High School Guidance Counselors/College Admissions: Big Caseloads and Little Time

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Over 20 years being an admissions advisor, I receive calls from parents to retain our services for college admissions. All of their children have guidance counselors and many are from suburban public schools in the NJ, CT NY RI and MA. Students were applying to range of universities and BS/MD programs.

Because of the increasing competition to get into top colleges, many families feel overwhelmed and stressed by the college admissions process. Moreover, the process can seem so complex that families may want the assistance, resources and knowledge of an expert who focuses solely on the college admissions process and who spends more time and individualized attention than guidance counselors can provide. Many parents and students discover too late (their children receive rejection letters) in the college admissions process that they should have hired a college admissions expert.

With the heavy workload of most high school counselors, few know their students well or have the time to provide personalized attention needed in this vital process. Public school systems burden counselors with many duties unrelated to college counseling including but not limited to, testing, scheduling, crisis counseling, social/emotional counseling, occupational counseling/job placement, etc.

Consider the results of studies and sources summarized below:

In a February 2015, in an op-ed piece in USA Today, former First Lady Michelle Obama, wrote eloquently: “There’s the world of the schools most of our kids attend where school counselors are too often under-valued and overstretched, and they simply don’t have what they need to do their jobs. While the American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor, the national average is one counselor for every 471 students. And often, school counselors are burdened with all kinds of unrelated responsibilities such as proctoring exams, substitute teaching, even monitoring the lunchroom. Many school counselors find themselves doing triage, juggling those duties while trying to help kids in crisis and also keep up with the latest college admissions deadlines and requirements.”
The National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) 2018 State of College Admissions reported that on average, public high school guidance counselors spend only 21 percent of their time on college admissions counseling. High school guidance counselors spend the majority of their time on school activities unrelated to college admissions.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) survey indicated that high school guidance counselors have an average caseload of 195 to as high as 708 students making them unable to provide adequate college guidance.
A National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2012 annual survey of school counselors also indicated that regardless of staffing, no counselor reported sufficient training in any of the areas related to college counseling.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) compiled a report that indicated that school counselors currently serve an average of 482 students, a caseload nearly twice the recommended maximum of 250.
The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) stated: “An educational consultant brings to the family the knowledge and skills of an experienced professional coupled with a commitment to assuring the [student’s] best interests are met. Educational consultants counsel students and their families in the selection of educational programs based on the student’s individual needs and talents.”
Public Agenda, a nonprofit research organization a survey that indicated that most people who graduated from high school in the past dozen years say their counselors provided little meaningful advice about college and nearly half said that their counselors made them fell “like I was just another face in the crowd”.
The Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) stated: “A professional educational consultant works one-on-one with each student, helping to identify colleges and universities that offer the best matches for the student’s unique needs, and keeping the student on track through every phase of the college application process.”

“Top qualified applicants, after all their hard work (and parents’ work) and preparation deserve the best and should not settle for less” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs. The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges, Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college: College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

What If You Are Rejected or Deferred Early Action/Decision? 2018

December 11, 2018December 13, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

High School Seniors are receiving their College Admissions Early Decision/Early Action results. The results are producing a mixture of palpable emotions. While some happy students settle in for the holidays with their acceptance letters in hand, others will be disappointed and distressed in discovering that they have been deferred to the regular decision pool, or worse, rejected by the college or university (after all of their hard work). For those who are deferred, their applications will be re-considered along with the thousands of Regular Decision applicants. In the Regular Decision pool, the selection process becomes even more competitive and selective.

Many students try the strategy of applying to what they perceived to be safety schools because they think the school will likely accept them early, only to discover that they are also deferred or rejected. In either case, whether deferred or rejected, SOMETHING WENT WRONG! The problem is that the application errors that caused the rejection or deferral, if not discovered, will continue without rectification to the regular decision pool and result in multiple rejections. When I mention this to parents who call us and many don’t believe me, I usually hear the horrific stories about their children being rejected from everyone of their top-choice schools and even perceived safety schools!

With only a few weeks left in the application season, I recommend that students scrupulously reevaluate their deferred or rejected early decision/early action application and carefully plan a workable strategy in this crunch-time. You may need to hire an educational consultant who is an expert in post-decision admissions advising.

For parents who engage our services after the disheartening news of deferral or rejection, I use our post-decision strategies. I discover what the student did to be rejected or deferred, build upon their current student profile and accomplishments and re-energize their application so that they are removed from the deferred list and placed on the accepted list.

Additionally, I assess the student’s Regular Decision applications (due by January 1) to identify mistakes on their Early Decision/Action application so that their mistakes do not become viral and affect the student’s Regular Decision applications. The worst thing a student can do is nothing. The worst thing parents can do is to try this post-decision process on their own.

