What's a prospective student to do? There are probably dozens of well known guidebooks out there that each put a slightly different spin on American higher education. Not to mention a certain national magazine that actually ranks our diverse set of institutions from first to worst. Where does one turn to get the real deal on a place like Oberlin? Like most things in life, you have to read, discuss, experience, and then somehow synthesize it all to come to your own conclusion. Though these guides know some things about colleges, they don't know anything about how an individual student and institution complement each other.
Ranking schools is a convenient method of evaluating institutions, but can you really say that school X is twice as good as school Y because one is number 12 and the other is 24th? Can you really say that school X is better for a student because it ranks higher, forgetting that the academic program of interest may not be all that hot or the general environment and student body is not what a particular student is looking for? Are "five stars" academically and "three stars" socially a good balance? What the heck does "Highly Competitive" mean anyway?
The challenge and opportunity is to take advantage of the wealth of information on colleges and do as much research as possible. Qualitative assessments (words rather than numbers) are an excellent way to become acquainted with the climate and feel of an institution and usually provide much more complete information on the academic atmosphere and requirements. Fiske's Guide, The Insider's Guide, Peterson's Guide, Cass and Birnbaum's, and (yes, it really is "New and Improved") Lisa Birnbach's guide tend to provide the most useful narratives. Of course, it's no accident that the best guides tend to seek information from current students and not just number crunchers like me.
I find it helpful to read stuff like "Oberlin's traditional sense of self is defined as being aware and involved in social concerns. Oberlin students are tolerant and accepting of different lifestyles and opinions," or "Although some students find Oberlin too individualistic, most students agree that if you're open to new things, Oberlin can be the perfect match," or "High academic standards have led to international reputation for an extraordinary number of graduates." I think I know a bit more about the school after reading that then simply seeing "Number 24" or "*****."
Of course, talking to current students, alumni, and faculty is also a very good way to determine if a student and an institution are a good fit. The point is, you can probably believe a lot of what people say about a place, but don't necessarily believe what one person has to say about a place. And never believe that any publisher knows what school is right for you.
--Ross Peacock
Ross Peacock is director of institutional research at Oberlin College.
Return to the ATS-May/June 1997 Table of Contents