Best colleges for your money

Best Colleges for your Money

So, when a US education is so expensive, what are the factors that need to be weighed in when making the right choice?

A recent ranking by MONEY ( http://time.com/money/4846024/best-colleges-for-your-money-2017/) looked at factors such as educational quality, alumni success and cost of education. They rated the top 10 colleges as below:

10. Harvard University: With a 98% graduation rate, Harvard scholars are highly valued not only in the US but just about everywhere.

09. University of California, Davis: Recognised by The Wall Street Journal as the sixth best public university in the US, UC Davis is well reputed in the nation.

08. Massachusetts University of Technology: The haven of tech geeks everywhere, MIT is so reputed as its alums typically earn jobs that pay over $73000 within a few years of their graduation.

07. University of California, Irvine: UCI’s graduation rate is over 27% more than that of the average for colleges with a similar student population.

06. Stanford University: Graduates from this prestigious University end up with salaries that are on the average 20% higher than their counterparts from other colleges.

05. University of California, Los Angeles: Over half of UCLA scholars study on scholarships, making this an affordable option for the deserving.

04. University of California, Berkeley: Graduates from this University report earnings of over $62000 a year within 5 years of their graduation date.

03. University of Michigan : This top ranked university has a long tradition of excellence in research, learning and teaching, sports and the arts.

02. City University of New York, Baruch : One of CUNY’s senior colleges, the college has an acceptance rate of only around 25%..

01. Princeton: Princeton students hail from diverse nations and are renowned for their original thinking, with almost 8 in 10 students graduating debt free as they have studied on need-based scholarships. Princeton graduates are highly regarded by top employers.

If you are looking at an education in the US, you should always look beneath the surface. DO not join a college just because it has a good reputation. Colleges that are elite may be so expensive that you will be in debt for a long time after you graduate, and will have a poor quality of life! If you graduate with a huge student loan and a low paying job, you are likely to end up regretting your choice of college. Look at factors like funding available, class sizes and the possibility of getting a teaching assistantship or a research assistantship. Location is also important. If you attend a college which is strategically situated, you are more likely than not to get selected in a top paying job during campus recruitment drives.

Remember, take your time to make the right decision- it will affect the rest of your life!