Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Best Value Colleges in the U.S for Internatio­nal Students

~According to Forbes Magazine~

- -Devuni Goonewarde­ne

Last week we Google searched whether ‘earning a College degree’ is worth it. We got nearly 300 million hits on this subject.

But then again analyzing all these calculatio­n and analysis it boiled down to the fact whether graduating from college is worth the investment of being in debt. Being in debt and also whether by getting the qualificat­ion we can cover up the debts and further earn for a better living standard. It seemed that some Colleges are better than others and some Degrees have more job opportunit­ies and better pay.

Forbes magazine has collected data and analyzed the best value Colleges 2017 for internatio­nal students, which indicates the value for money and quality education received at the same time.

The List of Colleges is as follows: 1. Babson College

2. Bryn Mawr College

3. Claremont McKenna College 4. Columbia University

5. Massachuse­tts Institute of Technology 6. Mount Holyoke College

7. Georgetown University

8. Princeton University

9. Brandeis University

10. University of Pennsylvan­ia

Last week a brief explanatio­n of the first five top Colleges was published.

Mount Holyoke College

Mount Holyoke College is a private institutio­n that was founded in 1837. It has a total undergradu­ate enrollment of 2,199, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 800 acres. This is the first institutio­n in the all-female Seven Sisters league.

Mount Holyoke women still receive a broad liberal arts education in the suburban setting of South Hadley, Mass., but have more opportunit­ies to travel. Mount Holyoke is one of five colleges within 12 miles, and students can take courses and attend events at each. A free bus service transports students between Mount Holyoke, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College and the University of Massachuse­tts- Amherst. Through the school’s membership in the Twelve College Exchange Programme, Mount Holyoke women can study at one of 11 other schools, including Dartmouth College and Vassar College, for one or two semesters.

Unlike many other schools, Mount Holyoke does not require students to send in SAT scores when they apply. More than 70 percent of students find employment on campus, and all freshmen who qualify for work-study must work at least one shift in the dining halls.

here are multiple opportunit­ies to gain real-world experience as a Mount Holyoke student. Students can complete internship­s in the summer or during January Term, a several-week break for students to get work experience, network or take a noncredit course. The school works in conjunctio­n with Smith College to provide career fairs for students. At any time, Mount Holyoke students can peruse the online database of alumnae contact informatio­n for help or networking. Especially notable alumnae include poet Emily Dickinson, U.S. Representa­tive Nita Lowey and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Mona Sutphen.

Georgetown University

Founded in 1789, with an undergradu­ate enrollment of 7,453, Georgetown University is a private institutio­n in an urban setting. A culturally diverse student- faculty, which encourages unity in diversity.

Georgetown’s nine schools include the world- renowned McDonough School of Business and the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Students at Georgetown have access to an accomplish­ed alumni network running the gamut from athletes like Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson to world leaders like President Bill Clinton, as well as access to a historic campus in the nation’s capital. Georgetown’s 25 athletic teams, known as the Hoyas, compete most- ly in the NCAA-Division I, with the exception of the football team. The men’s basketball team, a perennial power in the Big East conference, has won one national championsh­ip.

Princeton University

Princeton University is a private institutio­n that was founded in 1746. It has a total undergradu­ate enrollment of 5,400, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 600 acres.

Princeton, among the oldest colleges in the U. S., is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Within the walls of its historic ivy-covered campus, Princeton offers a number of events, activities, and organisati­ons. The Princeton Tigers, members of the Ivy League, are well known for their consistent­ly strong men’s and women’s lacrosse teams.

Princeton includes highly ranked graduate programmes through the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and Internatio­nal Affairs and School of Engineerin­g and Applied Science. One unique aspect of Princeton’s academic programme is that undergradu­ate students are required to write a senior thesis, or for students in some engineerin­g department­s, take on an independen­t project. Notable alumni include U. S. President Woodrow Wilson and former first lady Michelle Obama.

Brandeis University

Brandeis University is a private institutio­n that was founded in 1948. It has a total undergradu­ate enrollment of 3,608, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 235 acres.

Brandeis is comprised of the College of Arts and Sciences and four graduate schools. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers highly ranked programs in English and history, and The Heller School for Social Policy and Management is notable for its programmes in social policy, health policy and management, and internatio­nal developmen­t. Nearly 50 percent of students participat­e in study abroad programmes offered in about 70 countries around the world. The Steinhardt Social Research Institute at Brandeis provides research and informatio­n on contempora­ry Judaism and the Jewish community. Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman graduated from Brandeis, which was named for the first Jewish Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Louis Dembitz Brandeis.

University of Pennsylvan­ia

The University of Pennsylvan­ia is a private institutio­n that was founded in 1740. It has a total undergradu­ate enrollment of 10,019, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 302 acres.

Penn has 12 schools: Four offer undergradu­ate and graduate studies and eight offer only graduate studies. Penn’s highly ranked graduate programmes include its Wharton School, School of Education, School of Engineerin­g and Applied Sciences, Law School and School of Medicine. Penn’s other notable graduate programmes include its Design School and School of Dental Medicine. Penn, though secular, has a strong religious life with its Hillel for Jewish students, Penn Newman Catholic Center and InterVarsi­ty Christian Fellowship. More than 2,000 students each year participat­e in internatio­nal study programmes offered in more than 70 countries around the world. Notable Penn alumni include former U. S. President William Henry Harrison, poet William Carlos Williams, and President Donald Trump. (Donald Trump huh? Oh well!)

Do thorough research and weigh the pros and cons of selecting your path, your university, and even the country. After all, everything counts.

 ??  ?? University of Pennsylvan­ia
University of Pennsylvan­ia
 ??  ?? Georgetown University
Georgetown University
 ??  ?? Princeton University
Princeton University
 ??  ?? Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Sri Lanka