College Bound Athletes

I've been meeting lots of student athletes and their parents who "know" that they are going to get an athletic scholarship to college.  I always tell my students that it is easier to get a scholarship/grant for your brains than for your brawn.  There, simply, are more scholarship opportunities for the academically talented sudent.  Now, if you are academically and athletically gifted....the sky's the limit.  But, remember most high school athletes do not play at College Division I levels.  There is happiness playing college sports at a Division II or Division III program. 

Many high school athletes are so involved in their sport that they forget to do their "due diligence" and properly research what getting an "athletic scholarship" requires.  If you hope to play a sport in college you MUST register at www.ncaa.org during your junior year in high school.  This enables the NCAA to track all aspects of your academics, testing and recruiting.  All student athletes should read NCAA information and know it well.  Times have changed, and if a student athlete is listening to what their parents or friend's parent did to play at a college you will be getting outdated advice.  NCAA academic and testing requirements have been strengthened through the years.  Currently, to be eligible to play Division I sports a student must complete the following academic coursework:
                      - 4 years English,
                      - 3 years Math (Algebra or higher),
                      - 2 years natural/physical science (1 year Lab),
                      - 1 year additional English, Math or Science,
                      - 2 years Social Science,
                      - 4 years of Additonal coursework from English, Math, Science, Social
                          Science or Foreign Language, Philosophy or Comparative religions.

Additionally, when taking the SAT/ACT, students must send their official scores to NCAA by using Code 9999, and request final amatuerism certification from NCAA beginning April of senior year.

For the high school athlete who is considering playing in Division II or III, I always recommend getting your best grades.  Then you can earn an academic scholarship and play sports as well.  This could be the best of both worlds.

Campus Visits - A Tool to Explore Universities

I'm amazed how many seniors I have encountered who are getting ready to fill out a bunch of applications but have never visited college campuses.  It is really important to start your college visits early in your high school career.  Middle schools students should be encouraged to start the tour process as well.  The more campuses you have researched the better handle you'll have on making a good decision about which university to attend. 

Tours are normally conducted by volunteer students.  Sometimes the admission directors will introduce themselves to the visitor group and hold a brief introductory session then hand off to the student tour guides to walk the campus with you.  At some schools the admissions officers may hold a more in-depth session in a lecture hall setting after the tour has ended - they are all slightly different.

Some hints to help you get the most out of your tour experience:

1.  Check online to see when official tours are being given and make an appointment.

2. If visiting multiple schools in one day; don't try to do more than two each day.  Allow extra time, as tours and informational sessions frequently run late.  Plot driving routes and book hotels in advance.

3.  Wear good walking shoes.

4.  The student should register at the admissions office.  Schools do keep track of all contacts with applicants.  In a recent survey, 46% of schools said campus visits have a POSITIVE influence on the admissions office.

5.  For parents: let your student ask questions of the tour guide.

6.  Eat lunch in the school cafeteria.  Do you like the food selection?

7.  Pick up a student newspaper.

8.  Sit in on a class.  This must be arranged in advance through the admissions office.  Sometimes it must be arranged through a department head, but schools really do encourage "student for a day" programs.

9.  If possible, students should arrange to meet an admissions officer.

10.  If you meet an admissions officer, send a thank you note immediately upon returning home.

11. Prior to the visit, make a list of questions you want to find answers to.  Don't ask questions of the admissions officer that you can easily get answers to on the school's website.

12.  If possible, parents and students should try to take different tours of the same school, if 2 separate tours are leaving around the same time.  You'll get two different perspectives which you can talk about later over dinner.


Have fun on the tour, imagine yourself studying there and being a part of that campus. Jot down your thoughts and impressions about each school while everything is fresh in your mind; keep all your notes in one place so you can review them when you are getting ready to make your final "apply list".

Here are some quick links of tour and info pages for various schools.

Emory University, Atlanta,   click here

University of California, UC system click here

University of Michigan, click here

A link to my own campus tour videos,  click here

A Great Online Resource

Everyone should be looking at the website http://www.collegeboard.com/ when they are preparing for college.  Make sure you bookmark this amazingly rich site so you can view it daily.  What I most like about the site is the daily SAT questions.  You can answer the question and find out immediately if you are right or wrong.  Additionally, there is a low price ($69.50) online SAT course. 

