QUESTION: I’m thinking about which colleges I want to apply to, but I don’t think I’m getting the real story by looking at the brochures from the colleges. What’s the best way to find out what a college is really like?
–College Detective

Dear College Detective: You’re right to be a little suspicious of the college brochures. Because they are meant to entice students to apply, they only present the positive aspects of a school. For instance, did you ever notice that every day seems to be sunny and 70 degrees according to the brochures of New England colleges? From personal experience, we can tell you that it is sunny and 70 degrees from noon to 3 p.m. on only one day of May each year. The best way to get the story behind the brochures is to speak with actual students. Look up graduates from your high school who attend the college. If you can, make a trip to the campus and chat with some students. Visit the websites of the college’s student organizations and email a question or two to those that interest you. Go beyond the glossy brochures to get the real story.

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