Oct 7, 2014 / 18:41 pm
The Cardinal Newman Society's 2015 Catholic college guide offers information about more than two dozen colleges, universities and other programs, with new features to help prospective students find a good fit.
"Every year, parents tell us how the Guide is setting students on a firm path for the future, whether it leads to religious vocations, marriages or professions," the guide's managing editor Adam Wilson said Oct. 7. "We are thrilled to make this resource available to Catholic families for the eighth year!"
"The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College" profiles 20 Catholic colleges and universities, emphasizing those that show "their faithful Catholic identity." Profiles include an overview and information on academics, residence life, student activities and spiritual life, as well as campus photos.
The guide also examines seven international and online programs.
This year's guide adds a "Recruit Me" program to allow Catholic institutions to compete for prospective students. The institutions will compete to appeal to students who fill out a short form at the Newman Guide website and try to convince them that their program is the best fit.
Wilson said the new recruitment program helps show how the Newman Guide "makes it easy for Catholic families and students to explore a wide variety of options for faithful Catholic education, finding the institution that best suits their needs."
The book version of the guide explores unique aspects of the profiled colleges and universities. It includes financial and career development information.
A free online version of the guide includes the book's content plus 400 pages of information, videos, social media links, photos, and other information. The online version includes a chart with information about the institutions' percentage of students and faculty members who are Catholic, the number of majors provided, and religious information like the availability of confession and the Tridentine Latin Mass, as well as an institution's social rules like visiting hours in dormitories for members of the opposite sex.
The Cardinal Newman Society has also produced a magazine as a companion to the guide, "My Future, My Faith," which discusses the transition from high school to college and gives advice on topics like deciding on the right college, how to write the best application essay, how to keep one's faith in college and recommended rules for campus dating.
The guide is available at the website TheNewmanGuide.com.