Mission Statement
At BestColleges.com we understand that what makes a college the “best” looks different to every student, and each college search comes with its own unique challenges. This is why we aim to help prospective students find the school that best meets their needs through proprietary research, user-friendly guides, and hundreds of independent college rankings.
What Do We Do?
We partner with HigherEducation.com to provide students with direct connections to schools and programs suiting their educational goals through our program rankings. Our rankings are intended to inform and guide prospective students toward institutions that provide a quality education and a meaningful learning experience at an affordable cost.
We also host a wide array of free college planning, financial aid, and career resources to help all students get the most from their education and prepare for the world after college.
Why Online Education?
We believe distance learning is a powerful educational opportunity for schools and students. It serves as a flexible option for students who cannot attend traditional campus classes, like those working full-time or with childcare restrictions. We want to give those individuals who might miss out on an opportunity to go back to school, or advance their career, the information needed to start their college search.
As online higher education demand grows and more schools bring programs online, it’s important and necessary to hold institutions to a standard of excellence that students can depend upon when making their college choice.
More questions about BestColleges.com?
Please visit our FAQ page.
Our Team
Meet the people behind BestColleges.com
Director
Stephanie Snider
View InfoDirector
Stephanie Snider
Since 2014, Stephanie has been managing BestColleges.com, where she directs content marketing strategy and oversees day-to-day site operations. Her belief that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable education is the touchstone that guides her. She earned her BA in English and M.Arch. at the University of Washington and boasts a work history that spans insurance, finance, design, entrepreneurship, and digital marketing. This varied experience uniquely lends itself to covering college and career planning for students at each step of their journey. In her “down time,” Stephanie chases after her two loving, smart, funny, and beautiful children (note: completely biased opinion).Media Relations Manager
Quinn Tomlin
View InfoMedia Relations Manager
Quinn Tomlin
While studying English literature and philosophy at Seattle University, Quinn discovered an interest in the way people communicate and interact with each other. She brought this passion with her to BestColleges.com, where she specializes in email and media outreach and relationship management. When not building connections, Quinn loves to travel, hike the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful trails, and try out new recipes on family and friends.Chief Operating Officer
Rafael Jose
View InfoChief Operating Officer
Rafael Jose
Rafael oversees the content marketing production and operations for HigherEducation.com. He works with schools and organizations within the education space, as well as prospective, returning, and current students, to develop BestColleges.com into the destination site for higher education. When deciding how best to build the library of content and information on the site, he often thinks about what kind of information will be helpful for his two baby boys (even though by the time they’re college ready, they will probably experience school via VR headsets and holograms).Content Editor
Kyle Kuhn
View InfoContent Editor
Kyle Kuhn
Kyle studied digital journalism at Central Washington University. While working for school publications and interning at the Seattle Met Magazine, he learned the importance of thoughtful writing and proper grammar. He brings this knowledge to BestColleges.com, where his goal is to keep site content clean and concise. Kyle enjoys watching Seattle sports, spending time with his significant other, writing/complaining about the Seattle Mariners, and playing video games (the one place where the Mariners might ever be successful).Business Analyst
Ben Goldberg
View InfoBusiness Analyst
Ben Goldberg
After graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in economics, Ben worked as a consultant auditing banks’ anti-money laundering systems before diving into the education space as a business analyst. What he enjoys most is approaching problems in both an analytical and creative fashion. Outside the office, he enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, practicing Spanish, and watching his favorite team, the Seattle Sounders.Senior Marketing Associate
Heather Condren
View InfoSenior Marketing Associate
Heather Condren
Heather graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a BFA in graphic design. Before joining the BestColleges.com team, she worked as an inbound marketing specialist and dabbled in freelance design on the side. She enjoys the psychology behind audience targeting and email marketing, and how these efforts connect students with the resources and programs they need to thrive in college. When Heather is not in the office, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking the Pacific Northwest trails, and searching for the best southern-style Mexican queso (recommendations welcomed).Compliance Officer
