Using a College Guide

A quick low-tech way to gather some factual information on schools is to use a college guide. College guides vary in size and detail but most provide the following information for each college listed:

• Funding source (public or private institution);
• Types of degrees offered;
• Campus location (suburban, urban, rural);
• Type of school (e.g. liberal arts, single-gender, military);
• Number of students;
• Annual tuition and fees;
• Entrance criteria; and
• Academic programs and majors offered.

Many guides also provide additional information such as the average student/faculty ratio, number of books and subscriptions in the campus library, types of athletic programs, and information from students regarding their respective schools. Check with your school guidance office to see which college guides your school has available for its students. Also, visit the Invest in your Future Resource Center where we keep a full selection of up-to-date college guides. For more information call our toll-free hotline at 1-866-PLAN-4IF (752-6443).

Click here for a list of college guides .