To make the best college choice, look beyond four-color brochures and stylish Web sites. Consumers of higher education must move beyond sound bites and marketing glitz and ask the important questions that will differentiate one institution from another. Based on over 30 years of teaching and administrative experience, I offer the following seven-question test to compare and contrast colleges and universities. The questions focus on characteristics that have a profound impact on learning, on personal development and on the long-term level of satisfaction and loyalty to an institution. The heart and soul of an undergraduate education is the interaction of student and professor.
Magic occurs when talented professors unlock intellectual potential in students.
Effective teaching is an art and should not be left to graduate assistants whose primary goal is completing their own degree. Teachers at all levels will claim that small class size is among the two or three most important variables in effective learning. Active engagement is especially critical during the first two years and that engagement is best cultivated in small classes taught by master teachers. The pursuit of original scholarship with guidance from a professor is the pinnacle of academic engagement and brings distinction to a student's resume. Ask about specific programs that support undergraduate research.