New research review finds scant evidence for the widespread belief that attending a "top tier" college leads to success in school and in life. Indeed, when it comes to student learning, well-being, job satisfaction and future income — four key outcomes that students and their families value highly — studies suggest that students themselves determine their destinies, not their schools. "Research tells us that the most successful students, both in college and beyond, are the on

Year after year, the admissions process at selective colleges seems to make high-schoolers and their parents only more anxious. The numbers are wild: Harvard admitted just 4.6 percent, Stanford only 4.29 percent, and Princeton 5.5 percent. Although selective schools-those that accept fewer than half of applicants-enroll only about one-fifth of U.S. undergraduates, they account for more than one-third of applications each year. Read More