RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO COLLEGE

Note: If links on this page are broken, please let me know via my contact page. I’ll check them and make sure they are removed or changed if needed. Sometimes a different browser or machine (phone vs. computer, for example) will lead to different results. If links really don’t work, try searching for articles you want to read using the reference info here. Links often change but titles and publishers shouldn’t.

The resources below include blogs written by Dr. Weed, articles he has found about things like preparing to apply, choosing colleges, writing strong personal statements, making college affordable and worth your investment, the college environment, and more. All of the articles not by Dr. Weed are the author’s property. They represent the author’s views, not necessarily those of Dr. Weed.

Generally useful tools and websites: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Note: Search your app store for apps that will let you apply from your phone. American students should fill this out as soon after October 1 as possible in order to get access to tens of billions in Federal Student Aid. Filling it out late may keep you from accessing this invaluable source of money to help you get your degree. The FAFSA Forecaster can help you predict how much college may cost you.

“MyinTuition" is a net price calculator that can help you estimate the net price of more than 50 selective and highly selective schools such as Brown, Bowdoin, Caltech, Colorado College, Emory, Harvard, Macalester College, Rice, Stanford and Yale. Search “net price calculator” and the name of the school you’re considering to find a tool that will help you get a sense for what the “net price” of a degree will be to you after financial aid is factored in. Most campuses have them.

The Common Data Set Initiative is the tool many schools use to respond to surveys from places like US News for its rankings. Data across schools does not appear to be collected in one place but you can see the questions campuses are expected to respond to here. If you want school specific data, google “common data set” and then the name of the school you’re interested in. They often have the data posted on their websites but not all campuses will. Search the data for everything from faculty to student ratio to the average number of students in the classes you’ll attend if admitted to that school.

The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook is a searchable tool that tracks hundreds of job types in the US. It has data on the expected number of positions in hundreds of areas from journalism and secondary education to graphic design and nursing for example. what current salary is like in those fields, the work people in the jobs you ask about do, and expected trends in the number of positions in the areas you search for from now to 2028.

The US Department of Education’s College Scorecard is a potentially useful, but controversial, resource with data on how graduates from thousands of colleges do IN THEIR FIRST POSITION after completing their degrees. Data can be searched by college, major, debt incurred at each school, and more. Many feel because the scorecard focuses only on the first position after graduation, it is biased in some respects and may undervalue degrees not in STEM fields over a graduate’s full career. Research The Scorecard’s strengths and flaws before use.

Articles about the cost and affordability of college

“8 Common FAFSA Mistakes And How To Avoid Them,” CNBC: Mar 17, 2023.
Note: Lots of good advice here, the key point being, make sure to fill it out!
“How To Switch To A STEM Career" | Bankrate: Feb 24, 2023.
Note: Many STEM careers pay well but often require training. Read this to see how you can pay for it
“What is a 1098-E form? About the student loan interest statement,” USA Today: Jan 27, 2023.
“After Tuition, Books, and Room and Board, Colleges’ Rising Health Fees Hit a Nerve | Kaiser Health News: Dec 19, 2022.
Note: College health charges can be a large unexpected cost. Find out what your potential schools demand for on-campus health services.
“10 ways to save money on college costs,” Reviewed: Oct 7, 2022.
Note: Useful advice here.
“Michigan Creates A Robust And Unique Free College Program,” Forbes: Oct 7, 2022.
Note: See the article for information on what the article notes is a relatively complicated initiative.
“Grads from these colleges have the most debt: report,” The Hill: Oct 2, 2022.
“FAFSA Guide for Maximum Financial Aid in 2022,” Moneywise.com: Oct 1, 2022.
“California Colleges are Creating Centers to Assist Students With Their Basic Needs,” KQED: Aug 14, 2022.
Note: This discusses centers at UC, CSU and California community colleges and what they do for students who need their services.
“College Guide: Tax and Legal Matters Every Parent Should Know,” The Street: Aug 4, 2022.
“How to Get a Free or Cheap Laptop for College,” Lifehacker: Aug 3, 2022.
Note: points to resources that may be helpful if you qualify for financial help in this area.
“Clever Ways to Save When Your Kid Is off at College - Consumer Reports
Note: Some ideas are relevant to campus expenses some relevant to saving on expenses for the people still at home.
“Several Public Universities Reject Tuition Increases, Freeze Prices For Upcoming Year,” Forbes: June 16, 2022.
Note: Includes word on the Universities of Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, VATech, and Wisconsin among others.
“Student Loan Interest Rates Mean Borrowers End Up Owing Thousands More Dollars,” Teen Vogue: Mar 14, 2022.
“Tuition, fees continues to rise as pandemic inflation woes hit colleges,” NBC News: Feb 6, 2022.
“High school grads missed out on $3.75 billion of college money last year,” NerdWallet Via MarketWatch: Jan 31, 2022. Note: The takehome? FILL OUT THE FAFSA! If you didn’t last year you missed out on $4,440+ in aid you should have gotten.
“‘Don’t borrow for college,’ warns Harvard-trained economist—here’s why it’s a ‘waste of money’ and ‘far too risky’,” CNBC: Jan 25, 2022.
“Financial Aid Offers Are Negotiable. Here's How to Ask Colleges for More Money (and Get It),” Money: Apr 10, 2021.
“Why Did My Student Financial Aid Decrease?,” Forbes: Apr 2, 2021.
“Your Guide to Decoding Financial Aid Letters and Choosing a College You Can Afford,” Money: Mar 31, 2021.
“These kids were surprised with college scholarships. Here's how you can apply,” ABC News: Mar 31, 2021.
“Here's why more employers are offering student loan repayment assistance,” Fox business: Mar 30, 2021.
“College costs are skyrocketing. Here's how to figure out what you can afford,” Today: Mar 30, 2021.
“College in Utah will cost more next fall — with one exception, Deseret News: Mar 27, 2021.
“Affording College During A Pandemic? Here’s What You Should Know,” Forbes: Mar 10, 2021.
“As some colleges struggle, there may be an opportunity for more aid. Here’s how to negotiate,” CNBC: Feb 27, 2021.
“5 Helpful Tips for Understanding Merit Aid Scholarships,” Your Teen: Feb 22, 2021.
“How To Calculate The ROI Of Your College Choice,” Forbes: Feb 23, 2021.
“COVID pandemic is changing which colleges students want to attend. Here’s how,” The Charlotte Observer: Feb 22, 2021.
“Where states are boosting or slashing higher ed funding amid the pandemic,” PBS News Hour: Feb 18, 2021.
“Pulling Back The Curtain On What You’ll Really Pay For College,” Forbes: Feb 19, 2021.
“5 Things Every Family Should Know About Paying For College,” NPR: February 17, 2021.
“Citing Covid, Department Of Education Urges Colleges To Consider Financial Aid Appeals,” Forbes: Feb 1, 2021.

Essays on Choosing Colleges, Getting Recommendations, and Writing Statements from Dr. Weed

Older, but very helpful articles; Financial aid:

Articles on the Cost of College, Paying for College, and Making Your Degree More Affordable

Note: As is true in other segments of this list of pieces, none of these articles are by me. You should not take them as the only possible paths to managing your college costs and maximizing the value of your degree. Speak with your financial aid office, your high-school counselor, and/or experts in college finance for advice that is tailored to your particular needs.

