April 2020

Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, TN with just under 7K undergrads. Historically “Vandy” was a conservative favorite amongst the southern elite, but the University has grown and modernized over time. Academically, Vanderbilt has many nationally ranked programs. Students come from all over the country and Vanderbilt only accepts about 9% of applicants. There are four […]

COVID-19 has impacted virtually every sector of our economy and world. College admissions is facing challenges beyond anything in its history. The role of higher education will likely change significantly in the pandemic’s aftermath. Over the past few weeks, I’ve met with colleagues, college admissions directors, and students. The class of 2021 will be impacted […]

Williams college consistently ranks as the #1 liberal arts college in the U.S. Located in Williamstown, MA people either love or hate Williamstown. Williams is tucked away in a small part of the Berkshires and borders Vermont. West coast kids, be prepared much like other New England liberal arts colleges- it’s a long haul to […]

Occidental or “Oxy” as it’s referred to is a small liberal arts college in Los Angeles situated on 120 acres between Glendale and Pasadena. Occidental is a rare gem as it’s a small liberal arts school in a large city. With 2,000 students, there are plenty of opportunities for students to find their own path. […]

UVA is a public university that holds its own with Ivy league schools and other selective schools. It’s a mid-size school with 15k undergraduates. I have to say, there aren’t many campuses I’ve visited that have left the impression that UVA has. The campus literally takes your (or just my) breath away. Thomas Jefferson’s legacy […]

Chico State is a mid-large size school with 16,000 undergraduates, but has a small town feel. The school is located in Chico; about 90 miles north of Sacramento, close to the Sierra foothills and is a beautiful campus and setting.Almost all students at Chico are from California. Unlike some of the other Cal State schools, […]

Located in Seattle with easy access to the mountains and the coast, the University of Washington is truly picturesque with gothic buildings in the heart of the city. UW is a large research institution with 28,000 undergrads, and has become a popular school amongst California students. It’s not as tough to get into as UCLA […]

UCLA is located in what is arguably the nicest part of LA, between Bel-Air and Beverly Hills. It’s 400+ acre campus is picturesque and beautifully landscaped. While getting around LA really does require a car, the beach, West Hollywood and Santa Monica are all easily accessible. Westwood is an ideal college hangout full of restaurants, […]

Tufts is a medium-sized, liberal arts research university in Medford, Massachusetts. Medford isn’t the most exciting college town I’ve visited, but there are plenty of restaurants and bars. Boston (the best college city, in my opinion in the country) is an easy subway (or T) ride away. Tufts is a selective school and draws students […]

Next up on the college tour is the San Carlos favorite, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. As part of the CSU system, Cal Poly is the hardest CSU to get into. With about 21K undergrads, the most popular majors are agriculture, business and engineering; they also have a solid liberal arts curriculum. Cal Poly’s motto […]