote about where to get the best criminal justice degrees.

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2011 College Rankings

For the current rankings, make sure to read 2012 College Rankings.

The 2011 US News and World Report college rankings are finally out. US News and World Reports ranks the top universities every year, testing a variety of areas from professors to student happiness. The rankings are a valuable tool, but they do not mean everything. The top 20 universities this year are as follows:

1. Harvard
2. Princeton
3. Yale
4. Columbia
5. Stanford
5. University of Pennsylvania
7. Cal Tech
7. MIT
9. Dartmouth
9. Duke
9. University of Chicago
12.Northwestern
13. John Hopkins
13. Washington University in St. Louis
15. Brown
15. Cornell
17. Rice
17. Vanderbilt
19. Notre Dame
20. Emory

Some surprises are that Columbia jumped up to 4th and Stanford fell from 1st last year to 5th. U Penn also improved, as did Duke and Northwestern. Other than that, the rankings are pretty much the same. For a full list of the college rankings this year check out US News And World Reports college Rankings.

What about Liberal Arts Colleges? They are ranked by US News and World Reports as well, but their rankings do not change that much. So the top 10 liberal arts colleges are:

1. Williams
2. Amherst
3. Swarthmore
4. Middlebury
4. Wellesley
6. Bowdin 
6. Pomona
8. Carleton
9. Haverford
11. Claremont McKenna

There was no real change among the Liberal Arts colleges either. To view the full rankings click here.

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2010 College Rankings

Image via Wikipedia

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORTS just posted their 2010 college rankings for this year. There are a few surprises, but other than that the usual schools are in the top rankings. All of the Ivy Leagues are in the top 20 along with other notable schools; MIT, Stanford, and those goodies. A few schools that I thought were interesting were Princeton, which moved up to #1 along with Harvard, University of Chicago, which moved up to 8th, and Washington University in St. Louis, which moved up to 12th. For the full list of national college rankings go to US New and World Reports.

The list of Liberal Arts colleges looks about the same as it always does. Williams and Amherst are numbers 1 and 2 respectively followed by equally respectable schools. For this full list look at the Liberal Arts Ranking Page.

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Why Should I go to College? - GO TO COLLEGE!!!

Aside from the experience of college, there are many other advantages to attending a university, even if for just one year. This is the primary reason why president Obama encourages all Americans to attend at least one year of higher education at either a public or private school. If you need some tips to help you get into college, we have you covered there as well.

The most obvious reason to attend college is that in this modern age, a high school education does not mean much anymore. High school does not provide specific training for a career that is necessary in today's world, unless working at a hamburger stand appeals to you. It does not matter where you go to college, just as long as you go. As opposed to high school, which is more of a liberal arts and general education, college can give you a specialization that is needed by modern society. Having work leads to other advantages of attending a university.

 Image by: okmarian

You will make more money and be happier after attending a university. By learning a career instead of general concepts, you put yourself in high demand for that field. According to the laws of supply and demand, if there is high demand for your job, then you will earn more money. There is a much higher demand for a criminologist or economist than there is for a burger flipper or lawn mower. For most people, more money means more happiness. You could afford to buy that new cell phone or computer, which in turn might make you happy. Success also makes people happy, and attending college makes you more likely to succeed in life.

Some unexpected advantages for college graduates are that they have longer life expectancies and are in better health than non grads. This comes from basic logic; having a steady income means that college graduates can afford better health care, which in turn leads to better and longer lives. Additionally, most college grads do not face the stress that non grads do when looking for well paying jobs. High school dropouts have the stress of moving from job to job, simply trying to earn enough money to feed themselves. College grads usually have a secure and well paying job compared to dropouts and do not face this unnecessary stress. Stress is known to shorten lifespan considerably.

The basic message is GO TO COLLEGE! It does not matter where, when, or how, just GO. You will live a better, happier, and longer life than students who drop out of high school or who just do not attend college. Here is an interesting link that is similar to this article and expands on ways to fix education.

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We Fail at Education

Although it is the most important test in a high school student's life, the SAT and education in America is seriously flawed. Students are trained from birth to do well on standardized tests such as the SAT and do not even get to be children anymore. With the creation of products to give your son or daughter a head start over other 2 year olds, children lose the most important aspect of their youth; their childhood. The other day I saw an infomercial on TV that advertised a product that promised to teach your 16 month old baby how to read. What does a 16 month old baby need to read for?!? So great your child can read a few years before other children, but at what cost? Parents and America as a whole, are so obsessed with getting their children into college, that from birth they take away the fun of being a baby and most of the experiences that come with it. As humans, we learn more from experience than we ever will from a book or classroom, and replacing childhood experiences with activities to improve test scores only hurts future generations. I once heard that no one truly knows the danger of fire until he burns himself; childhood is a time to "burn ourselves" so to speak, and learn many of the basics of life that a classroom can never teach us. It is a chance to explore and experience the world through a set of young eyes that we will never have again. We gain perceptions of the world that influence our future lives, and childhood is the only time that we can live without the burden of responsibility. Anyone who tries to replace this monumental period of human development with book learning only hinders our growth. As children we did many things that we would never imagine doing as adults, such as playing in the mud or even eating worms, and we learn from the consequences of these actions. (For example, worms taste bad.) We learn right from wrong as kids and being able to read at 16 months will not help teach us to share our toys. Thus the SAT, the pinnacle of American education, corrupts children from birth, taking away the fun of life. How can a 5 year old child have fun writing on the walls when he/she is learning from a book instead?

The same is true for teenagers. The teen years, which are often a time to discover who we are and what kind of people we want to be, are being replaced with years of SAT classes so that we can score higher for America's Ohh so amazing education system. With all of the advanced classes and tests that are necessary to succeed in this system, there is barely enough time for high school students to sleep, let alone find their identities. As a result, we have a generation of teens that will grow up without knowing what makes their heart beat, lacking true happiness. Education is meant to improve our lives, not make life meaningless, as is occurring.

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