How do I find the best college for a specific major? -- Virtually Advising Q+A

The Q: What universities have the best political science programs for undergraduates?

The A: I'll be honest with you: We here at Virtually Advising hate answering these kinds of questions. It's not your fault; it's a perfectly fair question to ask. It's just that it's an impossible one to answer.

Whether we're talking about political science or English, journalism or physics, French or criminology, the truth is that there are dozens upon dozens of colleges with great programs in these majors, and any number of them could be a great fit for you. And that's the key to picking a college where you can be successful: the fit. It's not about whether the school has the "best" of a specific kind of program. What it *is* about is whether the school, as a whole, is a place where you can thrive.

So, while finding a great political science program should most definitely be high on your priority list, I'd suggest you come at your college hunt from the other direction: Put together a list of schools that meet all your other criteria, like location (near home or far away? in state or out? in a city or in the country?), campus and class size, diversity, cool study abroad or internship programs, other majors you're interested in, sports/activities and anything else you consider important in choosing not only a college for you, but a place where you're going to spend at least the next four years of your life. Then, once you've narrowed down a list, take time to investigate each school's political science program further: Check out course offerings, look at the credentials and experience of the professors, see how popular the major is, and consider getting in touch with current polisci students and profs (or even spending time on the campus and sitting in on a course or two) to talk with them about specific questions you have regarding the program.

Don't forget that there's much more to a great college experience, and to a *successful* college experience, than picking a school with a reputable program in a specific subject. Even if there were a single college that was universally recognized as having the most outstanding political science program in the country (there isn't), that doesn't guarantee you'll be happy there, that you'll do well there, or that you'll be able to find a great job or get into a top-notch grad-school program after you graduate from there.

And remember, too, that undergrad is not where you'll make or break your career if you're into political science, or just about any other subject, for that matter. Internships, part-time jobs, research/real-world experience and grad school is where that will happen; your undergrad courses will only lay the groundwork. And as I mentioned before, you can get a very solid groundwork at a large number of colleges throughout the country.

So I'd urge you to keep a healthy sense of perspective as you begin your college hunt; let the major be just one piece of a much larger puzzle that, when you've put it all together, will leave you feeling confident that the schools you apply to will meet your needs in a whole range of different ways.

Best wishes!

—Myles Helfand, General Advisor

This response was written on Sept. 2, 2006.