As president of North Central College in Naperville, Ill., for the past 20 years and a 30-year veteran of higher education, I’m often asked by friends, neighbors and acquaintances to offer advice about picking a college—and
then getting admitted to it.
There is no perfect comparative device for higher education. Almost all the guides and comparison data don’t measure individual value-added/cost, but rather, reflect the “quality” of the admission pool as a whole as it matriculates to graduation.

Did you know that there are more than 3,500 two-and four-year colleges and universities across the country? Among those schools are liberal arts colleges, research universities, community colleges, schools with great football or basketball teams, and public and private institutions with enrollments of more than 20,000 or less than 5,000 students.
You may be asked by your parents, school counselors, teachers or even college admission representatives, What factors among these different schools are important to you? Despite the sheer number and variety of colleges and universities availablethere is a college for …

You seem to have more and more mail from colleges every day. Your classmates keep talking about test scores and acceptance rates. Distant relatives and total strangers seem to take delight in asking you what college you plan to attend. Let’s face it—it’s time to start your college search.
If those words strike terror in your heart, you’re not alone. Many students feel overwhelmed at the beginning of their college search. After all, you’ll be making perhaps the biggest decision of your life so far. No pressure there!
To make your college …