Best Kept College Secrets

Updated Second Edition Now Available on Amazon!!!

Peter Arango — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 20:25:11 +0000

It hasn’t been easy deciding which of the exceptional colleges and universities to add to the list profiled in the second edition, but after a great summer, thirty-one made it!

Here are the newly added profiles:

Albion College – Albion, Michigan

Bard College at Simon’s Rock/ The Early College – Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Clark Unversity – Worcester, Massachusetts

Curry College – Milton, Massachusetts

Fairfield University – Fairfield, Connecticut

Ferris State University – Big Rapids, Michigan

Furman University – Greenville, South Carolina

Illinois Wesleyan University – Bloomington, Illinois

Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

Ithaca College – Ithaca, New York

Lesley University – Cambridge, Massachusetts

Montana State University – Bozeman, Montana

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology – Socorro, New Mexico

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona

Pacific University – Forest Grove, Oregon

Paul Smith’s College – Paul Smith’s. New York

Presbyterian College – Clinton, South Carolina

Randolph College – Lynchburg, Virgina

Ripon College – Ripon, Wisconsin

Saint Anselm College – Goffstown, New Hampshire

Saint Mary’s College of Maryland – Saint Mary’s City, Maryland

Simmons College – Boston, Massachusetts

Stetson University – Deland, Florida

The Evergreen State College – Olympia, Washington

The New School/Eugene Lang College – New York, New York

Thomas Aquinas College – Santa Paula, California

Trinity University – San Antonio, Texas

University of North Carolina/ Asheville – Asheville, North Carolina

University of Missouri – Columbia, Missouri

University of Montevallo – Montevallo, Alabama

University of San Diego – San Diego, California

Wittenberg University – Springfield, Ohio

Five Star Review on Amazon!!!!!

Peter Arango — Tue, 29 May 2012 18:28:24 +0000

Outstanding guide to under-appreciated colleges May 19, 2012

By Domestic Gnome

Format:Paperback

After a long career in college counseling, Arango knows his stuff and has created a book directly aimed at parents and students who find themselves baffled by the voo doo that surrounds the college search process. College advice ranges from no help at all in most public schools to highly-paid consultants for over-prepped suburban rich kids. Lost in all of the prepping and the posturing, however, are the simple truths that there are 3,000 colleges to choose from and that many famous or successful (maybe even happy) folks have found their way without benefit of admission to the most selective colleges – not best, not top, just most selective. Too many students find the process to be somewhat soulless – an overly intrusive, uncomfortable examination of their first 17 years – Is this going to be on my permanent record? Looking for the “right” college, they get caught up in the numbers – scores, applications, Fulbrights and Nobels, etc.Arango cuts through the thicket and wades through the swamp to get us back on dry land with a wonderful assortment of colleges that are under-appreciated if not unknown. Rather than waste time poring over the US News “rankings,” Arango hit the road and found these wonderful and unusual places – some with quirky cultures, some with quite mainstream cultures, but all with a special quality that lifts them up out of the tangle of American higher ed. The essential quality of each, however, is a focus on the student, a real commitment to helping each kid to become someone special, to find and nurture the talents that don’t always show up in SATS, ACTs or class rank.Curriculum, cost, culture – all vary widely and wildly and make for an entertaining ride through American higher ed, free from four-color brochures and admissions office marketing ploys – honest institutions reviewed honestly.

You’re going fishing; why not take along an experienced guide in your canoe? Arango is the real deal. So’s this book.

Forbes Top 25 in Terms of Teaching – Some Great Options!

Peter Arango — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:09:54 +0000

This recent piece appeared on the Forbes site… worth considering in the context of this book!!!

* CAUTION – This piece, like some others, is informed by assessment of RateMyProfessors.Com, a site that allows students to enter comparative ratings of their profs. Not a bad idea, BUT… some college populations use the ratings a lot; others don’t. So, Lewis and Clark, for example, and others in Best Kept College Secrets, should probably be on this list, but L&C students just have other things to do with their time, apparently. So, caveat emptor as always.

