Posts Tagged ‘college’
Goal Setting: Staying on Track
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A new semester is an exciting time when you are reunited with your friends after a few weeks or a few months apart. As you take the time to get back into the swing of things, it’s important to remember your goals so you can stay on track. While you may have an idea of what your broad goals for yourself are throughout your four years in college, breaking it down into smaller increments per year or per semester will help you achieve your dreams.
Make It Realistic
The most important part of setting goals for yourself is making sure they are actually realistic and attainable. This will ensure that you can accomplish what you set out to accomplish, and get the proud feeling you wanted when it’s all over. If your goals are not actually achievable, you may be setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. You may want to lose 100 pounds or finish your pre-med requirements in one semester, but it may be a better goal to give yourself a reasonable amount of time to complete these accomplishments.
Make A Plan
If you have a specific game plan, it will be easier to make it happen. As students, we work best when we have a schedule, and keeping yourself on a strict schedule is a way to ensure you can achieve your goals AND have time to spend with friends and for other commitments. Again, it is important to make your goals achievable and balance your time so that you don’t mentally crash. Try giving yourself a deadline to work within—the time constraint will help you remember why your goal is important and why you set it for yourself in the first place.
With all of the distractions that the college environment has to offer, it is very easy to get distracted. Making a solid plan will help you plan ahead so you can do everything that is important to you throughout the year while still staying on track. You don’t want to have to study during the big game or have to cram 20 chapters of reading in the night before a final exam.
Reward Yourself
When you reach your goal, reward yourself! You’ve worked hard and you deserve it. Self-satisfaction is a huge motivator for continued personal achievements, and it is important to celebrate it. Meet up with friends at your favorite restaurant or local hangout and take some time to relax before you move on to your next goal.
eBooks Enter the College Classroom
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With the technology craze and increased use of tablets in high school classrooms, universities across America have also turned to new-age educational options. A new kind of textbook has been created called an e-book that students can read on the Internet, effectively saving them money and the hassle of carrying around large, heavy books.
Students and teachers at Cornell University, Indiana University at Bloomington, the University of Minnesota, University of Virginia, and University of Wisconsin at Madison took place in a pilot program in the spring of 2012. The study analyzed e-book projects and the commentary of those involved. While inventors expected the technology to take off, it has received mixed reviews during the tests.
“Students praised the e-books for helping them save money but didn’t like reading on electronic devices. Many of them complained that the e-book platform was hard to navigate. In addition, most professors who responded said that they didn’t use the e-books’ collaborative features, which include the ability to share notes or create links within the text,” according to an article in The Chronicle.
However, Bradley C. Wheeler, the vice president for information technology for Indiana University and the e-books’ creator, is optimistic that the attitude toward the technology will change with time.
“With technology, many things change with repeated use,” Wheeler said. “People have lots of early first impressions as they experience new things, and over time you will start to see things become more mainstream, as the technology improves and skills and even attitudes toward use improve.”
When asked, students reported that e-books did not help them improve interactions with professors or other classmates because they did not utilize the technology’s collaborative features.
The pilot program had six major findings:
- Only 12 percent of users chose to buy a hard copy of the e-book
- Lower cost and portability were considered the most important variables affecting students’ decision of whether or not to purchase eTexts in the future
- Students frequently mentioned devices’ functionality and the difficulties they had reading the text
- Faculty did not report using the enhanced features and voiced a need for more training to increase the potential for student-student or student-teacher collaboration
- Students voiced concerns about the inability to access the e-texts without an Internet connection.
The pilot program will continue to grow in the fall with twenty-four new universities joining the roster for testing.
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Even in Tough Economy, Earning College Degree Important as Ever
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In the midst of a bad economy, you may be wondering, “Is a college degree worth it? It is that important?” Rest assured, experts still assert that a college degree is your best asset when trying to join the workforce. While students with college degrees are often having trouble finding jobs, let alone jobs pertaining to their university major, people who do not have college degrees are having an even harder time.
