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How Counties Where Best Colleges Are Located Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election

By U.S. News & World Report

For some students, the political landscape surrounding a school is an important part of the college decision process.

By taking a county-level look at voting results, students can often get a glimpse of the political climate on and around campus.

Overwhelmingly, the top 50 Best National Universities are located in counties that leaned Democrat in the 2016 presidential election. In fact, only two schools are located in counties that favored President-elect Donald Trump.

Here’s how the counties where the top National Universities are located voted:

School (state) Rank County Vote
Princeton University (NJ) 1 Mercer Democratic
Harvard University (MA) 2 Middlesex Democratic
University of Chicago 3 (tie) Cook Democratic
Yale University (CT) 3 (tie) New Haven Democratic
Columbia University (NY) 5 (tie) New York Democratic
Stanford University (CA) 5 (tie) Santa Clara Democratic
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 7 Middlesex Democratic
Duke University (NC) 8 (tie) Durham Democratic
University of Pennsylvania 8 (tie) Philadelphia Democratic
Johns Hopkins University (MD) 10 Baltimore Democratic
Dartmouth College (NH) 11 Grafton Democratic
California Institute of Technology 12 (tie) Los Angeles Democratic
Northwestern University (IL) 12 (tie) Cook Democratic
Brown University (RI) 14 Providence Democratic
Cornell University (NY) 15 (tie) Tompkins Democratic
Rice University (TX) 15 (tie) Harris Democratic
University of Notre Dame (IN) 15 (tie) St. Joseph Democratic
Vanderbilt University (TN) 15 (tie) Davidson Democratic
Washington University in St. Louis 19 St. Louis County; St. Louis City Democratic
Emory University (GA) 20 (tie) DeKalb Democratic
Georgetown University (DC) 20 (tie) Washington, D.C. Democratic
University of California–Berkeley 20 (tie) Alameda Democratic
University of Southern California 23 Los Angeles Democratic
Carnegie Mellon University (PA) 24 (tie) Allegheny Democratic
University of California–Los Angeles 24 (tie) Los Angeles Democratic
University of Virginia 24 (tie) Albemarle Democratic
Tufts University (MA) 27 (tie) Middlesex Democratic
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 27 (tie) Washtenaw Democratic
Wake Forest University (NC) 27 (tie) Forsyth Democratic
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill 30 Orange Democratic
Boston College 31 Middlesex Democratic
College of William & Mary (VA) 32 (tie) Williamsburg City Democratic
University of Rochester (NY) 32 (tie) Monroe Democratic
Brandeis University (MA) 34 (tie) Middlesex Democratic
Georgia Institute of Technology 34 (tie) Fulton Democratic
New York University 36 New York Democratic
Case Western Reserve University (OH) 37 (tie) Cuyahoga Democratic
University of California–Santa Barbara 37 (tie) Santa Barbara Democratic
Boston University 39 (tie) Suffolk Democratic
Northeastern University (MA) 39 (tie) Suffolk Democratic
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY) 39 (tie) Rensselaer Republican
Tulane University (LA) 39 (tie) Orleans Parish Democratic
University of California–Irvine 39 (tie) Orange Democratic
Lehigh University (PA) 44 (tie) Northampton Republican
University of California–Davis 44 (tie) Yolo Democratic
University of California–San Diego 44 (tie) San Diego Democratic
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 44 (tie) Champaign Democratic
University of Miami 44 (tie) Miami-Dade Democratic
University of Wisconsin–Madison 44 (tie) Dane Democratic
Pennsylvania State University–University Park 50 (tie) Centre Democratic
Pepperdine University (CA) 50 (tie) Los Angeles Democratic
University of Florida 50 (tie) Alachua Democratic
Villanova University (PA) 50 (tie) Delaware Democratic

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How Counties Where Best Colleges Are Located Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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