“Here’s how to decode your college financial aid package – MarketWatch” Apr 27, 2023.
Note: Several other pieces on this topic are linked in this section of my resources page but this is a great start.
“Subsidized Loans vs. Unsubsidized Loans: What's The Difference?,” CNBC: Apr 27, 2023.
“How To Get In-State College Tuition,” Bankrate: Apr 27, 2023.
Note: Some options do not lead to fully “in-state” tuition if you aren’t a resident but they are worth knowing about if in-state public colleges won’t work for you.
“College Financial Aid Letters Hide the Real Cost of Attendance" – Bloomberg: Apr 27, 2023.
Note: There are a number of pieces in this section that may help you better understand the offers you are receiving.
“How to make sense of your college financial aid package - Chalkbeat Colorado”: Apr 25, 2023.
Note: This is an incredibly helpful read for anyone trying to figure out financial aid offers.
“Five Ways To Minimize Student Loan Debt,” Forbes: Apr 24, 2023.
[possible paywall]“How to Negotiate a Better College Financial-Aid Package – The Wall St. Journal: April 23, 2023.
Note: Good advice here.
[Possible Paywall]“How to Budget As a College Student,” Buy Side from WSJ: Apr 23, 2023.
[possible paywall] “Families Tap New Tools to Negotiate Lower College Tuition,” the Wall St. Journal: April 21, 2023.
Note: Mentions a couple of resources that may be helpful in negotiating financial aid packages with colleges.
“Yes, Colleges Really Can Cut Your Financial Aid if You Win Other Scholarships,” Money: April 20, 2023.
Note: There are a lot of caveats to this, read the article for some of them.
“How To Read Your Financial Aid Award Letter" | Bankrate: Apr 13, 2023.
“The FAFSA is getting a makeover later this year—here's what's changing,” CNBC: Apr 11, 2023.
Note: Anyone applying to, or in, college should be aware of these changes and when they go into effect.
“Largest Source of Free Money for College Can’t Keep Up,” NerdWallet: Apr 11, 2023.
Note: Any “free” money is worth getting if you can, so take advantage of Pell Grants if you qualify.
“What Is Student Loan Deferment?" | Bankrate: Apr 10, 2023.
Note: This opportunity can be very helpful under circumstances described in this article and online.
“13 Ways to Reduce the Cost of College Even if Your Kid Isn't the Valedictorian,” FinanceBuzz: Apr 4, 2023.
April Madness: How To Decipher College Financial Aid Letters
Note: A relatively detailed piece that may help you analyze your college financial aid package.
“What Is The Pell Grant Lifetime Limit? | Bankrate: Mar 29, 2023.
Note: Read this thoroughly and follow the various instructions it points to in order to get a sense for this.
“How To Afford Out-Of-State Tuition,” Bankrate: Mar 28, 2023.
Note: A useful read for anyone interested in study far from home—particularly on public campuses. There is also limited information on paying for private colleges.
“An Inside Look at College Financial Aid Letters – TheStreet: Mar 26, 2023.
Note: This is a must read for people trying to determine which college is making the best offer.
“Follow this rule of thumb to avoid taking on too much student debt,” CNBC: Mar 24, 2023.
“Does The GI Bill Cover College?" | Bankrate: Mar 18, 2023. Note: Yes, but there are some limits. Read on to learn what it will and won’t pay for.
“What Is Income-Contingent Repayment?" | Bankrate: March 18, 2023.
Note: Read this for a description of the extremely wide variety of loans that can be subject to this way of paying down principle.
“How to understand your college financial aid award letter,” CNBC: March 18, 2023.
Note: Financial aid awards are notoriously difficult to understand. This piece may help some.
“8 Common FAFSA Mistakes And How To Avoid Them,” CNBC: Mar 17, 2023.
Note: Lots of good advice here, the key point being, make sure to fill it out!
“University of Arizona hikes tuition by 3% for incoming students,” Washington Examiner: March 14, 2023.
Note: Not all tuition raises are 3% this is worth reading if you’re thinking about getting a degree in Arizona.
“Report: Alabama college students spend among the most in the country for education,” al.com: Mar13, 2023.
Note: an interesting article though discussion of net price to students would have been useful.
“There Is No Constituency That Really Wants To Lower College Prices,” Forbes: Mar 4, 2023.
Note: An interesting if somewhat disturbing read.
“10 Best Scholarship Websites for College in 2023,” Money: Feb 28, 2023.
Note: They are certainly good sites. Whether they are “best” or not is ultimately up to you.
“Top money hacks to get more college financial aid,” CNBC: Feb 27, 2023.
Note: Good advice here for people who need more money to make a degree work for them financially.
“How To Switch To A STEM Career | Bankrate: Feb 24, 2023.
Note: Many STEM careers pay well but often require training. Read this to see how you can pay for it
“Pros And Cons Of Private Student Loans | Bankrate: Feb 24, 2023.
Note: Lots of useful advice on private and public loans here. Well worth the read if you need them.
How To Consolidate Student Loans | Bankrate: Feb 24, 2023.
Note: consolidation is a process some people who have Federal student loans can benefit from. Read this to learn more.
“4 Myths About College Scholarships That Could Cost You,” Money: Feb 9, 2023.
Note: Everyone thinking about financial aid at any school should read this piece. All four myths trip people up at times.
“Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Student Loans: What to Borrow?” Entrepreneur: Dec 26, 2022.
Note: A very informative explanation of the differences between these loan types and strategies you should use if you need student loans.
“After Tuition, Books, and Room and Board, Colleges’ Rising Health Fees Hit a Nerve | Kaiser Health News: Dec 19, 2022.
Note: College health charges can be a large unexpected cost. Find out what your potential schools demand for on-campus health services.
“What free college looks like in the US,” Triad City Beat: Dec 11, 2022.
Note: A survey of states that offer some form of free college education. Many pointers to resources here.
“How Colleges Conceal Their True Prices,” Forbes: Dec 8, 2022.
“Financial aid offers from 9 in 10 U.S. colleges are misleading: report - CBS News": Dec 6, 2022.
Note: articles on the below report from the US Government Accounting Office are common. Get help sorting through your awards before committing to a campus.
“Financial Aid Offers: Action Needed to Improve Information on College Costs and Student Aid,” U.S. GAO: released Dec 5, 2022.
Note: This report is very concerning. As above, seek aid in toing through your financial aid offers once received.
“As enrollment falls and public skepticism grows, some colleges are cutting their prices,” The Hechinger Report: Nov 25, 2022.
“How student loan borrowing, college costs and grant aid have changed over time | CNN Politics: Nov 18: 2022. Note: Useful data and perspective here.
“What';s behind the sky-high cost of a college education — and are there any solutions?” CBS News: Nov 5, 2022.
Note: A lot of really useful analysis here. Well worth the read.
“Families can get Pell Grants of up to $6,895 to help with college costs. Here’s what you need to know,” CNBC: Nov 2, 2022.
Note: If you worry about affording college at all read this article!
“Here’s One Thing That Increased Less Than Inflation This Year: College Tuition,” Forbes: Oct 24, 2022.
Note: The author cites a lot of interesting statistics and does include net price trends which doesn’t always happen. Well worth the read.
“Deals between banks and colleges are flouting the law, putting students at risk of paying high fees, consumer watchdog finds" – MarketWatch: Oct 18, 2022.
“Earlier Is Better When It Comes To Applying For Financial Aid,” Forbes: Oct 12, 2022.
Note: Yes! Absolutely!
“When Is the FAFSA Deadline?” Money: Oct 10, 2022.
Note: this piece has very useful information and links to help you plan for financial aid applications. Well worth the read.
[opinion]“4 ways you can boost college financial aid if your FAFSA data is out of date – MarketWatch: Oct 7, 2022.
“This is the best time to apply for college financial aid,” CNBC: Oct 4, 2022.
“FAFSA Guide for Maximum Financial Aid in 2022,” Moneywise.com: Oct 1, 2022.
“How to Apply for the FAFSA in 9 Easy Steps | Money: Oct 1, 2022.
Note: This guide may be very helpful but whatever guide you use, applying early is key!
“How Much Should You Trust College Rankings?” Forbes: Sept 30, 2022.
Note: This is worth the read for the diverse perspectives, and the advice quoted by the author to focus on major vs campus is very useful.
“The Heinous Cost of College Is Getting Even Worse — Don't Miss These Critical Tools to Keep It Under Control,” MoneyWise.com: Sept 11, 2022.
Note: Useful advice here though the set-up is depressing in its realism.
“Federal vs. private student loans: What's the difference? - CBS News: Sept 8, 2022.
“College tuition inflation isn't as bad as you think,” Axios: Aug 27, 2022.
Note: This focuses on the net price of college rather than the posted price. Some interesting analysis of college psychology on posted prices.
“College financial aid: It’s a sham that depends on what colleges think families will pay,” Slate: July 25, 2022.
“Thinking about taking out a private student loan? These are the latest rates – MarketWatch: Aug 23, 2022.
Note: With the Federal Reserve likely to raise interest rates again, this information will be dated fairly soon but is useful as of Aug 23 2022.
“A financial aid checklist for NC parents of students heading to college,” The Raleigh News and Observer: Aug 22, 2022.
“How to apply for a student loan - CBS News: Aug 16, 2022.
“Most families don’t know when to file FAFSA for college financial aid,” CNBC: Aug 15, 2022.
Note: The true takehome is, once the FAFSA goes up on Oct 1, apply as early as you can.
“California Colleges are Creating Centers to Assist Students With Their Basic Needs,” KQED: Aug 14, 2022
Note: This discusses centers at UC, CSU and California community colleges and what they do for students who need their services.
“Key Changes Coming To The FAFSA For Fall 2022,” Forbes: Aug 12, 2022.
[possible paywall] “The next inflation-driven worry: Rising college tuition,” The Washington Post: Aug 12, 2022.
Note: This piece only lightly touches on the net price, not the posted price of college. Always check net price calculators for campuses you’re interested in. Other than this concern there is a lot of useful information here if you can access the WaPo.
“How to manage stress about money while you're in college,” CNBC: Aug 9, 2022.
Note: Lots of good advice here. Very well worth the read.
[probable paywall] “A Guide to the Coming College Financial-Aid Season,” The Wall St. Journal: Aug 8, 2022.
Note: LOTS OF VALUABLE ADVICE HERE. Libraries may have subscriptions to the WSJ if you don’t have access yourself.
“5 Financial Aid Mistakes To Avoid As You Start College,” Forbes: Aug 1, 2022.
“How To Lower Your EFC[Expected Family Contribution] To Qualify For More Financial Aid,” Forbes: July 31, 2022.
“Federal vs. private student loans: What’s the difference?,” Bankrate: July 26, 2022.
Note: A nice, if fairly brief, analysis of the differences between the two and when one may be more beneficial to use than the other.
“21 Ways for College Students to Earn Extra Cash,” Kiplinger: July 17, 2022.
“Chasing Athletic Scholarship Dreams Can Be a Costly Mistake" | Kiplinger: July 17, 2022.
“What Is A Federal Direct Loan? | Bankrate: July 15, 2022.
Note: Bankrate.com has several pieces on financial aid for college. This is one that may prove helpful if you need money to get your degree.
“From tuition hikes to higher student loan borrowing costs, inflation is making college even more expensive,” CNBC: July 15, 2022.
“Tuition Prices Will Jump As Colleges Grapple With Inflation, Demand For Higher Wages,” Forbes: July 14, 2022.
“What Is A Private Student Loan?” Bankrate: July 13, 2022.
“How To Get A Student Loan Without A Parent,” Bankrate: July 13, 2022.
“What Is A Pell Grant And How Do I Apply?” Bankrate: July 13, 2022.
Note: If you read any of the Bankrate pieces here, this is the one to read first in my view.
“How to go to college in NC without student loans,” The Charlotte Observer: July 8, 2022.
Note: Some of their suggestions are NC specific (though often with parallel programs in other states) but some are usable anywhere, particularly, filling out the FAFSA!
“Bowdoin College includes all students in 'need-blind' financial aid,” WMTW TV: July 7, 2022.
Note: Bowdoin is only the seventh college to include international students in this: Per the story, the others are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Dartmouth , and Amherst.
“Student loan debt: Here's how to know the amount you can afford,” CNBC: June 30, 2022.
“10 Sneaky College Fees That Could Break Your Budget,” FinanceBuzz: May 5, 2022.
Note: A LOT OF REALLY WISE ADVICE IN HERE.
“Student loan interest rates are about to go up :” NPR: May 6, 2022.
Note: Watch rates as time passes and the Prime Rate continues to change.
[paywall!]“Student Loans: Five Steps College Graduates Should Take,” the Wall St. Journal: May 9, 2022.
