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Choosing the right college isn’t just about professors and classes. Conversations in coffee houses, performances in concert halls, and opportunities for corporate internships also contribute to education. That’s why AIER’s latest publication, the College Destinations Index: 2009-10 Edition assesses a location’s broader learning environment.
The index begins by subdividing more than 360 metropolitan statistical areas into four tiers based on population size. We then rank the top scoring destinations in each tier according to 12 measures that range from student concentration to entrepreneurial opportunities.
Our evaluation is further organized into three categories—Academic Environment, Quality of Life, and Professional Opportunities. Each addresses the larger learning environment according to objective criteria. We then publish the top 75 college destinations in an easy-to-read format that lends itself to ready comparisons.
Collegia, a regional planning organization based in Wellesley, MA (www.collegia.com), published the first CDI in 2003. AIER took over the CDI in 2008.
And while,the CDI does not describe specific campuses, nor include all possible measures of informal education, it can serve a useful adjunct in choosing a college. But it isn’t just for students and their parents. College presidents, admission offices, and alumni can use it to promote their schools, civic planners to tout their regions, and CEOs to plan their next move. What’s more, the amenities that create great college communities also can make these destinations fine places to visit or retire.
You can get a free digital PDF today or purchase a print copy for just $2.
See the rankings--get your copy today.
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