Each year, U.S. News releases rankings of the top universities around the country. Although many education experts question the value of college rankings, most schools use these rankings a marketing tool. The list of best colleges is almost unvaryingly topped with Ivy League institutions, followed by highly competitive technical universities, such as MIT and CalTech. The rankings are determined by a number of criteria, including student matriculation rate, class size and the average ACT/SAT score of the student body.

This year, California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology both rose from the 2011 rankings, in an odd tie between five universities for the fifth position.

Here are the top 10 Colleges, according to U.S. News:

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There are several lists that can tell a college student what schools are the best for a particular major field of study. No matter what your major, you can typically find a top ten list of colleges to offer you a prestigious degree in that particular field of study, but what about those who want to find a college that meets their social needs?

There are some lists for the top ten party schools or the top schools for high grade point averages. When you get into more specialized needs and what colleges can meet those needs, it gets a little more difficult to pinpoint a school. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the more complicated, yet important college majors that students can pursue is architecture. Architecture is the art and science of designing and erecting buildings and other physical structures. There are a lot of skills involved in becoming an architect and it’s the type of profession that’s good for those that enjoy drawing and numbers, as well as working hands on with a team on a public project. Without architects, some of the world’s most beautiful buildings wouldn’t be possible, and there is a sense of pride in seeing something you have designed and built yourself, for others to use and enjoy.

If you are interested in perusing a degree in architecture, you’ll want to go to a school well-known for its architecture program. Not only will you get an amazing education, but the school you attend can open a lot of doors when it’s time to get a job. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the more fun and flashy careers around is marketing. Marketing has a pretty broad scope, but generally involves the process of companies creating customer interest in the products or services they sell. Everything from commercials to direct mail to product placement in movies is a product of the marketing industry. Growth Marketing as a career has been very popular because it involves different elements of creativity which opens up a lot of career opportunities.

Whether you decide to go into corporate marketing or work for an ad agency, it’s important to get good experience from your college courses and internships. Receiving an internship will offer you real life experience that looks great on a resume, which can be done while still in college earning your undergraduate degree. Read the rest of this entry »

The art of communicating isn’t often one that you would think someone would specialize in for a career. However, communication has become quite a popular college major. Communicating is a process where information is enclosed in a package and then given by a sender to a receiver via some medium. Pretty broad, huh?

A bachelor’s degree in communication can result in several different types of jobs because of its flexible nature. As a degree, communication combines convincing arguments with the appropriate channels to deliver your message most effectively. Some of the great careers that can be had by those with a communications degree include public relations specialist, corporate communications, publicist, communications director, among many others. Read the rest of this entry »

Teaching is one of the most important, yet underrated, professions on the planet. Without teachers, you can’t have students, many of whom become inspired to touch the lives of other students like their teachers did for them. For those interested in becoming a teacher, it is important to have a good background degree.

The demand for teachers is high, because unlike other current job markets effected by the economy, there are always students that need to be taught. Not only are teachers needed for public schools at the elementary, middle and high school level, but at the college level, as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Due to a challenging economy, many students are looking for anything that will help them stand out as an applicant for a job. Earning a master’s degree in business administration, or an MBA, is one way to gain an edge in the job market. As with any degree, earning an MBA from a school known for its MBA programs can give you even more of an edge.

Many schools well-known for producing quality MBA students serve as a pool for high profile employers to choose future employees. You can earn an MBA through all kinds of colleges, and even online, so because the MBA is so widely available and so popular, the only real way to differentiate yours is to earn it from one of the best schools. Not every school can specialize in every degree, so it’s important to do some research to find out what schools are the best for your particular degree. Read the rest of this entry »

College degrees are important and picking a major that you enjoy studying will help ensure you enjoy the career that hopefully results from that degree. For those who enjoy math, a bachelor’s degree in mathematics is a great, yet often overlooked, major. Math degrees can set the stage for a number of careers including an actuary, an applied mathematician, a pure mathematician, a statistician or a school math teacher. Those who have a way with numbers, work well independently and love problem solving could find a very fulfilling career in any one of these positions.

Despite the pictures you probably have in your head right now, a math degree doesn’t automatically limit you to solving math equations with paper and a pencil. Math degrees are useful in computer and information systems, health, the business industry or even operations research. The use of data and numbers makes it possible to apply your mathematics degree to many different career options. Like any degree, students that graduate from the best schools will find that they have an edge in their specific job market. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE [10/18/2011]: An updated edition of College Is Yours by Patrick O’Connor is now available under the title College Is Yours 2.0.

Applying to college can seem like such a daunting and overwhelming task that many students don’t fully consider which school is really right for them. Students often obsess over getting into the “top school,” without finding out if that university or college has an academic and social environment that will suit them. College is Yours, in 600 Words or Less by Patrick O’Connor is the college guide that will help students find the college where they will actually be happy. Read the rest of this entry »

When you think of popular colleges and universities, there are several that quickly come to mind. In the 2009 edition of U.S. News and World Report‘s “best colleges,” they’ve introduced a list of national universities who are working to make vast improvements on their campuses, making them stronger competition to fill the top spaces in the annual best colleges review. Seventy universities were nominated, but only 20 made this list.

1. George Mason University; Fairfax, VA

2. Clemson University; Clemson, SC

3. University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA

4. Arizona State University; Tempe, AZ

5. University of Maryland – Baltimore County; Baltimore, MD Read the rest of this entry »