# How to choose a college.... ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 25, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010 "2004-01-25T16:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Snite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snite)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/1 "2004-01-25T16:53:03Z")
I can I do research to determine what college has the best program for a major. I.E. If my major were communications, how would I determine what college had a great communications program. Or if it was psychology, what college has a great psychology program. How do I find this stuff out? Psychopachik Vampire ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/2 "2004-01-25T18:14:10Z")
This site has tons of stats on US universities: [http://thecenter.ufl.edu/research2003.pdf](http://thecenter.ufl.edu/research2003.pdf) Here’s a site for grad schools: [http://www.gradschools.com/](http://www.gradschools.com/) This site does some ranking for you: [http://www.studentsreview.com/college\_rankings.html](http://www.studentsreview.com/college_rankings.html) ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/3 "2004-01-25T18:39:18Z")
Moved to IMHO. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/4 "2004-01-25T18:41:04Z")
Check out [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm](http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm) ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/5 "2004-01-25T18:41:57Z")
> [@Psychopachik\_Vampire](#): > > I can I do research to determine what college has the best program for a major. I.E. If my major were communications, how would I determine what college had a great communications program. Or if it was psychology, what college has a great psychology program. [US News and World Report](http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/cohome.htm) is pretty much the best and most up to date ranking. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/6 "2004-01-25T18:50:45Z")
Ask several people in the field you’re interested in. They often have a general idea of where to go and where to stay away from. What are you looking for, specifically? Vlad/Igor ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/7 "2004-01-25T18:59:59Z")
Does it really matter much from university to university? I know thats not the answer you were looking for but you also might want to check if it even matters where you get your degree. You could end up saving 100k in tuition that way. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/8 "2004-01-25T23:41:58Z")
> [@tremorviolet](#): > > [US News and World Report](http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/cohome.htm) is pretty much the best and most up to date ranking. I had a look, but there’s not much to be seen without paying for the “premium online edition”. The academic advising office at my University has shelves and shelves full of information on various schools and programs. Maybe your school has something similar, **Psychopachik\_Vampire**? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-choose-a-college/226010/9 "2004-01-26T00:19:46Z")
You could send a nice, courteous, e-mail to a couple professors, in your field of interest at various universities and ask their opinion.