Engineering is the application of science and math to solve problems. Engineers figure out how things work and find practical uses for scientific discoveries. Scientists and inventors often get the credit for innovations that advance the human condition, but it is engineers who are instrumental in making those innovations available to the world. Engineering is one of the cornerstones of STEM education, an interdisciplinary curriculum designed … [Read more...]
Texas College Crime
Parents are always asking about college and student safety. Unfortunately, many families only base their information on the reputation of the college, its location, or rumors. To help families make more informed decisions, we conducted a data search of Texas 4- year universities with student bodies of more than 5,000 students, excluding for-profit colleges and those without residential housing. We also compiled the data for years 2012, 2013 and … [Read more...]
The New ACT Essay
The ACT Writing section (aka the essay) is new for the 2015-2016 school year. What’s the difference between the old and new ACT essay question? The old essay prompt was relevant to teenage issues and asked students to consider issues such as student dress code, curfew, whether or not students should be required to take PE or arts classes, or even whether or not texting while driving laws should be enforced. In other words, as the ACT puts it, … [Read more...]
Comparing University of Texas and Texas A&M: A Look at the Numbers
University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M at College Station are the best public universities in Texas. Many families have a strong preference for one college over the other. Whether it's the football team, the academics or the legacy, students usually favor one as well. To help families decide which college is right for their students, we'll take a look at the college's statistics and admissions data. University of Texas- … [Read more...]
Changes to the PSAT
Do you graduate in 2017 or after? If so, you’ll be taking the new redesigned PSAT, starting in October 2015, the new PSAT will be given to all juniors across the country. Some 9th-10th graders take this test as well. So what's new about the PSAT? Let’s dive into the changes being made to the redesigned PSAT. Changes in Format The new redesigned PSAT is 35 minutes longer than the old PSAT. It clocks in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, rather than … [Read more...]
Best College Business Program Rankings
Here are the rankings for the best undergraduate business programs at US universities in 2016, courtesy of the US News and World Report. Cost of tuition includes tuition and fees, but not room and board costs. OOS= out of state # College/ University Cost of Tuition 6 yr Grad Rate 1 University of Pennsylvania $49,000 98% 2 MIT $46,000 98% 3 University of California- Berkeley $13,000 in state $38,000 … [Read more...]
Factors That Help Students in College Admissions
Your high school grades are the #1 factor in the college admission decision. Other factors count, but the body of work you develop in high school is what matters most—as it should. Colleges do not choose students by the numbers only—they don’t simply take the students with the highest grades and test scores. Colleges use many other factors to add depth to the numbers, and to compare applicants with each other to build a class that fits the … [Read more...]
New College List Ranks by Service to the Community
US News College Rankings is the 'popular' college ranking lists, but since they use questionable data that skews towards the Ivy Leagues, many professionals in the field want more, a better list, more information. Washington Monthly has given that to us. Using new criteria, Washington Monthly has developed a ranking system based on the three issues that are most important to higher education: social mobility, research, and community … [Read more...]
New College Scorecard Website
Two years, President Obama announced that the government planned to start ranking colleges based on their students' outcomes, such as their graduation rates, salaries, and success paying back loans. The idea was to help young adults make more informed decisions about applying to school while humiliating the worst-performing institutions into mending their ways. The administration also wanted to tie schools' eligibility for certain kinds of … [Read more...]
Top 4 Websites for College Research and Information
There are lots of resources for parents or students looking for college admission information online. The admission website for the specific college that the student want to apply to or attend is always the most accurate and relevant, but sometimes we need more information or comparisons. This is when these top four websites come in handy. College Results is a website with thousands of profiles on colleges. It lets users enter specific … [Read more...]
