Some colleges are harder than other colleges. Courses are tougher, the workload is heavier, and competition is stiffer. One way to judge the difficulty of a course is to look at the skill level needed for taking the course.
Some physics courses, for example, require students to have algebra skills in order to handle the math portion of the course. But other physics courses require students to have calculus skills, a higher level of math. A college where most students take calculus-based physics is generally more difficult than one where most students take algebra-based physics.
A college’s level of challenge is often a matter of opinion. But there are ways to measure a college’s level of difficulty and its overall reputation.
One way is to look at a college’s selectivity. This looks, in part, at the academic record of students who enter the college. What students do after they graduate is also important. How many graduates of a four-year college continue on and get advanced degrees? How many graduates of a two-year college go on to four-year colleges?
Several magazines, guides, and Web sites that rate colleges are available. Some rate the overall college based on many of the factors listed in this chapter. Others are more specific. For example, you might be able to find a listing of the ten best economics departments in the country, or colleges with the highest percentage of students going on to medical school. Talking to people is also an important way to learn about a college. Talk to graduates, students, teachers, counselors, and others.
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