According to a new research study published by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, the majority of jobs lost in the recession were held by workers who did not have a college degree (.pdf).
“The recession hit those with less schooling disproportionately hard—nearly four out of five jobs lost were held by those with no formal education beyond high school,” the introduction to the report said. “At the other end of the spectrum, workers who had completed a four-year college degree or higher were largely protected against job losses during the recession and some high-education fields even had job gains. The job recovery has only increased the divide between the less-educated and more-educated.”
With rising tuition costs and high unemployment rates across the country, many people began to question whether or not a college degree is really important. The study found that graduating from college remains an individual’s best ally in the job market.
Since the economy began a recovery phase, 3.4 million jobs have been added to the workforce. The study reports that all of the gains made were found in individuals who had received at least some level of college education. Students who had received a Bachelor’s degree found 2 million new jobs, and 91 percent of individuals who have an Associate’s degree have recovered the jobs they had before the recession.
Other factors of employment were also discussed, such as gender disparity and post-recession job gains.
“Although women still outnumber men among students enrolled in four-year colleges and graduate programs, the rate of men enrolling in college increased significantly during and after the recession. Though the differences between enrollment growth rates for men and women are marginal, the changes were taking place in the right direction. As a result, instead of a widening gap of college enrollment between men and women, enrollment levels of men and women are expected to parallel each other in the future,” the study said.
Although times may be tough, the benefits of education are indisputable, and experts urge high school seniors to attend college after graduation and attain the highest degree possible. This will ensure that students are well-equipped to find a job and become contributing members of society.
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The 12 Days of Christmas…College Style
Applying to college is probably one of the longest stress-inducing processes in which you’ll participate in the near future. But! That doesn’t mean your hard work won’t pay off.
So, in light of the approaching holidays, here’s our re-written version of the 12 Days of Christmas that revolves around your college search periles and joys.
The 12 Days of Christmas/Winter Break College Style
On the first day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
An acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the second day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the third day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the fourth day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the fifth day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the six day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the seventh day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
7 common app schools to visit
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the eighth day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
8 scholarship deadlines
7 common app schools to visit
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the ninth day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
9 classes you’ll love (next semester)
8 scholarship deadlines
7 common app schools to visit
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the tenth day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
10 internship applications
9 classes you’ll love (next semester)
8 scholarship deadlines
7 common app schools to visit
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the eleventh day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
11 times you’ll change your major
10 internship applications
9 classes you’ll love (next semester)
8 scholarship deadlines
7 common app schools to visit
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
On the twelfth day of Christmas/Winter Break, my hard work gave to me…
12 BFFs going to different colleges
11 times you’ll change your major
10 internship applications
9 classes you’ll love (next semester)
8 scholarship deadlines
7 common app schools to visit
6 college campus dossiers
5 stress-induced wrinkles
4 500 word personal statements
3 A+ grades
2 teacher recs
And an acceptance letter in the mail for me.
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Colleges with the Most Expensive Room and Board
If you thought paying for your college education was expensive, don’t forget that you have to add on your living expenses, as well–food, books, a place to sleep, keep your belongings, and take inventory of your mountain of Ramen Noodles.
Remember, tuition does not include what you’ll be hemorrhaging out to pay for the aforementioned. So even though every campus has a story about a guy who managed to live and sleep in the university’s library systems his entire senior year, you should try to avoid creating that reputation for yourself. After all, libraries do not generally have showers. So on top of getting into trouble with university police you’l smell.
Plus, all college students need a bed to fall onto and a mini refrigerator to keep your Red Bulls cold. But if you’re looking to save money on room and board, these schools are probably not your best bet. That’s not to say that if your dream school’s on this list finding shelter at your price ranage will be impossible. You might just have to search harder for the deals and scholarships.