Note: This is behind a paywall but if you can get access it is very much well worth reading.
“Teens headed to college this year could face almost $40K in debt, and more parents are shouldering the load,” MarketWatch: May 10, 2022.
Note: Useful information here. Keys include being strategic about loans and fill out the FAFSA!
“Student Loans: Here Are The New Rates,” Forbes: May 14, 2022.
“College finance tips to avoid relying on student loans to pay for school,” ABC7 Chicago: May 14, 2022.
“How to Pay for College," Money: Nov 5, 2020.
“Published Tuition At Top Colleges To Increase An Average 3.7% Next Year,” Forbes: May 22, 2022. Note: USE NET PRICE CALCULATORS TO DETERMINE WHAT YOUR ACTUAL COSTS WILL BE.
“Tennessee commission freezes tuition at state public institutions, citing inflation,” Fox Business: May 22, 2022.
Note: This piece does not make it clear whether the freeze applies to all students or just those who are in-state. -state.
[possible paywall] “After lull, employers renew interest in helping workers repay student debt,” The Washington Post: May 28, 2022.
“15 Confusing Financial Aid Terms You Need to Know,” FinanceBuzz: May 30, 2022.
Note: Despite some seeming typos, there is a good deal of potentially useful information here.
“The most expensive state to go to college — plus tips on how to save money,” MarketWatch: May 31, 2022.
“How to pay for college after a financial setback,” CNBC: June 2, 2022.
Note: Very thoughtful advice here but as always, almost before anything else, the great key is to fill out the FAFSA!
“Higher Student Loan Rates Coming For Borrowers This Fall,” Forbes: June 3, 2022.
“How much does college really cost? It may be much less than you think,” CNBC: June 7, 2022.
Note: A well thought out piece that doesn’t make the mistake of focusing on the list price of college but rather the net price after financial aid.
“Hispanic-serving universities provide most economic mobility, report says,” NBC News: June 10, 2022.
Note: See the report from the Third Way below for more information and perspective.
“What Is Work-Study?” Bankrate: June 20, 2022.
Note: Describes the hows, wheres, benefits and some limits on work-study programs.
“Guide To Need-Based Financial Aid,” Bankrate: June 20, 2022.
Note: Much useful advice here, led by the need to apply for the FAFSA! But with other advice here as well.
“Should Parents Cosign Student Loans?” Forbes: June 21, 2022.
Note: If you are a parent and thinking on cosigning for a student loan for your college bound child this is an essential read.
“How to Get a Scholarship for College” Education Loan Finance: Apr 6, 2022.
Note: Though this organization mostly focuses on student loan refinance, their guide on
How to Get a Scholarship for College is very informative and well worth a read.
“Don't Let the FAFSA Deadline Sneak Up on You This Year,” CNET: Mar 30, 2022.
“Good news for college students: Pell Grants have gotten a boost,” MarketWatch: Mar 28, 2022. Note: To benefit from this you must apply for the FAFSA!
“these are the Country’s top Dream Colleges, But Price Remains a Concern:” CNBC: Mar 27, 2022. Note: Article doesn’t overtly state the importance of looking at the net price of these schools but useful information here all the same.
“College Money 101: From student loans to setting up a budget,” CNBC: Mar 24, 2022
“Biggest Mistakes That Families Make When Appealing College Financial-Aid Decisions,” The Wall St. Journal: Mar 6, 2022. Note: [paywall] This article describes several errors you can make when appealing financial aid decisions or asking for larger awards from preferred campuses.
“Appealing For More Financial Aid Can Be Daunting, Here Are Some Tips On Navigating The Process,” Forbes: Mar 1, 2022.
“Why choosing between public and private college based on tuition can be a mistake,” CNBC: Feb 23, 2022.
“Many Students Limit Their College Choices Because Of Lack Of Information About The Net Price Of College,” Forbes: Feb 16, 2022.
“College tuition is now rising at a rate lower than inflation,” CNBC: Oct 27, 2021.
Note: This press piece depends on Download the full report: Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2021 from the College Board.
“Can College Students Get More Financial Aid Mid-Year? Experts Weigh In,” Forbes: Feb 8, 2022.
Note: The author has collected a lot of really good ideas here.
“Income Share Agreements Can Help Pay for College, but Experts Recommend Maxing Out Federal Student Loans First,” Next Advisor [part of time]: Feb 1, 2022.
Note: If you’re deciding between an ISA and loans to pay for college this article could be extremely useful. Lots of clear information on both and how they compare.
"What Can You Really Do to Control Your Child’s College Tuition Costs?” Forbes: Dec 29, 2021.
“How Much College Debt Should Students and Parents Take On? Here’s How to Figure It Out.” The Wall St. Journal: Sept 5, 2021. Note: This piece is behind a paywall but if you can get access through a library or via another method, it is very much worth reading carefully.
“How To Cut College Costs,” Forbes: Dec 26, 2021.
“Most Expensive Colleges in Every State,” 24/7 Wall St. Dec 20, 2021. Note: This ranking claims to use net prices not pre-financial aid costs.
“Millions of jobs qualify for public service loan forgiveness—here’s how to know if yours does,” CNBC: Dec 14, 2021.
“7 Tools That Give the Best Estimates for How Much College Will Really Cost Your Family,” Money: Dec 6, 2021. Note: A listing of seven tools or tool types that can help you estimate the actual retail price of various campuses to you.
“How To Get Free Tuition For Higher Education In California,” LAist: Dec 4, 2021.
“More Colleges Are Promising to Help Pay the Student Loans of Low-Earning Graduates,” Money: Nov 25, 2021. Note: Many colleges have loan repayment assistance programs for certain graduates. See if your campus does. Use the College Scoreboard and Bureau of Labor Statistics (linked in resources) to see whether graduates in your proposed career may qualify for them in particular.
“Most California college students who qualify for ‘food stamps’ aren’t using them,” the Modesto Bee: Nov 23, 2021. Note: If you, or someone you know, can’t pay for food, rent and tuition all at once, please read this article and see if your campus has similar resources to help you access the food you need to succeed.
“More companies offer tuition assistance, student loan repayment to help with college costs,” CNBC: Nov 9, 2021.
“9 budgeting tips for university students,” Macleans Nov 3, 2021.
“$100 Million In Scholarship Money Goes Unclaimed Every Year. Does It Have To?,” Forbes: Nov 1, 2021.
“Which States Have The Least And Most Expensive Public Colleges?,” Forbes: Nov 1, 2021. Note: Lots of interesting information here that points toward data in the entry below.
“Trends in College Pricing,” The College Board: Late October 2021. Note: A terrific resource from the College Board that allows comparison of costs of colleges among many other features.
“How much for that textbook? Five ways students can save on course books,” USA Today: Oct 15, 2021.
“Apply for FAFSA college aid money now, but avoid these costly mistakes,” USA Today: Oct 15, 2021.
“Free FAFSA Help: Here's Where to Get Advice From College Aid Experts,” Money: Oct 12, 2021.
“Everything to Know About Filling Out the CSS Profile,” Money: Oct 12, 2021.
Note: CSS is used by many selective colleges and has somewhat different requirements than the FAFSA which they also use. In short, read this article thoroughly if you’re looking at selective colleges.
“How to Apply for the FAFSA,” Money: Oct 11, 2021.
“FAFSA Tips: These 7 Moves Could Help You Score More Financial Aid,” Money: Oct 11, 2021.
“The FAFSA, Your Ticket to Help Pay for College, Just Opened,” Nerdwallet: Oct 5, 2021.
“Students miss out on billions in college aid due to these 4 common FAFSA misconceptions,” CNBC: Oct 5, 2021.
“What you need to know about changes to the ’22-’23 FAFSA application and how to fill out the form,” CNBC: Oct 2, 2021.
“5 Fast But V. Important FAFSA Facts That Students Need To Know,” Buzzfeed: Oct 1, 2021
“Most Expensive Colleges—and What Students Actually Pay,” Newsweek: Oct 2, 2021.
Note tuition charges and net costs at these schools do not track each other: proof of different financial aid resources and priorities—and not only on these campuses. Estimate what you may pay at schools you’re considering via their net price calculators.
“How to Apply for the FAFSA,” Money: Sept 30, 2021. Note: I can’t encourage applying for the FAFSA strongly enough!
“How to get more financial aid for college,” CNBC: Sept 28, 0221. Note: The take home message? Fill out the FAFSA!
“The master’s degrees that give the biggest salary boost—up to 87% more money,” CNBC: Sept 24, 2021.
“These 6 US Colleges Offer Free Tuition So Students Don't Have To Pay To Study,” Narcity USA: Sept 22, 2021. Note: Read the article to discover partial caveats on the headline.
“The top 10 U.S. colleges will all cost you at least $55,000 a year in tuition,” MarketWatch Sept 14, 2021.
“You Can Get Free Money for College — and Help Finding It,” NerdWallet: Sept 2, 2021.
“College Insurance: Do You Need It? Checklist For Parents Of Students,” Rolling Stone: Aug 6, 2021.
“CollegeXpress: Scholarships Are Out There. Here’s How to Find Them,” Your Teen: Sept 1, 2021.
“More Than 1,000 Minnesota First-Time Student Loan Borrowers to Get Free College Success Coaching Under New State Partnership,” The 74: Aug 26, 2021.
“The rampant growth of US college tuition is finally slowing down,” Quartz: Aug 23, 2021.
“Headed Away to School? Here’s What Students With Health Issues Need to Know,” Kaiser Health News: Aug 24, 2021.
“Colleges help students apply for food stamps, as rules ease,” Cal Matters: Aug 18, 2021.
“10 Tips to Help You Pay for College This Fall,” Money: Aug 20, 2021.
“Soaring Home Values Could Lower Your College Student's Financial Aid Package,” Money: Aug 13, 2021.
“Can you use your college student loans for living expenses?,” CNBC: Aug 8, 2021.
“12 Ways to Save on College Expenses From a Recent College Graduate ,” Real Simple: July 23, 2021.
“University Of California Raises Tuition For First Time Since 2017,” Forbes: July 22, 2021.
“How to Pay for College When Your Family Makes Too Much Money to Qualify for Financial Aid,”Money: July 21, 2021.
“How To Save Big On College Textbooks This Year,” Forbes: July 21, 2021.
“Dorm Costs Have Soared, but Many Freshmen Have No Choice,” Nerd Wallet via The Entrepreneur: July 21, 2021. Note: As a former university administrator I strongly encourage a year in the dorms for a variety of reasons but this piece is well researched where costs are concerned.
“50 Colleges Where Parents Take Out the Biggest Loans to Pay Tuition,” Newsweek: July 21, 2021.
“Missouri governor ends limits on college tuition increases,” KMBC TV: July 13, 2021.
“Starting college in the fall? How to decide the right amount to borrow,” CNBC: July 7, 2021.
“Students, parents leave billions of dollars on the table by failing to file a FAFSA,” CNBC: June 28, 2021.
“Which Are The Most Generous And Prestigious Scholarships And Fellowships?,” Forbes: June 23, 2021.
“How to Save Money on College Tuition,” Real Simple: June 15, 2021
“College tuition is up 33% since 2000: How to cope with rising costs,” Fox Business: June 8, 2021. Note: There are pointers to lots of useful resources in this article.
“What is a 3-year college degree program and how much does it cost?” Fox business: Jun 4, 2021.
“How Much Should Parents Really Pay for College? An Expert Explains in a New Book,” Money: Jan 28, 2021. Note: The book (not by me!!) referred to in this article is definitely worth encouraging your local school or library to purchase.
“Didn't Get Enough Financial Aid For College? You Can Ask For More Money,” NPR: Jan 16, 2021.
“Pandemic Relief Package Simplifies FAFSA,” Forbes: Dec 22, 2020.
“Opinion: To get the most college financial aid, you need to plan 2 years ahead,” MarketWatch: Nov 23, 2020.
“How To Help College Applicants Get Financial Aid During Covid,” Forbes: Nov 17, 2020.
“How To Win A College Scholarship,” Forbes: Nov 16,2020.
“9 Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Federal Financial Aid,” Money: Oct 26, 2020.
“What Is The Return On Investment From A Liberal Arts Education?” Forbes: Oct Oct 22, 2020.
“The FAFSA opens Oct 1—and it’s more important than ever to complete it ASAP,” CNBC: Sept 29, 2020.
“FAFSA Opens Soon—Here’s What to Know If You’ll Have a Student in College Next Year,” Real Simple: Sept 24, 2020.
“What is an income share agreement? What college students need to know about this type of student loan,” Nerd Wallet via MarketWatch: Sept 24, 2020.
“U.S. News ‘Best Colleges’ rankings will take colleges’ average debt load into account for the first time,” MarketWatch: Sept 14, 2020.
“Don’t Make These Common Errors On The FAFSA,” Forbes: Sept 13, 2020.
“Student Loan Strategies: How to Borrow Smartly (and Maybe, Less) for College,” Money: Sept 2, 2020.
“Coronavirus Could Force Colleges to Permanently Close Their Doors. Here’s How to Tell if Your School Is at Risk” Aug 28, 2020.
“Colleges Are Flooded With Requests for More Financial Aid. Here's How You Can Make the Strongest Case,” Money: Aug 26, 2020.

