Forbes The Smarter College Guide, 2016 Edition

An entirely new breed of college guide with a singular mission: to give parents and students the tools to make the many complicated decisions about investing in higher education and selecting the right school.

The Forbes Smarter College Guide stands out among others in that it approaches the college selection process from a return-on-investment viewpoint to ensure students receive long-term value in their educational pursuits.

Forbes' first-ever guide book ranking the best colleges and universities in the U.S. expands on its definitive ranking of the top 650 schools to include exclusive lists featuring colleges offering tuition discounts, the most entrepreneurial schools and college profiles by state. Plus, Forbes staff writers and expert contributors discuss what you need to know about saving and paying for school, financial aid and loans, student spending, and how to maximize your return on investment.

Additional features in the guide include:

• Best Value Schools - Top colleges and universities that deliver the goods at highly affordable prices.
• 50 College Gems With Bargain Tuitions - Desperately seeking applicants, these awesome schools are offering steep tuition discounts.
• 61 Super Safety Schools - Stop fretting over the super-elites. Dozens of great colleges are eagerly awaiting your application.
• Private College Financial Health Grades - Which schools get an A+ in finances, and which are on the verge of failing?
• America's Most Grateful Graduates - The best schools produce successful alums who want to give back money to their alma maters.
• Common College Savings Mistakes And How To Avoid Them - Financial pros and college planning experts weigh in to school us on how to avoid the most frequent oversights and blunders.
• Best Advice For Taking Out Student Loans - Many schools offer financial aid packages that include loans; how to figure out if the debt is really worth it.
• Top Apps For Spending Smarter In College - College students can better track and manage their money with these winning apps.

The Forbes Smarter College Guide is the critical resource for parents and students becauseForbes ignores a school's reputation and spending per student, student SAT score and high school class rank and focuses on outcome - the cost of the degree versus its future worth in terms of low student debt, future salary and career success!