1. New York School of Interior Design
Average room and board costs: $20,500
2. The Boston Conservatory
Average room and board costs: $16,500
3. Berklee College of Music
Average room and board costs: $15,830
4. University of California-Berkeley
Average room and board costs: $15,317
5. The New School
Average room and board costs: $15,260
6. Suffolk University
Average room and board costs: $14,904
7. Ringling College of Art and Design
Average room and board costs: $14,840
8. American Jewish University
Average room and board costs: $14,792
9. Fordham University
Average room and board costs: $14,491
10. University of California-Santa Cruz
Average room and board costs: $14,171
11. School of the Museum of Fine Arts-Boston
Average room and board costs: $14,000
12. Manhattanville College
Average room and board costs: $13,920
13. St. John’s University-New York
Average room and board costs: 13900
14. University of California-Los Angeles
Average room and board costs: $13,743
15. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Average room and board costs: $13,700
16. New York University
Average room and board costs: $13,510
17. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Average room and board costs: $13,500
18. School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Average room and board costs: $13,500
19. American University
Average room and board costs: $13,468
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5 Cappex Scholarships to Apply for Before January 1st!!!!
For high schoolers or college co-eds, time is generally clocked by school years. After all, that’s the measurement that dictates your summers and your long school days and basically how you spend every waking hour of your childhood to early adulthood.
So we might have to remind you that the actual calendar year of 2011 is coming to a close. We are approaching 2012, and if the Mayan prophecies are wrong, you may just be able to reap the benefits of these 5 scholarships with deadlines of December 31.
For the most part, these are simple scholarships to apply for, and the deadline is approaching. So apply to them today!
1. High School Innovator of the Year
How much: $5,000
What for: We’re looking for outstanding innovations and the students responsible for them. Have you invented something noteworthy or improved a process that affects your fellow students, city, or town during your high school career? Tell us about it and become eligible for this scholarship.
Why it’s awesome: This is a great opportunity to share with us something that you’re incredibly proud of, and something that you worked your butt off for. Get rewarded for your creativity.
2. Lead With Your Heart Scholarship
How much: $5,000
What for: This scholarship is for students who have dedicated their high school careers to working for the greater good. This award is about selfless service that has made a big impact on your school, city, town or beyond. Tell us about it and become eligible for this scholarship.
Why it’s awesome: Get rewarded for being a good person. We know you didn’t do your piece of goodness so you could get paid in dollah billz, but now that you’ve already done that altruistic action, here’s some karma coming your way.
3. The Butterfly Effect Scholarship
How much: $2,500
What for: For the best explanation, watch this
[youtube width="450" height="259"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM37lhi4E3I[/youtube]
Why it’s awesome: This a truly unique scholarship that you can win simply by taking the first steps toward your big college future and inspiring your friends to do it along with you.
4. I Don’t Want to Pay for College Scholarship
How much: $1,000
What for: Cappex wants to give students a break. Tuition is crazzzzy expensive. Who does actually want to pay for college?
Why it’s awesome: This scholarship is super chill because all you need to do is apply, have some good grades, and hopefully some leadership and activities.
5. Cappex Promoter Scholarship
How much: $1,000
What for: For telling your friends who need help with their college search about Cappex.
Why it’s awesome: Some folks will tell you that there’s no such thing as a “free lunch.” But some things come pretty close.
Will you be applying? Hurry! The deadline for these babies is December 31.
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7 Most Politically Charged Campuses
With the current political milieu, it makes total sense that college campuses are once again the grounds for political activism that they have been in the past. Students want their voices to be heard and they want their concerns to be treated seriously.
Stop by one of these 7 campuses and you’re bound to come across a rally, students canvassing the quad, or even viewing parties for their favorite political pundits.
So, here are 7 most politically active colleges based on the Princeton Review’s recent rankings:
1. George Washington University
GW has serious roots in American history as it was chartered by an Act of Congress on February 9, 1821, as The Columbian College in the District of Columbia. With a central political location like D.C., it’s no wonder its students are politically active.
