CTCL Colleges & Universities
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
AUSTIN COLLEGE
BELOIT COLLEGE
BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE
CENTRE COLLEGE
CLARK UNIVERSITY
CORNELL COLLEGE
DENISON UNIVERSITY
EARLHAM COLLEGE
ECKERD COLLEGE
EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE
THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE
GOUCHER COLLEGE
GUILFORD COLLEGE
HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE
HENDRIX COLLEGE
HIRAM COLLEGE
HOPE COLLEGE
JUNIATA COLLEGE
KALAMAZOO COLLEGE
KNOX COLLEGE
LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY
LYNCHBURG COLLEGE
MARLBORO COLLEGE
MCDANIEL COLLEGE
MILLSAPS COLLEGE
NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA
OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
REED COLLEGE
RHODES COLLEGE
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, MD
ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, NM
ST. OLAF COLLEGE
URSINUS COLLEGE
WABASH COLLEGE
WHEATON COLLEGE (IL)
WHITMAN COLLEGE
WOOSTER, COLLEGE OF

Our History

Although our work is inspired by longtime student advocate and former New York Times education editor Loren Pope, Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. operates independently from both Mr. Pope and Penguin Books and receives no financial remuneration from either source.

Shortly after the first edition of Colleges That Change Lives was published in 1996, many colleges noted an increased number of campus visitors and applicants for admission who indicated they learned about the these schools while reading his guidebooks. College counselors confirmed that Mr. Pope's message that "fit" should trump media rankings: when students focus primarily on finding the best education for their individual learning styles they are apt to achieve their greatest personal, intellectual and professional potential.

In 1998 the colleges and universities featured in the book began collaborating together in an effort to promote Mr. Pope’s philosophy of finding the best match for each and every student with a college environment rich with opportunity and where faculty were focused solely on undergraduate teaching and advising. Together they traveled nationwide to offer information sessions and a college fair, where families could meet individually with CTCL college admission representatives.

From their debut, the CTCL events were extremely well attended, and in 2009, we are hosting 27 programs in the U.S. Additionally, colleges support the CTCL.org web site as a clearinghouse for information and resources for students, families and counselors as well as a gateway to the individual campus sites.

Loren Pope selected the 40 Colleges That Change Lives schools long before the CTCL schools began working together. Mr. Pope, a noted education writer and journalist, developed his list of distinctive colleges completely independent of any financial relationship with any school or commercial organization.

CTCL member schools did not pay Mr. Pope or his publisher to be included in his books, and listings were solely based on the independent judgment and recognized expertise of Mr. Pope. Nonetheless, Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. and the CTCL.org site was enthusiastically supported by Mr. Pope.


Marty O'Connell

After over 35 years of counseling, Loren Pope retired and in 2006 passed the torch on to Martha (Marty) O'Connell. Having served in college admissions for twenty-eight years, most recently as vice president for enrollment and dean of admission at McDaniel College (Westminster, Md.), Ms. O’Connell has counseled thousands of students about college choice. Today she devotes herself to the Colleges That Change Lives mission: helping students and families better understand the college admissions process to find the best college fit possible. Ms. O'Connell is available for speaking engagements and can be reached by email or phone (410.857.8748).