Colleges that are considered the “best” colleges differ depending on people’s preferences. What do people like about certain schools?
Some people prefer small schools while some prefer big schools. Florida State’s website explains how “one of the most significant pros of attending a large college is the wide range of academic programs and extracurricular activities available.”
However, according to William Peace University, some students might like small schools due to “smaller classes, better teachers, more teacher face time, dedicated advisors, true sense of community, more collaborative opportunities, and more relevant assignments.”
According to Niche, the so-called “best” colleges are MIT, Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia, Brown, Rice, Vanderbilt, and Princeton. These schools that are considered “top ten” are mostly Ivy League schools, and all of these “top ten” have very low acceptance rates, accepting less than 10% of applications.
As cool as these schools sound, some people don’t want to go to a “smart-person” school. They might rather go to a school where they have more time to relax and can have fun on the weekends. Based on the Financial Advisor website, the top ten party schools are UCSB, Florida State, Tulane, UA-Tuscaloosa, Syracruse, USC, Georgia, UW-Madison, UIUC, and Howard.
On another note, some people might rather get a broader education by going to a liberal arts school. The US News states that the best liberal arts colleges are Williams College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, United States Naval Academy, Bowdoin College, Pomona College, Wellesley College, Carleton College, Claremont McKenna College, United States Air Force Academy, and (tied) United States Military Academy at West Point.
According to Colleges That Change Lives, students who attend colleges listed in that book “develop[] a lifelong love of learning” (CTCL). These are mostly smaller liberal arts schools that dedicate their teachers to their students.
On the other hand, some people care about religion or faith-based schools. As mentioned in the Princeton Review, the most religious colleges and universities in the country are Hillsdale College, Wheaton College (IL), Grove City College, Auburn, Thomas Aquinas College, Gordon College, Calvin University, Saint Anselm College, BYU, and University of Dallas. As someone might point out, all four of these lists are totally different. There are so many college choices in the world, and different schools have various reputations.
Additionally, location might matter for people choosing a college. Some people want to stay close to home. Some people want to go far away, to go to different states or even a different country! Whatever someone wants, the choice is up to them!
So, the “best” college depends on what each individual wants. Best college for pets? Best college for your major? Best college for dining halls. Best schools for student athletes. Best schools in a specific state or country. Best schools for students with disabilities. Best schools for financial aid. Best schools for Greek life. People like different types of schools, and that is what makes each school unique!
There are so many factors that depend on each individual’s preferences. Any student who is considering going to college needs to consider what they want. Maybe they want to go where their friends are? Maybe they want to get away? Maybe they can only afford certain schools. There are so many options for everyone, and what school that people go to is up to them and the decisions that they make. Ultimately, the “best” college is every student’s choice.
References:
https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges/
https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/?rankings=most-religious-students
https://www.fa-mag.com/news/top-party-schools-in-america-78617.html?section=104&page=10
https://peace.edu/bigger-isnt-better-7-reasons-to-consider-applying-to-small-colleges/
