CPC and Finding the Best-Fit College

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which is why I spend less time on student-led campus tours and more time on old-fashioned research to understand the best-fit schools for students. One student's idea of a walkable, beautiful, welcoming - insert any adjective here - campus - is personal.

Our role is to invest in, read, research, and identify relevant data to help parents and students develop a balanced quality college list to prepare them when it is time to visit. High-quality admissions data is critical to the success of any data-driven college planning process.

Can you give examples of how data points can make a difference?

• Does the school have sufficient resources to teach and advise the student properly?

• How likely is the student to graduate on time, pay off their loans, and get a good-paying job?

• How do you avoid average but expensive institutions on your college list?

• Identifying hidden gems

• Understanding different admission rates for limited enrollment programs

• Leveraging tuition reduction programs

How does the CPC process save us time?

Over the years, we've developed a strong understanding of where and when to look for critical information through constant research and technology to track changes. Below are examples of data sources that help save time and resources.

Industry Publications - Programs of Study

• School Websites

• Ruggs Recommendations

• Southern Region Education Board

• Fiske Guide To Colleges

• Princeton Review

• College Finder

• Petersons

• U.S. News and World Report

Admission Information

• The Common Data Set Updates - Colleges release their Common Data Set at various times during the year. We update in real-time vs. annually.

• University Factbook Data

• Admission rate updates for the latest class: We're actively tracking the latest published early and regular decision results and updating the database when all relevant rates are available from the colleges.

• Admission rates by the department for limited enrollment programs (engineering, computer science, nursing as examples)

• Press Releases

• Most Recently Published Academic Class Profile

• School Websites

• Demonstrated Interest Considered or Important

• Interviews Considered or Important

• Standardized Testing Options - We actively track changes to standardized testing policies and provide guidance.

• Common Application Updates

  • Changes to key application requirements

  • Changes to admission plan options

  • Changes to deadlines

• Need Blind vs. Need Aware Schools

• Early Decision and Restrictive Early Action Acceptance Rates

Higher Education Trends

• Institution Blogs, Releases, Fact Books

• The Chronicle of Higher Education

• College Scorecard

• Colleges with Superior Services/Programs for Students With Special Needs - Allen F. Tinkler, MS Ed.

Cost of Attendance

• Strength in need-grants

• Strength in merit-scholarships

• Separate deadlines for competitive institutional scholarships

• Regional Tuition Discount Programs

• FAFSA/State Grant/CSS Profile Requirements and Deadlines

Some of these resources are free, and some are not. Parents can dive into the rabbit hole and explore the incredible content. We help parents who would prefer to spend their time elsewhere. Allowing CPC to get wonky on data for their student frees up time for more substantial (and fun) dinner conversations. Want to find out more? Schedule a free conversation today.