Articles on The College Search and Admissions Process

Note: As elsewhere in the media section of this page, these articles are not by me. Please read them thoroughly, do not depend on just the headline for the take home message as there are nuances and details throughout many of these pieces.

Note: The Covid-19 pandemic will affect the college admissions process for a long time. Please take note of these resources as well as the more “general” ones on this page if you feel your life and candidacy for college have been affected by it.

“West Virginia University permanently adopts test-optional policy to help curb applicants' stress" | Fox News: Apr 25, 2023.
“UP CLOSE Pressure to project growth,” The Yale Daily News: Apr 25, 2023.
Note: a fascinating piece on “Pressure to Project Growth, the struggle to package mental illness in a college application“. Well worth the read.
“How To Boost Your College Applications Using AI — Without Cheating The Essay,” Forbes: Apr 24, 2023.
Note: Some really creative ideas for researching schools here though the author also describes limitations of AI in your campus search.
“No need to load up on extracurricular activities, study finds,” Phys.org: Apr 24, 2023.
“The University System of Georgia will waive test requirements,” Macon Telegraph: Apr 19, 2023.
“How to decide on a school ahead of College Decision Day,” CNBC: Apr 18, 2023.
Note: Lots of good hardheaded advice here as people make huge choices in their lives, and not always with the options they wish they had.
“Hardest College to Get Into in Every State,” Stacker: Jan 23, 2023.
Note: This is well worth reading if you’re looking for highly selective colleges near you. Some states lack highly competitive schools.
“How To Help Your Student Decide Between Colleges,” Forbes: Apr 11, 2023.
Note: Many useful questions students and parents can ask themselves here.
[opinion]“How To Decide Whether Attending College Is Right For You,” Blavity: Apr 10, 2023.
“How direct admission is changing the process of applying for college,” Forbes: Apr 10, 2023.
Note: There is some really useful perspective here.
“What Colleges Really Mean By “Holistic Review”,” Forbes: Apr 6, 2023.
Lots of useful information for the applicant here.
“High School Seniors Have To Pick A College By May 1. Parental Stress Doesn't Help,” Laist: Apr 6, 2023.
Note: Good wisdom here for the parents of students lucky enough to have choices on where to go next fall.
“ChatGPT’s College Admissions Essay Made These 5 Common Mistakes,” Forbes: Apr 5, 2023.
Note: Some really useful thoughts for students starting to work on their statements for the 2023-24 admissions cycle.
“Rural students' access to elite colleges is target of new initiative,” USA Today: Apr 4, 2023.
Note: This article describes the work of The STARS College Network which has been built to assist students from rural and small town environments apply to elite campuses. Check the General Resources section for other potentially helpful supports.
“One in four college applicants avoids entire states for political reasons | The Hill,” Apr 1, 2023.
“Acceptance Rates By The Ivies, Other Elite Colleges Stay At Historic Lows,” Forbes: Apr 1, 2023.
Note: Trends at most Ivies, are described and Northwestern, Bowdoin, Williams, Barnard, Rice, The University of Southern California, and NYU are mentioned.
“Ivy Day 2023 results: Ivy League acceptance rates are new low,” The New York Post: Mar 31, 2023.
“College Applications Are Up Dramatically In 2023,” Forbes: Mar 30, 2023.
“Ivy League admissions specialists shares tips - Epicenter-NYC: Mar 30, 2023.
Note: Useful advice here and not just for Ivy admissions.
“Yale accepts 4.35 percent of applicants, marking lowest acceptance rate in history,” Yale Daily News: Mar 30, 2023.
Note: Some interesting information on programs for admitted students here.
“Harvard College Accepts 3.41% of Applicants to Class of 2027 ,” The Harvard Crimson: Mar 30, 2023.
Note: Lots of interesting statistics on this class and some on Harvard’s financial aid policies.
“Using college rankings to pick a school? Here's why that's a problem,” USA Today: Mar 30, 2023. Note: This commentary makes a very very good point.
“College Admissions Trends For 2023,” Forbes: Mar 29, 2023.
Note: A lot of very useful information and perspective here.
“What is ‘Ivy Day?’ Your guide to elite college admissions’ big day,” The New York Post: Mar 29, 2023.
Note: A lot of useful advice in this piece whether you’re accepted to an Ivy or not.
“Waitlisted At Your Dream College? Here’s How To Write A Strong Letter Of Continued Interest,” Forbes: Mar 29, 2023.
“Australia rates well in world university subject rankings, but are there clouds on the horizon?,” Cosmos: Mar 28, 2023.
Note: Lots of data here on how Australian universities compare with those in other countries per the QS rankings linked in that section.
“US colleges face loss of racial diversity if race-conscious admissions banned - study | Reuters: Mar 28, 2023.
“First Generation College Student Definition and Meaning,” Seventeen: Mar 28, 2023.
“Yale extends test-optional policy for 2023-24 admissions cycle" - Yale Daily News: Mar 28, 2023.
“Applying for college is stressful. Here's how parents can help,” Yahoo! Life: Mar 22, 2023.
Note: Useful wisdom here.
“Here are 3 college admissions trends to know in 2023,” KCRA: Mar 22, 2023.
Note: Though brief this does have some really useful info and perspective.
“The College Ranking Process Is Under Scrutiny. What That Means If You’re Deciding Where to Go,” Time: Mar 17, 2023.
“5 Things To Consider When Choosing Between Colleges,” Forbes: Mar 7, 2023.
Note: A terrific read when admissions decisions are coming in, and applicants must decide where to go.
“Columbia becomes first Ivy League school to permanently drop testing requirement for undergrad applicants" | Fox News: Mar 3, 2023.
Note: This also surveys known policy at the other Ivy schools as of the date of publication.
[Possible Paywall] “Colorado College Withdraws From U.S. News & World Report Undergrad Ranking,” The Wall St. Journal: Feb 27, 2022.
Note: this also mentions the law and medical schools that have withdrawn from US News’ rankings for their professional school types.
“More than 80% of US colleges cling to test-optional admissions despite COVID-19 receding,” Washington Examiner: Feb 12, 2023.
Note: This piece has data on who benefits from taking standardized tests and expert thoughts on whether schools will require them again.
[possible paywall]“Maryland colleges are trying to shake tepid enrollment. Results are mixed,” The Washington Post: Feb 07, 2023.
Note: Many Maryland colleges discussed here with a good deal of data on trends with respect to the size of their student bodies and success of their efforts to recruit students.
[possible paywall] “Rebellion Over College Rankings Seems Likely to Fail – The Wall St. Journal: Jan 27, 2023.
“How To Start Your College Search,” Forbes: Jan 23, 2023.
Note: A lot of really good advice compiled here if you’re starting to think about where you might want to go.
“When is the Ucas deadline 2023? Date and time to submit university application, and what happens if it's late,” Inews: Jan 23 2023.
Note: Useful dates to know if you’re interested in UK schools. Note dates are different for Oxford and Cambridge.
“2023 Top College Admission Resources,” Forbes: Jan 15, 2023.
Note: The author has collected a wide range of great resources from books to blogs. Some are free, some not.
“Early Admissions Data Reveals Record-Breaking Cycle For Top Schools,” Forbes: Dec 21, 2022.
Note: This useful data makes the perspective in the Town and Country piece immediately below even more relevant. Make sure you fit the college well before applying early as otherwise you’ll not get in!
“Early Decision Results Are in For College Applicants—Was It a Bloodbath Again?,” Town and Country: Dec 20, 2022.
Note: There is a lot of really useful perspective in this piece for applicants on either early or regular decision tracks.
“Universities Accept Record Number Of Low-Income Students Through QuestBridge,” Forbes: Dec 19, 2022.
Note: The article gives a sense for students who qualify for assistance with applications through QuestBridge. Read it if, for example, your family income is less than $65,000 a year.
“Harvard College Accepts 7.56% of Early Action Applicants to Class of 2027,” The Harvard Crimson: Dec 15, 2022.
“Yale accepts 10 percent of early applicants, marking lowest early acceptance rate in 20 years,” Yale Daily News”: Dec 15, 2022.
“Deferred from early admission colleges? Here's what to do next,” The New York Post: Dec 15, 2022.
Note: Lots of useful advice here.
“How to cultivate a teacher relationship for college recommendations,” KCRA: Dec 14, 2022.
Note: Excellent advice here. Well worth reading for highschoolers, college students planning on grad school too.
“Ivy League Admissions Offices Are Setting Their Sights On Rural Students—Can City Dwellers Take Advantage Of Their Efforts?,” Forbes: Dec 7, 2022.
“In college admissions, ‘test-optional’ is the new normal,” The Hill: Dec 02, 2022.
Note: See concerning data in this piece showing that tests may not be quite as optional as some would like you to think.
“Three College Admissions Tips For Students With Learning Differences,” Forbes: Nov 29, 2022.
Note: There is good advice here whether you have a learning difference or not.
[possible paywall] “UC-Berkeley can’t use race in admissions. What can we learn from its experience? - The Washington Post: Nov 28, 2022.
“Early Decision II: The Complete List For 2022-2023,” Forbes: Nov 21, 2022.
Note: I do not recommend early decision unless you are *certain* of your choice, but for those interested there is useful information here.
“Some Good News On The College Application Front,” Forbes: Nov 18, 2022.
Note: Per the article, applications to almost all types of schools are up, and up from most places (domestic and international), too.
“Do your homework to find the perfect college,” The New York Post: Nov 17, 2022.
Note: the headline is the take home. Treat my entire resource page as a way to carry out this essential task.
“How to prepare for the competitive world of Ivy League admissions,” The New York Post: Nov 17, 2022.
“ACT/SAT Optional List,” Fairtest: Fall 2022.
Note: This resource shows which colleges and universities are test optional in this admissions cycle.
“Shedding Daylight On Control In College Admission,” Forbes: Nov 6, 2022.
Note: This is a great analysis of the psychology of applicants, parents, counselors and others in the admissions process. Well worth reading.
“Getting Accepted To An HBCU: A Guide,” BET News: Nov 5, 2022.
“What is the deadline to apply to University of California?” The Modesto Bee: Nov 4, 2022.
“Applying for College? Keep in Mind, What You Post Online Is Public Record,” NBC Boston: Nov 1, 2022.
“More Virginia colleges make SAT, ACT exams optional - Virginia Mercury: Oct 31, 2022.
Note: UVA, and VaTech are mentioned specifically as well as other campuses.
“Why elite colleges can’t give up legacy admissions – MindShift: Oct 25, 2022.
Note: A fascinating read though the data and conclusions are not surprising to me at least.
“Increase In FAFSA Applications Suggests College Enrollment Increases Next Year,” Forbes: oct 23, 2022.
“Should college hopefuls apply early decision or early action?” CNBC: Oct 22, 2022.
Note: A great survey of the benefits of applying early but the problems (notably being locked into a campus) are somewhat understated in my view.
“Here’s how to help students pick their favorite college,” Chalkbeat: Oct 20, 2022.
Note: Useful strategic advice here.
“College Applications Season is Here…Here is How to Ace It,” hercampus.com: Oct 20, 2022/
Note: Useful perspective from a current college student and recent applicant.
“PROOF POINTS: Colleges that ditched test scores for admissions find it's harder to be fair in choosing students, researcher says,” The Hechinger Report: Oct 17, 2022.
Note: If confirmed this could impact future admissions policy in a variety of ways, see some of the issues offices are having as described in the article.
“ACT test scores fall to lowest levels since 1991,” Axios: Oct 12, 2022.
“Elite public colleges slash acceptance rates, raising pressure on students,” The Hill: Oct 12, 2022.
Note: Article mentions UCLA, UC Berkley, UC Irvine, UT-Austin, UNC Chapel Hill, UVA, and the Universities of Georgia at Athens, Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Wisconsin-Madison. California, Illinois flagged as reducing or changing out-of-state admissions.
“Half in new poll say in-state, public universities not affordable,” The Hill: Oct 11, 2022.
“Some colleges are using course sharing to provide workforce-focused education,” The Hechinger Report: Oct 6, 2022.
Note: This may be of particular interest to students thinking about liberal arts (or other smaller business/tech focused) campuses.
“ University makes major push for diversity without considering race, gender in admissions,” the PBS NewsHour: Oct 45, 2022.
Note: this article describes activity in the University of California System.
“Amidst Pressure To Admit More In-State Applicants, UC Schools Implement Sweeping Changes,” Forbes: Oct 5, 2022.
“Does Harvard’s Advising System Work,” The Harvard Crimson: Sept 30, 2022.
Note: discusses strengths and weaknesses of Harvard’s advising system which, in many ways, is comparable in structure and complexity to several other schools’ advising programs.
“As American Colleges Struggle to Fill Classes, Ivy League Yield Rates Continue to Rise ,” The Harvard Crimson: Sept 30, 2022.
“Out-of-state students at public universities: the enrollment trend that’s fueling the student debt crisis.” Slate: Sept 25, 2022.
“California’s College Savings Program Offers Money For All Kids, And Some 2022 Graduates Can Get It Now,” Laist: Sept 8, 2022.
“10 Application Tips To Stand Out To Ivy League Colleges During The Admissions Process” Forbes: Sept 5, 2022.
Note: The advice here is good for any competitive college though I would have included showing passion for things you care about even more overtly in no.7.
“How Forbes’ Top 25 Colleges Stack Up On Alumni Salaries,” Forbes: Aug 30, 2022.
“America’s Military Service Academies: An Outstanding Option For Undergraduate Education,” Forbes: Aug 30, 2022.
Note: An excellent survey of this option and its long term outcomes though the author doesn’t fully comment on the complexity of the admissions/recommendation process. Read on line or talk with someone like me if this is an option for you.
“How Tech Is Transforming the College Search,” ReadWrite: Aug 29, 2022.
“HBCU Enrollment Has Significantly Increased Since 2020,” BET News: Aug 19, 2022.
[paywall?] “How parents can make the college admissions process less stressful,” The Washington Post: Aug 18 2022.
Note: Lots of wisdom here….
“The best colleges for financial aid, according to The Princeton Review,” CNBC: Aug 17, 2022.
Note: Per this ranking/listing, no Ivy League campus is in the top ten though some well known schools (and some less so) are represented.
“College Admission: This Is Not A Race,” Forbes: Aug 6, 2022.
Note: Lots of wisdom in this piece. Well worth reading and considering as you put your applications (and list of schools) together.
[paywall] “College Essay Prompts Get Absurd. ‘So Where Is Waldo, Really?’” The Wall St. Journal: Aug 2, 2022.
“Princeton #1, But Public Universities Also Do Well In New College Ranking Based On Economic Returns,” Forbes: Aug 2, 2022.
Note: This article describes a ranking system (next entry below) that focuses on the economic returns vs costs of attending colleges nation-wide.
“The best colleges and universities in the United States,” Degreechoices.com: Summer 2022.
Note: This ranking looks at the cost vs economic benefit of attending many colleges across the US. As with all ranking systems, check their methodology to see if it fits your needs and values.
“Arkansas, Montana And Oklahoma Lead Initiative To Improve College Completion Rates,” Forbes: May 4, 2022.
“When applying to college, how much do advanced courses matter?,” The San Diego Union-Tribune: May 15, 2022.
Note: Article focuses on UCLA, Stanford and San Diego State, mentions USC and UCSD briefly.
“How to Choose a College,” Money: May 16, 2022.
Note: Useful well organized information here.
“No SAT, No Problem? How Test-Optional Policies Are Changing College Admissions,” Money: May 17, 2022.
Note: This details a lot of the fine print on no test or test optional admissions
“Its Not Too Early to Begin The Next College Admission Process,” The Raleigh News and Observer: May 22, 2022.
Note: A great, tight summary of what needs to be done to prepare for applications this fall.
“Which Cal Poly SLO majors have the most applicants?,” San Luis Obispo Tribune: May 26, 2022.
Note: Useful information here on a very good science/tech focused school that has applicability elsewhere.
“College Admission: Data, Transparency, And Match,” Forbes: June 2, 2022.
“The Strongest And Weakest Colleges In America — Behind Forbes 2022 Financial Grades” Forbes: June 9, 2022.
Note: Very useful information and ways of looking at schools’ financial health here, particularly if you’re not looking at name brand schools.
“Be A College Admission Data Scientist,” Forbes: June 9, 2022.
Note: Good thinking here. See my blog on how Big Data can help you select a college for a similar but different perspective.
“College Admission Summer Planning Guide,” Forbes: June 17, 2022.
Note: Though published about three months too late, this has a lot of useful advice for those who choose to listen to it.
“Ivy League acceptance rates drop to new low. They're not alone.” CBS News: Apr 1, 2022.
“Yale College admits 2,234 from record applicant pool,” The Yale News: Mar 31, 2022. Note: Useful data on financial aid changes here but nothing on the socioeconomic makeup of the class. Compare with the Harvard Gazette piece below.
“Harvard to expand financial aid starting with Class of ’26,,” the Harvard Gazette: Mar 31, 2022. Note: The stated increase in financial aid does not adjust for inflation. After inflation the increase is *very* large but it's worth noting this overstatement of real growth in the article which has many interesting stats on the admit class.
[possible paywall] “Colleges scramble to recruit students as nationwide enrollment plunges,” The Washington Post: Mar 31, 2022. Note: After the resources from Yale and Harvard above, the reader will know some colleges are doing well with recruitment, but this piece shows many are not.
“This Year's College Admissions Horror Show,” Also titled: “New College Admissions Challenges for Parents and Students in 2022” Town and Country: Mar 30, 2022.
[Paywall] “Some Ivy League Colleges to Play Down How Selective They Are,” The Wall Street Journal: Mar 31, 2022.
“After MIT reinstates SAT and ACT mandate, will other colleges follow?” NBC News: Mar 30, 2022.
“MIT reinstating standardized testing requirements,” The Hill: Mar 28, 2022.
“Helping teens weather the blow of college rejection letters,” Los Angeles Times: Mar 28, 2022.
“Our College Experience in the UK and US Were Completely Different,” Insider: Mar 25, 2022. Note: This is from the perspective of UK natives so account for this. It also didn’t cover things like availability of services (laundry, internet, library subscription services etc). If these are important to you, ask about them as you’re making choices wherever you are applying whether nationally or internationally.
“Cal State College System Drops SAT/ACT Admission Requirement ,” the Associated Press via US News and World Report: Mar 23, 2022.
“UC System Reports Record Number Of Freshman Applications With UCLA Leading The Way,” CBS Los Angeles: Feb 24, 2022.
“ANALYSIS: Experts weigh in on Supreme Court affirmative action case,” The Yale Daily News: Feb 18, 2022.
“Yale extends test-optional policy for 2022-23 admissions,” the Yale Daily News: Feb 16, 2022. Note: This also touches on policies at several peer institutions.
“College Admission: Things That Make You Go Hmmm...,” Forbes: Feb 14, 2022.
“Education Department revamps College Scorecard,” The Hill: Feb 07, 2022.
“10 Top HBCUs You Should Know About,” HGTV: Jan 28, 2022.
“Applications To College Continue To Rebound,” Forbes: Jan 26, 2022.
“Record number of prospective first-years apply to Yale,” The Yale Daily News: Jan 25, 2022.
[possible paywall] “The SAT is going digital and getting much shorter. Say goodbye to No. 2 pencils on testing day.,” The Washington Post: Jan 24, 2022.
“Top 10 College Admission Myths Debunked for Parents and Teens,” Your Teen: Jan 22, 2022.
“Deadline Update: First-Year Application Trends Through January 17,” The Common Application: Jan 21, 2022. Note: Indicates that applications to four year colleges are starting to recover from earlier lows.
“Too Many Qualified Students, Too Few Seats At UC, CSU,” LAist: Dec 16, 2021.
“College accepts 740 students to Class of ’26 under early action program,” the Harvard Gazette: Dec 16, 2021. Note: Highly useful information on Harvard admission practices and trends herein.
[Paywall?]“Harvard won’t require SAT or ACT through 2026 as test-optional push grows,” the Washington Post: Dec 16, 2021.
“Harvard College Admits 7.9% of Early Applicants to Class of 2026,” the Harvard Crimson: Dec 16, 2021.
“Yale admits 800 early action applicants, matches 81 QuestBridge finalists,” Yale Today: Dec 16, 2021.
“College admission applications spike as January deadline nears,” CNBC: Dec 7, 2021.
“College applications rebounded by 22% this year—here’s why,” CNBC: Dec 2, 2021.
“We compared admissions requirements at [South Carolina] public universities. Here’s what we found,” The State: Dec 1, 2021.
“Early Indicators Suggest Applications To College Are Bouncing Back,” Forbes: Nov 29, 2021.
“Here are the application requirements for colleges in Kansas and Missouri,” The Kansas city Star: Nov 17, 2021.
“University of California Officially Ends Standardized Testing Requirement for Undergraduates,” CalMatters via Times of San Diego: Nov 20, 2021.
“Lifting the veil on college admissions amid the pandemic,” Ed Source: Oct 27, 2021.Note: This links to a recording on YouTube of a full length roundtable discussion on what admissions committees in California are focusing on in their applicants.
“Former Stanford admissions officer: ‘Well-rounded is not enough’—here’s how to really stand out,” CNBC: Oct 22, 2021
“University of Vermont has biggest incoming class in history,” WPTZ TV: Oct 19, 2021.
“The Hardest Colleges to Get Into,” 24/7 Wall St. Oct 12, 2021.
“4 tips for choosing a good college – and getting accepted,” The Conversation US: Oct 8, 2021.
“More California colleges remove SAT, ACT requirements during application process,” The San Diego Tribune: Oct 9, 2021.
“How important is it to take AP classes for college admissions?,” Today: Oct 5, 2021.
“How important are class grades in college admissions? Experts weigh in,” Today: Sept 28, 2021.
“As UC makes room for more Californians, can it afford to lose out-of-state students?,” Cal Matters: Sept 24, 2021.
“How To Get To College In California: Which School Should I Go To?” LAist: Sept 21, 2021. Note: Lots of well organized advice here.
“ACT and SAT scores no longer considered for admission or merit-based scholarships at KU,” The Kansas city Star: Aug 27, 2021.
“College Admissions Tips for High School Students and Parents,” Your Teen: Aug 5, 2021.
Note: This points to some potentially useful resources for teens and parents that may be helpful as early as first year of high-school.
“How do I fill out a college application? Common App tips in COVID times,” USA Today: Aug 1, 2021.
“Why American High School Students Are Flocking to European Colleges,” Observer: July 17, 2021.
“Illinois Passes Law Requiring Its Public Universities To Use Test Optional Admissions,” Forbes: July 11, 2021.
“College applications pour in because of optional ACT, SAT test scores amid COVID-19,” USA Today: June 25, 2021.
“Planning to study in the US? Here’s what you should know about the common application,” the South China Morning Post: June 22, 2021.
“How test-optional policies are changing college admissions in Washington,” The Seattle Times: June 20, 2021.
“5 Ways To Find Right-Fit Colleges,” Forbes: June 17, 2021.

