Insider info: Get the scoop on your school

The information packet produced by a college’s admissions office provides newcomers with a narrow view of student life. Here’s where to go to find insider information that is not included in a college’s promo pack.

RateMyProfessors.com
Although most admitted students may not have an idea of whom their professors will be until fall, it’s never too early to start gleaning information about a school’s roster. At RateMyProfessors.com users can search, not only by a professor’s name, but by school to get the lowdown on who’s who in each department. Ratings are available for all the expected criteria, such as quality, ease, helpfulness and clarity, but the site also includes a “hotness” category, in case that piece of information is necessary for the decision-making process.

Unigo
With a motto like “college students and experts tell you what the colleges won’t,” Unigo is bound to give the goods. Users register via Facebook to comment and write reviews, so those who peruse the site can be sure they’re reading comments from real students. Visitors can compare schools, discuss with others, watch video dorm tours, and have access to all of the normal stats and rankings for a school. Unigo also churns out helpful 140-character-or-less information tidbits via Twitter every day.

What Will They Learn?
Visit this site for a meta-critique of what the college experience will teach you. The What Will They Learn? staff have summarized the general degree requirements of major colleges and universities and graded each on the quality of the general education offered.  At the least, visitors can entertain themselves with the D and F awarded to Harvard and Yale respectively. At the most, they may gain some perspective on the value of a bachelor’s degree these days.

College/university newspaper
There’s a kid on every campus waiting to break the next expose on faculty and student misbehavior, campus crimes and loads of other things that will never appear in the college administration newsletter. On a more positive note, the paper can give the daily scoop on campus events, academic achievements by students and professors, and much more.

Facebook & Twitter
There used to be a time when Facebook was an exclusive club for college students, and it’s still a great resource to get insider information from students currently in attendance at a college or university. Joining one of the class groups (there’s bound to be more than one), and stalking group and event pages can lead to invaluable information on a school’s social scene. Admitted students are welcome to follow people and groups related to their chosen college on Twitter, but it’s also important to look outside a school’s circle on Twitter for other great resources such as @CampusGrotto, @TheCollegeGuide, @collegeprowler and @Unigo.

Check out the embedded document below for more tips on preparing for college from the U.S. Department of Education.
Funding_Education_Beyond_HS_2010-11

Excerpt from the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Student Aid Awareness and Applicant Services Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid. 2010–11, Washington, D.C., 2010

Featured image by mkoukoullis licensed under Creative Commons