Kris at Cal Poly in front of the retaining wall with name of the college inscribed.

A visit to California Polytechnic State University

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By Kris Olson After a visit to California Polytechnic University (Cal Poly) in November, I understood one of the reasons why a student from the upper Mid-West would want to apply. It was 80-degrees as I toured this mid-sized San Luis Obispo campus, a mere 15-minute drive from the beaches of California’s central coast. But even more impressive than the …

Kris at University of Bristol, UK

Exploring College Options in the United Kingdom

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Have you ever considered taking your college experience “across the pond?” And, no, I’m not talking about studying abroad for a semester; I’m talking about attending university as a degree-seeking, full-time student in the United Kingdom (UK). Check out Kris Olson’s Spotlight on Exploring College Options in the United Kingdom to learn about how to earn an undergraduate degree in …

Pitzer campus

A Visit to Pitzer College

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By Margaret Duden  When I was in Claremont, CA for the IECA Summer Training Institute, I had an opportunity to visit Pitzer College. Pitzer is a member of the Claremont Consortium of Colleges. Founded in the 1960s, it was created with the mission of advancing social and environmental justice. Pitzer’s motto is Provida Futuri, which means “mindful of the future” …

Augustana mascot

A Visit to Augustana University

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I was excited to drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to meet with my students who are there and revisit Augustana. My visit to Augustana University showed me just how much this affordable, private, Norwegian-heritage liberal arts college has to offer. As the largest private university in the state, Augustana retains a strong alumni network and an enthusiastic “Augie” student body. …

A Visit to Bowdoin College

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Bowdoin College is a small, liberal arts college known for academic rigor and is one of the impressive and highly selective NESCAC colleges. (The New England Small College Athletic Conference.) Bowdoin has a diverse student body, made up of approximately 1,800 students from all over the world, 189 full-time faculty members, and a 9:1 student/faculty ratio. Location Nestled in the …

Dartmouth Hall

A Visit to Dartmouth College

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In September 2017, I had the pleasure of visiting Dartmouth College, the smallest and most intimate of the Ivys, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, and just a two-hour drive from Boston. Dartmouth was founded before the Revolutionary War in 1769 and offers idyllic New England charm, a great college-town atmosphere, academic rigor, and many outlets for social life. Like many …

view of mountains

A Visit to Middlebury College

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I had the pleasure of touring the Middlebury campus with admissions counselor Margo Graham, who is a Minnesota native. This is a beautiful college campus located in a gorgeous and peaceful New England setting in small town Vermont. Location Founded in 1766, the town of Middlebury was burned to the ground during the Revolutionary War in 1778. As the town …

A Visit to University of Florida

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About The University of Florida (UF) is a public university located in Gainesville, Florida. Since its founding over 160 years ago, it has become one of the largest universities in the country with over 36,000 undergraduates. The university is known as the best state school in Florida and is consistently ranked among the nation’s top universities. In 2016, it ranked …

Sue at Hampshire College

A Visit to Hampshire College

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About “Disrupt the status quo.” These are the words of the Hampshire College website. Since deciding not to accept SAT and ACT scores, Hampshire is nowhere to be found on the U.S. News and World Report “Best Colleges” list—and the trailblazing community takes pride in that fact. The researchers who compile the “Best Colleges” list simply don’t know how to …

Campus chapel

A Visit to Providence College

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About Providence College (PC) is a Catholic university of the Dominican tradition located two miles from downtown. The campus buildings are lovingly maintained, as are the plentiful green spaces. With an active, 100-year presence of robed friars on campus, it’s not surprising an ongoing discussion about human existence – including life’s meaning and purpose – is of central importance during …

A Visit to Amherst College

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About A top-ranked, private liberal arts institution, nestled amongst quaint New England villages, Amherst College is the site of several historic “firsts”: the world’s first intercollegiate baseball game, the country’s first collegiate athletics program, and the nation’s first undergraduate neuroscience program. The 1,800 friendly and intelligent Amherst undergraduates reflect a commitment to geographic, socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic diversity. The institution’s …

A Visit to Auburn University

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On a sunny fall afternoon, Tom (my trusty travel companion and husband) and I made the easy 90-minute drive from the Atlanta airport to Auburn, Alabama. The staff at the beautiful Hotel at Auburn University warmly greeted us. Auburn is a small, charming town with unique shops and restaurants. We ate dinner at The Hound, a family-owned restaurant famous for …

Holyoke Auditorim

A Visit to Mount Holyoke College

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A gifted teacher and persistent trailblazer, Mary Lyon founded Mount Holyoke College (MHC) in 1837 by seeking donations during a severe economic depression. Her famous words, “Go where no one else will go, do what no one else will do,” are the cornerstone of the MoHo (as the students affectionately call their school) experience. The first college to join what …

Campus

A Visit to Smith College

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By Sue Luse About With applications to women’s colleges on the rise, Smith College – a member of the original Seven Sisters – is prepared to successfully launch a growing number of future Ph.D. candidates into society. Founded in 1871, Smith College is overseen by the institution’s 11th president, Dr. Kathleen McCartney, who was the first in her family to …