Articles on Why Investing in Going to College is a Good Idea

Rankings

Please note: In all cases with Rankings you should review their methodology to see if the factors used by those making the rankings are important to you. In some cases the parts of a college that are seen as important by whatever group is doing the rankings may be more or less important to you than they are to the group doing the ranking.

“25 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the U.S” “Travel and Leisure: Mar 27, 2023.
Note: If campus beauty is important to you, check this piece out while knowing you and they may differ
on “beauty”.
“2023’s Best College Towns & Cities in America,” WalletHub: Nov 29, 2022.
Note: As always with rankings, look at their methodology to see if what they value is what you care
about.
“Using college rankings to pick a school? Here's why that's a problem,” USA Today: Mar 30, 2023.
Note: This commentary makes a very very good point concerning the flaws in traditional ranking
methodologies. One of many reasons why I always say to check methodology to be sure what you and
the people setting the ranking up value the same things.
“Subject Rankings 2023,” Top Universities: Winter 2023.
Note: This system compares hundreds of universities, showing how they do in 54 subject areas relative
to each other. As always check methodology to be sure the things they value are what you care about.
“The New York Times Launches A Build-Your-Own College Ranking Tool,” Forbes: Mar 28, 2023.
Note: This piece describes the limits, and great potential of the NYT ranking tool linked below.
[possible paywall] “Opinion | Build Your Own College Rankings - The New York Times,” Mar 26, 2023.
Note: This tool, described in the Forbes piece above, allows you to set the weights on the parts of a
college experience that matter to you.
[Paywall]“The Unraveling of the U.S. News College Rankings,” the Wall St. Journal: March 21, 2023.
Note: A fascinating piece with breakdowns of the factors US News is understood to put into its college,
Law and Medical school rankings.
“Best public colleges in America,” Stacker via Triad City Beat: Feb 26, 2023.
Note: Data used for this ranking comes from Niche. Niche’s methodology leads to some surprising
results. Check it to see if what they value is important to you.
“Johns Hopkins University Again Tops List Of Leading Institutions For NIH Funding,” Forbes: Feb 20,
2022.
Note: this also includes the rest of the top ten and a pointer to further data. Useful if you are thinking
about research during or after college.
“The top national universities,” Degreechoices.com: Winter 2022-23.
Note: This ranking looks at return on investment. They also have a “top colleges” ranking linked to this
page. Check their methodology to se if it meets your needs.
[possible paywall] “Rebellion Over College Rankings Seems Likely to Fail – The Wall St. Journal: Jan 27,
2023.
“Forbes America’s Top Colleges List 2022,” Forbes: Fall 2022.
Note: Read their methodology to ensure you value what they think is important.
“The Most Expensive Colleges In The United States – 24/7 Wall St: Jan 13, 2022.
Note: This is well worth the read for anyone as there are a few surprises here. The summary is very
informative.
“The Top 20 American Universities For R And D Funding In Engineering,” Forbes: Jan 1, 2022. Note: It is often hard to work with leading faculty at top ranked schools but lots of funding shows
they’re there if you can get to them.
“2023 Hardest Colleges to Get Into – Niche: Fall 2022.
Note: This lets you see what colleges are hardest to get into and has ways to limit your search. Check
their methodology as some schools’ rankings may be over or understated relative to published
admissions figures.
“Europe's highest ranked universities: Which countries have performed the best in the Global Top 100?
| Euronews: Dec 29, 2022.
Note: If you’ve thought about college/graduate school in Europe this is an interesting read.
“Higher Education Research and Development: Fiscal Year 2021 | NSF - National Science Foundation:
Dec 15, 2022.
Note: This shows how much money went into R&D on hundreds of US campuses. Potentially useful if
you want research opportunities in college. You should also check school websites to see what
percentage of students actually do research on campuses where you’re applying.
“Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI (2022),” The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce: Fall
2022.
Note: See methodology to determine if their criteria match yours.
“These are the top 20 schools students love the most,” The New York Post: Nov 17, 2022.
Note: Check the methodology as always….campuses on this list are diverse in size and culture.
“Most Bike-Friendly Colleges in the U.S. - League of American Bicyclists: Nov 14, 2022.
“2022-2023 Best Universities in the World,” US News: Fall, 2022.
Note: As per usual, check their methodology to see if what they value matches what you care about.
[possible paywall]“ 2022-2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Colleges,” US News Rankings: Fall 2022. Note: This ranking shows which liberal arts schools offer the best value for whatever you will spend there. As always check methodology to see if it meets your needs. You may need to go to a library or have a subscription to get full information.
“How U.S. News Calculated the Best Colleges Rankings,” US News and World report: Sept 12, 2022.
Note: This explains US News’ methodology for calculating their rankings of colleges and universities for 2022-23. Read this carefully if you put any stock in ranking systems.
“University Rankings 2023,” the Times Higher Education: Fall 2022
Note: this hierarchy focuses on “teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook”. See page one and their methodology to learn how they set their ranking.
[Paywall] “American Universities Continue to Falter in World Rankings as China Rises – The Wall St. Journal: Oct 12, 2022.
“Free Speech Rankings,” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression: Sept 7, 2022.
Note: As with every other ranking here, look at their methodology to see if your values match theirs.
“The 50 best colleges by value for 2023, ranked,” CBS News: Oct 7, 2022.
Note: This CBS piece is based on a ranking by Niche, You can see their criteria, here.
“How Much Should You Trust College Rankings?” Forbes: Sept 30, 2022.
Note: This is worth the read for the diverse perspectives, and the advice quoted by the author to focus on major vs campus is very useful.
“The Guardian University Guide 2023 – the rankings,” The Guardian: Sept 24, 2022.
Note: A useful ranking tool that lets you pick among several variables if you’re interested in college in Britain. As always see methodology to compare what you and they value.
“2023 Safest College Campuses in America,” Niche: September 2022.
Note: See their ranking to understand how they evaluate safety on campuses.
“America’s Least College-Educated States,” 24/7 Wall St.
“Why You Shouldn't Trust the US News 'Best Colleges' Rankings,” LifeHacker: Sept 15, 2022.
Note: Legitimate criticisms here, many/most of which are applicable to other ranking systems in some way or other.
“Critiques mount around popular annual college rankings,” CNN: Sept 13, 2022.
“2022-2023 Best Colleges | College Rankings and Data | US News and World report: Sept 12, 2023.
Note: This may be behind a paywall but it is the most widely viewed ranking tool. As always check methodology to ensure what they value is also important to you.
[possible paywall] “U.S. News college rankings face questions, complaints and competition - The Washington Post: Sept 12, 2022.
Note: This piece, which may be behind a paywall and which you may need to access at your local library, has useful perspective on all rankings tools, not just the US News ranking.
“Worst List: The Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth - Campus Pride
Note: As of Sept 10, 2022 this page is barely accessible to a screen reader user. I have noted this to Campus Pride but the resource itself is too important to LGBTQ people not to post.
“The 5 “Best” Tips For Responsibly Using College Rankings,” Forbes: Sept 3, 2022.
Note: Much wisdom here. In my view particularly in no.s 3 and 4 but all of this is well worth
internalizing.
“Forbes America’s Top Colleges List 2022,” Forbes: Aug 30, 2022.
Note: As usual check their methodology to see if what they value is important to you and visa versa.
“New list of ‘best value’ colleges released: Is your alma mater on it?” Forbes: Aug 29, 2022.
Note: This article draws from: “2023 Best Value Colleges in America,” Niche: Summer 2022.
Note: Check their methodology to understand how they set up this ranking. There are other rankings linked to on this page.
“Stanford University, Harvey Mudd College Top Washington Monthly’s 2022 Best College Rankings,” Forbes: Aug 29, 2022.
Note: This draws data from: “Washington Monthly's 2022 College Guide and Rankings | Washington Monthly: Summer 2022.
Note: The Washington Monthly rankings focus on colleges’ social mobility, public service,
and research impacts and less on selectivity etc. As always check theirmethodology to see if the things they value are important to you.
“Most Beautiful College Campuses,” The Princeton Review: Summer 2022. Note: This is one of many variables The Princeton Review considers in its 2022-23 review of campuses.
“Best Colleges 2023 | College Ranking List,” The Princeton Review: Summer 2022.
Note: Check Methodology of course but also be aware there are sub-lists linked to this page on many types of college from Best Green to Best for Game Design for example. Best Value are also listed and there are some surprising results in this listing.
“ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities,” ShanghaiRanking Consultancy: Summer 2022
Note: As always check their methodology to see if what they value is what you think is important as you select campuses to apply to.
[possible paywall] [opinion] “Harvard flunks in these college rankings,” The Washington Post: Aug 14, 2022.
Note: This piece compares the Economic Mobility Index with most other college ranking systems.
“Gizmodo's Degrees of the Future 2022,” Gizmodo: Aug 11, 2022.
Note: This piece makes note of degrees/major the staff at Gizmodo with support from Statista, a major data analysis site, believe will be of value in the future. Within the degree types individual university programs are ranked. Most are in STEM though there are a few social science degrees mentioned and some, like nursing for example, that aren’t included. Read their methodology to understand their logic.
“Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America of 2022,” Money: Summer 2022.
Note: As always with rankings check their methodology to see if what they value is also of importance to you.
“The 10 Best Colleges for Business Majors | Money: July 5, 2022.
Note: As always with rankings check their methodology to see if what they value is also of importance to you.
“The best colleges and universities in the United States,” Degreechoices.com: Summer 2022.
Note: This ranking looks at the cost vs economic benefit of attending many colleges across the US. As with all ranking systems, check their methodology to see if it fits your needs and values.
“Columbia Loses No. 2 Rankings Spot. Are Rankings Harming Higher Ed?,” Forbes: July 22, 2022.
Note: Data on schools that have been pulled from rankings due to missing data and some very useful info about how some variables are weighted. Well worth the read.
“These Are the Greenest College Campuses in the U.S.,” [2022 Rankings] - EcoWatch: July 18, 2022.
Note: As always with rankings, check their methodology to confirm that it matches the things you care about.
“The Most Innovative Universities In the World,” 24/7 Wall St.: July 15, 2022.
Note: As always check methodology but this is an interesting ranking if you want to be somewhere where ideas turn into something more.
“What role should college rankings play in choosing a school?” Marketplace: July 13, 2022.
Note: The great take home is in the first three lines: Do more research than just reading rankings, but the full piece is well worth reading to understand rankings’ impact on college administrators if nothing else.
“Will Other Universities Follow Columbia And Step Back From U.S. News’ College Rankings?” Forbes: July 4, 2022.
Note: This is a super informative piece if you use rankings to make your college choices and shows something about how schools can manipulate their positions as well.
“The Best Colleges in America of 2022,” Money: May 16, 2022.
Note: As always read their methodology to see if it fits with what you value.
“These Are the 25 Best Colleges in America,” Money: May 16, 2022.
Note: As always read their methodology to see if what Money values in these campuses in an overview of the piece below fits with what you value.
“The Deceptive College-Rankings Game,” National Review: May 27, 2022.
Note: Really useful perspective here, I encourage students to follow this kind of advice in speaking to them.
“The Strongest And Weakest Colleges In America — Behind Forbes 2022 Financial Grades” Forbes: June 9, 2022.
Note: Very useful information and ways of looking at schools’ financial health here, particularly if you’re not looking at name brand schools.
“MIT Claims Top Spot For 11th Year In A Row In The QS Rankings Of The World’s Best Universities,” Forbes: June 9, 2022.
Note: The QS World University Rankings: Top global universities can be found here.
As always, check their methodology to see if the things they value match with the factors about a school that you care about.
“10 Best Colleges for Engineering Majors,” Money: June 7, 2022.
“Out With the Old, In With the New: Rating Higher Ed by Economic Mobility,” Third Way: January 27, 2022.
Note: This report focuses on Third Way’s “Economic Mobility Index” to show which colleges improve socioeconomically disadvantaged students’ economic situations the most. As always check their methodology to see if it fits your needs.
“Best Selective Colleges in America of 2022 by Money,” Money: May 16, 2022.
Note: This ranking only considers colleges that admit fewer than one in five applicants. Check their methodology to be sure it agrees with what *you* value.
“The Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value,” Money: May 16, 2022.
Note: Money’s ranking of colleges by value. Note that this list is for colleges that admit at least 20% of applicants. Check their methodology to see if it works for you.
“Money’s 2022-23 Best Colleges Rankings & Sublists,” Money: Spring 2022.
Note: Check methodology on this ranking system but it is a super-helpful breakdown of Money’s top schools by a variety of factors such as geography, selectivity, etc.
“The Best College in Every State,” Money: Spring 2022.
Note: There are some relatively poorly known campuses here that make this well worth the read but as always check their methodology to be sure what they value is what you care about.
“Everything You Need to Know about College Rankings,” Custom-Writing.org: April 9, 2022.
Note: Though it somewhat oddly ducks off to mention of MBA program rankings, this is an excellent survey of four of the major college ranking systems and their strengths and flaws.
“Best Colleges With a Female President – 24/7 Wall St: Mar 16, 2022.
“America’s Coolest College Towns,” The Street: Mar 15, 2022. Note: This article is based on a resource from WalletHub that may be difficult to access.
“These are the world's top young universities,” The World Economic Forum: Feb 24, 2022.
“Young University Rankings 2022,” The Times Higher Education: Not dated.
“These are the most international universities in the world in 2022,” the times of London Via the World Economic Forum: Jan 20, 2022.
“The future of the 1%: These are the 20 US colleges that produce the wealthiest grads,” Moneywise: Jan 2, 2022. Note: Though they give raw figures, it is not stated whether these campuses are ranked on a per capita rate or not.
“Americas Top colleges List 2021,” Forbes: Unassigned date. Note: Per the article, Forbes’ ranking methodology has changed this year. As with all rankings, review their methodology to be sure you share their priorities.
“Most Expensive Colleges in Every State,” 24/7 Wall St. Dec 20, 2021. Note: This ranking claims to use net prices not pre-financial aid costs. Read their methodology to understand how they make their cost estimates.
“2022's Best College Towns & Cities in America,” WalletHub: Nov 30, 2021.
"Which universities have the world’s best reputations right now?,” the World Economic forum: Nov 12, 2021. Note: This article summarizes results from the entry below:
“World Reputation Rankings 2021.” The Times Higher Education Survey: Late 2021. Note: As with all rankings, check methodology and other data carefully to see if this ranking prioritizes the same things you do.
[opinion] “The Great And Green Of College Rankings,” Forbes: Sept 9, 2021.Note: There’s a great deal of wise perspective in this editorial piece, I encourage a look at it before looking at any ranking set.
[probable paywall]“2022 Best Colleges in the U.S.: Harvard, Stanford, MIT Take Top Rankings,” The Wall Street Journal: Sept 21, 2021.
“Americas Top colleges List 2021,” Forbes: Sept 8, 2021.
“How We Rank America's Top Colleges,” Forbes: Sept 8, 2021.
“These are the best universities in the world for 2022,” The Times of London via The World Economic Forum: Sept 2, 2021.
“These are the world's best universities in 2021,” The World Economic Forum: Mar 11, 2021.
“The Hardest College to Get Into in Every State, 24/7 Wall St.: Mar 22, 2021.
“America’s 25 Richest Universities,” 24/7 Wall St.: March 19, 2021.
“50 Best Colleges on the East Coast,” Stacker News via Newsweek: Mar 7, 2021.
“The 20 Most Liberal Colleges in America,” 24/7 Wall St: Feb 25, 2021.
“The 20 Most Conservative Colleges in America,” 24/7 Wall St. Feb 24, 2021.
“The 20 Best Colleges in America,” 24/7 Wall St.: Feb 9, 2021.
Articles on Efforts to Make College More Affordable “50 Colleges With No Student Loans, Reduced Tuition,” Forbes: Feb 22, 2021.
“University Of Minnesota Will Offer Free Tuition To Lower Income Students,” Forbes: Feb 13, 2021. Note: This article also includes links to a number of other universities with similar programs. Depending on your socioeconomic circumstances, (usually, though not always, a family income of $60,000 per year), it may well contain—or link to—useful information.
The QS Quancquarelli World University Rankings for 2022. From QS: Early June 2021.
Commentary on changes in the QS rankings: “U.S. Universities Slip In An Influential World Ranking,” Forbes: June 8, 2021.
“College Majors With the Highest Unemployment,” 27/7 Wall St: May 17, 2021.
“The 50 Best Colleges in Big Cities,” Stacker via Newsweek: May 17, 2021.
“The Most Expensive College in Every State,” 24/7 WallStreet: May 17, 2021.
“The 100 Best Private Colleges in America,” Stacker via Newsweek: May 15, 2021.
“These universities top new rankings for their commitment to SDGs,” the World Economic Forum: Apr 21, 2021.
“25 East Coast Private Colleges Whose Grads Earn the Least Money,” Newsweek: Aug 7, 2021.