Daily SAT practice questions: http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-questions

A lot of my students are looking for certain majors and are sometimes confused how to quickly find a list of schools that offer their chosen major.  This http://www.collegeboard.com/ site has a great college search section.  It lists the majors most requested by students. 

Remember that the college board site is not just for registering for the SAT.  Click on the upper tabs for comprehensive information on:

• Advanced Placement tests,  including sample questions. 
• College Planning
• College Search
• Professional Development (for educators)
• Store - selling publications for students and educators.
• Under the tab "More" find AP Central,   K-12 Services, Higher Ed, College Guidance and a section En Español.

Become familiar with all these terms - in the beginning it's like learning a new language, but it will serve you well as you prepare to apply for College or University.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm! Start Your Research and Planning in Middle School

It's NEVER TOO EARLY to start the college preparation and search process. I've been working with middle school students and their parents recently. There is a thirst for knowledge out there that is not always being met by middle schools. Middle school parents and students come to my meetings anxious and inquisitive about the college preparation process. Learning about the college search and admission process is like learning a new language. You cannot do it overnight. It takes time for the brain to process all the new terms and acronyms; never mind doing a search for a college that suits you.

Plan early - reduce the stress !

With all the news and reality about more and more students applying to university, and tuition rising at disproportionate rates, anxiety on the parts of students and parents is at an all-time high. Getting an early start alleviates the stress for most families. I know that many middle school students are just stressing about choosing a high school that suits them. But, in reality, that choice could affect their college choices too.

A well thought-out 6 year plan in Middle School will effectively guide you all the way through high school.

It is important for all 7th graders to create a written 6 year academic plan. Understand what universities are looking for and make sure you create an academic plan that exceeds admission guidelines. If you do this, no matter what high school you choose and no matter how much college information you get or do not get in high school; you will be prepared.

Transfer Students

I have been working with a few students who are looking to transfer to a different college/university.  When you have made the decision to transfer from your current university it is very important to take time to really research where you want to complete your college education.  Requirements for transfer students are different than for freshman admission.  Take Seattle University....which admits students on a rolling basis (meaning they assess and admit you as soon as they receive all your documentation).  If you are looking to transfer to Seattle University with fewer than 45 college credits, you will need to send in your high school transcript.  And, while you do not need a college instructor evaluation, you can send in letters of recommendation that the admissions committee with take into consideration.  And, they do not require a SAT/ACT if you have over 45 credits.  Also, if you have taken a break from college it is important to include a statement on what activities you have done while on your break.  Seattle University requires a minimum of a 2.75 for transfer students but last year their average transfers' GPA was 3.34.  I really like the way Seattle University has an easy on-line way to check on which of your courses will transfer to Seattle U.  It is always a big concern that you have a lot of credits but most colleges will not take all of them.  And, for heaven's sake, contact the admissions officer.  They are your best friends. Let them know you want to transfer to their university. 

Another important facet of transferring is to really look at your choice of a major.  You have had at least one year of college under your belt, SO the big question is, "What do you want to major in?" What kind of career do you want to have?"  While most freshman don't need to know, definitively, their major, as an upper classman you will be concentrating on your major.  A lot of my clients talk about wanting to major in business.  Well, if that is the case, you really need to look at your chosen college's majors.  For example, Seattle University doesn't have a business degree.  What they have are degrees in:  Accounting, International Business, Economics, Business Economics, International Economic Development, Management, Marketing, Finance and E-commerce/information systems.  So you can see why asking for a "business major" really is not specific enough.  To help you make your decision, scan the university course selection.  See what courses are required in each major.  Do any of them "ring a bell" for you?  Do any of them intrique you?  Have you worked in any jobs that included marketing, management, information systems?  Did you like that job?  Did you thrive in that job?  Spend some time asking family, neighbors and friends why they like their career. 

So, you have made your decision to transfer, you know your major and really researched your schools.  Don't waste time!  Send that application in.

Test Optional Schools

I have had many questions regarding "test optional" schools.  YES! They do exist.  Each year, there is an increase in the  number of schools that go "test optional".  Test optional means that you can send your SAT/ACT scores, or you do not have to send the scores.  It is important that students and their families really look at each college/university before deciding not to take the SAT/ACT.  In some instances, the college is listed as test optional BUT with a caveat.  An example is Arizona State University.  It is test optional only if the applicant meets the minimum GPA and class rank required for admissions. 

