So, I'm super stressed out searching for colleges. To make things easier, I thought I'd start with looking at the top 100 most popular colleges to see what they're doing right. Does anyone have a solid list or a site I can reference for this? Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
It's perfectly okay to feel a bit stressed, given that choosing a college is a big decision. Remember, the most important factor is to find a good fit for you personally, academically, and financially.
Now onto your question, the U.S. News and World Report annually ranks the top universities and colleges in USA, which includes a list of the top 100 institutions. This list considers multiple factors such as graduation and retention rates, social mobility, faculty resources, academic reputation, and financial resources.
CollegeVine also has a lot of information on a wide range of colleges in their robust College Search tool, which you can filter according to the factors that matter the most to you.
Regarding the term 'popular,' it can mean different things in different contexts. If by popular you mean the colleges that receive the most applications every year, then schools like UCLA, UCSD, and UCSB typically top that list. If you mean popular in terms of the quality or reputation, then Ivy League institutions, Stanford, MIT, etc., are often deemed popular.
So make sure to narrow down what you want in a college and start your search from there. College ratings and rankings can give a summary, but your individual preferences and goals should steer your college search. Happy hunting!
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