Posts Tagged ‘student life’
Cheap College Fun
Having fun in college doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Skipping expensive movie theatres, restaurants, and nightlife for something a little more low-key will allow you to think outside the box and take advantage of the many resources available in your college environment without breaking the bank.
Spend Time Outside
No matter where your school is located in the country, there are likely to be outdoor activities that will show you a great time. Whether its berry picking, playing Frisbee in the park, or laying in the sun, spending time outside is a fun, relaxing way to have inexpensive fun in college. Take advantage of a beautiful day, explore the area around you, and you may be surprised what you find. When night falls, showing a movie on your lawn is a great way to stay in the outdoors and maybe even meet your neighbors. Set up screen to project the film, lay out some blankets, and see who stops by to watch with you.
Daily Deal Websites
Companies like Groupon and Living Social are great ways to take advantage of your town. They allow you to experience the best restaurants and attractions around you at a lower cost, and often extend deals aimed at two or more people that you can enjoy with your friends. Visit daily deal websites frequently to make sure you see every opportunity available in your area.
Organize A Scavenger Hunt
Reminiscent of your days in grade school and at summer camp, scavenger hunts can be just as fun in college as they were when you were younger. College towns, with their historical landmarks and countless buildings, provide the perfect map for a memorable, funny time with your friends. Form small teams and break out your cameras to document your findings; you’ll have a great time scouring the city as you find everything on your list and meeting up at the end of the day.
University-Sponsored Events
The college experience isn’t all about studying, and no one knows that better than the staff in the student life department at your school. These departments work with various company representatives around the country to bring events like movie screenings and restaurant tastings to campus at little or no cost to students. Find out what you school is planning throughout the year, and make sure to arrive early so you don’t miss out! These events tend to be very popular and are likely fill up quickly.
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11 College Classes in Pop Culture
A true liberal arts educations means getting to dip your toes into at least one class that seems completely irrelevant to your education but super fun brain candy.
I took a couple, something on dinosaurs (which, to my surprise, did have more than one lecture simply stating, ‘And then they went extinct’) and one on Harry Potter. And you know what? Those professors know what they’re doing because I actually learned a lot more than I bargained for–a lot of information on how rocks form, which is WAY more exciting than it sounds, and a bunch of themes in British literature that even J.K. Rowling herself is not immune to (probably because she knew what she was doing while she was writing the best books ever).
What’s super neat-o awesome about a liberal arts education is that you can take a class on the metaphysical mechanics of Doc Brown’s time machine in Back to the Future, and you will leave knowing so much more about the world than you could’ve possibly expected. That’s the beauty of the liberal arts; it’s not just black and white. That’s why it’s important to study different mediums to discuss language, philosophy, science and history. Even if one of those fields is your major, there’s a good chance there’ll bee some cross-pollination (see what I did there?) You’ll have to know how to study history if you’re an English major and vice a versa.
So when you’re looking through that course guide, don’t just skip over the flashy pop culture courses because you think you won’t get anything out of them; you most definitely will.
On that note, here are 11 popular culture classes being offered this semester at colleges across the nation. Do any interest you?
1. Consumerism and Social Change in Mad Men America, 1960-1963
Northwestern University
What it’s about: Taught and conceived by Professor Michael Allen, this Mad Men class will assign students to watch episodes of the popular TV series, which Allen believes accurately portrays American life in the 1950s-60s.
2. South Park and Contemporary Social Issues
McDaniel College
What it’s about: Dr. Baron (Philosophy) and Dr. Raley (Sociology) of McDaniel College are using South Park–a show which has never shied away from tackling the big social issues from its own point of view–paired with historical and contemporary texts, theories, and concepts from sociology and philosophy to understand and discuss contemporary social issues.
3. Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame
University of South Carolina
What it’s about: Students who take the course with Mathieu Deflem will focus on relevant elements of the societal context of Lady Gaga’s rise to fame, with students better able to engage in scholarly thinking about relevant aspects of popular culture, music, and fame.
4. Zombies in Popular Media
Columbia College Chicago
What it’s about: This course explores the history, significance, and representation of the zombie as a figure in horror and fantasy texts. Instruction follows an intense schedule, using critical theory and source media (literature, comics, and films) to spur discussion and exploration of the figures many incarnations….beware…
5. Wordplay: A Wry Plod From Babel to Scrabble
Princeton
What it’s about: Professor Joshua Katz teaches this course with the goal to bring together interesting reading, thoughtful scholarship, and hands-on revelry in the exploration of the ludic side of language. Linguistic play is part of many people’s normal experience (think of the daily crossword puzzle and the excitement that surrounds the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee) and yet it is widely considered a trivial pursuit, often childish (Dr. Seuss and counting-out rhymes) but sometimes abstruse (James Joyce and Vladimir Nabokov).
