Ten Things You Need to Know About College

Searching for a selecting a college or university is one of the most important activities you'll undertake in your life. It determines much of your future as much as or even more than buying your first house, finding a soul-mate and getting married, applying for and accepting a new job and other major moments in your life. Paying for college is also the biggest purchase you'll likely make in your life other than a house. Searching for a college to attend can be confusing, complicated, and time-consuming. The Ten Things You Need To Know About College provides you with information about colleges and universities that will help make your college search informed and successful.

There are many decisions you have to make during your life that have major impacts on your future. Buying your first new car, renting your first apartment all on you own, finding a soul-mate and getting married, buying your first house, applying for and accepting a new job, investing money to build a retirement fund all begin with big decisions that are usually based on reliable information, newly gained knowledge, and often help from an expert such as a car-purchasing service, a match-making app, a real estate professional, or an investment adviser. The more you know about these major purchases, the better decisions you can make. Attending a college for four years is no different, and it's probably the most expensive "product" you'll ever purchase other than a house. It's not easy, because there are more than 3500 colleges and universities in the US. , and the variety is staggering. Colleges and universities can be public or private; small, medium, and large; urban, suburban or rural; faith-based or secular; liberal arts oriented or with specialized programs, or a combination of all of the above. There are a host of college rankings, but how reliable are they? Who decides on which colleges and universities are included in "the top 100 colleges in the U.S.?" How are these decisions made? There are also many aspects of colleges that you probably know little about. For example, do you know what the difference is between a "college" and a "university?" Why attending a two-year college can be a wise choice? Why your major isn't as important think? Why a General Education program is usually much more important than you think? Why a big "brand-name" university may not be a good choice for you? Ten Things You Need To Know About College addresses all of these questions...and more! It will help make your college search and selection much more informed, easier and successful.

Dr. House has spent his career in higher education at both large research universities--University of Southern California and Johns Hopkins University--and at small, liberal arts colleges. He served as president of Saint Joseph's College of Maine for 12 years. He earned his undergraduate degree from California State University, and his Master's and Ph.D. from University of Southern California. He studied for two years at the Free University of Berlin. He has served as an administrator, has taught undergraduate and graduate courses, and has helped students search for and apply to colleges through his company, Your Future College. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Susan.