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 Several of you have suggested I post some questions on college picks, give them numerical value,and, just for fun, and maybe a little enlightment, and see what results.

So here are the factors I am considering now. Remember we are taling about "above average" students, not the super smart or--well you see what I'm getting at.

At this point, these are the questions.

Would your SAT or ACT score be above average for the school?
Will you probably graduate in the upper two/fifths of your class?
Do you want a good majority of your college classmates to live on campus?
Do you prefer a school of 3,000 or less undergraduates?
Do you plan on joining a sorority/fraternity?
Do you have a maximum percentage of Greeks you would like at your college?

I have a couple of other ideas I'm mulling. I've been reading college profiles 'till almost blind.

See you later here, or in B...... Saturday.

Blog Notice.

I am blogging at the present exsclusively on college choice. My son(who many of you met in S......Sunday is using the blog "Franklance" for a religious discussion. Continue to send your questions by e-mail. Thanks

The college "Greek System"

The sorority/fraternity system at many colleges is something I believe potential students at the college should look at. Why? Well, at some schools these "Greek" groups are very dominant socially and prestige wise. And the Greek system is hierarchical. In other words, WHAT sorority or fraternity you belong to may be a factor in your campus life and recognition. Graduates of almost any college with a Greek system can, rather easily,"rank" these organizations from 'most desirable/pretigious' to be invited to join to 'least desirable/prestigious' to be invitedf to join.' And, at many schools your 'prestige' is important; going all the way to what parties you are invited to, to who you date.(I'm dating a Chi Omega---oh, yes, this is not uncommon).

Okay, call me a hypocrite, but I belong to a fraternity, as did my wife, and part of our choice of which one was determined by the 'prestige' of that group on the campus.We both did very well in the 'prestige' Greek organization we joined; but we both know today that the 'prestige' factor ir absurd in most cases.

Another factor: At a 'large' college/university (say over 5,000 undergrads) a sorority/fraterity membership can be important. Such membership gives you a "community" to attach to. The smaller the school, the less significant to you should Greek membership be. Sure, membership is okay at any school, IF, you don't get caught up in 'social/prestige' emphasis.

College search

I'm coming back to my college suggestions, analysis, and opinions. For the past few days I have been reading 6 of the so called "college guides." They're all good. Of course, personal opinions are all over the place; but I don't think that's bad. In fact, it can be helpful.

The only drawback is the guides are not completely up to date. For example, almost all in material on Antioch College in Ohio which is now closed. But this little lag in information is not significant. After all almost all our colleges have been around for decades. I doubt if they change must in a year or two.

A couple of e-mails I've received ask me to state my 'preferences.' I think I've touched on them , but let me restate.

I favor small liberal arts colleges; not more than 5000 students at most.

I favor attending a school away from your home city.

I favor attending where you would fall , not at the bottom of the applicants, and not at the very top, but somewhere in the top 30 per cent.

Be back soon. I have almost caught up with your e-mails.

Check out your neighborhood asylum.

Just got back last week from the East basketball regional. I'll try to catch up on my e-mails and questions. But I still need it appears to get my philosophy about 'choosing' a college first.

Several of you have sent me copies of and quotes from the many college guides available at the bookstores.Also the net has almost endless sites on how to choose a college. I see basically two mistakes that many potential college enrolees make.

" I want to go to A college because I'll have a chance to be taught by a Nobel prize winner." This is a rather common refrain. But there are two problems. One the Nobel prize winner, in all probability, wont teach a class you take. And two, he may be a great scientist or economist or whatever, but there is a good chance he/she may be a dreadful communicator==teacher.

Most of the questions from the high school kids are based on "How do a get some extra points on my SAT or ACT so I can "slip" into the "best" (prestigious?) college I can. Okay, my young friend,pay thousands for tutoring on these test and you might get your wish. So you won??You might slip into Harvard where---HOLD ON---you have a great chance to rank at the bottom of your classes with a possibility of a trip to your neighborhood psych clinic.

I've said before that at almost any college you attend will be staffed with profs that know at least 100 times what you know. And if you're a good student you may 'remember' about 15 per cent of what he's trying to get across. Or you can go to the "best" school you can "slip" in, and the profs (some of them ) may know 300 times what you know about the subject but for what good? You're still going to absorb the same amount of knowledge from the 100 per cent or the 300 percent teacher. So good luck.