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THE
OTHER
COllEGE
GUIDE
JanE SwEETlanD,
PaUl GlaSTRIS,
and the Staff of the washington Monthly
THE
OTHER
COllEGE
GUIDE
A ROAD MAP to the
Right School for You
© 2015 by Jane Sweetland, Paul Glastris, and the Staff of the Washington Monthly
Cartoons copyright © 2015 by Monte Wolverton
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form, without written permission from the publisher.
The publisher is grateful for permission to reprint the following material:
“The Considerator” on page 10 is reprinted with permission from California Competes.
“So Where Are You Going?” on page 24 is reprinted with permission from the Washington State
Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board.
The “Career Clusters Interest Survey” on pages 26-30 is reprinted with permission from the National
Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc).
The “Request for Admission Application Fee Waiver” on page 50 is reprinted with permission from the
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).
The illustrations on pages 89–90, and 92–93 are adapted from College Results Online with permission
from The Education Trust.
The “College App Map” on page 207 is reprinted with permission from the King Center Charter School
in Buffalo, NY.
The “Student Consent for Release of Information” form on page 246 is reprinted with permission from
the California State University, Sacramento, Office of the University Registrar.
The “Cost Comparison Worksheet” on page 295 is reprinted with permission from the National
Community Tax Coalition.
Requests for permission to reproduce selections from this book should be mailed to: Permissions
Department, The New Press, 120 Wall Street, 31st floor, New York, NY 10005.
Published in the United States by The New Press, New York, 2015
Distributed by Perseus Distribution
ISBN 978-1-62097-006-5 (pBk.)
ISBN 978-1-62097-035-5 (e-Book)
CIp data IS avaIlaBle
The New Press publishes books that promote and enrich public discussion and understanding of the issues
vital to our democracy and to a more equitable world. These books are made possible by the enthusiasm
of our readers; the support of a committed group of donors, large and small; the collaboration of our
many partners in the independent media and the not-for-profit sector; booksellers, who often hand-sell
New Press books; librarians; and above all by our authors.
www.thenewpress.com
Book design and composition by Lovedog Studio
This book was set in Sabon
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To L.E. and K.G. for every day.
COnTEnTS
1. CHOOSInG TO GO:
AN INTRODUCTION TO THIS GUIDE 1
2. MOvInG UP In THE wORlD:
SETTING GOALS AND IMAGINING YOUR FUTURE 13
HElPfUl TOOlS
Career Clusters Interest Survey 26
Career Clusters Linked to Your Interests 30
3. If THE SCHOOl fITS, PICk IT:
FINDING YOUR TYPE OF COLLEGE 39
HElPfUl TOOlS
Request for Admission Application Fee Waiver 50
The Four-Way Fit: Questions to Ask Yourself 61
The Four-Way Fit Worksheet: Build Your Own Rankings 65
4. THE OTHER COllEGE RankInGS:
MAKING A LIST OF THE RIGHT SCHOOLS FOR YOU 67
HElPfUl TOOlS
The Four-Way Fit + Rankings Worksheet 94
THE waSHInGTOn MOnTHly’S COllEGE RankInGS:
Best-Bang-for-the-Buck Colleges (by region) 95
Affordable Elite Colleges 165
Best Community Colleges 177
Best-Bang-for-the-Buck HBCU’s 180
5. TROUblED waTERS:
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFER SWAMP 185
HElPfUl TOOlS
Sample Schedule and Milestones Chart 194
6. THE HERE anD nOw:
TAKING STOCK OF WHERE YOU ARE 199
HElPfUl TOOlS
College-going Activities Plan (9th–12th grade) 204
Sample Senior Timeline Table 216
Asking for Help: A List of Questions 219
vi
C
COnTEnTS O
n
T
E
n
T
S
7. TaSTInG vICTORy:
PREPARING TO SUCCEED 221
8. faMIlIES aRE COMPlICaTED:
THE TRICKY BUSINESS OF TRANSITIONS 235
HElPfUl TOOlS
Sample Student Consent Form for Release of Information 246
9. GETTInG In:
DEMYSTIFYING COLLEGE ADMISSION 247
HElPfUl TOOlS
How’s the Fit? Grid 267
10. IT’S all abOUT THE bEnJaMInS:
HOW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE 271
HElPfUl TOOlS
Cost Comparison Worksheet 295
Glossary of Financial Aid Terms 296
11. CaRPE DIEM:
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR FIRST YEAR 299
12. kEEP UP THE GOOD wORk:
EMPLOYMENT AFTER COLLEGE 317
13. DO UnTO OTHERS:
NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC SECTOR CAREERS 331
50 SCHOOlS yOU SHOUlD knOw abOUT
Midwest 348
Northeast 356
South 365
Southeast 375
West 386
aCknOwlEDGMEnTS 397
nOTES 400
vii
Ready?
1.
CHOOSInG
TO GO:
an InTRODUCTIOn
TO THIS GUIDE
