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As high school seniors are busy making their choices about which college to attend, those coming behind them may be watching the process with interest. They know that they too will be facing that quandary in a few short months, even as they are amassing piles of information about various colleges and universities across the country. While choosing a college can seem like a daunting task, there are ways to narrow the choices and make the decision-making process a little easier. Check out these 10 tips for choosing the best college for you.

Consider What You Want

What is your primary reason for attending college? Are you all about the academics, or is the social aspect of college important as well? Do you relish moving away from home to experience college life independently, or would you prefer to live at home as you take your first year or two of classes? Consider how you picture your college life for the next two to four years, to determine which types of colleges will meet your expectations best. This video points out that finding a college with the best fit is what to look for.

Talk to Others

Talk to friends and family members that are in college or recently graduated, to learn more about their experiences with higher education. Find out what they like and didn’t like about various schools. A report at

U.S. News has released its newest ranking of the top-performing public high schools in the country. The rankings are compiled by the news publication annually to help students and parents discover the best high school choices in their states. Rankings are determined by a precise set of criteria that looks at student performance and college readiness. A special look is taken at how well a high school serves its least-advantaged students in these areas.

The Method Behind the Research

To assess thousands of schools throughout the United States, U.S. News teams up with the American Institutes for Research. This DC-based organization is considered a foremost authority on behavioral and social sciences research across the globe. AIR is responsible for the new criteria utilized by U.S. News this year, which were based on the idea that top schools should effectively serve all the students in their population. This explains the specific examination of student performance by disadvantaged students at each school.

Researchers perused data from more than 21,000 high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia. States had to provide adequate data and 12-grade enrollment to be included in the rankings. Nebraska did not submit sufficient data on the state’s high schools to be considered. Rankings were completed on a statewide and national basis, to provide the best framework for parents and students who use the rankings to choose the best local high school for their needs.

This video reports on the rankings for 2018.

It may be assumed that segregation is no longer a significant problem for public schools throughout the United States. However, a recent study found that segregation is still very much alive and well in Maryland public schools. Despite efforts at the end of the last century to desegregate schools in the state, recent data suggests the efforts have come up short in ensuring an equal education quality for all Maryland students.

Educational Disparity in Maryland

The new research, which was compiled by the , found that black students in Maryland attend public schools that are nearly as segregated today as they were during the desegregation efforts of the 1980s. reports that during the 2010-2011 school year, more than half of all the African-American students attended schools with a strong majority of minority students. In addition, those schools had a much higher percentage of low-income students than schools that white students in the state primarily attended.

This video describes how over 5,000 teachers and educators signed up to march along with students and community leaders to push for more school funding in Annapolis, Maryland.

This discrepancy can lead to a serious disparity in educational quality. Schools with a high percentage of low-income and minority students tend to receive fewer resources and less experienced teachers than other schools in the area. At the same

New York City Schools: High Opt-Outs For Standardized Tests

Standardized testing has become commonplace in schools nationwide, but not everyone believes in using testing to evaluate school and student performance. This year, several schools nationwide are seeing a higher-than-usual number of students opting out of the test protocol. One area that has been hit hard with opt-outs in recent weeks is New York City Public Schools. How will the higher number of opt-outs impact students choosing not to test and the schools where they are enrolled?

Some Students Say No to Tests

The reports that test weeks this year are seeing fewer student participants in New York City. The publication cites reports of opt-outs at 22 schools throughout the boroughs, although the precise number of students opting out at each school is still unknown. It does appear that 33 students at the city’s Earth School have submitted their intentions to opt out of testing, which would comprise a significant percentage of the student body at that small school.

Parents and students are complaining of excessive stress caused by the standardized tests. They also question using valuable classroom time and resources to prepare for tests rather than quality instruction. Teachers are also protesting, stating that using standardized tests to evaluate teachers and schools is inappropriate and inaccurate.

The opt-outs in New York follow a decision by teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington, not to administer the tests