Editors note:

This introduction is geared to students who want to use their education to make a better world. The guide, however, is full of wonderful colleges for many kinds of students - especially creative, eclectic, thoughtful young people who find sitting in lecture halls uninteresting. The education offered at most of these colleges is vital, innovative and engaging...

Suddenly, everywhere you look, there are articles rating "green" colleges. Making A Difference College Guide, however, isn't jumping on any bandwagon, green colleges have been our passion and purpose since 1992. It is truly exciting that so many colleges and universities are embracing sustainability. What distinguishes this guide from the others - aside from depth of commitment to healing the planet - is that our primary criteria for inclusion are educational. Our analysis goes beyond - does the college have an environmental studies department - to such things as the size of the department, the nature of the courses, if there is a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary education, if there are field experiences, service-learning opportunities and more. Will you, as someone who cares about the planet, be in the mainstream of the student body? What is the campus culture? So, yes, we also look for green buildings, efforts to go carbon neutral, local sourcing of food. We believe these are important components of a college that walks it's talk, and is dedicated to solving the critical situation on Planet Earth. That said, we believe, as a student, the educational, social, and cultural aspects are the ones most relevant to your experience and your education.

You know why you chose this college guide, now let me tell you how I got to write it. I didn't decide to write this book, this book picked me. It picked me because I was committed to healing the Earth, to healing people. I'm not an expert on education. I'm not a college counselor. I'm a mother of four, armed with an "empowering" education from one of the colleges in this guide, which, like you, cares deeply about life on Earth. Back in 1988, while doing a college search with my eldest child, I scoured the college guides and the viewbooks and wondered if we were living on the same troubled planet! I figured there had to be more out there. The good news is the answer is yes, there are wonderful colleges committed to the environment, peace, social change and service. Some of the colleges which offer a relevant, values-based education are true hidden treasures, others are among the nation's most prestigious.

This edition is graced with essays by three seminal, inspirational thinkers and doers: Matthew Fox on "From Knowledge to Wisdom", Jeremy Rifkin on "Rethinking the Mission of American Education" and David Orr on "What Is Education For?" I urge you all, particularly parents, to read their thought provoking words. There is much to chew on in all the introductory essays - from national student and college organizations, from activist groups and more.

And you, college seekers, do you feel your life has a purpose, do you have a desire to make a difference? Do you ask yourself what kind of meaningful work awaits you? Maybe you want to become a lawyer working to prevent logging of the last ancient forests in North America, or a policy maker deciding how to best protect the water supply and still meet the needs of farmers and wildlife. Maybe you'd like to help inner city kids make it through college. Perhaps you'll do that by becoming wealthy and giving money to philanthropy. Maybe you'll write about indigenous cultures and help protect them and their knowledge. Maybe you don't have a clue, you just know you want to make a difference. But you realize that the right college education can be a significant factor.

For you then, choosing a college involves very different questions than the standard "Will I get a big name education?" "How's the football?" "Will I get a high paying job?" Your questions are also: "Will this college help me discover my calling?" "Will this college provide me with the tools to make a better world?" and "Does this college support my values?" Use this book to find a college where you're not strange because you want to make a better world, where one-third or even 100% of the students are actively involved in community service. You'll also discover that most colleges in this guide are committed to and actively engaged in helping solve our world's complex and pressing needs, both in and out of the classroom.

When considering a college, of course you'll look at academic caliber, location, majors and courses, and accessibility of professors. But also learn if it has an ethic of service, concerns for peace and social justice, an environmental focus, and how these concerns are brought into the classroom and the world. Then ask yourself - will this college give me what I need in order to fulfill my purpose? The nearly 100 profiled herein can give you the skills, tools, self-trust, and connections you'll need. Read the profiles and find which colleges are most consistent with your values and goals. Pick out several that pique your interest. Then seriously start checking the colleges out to see if they are really a good fit for you. Use Martin Nemko's ‘College Report Card’ to evaluate a college's general fit. Take advantage of ‘How To Test Drive A College’ to learn how to conduct an educated armchair tour that can be as valuable as a real tour.

The spectrum of colleges profiled in this guide is truly unique. There are colleges dedicated to peace and social justice (i.e. Quaker and Mennonite,) strongly environmental colleges (i.e., Northland, Green Mountain, Unity,) and a Buddhist influenced college (Naropa.) There are work colleges (i.e. Warren Wilson and Berea) international colleges (Global College at LIU) and travel programs (i.e. Global Routes and International Honors.) You'll find colleges on islands at opposite ends of the country (College of the Atlantic and Sheldon Jackson.) At "60's colleges" such as Evergreen or Hampshire you can take courses taught by teams of teachers from different disciplines, design you own major incorporating your own interests in your own particular way or take service-learning courses. Many offer a holistic approach to education.

