Today's college spotlight takes us to Western New York where we find St. John Fisher College. The attractive 154-acre campus sits in a residential neighborhood on the eastern edge of Rochester. Nazareth College is just a mile away to the south. Fisher's location gives students easy access to the museums, performances and restaurants in Rochester, and the wineries and other attractions of New York's Finger Lakes Region.

St. John Fisher Lacrosse
jpglive2 / Flickr

Despite its name, this Catholic institution is really more of a small comprehensive university than a liberal arts college. St. John Fisher offers 32 majors, 9 pre-professional programs, 12 master's programs, and 3 doctoral programs. Among undergraduates, business, education, and health fields are the most popular. Academics are supported by a healthy 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio and small classes. This fact, combined with generous financial aid, has resulted in Fisher having higher retention and graduation rates than most schools with similar student profiles.

Sports are popular at St. John Fisher College, and the Cardinals compete in the NCAA Division III Empire 8 Athletic Conference. The college fields 10 men's and 11 women's intercollegiate sports.

To learn more about the school and what it takes to get in, check out the St. John Fisher College admissions profile as well as the school's official website. If you have visited or attended Fisher, please share your impressions with prospective students below.

I regularly spotlight great colleges that might be off the radar of college applicants. If there's a college you'd like to see featured here, please post your recommendation in the College Admissions Forum.

Spotlight on St. John Fisher College originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 14:07:17.

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I recently posted The Princeton Review's top ten best value private colleges for 2012. On the public side, the 2012 top ten includes seven of the same names as last year. Knocked out of the top spots are Hunter College (CUNY), University of Michigan, and North Carolina State. Taking their places are the University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, and University of Texas. Note that the Princeton Review does not consider military academies (they're free) such as West Point and Annapolis when making the ranking.

For public colleges and universities, The Princeton Review's top ten best value colleges for 2012 are the following (click on a school's name to learn more):

1. University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
2. University of Virginia (Charlottesville)
3. New College of Florida (Sarasota)
4. Binghamton University (SUNY)
5. University of Wisconsin (Madison)
6. College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, Virginia)
7. University of Florida (Gainesville)
8. University of Georgia (Athens GA)
9. University of Washington (Seattle)
10. University of Texas (Austin)

For the third year in a row, California, which has the largest public education system in the country, didn't make the top ten. The state has struggled more than others to hold down costs in times of budget crisis.

To see the entire list of 2012 Best Value Colleges, check out the list at The Princeton Review.

If there are schools you think should or should not have made the list, please share your opinions below.

Princeton Review's 2012 Best Value Public Colleges originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 12:24:32.

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The Princeton Review with USA Today just released their list of the "2012 Best Value Colleges." For private institutions, most of the colleges and universities on the list are familiar names. Four schools made it into the top ten who weren't there last year: Pomona College, Hamilton College, Washington University, and Rice University. Bumped out of the top 10 this year were Duke University, Wesleyan University, Wesleyan College, and Vanderbilt University. Keep in mind that the Princeton Review ranking does not look at schools with free tuition such as Cooper Union and Berea College.

For private colleges and universities, The Princeton Review's top 10 are the following (click a school's name for more information):

1. Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts)
2. Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, Pennsylvania)
3. Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey)
4. Harvard College (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
5. Rice University (Houston, Texas)
6. Pomona College (Claremont, California)
7. Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri)
8. Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut)
9. California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, California)
10. Hamilton College (Hamilton, New York

This current academic year, Williams College has a total cost over $57,000 a year, so the school's #1 ranking may seem absurd. However, sticker price has little to do with what a typical student pays. The rankings take into consideration a variety of factors such as the quality of the education, the amount of financial aid, and the typical loan burden. In truth, for a student from a low-income family, many $50,000 schools are going to be less expensive than community college.

To see the entire list of 2012 Best Value Colleges, check out the list at The Princeton Review.

If you have opinions about these rankings, please share your thoughts below.

Princeton Review's 2012 Best Value Private Colleges originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 12:02:14.

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While many of the Ivy League schools saw a decline in application numbers this year (see the stats here), Duke University saw a 6% increase.

Duke University
mricon / Flickr

Articles Featuring Duke University:

• Duke University Admissions Profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT Graph for Duke
• Top National Universities
• Top Southeastern Colleges
• Top North Carolina Colleges
• Association of American Universities
• Phi Beta Kappa
• The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Duke Sees a 6% Increase in Applications for the Class of 2016 originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 12:11:26.