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs. The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges, Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college: College Transfer Admissions Advisors. Summer Camps: BS/MD Application Boot Camp and Ivy League Application Boot Camp.

Chinese Parents Seek Top U.S. Boarding Schools For Their Children

December 3, 2018December 6, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

China continues to be the top country of origin for international students studying in the US, and Chinese students are coming to the US at a younger age, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE). Around 2 in 5 international students enrolled in US high schools are from China, and the number of Chinese students studying in US high schools has skyrocketed by 48 percent since 2013, according to the IIE’s report Globally Mobile Youth: Trends in International Secondary Students in the US, 2013-2016.

The growing trend among younger Chinese students to study at US elementary and secondary private schools is a result of the growing middle class in China. Chinese parents want their children to receive high-quality education at the best boarding schools to increase their chances of being accepted to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities.

“Our Pinnacle affiliates, Private School Admissions Advisors and Boarding School Admissions Consultants, focus on the private school entry to K-8 grades and transfer students in the 9th and 10th grades,” said Dr. Paul Lowe, CEO and co-founder of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, a Connecticut-headquartered admission-advisory firm with offices in Manhattan, Greenwich, White Plains, Fort Lee and Princeton, NJ. “Our approach highlights the potential for future opportunities in that special niche, especially for Chinese parents.”

“There is hyper-competition amongst Chinese parents seeking admissions to top boarding schools for their children, for example in schools like Choate, Exeter, Andover, Peddie, Deerfield, Lawrenceville, Taft, St. Paul’s, Loomis, Blair, Hotchkiss and Hun. That’s where we come in,” said Dr. Lowe. “As a result of our research, analysis, insider-knowledge and continual school visits, I am fluent in the language of admissions and understand the politics, psychology, culture, rhythm and diplomacy for acceptance into at top boarding schools. I also know what key admissions decision makers and key players at these schools are looking for.”

Dr. Lowe’s Private School Visits: Other independent educational consultants may depend on telephonic interviews, group speed meetings in central locations, or simply read literature and review websites and repeat it to families. I physically visit schools and actively interact with school admissions personnel, senior administrators and students. My clients are, therefore, placed in the most appropriate school for their (and their parents’) happiness. My approach ensures that your child will be placed in the best and most appropriate top-choice school. By understanding, analyzing and researching a specific school’s atmosphere, vibe, rhythm, tone, color, experience, culture diversity and mission, my team and I can clearly articulate what differentiates one school from another to consumers/families.

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe.

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group’s Boarding School Admissions Consultants. and affiliate of Private School Admissions Advisors. Dr. Lowe specializes in providing exclusive concierge-type admissions advisory services for U.S. and international students who are interested in applying to top U.S. boarding and private schools. Dr. Lowe helps U.S. and international students gain admissions into top U.S. boarding schools even after they have been wait-listed and rejected. Dr. Lowe and his team of admissions advisors also visit prestigious and elite private schools, where they have the unique opportunity of interacting one-on-one with heads of schools, directors of admissions and senior admissions personnel.

College Transfer Admissions 2018-2019

November 17, 2018November 19, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

This time of the year, my firm is receiving calls from parents and students regarding college transfers. Students who have completed their first semester freshman year (or some who are now sophomores) and have decided that for several reasons, they need to transfer!

Why do students choose to transfer?

Did not do very well in high school and did not have many options when they applied to colleges.
Unhappy at their current college.
Unsuccessful at their current college.
Socially not connected to their current college.
Interested in an upgrade to a more prestigious college.

College Transfer Applications Requirements

The 2018-2019 Common App essay prompt for the Transfer application: “Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.”
Common Application (transfer) has changed: With the new Common App for Transfer, the essay has moved from the “common” portion of the Common App. In order to allow each college to choose whether or not to ask the essay question, the essay is now located in the Program Materials section for that college. As a result, some colleges choose to not ask the Common App personal essay question, so it may not be available for those colleges. Also, colleges may choose to ask other essay questions in addition to, or in lieu of, the personal essay. This makes it somewhat more difficult to navigate the college transfer application.
School requirements: high school transcripts, college transcripts and college reports (filled out by a college official to verify that you are in good academic standing and social standing – have not gotten into trouble or have been placed on academic probation).
Supporting documents: include letters of recommendations, resumes, mid-year reports and or secondary school final reports and standardized testing results

We have worked with a range of students who have desired to transfer:

Students who were rejected from Ivy Leagues and highly competitive colleges and choose to reapply in their freshman year to Ivy League schools and highly competitive colleges.
Students who were unhappy with their currents colleges because of the location.
Students who were placed on academic probation and wish to transfer.
International students who wish to transfer from their current foreign college to Ivy League and highly selective colleges.
Students who were rejected when they applied to freshman year, were rejected again when they attempted to transfer while in college and who were attempting to reapply to transfer for the third time.