 

 

Remember, those statistics change yearly, and for out of state students, those GPA and class rank admission requirements are different.  Also, remember to give yourself as many options as you can.  If you take the SAT/ACT you can still apply to schools that require them and schools that do not. 

Here are a few schools that are test optional (in no particular order): 

Pitzer (California)
Arizona State

Concordia (Oregon)

Connecticut College

Providence College (Rhode Island)

Bates (Maine)
Bowdoin (Maine)

Cal Maritime (California)

Wake Forest (North Carolina)

DePaul (Minnesota)

Mt. Holyoke  (Massachusetts)
Hampshire College (Massachusetts) 

Bennington (Vermont)

George Mason (Virginia)

Lewis & Clark (Oregon)

These are just a few examples, but you might want to check them out.

Sophomore Strategies - the great "College Hunt"

When I'm talking to Sophomore students and their families, I give them a list of things they should be doing this year to prepare for the great "college hunt", which begins in earnest in Junior year.

1.  Take the PLAN test.  Make sure you sign up at your high school and take it in 10th grade.

2.  Consider taking the PSAT, also.  When taking the PSAT don't forget to check the box that gives permission for universities/colleges to send you information.

3.  Make sure that your email address is APPROPRIATE.  Colleges will be using this.  What you think is funny/quirky as an email, may not be funny to an admissions officer.

4.  Email or call schools and request information regarding programs you are interested in.  Example:  fine/performing arts programs;  5 year BA/MA programs.  Colleges keep tabs on how interested you are in their college. 

5.  Make a list of colleges/universities you want to visit this year.  Visit at least three or four this year.  Keep the information in a file that you can access easily.

6.  Request a transcript from your high school registrar.  You do not need an "official" transcript.  Check the classes and grades posted and make sure it is accurate.  You should get a transcript after every semester and check for accuracy.

7.  Create your resume that includes clubs/organizations you belong to and offices you have held.  Include school activities and community activities on the resume. 

8.  Keep all your "college hunt" information in one place.  Information stored will include PLAN/PSAT/ACT/SAT test scores; resume; college visits information, transcripts etc.

9.  Start thinking about how you will spend next summer.  Will you take a Community College class, volunteer in a hospital, go to Upward Bound, or take classes at a university? 

10.  Keep your grades up.  Ask for assistance early in the semester.  Don't wait to get help.
 
Most of all keep smiling, enjoy the journey and have fun. 

A New School Year!

Well, you've had a great summer.  You've rested, travelled, read, and had fun.  It is now time to assess where you are academically and what you need to do for the next BIG STEP. 

For high school juniors this is a crucial year.  Not only do you have to step up your game academically but you have to seriously move forward on your hunt for a college/university that suits your goals in life.  Now, I don't mean to totally scare you and freak you out, but it is important that you start NOW.  Keep a running list of schools that appeal to you.  Don't just think of the schools that have won the Rose Bowl or the schools that everyone else is talking about. 

There are over 3,000 colleges/universities in the USA.  The playing field is big, so you have to start your search and investigate early.  I suggest spending a few hours each weekend searching the web or contact your school counselor or a local educational consultant to assist you.  As you search, your list will become big.  You can always edit the list as you move along on your great college hunt. 

Also, don't forget to sign up for the PSAT and the SAT in the spring along with subject tests.  DO NOT WAIT until senior year to take these tests. 

OK!  Are you ready?  Get set!  GO!    Have a great year. 

DO NOT WAIT!

Is it never too late to start the college exploration process?  It may be.  On my travels through the country, I have been amazed at how many students and families I have met who are just starting their college search.  The problem?  The student is entering senior year of high school this fall.  If you wait until the summer prior to senior year you are at a disadvantage.  Other students have been preparing and researching for 4+ years.  Some have even spent summers on a college campus in classes.  Students going to the top universities do not start preparing in the summer of senior year.  Think of this adventure as preparing for "the big game" or important track meet.  No one enters "the" game without practicing and studying the game plan. 
There is so much you can do at the start of high school to prepare for leaving high school and getting into the school of "your" choice.  In 7th grade start with a comprehensive 6 year plan that outlines your strategy and gives you an advantage.  Follow and amend the plan as you go through high school.  Visit, visit, visit campuses.  Check if the school you really want to go to has a local admissions counselor.  Let the college know that you are interested.  Check college web sites frequently to see if there are changes in entrance requirements. 
All this work is difficult to do while you are studying and just trying to be a high school student.  Get your parents involved.  If they do not have the time, consider asking for them (or your grandparents) to hire a private college admissions counselor.  It may be the best money you spend.  But whatever you do.....DO NOT WAIT!  START NOW!

