Three Bets to Look Out for When Evaluating Colleges
Choosing a college is a big decision and there are many things to consider. One admissions officer suggests using “three rates” for each college to make sure you make the right choice.
Richmond University admissions dean and junior vice president Gil Villanueva told the New York Times:
I will ask [my son] to keep track of what I call the “three rates” for each college. First is the retention rate: Are students returning as sophomores? Because if yes, then I affirm that they had a very good experience, their needs were met. Next comes the graduation ceremony. A fifth or sixth year of college means lost income or time when you are not in graduate school and you will not get it back. The last metric is the enrollment metric or “student achievement”. What are students doing six months, a year, or five years after graduation? Do they work, study in graduate school, in which companies or organizations do they work? These three levels give parents and students confidence that they have done their research.
You can find these answers by contacting the school’s admissions office or even by simply doing a quick internet search.
If this is good enough advice for the admissions dean’s own child, it probably works for you as well. Villanueva also suggests using a spreadsheet to compare what your student wants to get out of college with what he or she finds while attending school.
College Admissions Counselors Give Their Own Kids | New York Times