6. “Oh, Look, a Chicken!” Embracing Distraction as a Way of Knowing
Belmont University
What it’s about:This course challenges the general conception that being distracted, i.e. students with A.D.D, infringe on “knowing”. T he course is all about ways of knowing, so it embraces the fact that we are distracted as a culture, why are we distracted, how can we embrace it and how do we get back to the thing that we were doing in the first place
7. What if Harry Potter is Real?
Appalachian State University
What it’s about: This course asks questions about the very nature of history. Who decides what history is? Who decides how it is used or mis-used? How does this use or misuse affect us? How can the historical imagination inform literature and fantasy? How can fantasy reshape how we look at history? The Harry Potter novels and films are fertile ground for exploring all of these deeper questions. Wingardium leviosa!
8. The Textual Appeal of Tupac Shakur
University of Washington
What it’s about: The course explores the philosophical, historical and literary influences of the late rapper and activist, Tupac Shakur.
9. Goldberg’s Canon: Makin’ Whoopi
Bates College
What it’s about: Simply said, it’s a symposium on the career of Whoopi Goldberg.
10. Philosophy of Star Trek
Georgetown
What it’s about: Taught by Associate Professor Linda Wetzel, this course will go at light speed discussing topics in metaphysics that come up again and again in Star Trek. In conjunction with watching Star Trek, excerpts from the writings of great philosophers, extract key concepts and arguments will be assigned.
11. Sociology of Hip Hop: Jay-Z
Georgetown
What it’s about: The course is taught by Michael Eric Dyson, who wanted to seriously investigate the fuss behind Jay’z rhetorical impact.
Do any of these classes pique your interest? What class would you want taught?
Comments: 1 Comment »
Friday College Town Hall
In Friday College Town Hall, we post a question about college, and you leave an answer in the comment field.
Today’s question:
An increasing number of U.S. students are taking a semester to study abroad.
How important, or unimportant, is leaving campus to live among a different culture for a student’s education?
Leave your answer in the comments below or tweet at @Cappex to chime in (we’ll post your answer below).
Comments: 4 Comments »
10 Colleges with the Most Student Activists
Do you stand for something? Or have you ever sat-in for something?
Do you vote in every election? Are you probably going to make a run to be the youngest mayor ever in the tri-county region?
Have you ever taken residence in a tree for three and a half days so that “the man” wouldn’t cut it down?
If you answered “yes” to any of the questions in our makeshift “Are you a student activist” test, then you would probably enjoy going to any of the colleges mentioned in the list below.
This 10 colleges with the most student activists list comes from the Daily Beast, and was developed based on “strictness” of the college (the more strict, the less activism), overall political knowledge and culture of the student bodies, as well as number of registered organizations on campus as a percentage of the undergraduate population.
The 10 top schools for student activists are:
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Are you an activist for any cause? Would you want to go to a school with a lot of student activists?
Comments: 2 Comments »
College Football Top 20 Fun Facts
It’s that time of year where everyone’s catching the college football bug. Whether you’re a fan of the game, or just a fan of school spirit, you can’t help but get excited about all the “RA RA” on campuses across the country.
So without further ado, here’s a list of fun facts about the schools in college football’s top 20. If you visit or apply to any one of these school’s, you need not worry about what you’ll be doing on Saturdays:
1. University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK)Fun fact-The Oklahoma administration prides itself on the aesthetic appeal of its 3,000 acre campus which has a lot of Native American influence.
2. University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Fun fact-Alabama’s mascot is “Big Al” the Elephant. His origins date back to 1930 when a sports writer heard a fan yell ”Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!” as the first team ran onto the field.
3. Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA)
Fun fact-The school was founded in 1853 as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy.
4. Boise State University (Boise, ID)
Fun fact-Their football team plays on blue astroturf that is nicknamed “The Smurf Turf.”
5. Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
Fun fact-It was declared in 2010 to be a “Budget Ivy” university by the Fiske Guide to Getting into the Right College.
6. Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
Fun fact-The College’s official name is The Leland Stanford Junior University and has an endowment of 13.8 billion dollars. Stanford also boasts having 16 Noble Prize winning graduates.
7. University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI)Fun fact-The popular comedic news source “The Onion” was founded by Wisconsin students on campus in 1988.
8. Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)
Fun fact-Historically renowned programs include its College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The College of Engineering is also internationally renowned in the fields of architecture and mechanical engineering.
9. Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
Fun fact-A&M ranks in the top 20 American research institutes in terms of funding and has made notable contributions to such fields as animal cloning and petroleum engineering.