Have you ever wondered where the best professors are teaching? The top professors aren’t necessarily working where you might assume, according to RateMyProfessors’ statistics compiled for Forbes Magazine’s annual college rankings. None of the Ivy league schools, for instance, crack the list of the top 25 schools with the best professors. Princeton came the closest at 57th best. According to the teacher quality rankings, Cornell fared the worst among the Ivies — it came in 445th out of 650 schools. For the second year in a row, Oklahoma Wesleyan University earned bragging rights as the school with the best professors.

When you look at the schools which shined in the professor rankings, the list is heavily represented by liberal arts colleges that are scattered across the country. This makes sense since liberal arts colleges, by their very nature, offer small class sizes, which greatly increases the interactions that professors have with their students.In addition, at liberal arts colleges, the professors’ top priority is to teach the undergraduates rather than focus on their own research. Only about 2% of college students, by the way, attend liberal arts colleges.

25 Colleges With the Best Professors

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

U.S. Air Force Academy (CO)

U.S. Military Academy (NY)

Marlboro College (VT) One of America’s Best Kept Secrets!

Carleton College (MN)

Clarke University (IA)

North Greenville University (SC)

Wellesley College (MA)

Master’s College and Seminary (CA)

Whitworth University (WA) One of America’s Best Kept Secrets!

Northwestern College (IA) (Not Northwestern University)

Emory and Henry College (VA) One of America’s Best Kept Secrets!

Sarah Lawrence College (NY)

Pacific University (OR)

College of the Ozarks (MO)

Sewanee – University of the South (TN) One of America’s Best Kept Secrets!

Wabash College (IN) One of America’s Best Kept Secrets!

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Fisk University (TN)

Doane College (NE)

Bryn Mawr College (PA)

Hastings College (NE)

Whitman College (WA)

Wesleyan College (GA)

Middlebury College (VT)

Birds of a Feather – Constellations of similar colleges

Peter Arango — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:13:50 +0000

Most of the major college guides report what they call overlap – the colleges to which an applicant might apply if applying to the college under discussion, and, while overlap is interesting and helpful in some situations, it most commonly reflects regional identity or traditional patterns.

So, a typical profile for a Colorado College or a Coe College or a Whitman College will include one or two colleges with a slightly more competitive admission profile, generally the college of aspiration for the region – Stanford in the West/one of the Ivies in the Midwest and East, and Duke in the South. For the most part, the rest of the overlap will be regional and will generally include a range of public options.

Whitman, for example, will cross with Stanford, U. Washington, U. Oregon, Berkeley, and Western Washington. Some proportion of applicants to Coe will apply to Iowa, Iowa State, Missouri, and Illinois. The overlap at Hendrix will include Arkansas, U. Texas, LSU, and Missouri.

It makes sense, of course, but doesn’t reveal much about what the essential character of the college might be, other than its location.

There is some danger in lumping colleges together – actually quite a lot of danger in so lumping – but in the hope that an applicant attracted to a particular kind of college might profit from knowing which of the thousand of colleges out there are of the same ilk, here goes:

Places to blow things up legally – tech schools with great hands-on programs:

New Mexico Institute of Technology(NM), Franklin W.Olin College of Engineering(MA), University of Colorado College of Engineering(CO), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA), Purdue University School of Engineering(IN), California Polytechnic State University (CA), McCormick School of Engineering -Northwestern University (IL), Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN), Wentworth Institute of Technology (MA), Colorado School of Mines (CO),

Free Spirited, somewhat experimental, socially liberal, slightly boho student population?

The more conventional of the slightly boho would include: Lewis and Clark (OR), Earlham (IN), Oberlin (OH), Bard College (NY), Sarah Lawrence (NY), and Reed College (OR).

More unconventional? Bennington College (VT), Prescott College (AZ), Humboldt State (CA), Shimer College (Ill), Hampshire College (MA), Warren Wilson College (NC), Antioch College (OH), Marlboro College (VT), Northland College (WI), New College (FL), Evergreen State U. (WA),

The larger universities with a significant population of the extremely “laid-back” might include Northern Arizona U (AZ), U. Colorado- Boulder (CO) U. Wisconsin (WI), Montana State, U. Oregon, U Cal Santa Cruz, SUNY New Paltz (NY), U. Vermont (VT), Chico State (Cal State Chico), Appalachian State (NC).

Say it loud – I’m preppy and I’m proud!