In all cases, developing a meaningful student profile, with supportive documents, and convincing essays was important for our success in student transfers. It’s important that parents understand that transfer admissions (especially to the Ivies and top-tier colleges) is even more competitive and involves even more diplomacy and strategies than traditional college admissions!

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe.

Early Decision and Early Action Dates for 2018-2019 College Applications

November 6, 2018November 6, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s the 2018-2019 Early Decision and Early Action season! Applicants have already submitted their applications! Some applicants are having their alumni interviews! Competition to Ivy League and highly selective college remain high. Therefore, expect many applicants with high SAT/ACT scores, high grades and seemly perfect applications and personal statements to be rejected or deferred to the regular decision pool. Several of our clients who are student-athletes have already received their acceptances!

Here are some early decision and early action notification dates for Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities:

Barnard College: Mid-December
Boston College: December 25
Boston University: December 15
Brown University: Mid-December
Cal Tech: Mid-December
Carnegie Mellon University: December 15
Columbia University: Mid-December
Cornell University: -December
Dartmouth University: Mid-December
Duke University: December 15
Georgetown University: December 15
Hamilton College: December 15
Harvard University: Mid-December
Johns Hopkins University: By December 15
MIT: Mid-December
New York University: December 15
Northwestern University: December 15
Notre Dame University: Mid-December
Princeton University: Mid-December
Stanford University: By December 15
Swarthmore College: By December 15
Tufts University: Mid-December
University of Michigan: By December 24
University of Pennsylvania: Mid-December
Yale University: Mid-December

Blog: College Admissions is a Competitive Sport – How to Win Your Personal Admissions Game!

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

4 Reasons Why Dr Lowe’s Clients are Accepted to BSMD Programs

October 29, 2018November 6, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

I have been an admissions advisor with specializing in BS/MD admissions for over 20 years. Many parents call my firm often shopping for free advice in the attempt to see if they can garner information. The parents who retain us know that valuable advice is not free! They also are aware that by hiring our personalized services their children will have a competitive advantage in the BS/MD admissions process. When our clients are accepted into BS/MD programs and their classmates are not, it speaks volumes to our firms collective knowledge insight and understanding of the “landmines” in the application process. Our client-parents are happy and overjoyed when they know that after years of hard work their children can be called “Dr.” as high school seniors!

There are actually 4 reasons why our clients have a competitive edge and we have a very high acceptance rate.

When we are finished with counseling our clients they stand out and don’t sound like the typical BS/MD applicant: high GPA’s, high SAT scores, scientific ad medical research, shadowed doctors, seemingly great letter of recommendations, expensive summer programs, “voluntouring” and boring. We develop our clients’ unique rhythm, vibe and voice.
Many parents wait and call us when the student is a high school senior. I guess it’s their attempt to bargain hunt? By then, the student already sounds just like every one else and have made all the irrevocable mistakes. There is nothing we can do for them at that point. It’s just too late. The damage has already been done. By then, we can not change the imperfections that will appear on their Common Applications. Our clients retain us between their child’s freshman and junior year.
Many parents retain educational consultants who are part-timers in BS/MD admissions (doctors-in-training) or who never continually visit colleges and universities BS/MD programs. My team and I continually visit colleges and universities.
We know how to avoid the application mistakes that can cause a BS/MD applicant to be instantly rejected. Trust me, there are hundreds of opportunities to make mistakes!

Blog: College Admissions is a Competitive Sport – How to Win Your Personal Admissions Game!

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group network. He and his team of admissions advisors, through the admissions affiliate, BS/MD Admissions Advisors, help high school students get accepted to BS/MD programs. Summer Camps: BS/MD Application Boot Camp and Ivy League Application Boot Camp.

Dr Paul Lowe Visits Greenwich Country Day School

October 17, 2018December 3, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

On October 5th, Dr. Lowe was invited to a Greenwich Country Day School presentation. The School, located in Greenwich, CT (in lower Fairfield County, 35 miles north of Manhattan) is entering a new chapter in its 92-year history – the opening of a new innovative high school in September 2019. Located two miles from the existing campus on Old Church Road, its new Stanwich Road high school campus will house grades nine through twelve on 33-acres.