“College rankings have made school less affordable, less equitable, and more miserable for
students. The pandemic exposed just how broken the system is.,” Business Insider: July 22, 2021.
“25 Private Colleges Whose Graduates go on to Earn the Least Money,” Newsweek: July 15, 2021.
“25 Private Colleges Whose Graduates go on to Earn the Most Money,” Newsweek: July 11, 2021.
“The Best Private College in Every State with the Most Bang for Your Buck,” Stacker News via Newsweek: June 16, 2021.
“The 2021 Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges rankings are out. Is your school on the list?,” The Military Times: June 15, 2021.

General Resources

Note: All of these resources come from external sources. Whether college rankings, or information from the US Government etc, none are by me.
The STARS College Network is an initiative that helps students from rural or small town environments apply to leading colleges. Well worth looking into if you come from smaller or rural communities.
“What Will They Learn? - The 2022-2023 College Ratings Are In!” The American Council of Trustees and Alumni: Fall 2022.
Note: this resource allows you to see whether you will be required to learn any or all of composition, literature, economics, math, natural sciences, US Government or history, and foreign language on campuses you’re considering.
“Grads on the Go: Measuring College-Specific Labor Markets for Graduates | The National Bureau of Economic Research: May 2022. Note: This document describes movement patterns for graduates of a wide variety of colleges and types of colleges. It may help you predict the likely pattern of movement of people at schools you are considering once you/they graduate if things like seeing your college friends regularly throughout your life are important to you.
Federal Student Aid Estimator
Note: A potentially invaluable resource to help you determine how much student aid you may qualify for. Check this resource whatever your family’s income may be.
“The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK: July 29, 2022.
Note: A very resource heavy item that, among other things, shows employment and income by college major for recent graduates.
“Student Loan Affordability Calculator,” the Peter G. Peterson Foundation: Spring 2022.
Note: This calculator asks about your major, college, when you’ll start school and where you may live after graduation, all of which can impact how high your debt will be and how hard it may be to pay it off.
“Student outcomes and earnings in higher education policy,” The American Enterprise Institute: January 2022.
“Research to Renewal: Advancing University Tech Transfer ,” Heartland Forward: May 6, 2022.
Note: This report from Hartland Forward, an Arkansas based “Think and do” tank, ranks many
universities by their efficiency in developing technology and bringing it to market.
“The Strongest And Weakest Colleges In America — Behind Forbes 2022 Financial Grades” Forbes: June 9, 2022.
Note: Very useful information and ways of looking at schools’ financial health here, particularly if you’re not looking at name brand schools.
“Net Price of Colorado Colleges by Income,” timingthehighcostofcollege.com. Note: Though this resource is for Colorado colleges, the site includes a pull-down that lets you look at any state you want.
“Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics,” The US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Note: This resource can help you define what your salary is likely to be depending on what occupation you take on and where you choose to live. This can be particularly helpful for students trying to decide among several career options.
“Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI,” the Georgetown Center On Education and the Workforce: No date listed. Note: Among many other things, this report shows attending 30% of colleges does not lead to incomes greater than those of high-school grads for 50% or more of their degree holders. Check it to see where your possible colleges ROIs stand.
The College Payoff,” The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce: No date listed.
“The College Payoff: More Education Doesn’t Always Mean More Earnings,” the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce: No date listed. Note: though this press summary certainly suggests there is a noticeable correlation.
“The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” the FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK: Feb 9, 2022. Note: Incredibly useful data here to help you determine how much majors you are interested in are likely to pay post graduation. Be aware of the median income data as many college students no matter what major they are taking badly overestimate their post graduation salaries.
America’s Best Universities For Social Science Research,” Forbes: Jan 9, 2022.
“Higher Education R&D Increase of 3.3% in FY 2020 Is the Lowest since FY 2015,” the National Science Foundation: December 27, 2021. Note: This survey from the US National Science Foundation has data on research spending on 900+ campuses and includes aggregate spending data across topics.
REAL GRADUATES, REAL EARNINGS, REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS,” A service of the University of Texas in Partnership with the US Census bureau on what people entering a wide variety of majors across the UT system will earn in those majors. Even if you aren’t in Texas where this tool is fully developed or Colorado, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin where tools like this are under development, please do not assume that your planned major and desired campus will lead to the earnings and lifestyle you expect until you’ve researched using tools like this and the nation-wide College Scorecard (also linked on this page) from the US Department of Education on post graduate earnings by major and campus which currently has data for 37,000+ majors across 4,400+ colleges.
California’s community college system has a website showing median salaries of graduates in different fields. The state of Florida has also built a similar informational tool for people thinking about earning degrees/qualifications from its state universities, state college, and district technical centers.

“Headed Away to School? Here’s What Students With Health Issues Need to Know,” Kaiser Health News: Aug 24, 2021.
“Which College Programs Give Students the Best Bang for Their Buck?,” Third Way: Aug 13, 2021.
The Hardest College to Get Into in Every State,” 24/7 Wall St. Jan 20, 2021.
“The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates,” The FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK. January 2021. This piece, published from the generally reliable New York Federal Reserve Bank is heavily researched and considers the markets for students by a wide range of majors. It looks at data on graduates’ Majors and considers their Unemployment Rates, their Underemployment Rates (if any) Early and Mid-Career median wages and the percentage of students who go on to graduate training. This is well worth checking out whatever field(s) of work you are thinking about pursuing.

Articles on Efforts to Make College More Affordable

Note: None of these articles are by me. Some of these articles include financial advice. As with all things if you follow it, you do so at your own risk.
“Michigan Retaining Tech Talent With $10K Scholarship,” Government Technology: apr 11, 2023.
Note: There are restrictions to the program, see the article to learn more.
“Georgia budget to pay full tuition for college scholarships" | Georgia Public Broadcasting news: Mar 29, 2023.
Note: Read the article for the scope and limitations of the program.
“Detroit’s Wayne State University announces free tuition for families earning less than $70K,” Michigan Advance: Mar 14, 2023.
Note: Read the blog for the full details on this program.
“Trinity Christian College slashes tuition to help students avoid loan debt,” ABC7 Chicago: Mar 6, 2023.
“Stanford to Offer Free Tuition to Families Making Under $100K a Year,” Business Insider: Feb 9, 2023.
Note: Other schools’ action on attendance costs are mentioned including Princeton, yale, Harvard and Amherst.
“College costs: California campuses offer free transit,” CalMatters: Jan 6, 2023.
Note: UCLA is one of “several nearby campuses” mentioned in this piece as is UC Berkeley in the Bay Area.
“What are ‘Promise Programs’ and how can they help make college more affordable?” PBS Newshour: Dec 26, 2022.
Note: A very informative discussion of how these programs work, and sometimes could be made to work better.
“College Tuition News: Freezes, Resets And Deals On The Way,” Forbes: Dec 15, 2022.
Note: Has too many campuses and systems to cover here. This is well worth the read wherever you live as policy in some states or on some campuses may inspire similar action in yours if nothing else.
“California To Ban Colleges From Cutting Aid For Students With [who earn] Scholarships,” Forbes: Nov 28, 2022.
Note: Similar policies in Washington, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania are mentioned. Per the article, 45 states do not prohibit schools from taking money = to scholarships earned.
“Grisham’s Free College Plan For New Mexico Boosts Enrollment,” Forbes: Nov 6, 2022.
Note: This details early and positive results on New Mexico’s Opportunity Scholarship program described in another piece archived in this section.
“New Mexico Introduces A Strong Free College Program, Will More States Follow?” Forbes: Mar 18, 2022.
“State University Of New York Offers Tuition Discount To Students From 8 States,” Forbes: Oct 30, 2022.
“University Of Maryland Will Cover All Tuition For Low-Income Resident Undergraduates,” Forbes: Oct 25, 2022.
Note: This Washington Post piece [possible paywall] goes into more detail and has some statistics on who will qualify and how much they may be helped.
“These colleges promise no student loans,” CNBC: Oct 12, 2022.
Note: This piece mentions Davidson and Grinnell colleges and Emory University. There are other no-loan campuses.
“Whitmer signs bipartisan bill establishing college scholarship program,” Michigan Advance: Oct 11, 2022.
Note: See the piece for the limits and benefits of the program.
“Mississippi College scholarship offers full tuition for Mississippi residents,” WAPT TV: Oct 11, 2022.
Note: See the article and related links for full information.
“Lasell University Lowers Cost to Attend to Attract Students – NBC Boston: Oct 11, 2022.
Note: See the article for more details on what has been done and the seemingly beneficial results to application numbers at the least.
“No-loan Financial Aid Colleges: What to Know” US News and World Report: Sept 22, 2022.
Note: Several (but not all Ivies) mentioned, Stanford, Haverford, Grinnell and many more. Policies vary. Reading the article will show how.
“Centre College Receives Record Gift, Will Create A $50 Million Scholarship Fund,” Forbes: Sept 15, 2022.
Note: Details efforts of one of ten schools partnered to the Schuler Access Initiative, whose goal is to increase access to liberal arts education for Pell eligible and undocumented students. So far these include: Barnard College, Centre College, College of the Holy Cross, Scripps College, Trinity College, Bates College, Carleton College, Kenyon College, Union College and Tufts University.
“Princeton will enhance its groundbreaking financial aid program,” Princeton University: Sept 8, 2022.
Note: Read this for full details but this is the most generous financial aid program I am aware of.
“Oklahoma college offering scholarship to education students,” KOCO: Aug 16, 2022.
“University Of Wisconsin System To Offer Tuition Promise To Low And Moderate Income Students,” Forbes: Aug 16, 2022.
Note: See the article for start date, possible restrictions and some political considerations that may affect the program in future.
“University Of Arizona To Cover Tuition For Its Native American Undergraduates,” Forbes: June 28, 2022.
“DeSantis Expands Eligibility for Bright Futures Scholarships,” NBC 6 South Florida: June 27, 2022.
“Dartmouth College to eliminate loans for undergraduate students,” WMUR: June 20, 2022.
“‘Nebraska Promise’ will offer tuition-free undergraduate education to additional students,” the Nebraska Examiner: Mar 14, 2022. Note: See the article for the parameters of the program.
“The Bright Flight Missouri program offers college scholarships,” The Kansas City Star: Mar 10, 2022. Note: This is a merit based program that pays for education in Missouri only. See the article for a summary.
“New Mexico's governor just signed a bill to make college tuition-free,” CNN: Mar 7, 2022 Note: See article for the breadth of the plan.
“UT System Regents establish $300 million endowment to expand tuition assistance programs at UT institutions,” University of Texas System: Feb 24, 2022. Note: See press release for campuses covered by this and other endowment supported programs in the University of Texas System and its potential limitations.
“Rutgers to Provide Free Tuition to Undergrads From Low-Income Families,” The 74: Mar 6, 2022. Note: Along with the Rutgers initiative, this touches on other programs to provide tuition either free or at low cost to New Jersey students.
“Amazon Partners With 140 Colleges And Universities To Expand Free Tuition Program,” Forbes: Mar 4, 2022. Note: Amazon is far from the only employer working to make degrees more affordable for its employees. Check with yours on their efforts.
“UC Schools Are Seeing A Sharp Rise In CalFresh Enrollment,” LAist: Feb 23, 2022.
“Thousands of Chicago students and their parents to get full college scholarships,” Axios: Feb 22, 2022.
“Emory expands aid to help students pay tuition without loans,” Georgia Public Broadcasting News: Feb 1, 2022
“California will pay college students $10,000 for completing volunteer work,” the Hill: Jan 19, 2022. Note: Read the article to discover limits on the program.
“Rice University offering loan-free financial aid to certain families,” ABC 13 Houston: Dec 16, 2021.
“More Colleges Are Promising to Help Pay the Student Loans of Low-Earning Graduates,” Money: Nov 24, 2021. Note: Many colleges have loan repayment assistance programs for certain students. See if campuses you’re considering do. Use the College Scoreboard and Bureau of Labor Statistics (linked in resources) to see whether graduates in your potential major may qualify for them in particular.
“USC announces plans to freeze tuition for upcoming school year,” The State: Nov 19, 2021.
“University of Montana announces new scholarships for students with $7.5M donation: Payne Family Impact Scholarship will support students who can’t pay for college but can’t get financial aid either” Daily Montanan: Nov 17, 2021.
Yale enhances undergrad aid packages for fourth time in six years The Yale News: Oct 28, 2021.
“How A Small College Is Targeting Financial Aid To Compete With Flagship Universities,” Forbes: Aug 25, 2021. Note: This discusses a new scholarship for students from several Midwestern states at Cornell College.
“California High School Seniors Will Soon Be Required To Apply For Financial Aid For College,” LAist: July 16, 2021.
“College Aid Process Simplified To Boost Enrollment Rates, Education Department Says,” Forbes: July 13, 2021.
“U.S. Department of Education Announces Temporary Changes to the Federal Aid Verification Process for the 2021-22 Award Year,” The United States Department of Education: July 13, 2021. Note: There’s a lot of potentially helpful information on the Federal Aid Verification process and other DoE policies in this press release.
“California State University Gives Apple Products to Freshmen,” Mac Observer: July 12, 2021.
“Wilberforce Becomes Latest University To Offer Tuition Reduction. It May Not be The Last.,” Forbes: June 28, 2021. Note: This article mentions several other universities that have reduced tuition at least temporarily.
“'The Chain Reaction' program helps students pay for AP exams, college application fees,” ABC 7 Los Angeles: May 4, 2021
“These schools are slashing tuition during the pandemic,” Moneywise.com: Jan 28, 2021.
“Congress Just Made It a Lot Easier to Apply for Financial Aid,” Money: Dec 22, 2020.
New Colorado College Scholarship Targets Low-and-Middle Class students Who Are Residents of Colorado
University of Texas promises full scholarships to in-state students with family incomes under $65K by 2020
Rice University announces new program to dramatically expand scholarships for middle class
University of Michigan to offer free tuition to some in-state students
“Colleges are slashing tuition to entice students back,” CNBC: Oct 30, 2020.
“THE NEW WASHINGTON COLLEGE GRANT,” WSAC. As accessed on Oct 18, 2020.
“Hoping to attract more students, SPU drops tuition price by 25% for next year,” the Seattle Times: Sept 22, 2020.
“110,000 Washington students a year will get money for college, many a free ride,” The Seattle Times: May 5, 2019.