Colby (ME), Middlebury (VT), Dartmouth (NH), Williams (MA), Boston College (MA), Trinity (CT), Hamilton (NY), Colgate (NY), Saint Lawrence (NY), Hobart (NY), Princeton (NJ), Georgetown (DC)

U Virginia (VA), Washington and Lee University (VA), College of William and Mary (VA), Sweet Briar (VA), Hampden-Sydney (VA), U. Richmond (VA)

Duke (NC), U North Carolina (NC), Davidson (NC), Furman (SC), Birmingham-Southern (AL), U of the South-Sewanee (TN), Vanderbilt (TN), Rollins (FL)

Denison University (OH), Kenyon College (OH), Miami University (OH), Notre Dame (IN), DePauw (IN), Lake Forest (IL)

Claremont McKenna (CA), Stanford (CA)

Challenging small colleges for genuinely nice, not-terminally-preppy kids?

Bates College (ME), St. Anselm’s College (NH), St. Michael’s University (VT), Mount Holyoke College (MA), Alfred University (NY), Elmira College (NY), McDaniel College (MD), Dickinson College (PA) Juniata College(PA)

University of Mary Washington (VA), Presbyterian College (NC), Rhodes College (TN), Oglethorpe University (GA), Agnes Scott College (GA), Berry College (GA), Wofford College (SC), Randolph College (VA), Emory and Henry College (VA), Guilford College (NC), Wake Forest University (NC), Converse College (SC), Samford University (AL), Austin College (TX), Southwestern University (TX)

College of Wooster (OH), John Carroll University (OH), Earlham College (IN), Knox College (IL), Wheaton College (IL.), Illinois Wesleyan University (IL), Lawrence University (WI), Beloit College (WI), Ripon College (WI), Cornell College (IA), Grinnell College (IA), Coe College (IA), College of St. Benedict (MN), Saint John’s University (MN), Macalester College (MN), Carleton College (MN), Gustavus Adolphus College (MN), St. Olaf College (MN), Westminster College (MO)

Santa Clara University (CA), Saint Mary’s University (CA), Thomas Aquinas College (CA), Dominican University (CA), Mills College (CA), University of Redlands (CA), Whittier College (CA), George Fox College (OR), Lewis and Clark College (OR), Willamette University (OR), Pacific Lutheran University (WA), Whitman College (WA), Whitworth College (WA), Gonzaga University (WA)

More? Let’s hear your suggestions!

Forbes tips on out-of-state apps at State Universities

Peter Arango — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:22:33 +0000

The Latest (Shhhh! –Secret) College Admissions Trend

The college admission season is gearing up in full- force, and it promises to be just as crazily competitive as last year. Understandably, families are searching for any small edge they can find. One of best-kept secrets in college admissions this coming year is that many top state universities will be admitting more out-of-state applicants than they ever have.

This opens up a whole new group of schools that were formerly much more difficult to get into. We’re talking about great schools , sometimes lots more openings, and for a few campuses, slightly easier academic standards!

For example, at the University of Illinois last year, fully 27% of its freshman came from out-of-state. That was up from 19% just five years ago. (And it doesn’t include the 17% of the freshman class who were foreigners.) Similarly, the University of Washington had an entering class in 2010 of 27% out-of-staters. This too was up from 19% just three years earlier.

The University of Virginia tries to maintain a student body comprised of 30% out-of-state students. But last year it edged up to over 33%. And the University of Michigan is up to 40% out-of-staters, compared with 37% five years ago.

Even colleges that shunned out-of-state students for years are showing a marked receptivity. The University of California’s top campuses – Berkeley and UCLA – have doubled and even tripled the number of out-of-state kids. At UCLA, the total percentage of out-of-state kids is still relatively low: only about 7% of last year’s entering class. But at Berkeley, it was a whopping 19% and wit will grow to 20% this year, according to Janet Gilmore, a spokesperson for the University. Five years ago, the percentage of out-of-state students at Berkeley was only 5%.

At most of these world-class universities admission is still very selective. The acceptance for out-of-state students was only 30% last year. But that was still better than what California residents experienced, which was a 21% acceptance rate. And it even got a tad bit easier for out-of-staters compared to previous years. Five years ago out-of-staters applying to UCLA were admitted only 21% of the time, compared to their California counterparts who saw a 23% admit rate.

