Instead of rankings, look for books and guides that provide qualitative information.
Use guidebooks to get a sense of schools that fit into your academic, geographic and price range.
Consider rankings when you are interested in studying a specialty program.
Rankings differ in criteria. Some focus on diversity. Some on the night scene. Look around.
Once you have your list, visit the campuses. Sit in on classes. Ask students what they like and don't like about their school.
If you can't afford to make visits, call the admissions office and ask if they can recommend students you could call for information.
Do as much research as possible. It's easier to apply to seven or eight well-matched schools than 15 or 20 that are across the board.
Sources: Stephen Pultz, director of admissions at University of San Diego; Eva Ostrum, former assistant admissions director at Yale; Laura Clark, a former admissions officer at Princeton.
