Compare Colleges by Major
On a previous page, "Search for Self," resources are described that introduce students to the variety of subject areas (majors) that can be studied, and the way in which interests and personalities can help determine eventual careers that are connected to the subject. As a result of that inquiry, students who are aware of a few different subject areas of personal interest can compare academic programs at different campuses to find colleges suited to their interests, rather than relying solely on the name recognition of the college.
Why Compare Colleges on the Quality of Academic Majors?
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There are over 1700 four-year colleges in the United States.
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Name recognition and top-50 ranking do not guarantee a good program in a student's area of interest, not to mention the difficulty of admission to the top-50 schools.
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Most of a student's time is spent in the major department after the first year.
How do you gauge the strength of a college program? Examine the college's department websites. Later, visit the department during a campus visit.
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The courses -- What is the breadth of course offering in a given subject area? How many classes are offered? Do the classes that are offered show a certain choice of emphasis or personality to the department? What are the major requirements?
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The professors -- Who is teaching these classes? What do the professors' biographical descriptions reveal about their expertise and experience? What are their areas of research? What are their current courses? How large are the classes? How easy or hard is it to be able to talk to professors?
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The energy and excitement -- What is the personality and life of the department? The website may tell about grants and awards that have been given. Does the department hold particular seminars or events of interest? When talking with students, is there a sense of support and enthusiasm about the department?
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Participation -- If there are graduate students, what research projects are they working on? Can undergraduates participate? Is there an emphasis on graduates or undergraduates?
Resources for finding colleges with programs in chosen fields
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Books in the Post-Grad Center rank college programs
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The College Finder: Choosing the School That is Right for You (Steven Antonoff)
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Fiske Guide to Getting Into the Right College (Fiske & Hammond)
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The Gourman Report: Undergraduate Programs, 10th ed. (Jack Gourman)
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Rugg's Recommendation on the Colleges, 16th ed. (Frederick Rugg)
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Post-Grad article lists highly recommended colleges by Major
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Websites connect majors to colleges
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Individual college websites reveal department information