Educational institution selection system and method

• US 7,162,431 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: My College Advisor LLC
• Original Assignee: Turning Point For Life Inc.
• Inventors: Guerra, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss; John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith; Traci L.
• Application Number:
  US10/704,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 434219-238
• US Class Current: 705/327
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/2053 Education institution selection, admissions, or financial aid
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for selecting an educational institution, including determining selection criteria for an educational institution, including a location of the educational institution, a type and size of the educational institution, and an admission selectivity of the educational institution; and generating a list of one or more recommended schools satisfying the selection criteria, wherein the recommended schools satisfy predetermined freshman retention rates and graduation rates.

Claims

1. A method for selecting an educational institution, comprising:

inputting by a user selection criteria for an educational institution, the selection criteria including a location of the educational institution, a type and size of the educational institution, a grade point average of the user, and a standardized test score of the user;

determining an admission selectivity of the educational institution based on a sliding scale standard for freshman retention rates and graduation rates, the sliding scale requiring proportionately higher standards for the freshman retention rates and the graduation rates for an educational institution having higher admissions standards, and requiring proportionately lower standards for the freshman retention rates and the graduation rates for an educational institution having lower admissions standards; and

generating a list of one or more recommended schools for the user based on the selection criteria, and the determined admission selectivity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is employed to make a best choice in selecting an educational institution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location includes one of a northeast region, a south region, a midwest region, and a west region of the United States.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the type and size of the educational institution can include research or large universities, liberal arts colleges, small or medium universities, specialized colleges, schools with special characteristics, community colleges, and top 21 private and public institutions.

5. A system for selecting an educational institution, comprising:

means for inputting by a user selection criteria for an educational institution, the selection criteria including a location of the educational institution, a type and size of the educational institution, a grade point average of the user, and a standardized test score of the user;

means for determining an admission selectivity of the educational institution based on a sliding scale standard for freshman retention rates and graduation rates, the sliding scale requiring proportionately higher standards for the freshman retention rates and the graduation rates for an educational institution having higher admissions standards, and requiring proportionately lower standards for the freshman retention rates and the graduation rates for an educational institution having lower admissions standards; and

means for generating a list of one or more recommended schools for the user based on the selection criteria, and the determined admission selectivity.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said system is employed to make a best choice in selecting an educational institution.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the location includes one of a northeast region, a south region, a midwest region, and a west region of the United States.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the type and size of the educational institution can include research or large universities, liberal arts colleges, small or medium universities, specialized colleges, schools with special characteristics, community colleges, and top 21 private and public institutions.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for inputting, the means for determining and the means for generating comprise devices of a computer system.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for inputting, the means for determining and the means for generating comprise computer-readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium.

11. A system for selecting an educational institution, comprising:

a computer program product for inputting by a user selection criteria for an educational institution, the selection criteria including a location of the educational institution, a type and size of the educational institution, a grade point average of the user, and a standardized test score of the user;

the computer program product for determining an admission selectivity of the educational institution based on a sliding scale standard for freshman retention rates and graduation rates, the sliding scale requiring proportionately higher standards for the freshman retention rates and the graduation rates for an educational institution having higher admissions standards, and requiring proportionately lower standards for the freshman retention rates and the graduation rates for an educational institution having lower admissions standards; and

the computer program product for generating a list of one or more recommended schools for the user based on the selection criteria, and the determined admission selectivity.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said system is employed to make a best choice in selecting an educational institution.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the location includes one of a northeast region, a south region, a midwest region, and a west region of the United States.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the type and size of the educational institution can include research or large universities, liberal arts colleges, small or medium universities, specialized colleges, schools with special characteristics, community colleges, and top 21 private and public institutions.