10. University of Nebraska (Lincoln, NE)
Fun fact-As of 2009, the University’s cafeterias no longer provide trays to the students, a program implemented to reduce organic waste and save money.
11. University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC):
Fun fact-South Carolina has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for its research and engagement,has received a Top-10 ranking from U.S. News & World Report for being “most promising and innovative,” and for decades has received annual recognition for its prestigious undergraduate and graduate International Business programs.
12. University of Oregon (Eugene, OR)
Fun fact-UO is the home of the Oregon Bach Festival, a donor-supported program of the University and the only major music festival affiliated with an American university.
13. Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA)
Fun fact-Tech is one of the few public universities in the United States that maintains a corps of cadets.
14. University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)
Fun fact-The University of Arkansas recently completed its “Campaign for the 21st Century,” in which the university raised more than $1 billion for the school, used in part to create a new Honors College and significantly increase the university’s endowment.
15. Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
Fun fact-MSU pioneered the studies of packaging, hospitality business, telecommunication and music therapy. Today its study-abroad program is the largest of any single-campus university in the country, offering more than 200 programs in more than 60 countries on all continents including Antarctica.
16. University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
Fun fact-Florida was ranked second in Kiplinger’s 2009 “Best Buys of Education” (behind the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
17. Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
Fun fact-Students and alumni often refer to OSU as The Ohio State University. “The” is actually an acronym that stands for Tradition, Honor, and Excellence.
18. West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV)
Fun fact-A new Mountaineer Mascot is selected each year during the final two men’s home basketball games. The new Mountaineer receives a scholarship, a tailor-made buckskin suit with coonskin hat, and a period rifle and powder horn. The mascot travels with most sports teams throughout the academic year. While not required, male mascots traditionally grow a beard.
19. Baylor University (Waco, TX)
Fun fact-Baylor was originally founded as a Southern Baptist college by the first Baptist missionaries in Texas.
20. University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)
Fun fact-USF is one of the nation’s top centers for the advancement in research of treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.
Have you been watching college football? Who are you rooting for?
Comments: 3 Comments »
14 Colleges Most Likely to Lead to Our Future Politicians
Sure, we’ve all had that childhood dream of being President of the United States, but after that stint as secretary of [fill in your high school's name]‘s student council, you’ve realized the reality of public office is far too big a burden to continue after this year’s prom streamers are up.
So who in their right minds actually want to take on the crazy responsibility and bear the weight of so much public scrutiny? The Daily Beast recently published a list of the colleges and universities with the most significant precedence for turning their students into great (or at least assist in further instilling the delusions of greatness) leaders of state and country.
Here are the top 14 colleges and universities most likely to “create” our future politicians:
Can you guess which U.S. presidents came from each university?
1. Harvard University
Presidents: 8
State Senators: 12
State Representatives: 21
2. Yale University
Presidents: 5
State Senators: 9
State Representatives: 9
3. Georgetown University
Presidents: 2
State Senators: 6
State Representatives: 11
4. Stanford University
Presidents: 3
State Senators: 6
State Representatives: 7
5. UCLA
Presidents: 0
State Senators: 1
State Representatives: 12
6. University of Texas at Austin
Presidents: 0
State Senators: 1
State Representatives: 11
7. University of Michigan
Presidents: 1
State Senators: 1
State Representatives: 9
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Presidents: 1
State Senators: 0
State Representatives: 10
9. George Washington University
Presidents: 0
State Senators: 5
State Representatives: 5
10. Columbia University
Presidents: 3
State Senators: 1
State Representatives: 5
11. United State Military Academy
Presidents: 2
State Senators: 2
State Representatives: 5
12. University of Georgia
Presidents: 0
State Senators: 2
State Representatives: 7
13. Princeton University
Presidents: 2
State Senators: 1
State Representatives: 5
14. Duke University
Presidents: 1
State Senators: 1
State Representatives: 6
Can you name a president, state senator, state representative from one of these schools? Leave a comment below!
Comments: 1 Comment »
Which 11 Colleges Have the Best Campus Food?
It’s like Christmas time for college rankings. I’ve been checking for reindeer footprints because it’s like Santa swung by my desk last night and dropped off all these great lists that I can share with you guys!
There are rankings on the most beautiful colleges, the least expensive, the best return on investment–the list of the lists goes on and on and on. But, the most important one I could possibly share with you at this moment in time (maybe it’s because I’m hungry), is the best colleges for food.
This specific list hails from the Daily Beast and was crafted by taking into account both on-and off-campus food experiences. Which means both the quality of food served in the dining hall as well as the food, including the percent that is local/organic food, as well as the number of restaurants per capita in the surrounding area were put into the calcuation.
With that, here are the 11 colleges and universities with the all-round best food:
Is good food key to a great college experience or just a plus? What’s your opinion? Leave a comment below.
