Posts Tagged ‘college guide’
How Much Are Your Favorite College Movies Actually Like College?
We’ve been getting a lot of questions on our Facebook page like this one:
You have a good idea about what it takes to apply to college–the research, the ACT or SAT, the campus visits, the interview, the essay, and so much more. You’ve already even discovered your perfect college match.
Now what you’re wondering is what college will actually be like when you get there. What’s it like actually living on campus, going to classes, and college parties? Is college life really like what it’s like in the movies?
We’ve taken a balanced sampling of different kinds of movies based in and around college life and rated them on how truthful they are when it comes to a real students’ college experiences.
Closeness to actual college life ratings will be ranked 1-10, 1 being not close at all, 10 being on the money.
The Social Network
The Social Network’s protagonist, or Mark Zuckerberg, went to Harvard–one of the most elite colleges in the nation let alone world. That already brings its likeness to real college life down since most college students in the world do not find themselves at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world surrounded by friends making $300,000 over summer break betting on oil futures.
The tagline for David Fincher’s chronicle of how Facebook was founded is, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” Lucky for you, you will make new friends in college, just not 500 million, and hopefully not a set of athletic twins who want to sue you.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 3
Legally Blonde
Elle Woods is the sorority princess of her Southern California university. The Greek life enthusiasm is not too far fetched–you will come across college campuses with a very Greek-oriented student body; however, you won’t necessarily come across a sorority house as beautiful and equipped as the one Elle lives in. Exercise machines, expensive furniture, ginormous singles.
It’s also kinda difficult to decide last minute to go to law school and get into Harvard Law–difficult, yes. But not impossible.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 4
Rudy
Have you ever dreamed of playing Notre Dame football so badly that you quit your job at the steel mill, took on a part-time job on the grounds-keeping staff, got tutored by a friend in exchange for helping him get a date, and eventually fully transferring to Notre Dame, overcoming all odds and playing on the football team?
Yes? Then this movie is probably exactly what your college experience is like.
No? Then, uh, Rudy is probably a far-fetched realization of college life.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 3
Animal House
Take the Legally Blonde sorority house, subtract all the niceties, add a lot of horrible smells, holes in walls, and way too many housing code infractions, and you’ll get the Delta Tau Chi house in Animal House.
Yes, you will find the occasional toga party on a college campus, but the likeliness that not only the president of your rival house has a vendetta against you but the dean of your college does too is slim to none…hopefully.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 4
Accepted
So maybe you didn’t get into your dream college. It happens. But when that happened did you decide to just, ya know, make your own college? Did your innocent scheme take a shady turn when hundreds of other rejected students enrolled in your college leading to a big legal brouhaha but ultimately gaining the elusive approval of your highly respected father?
I didn’t think so…
Closeness to actual college life rating: 2
What’s did you/do you expect college to be like? Share you thoughts! Leave a comment below.
6 Tips for Your College Interview
Even though most colleges do not require that you have an interview, an interview can have a positive effect on your college application. Think of it as a super personal supplement to your paper application.
There are different types of college interviews. You might meet with an admissions officer on campus or an alumnus in your area. Whoever you wind up meeting with, an interview helps to demonstrate your interest in a school and what you can bring to campus.
Here are 6 tips to keep in mind during a college interview:
1. Be confident but not cavalier; Be humble but not self-conscious
Confidence is not the same as cocky, and humble is not the same as stilted. Know the difference before you head into an interview. The trick is to be comfortable in acknowledging your accomplishments and your strengths, but not too comfortable in self-congratulating yourself. Even if you’re a bit nervous going into the interview, try to feel and look comfortable while sitting down with your interviewer.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s too cocky to say and what works:
| Overly Confident | Overly Timid | Just Right |
| This is will be the most interesting interview you’ve ever had. | I’m sure you had plenty of other, more important things to do today. | It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for making time for this interview. |
| High school? I OWNED high school. | No one noticed me in high school. | I’m most proud of helping to raise $120,000 for Children’s Memorial over my four years. |
| YOUR COLLEGE NEEDS ME. | I’d love to go to this college, but you guys probably have so many other better applicants. | I would love to attend this college, and think I could really add to the community. |
2. Be specific
It’s easy to fall into vague and ambiguous conversation. So, instead, think of 4-5 specific accomplishments, facts about yourself or whatever it is that you want to say to the interviewer if it fits in appropriately. Having these in mind before your interview will make it easier to think of during the actual conversation.
3. Avoid reiterating your resume
If your interviewer has a copy of your resume or application, do not simply repeat its contents verbatim. It will not only make you look like a robot, but the point of the interview is to put some life into your application. Tell your interviewer something about yourself that’s not in your resume or application already.
