BEST COLLEGES 2017 Brought to you by U.S. News and World Report The 2017 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges guidebook offers comprehensive advice for high school students and their families on researching their college choices, drawing up a smart shortlist, putting together a slam-dunk application and finding the money to pay the bills. EXCLUSIVE RANKINGS: Discover the country's best universities, liberal arts colleges, regional colleges and universities, historically black colleges and universities, and undergraduate engineering and business programs. A LOOK INSIDE THE GUIDE l How to negotiate a great financial aid package l The latest on accelerated degree programs l Profiles: How 8 recent high school grads navigated the college-application process l A calendar of important tasks for the college-bound student l Take a road trip with U.S. News to 12 colleges and universities in Colorado, Connecticut, Mississippi and Louisiana l 8 things admission deans want you to know, including how to write a winning essay l State-by-state directory profiling more than 1, 600 schoolsU.S. News & World Report is a multimedia news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. For over 30 years, U.S. News' annual "Best" publications have been the definitive consumer guides to higher education in the United States. As The Washington Post noted, "You can't pass up the granddaddy of college rankings."LIFE'S DECISIONS MADE HEREwww.usnews.com