The Best U College Admissions Consulting

  U.S. News and World Report  made splashy headlines last week with the release of their 2024 college rankings list. Some colleges are celebrating their ascension, while other big name institutions are decrying the results after plummeting down the list.  The real question though is  does it even matter? Read on for a quick summary of what’s changed in the rankings and our perspective on whether students and families should care at all –  What’s Changed – U.S. News and World Report  produces the most consumed rankings of colleges and universities in the country. They’ve also faced growing criticism for their ranking methodology which historically emphasized factors that are often a proxy for the wealth and privilege of the institutions and the students they enroll, rather than measures of quality or outcomes. As a number of prominent law and medical schools have dropped participation in the rankings all together, the company changed this year’s methodology ...

  The overwhelm is real.  For parents and students alike, the sense that college is both far on the distant horizon, and coming at you too close for comfort is all too real. In our experience,  overwhelm dissipates when we have a plan, and have some comfort navigating the topic , whether that’s finances, college fit, activities, or academics. Read on for our insights on when to start the planning process, and what it really means to plan for college at every stage without drama or stress–  When is it too soon to plan for college?  I am the parent of an elementary school child and a newly minted early middle schooler. This is  far too soon  to be making a college list, to be thinking about standardized testing or ‘resume building.’  That said, I talk to my girls about college. Let me tell you what I mean –  As college advisors, one of the most heartrending parts of our work is meeting students in junior and even senior year of high school who ...