In 1900, industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, founded the Carnegie Technical Schools. It was renamed the Carnegie Institute of Technology when it became a degree offering institution in 1912. Then in 1967, the co-ed "Carnegie Tech" merged with the Mellon Institute to become Carnegie Mellon University.

Since its inception as a trade school, Carnegie Mellon has maintained "three primary objectives:

• to deliver distinctive, first-quality education;
• to foster research, creativity, and discovery; and
• to use the new knowledge created on campus to serve society."

Out-of-state tuition for this private university is $35,580. According to Prinecton Review, "the workload at Carnegie Mellon is pretty daunting, so it's no surprise that students say the typical undergraduate is 'extremely studious and serious about academics.'"

Out of the 22,356 undergraduate applicants for 2007, 6, 259 were accepted and 1, 486 actually enrolled. Princeton Review lists CMU as one of the Best Northeastern Colleges; however, it also appears on their "Is it Food?" list. Oh, well, you can't have everything. Fortunately, the campus is only blocks away from a variety of restaurants and only a short bus ride away from the nearest grocery store, so those lucky individuals with the wherewithal to do so can avoid the cafeteria.

What you can have at Carnegie Mellon is a high caliber education on a beautiful, spacious campus. And when you graduate, you can add your name to a list that includes such distinguished alumni as Andy Warhol (Carnegie Tech), Blair Underwood, Jack Klugman, John Nash, Ming-Na Wen, and Challenger astronaut, Judith Resnik.

As you can see, you don't have to be an engineering, science, or math major to consider attending CMU. But you should probably have a lot of math courses on your high school transcript. It could greatly improve your chances of acceptance to this internationally renowned university.

Florida Institute of Technology was founded in 1958 by Dr. Jerome P. Keuper as Brevard Engineering College to "offer continuing education opportunities to scientists, engineers and technicians who were working for NASA at Cape Canaveral at what is now known as the Kennedy Space Center."

In 1961, the school moved to its present location in Melbourne, Florida, and in 1966, the university's name was officially changed to Florida Institute of Technology.

Florida Institute of Technology's students say its tough to describe what would be considered a "typical" student "given the diversity of people from the many states and countries we represent." The diversity of its student population might be one of the reasons FIT secured a spot on Princeton Review's list of the 146 Best Southeastern Colleges.

Out-of-state tuition for this small, diverse university is $27,540. The number of undergraduates for 2007 was 2, 594 and the total number of students, including graduate students was 5, 118.

Although FIT isn't listed as one of the toughest schools to get into, you have to figure it can't be easy. Princeton Review lists the most common majors as Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Aviation/Airway Management and Operations, Mechanical Engineering. You had better bring your A-game if you want to make it to graduation at this school.

Founded in 1764, Brown University was the seventh college in the United States and it was the only one that welcomed students of all religious faiths. It has the oldest undergraduate engineering program in the Ivy League. The college moved from Warren, Rhode Island in 1770 to its current location in Providence, on College Hill. It was renamed Brown in 1804 in honor of Nicholas Brown for a gift he gave the university. The Women's College, which was later named Pembroke, opened in 1891, and merged with Brown in 1971.

Although it began as a Baptist university, Brown currently has no particular religious affiliation and it maintains its reputation of openness.

The most popular majors, according to the Princeton Review, are Biology/Biological Sciences, History(general), General Studies, and International Relations and Affairs. It ranks sixth on Princeton Review's list of toughest schools to get into and second on its list of schools with the happiest students.

Out-of-state tuition for this small, private institution is $37,860. The annual undergrate enrollment is 5, 821 and the total enrollment, including the graduate and medical schools is 8, 025. Out of 15,157 applicants in 2007, 2, 442 were accepted and 1, 423 actually enrolled.

According to their Web site, Brown's mission is to "serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of inquiry and by educating and preparing students to discharge the offices of life with usefulness and reputation.

If you're interested in Brown University, keep in mind that colleges and universities are looking at high school transcripts more than anything else. Take advanced placement and honors courses if your school offers them. Doing that in addition to getting good SAT and/or ACT scores will help tremendously to increase your odds of being one of the chosen few invited to attend Brown University in the fall.

It's no secret that the competition to get into the best colleges is just as stiff as the competition to find the best internships and entry-level jobs. Choosing the right college or university has never been easy, but now it's gotten even more difficult because there are so many more highly qualified applicants vying for a place in the top schools. Princeton Review published an article, "Competition in the College Application Process - Myth vs. Fact," that might help you increase your odds of being accepted by the college or university of your choice.

"Facts

1. More high school-age students are applying to college today than in years past.
2. As a result, college admissions have become more numbers-based.
3. Eolleges want to see that students have tried to challenge themselves by taking the toughest courses their high school has to offer.
4. Your SATs are obviously important, but not as important as the high school transcript.
5. math and science are important in this process.
6. There's an ever-growing number of senior class presidents applying to college, along with editors in chief and club founders.

"Myths

1. Using the Common Application will hurt my chances of admission.
2. A fabulous interview can increase my chances of admission.
3. Going to a prep school will increase my chances of admission.
4. If my SAT scores are super strong, I'll be admitted to highly selective colleges."