Small Colleges

My college hunt continues.  I just visited Whittier College in California. I love Whittier's logo "beyond the box" and their mascot "Whittier Poets" locally known as the Poet Warriors.  My tour guides, Daisy (California) and Dennis (Alaska)  really explained why they chose Whittier over other small liberal arts colleges. 

Some really neat things I learned about Whittier are:

1. An interest free loan for qualifying students;

2. A "scholars program" which allows students to create their own major and present a senior year project;

3.  A frosh writing class is mandatory but an example of a writing class is "psychological and sociological aspects of vampires"; 

4.  You can do research alongside your professor:  My guide is working with his professor on the "synthesis of new compounds and their bacterial inhibition".  He will be working on this for three years while an underclassman.
5.  While most faculty live nearby; some live on campus with their families and 85% of students live on-campus all four years allowing for a close knit academic community that reaches beyond the classroom.
6.  Daisy is an AVID tutor at a local high school and 12 of her AVID students have been accepted to Whittier for 2011.  WOW!

As you can see I came away from my tour with real insight into what Whittier offers. So, if you are looking for a small liberal arts education in Los Angeles County...check it out.  http://www.youtube.com/ACScounseling

The Great College Hunt

University of Washington Graduate Library

I've just returned from a tour of campuses in the New York State and Washington State areas.  My thoughts on campus visits have been reconfirmed.  It is a MUST to see a campus before you apply.  Web sites and web tours just canNOT give you the feel that walking the campus does. Actually talking to students who attend the university simply gives you a better indication of whether you will fit in or not.    All of my tour guides were very helpful, but I found talking to students other than the tour guides gave me additional information and insights that are invaluable. 

High school students are applying to more and more colleges/universities.  They  are approaching the application process as if they are playing Las Vegas...."the more I apply to.....the better chance I have of getting in".  If you don't do your homework.....you won't be successful.  Make sure that the schools on your "Apply To" list are ALL schools you are certain you would be happy attending.  Don't risk wasting your parents money and years of your own life! Be a smart consumer. 

As I toured each campus I posted a short video of impressions on my YouTube channel. PLEASE CHECK THEM OUT!
 www.YouTube.com/ACScounseling

Class of 2012

Hello juniors.  You are in the final stretch of this very important junior year of high school.  How are you doing?  Are you confident that you're headed in the right direction?

By now, college bound juniors should have either taken a SAT/ACT or have registered for an upcoming one.  DO NOT WAIT FOR SENIOR YEAR TO TAKE A SAT/ACT.  By June of junior year you should be finished with your testing and only considering a fall test if you are not happy with your scores.

Make sure you have a running list of the colleges/univeristies you are considering applying to.  By this summer, you should narrow your list to no more than 10 schools.  If you are not sure what schools to apply to, speak to your school counselor.  Make sure that he/she is an expert in the college application process.  If you are not comfortable with the counselor's expertise, considering working with someone in the growing field of college admissions counselors who work one-on-one with students applying to universities.

With public schools slashing budgets across the USA, the school counselor is, unfortunately, the first to go.  In California the ratio of students to counselor is over 1000/1.  How much time can your counselor spend with you on the college review and application process?  A private counselor spends 20 - 50 hours per year working with you and your family.  The money invested here, may be the best money spent toward college.

Waiting for the Envelope

The high school class of 2011 is sitting on pins and needles waiting for the infamous "envelope" that decides their fate for the next four years.  So, what are you doing in the interim.  This is not the time to sit back and relax.  My hope is that a great number of seniors are enrolled in community college classes.  What an inexpensive way to get through those general education requirements and a "bargain price".  If you haven't enrolled in a course for this spring semester, consider taking a summer course.  Schools are registering soon.  Do not miss out.

If you are not going to take a community college class, you should be working in a job that not only gives you spending money for senior activities or college tuition, but that lets you explore a career you are considering.  If you want to be a lawyer, you should be working in a law office.  If you want to be a nurse/physician you should be working somewhere in the medical field.  If you want to be an architect, work in the construction trades.  Even if you intern, and are  not receiving a paycheck; the skills, knowledge, experience and connections could prove to be priceless. 

So stop sitting around waiting for the envelope.  Study so you can get your best grades ever, and get out there and explore the world of work.