What else is different? At most of these distinctive campuses you'll find opportunities to learn while doing service or in the field. Imagine working in a health clinic in a remote part of Nepal, assisting migrant laborers in the South, teaching sustainable agriculture in Central America, or building water cisterns at a school in the African countryside. You can monitor a local river for pollution, save a threatened species such as the peregrine falcon, or sail on a clipper ship to study marine mammals. You might design affordable housing or erect an ecological straw bale building. You can study in rainforests, student-teach at Native American reservations, tutor inner city kids, participate in sustainable forestry activities using draft horses or have a say in local development plans. Plus, there are additional benefits: students who are out of the ivory tower - whether through partaking in internships, service-learning, or co-op work, get real-world experience, meet diverse people, have the opportunity to try out career interests, and make valuable contacts which often turn into a job upon graduation.

This is the kind of education your parents would likely have died for! But if your parents are worried that this doesn't sound sufficiently academic, put their fears to rest. More and more educators consider experiential and service-learning the most effective kind of learning, and it's blossoming in schools, colleges and universities nationwide. While the potential for awakening students to the value of social change is tremendous, in many cases, such service becomes a "feel good" experience. Service-learning is valuable for the student in terms of moral development and sometimes for awakening a social consciousness, and valuable for the recipient in terms of help received, but at many colleges service-learning programs amount to no more than a bandaid approach. The intent of this guide is to take the next step - from feel good service to an education for deep-rooted pervasive social change and environmental change.

From the smallest hidden-gem college to the prestigious Ivy Leagues, every school in this guide has something valuable to offer. Many socially committed colleges are small, undergraduate-centered, and have approachable faculty who care more about teaching than research. They generally have fewer students per class, resulting in more personal attention. they are often more flexible and responsive to students. Universities, on the other hand, offer a mind-boggling array of majors, greater opportunities to participate in advanced research, vast resources, and often a more diverse student body. You’ll have to decide if it’s better to be a small fish in a big pond (an average or struggling student at a highly competitive school), or a big fish in a small pond (an outstanding student at a less competitive institution.)

While some schools in this guide are characterized as only moderately, or even non-selective in their admissions process, be aware that ‘selectivity’ is a function of the number of applications received. It is not a direct reflection of a quality undergraduate education. The truth is, the most competitive universities like Harvard and UC Berkeley are remarkably disinterested in their undergraduates. In the end, it doesn't matter how prestigious or selective a college is, what matters is if it is the right college for you. So, selectivity classifications are not listed herein.

As you read this guide, you'll notice its emphasis on meaningful career-oriented studies. The more specialized your area of study, the easier it is to initially find work. Experts are quick to note, however, liberal arts students often find greater flexibility in career opportunities over the years. And although studies such as social work, peace, urban planning, and natural resources are the ones listed herein, students who major in traditional liberal arts such as literature gain critical thinking skills beneficial in many careers, and often specialize further in graduate school. Of course, if you’d like to spend your time on a major you design yourself, or just find fascinating, such as say -- Modern Mayan Shamanism or Cross Cultural Studies in Herbal Healing, you’ll find plenty of opportunities for that too!

Many parents fear that making a difference means a life of poverty, but these fears are unfounded. The Making A Difference Careers section lists hundreds of pathways corresponding to the myriad studies noted in this guide, some of which have both good pay and tremendous demand for graduates. Job opportunities in the non-profit sector continue to expand rapidly. This is a practical career-oriented college guide.

At the same time, we all also know that a college degree doesn't guarantee a secure, interesting, or high paying job. It's also true that if you're looking to make a better world, there is a meaningful career waiting for you. Even if you won't be able to measure your wealth in dollars, you will have the immeasurable value that come from a life of integrity, the joy of improving lives and of caring for the earth.

I have chosen to let the schools speak for themselves. The profiles have been written by the colleges. The absence of a school you are interested in could be due to several things: 1) I'm unfamiliar with it; 2) more likely: they didn't meet enough of the criteria; or 3) they didn't respond to requests for information. An outstanding board of advisors helped evaluate the colleges, and I am sincerely grateful for their input. Feedback received from students I've met at environmental and youth-service conferences have also influenced decisions about including or removing colleges.

If you're eighteen, and you haven't registered to vote, do so today. If you're not yet eighteen, please make registering to vote an act of celebration on your birthday. Decide which party's legislation could make the world a better place (as if you don't already know!). Learn about third parties such as the Green Party. Local elections can be crucial arenas as well, so every opportunity you get, use your vote. If you opt out of participatory democracy, don't complain about what comes down the pike.

Secondly, if you're not already volunteering or engaged in activism, now is the best time to start. Check with your church or synagogue, the local volunteer center or your favorite environmental group. Volunteer with friends and family, or check out activist trainings and leadership workshops. Get involved, you are needed right now!

Both for you and the world, the choices before you are pivotal. I honor your wish to stand up and be counted. Use this book to choose a college as an important step on your way to contributing to a better world. My sincere gratitude is extended to you for joining with the many caring and often courageous people across the planet (the original world wide web) who are working to make a difference.