Hey everyone! I'm trying to figure out which colleges are most popular in each state. Does anyone know where I can find some reliable data on this? I'd love any advice or resources you can share, appreciate it!
I'd suggest turning to a combination of state education sites, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and individual school websites.
State education websites, like the ones for each state's Department of Education, often provide detailed statistics about the schools in their state, including enrollment numbers that can give you an idea of which schools are the most popular.
Similarly, the National Center for Education Statistics, has a college navigator tool you can use. It offers detailed enrollment numbers for all the schools in any given state. This can be especially helpful in determining not just the size of the institutions, but how many enrollees are in-state versus out-of-state.
The most reliable source of information, however, might be the school's own websites. Most universities provide statistical profiles of their student body on their official websites, usually under a section labeled "Institutional Research," "Facts and Figures," or "About Us."
Remember that "popularity" can be subjective and isn't solely about the total number of students enrolled. Keep in mind the number of applicants and the acceptance rate of the college. A university with high application numbers and/or a low acceptance rate is usually deemed "popular," as it is highly sought after.
Keep in mind also, that some schools may be popular for certain majors or programs, and less so for others, so if you're considering a specific field of study, you might want to narrow down your search even further to see which schools are popular for that major.
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