At Berkeley, 39% of out-of-state applicants received the proverbial fat envelope, compared to only 24% of California residents. And compared to five years ago, when out-of-state kids saw a 22% acceptance rate at Berkeley – compared to in-staters 25% — the trend is looking good for out-of-state applicants.

What’s driving this statistically significant advantage? Money mostly.

As states continue to weather the financial crisis, they are trimming state budgets. And expenditures to their prestigious state-run universities have taken a hit. Consequently, schools have consciously – and sometimes publicly – increased the number of higher-tuition-paying out-of-state students.

Admission officers readily admit that the higher out-of-state tuitions help subsidize in-state kids. But admission deans at all top colleges seek geographic diversity – as well as many other types of diversity beyond racial – in putting together their entering class.

Comments from readers – Keep them coming!

Peter Arango — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:36:17 +0000

Another from Coe-

Coe College has long been a diamond in the rough. Each new year brings expansion, new departments, capital improvements, and most of all, a diverse and intelligent student body. 2011 will bring a new Communication Studies Department as well. Great school, great campus, terrific environment and a marvelous network of off campus opportunities.

ON COE COLLEGE -I would like to agree with this assessment. I’ll admit though, I’m very obviously biased. I have many great memories that I won’t soon forget of my time as a student of the Crimson and Gold. The word “experiences” sticks in my mind when I think of my time at Coe. Experiential learning is at the forefront of a students education inside and outside of the classroom at Coe. Intentionally or not, the administration of the institution have fostered an environment that allows students to learn for themselves. Student have a very high level of involvement on campus, which shows an eagerness for students to take charge and lead. This is hard for most students to challenge the status quo and step outside their comfort zone. Individuality is definitely encouraged at Coe with a diverse student population and very accepting atmosphere. It is hard to make an enemy on campus.

I feel blessed to have gone to a school that helped me help myself with hands-on experiences outside of the classroom and abundant opportunities to get involved. Words out – Coe College is one of the best kept secrets.

What about The Help?

Peter Arango — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:44:40 +0000

I’ve just seen The Help and find myself simultaneously moved in many ways by a story of courage and resilience and concerned that once again it will be hard to convince students from outside the region to consider colleges in the South.

Look- every region has its skeletons in closets, and the legacy of bigotry does not belong to the South alone. I live in California where Chinese and Mexican labor created an economy larger than that of most nations. I grew up in New England which has witnessed some of the most egregious acts of violence against immigrants and minorities. There are supremacist militias in the Midwest and Mountain West.

Brigadoon? Narnia? Even Hogwarts has its issues.

Enjoy The Help; it’s a fine film. But … continue to consider the exceptional colleges in every region.

A Closer Look at the Forbes List

Peter Arango — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:34:10 +0000

Don’t get me wrong – I love seeing some of the less appreciated colleges appear at the top of a Forbes list of best colleges…but… the methodology they employ in establishing the rankings is as questionable as The US News and World Report list, or any of the other rankings.

When I worked with the editorial board at Houghton Mifflin I found that their data base – the Guidance Information System – was great at organizing some kinds of information and absolutely useless in determining the relative value of one educational experience over another. The same holds true for the Forbes model, which attempts to avoid subjectivity by using the amount of debt incurred by the average student and the popularity of teaching faculty as reflected in websites that rate professors.

I’ve got no problem with seeing Williams and Princeton at the top of the poll, and I continue to get a kick out of seeing Whitman and Kenyon bubble up in the first ranks, but it is hard to think of Brown as 45th best and Cornell 70th. My own fondness for Lewis and Clark (#232) led me to look at their case specifically.

The Forbes method allocates about 20% of the final score from favorable entries left at ratemyprofessors.com. Lewis and Clark is a small college in which professors are greatly admired, but students happen not to zip off comments to ratemyprofessors.com, and so lose ground in the Forbes sweepstakes.

Similarly, about 20% of the score is attached to the degree of indebtedness with which graduates leave the institution. Obviously, the service academies (no tuition charge) get a major bounce in the rankings as a result. Lewis and Clark isn’t inexpensive, and that too drives score down.

All in all, the Forbes ranking opens up interesting cases for discussion but doesn’t offer much in the way of meaningful evaluation.