As a school counselor I am often asked by parents and students to recommend college reference books. The thought behind the request is that parents and students want a resource that will give them the answer to the perfect college choice. Unfortunately, there is no one perfect college for everyone; however, this is a perfect college for each individual student.
When researching colleges, families can use school-internet programs, such as Naviance and Career Information System. Sometimes families want a reference book to use to compare schools or one that provides the research for them. The following are good reference guides to use during the college search process.
The Fiske Guide to Colleges
The Fiske Guide is a staple in a high school counselor's office. The book is named after its author Edward Fiske. The premise of the book is to provide the reader with the best colleges in the United States. Fiske combs the country yearly to fully comprehend colleges, their programs, their culture, and their costs.
The book is updated yearly and contains well over 300 colleges. Each college section contains a snapshot of information: website, location, SAT/ACT ranges, and admissions statistics. Additionally, the four page summary for each college provides the reader with information on location, student impressions, best programs, resident halls/food service, clubs and organizations, and sporting opportunities/school spirit. First and foremost the guide is based on academic quality of the institutions. Families will also like the overlap colleges the author compiles for each named college in the book.
U.S. News Ultimate College Guide
Published under the family of U.S. News and World Report, this guide ranks colleges according to various topics. While the website for ranking seems exhaustive, the book purposely recognizes the most sought after rankings. Readers must purchase the book to get this information.
The ranking is done in-house by the U.S. News and World Report staff. Rank is composed of several factors:
- Overall ranking;
- Selectivity;
- Whether to apply early;
- Whose freshmen return;
- Graduation rates;
- Student diversity;
- Private-school tuition;
- Public-school tuition;
- Best-value schools;
- Student debt; and
- Financial aid.
Each college is awarded points for the following factors and a ranking is devised. Think of this books as the popularity contest from high school; however, much of the information is useful. For sample rankings families can view the U.S. News Ranking and Review site.
Rugg's Recommendation on the Colleges
By far this is my favorite book to use with families. It is concise and full of information I can directly use with students. The author, Frederick Rugg's, publishes a new edition about every other year. The use is simple; readers find their intended major and views colleges in the United States with the best programs for that major. Colleges are divided into three categories: highly selective, more selective, and selective.
Other College Reference Books
Not every college reference book can be listed in this article. The following are a few more titles that can assist with the college process:
- Colleges That Change Lives;
- The Hidden Ivys;
- The Best 376 Colleges; and
- Barron's Profiles of American Colleges.
Overall, college reference books are good resources in helping to choose the right college. No one book should be used exclusively but rather as a supplement to one another. College research takes time and effort; however, when done correctly the student will find the perfect college that meets their needs.
Kerrie Troseth - Kerrie is a licensed school counselor who works exclusively with adolescents. As a school counselor she is trained in the areas of ...
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