2. Georgetown University
Founded in 1789, Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic university in the United States. Although it’s a private, Jesuit university, Georgetown currently has 7,000 undergraduate students from a wide range of religious, ethnic and geographical background. Also a D.C. school, its diverse student body and location make it a perfect location for political activism.
3. New College of Florida
At the New College of Florida, grades are not part of the curriculum. Instead, at the end of each course, professors write up critiques of each student’s work with a satisfactory or unsatisfactory marking. The liberal nature of this college makes it a hotbed for students to raise their voices as activists.
4. College of the Atlantic
At this liberal alternative college, students must complete a term-long senior project and a human ecology essay in their final year, in addition to a mandatory internship sometime within their four years. Senior projects are highly diverse and have included computer programs, scientific papers, ethnographic research, theatrical productions, educational curricula, complete novels, art exhibits, books of letters, garden renovations, and music compilations.
5. American University
Another university located in the heart of all political activity, Washington D.C., the American University is an ideal school for students interested in being involved in politics.
6. United States Military Academy at West Point
Students at West Point are officers-in-training and are referred to as cadets. Considering their future in American politics, it’s no surprise the Princeton Review included them in this list.
7. University of Chicago
Not only is the U of C student body politically active, but the campus is known as one of the most similar to Hogwarts!
Are you politically active on your campus? What politics do you fall into? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
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It’s Time to Register for the December ACT
According to the ancient Mayan prediction, 2012 marks the end of the world. So, if you want to take the ACT before the world ends, you better sign up now! The last ACT exam before 2012 is on December 10th, but you have to sign up by November 4th–which is approaching!
Reasons you should take the ACT:
1. You don’t think the world is ending when the clock strikes twelve at January 1, 2012, and perhaps you will get the chance to go to college in the future, for which you will need either the ACT or SAT to apply.
2. Almost every 4-year college in the U.S. accepts the ACT for admissions.
3. If you’re a junior in high school, it’s a great idea to take the test now to see what it’s like, study for it, and then try to raise your score!
How the test breaks down:
There are four sections that make up your composite score: 45 minutes for English, 60 minutes for math, 35 minutes for reading, and 35 minutes for science. There is a 30 minute writing section, which is mandatory, but the score is not included in the composite score. Woo! It’s still critical that you take the writing section part though because college admissions are required to look at your work.
How to prepare for the ACT:
If you have the means–and the will–taking a dry run of the test can help you prepare because not only are you taking the test, but you’ll be experiencing, first-hand, the pressure and environment that you can’t realistically recreate while taking a practice test.
You can also purchase a study book or take a class offered at your school, offered by a local vender, or a private tutor. Often times the ACT questions involve skills you already have (if you’ve been paying attention in school), it’s just a matter a pinpointing which skill set you need to use to make your way to the correct answer.
Have more questions on the ACT? Ask a question below and we’ll try to get you an answer!
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11 Most Economically Diverse Colleges
As college tuition becomes a steeper mountain to climb every year, it’s nice to see that some schools value economic diversity. After all, there has to be some place the rest of the 99% can enroll in a higher education.
The US News and World Report created this list of the most economically diverse student bodies by researching the percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants for low-income students. Pell Grants are generally given to undergrads who come from families with incomes under $20,000.
So, it’s not the perfect measure, because, who knows, there may be some schools out there admitting thousands of kids just above the Pell Grant line, but it’s still a pretty good barometer to see how many low-income students are on a given campus.
So here are 11 universities who have made a big commitment to economic diversity:
1. New Mexico State University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 87%
Quick fact: NMSU is the only research-extensive, land-grant, USA-Mexico border institution classified as Hispanic serving by the federal government.
2. Jackson State University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 81%
Quick fact: A member of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, JSU holds an important place in the history of US civil rights.
3. South Carolina State University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 80%
Quick fact: Quick fact: It is the only state funded, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.
