College Selection Tips & Advice for Students

Students who are interested in attending a liberal arts college have a lot of options — just over 200 private institutions in the U.S., not to mention the liberal arts programs at many larger universities. All liberal arts schools specialize in a multidisciplinary curriculum, which can be a good choice for intellectually curious students with varied academic interests. Read on to learn about the 25 liberal arts schools that are popular with IvyWise students and what each has to offer. 

Do you rip powder on weekends? Spend your spare time spinning and jumping on the ice? Or maybe curling is more your style. If access to winter sports in between classes is a high priority in your college search, you might consider adding these schools to your best-fit list. 

The word “finals” strikes fear in the hearts of most students, as it’s the culmination of a semester’s worth of work and sometimes the determining factor of a final course grade. The end of the semester can be especially distressing for first-year students, who have never taken a college-level final before. Students may not know what to expect, and the anxiety can leave many feeling lost. 

While meal choices shouldn’t be the biggest factor when it comes to enrollment decisions, top-tier dining options are always an asset. Many universities have revamped their menu offerings to provide students with diverse and high-quality food choices.

Whether you’re a die-hard carnivore or a passionate vegan, the best campus dining halls are dedicated to serving students with a variety of dietary preferences and lifestyles. Keep reading to learn more about the colleges with the best dining hall options. 

Cornell University is an Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York. Renowned for its cutting-edge research, Cornell is ranked 17th among U.S. universities by U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, the university opened in 1868. Students who attend Cornell are known as Cornellians, and the university’s athletic teams are nicknamed “Big Red” after the football fight song, The Big, Red Team, was composed in 1905 by Cornell graduate Romeyn Berry. Today, Cornell is home to nearly 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

As an Ivy League institution, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, is one of the top universities in the U.S. Founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, it is also one of the nation’s oldest universities and the first one codified to admit and instruct students regardless of religious affiliation. The college changed its name to Brown University in 1804. 

Finalizing your list of best-fit schools is one of the most important steps of the college application process. Between writing supplemental essays, finalizing personal statements, and requesting letters of recommendation, there’s a lot that students need to prioritize – and often, they put off the difficult task of narrowing down their long list of best-fit schools. Keep reading to learn more about what you should keep top of mind so that you can narrow down your college list and stay ahead of the game on all of your applications.

A constant concern of universities, and many college-bound families is the next list of college rankings. Where will an institution land on a list with other “top” colleges, and which schools will be a surprise top 5? But do rankings really matter? The short answer is: no!

Since Harvard University is one of the most competitive and academically rigorous colleges in the United States, applicants know that earning admissions can be a challenge. However, students are often less aware of the challenges they might face once they actually enroll at Harvard. Have you ever wondered about Harvard’s graduation rate?

Many students with a passion for science and mathematics dream of attending a top-ranked STEM-focused school like MIT. The institution is known for its renowned faculty, robust alumni network, and ample research opportunities for both undergraduate students and graduate students.