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"Why are you interested in our college?" It seems like such an easy interview question, and it is -- assuming you've done your homework and have some specific answers to provide. Comments about wanting a college degree and a good paycheck aren't going to impress the interviewer, nor will comments about wanting to go where your friends are going. The best response will show that you've researched the school and have identified distinctive features that excite you. Many colleges place significant weight on how well your application "demonstrates interest" in their school. The interview (this question in particular) is a great place to demonstrate that interest. When you answer this interview question, you need a response that is focused on the college's unique identity. Generic answers that could apply to multiple colleges won't convince the interviewer that your interest in his or her college is sincere.

So, if asked "why are you interested in our college" (and you probably will be asked this common question), follow these interview tips to make a positive impression and avoid typical pitfalls

Related Reading:

• 8 Ways to "Demonstrate Interest" in a College
• 12 Common Interview Questions
• 20 More Interview Questions You Should Master
• 10 College Interview Mistakes
• Interview Dress for Men
• Interview Dress for Women

"Why Are You Interested in Our College?" - Interview Tips originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 at 13:07:19.

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The March 10th SAT isn't as popular as the exams in May and June, but many juniors take it to allow themselves plenty of time to study and take the exam again before college applications are due senior year. The scores get posted online on March 29th.

The registration deadline for the March SAT is Friday, February 10th. For a $26 late fee, you can register up until February 24th. Visit the College Board website to sign up for the exam.

More SAT Information

• What's a Good SAT Score?
• SAT Scores for Top Universities
• SAT Scores for Top Public Universities
• SAT Scores for Top Liberal Arts Colleges
• SAT Scores for Top Engineering Schools
• What Colleges Require SAT Subject Tests
• Should I Use SAT Score Choice?

Register Now for the March 10th SAT originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 08:10:39.

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The top colleges and universities in Michigan represent a wide range of public, private, large, small, and specialized schools. Two engineering schools made the list, as did several colleges with religious affiliations. The 13 top Michigan colleges vary so much in size and type of school that I have simply listed them alphabetically rather than force them into any sort of artificial ranking. That said, I'd have to give Kalamazoo College the highest marks for a liberal arts college, and the University of Michigan the top spot for a public university.

The schools on the list were chosen based on a variety of factors such as academic reputation, curricular innovations, retention rates, first-year retention rates, six-year graduation rates, selectivity, financial aid and student engagement. Check out the top Michigan College list to see who made the cut.

To get a partial idea of what it takes to get into these top Michigan colleges, I've created side-by-side comparison charts of the ACT scores and SAT scores of matriculated students.

Is there another Michigan college that you think deserves a spot on the list? If so, share your recommendation below.

More Top Picks by State:

• Top California Colleges
• Top Florida Colleges
• Top Illinois Colleges
• Top Indiana Colleges
• Top Maryland Colleges
• Top Missouri Colleges
• Top Michigan Colleges
• Top Minnesota Colleges
• Top New York Colleges
• Top North Carolina Colleges
• Top Ohio Colleges
• Top Tennessee Colleges
• Top Texas Colleges
• Top Virginia Colleges
_{(Photo by AaronEndre / Flickr)}

Top Michigan Colleges and Universities originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 16:55:59.

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All of the prestigious Ivy League schools have now reported their application numbers for the class of 2016. The overall news is good for applicants -- the steady increase in applications we've seen for the past few years has finally leveled off. As you can see in the table below, three schools saw an increase in applications and five saw a decrease. Nevertheless, all of the Ivies will continue to be among the country's most selective colleges.

Ivy League Application Numbers for the Class of 2016 originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 15:56:56.

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If you're interested in studying business, these 10 business schools frequently find themselves near the top of the national rankings. Each school has impressive facilities, professors, and name recognition.

Wharton School at Penn
Jack Duval / Flickr

If your career goal is to go on to earn your MBA, realize that an undergraduate degree in business is not a prerequisite for admission to a graduate MBA program. Majors such as philosophy, English and political science develop a skill set that can serve MBA students well.

More Top Colleges and Universities:

• Top Liberal Arts Colleges
• Top Universities
• Top Public Universities
• Top Engineering Schools

Top Business Schools for Undergraduates originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 09:50:37.

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The Yale Daily News reported today that Yale University saw a bigger increase in applications than any of the other Ivy League Schools. The prestigious university in New Haven, Connecticut, received 28,622 applications for the class of 2016. That's up 5.8 percent from the 27,283 applications submitted for the class of 2015.

Yale University
o2ma / Flickr

The Ivy League as a whole saw relatively flat application numbers this current application cycle. Yale, Dartmouth and Cornell were up while Harvard, Princeton, Penn, Brown, and Columbia were all down. But prospective Ivy League students still have an uphill battle, and we can expect acceptance rates in the teens and single digits for all of these elite schools.

More Yale Information:

• Yale University Admissions Profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Yale

Yale Application Numbers Up More Than Any Other Ivy League School originally appeared on About.com College Admissions: U.S. on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 15:59:40.

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