The campus environment and your college choice

“Unionization Efforts Spread Through Higher Education As Colleges Double Down,” Forbes: Apr 28, 2023.
Note: The Universities of Michigan and California + the New School, UPenn and Temple are mentioned but this movement goes beyond these.
“Over 100 Harvard professors and staff stand up for free speech with new council: 'We are in a crisis time,” Fox News: Apr 27, 2023.
“Forbes 2023 College Financial Grades: The Nation’s Strongest And Weakest Schools,” Forbes: Apr 25, 2023.
Note: this is highly informative. Use its methodology on your candidate schools (particularly small ones) to see if they are likely to be open when you graduate.
“University Of California System Leads All Universities Worldwide For Most Patents,” Forbes: Apr 25, 2023.
Note: An interesting piece but for those looking for research opportunities, patents per capita would be a better measure.
“The End of the English Major,” The New Yorker: Feb 27, 2023.
Note: This is very well worth the read and has interesting data and some concepts for reform in the Humanities.
“‘Many of us are struggling’: why US universities are facing a wave of strikes ,” The Guardian: Apr 21, 2023.
“This Christian college is booming as campus enrollment has more than tripled in the last decade,” Fox News: Apr 16, 2023.
“Ivy League university moves to prioritize 'free expression'; months after students heckled conservative pundit,” Fox News: Apr 16, 2023.
Note: Mentions Cornell University.
“Best big college towns in America,” Stacker: Apr 3, 2023.
“Colleges and universities with support programs welcome students with autism,” New Jersey Monitor: Apr 7, 2023. Note: This focuses on New Jersey and only one type of special need in students. If you have a special need, research campuses as many have great supports for people on unique life paths—but some don’t and its best to look into things before committing to applying or going there.
“2022 saw a record number of Hispanic-serving colleges,” Axios: Apr 4, 2023.
“Amid the culture wars, a red-blue divide is emerging in college,” The Washington Post: Apr 3, 2023.
“One in four college applicants avoids entire states for political reasons | The Hill,” Apr 1, 2023.
[possible paywall]“Want to choose a climate-friendly college? Here are some standouts,” The
Washington Post: Mar 31, 2023.
Note: This profiles five campuses that are making somewhat unusual efforts to become more climate friendly.
“The case for attending college in a red state,” The Hill: March 24, 2023.
Note: Although some of the author’s arguments are a little idealistic, some are very practical, making this well worth a read.
“When Colleges Offer Coding Boot Camp, Students Can Get a Raw Deal,” WIRED: Mar 20, 2023.
Note: Some campuses succeed here, some don’t. Ask how schools you’re interested in handle these bootcamps if they draw you to go there.
“Analysis: Who is winning in the high-revenue world of college sports?” PBS NewsHour: Mar 18, 2023.
Note: a fascinating read for anyone, athlete or not who is thinking about college.
“Homeschoolers flock to this small Christian college that counters Ivy League's culture | Fox News: Mar 18, 2023.
“Budget Woes Hit Several Big Ten Universities,” Forbes: Mar 18, 2023.
Note: The Universities of Minnesota and Nebraska are mentioned along with Penn State and Rutgers. Reasons vary read on to learn more.
[opinion]“How to Create Your Own Major in College — and Why You Should Consider It,” Teen Vogue: Mar 16, 2023.
Note: This opinion piece focuses on one person’s experience at the University of Southern California but many schools have similar programs if something like this attracts you.
“College Experience in Argentina Vs. Colleges in the US,” Insider: Mar 14, 2023.
Note: an interesting read that highlights the difference in how countries send students through higher education.
“Momentum Builds for Helping Students Adapt to College by Nixing Freshman Grades
,” The Hechinger Report via The 74: Mar 16, 2023. Note: Colleges including UCSC, Brown, Colorado College and MIT (among others) are mentioned in this survey.
“Students switch up college plans as states pass anti-LGBTQ laws,” NBC News: Mar 4, 2023.
“Johns Hopkins University Again Tops List Of Leading Institutions For NIH Funding,” Forbes: Feb 20, 2022.
Note: this also includes the rest of the top ten and a pointer to further data. Useful if you are thinking about research during or after college.
“Coalition Of 15 Research Universities Awarded Grant To Boost Student Success In Key Courses,” Forbes: Feb 16, 2023.
Note: Campuses in AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, MD, MI, NC, OH, OR, UT, and VA are mentioned in this effort to improve pass rates in courses fundamental to students’ planned majors.
“University Of Arizona, Penn State Lead Fulbright Scholars,” Forbes: Feb 10, 2023.
Note: Numerous colleges mentioned. Interested in earning a Fulbright someday? Lots of data here on what schools do best at helping students earn them: though it should be said the headline focuses on faculty, not students where Georgetown has the lead.
“‘It’s about damn time’: College workers organize amid nationwide labor unrest,” POLITICO: Feb 04, 2023.
Note: Universities of California, Southern California, Washington, Illinois-Chicago, BU, Yale,
Northwestern among those mentioned here.
“As woke curriculum increases, classical education booms: Hillsdale College sees 53% increase in applications,” Fox News: Feb 04, 2023.
Note: Along with Hillsdale, Benedictine, the University of Dallas and others are mentioned here.
“Humanities mounts a comeback after years of STEM focus,” Axios: Feb 2, 2023.
Note: An interesting read.
“The Majority Of America’s Top-Ranked Colleges Will Be Led By A Woman Or Person Of Color This Fall,” Forbes: Jan 31, 2023.
Note: This article uses the Forbes ranking as a referent.
“THE WOMEN’S POWER GAP AT ELITE UNIVERSITIES, SCALING THE IVORY TOWER” The Eos Foundation and American Association of University Women: 2022.
Note: In spite of the Forbes piece above, equality would seem to be a work in progress.
“Students prod colleges to let campus greens grow wild,” Axios: Jan 26, 2023.
Note: Harvard, Cornell, Grinnell and UC Berkeley among others mentioned. Search the title plus Jennifer Kingson if this link gives problems.
“Teaching evaluations reflect—and may perpetuate—academia’s gender biases,” Science: Jan 20, 2023.
Note: Remember all aspects of this article, not just the headline, should you go to college and be asked to rate your professors.
“Welcome back to college, pandemic students. This year is different,” The Christian Science Monitor: Jan 19, 2023.
“Yale announces “momentous” changes to leave of absence policies amid ongoing mental health lawsuit - Yale Daily News: Jan 18, 2023.
“14 Most Bizarre College Degrees Nobody Talks About,” FinanceBuzz: Jan 18, 2023.
Note: a fun read that gives a sense for the diversity of degree pathways out there.
“Board shake-ups, threats to tenure and money: How conservatives are reshaping colleges,” USA Today: Jan 15, 2023.
“Crashing the Conservative Party,” Princeton Alumni Weekly: Jan 2023.
“Florida Gov. DeSantis mandates all state university systems report funds spent on CRT, DEI,” Fox News: Jan 5, 2023.
“How new Title IX rules could affect California’s transgender and nonbinary students | KQED: Jan 2, 2023.
Note: The title speaks to this article’s reach, check with your prospective campuses to see how changes in Title 9 may impact them and you.
“CLAUDINE GAY TO SERVE AS HARVARD’S 30TH PRESIDENT,” The Harvard Crimson: Dec 16, 2022.
Note: As of this posting, Ms. Gay is the only woman and only African American serving as President of one of the “big three”.
[possible paywall] “Opinion on how progressive can a college be when instructors make poverty wages?,” the Washington Post: Dec 13, 2022.
Note: the New School, University of California system and College of William and Mary are mentioned here but instructor pay at many colleges is a significant problem across academia.
“How one Colorado university is helping students who lack key life skills,” Chalkbeat: Dec 10, 2022. Note: Many colleges have similar programs. If you might need help catching up for whatever reason, find out if campuses you're considering have comparable supports before you apply.
“Slide, Many Universities Are Investing In Major Student Housing Projects,” Forbes: Dec 10, 2022.
Note: Such investments are a double edged sword as this article notes. Its well worth the read for that reason alone.
“Asset Protection Allowance on the FAFSA Drops to $0,” Money: Nov 21, 2022.
“Yale defends mental health policies under fire from students, alumni,” - The Washington Post: Nov 17, 2022.
“Food for thought: Students with allergies, dietary restrictions express concern over dining hall options,” The Yale Daily News: Nov 18, 2022.
Note: Whatever school you are considering, this article is a reminder to contact campus health professionals and relevant student groups if you have dietary restrictions before deciding on a school.
“Student Mental Health at Yale,” Yale University Office of the President: Nov 16, 2022.
“See how many students colleges suspended, expelled for sex misconduct,” USA Today: Nov 15, 2022.
Note: This only covers large public universities but even so the data may be important in your college choices.
“The Liberal Arts Difference | American Enterprise Institute: Nov 14, 2022.
Note: a lot of really interesting data on student satisfaction with the educational experience across campus types here.
“International Student Enrollment Bouncing Back At American Colleges,” Forbes: Nov 14, 2022.
[paywall] “Yale forces suicidal students to withdraw. Reapplying is daunting.” The Washington Post: Nov 11, 2022.
Note: As a normally-proud three-time Yale alum, this article was shameful to me.
[paywall] “Who Wants to Live With Catholic Nuns? College Co-Eds – The Wall St. Journal: Nov 10, 2022.
“5 College Norms You Should Know,” hercampus.com: Nov 9, 2022.
Note: Lots of wisdom here. Definitely worth reading for any student.
[opinion] “The campus crime surge colleges don't tell parents about,” Fox News: Nov 7, 2022
Note: the author, a retired NYPD inspector has some excellent advice in this piece which is a must read for students and parents alike.
“At College Dining Halls, Yale Students Enjoy The Best Food Of Their Young Lives,” Forbes: Oct 27, 2022.
“Several Black Faculty Members Quit The University Of Missouri,” BET News: Oct 31, 2022.
“Choice Of Ben Sasse For Univ. Of Florida Causes A Ruckus. What Do College Presidents Even Do?,” Forbes: Oct 28, 2022.
Note: An interesting read for people who want to learn more about university administration and also the University of Florida.
“How HBCUs Are Navigating the Recent Influx Of Cash And Students,” Forbes: Oct 17, 2022.
“How DeSantis and Florida Republicans are reshaping higher education,” POLITICO: Oct 15, 2022.
“Princeton Will Stop Taking Oil Money. Now, the Pressure Is on Harvard, MIT, and Columbia.” The New Republic: Oct 12, 2022.
“Southern Schools are More Ideologically Diverse,” American Enterprise Institute: oct 11, 2022. Note: There is much interesting data cited here.
“Northern Kids Heading South For College - Southern College Admissions Boom,” Town and Country: Oct 7, 2022.
"Just released: The 2022-2023 College Free Speech Rankings,” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression: Sept 7, 2022.
“Hispanic enrollment at U.S. 4-year colleges reaches new high, but cost still an obstacle,” Pew Research Center: Oct 7, 2022.
Note: Whatever your ethnicity, using net price calculators can sometimes help understand the probable cost to you of a degree. You may find it less than you anticipated.
“Barnard College will offer abortion pills for students,” NPR: Oct 6, 2022.
Note: read to get fully briefed in on plans for the program.
“What Do Colleges Expect Students To Learn? New Study Provides A Revealing Look,” Forbes: Oct 7, 2022.
Note: this piece draws from: “What Will They Learn? - The 2022-2023 College Ratings Are In!” The American Council of Trustees and Alumni: Fall 2022
Note: this resource allows you to see whether you will be required to learn any or all of composition, literature, economics, math, natural sciences, US Government or history, and foreign language on campuses you’re considering.
“How Female-Heavy Sex Ratios Are Changing the College Dating Scene,” Slate: Oct 1, 2022.
Note: This is well worth the read for parents and students alike.
“UC housing crisis forces students into multiple jobs to pay rent, sleeping bags and stress,” The Los Angeles Times:
Note: All nine University of California undergraduate campuses mentioned. Some have bigger housing issues than others.
[possible paywall] “As climate anxiety brews, campuses are piloting therapy programs,” The Washington Post: Sept 12, 2022.
“Worst List: The Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth - Campus Pride:
Note: As of Sept 10, 2022 this page is barely accessible to a screen reader user. I have noted this to Campus Pride but the resource itself is too important to LGBTQ people not to post.
“Yale housing shortages may cause displacement in the Elm City,” The Yale Daily News: Sept 9, 2022.
Note: There are some reports of similar concerns in other communities. This issue may continue for some years. Check your proposed campuses to see if this may be a worry for you there.
