3 Reasons to Apply Early Action to College

As students enter senior year of high school and meet the pressures and anxiety that come along with applying to college, one question that must be considered is whether to apply to a college early. The most common way to apply to a college early is through early decision, in which a student commits, if accepted, to attending the college to which he or she is applying early.

In recent years, however, a number of universities have instituted early action, a program that allows

How U.S. News Calculated the 2016 Best Colleges Rankings

The host of intangibles that makes up the college experience can't be measured by a series of data points. But for families concerned with finding the best academic value for their money, the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings provide an excellent starting point for the search.

They allow you to compare at a glance the relative quality of institutions based on such widely accepted indicators of excellence as first-year student retention and graduation rates and the strength of the faculty. And as you check out the data for colleges already on your short list, you

Medical & Health Information Technology Certification Information

Medical & Health Information Technology Certification Information

Medical and health information technology certification is a required for technicians in that field. Get some quick facts about the education and skills necessary to qualify for medical health and information technology certification.

Essential Information

3 Ways U.S. Colleges Evaluate Applications

​"It was confusing." 

That's how Rinat, a third-year gender studies student from Almaty, Kazakhstan, described his experience preparing applications to U.S. universities. "Every university had different applications, different deadlines, different things I had to send to them."

Rinat's impression of the U.S. university application process is not unique to international

Explore Attending a U.S. College Outside a Major City

The U.S. is home to some of the world's most iconic cities: New York, with its Statue of Liberty and the One World Trade Center, and Los Angeles, with its Hollywood sign in Hollywood Hills. 

But when it comes to actually choosing a U.S. college, international students may find themselves considering some of the hundreds of colleges and universities in the country's lesser-known cities and towns.

The Ins, Outs of Applying to Test-Optional Colleges

Olivia Rossetti ​was hoping to apply to colleges with strong English and social science programs, flexible curricula and admissions policies that considered her as a whole person.

When the Brookfield, Massachusetts, student visited Smith College, she was glad to find campuswide support for a test-optional admissions policy and the belief that standardized exams do not necessarily reflect a student’s abilities. "I felt validated," the Smith junior says.

5 Financial Aid, Student Loan Changes to Anticipate in 2015

The past several years brought some notable changes to student loans and financial aid.

Everything from how interest is calculated on federal loans to which loans are available to graduate students has shifted.

But 2015 should be different, say experts.

"Generally, we don’t anticipate too many major changes this year," says Megan McClean, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' managing director of policy and federal