College Research: Useful Resources

We have discussed the research process in detail over the last couple of articles. However, you will not find all of the relevant information on just one website. Which means you will have to visit various kinds of websites. Here we discuss some other research websites you might find useful.

1. Ranking Websites

Students and especially parents love categorizing universities by their rankings. And you will find multiple college rankings. The most popular rankings are by 'US News and World Report' on usnews.com. US News offers information on average class sizes in form of pie charts.

If you combine this information with the student-faculty ratio, you will get a good idea about how your class will look like. US News website also offers graduation rates of four years.

The important point is to not use rankings to find college everyone already knows. Look for lesser-known colleges which rank well and offer better-suited education opportunities. Use ranking websites to find colleges that you may not have heard of.

2. Student Review Sites

To get a sense of the personality of the college or university, you can't look at facts and figures alone. You need to look at reviews by actual students studying there. There are review websites like unigo.com. This particular website has student reviews which ask great questions. It is important to ask questions to get to know what a college is really like, along with the student population.

One thing that you have to keep in mind is that these review sites are based on students' opinions. You need to have a good understanding where facts end and fiction begins while considering the reviews.

A similar site is Cappex. It offers similar features like Unigo, with something called the scattergram. Scattergram is the graph where students indicate their academic and test scores, and whether their application was accepted or rejected at a particular college.
There is no way to officially verify whether what is posted is accurate or not. So, treat the graph as a guideline and not hard fact.

3. Faculty Websites

Along with getting an idea about students, it is equally important to get to know the personality of professors and admission officers at the universities where you might apply. There is another website called College Week Live, that lets you get to know the faculty member better. You get a chance to connect with universities through presentations and video chats.

Some chats will feature admission officers, and others will feature current students. You can ask questions and get answers that help you learn about the personality of the university.

There may be virtual events like online college fairs, where you can meet admission officers online and explore various universities virtually. Of course, you won't find all universities on College Week Live or similar websites, but it is always a good idea to use these as an additional resource and to explore the colleges that are on your list.

4. Coursera

Another unorthodox option for your research is Coursera. If you are interested in a particular university and that same university offers a course on coursera, you get a chance to see what their professors are like. There are currently over 100 universities offering free online classes through Coursera. You should enroll for either one of the classes offered, and see what those professors are like and how they teach.

Take advantage of all these options available which offer great information. When it comes to choosing one college to attend from all the options, you need to be able to make the right decision with confidence.

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