4. Explain flaws in your application
An in-person interview is a great time to explain some of the discrepancies in your application. For example, if you had a tumultuous sophomore year because you’d just moved to a new school and you had trouble keeping up with your grades, let them know. Be careful of getting into woe-is-me zone. You do not want to give a sob story or explain all of your hardships. Just state a couple facts that explain a bad semester.
5. Know about the school
Just like a job interview, it would be a pity to get the interview, and then not know anything about the company. Have substantial knowledge about the school you’re interviewing for. This will let your interviewer know that you are seriously considering the school. Drop hints about a program the college offers that you’re passionate about or a special fact about campus that interests you.
6. Ask your own questions
Yes, the interview is about you, but showing interest in the person you’re talking to never hurt anybody. Whether it’s dry questions about the admissions process or questions about their experience at the university, asking your own questions demonstrates a deeper interest in the college than a person who’s just there to talk about themselves.
Have you had a college interview? Any tips? Leave a comment!
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What Type of Student Goes to an Urban College or University?
When it comes to filling out whichever college questionnaire you happen to be filling out today, the bubble that designates whether you want to go to an “urban” college or a “rural/suburban” one always gets you. It’s not like you’ve experienced going to college while living in a big city yet or lived at small college who’s campus literally is the city. How would you know the difference? How do you know if you’re a city college kid or a more traditional campus kinda kid?
Don’t fret. You’re not alone–people have been wondering the same question for ages. And now, an excerpt from the best selling 44 BC tablet “Shall I Go to an Urban College or Suburban One?”:
“Volo ut peto a urbs universitas.”
“Non a rusticus universitas?”
“Ego sum inconditus. Quis should ego operor?”
“Insisto vestri pectus pectoris!!!!”
The age old question is difficult to answer. So, today we’re attacking the urban side of the argument and putting forward some qualities of a student who might be more inclined to attend a city college. Here we go…
Q: What Type of Student Goes to an Urban College or University?
A: A student who…
Wants the activity of a city
College life is exciting, but add the element of a big city like Chicago, New York, Boston, etc., and you’ve got endless things to do. Go to class, and then go to the opening of a new restaurant. Finish studying for a final and then go be an extra in a movie filming down the street. If having a cornucopia of things to do in your free time appeals to you, city living during your college years might be right for you.
Wants the work and internship opportunities available in a big city
One of the unique things about going to an urban college means you’ll have more opportunities to work at jobs or internships that are only offered in a big city. If you’re living in New York, you could accept an internship at Rockefeller Center and continue going to school. A student at a college in prairie-ville Kansas–no matter how great a school it is–can’t take on the same opportunity without leaving their college.
Wants easy access to public transportation
Not keen on driving? While you’ll find that most college campuses, urban or suburban, are livable without having a car, in the city, you can travel further and swifter just using public transportation. No need to pay for gas or borrow a car to get to Ikea–just a subway, bus, bus, subway and you’re there!
Loves a certain city
Have you ever dreamt of living in a certain city? Your college years are a great time to actually get up and move there and experience living in the city of your dreams.
Wants the cultural diversity of a larger city
Most any college is a haven for arts and culture. But, a big city is itself a place to experience arts and culture in motion. From beautiful museums and galleries to ethnic neighborhoods and flee markets, a large city has lot of big and small cultural tidbits to offer.
What’s your opinion on going to an urban college? Leave a comment.
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Your Summer College Application To-Do List
It’s June already, which means the school year’s over already, or you’ve got just a couple more days or weeks left. Juniors, in a few months you will officially be seniors and knee deep in the college application process.
Right now you’re in the eye of the storm–so things look nice and dandy with blue skies and beach weather–but, the whirlwind of college essays, 20-page applications, teacher recommendations, ACT and SAT scores will hit you full on come September.
To keep you on track and help ease the unrelenting storm that is the college application season that brews in the fall, we’ve put together a simple to-do list for you:
JUNE
–Finish your school year off strong
–Register for the October SAT if haven’t taken it or want to try again
–Choose which colleges you want to visit during the summer
–Use the easy Campus Visit Planner to help organize trips
–Request information and application materials from colleges
–Schedule an interview for when you plan to visit campus
JULY
–Review applications so you know what you’ll need
–Visit college campuses, take tours and interviews
–Narrow down list of colleges you will apply to
–Start rough drafts for college essays
–Register for September ACT if haven’t take it or want to try again
AUGUST
–Contact friends, or friends of friends, at the colleges you’re interested in to ask questions
–Create a organization system to keep track of the colleges you’re applying to and the materials that correspond
–Keep working on college essays
–Have in mind a couple teachers you would like to ask for recommendations
If you keep up with these things, you won’t be as stressed when you head back to high school as a senior.
Do you have any steps we should add to the list? Comment and let us know!