“How Harvard Picks Its Presidents ,” The Harvard Crimson: Sept 9, 2022.
Note: In my limited experience this is a nice review of the process of finding a university lead.
“Naloxone growing on college campuses as opioid overdoses continue,” Fox News: Sept 4, 2022.
“Why college students need community on campus and how to help them find it,” The Washington Examiner: Sept 1, 2022.
[paywall] “How Data Is Changing the College Experience,” WSJ: Aug 19, 2022. Note: This piece is well worth the read if you can access it via a direct subscription or through a library.
“HBCU Enrollment Has Significantly Increased Since 2020,” BET News: Aug 19, 2022.
“California public university [UCSD] hosts orientation for 'Black, Latinx, and Native American' families,” Fox News: Aug 11, 2022.
“USC[University of South Carolina] freshman class poised to be largest, most diverse, most local in history,” the State: Aug 10, 2022.
“Professors in Florida are feeling the chill from DeSantis’ education legislation,” Miami Herald: Aug 10, 2022.
“Students returning to campus want the 'university experience' missed during COVID-19,” The Conversation: Aug 3, 2022.
“City Colleges add liaisons to help undocumented students navigate college - Chicago Sun-Times: July 29, 2022.
“Parents push back on American colleges promoting DEI initiatives: 'DEI is dangerous',” Fox News: July 27, 2022.
“Interest in HBCUS From Students And Student-Athletes Is On The Rise,” Forbes: July 25, 2022.
[possible paywall] “HBCU students disproportionately affected by Roe's reversal,” The Washington Post: July 20, 2022.
Note: Article does note places where HBCUs are located where restrictions should not arise.
“These 7 colleges keep track of Latino students' success after they graduate,” NBC News: July 21, 2022.
“Students reveal ‘forbidden lessons’ taught at anti-woke University of Austin,” The New York Post: July 16, 2022.
“These Are the Greenest College Campuses in the U.S.,” [2022 Rankings] - EcoWatch: July 18, 2022.
Note: As always with rankings, check their methodology to confirm that it matches the things you care about.
“Abortion pills will be offered on California campuses,” CalMatters: July 13, 2022.
“DeSantis support for measures targeting Florida colleges worry some faculty,” The Washington Post: July 1, 2022.
Note: If you are considering colleges in Florida this piece is worth a thorough read and further research may be worth your while.
“College Campus Accessibility Shouldn't Fall on Students With Disabilities,” Hunker: July 1, 2022.
Note: As someone with a double disability it is unfortunate that these issues continue 30 years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act [and 30 years after I managed comparable concerns]. If you have a disability research your proposed campuses carefully and try to contact student organizations to see what issues there may or may not be if you can.
[opinion] “Culture wars cover up economic realities on campus” The Hill: July 1, 2022.
“Arkansas, Montana And Oklahoma Lead Initiative To Improve College Completion Rates,” Forbes: May 4, 2022.
“15 of the wildest, wackiest college classes taught in America today,” Fox News:
“An unlikely revolution is happening at Christian universities,” Washington Blade: May 14, 2022.
Note: The author links to research he’s done on LGBTQ+ groups and policies on Christian campuses in the US.
“University Of California System Joins National Diversity Initiative For STEMM Fields,” Forbes: May 24, 2022.
Note: The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s SEA Change initiative the piece refers to can be found here.
“University System Ends Era of Free-Speech Zones on Georgia’s College Campuses,” The 74: May 29, 2022.
Note: Read the article completely to understand the headline as fully as possible.
“Carnegie Mellon Ranked As Top Tech Transfer University In New Report,” Forbes: June 5, 2022.
Note: If you are interested in schools doing applied research this is well worth a read. It draws from: “Research to Renewal: Advancing University Tech Transfer ,” Heartland Forward: May 6, 2022. Note: This report from Hartland Forward, an Arkansas based “Think and do” tank, ranks many universities by their efficiency in developing technology and bringing it to market.
“Two-thirds of US universities lack student groups for Muslims, Jews or Hindus,” The Hill: June 9, 2022.
Note: This article refers to the study cited immediately below:
Coley, JS Et Al: “Creating Sacred Spaces: Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim Student Groups at U.S. Colleges and Universities,” Sociology of education: April 2022 Note: For me this link does not go to a full text article but your local library (particularly a college library) may have full access.
“10 Best Colleges for Engineering Majors,” Money: June 7, 2022.
“Abortion and College Admissions: Roe v. Wade Decision Makes Students Reconsider School Choices,” Teen Vogue: June 14, 2022.
“Aiming for Excellence,” Harvard Magazine: July 2022.
Note: Though esoteric, there is a lot of useful information about how universities are managed here as well as pointers to some useful books for the interested reader.
“Texas universities join alliance furthering research opportunities for Hispanics,” the Dallas Morning News: June 21, 2022.
“Amid student housing crisis, UCLA becomes first UC campus with four-year room guarantee,” The Los Angeles Times: Mar 17, 2022.
“Best Colleges With a Female President – 24/7 Wall St: Mar 16, 2022.
“College students have become fearful of expressing their views. A new civil dialogue movement may restore healthy debate.” The Washington Post: Mar 16, 2022. Note: This piece, potentially behind a paywall, is a survey of a book the author is soon to publish.
“How universities can support student mental health and wellbeing,” The World Economic Forum: Mar 15, 2022.
“Study: These 10 colleges have produced the most CEOs,” Fast company: Mar 9, 2022 Note: This article and its source study look at raw numbers only not per capita figures.
“Iowa's controversial transgender sports bill signed into law,” KCCI TV: Mar 3, 2022.
“Pandemic leads colleges to revise, improve mental health efforts,” The Washington Post: Feb 25, 2022.
“UC Schools Are Seeing A Sharp Rise In CalFresh Enrollment,” LAist: Feb 23, 2022.
[Paywall?]“College faculty are fighting back against state bills on critical race theory,” The Washington Post: Feb 19, 2022.
“What Are The Most Popular Majors Among Prospective College Students?,” Forbes: Feb 16, 2022. Note: Data for this article is drawn from Niche, which you may find very useful in determining what college will fit you best.
“Here are the 10 most inclusive colleges for LGBTQ+ students, according to a leadership nonprofit,” business Insider: Feb 14, 2022. Note: The link to the National Society of Leadership and Success in the article text does not go to the study the article cites, just the NSLS home page.
“Amid nationwide enrollment drops, some HBCUs are growing.” The Washington Post: Feb 12, 2022.
“The Nation’s Worst Campuses For Free Speech,” Forbes: Feb 9, 2022. Note: This draws from the resource immediately below:
“10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2022,” The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education: Feb 2, 2022.
“Colleges in California, across US struggle to recruit therapists for students in crisis,” the Modesto Bee: Jan 28, 2022.
“College sports earns poor grade for racial, gender hiring practices,” ESPN: Jan 27, 2022.Note: This piece points to several reports on the state of diversity in campus leadership including the resource directly below.
“The 2021 DI FBS Leadership,” The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport: Jan 27, 2022.
[announcement] “Princeton's Free Speech Initiative,” Reason: Jan 10, 2022.
“Students weigh in on University food waste,” The Yale Daily News: Dec 10, 2021.
“FAS Committee Recommends Scrapping Shopping Week in Favor of Previous-Term Registration,” The Harvard Crimson: Dec 9, 2021.
“Austin, Orlando And Ann Arbor Rated Best College Towns In Nation By WalletHub,” Forbes: Dec 2, 2021. Note: a summary of the WalletHub report below.
“How Purdue University, Arizona Regents, And Others Educate For Citizenship,” Forbes: Dec 1, 2021.
“2022's Best College Towns & Cities in America,” WalletHub: Nov 30, 2021.
“Colleges are turning to science to limit suicide contagion and help heal campuses,” NPR: Nov 16, 2021.
“New Jersey to spend $400M to improve college and university buildings,” New Jersey Monitor: Nov 16, 2021.
“UNC system educates thousands of student veterans,” The Charlotte Observer: Nov 10, 2021.
“Latina first-generation college students draw on lessons, mentor others,” NBC News: Nov 10, 2021.
“5 California colleges, universities among 10 recognized for increasing college completion rate among Latino students,” The Hill: Nov 3, 2021
“Vermont State Colleges trustees adopt systemwide 'anti-racism pledge',” Fox News: Oct 30, 2021.
“The climate crisis should be pushing colleges and universities to do more to be sustainable, experts say. Student recruitment depends on it.,” Business Insider: Oct 28, 2021.
“'Worst List' names 180 colleges that are 'unsafe' for LGBTQ students,” NBC News: Oct 25, 2021.
“Something unusual is happening at many small, conservative Christian colleges: They're growing,” USA Today: Oct 23, 2021.
“More College Food Pantries Providing For Students In Need: ‘No Student Should Have To Endure That’,” CBS New York: Oct 23, 2021.
“Elite University Endowments Soar As Higher Ed Divide Grows,” Forbes: Oct 15, 2021.
“Women earned the majority of doctoral degrees in 2020 for the 12th straight year and outnumber men in grad school 148 to 100,” The American Enterprise Institute: Oct 14, 2021.
“Public college tenure changes headed for vote despite professor protests,” Georgia Recorder: Oct 12, 2021.
“Newsom signs bill to protect trans college students,” The Bay Area Reporter: Oct 6, 2021.
“UC workforce churn: Why a quarter of lecturers don’t return each year,” CalMatters: Oct 5, 2021.
“CA legislators tell state colleges to stop deadnaming trans, nonbinary students,” The Bay Area Reporter: Aug 31, 2021. [check to see if Governor Newsome signs the bill.
“74% of colleges are facing financial challenges, according to a new survey of higher ed professionals,” CNBC: Aug 25, 2021.
“HBCUs See Record Jump In Enrollment For Upcoming Academic Year,” iHeartRadio: Aug 25, 2021.
“C al State schools, including Sac State, confront courses with high failure, withdrawal rates,” The Sacramento Bee: Aug 20, 2021. Note: this piece is about efforts to improve student success so take the headline with care.
“How Diverse Are the 10 Most Selective Universities?,” Newsweek: Aug 21, 2021.
“Academic Institutions Must Do Better to Protect Caregivers This Fall - Scientific American: Aug 18, 2021.
“University of California vowing more equity, transparency in campus policing,” The Hill: Aug 19, 2021.
“What Do We Know About Hispanic Serving Institutions?,” Forbes: Aug 15, 2021.
”A Guide to Women's Colleges,” US News and World Report: May 18, 2021.
”Historically Black Colleges Finally Get the Spotlight,” The New York Times: Jul 18, 2021.
”US Women's Colleges Seen as Incubators for Independence,” VOANews: April 20, 2020.
“Some colleges ease up on pushing undergrads into picking majors right away,” The Hechinger Report: July 23, 2021.
“What Colleges Are Doing To Bring Back Black And Latino Male Students,” LAist: Jul 3, 2021.
“As Students Return To Campus, Colleges Are Struggling To House Them,” Forbes: Jul 1, 2021.
“State university faculty, students to be surveyed on beliefs,” the Tampa Bay Times: June 23, 2021.
“More Universities Approve Record New Budgets, $15-An-Hour Minimum Wage For FY 2022,” Forbes: June 20, 2021.
“New website tracks which colleges will use eproctoring software this fall,” the Verge: June 16, 2021.

“Private colleges across America can't pay their bills,” Axios: June 14, 2021 Note: Don’t focus too much on the headline alone, read the article as there’s a lot of useful perspective here.
“College towns felt ignored by universities and resented the students. Then COVID-19 hit.,” USA Today: Jun 6, 2021.
“Colorado ends "legacy admissions" for [public] higher education,” ABC News: May 25, 2021.
Articles on Why Investing in Going to College is a Good Idea “The value of your education,” Ladders: June 7, 2021.
”It’s time for an overhaul of academic freedom,” The Washington Post: [possible paywall] June 9, 2021.

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO COLLEGE

Contents:

“How to Find the Right Scholarship for Every Occasion,” Real Simple: Apr 23, 2021.

​

​​​

Older, but very helpful articles; Financial aid:​

[possible paywall] “Colleges scramble to recruit students as nationwide enrollment plunges,” The Washington Post: Mar 31, 2022. Note: After the resources from Yale and Harvard above, the reader will know some colleges are doing well with recruitment, but this piece shows many are not.

“How to choose the right university for you,” MacLeans: Mar 27, 2021. Note: Although discussing choosing colleges in Canada, the overall advice is good wherever you’re making your choices.

5 Questions You Should Ask On A College Tour — But No One Ever Does​

Older, but very helpful articles; Financial aid:

5 Questions You Should Ask On A College Tour — But No One Ever Does