Application Increases at Universities

Colleges and Universities across the USA are noting marked increases in numbers of applicantions for the Fall 2011 Freshman Class.  What is the cause of this trend?  Many university admissions' officers believe that the increase in the use of the "COMMON APPLICATION" is a key reason why individual universities are seeing application increases.  Instead of plowing through ten different applications, it is very easy to fill out one application and send it to a multitude of schools.  Is this really insuring that students get into the school of their choice?   Not necessarily.  It is still important for students and their families to carefully choose the schools they are applying to.  With increasing applicant pools, schools can afford to be very choosy.  This means it will be harder and harder to get into a university if you do not apply strategically.

At Los Angeles' Loyola Marymount University, Director of Admissions Matthew Fissinger reports a 10.9% increase in applications over last year, with 11,202 applications received by the January 15, 2011 deadline.  This is the largest increase in the past five years.  However, he noted that since 2007 there has been an applicant pool increase each year.  Fissinger reported in the Loyalan, LMU's student newspaper, that he attributes the increase to a number of factors including:  the rise in LMU's reputation, the quality of LMU students' experiences and the small class sizes at LMU.  Word of mouth is quickly spreading from current LMU students to other potential students.  Fishinger also notes that in the last five years, LMU has had a number of significant national rankings, including:  US News & World:  ranking #3 in Best Regional (West) University; Business Week 2009: ranking #13 for their part-time MBA; and Princeton Review (2007): ranking #9th for Most Beautiful Campus.

In 2009 LMU admitted 59.2% of applicants; in 2010 only 54% were admitted.  The admission rate for this years pool of applicants has not been determined.  Letters of acceptance will be going out shortly.

University Information From A Student's Perspective

Who knows a campus better than the students enrolled?  That's why it's important to talk to students when you go on a "college tour".  It is not good enough to just follow the tour guide.  After the "official" tour, take your own tour.  Talk to students, stop professors and ask a question, sit in on a class, eat the food in the cafeteria, sit in the admissions or registrar's office and watch what happens.  Are people friendly?  Are people helpful?  Or do you feel like you are in the DMV office waiting hours to ask a simple question? 

Most students touring campuses get a "gut feeling" within 15 minutes of stepping on a campus.  After the "official" tour and your own tour, sit down and write some notes of the pros and cons of the school.  Keep it in a log of School Visits.  This will help you when you're trying to narrow down your application prospects.  It will also help to insure that your list of "apply to" schools are all schools you will love going to.   Most of all HAVE FUN during the trips.  You only do this once in your life. 

Ivy League Admissions News Rolling In

Did you apply to an Ivy League school? Check out what Washington Post's Valerie Straus wrote...

Washington Post Reports on Ivy League Early Admission Process

Harvard’s Unofficial Early Admissions Process

Harvard University doesn’t have an official early admissions process, but some students still learn before everybody else whether they are being looked on with favor by the admissions folks.

Harvard's long standing practce of the unofficial Harvard nod is called indicators of admissions, according to Harvard College Admissions Dean William Fitzsimmons.  Other Ivy League institutions do it as well.  (The difference is that all of the others -- Columbia University, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Dartmouth College and Brown University -- except one, Princeton University, have some official form of early admissions process.)

Harvard has no early action process which ended in 2007.  Harvard can unofficially let specific students know of their interest from Oct. 1 of any year through the following March 15.  The lack of a formal program has not, however, kept Harvard from letting certain students slip away to schools that do have formal early admissions processes. Many of the students are athletes who, Fitzsimmons said, are “being squeezed” by other school schools to accept an offer by a specific date.  But not all of them are athletes. Harvard officials sometimes “see individual applicants at schools here and there around the country who are particularly outstanding” and alert them that their application would be welcome, he said.

Sometimes students will approach Harvard and ask for some indication of whether they will be accepted. They are given one of three responses, he said: likely, possible or unlikely to be admitted. Likely responses essentially means a student will be admitted, assuming they don’t flunk out of senior year in high school.

Last year, he said, Harvard issued about 300 “likely” notifications. By way of contrast, Dartmouth College, for example, this year offered admission to 444 early decision applicants for this coming fall, 17 fewer than last year. Yale admitted 14.5 percent of its early action applicants for the class of 2015; of 5,257 early applicants, 761 were notified of their acceptances last month.