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4 Ways to Answer the Question Most High Schoolers Dread: “Where are you going to college?”
As rising seniors, there will be certain things you’ll get excited for over the summer, like getting to hang out in the senior courtyard, take the classes you’ve been waiting to take or any other perks that only seniors get.
The one thing you might not be prepared for is the question that most students wind up dreading:
“So, [insert name], where ya heading off to college next year?”
Why does this question get annoying? Well, for one, you might not know the answer. And for another, any question that is repeatedly asked by anyone and everyone you happen to come in contact with will make you feel like you accidentally stepped into a never-ending inquisition.
So here are 4 ways to repeatedly answer the most dreaded college question:
1. RUN
As soon as you notice the words forming in your podiatrist’s lips, hop off the chair, and run out the door–you can send a pigeon for your shoes later.
If you are not a good runner, or you haven’t trained your pigeon to carry heavy objects quite yet, the next 3 options might be for you.
2. I’m Still Searching
You might have zero clue where you’re going. In fact, depending on the time of year someone asks you the question-that-shall-not-be-named, you might only be in the beginning of your college search. If this is the case, be honest. Let the inquisitor know you’re really not sure. You can tell them about the schools you might apply to, or which schools Cappex has introduced you to. Keep your answer short and sweet.
3. Magic
Don’t underestimate your magician-like skills as a conversationalist. Utilizing the magician’s method, you can make it seem like the question never existed by artfully changing the subject. This takes skill, but, hey, David Copperfield didn’t just make the Statue of Liberty disappear one random morning–he honed his craft (and had a big crew).
4. Bore your listener
If you really want to teach the person who asked the dreaded question a lesson, give them all the gory details. They’ll realize how much is behind the question–the hours you spent studying for the ACT/SAT, the conversations where you asked your favorite teacher to write you a recommendation, more hours you spent studying for the SAT II’s, asking a teacher you didn’t like that much for a recommendation, figuring out what to write your college essays about, joining the 10 different clubs that all raise money to help children–the list goes on!
The more you elaborate, the less likely that person is to ever assault another high schooler with the question:
“So, where you going to college?”
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Traditional Language Programs in Universities Have Declined Steadily Over Decades
Bonjour! Hola! Ciao!
Fewer and fewer undergraduate students are saying “Hello” to the Romanic Language majors. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education college undergraduate majors in German and the Romance languages have been vanishing from American higher-education:
In the 1970-71 academic year, Romance-language majors were offered by close to 76 percent of American four-year colleges. But by 2005-6, only about 59 percent offered them. German programs saw a similar decline: In 1970-71, about 44 percent of colleges offered the major, but in 2005-6, just under 27 percent did so. Leaving aside “secretarial science,” those are by far the largest relative declines discovered by the Riverside scholars.
Would you ever study the romantic languages?
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5 Ways to Network and Make Friends in College
If you’re a high school senior, you have less than a semester left of school and your highly anticipated start of college is on the horizon. After spending 4 years in high school, you might want to prep yourself for the changes you’ll experience going away to college. And one of the biggest changes is making new friends.
This post from the Uloop blog gives college students 5 easy ways to network and make friends in college:
Switch It Up
Although it is very easy to be a part of the same organizations that you have been a part of for your entire life, it is more beneficial to branch out to various organizations that have different backgrounds, connections, and client bases than your own. For example, even if you are not politically driven it may be rather prudent to join Young Republicans, Campus Democrats, etc. Or on the flip-side, if you have been a part of a politically affiliated organization for a long time, then maybe you should switch it up and join the Adventure Club or Fencing Club. By doing this, your face and name gain recognition across demographics.Approach the Unfamiliar
Oftentimes people get so wrapped up in their own lives that they forget that there are six billion other people on the planet. Yes, friendships are amazing, especially the lifelong ones. However, someone that you have known since pre-school will not vanish if you do not hang out with them for a couple days. Be approachable and approach those that you don’t know. For example, if someone is wearing a shirt that says “Combat Airsoft” you may feign interest in order to spark a conversation which could lead to a friendship. No one ever got anywhere by staying in their shell, and neither should you.
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Admitted College Students, Stay Immune to Senioritis
Ok, so you found the college you’ve been dreaming about. You applied. You waited. And waited. And waited. You searched for scholarships. And finally a big, thick envelope arrived in the mail inviting you to join the class of 2011.
Remember though, being admitted to a college or university doesn’t mean you can forget about your high school studies. Try not to fall victim to ‘Senioritis’ because certain colleges might just check in on your progress.
This recent post in the New York Times blog The Choice takes note that accepted applicants should keep a “shoulder to the wheel” during their second semester:
The following day, the mail arrived with a letter addressed to Nicole from the office of admissions at Wesleyan, which had accepted her under its binding early decision program last fall.