4. Texas Southern University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 78%
Quick fact: As a result, of Heman Marion Sweatt, an African American man, who applied to the University of Texas School of Law but was denied admission because of race,the state founded Texas Southern University under Senate Bill 140 by the Fiftieth Texas Legislature on March 3, 1947 as a state university to be located in Houston and to serve African Americans in Texas.
5. Kent State University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 77%
Quick fact: During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the university was known internationally for its student activism in opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam war, due mainly to the events of May 4, 1970 where Ohio Army National Guard unit fired at students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four and wounding nine.
6. Texas A&M University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 73%
Quick fact: The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M’s enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school history.
7. Florida Institute of Technology
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 69%
Quick fact: Florida Tech’s curriculum is largely focused on engineering and science fields.
8. Tennessee State University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 66%
Quick fact: TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 61%
Quick fact: OLLU was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of the Congregation of Divine Providence, a religious order originating in Lorraine, France, during the 18th century.
10. University of Texas – El Paso
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 60%
Quick fact: UTEP is the largest university in the U.S. with a majority Mexican-American student population (about 75%).
11. North Carolina A&T State University
Percent of undergraduates receiving Pell grants: 56%
Quick fact:North Carolina A&T athletic teams are referred to as the “Aggies,” which is a diminutive name for “Agriculture” which is the “A” in A&T.
How are you paying for school? Leave a comment or question below.
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7 Ways to Choose Your College Classes
Even if you’ve known you wanted to graduate college with a degree in bio-physics since you were 7 years old, depending on which college or university you wind up at, there’s a good chance you’ll have to take some classes outside of your major. There are core classes you’ll be require to get credits for, and even just extra credits you’ll have to fill.
So, how do you choose classes that are out of your normal comfort zone? You’re in luck because we have to have 7 ways to choose college courses outside of your major:
1. Peruse through the entire course guide
If you’re at a larger university, this can be a daunting task, but you never know what you’ll find! There are so many intriguing, even fun, college courses being offered these days (like all of these pop culture courses). Make sure you look through all the classes so you don’t pass over something that might be right up your alley.
2. Choose by professor
Did you have a professor who just taught the most interesting lectures on what could be the most tedious subject ever? If you found a professor who can keep your eyes open and neurons-a-firing, don’t let him/her slip through your fingers. It’s kind of like what your grandma would say about your girlfriend, “She’s a keeper.” Find another class they teach and sign on up.
3. Ask your friends
Ask your friends if they’ve taken any classes that they recommend you take. Your friends are a great source of information because they know you better than any counselor or adviser. If they think you’ll enjoy Mummies 101, you should probably trust their judgment. That is, if you trust their judgment in judging what you’d like.
4. Do some research
Course selection is almost an entire course within itself. And just like any other class, you should probably do some research. If faculty reviews are public at your school, take a look-see. Insight into what others think about a class can help inform your decisions. You can also always hit up RateMyProfessors.com.
5. Take a class outside of your comfort zone
One of the best ways to expand your mind and widen your view of the world, is to take classes about things that might make you uncomfortable at first. Take a class in a religion that you don’t practice or a history class about a country you’ve never heard of before. While your major provides the opportunity to focus in on one field, your entire college experience is about widening your horizons.
6. Channel your inner artist
A lot of us have inner artists that come out to breathe less and less frequently as we get older. So, college is a great time to give your inner artist some oxygen. Take a painting class, bongo class, creative writing class–whatever it is–just sign up; give your inner artist some room to walk around and express itself!
7. Does it fit in your schedule?
The college student’s MO is creating a school schedule that fits perfectly with their nap schedule. Or work schedule. Or whatever. The cool part about college is that you have the liberty, most of the time, to design what time you wake up and what days you wake up. You could schedule a semester with no classes on Fridays, or no classes before noon. That’s why college is magical.
How have you chosen your classes? Leave a comment below!
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