What impressed me most about this article was that they stressed overall class performance as the most important factor in selection. Senior class presidents and editors of the school newspaper are judged the same as students who don't participate in a lot of school activities. Repeatedly, they say if you have a weak transcript, your extra-curriculur activities will be all for naught. So, as my father was wont to say, "hit the books," if you want to be admitted into one of the countries top colleges and universities.
Now that's not to say that you should give up your activities. They're stil important because they make you a more well-rounded student, but if your activities are causing your grades to drop, cut back a little.

Founded on July 4, 1881, by Booker T. Washington, in Tuskegee, Alabama, Tuskegee University is one of America's best known historically black college or university.

What do they have to offer? According to their Web site, "Tuskegee, through its five colleges and Centers of Excellence, offers a curriculum for success that includes courses in engineering, the natural and physical sciences, the health sciences, business and computer science, aviation science, the social sciences, liberal arts and education, and the fine arts."

What started as the "normal school" for training teachers in a small shack borrowed from a church, has grown into a major black university, covering 500 acres of land with 3,000 students on campus each year.

Tuskegee's National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care is the first in the country devoted to "engaging in the sciences, humanities, law and religious faith in the exploration of the core moral issues which underlie research and medical treatment of African-Americans and other underserved people," according to Wikipedia.

Although Tuskegee, like MIT, is a private university, tuition is nowhere near as high. For out of state students, the tuition for one year is a reasonable $14, 740. For families who want their children to have a good education but can't afford the creme de la creme like MIT or Cornell, might want to consider Tuskegee. But be warned, Princeton Review ranks Tuskegee ninth out of its list of 20 schools with the least happy students, ninth on the list of 20 schools with dorms like dungeons, and twelfth on its list of 20 schools with less than stellar library facilities.

If you're looking for an affordable, quality education, Tuskegee University is the way to go; if you're looking for college with all the trimmings, you might have to look somewhere else. You'll probably also have to get used to a chronically empty wallet.

MIT's mission statement reads as follows: "The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century."

Undergraduate admission to MIT is based on "academic potential, strong personal qualifications, and outstanding interests, activities, and achievements." Potential graduate students are judged based on "previous performance and professional promise by the department in which they wish register." In short, you have to bring your A-game if you're looking to attend this particular university. Out the 12, 445 students who applied in 2007, only 1,553 were invited to enroll.

Established in 1861 by natural scientist, William Barton Rogers, MIT didn't officially open its doors until 1865. Situated on 168 acres of land along the Charles River in Cambridge, MIT becameco-ed in 1870 when Ellen Swallow Richards enrolled as the first female undergraduate student.

With both classic and ultra-modern architecture, MIT is an aesthetically pleasing, though intimate campus.

Should you meet all the criteria for acceptance, you'd better have deep pockets, a great financial aid package, or loads of scholarships. Tuition for out of state students is
$34,750 per year. That's $150 more than Cornell.

College students in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have a problem transferring credits. "New Web Site Shows What College Credits Will Transfer in PA," by Bill Schackner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reveals a solution.

Not all credits are accepted between Pennsylvania's numerous institutions of higher education. As a result, students are forced to take the same course over again. One way around this is through CLEP or DANTES tests. But what happens when those options aren't available? Students drop out, reducing the overall graduation rate.

In an effort to correct this, Pennsylvania law makers created a law in 2006, and now there is a Web site, the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center (PA TRAC). Thirty-two colleges and universities - including the mandatory 14 community colleges and 14 state-owned universities - participate. The state is hopeful that other schools will follow Lincoln University, Seton Hill University, St. Francis University, and Lackawanna College as voluntary participants. By the fall of 2008, 1,100 courses with transferrable credits will be posted on the site.

Although many Pennsylvania colleges and universities have transfer agreements with each other, participation in PA TRAC will greatly increase students' options and, in turn, help increase the state's college graduation rate.

Being able to see that cornell has a waterfall on campus and that the library is enormous would, I think, be appealing to anyone but especially to people who enjoy reading and/or the outdoors. With beautiful architecture and landscaping, Cornell is aesthetically pleasing to say the least. But there's more to Cornell University than meets the eye.

Located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell is on Princeton Review's list of the 222 Best Northeastern Colleges. It comes in tenth for colleges with the best career/job placement, ninth for best library, and ranks fourth for best campus food.

This private university costs $34,600 per year for out-of-town students but does provide financial aid and is a direct lender. But money isn't everything. Cornell wants students who are well rounded, with more than just high standardized test scores and stellar grades. They want students who have participated in extra-curricular activities like sports, social clubs and community service, in addition to their academic excellence.

Out of 30,000 applicant's, Cornell University only invites a little over 3,000 new undergraduates to their campus each year, so competition is tough.

While nothing beats actually going to visit a college or university in person and taking a live campus tour, this brief video is great for someone who may be considering Cornell, but has really decided that this might be a good fit.

The academics the school offers. Students should look at schools that obviously have the majors they are interested in.