APPLICATIONS RISE FOR IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS -

Valerie Straus, Washington Post, noted that this year’s early decision process has been especially tough for students applying to the country’s most elite colleges and universities. In some places, the competition has been tougher than ever.

Test-prep companies said they received a big bump in students in late December and early January -- kids who thought they would get into a college early decision but didn’t and decided to try to take the SAT or ACT one more time to lift their scores.  And some high schools have raised the number of colleges and universities to which they will allow students to apply because so many students didn’t get in during early decision.

Early-decision applications were up at many schools. The University of Michigan, for example, saw a spike of about 18% in applications; Bucknell University is up 30 percent; Lehigh University, 14 percent; Northwestern University, 26 percent; and Davidson College, a whopping 40 percent.

Part of the spike in applications is attributed to the Common Application, which makes it relatively easier to apply to many schools. And that makes it harder for admissions offices --- and for the high school seniors waiting to see where they will be going to college in the fall.

ENOUGH OF ALL THIS DATA.....IT CAN MAKE US ALL CRAZY!!!

My take on all this...

I am amazed that high school's actually limit the number of universities they ALLOW a student to apply to.  Is that true????  While I don't believe applying to 20 schools improves your chances....I'd be furious if my high school told me I could not apply as I've reached my max. 

THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF BEING ACCEPTED TO A UNIVERSITY IS TO DO WELL IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE A STELLAR RESUME!

The best way to insure acceptance is to carefully choose what colleges you apply to.  Anyone with a 4.0 who only applies to Ivy League schools is not doing their homework and/or not being advised properly.  

Ivy League's have turned down thousands of perfect 4.0/2400 students.  Be smart...do your homework.  I'm not telling you not to apply to the Ivy League......but for heaven's sake, apply somewhere else, too.

University of California 2011 Applicant Stats Are In

Now that all you high school seniors have applied to your perfect college, don't sit back and relax.  Do something spectacular this semester.  Consider volunteering in your local community.  Work with Habitat for Humanity and build a home!  Use your spring break to make a difference in your community.

Stats from University of California are just in.   Check this out!!!! But don't get freaked out!!!

142,235 applicants an increase of 6.1 percent over last year.  This is the 7th straight year of increases. All campuses saw record numbers in freshman applications this year. The greatest increases were at San Diego (11.2 percent), Merced (8.9 percent) and Riverside (8.5 percent).  Transfer applications rose 26% since 2009.

Freshman applications from California residents increased by 3.6 percent. "Since we are in a period where the number of projected high school graduates is flat, this increase suggests more students are meeting the university's admissions requirements," UC Director of Admissions Susan Wilbur said.

Nonresident applicants increased 10.7 percent from out-of-state and 22.5 percent from international freshman applicants. On the transfer side, California transfer applications grew by 8.5 percent, while those from out-of-state students rose by 2.2 percent.

UC USING WAIT LIST AGAIN THIS YEAR

UC now enrolls 11,000 more California-resident students than the state provides funding for.
For the second year, campuses will use waitlists.   "Last year, we were able to process our waiting list quickly, and all applicants knew where they stood before the end of May," Wilbur said.

SHOW ME THE MONEY $$$$$$

UC recently increased all student fees.

"33 percent of any new fee revenue goes back into financial aid," Wilbur said.

The Blue and Gold Opportunity Program ensures that financially needy California students whose family income is below $80,000 will pay no systemwide fees. In addition, the university will provide grants to cover the recent tuition increase for one year for financially needy California undergraduates with household incomes of less than $120,000.

Wall Street Unigo Article

Wall Street Journal's "UniGo" is a great resource for all college bound students and their families.

Wall Street Journal's new www.unigo.com web site has lots of cool information about colleges/universities.

The site has videos, photos, and reviews of school from students at the schools. While the site is supported by ads and covers only  250 colleges and universities it has the potential to supply "real" information for the high school student searching for their "perfect fit" school.  The site claims that 15,000 students contributed to the profiles of the 250 colleges represented.  Wall Street Journal's Mossberg notes that, "the videos are the most interesting part of Unigo, because they provide a look at current students and at the campus that isn't often captured in standard guides. Most of the videos are fairly short, some only containing the answer to a single question like "What's the best or worst thing about this school?" But others include opinions on issues like what kinds of students fit in best or worst on campus, or minitours of the campus or of typical dorms." 

This is a good start for unigo.com.  It looks like thousand of hours and dollars were spent obtaining valuable data for students.