This letter had a much less congratulatory tone. It read:
As your thoughts and energy turn to your final term of high school, I want to remind you how important it is to keep your academic focus. At this point the single most important thing you can do to prepare for four tremendous years at Wesleyan is to keep your ‘nose to the grindstone and shoulder to the wheel.’
To be more specific, we expect you to continue the courses that you committed to take, to maintain achievement commensurate with your ability, and to sustain your extra-curricular commitments and leadership.
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Saying “I Do” for In-State College Tuition
For most college-bound students, the hardest part of their college search is the admissions process. Then comes finding the scholarships and financial aid to actually pay for college. But for some students going to out-of-state schools, they may find themselves taking a few extra steps…
Would you get married in order to save on the in-state tuition? Is the out-of-state school of your dreams worth matrimony? According to The New York Times, for some students, it most definitely is:
When Berkeley still denied [Elaine Davis] residency (living in an apartment owned by her father disqualified her as independent), Ms. Davis married a childhood friend. She saved $38,000 in out-of-state tuition over two years.
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5 Questions on Digital Media and Admissions with Jonathan Burdick, Dean of Admissions at the University of Rochester
While things are changing rapidly in the world of digital media, Jonathan provides his perspective on where trends are heading. With tools like college search social media sites as well as a cornerstone of Rochester’s online marketing, Facebook, rather than try and reinvent the wheel, he and his staff strive to connect with students in the places where students already are.
Q1. What are some of the latest social media tools you are using and why?
Our major focus is using the basic social media tools in a very constructed and managed process. Our Facebook page is updated frequently, and we’ve hired eight students who blog on our site regularly. The blogs have been an unforeseen success. They are very popular, which is pleasantly surprising. It shows that prospective students want something to connect with more than just idle information sitting on our website. We also have six staff members dedicated to our social media presence.
YouTube is another tool we take advantage of pretty regularly. We are currently in the process of updating our video content. We even have a fulltime videographer who’s in charge of creating six to seven projects a year, and we loan out cameras to students who want to shoot their own activities and share then. The various modes of content provide a diversified point of view of the school that can really give prospective students an insider’s understanding of Rochester.
Q2. How should social media be used by college admissions?
I believe that the current obligation of colleges when using social media is to go forward with what they believe in. This is a tough transition time for institutions that have been set in their ways for years. Still, we don’t have to bend our principles to push social media out of every possible outlet and wind up inadvertently poorly representing ourselves.
At Rochester, we’ve found that following these three values has allowed us to use social media tools to the best of our advantage:
A firm grasp on who you are and how you want to project yourself to the online world is incredibly important. There are so many social media channels to use, and without a plan and principles to follow, you will send a confused message to prospective students.
At the same time, a college should expect that you cannot control the information that floats around online. There may be information online that you’d like to fight, but the only way to fight bad information is to add information with the university’s perspective to the conversation.
Q3. How do you think your social media efforts actually affect prospective students?
In order to make contact with the vast majority of students, you have to do it online. Prospective students are not only looking for information, but also a place where they belong. That’s the extraordinary thing that social media tools provide. College search social media sites like Cappex bring in about 10% of our applications from students who could see themselves here.
Social media is the best way to match people to communities and give them a way to see if they’re a fit. The Rochester Facebook page is a great example where we have enrolled students and alumni communicating with prospective students. What’s a better way to match prospective students to a community than to be able to join the dialogue with those who are already succeeding in it?
Q4. How are you integrating online tools?
As of late, the most comprehensive integration of our traditional and online tools will be a mixed media page, “Rochester 360,” that includes video, flash and links back to our other social media platforms. It will be embedded into a various channels like e-mail, the Rochester Cappex account, and even our Facebook page.
Materials that contain important information for prospective students like our viewbooks have been repurposed for online use. Our overall goal is to integrate everything across the board.
Q5. Where do you see college search social media tools in the college admissions process in the future?
I think online tools including social media should be wholeheartedly embraced. Online is where the students are. It is where they go to find out anything and everything, especially during their college searches, and it’s why we dedicate six staff members to it.
Just recently the Rochester Theater program had required thousands of dollars in advertising for their program annually. With college search social media tools like Cappex, not only were we able to target 1600 students actually interested in possibly pursuing a degree in theater, but we were able to read their responses. Being able to read a prospective student’s commentary is invaluable. You cannot as easily acquire feedback from a prospective student who reads an advertisement about you. The theater department realized that we could reduce spending on paid advertisements and do it for less with better results.
This is an example of how these online tools can make it easier to target and get feedback from students by spending less money. So while we still have to reach people who don’t enter the online world as readily, we believe in the importance of fully embracing social media and its many possibilities.
The University of Rochester admissions page is at http://enrollment.rochester.edu/admissions/.
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