According to Adam Rhodie, Headmaster, the school will emphasize the “four Cs”: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. According to Cheryl Plummer, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, “Greenwich Country Day School fosters personal growth, authentic engagement and deep connections to learning.”

Greenwich_Country_Day_School_Cheryl_Plummer_Dr_Lowe — Cheryl Plummer, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Greenwich Country Day with Dr. Lowe

The following is a list of some of the colleges and universities attended by graduates of GCDS (nursery through ninth grade program) for the past five years: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. The GCDS alumni clearly received a great head start in their academic endeavors as they went on to their respective secondary schools.

During the presentation the Head of Upper School, Dr. Chris Winters, a seasoned and successful secondary school administrator and educator, plans to continue the GCDS tradition of progressive learning as they construct their curriculum and academics in and for a joyful learning environment. With the recent appointment of Andy Ramirez as the School’s Director of College Counseling (he was the former Director of College Counseling at The Dalton School, former Associate Director of College Counseling at Princeton Day School, former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Princeton University and Associate Dean of Admissions at Bowdoin College), it is expected that this Ivy League and top-tier college matriculation trend will continue after the new GCDS high school opens.

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe.

Dr Lowe Visits Canterbury School

October 9, 2018October 9, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Tucked away on the hilltop of New Milford Connecticut you will find a treasure that some have already discovered. It is what I call one of hidden gems of boarding schools – Canterbury School. I recently visited Canterbury, my second time, this year. Canterbury is located in the northeastern portion of Connecticut – Litchfield County 150 miles from Boston, 85 miles from New York City, 45 miles from Hartford, and 35 miles from New Haven. Offering admissions for grades 9-12 and a post-grad program, the average class size is 12.

Each administrator in the Admissions Office was extremely welcoming and friendly. The office was abuzz with activity. Students stopping by would have a warm Hi! As we passed students on the tour, they were equally happy and cordial. We visited its new Robotics Lab; its Robotics Team has placed in competitions. We visited several classes, including a class taught by Kim Tester, Fine Arts Chair and observed her class as students creatively and enthusiastically engaged in their art works.

Canterbury definitely has a positive and welcoming vibe. It has a cooperative and collaborative learning atmosphere. From the tour and observation of classrooms and its student center there is conspicuous ethnic diversity and a true sense of community among students.

I had a chance to talk with Matt Mulhern (Class of 1995), Canterbury’s Director of Admissions. His enthusiasm about Canterbury was evident. He stated that students at Canterbury are encouraged – and have the support – to do it all – academically and extracurricularly (athletics, arts etc.) and that it offers students the opportunity to become their best and most dynamic selves. Under the direction of Sarah Ferland, Director of College Counseling, Canterbury has placed graduates at top colleges and universities including but not limited to: Amherst College, Boston College, Bowdoin College, Bucknell University, Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard College, Princeton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, Wesleyan University and Yale University.

Canterbury’s future plans: Building a new 20,000 square foot Student Commons building, creating a Campus Square and Streetscape and renovating the Hume Hall the central academic building at the heart of the campus. This treasure keeps getting better and better!

Other independent educational consultants may depend on telephonic interviews, group speed meetings in central locations, or simply read literature and review websites and repeat it to families. I physically visit schools and actively interact with school admissions personnel, senior administrators and students. My clients are, therefore, placed in the most appropriate school for their (and their parents’) happiness. My approach ensures that your child will be placed in the best and most appropriate top-choice school. By understanding and analyzing a specific school’s atmosphere, vibe, rhythm, tone, color, experience, culture and mission, I can clearly articulate what differentiates one school from another to consumers/families.

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe.

From China to the Ivy Leagues

September 11, 2018September 15, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Over the last 2 years, I have had a 55% increase in Chinese clients who have hired our services specifically for Ivy League admissions. Each year, we place on average 20 Chinese clients in Ivy League and highly selective U.S. colleges and universities. Last year, we placed 45 Chinese students into Ivy League and highly selective U.S. colleges and universities.

Chinese students are attending U.S. colleges and universities in record numbers. Demand for Ivy League and highly selective universities such as Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Northwestern, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), University of Chicago, Duke, University of Michigan, Tufts, Swarthmore, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Los Angeles, Georgetown, Barnard, Villanova, etc., is increasing exponentially.

By Chinese, I mean students from mainland China who attend high schools in China, private boarding and day schools in the U.S., Canada, UK, Italy, Singapore, Australia, all parts of the world and those who attend public schools in the U.S. Even when attending elite U.S. boarding schools where they have college counselors, the parents (or students) call us to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the college admission process to achieve the dream of an Ivy League education.

