college search

How to create a pros and cons list for schools in your college search

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on January 12, 2026

Key takeaways: Create college lists to help you identify the best schools for your education and career goals. Pros and cons tables allow you to visualize how potential colleges compare to one another. Consider costs, majors, location, campus life, acceptance rates, preferences, and more to create your personalized comparison chart. Whether you’re deciding which colleges …

questions & answers

What Are “Hidden Ivies?”

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on October 15, 2025

The Hidden Ivies are colleges that have an excellent reputation and academic programs but aren’t members of the Ivy League. All eight Ivy League schools are located in the Northeastern United States, while Hidden Ivies are found all over the country. Hidden Ivies tend to have higher acceptance rates, different programs, smaller student bodies than …

college search

How To Use Your Intended Major in the College Search

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022

When searching for your potential future college, there will be quite a few things you will have to keep in mind. This may include the school’s dorm rooms, the location, the size of the school, the college’s reputation, and, of course, your major. Here’s how you can use your intended major in your college search. …

student life

How to Collaborate with Your Roomie About Dorm Decorating

By Jessica HerbineLast updated on June 27, 2024

Sharing a dorm room can be stressful, especially if this is your first time with a roommate or if you’re rooming with someone you’ve never met before. But the good news is that having drama isn’t inevitable. Here’s how to decorate a dorm room while collaborating with your roomie, so you can make the dorm …

2018 university rankings

Top 25 Best HSIs: 2018 Rankings

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

Hispanic Serving Institutions, or HSIs, do just what their name implies. These schools are dedicated to serving Hispanic and Latino students in the United States. The mission of these schools is to increase the aid, support, and access to quality higher education for students of Hispanic descent—particularly first-generation and low-income students. However, HSIs open their doors …

2018 university rankings

Top 25 Best College and University Rankings (2018)

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

Historically black colleges / universities, or HBCUs for short, are schools established with the primary purpose of serving the African American community before the Civil Rights Movement. Out of the over 100 best HBCU that are operating today in America, the following selection of 25 are the strongest institutions of the bunch. The schools continue in …

2018 university rankings

Top 25 Best First-Year Retention Rates: 2018 Rankings

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

Many prospective students look to a college’s first year retention rate as an indicator of a school’s quality. Retention rates show the percentage of the freshman class that remained enrolled for their second academic year—meaning they loved the school enough to continue their higher education there. For this list, we looked at which colleges had …

2018 university rankings

Top 25 Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rate: 2018 Rankings

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average college undergraduate graduation rate is 59%. This means that on average, about 59% of all college students complete a bachelor’s degree at the same institution where the started in four years. Soaring above and beyond this average of 59% is this selection of colleges with …

2018 university rankings

Top 25 Best Colleges in the Southeast: 2018 Rankings

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

The Southeast region offers a wide variety and distribution of colleges within its borders. Known for its beautiful weather and rich cultural history, this diverse area has a college experience for every student. Schools in the Southeast range from large research universities to small liberal arts institutions. Whether public or private, southeastern schools have a …

2018 university rankings

Top 25 Best Colleges in the Southwest: 2018 Rankings

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

The Southwest region of the United States is full of rich history, fascinating landscapes, and plenty of notable colleges and universities. We analyzed hundreds of colleges in the region based on various measures, including campus diversity, student outcomes, selectivity, and more. For the purposes of this list, we consider the following states to make up the …