Shilpa Shyam
View InfoCompliance Officer
Shilpa Shyam
Shilpa attended Western Washington University, where she earned her degree in marketing. Shilpa began her professional journey in late 2016 when she was hired by HigherEducation.com. She has enjoyed learning from veterans of the business. Her favorite part of the job is communicating with partners on how to best represent universities and improve site content. In her off-time, Shilpa enjoys trying new recipes in the kitchen, making terrariums, watching Netflix, and dreaming of living abroad (she’s always liked the sound of Costa Rica).Operations and Data Intelligence
Jennifer Yee
View InfoOperations and Data Intelligence
Jennifer Yee
Jennifer is responsible for understanding the data and insights behind BestColleges.com. When she’s not on the hunt for the world’s greatest Bloody Mary, she is function-deep in spreadsheets looking for trends and outliers. Jennifer is a firm believer that the smartest product decisions are driven by data, and is dedicated to help BestColleges serve prospective students in the best way it can.Designer
Ramzi Beshara
View InfoDesigner
Ramzi Beshara
Over the past 10 years, Ramzi has honed his artistic eye while focusing on UI and making sure users get what they need and want. He is now responsible for the design and design maintenance of BestColleges.com. In his free time he enjoys playing music, going to shows, reading comics & books, and hopefully soon — as a newcomer to Seattle — taking advantage of the mountains.Outreach Coordinator
Amy Bryant
View InfoOutreach Coordinator
Amy Bryant
After graduating from Seattle University with a BA in Marketing, Amy began her professional journey with HigherEducation.com. As an Outreach Coordinator, what she enjoys most about her job is getting to know the schools and nonprofits we work with and learn about the work they do. In her downtime, Amy enjoys perfecting her homemade pasta, taking pottery classes, and planning her next travel adventure.Outreach Coordinator
Colin Weickmann
View InfoOutreach Coordinator
Colin Weickmann
Colin graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Digital Technology & Culture. Prior to joining the team at BestColleges.com, he worked as a writing tutor and instructor helping college students improve their academic and professional writing. Now as an Outreach Coordinator, Colin combines his passion for technology, writing, and helping students by developing strategies to enhance the site’s many educational resources and rankings. Outside of the office, Colin enjoys immersing himself in music, practicing photography, skiing, traveling, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.Connect With Us On Social Media
Follow Us on Twitter or Like Us on Facebook
Follow BestColleges on Twitter and Facebook for the latest information on everything from the newest college rankings and scholarships to the leading educational news trends. Whether you’re a current or prospective student, parent, teacher, faculty member, or just someone with an interest in higher education, we want to connect with you!
BestColleges.com
@BestCollegesComCongrats, @StBonaventure! The Buzz has been named one the of the Best College Radio Stations in America! Amazing wo… https://t.co/Abx86dTKiv
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@BestCollegesComMoving off #campus next year? We've got you covered for all your first time #renting questions! #college https://t.co/nLg5HYGtFP
Let’s Talk College
Join us, using #LETSTALKCOLLEGE, for topics related to higher education, barriers to college, online learning, educational technology, and career development.
We’ll post each chat’s questions in advance of the upcoming session on our twitter account, along with related information to help get you ready. Student, faculty, support, and administrator perspectives are welcome!
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When
Every other Wednesday @ 12pm PST -
Moderator
Dr. Melissa Venable - Visit #LetsTalkCollege
Meet Our Moderator
Melissa A. Venable, Ph.D. is a writer and educational expert for BestColleges.com where she contributes to web content on topics related to college and career decision-making. In this role she also leads an annual research project reporting online education trends, and moderates the BestColleges Twitter chat covering issues in technology and higher education. Melissa is also an adjunct instructor and course designer for Saint Leo University and the University of South Florida. She received her doctorate in instructional technology from the University of South Florida with research interests in distance education and online student support. Melissa is also a certified career coach.
Contact & Locations
If you have questions or feedback about our offerings, we invite you to get in touch with us: please call (281) 783-8845 or send an email to [email protected]
Contact Us