Parents all over China have the same dream. They want their children to have the best education for a better future. For Chinese parents, the benefits and the biggest advantages of an Ivy League education are undoubted and obvious – better employment opportunities, easier access to high-profile jobs, networking benefits and connections needed to start a global business. Most importantly, an Ivy League education adds transferable financial value to be utilized over their children’s lifetime on a global scale.

For Chinese parents, the choice of an Ivy League education for their child (almost always their only child) is considered a worthy financial investment, a shrewd political maneuver, and a satisfying personal sacrifice. They are appreciative of the chance for a greater opportunity for their children to study abroad in the U.S. Four years of an elite U.S. private college/university education can cost around $250,000, a considerable sum for American families, and even more so for a family from China, where average wealth is about one fifth that in the U.S. It is interesting and understandable that they are willing to make sacrifices for this pedigree degree that opens doors!

We work with many wealthy Chinese families who feel that sending a child to an elite Western university is a way of signaling status and prestige – yet “another luxury brand purchase”. For wealthy families seeking a safe haven for their assets – by one estimate more than $1 trillion in capital left China in 2015 – a U.S. college education for a child can serve as a first step towards addressing capital flight, foreign investment and even eventual emigration.

A HSBC (Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation) survey indicated that 80% of affluent families in China plan to send their children to study overseas. From 2009 to 2011, the number of Asian students studying in the US has increased by 40%. President Trump and former President Obama may have different political and economic views but they both agree that the U.S. has the best universities in the world! The U.S. is now the primary destination for Asian students. China is the number one source of international students. Many of the children of the Chinese economic and political elite desire Ivy League degrees. President Xi Jinping’s daughter is a Harvard grad.

Since 1999, China was the second leading place of origin for international students at Harvard, trailing only Canada. Its student numbers steadily increased to lead Harvard’s international enrollment since the last academic year, with 686 students currently enrolled (nearly 16% of the international student body). China similarly dominates international enrollment at other Ivy League schools, including Yale and Princeton. According to the Hurun Report (a research, media and investments business best known for its “Hurun China Rich List” a ranking of the wealthiest individuals in China), Harvard, Yale and Princeton are the biggest attractions for Chinese millionaires.

In March 2018, research from Hurun found China minted 206 billionaires in the last year, taking the country’s total to 819 billionaires, 40% more billionaires than in the US. Chinese billionaires are pulling away from the US for the third year running on the “Hurun Global Rich List 2018”. There are 819 Chinese billionaires in 2018 compared with 571 in the US. Just two years ago, they were neck and neck at 534 and 535. A recent Hurun annual survey of China’s elite has confirmed that 80% of the country’s wealthy families plan to send their children abroad for education.

It would seem that as long as Ivy League colleges and universities exist, wealthy and middle-class Chinese families will want their children to obtain the rare luxury brand of the unique experience of a valuable education. My team and I are here to help!

Dr_Lowe_Yueng_Family — The Yueng family with Dr. Paul Lowe Pinnacle Educational Center/Admissions Advisors Group headquarters.

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Blog: College Admissions is a Competitive Sport – How to Win Your Personal Admissions Game!

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings 2019

September 6, 2018September 17, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education Ranking 2019 was just released. Harvard is number one again. Of the top ten schools, six are Ivy League universities. The only ones missing in the top ten are Dartmouth College and Cornell University. Brown University is the only newcomer to the list. With their rarefied, global social alumni networks, door-opening reputations, and superior academics, it isn’t surprising that the schools mentioned are all brand-name institutions.

The rankings emphasize how well a college will prepare students for life after graduation. The overall ranking is based on 15 factors across four areas: Outcomes, Resources, Engagement and Environment. Each school’s overall score is determined by student outcomes (including a measure of graduate salaries), the school’s academic resources, how well it engages students and from the diversity of the students and staff. The U.S. College ranking is also partly based on the results of the Times Higher Education US Student Survey, which gathered the views of about 200,000 current university students in 2017 and 2018 to find out about their engagement with their studies, their interaction with their teachers and their satisfaction with their experience.

My team and I personally visit top colleges three times annually to understand each of their ever changing and unique admissions policies as well as the campus environment. As a result, we garner insider-knowledge to help our clients achieve admissions success. (Why Dr. Paul Lowe Visits College Campuses). This ranking is very accurate!

THE TOP TEN: Schools that achieved the highest overall scores in the ranking:

1. Harvard

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3. Yale University

4. Columbia University

5. California Institute of Technology

6. Stanford University

7. Brown University

8. Duke University

9. Princeton University

10 University of Pennsylvania

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Blog: College Admissions is a Competitive Sport – How to Win Your Personal Admissions Game!

“Admissions is a competitive sport! Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe