The most recent U.S. Department of Education statistics about the states the Fall 2010 freshmen class comes from is telling for prospective applicants and their families, when seeing the data from different views.
- For students wanting diversity, the range of state residents represented on campus can tell more about the college’s shared value of diversity and the experiences one would encounter as a student.
- For students thinking that their state of residency would be a boost in the admissions process, they can better evaluate their chances and ask more informed questions of admissions officers.
- The linked map above shows the change in state residency diversity from 1994-2010, allowing potential students to make assumptions about the shifting (or not) emphasis of the college in building their student body.
While the college search process can be tedious, yet exciting, the more investigation a student conducts the more confidently s/he will choose the right schools to achieve their goals and fit their personality. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so starting with what the individual student seeks can give definite parameters to the search and considerably narrow the focus.
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Jill Yoshikawa, Ed M, is a University of California and Harvard trained educator and Partner at Creative Marbles Consultancy. You can contact Jill at jill@creativemarbles.com or, read her short biography.
