The Man Behind the Curtain is Full of It
*Author’s Note and Update: I recently received a very nice letter from Educaedu.com’s PR person, explaining that because their U.S. site is new, it is still incomplete. However, as she pointed out, they do not charge schools a fee to be listed on the site, and as the information regarding schools, programs, degrees offered is updated manually, it’s understandable that important programs, like UC Davis’s Veterinary School was not listed at the time I wrote this post. UCD’s Vet School is on their site now, though, which I find relieving.
I apologize to everyone for incorrectly wading through the insane amount of bullsh*t I deal with every day and seeing their site as not on the up-and-up. It is sometimes difficult to separate the poo from the pearls. It’s possible that the World Wide Web has made me so leathery and cynical that I can’t stop myself from shooting first and apologizing later. Stupid Internet.
I would also like to point out how polite and calm the PR person is down there in the Comments. I think it’s clear why she’s in Public Relations and I am not. I would be a disaster at that job. I am impressed with her ability to keep it holstered.
The best way to test a website that claims to be an excellent searching tool is to use it to locate something you already know exists. Educaedu.com is an international search engine for locating the perfect degree/course/program for a given student based on what they want to study and where they want to study it. The section of the site for the United States is fairly new, so perhaps we can chalk up its incompleteness to the fact that it lacks maturity. Or maybe (I’m being cynical), schools have to pay up to be included on the site.
Here’s what Educaedu has to say about its many global sites:
Educaedu, the leading online educational directory, has recently released a website exclusively for the United States with more than 1,000 courses and programs. Those who are looking for a specific course or program can search the Educaedu website and can directly connect with institutions of interest. Universities, colleges, and smaller institutes find this website useful to promote their courses and programs with the objective to attract potential students.
One of the advantages of Educaedu is the advanced search engine system, which can filter courses and programs by state, city, mode of study and area of study. Another benefit Educaedu offers is its ability to directly connect students with schools and programs of interest by directing them to the specific program coordinator or admissions officer using advanced and efficient enquiry forms. By continuously updating its database,
The website provides all the necessary elements for the quick and easy selection of a course most suited to ones profile.
I don’t know what’s going on behind the curtain, but I do know that at UC Davis one can acquire a degree in Materials Science and Engineering, and when I searched for a program I knew to be in existence, it was nowhere to be found on Educaedu.org’s list of California schools offering degrees and courses in Materials Science. I’m just saying.
Has anyone counted the plethora of higher education institutions in the State of California lately? Not including the large number of private schools (Stanford, Mills, USC, etc.), there are 23 California State University schools and 10 University of California schools. The total of Educaedu’s list of California colleges is 33, which is purely coincidental, I assure you. Only two of the 33 are UCs and four are Heald colleges. None are Cal State Universities. I call foul. (I call the more appropriate eight-letter word, but I’m working on being classy this week.)
Perhaps one would have better luck finding complete lists of actual four-year colleges and universities on one of Educaedu’s original sites for Spain. Good luck avoiding matriculation through Spain’s version of Heald Technical College.
Author’s note: I couldn’t just write this post and walk away. Nope. I had to check one more thing: Unforgivable! I clicked Educaedu’s own damn link to Veterinary Medicine Schools in California and they have three schools listed. Not one is the University of California at Davis, one of the most respected and well-known vet schools in the f-ing world. I’m not exaggerating. Now I’m calling bullshit and I’m writing it without the asterisks.
Posted by Alexa Harrington
Hi Alexa,
Our directory for the United States recently went online in March 2010. Since it is new and content is uploaded manually, it has a very small percentage of schools in the U.S. The idea was to try and upload schools in every state with a variety of programs. We don’t charge schools to be in the directory. Our policy is that after schools see how our website helps them to promote their programs and attract more students, we start to negotiate a fee.
We are adding new content every day, but we realize that there is much work to be done. If you have any other suggestions, like UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (http://www.educaedu.org/schools/uc-davis–school-of-veterinary-medicine-uni209), they would be greatly appreciated.
If you need more information, feel free to contact us.
Cheers,
Maria Costa
PR Manager