Our directory of schools which we have reviewed/rated, including both academic and arts schools, based on our tough criteria of getting the most bang for your educational buck.
If you have a 3.5 grade point average (HPA) or lower, your options, particularly in Florida, can be very limited. Community colleges are not a good option, frequently, because their credits transfer poorly for the amount of work that is being done to earn them. You generally are looking for a “home,” at least for a […]
Hampshire College is for “out of the box” students who may or may not love school, but are smart and like to forge their own path, including designing their own major.Hampshire was founded by Amherst College and U. Mass Amherst, in their 5 college consortium (group) with Smith and Mount Holyoke. Many Hampshire grads have started pioneering, […]
An interesting article from the Washington Post about why Hampshire College dumped the SAT/ACT. No, not “optional.” They dumped it, dropping themselves off of US News & World Report’s college ranking system in the process, and THEY DON’T CARE, because they’re happier with the students that they’re seeing apply. Hampshire is an excellent school started by Amherst […]
Type: University Size: Medium (9234; Undergrad:7,144; Grad: 2082); Style: Academic Rebuilder/Jazz School Affiliations: Honors College: No, but a program. Student Body: Undergraduate; Graduate Testing: SAT: 1060/ACT: 23 Admissions: 50.4% Students of Color: 44% Freshman Retention Rate: 85.0% Freshman Graduating After 4 Years: 13% Attend a Graduate School within 10 Years: Travel Cost/Time/Airport: Low/3-5 hrs./ Louis Armstrong Intl. (MSY) Location: New Orleans, LA […]
CMAS Ranking: ♦♦-1/2 Type: University Size: Large (52,532 Undergraduate); Affiliations: Student Body: Undergraduate/Graduate/Ph.D. Testing: SAT/ACT Admissions: 48.9% Acceptance Rate of 31,850 Applicants; Minority Enrollment: 41% Freshman Retention Rate: 87.1% Freshman Graduating After 4 Years: 40% Travel Cost/Time/Airport: Low; 2.5 Hour Drive or Direct Flight (MCO) Location: Orlando, Florida Best For: Music, Music Minor, Non-Music, Florida Prepaid University of Central Florida […]
Gold Standard School Type: Liberal Arts Size: Small (1,800 Undergraduate); Style: Formal, Focused and Motivated Affiliations: Five College Consortium (Take courses at Hampshire, Smith, UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke); Participant in the Twelve-College Exchange Program; Student Body: Undergraduate Testing: SAT/ACT; 2 SAT Subject Tests Admissions: 14% Accepted; 10% of the 14% Early Decision; 41% of Accepted Matriculate Students of Color: 45% […]
Wesleyan University is a great school but buyer beware: We drop them two diamonds because of their apparent donut hole in funding, the two-tiered tuition cost structure, and a less-than-candid total cost structure that is nestled into their admissions pitch.
University of North Texas (UNT) College of Music Type: University Conservatory Size: Large (36,221) Music School: Large (1,635) Style: Congested and Competitive Student Body: Undergraduate/Graduate Honors College: Yes (Music Minors) Best For: Music majors/Music Education (Minors – See Bottom) Travel Cost/Time/Airport: Low/ 5-7 Hrs (Dallas Hub), (DFW or Love Field) Location: Denton, Texas (Dallas/Ft.Worth Metroplex) The College of Music at […]
Gold Standard School Type: Liberal Arts Size: Mid-Size (2,000 Undergraduate) Style: Strong, warm community, highly motivated Student Body: Predominantly Undergraduate Admissions: 17% Admitted Overall; 40.3% Early Decision Pool Students of Color: 36% Freshman Retention Rate: 97% Freshman Graduating After 4 Years: 89% within four years; 95% within 6 (Dual Major); Testing: SAT/ACT; 2 SAT Subject Tests Travel Cost/Time/Airport: Mod./ […]