Tyler Hakes

Tyler Hakes is the former Director of Marketing at College Raptor. He writes about topics related to the college search, admissions and financial aid. He's always looking to tell great stories about students discovering their perfect school.
Cornell University campus building on a sunny day.
affordability & college cost

These 10 “Expensive” Colleges Have Free College Tuition or Full-Ride Scholarships for Middle-Class Families

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
When many families think of college, they think “expensive”. With rising price tags on many schools now easily exceeding $60,000 per year, it’s no wonder that many students and parents are worried about how they will possibly afford the cost of college. If you’ve done your homework, then you will know that many colleges–especially the most …
Ever wonder which US states students flock to go to college?
college news & trends

Map: States Where Students Move (and Leave) For College

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
Ever wonder which US states students flock to go to college? It’s probably not where you expect. Students aren’t all migrating to warm weather or coastal US states (although many of them do pick up students each year). Instead, Rhode Island, North Dakota, and Vermont are the states that picked up the most students, according …
Photograph of trophies, representing college rankings
college comparisons

5 Things Most College Rankings Won’t Tell You

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
As students begin to search for a college, one of the first places many look at are college academic rankings–which schools are the best? Rankings can definitely be useful (we have our own, in case you missed them), but they also offer a lot of limitations. After all, it’s impossible to rank something that’s as …
A high school student sitting with their laptop, looking frustrated.
college search

7 Mistakes Students Make When Building Their College List

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
It’s that time of the year: Summer is here. Rising seniors are starting to feel the pressure of building their college list of where they’d like to apply. Of course, this college list probably won’t be finalized for months, but that doesn’t make the process any less intimidating. Where do you start? How do you …
best colleges
college comparisons

Hidden Gems: The Best Colleges In Each State That Receive Fewer than 5,000 Applications Per Year

By Tyler HakesLast updated on June 17, 2024
College Raptor aims to help students find their best fit colleges, academically, culturally, and financially. While big colleges can be a great fit for some students, others do better on smaller campuses. To bring attention to small colleges around the country, we’ve developed this map highlighting the top hidden gem college in each state. In …

Iowa College Access Network Partners with College Raptor to Help Families Understand College Costs

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
New Platform Helps Families Estimate, Compare Financial Aid Offers from Colleges CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (March 26, 2015) — College Raptor is partnering with the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) to bring advanced technology to improve the way families find and compare college options, and to support initiatives around the state that support college and career …
how much is a college education
myths

5 Myths About College Costs & Financial Aid Every Parent Needs to Know

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
When it comes to the cost of college, there are a lot of myths out there. Many times, these myths can scare students and families away from colleges that might have been very affordable, or even cost that family thousands of dollars in lost financial aid opportunities. Understanding how both the cost of college and financial …

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