College Review: Muhlenberg College
After Lisa visited Muhlenberg College, she shared a few takeaways with our team that we haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Why College Students Avoid Career Services (And Why It Matters) For parents of college students, one of the largest complaints I hear/make is that despite colleges offering amazing opportunities, such as research, mentoring, and career placement services, many students refuse to avail themselves of them. I believe this to be because in order to get help, students would have to TALK TO A GROWN-UP. The discomfort this causes creates avoidance behaviors, followed by oppositional behaviors when their parents [...]
College Review: Bucknell University
Lisa shares her on-the-ground perspective from a recent visit to Bucknell University. Bucknell is a private university that serves mostly undergraduates–about 4,000 of them. It is located near the charming small town of Lewisburg, PA, and pretty much nothing else, except for Harrisburg, PA, about one hour away. Being roughly two to three hours from major cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia makes the school a bit more challenging to reach, despite the shuttles that Bucknell runs to major airports during high travel times. What the school lacks in urban proximity, it makes up for in beauty, [...]
College Review: Gettysburg College
On a recent visit, Lisa toured Gettysburg College and found a campus rich in history, strong, academics, and understated charm. Located in central Pennsylvania, not too far from the Maryland border, is a small liberal arts college set right next to the national park commemorating the battle of Gettysburg. In fact, the college, founded before the Civil War in 1832, was used as a hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers, leading to rumors that the college’s oldest buildings are haunted, including a freshman dorm, which is visited by the spirit of a young boy who died by accidentally falling [...]
College Review: Villanova University
Villanova University Campus Overview and First Impressions At Villanova, the level of energy and activity that crackles around campus is undeniable. This mid-size Augustinian Catholic university, right outside Philadelphia, is growing in both size, with the purchase of two nearby liberal arts campuses, and in stature. Construction is everywhere you look, and the school hopes to have its new, massive library building completed by next year. Students on campus appeared happy, but energized and focused. Of course, it probably helped that my visit coincided with the beginning of March Madness, in which their highly ranked basketball teams are bound to [...]
The Four Dimensions of College Fit
At The College Admissions Collective, we help families consider four key dimensions of college fit that paint a holistic picture of what “the right school” looks like: Academic Fit: How does your student learn best? Do they prefer hands-on projects, lively discussions, or structured lectures? A college that matches their learning style will foster engagement and confidence. For instance, a student who loves debate and writing might thrive at a discussion-based liberal arts college, while one who excels in labs and teamwork may prefer a polytechnic environment. Social Fit: Will your student find a sense of belonging among peers? Social [...]
College Review: Champlain College
With only 1,700 undergraduates, Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont may be small, but it thinks—and teaches—on a grand scale. During my visit, I heard directly from President Alex Hernandez, whose energy and clarity of vision set the tone for the whole campus. His message was simple but powerful: Champlain’s mission is to graduate students who are truly career-ready—not just with degrees, but with portfolios, experience, and confidence to step right into the workforce. The “Upside-Down Curriculum”: Learn What You Love Now, Not Later Most colleges make students wait until sophomore or junior year to dive into their major. Not Champlain. [...]