Comments: 2 Comments »
7 Back to School iOS Apps for College Students
“When I was your age, we had to walk 5 miles in sheets of freezing rain, up and down mountains, and past the hungry gazes of wild bears just to get to school! Now you have your iPhones, and Internets, and hover crafts! What’s the matter with you kids?”
[youtube width="300" height="243"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wCXr_6wgns[/youtube]
Sure, things have changed since Great Uncle Wilfred went to school. For one thing, even your parents probably didn’t have Internet at their disposal when they were your age, let alone any kind of smartphone. If you have the technology at your fingers tips, why not take advantage of it? There are some especially great back to school iOS apps that would be super helpful for college students.
Here’s our list of 7 (almost all free) back to school apps:
1. Amazon Student
Cost: free
What it does: Amazon Student helps you save money on textbooks by allowing you to compare the prices of your campus bookstore with Amazon’s. When you’re done with the books, you can use the app to help sell it back with free shipping for students!
2. AroundMe
Cost: free
What it does: New to campus? The AroundMe app locates the nearest banks, hospitals, gas stations, taxi companies, restaurants, etc.
3. Dictionary & Thesaurus
Cost: $2.99
What it does: Much better than toting around a big tome or even your laptop, having access to a dictionary and thesaurus wherever you go is key. Plus, you will never be lost for words, or, words for words.
4. Documents to Go
Cost:$9.99
What it does: Realize you wrote “Ass Water” instead of “Add Water” to your lab report? With Docs to Go you can edit and share Word (.doc and .docx), PowerPoint, and PDFs! Fret no more!
5. Free Graphing Calculator
Cost: free (graphing calculator)
What it does: With this app, save your $100 from buying a Ti83. Just download this app and graph away my child, graph away!
6. Grades 2
Cost: free
What it does: Sometimes teachers, actually, a lot of times, teachers don’t let you know what your grade for the semester’s looking like. This little app helps you calculate what your grade will be, and it even let’s you know what grade you’ll need on certain assignments to get that elusive A.
7. Snoozerr
Cost: $0.99
What it does: Even your most interesting lectures aren’t safe from your need to party on Thursday night leaving you with barely any sleep. So if you’re worried about falling asleep in class, this app is a lifesaver! It records your lectures and includes a time-stamped function that links pictures you take on the board with that part of the lecture.
And remember, if you’re still looking for scholarships in college you can sign in to Cappex’s mobile site from you r phone! Just go to Cappex.com and take
Do you have any favorite apps? Leave a comment below!
Comments: 2 Comments »
10 Biggest Bookworm Colleges
There are ton of moving parts that go into a college search, and one of the most important things to figure out when you’re choosing a college is how you’d fit in to the college culture.
The Princeton Review recently published which colleges and universities had the most studious student bodies. So if you think you’re a bookworm who would fit in with the other kids at the library, check out these ten most studious schools:
1. Harvey Mudd College
Fun fact: Students at Harvey Mudd are encouraged to take classes for academic credit at the other four Claremont colleges-Pitzer College, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Pomona College, Claremont Graduate College and Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences.
2. MIT
Fun fact: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization of the United States.
3. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Fun fact: The College currently awards the half-tuition Olin Scholarship to each admitted student.
4. Harvard University
Fun fact: Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
5. Princeton University
Fun fact: Princeton has been associated with 33 Nobel Laureates, 17 National Medal of Science winners, and three National Humanities Medal winners.
6. United States Military Academy, West Point
Fun fact: Candidates for admission must both apply directly to the academy and receive a nomination, usually from a congressman.
7. Davidson College
Fun fact: Both the town and college were named after Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, a Revolutionary War commander.
8. Haverford College
Fun fact: Although the College no longer has a formal religious affiliation, the Quaker philosophy still influences campus life such as its Honor Code, which allows for students to schedule their own final exams.
9. University of Chicago
Fun fact: The University of Chicago is said to look the most like the fictional magic school Hogwarts.
10. California Institute of Technology
Fun fact: Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and pranks, but similarly to Haverford, student life is governed by an honor code which allows faculty to assign take-home examinations.
Would you want to go to one of these “bookish” schools? Leave a comment!
Comments: 1 Comment »
Facebook Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts for College-Bound Students
The boundaries of social networking can be a bit murky. While networks like Facebook are meant to help you connect with people, should you really be open to showcasing your after-the-bell-rings life with teachers and college admissions?
As of August 28 in Missouri, the answer “is no.” The Missouri Senate Bill 54 will make it illegal for teachers and students to “friend” or accept friend requests on the network.
But what about college admissions? More and more often admissions people are looking up your online footprint, and the most powerful and frequent gems they find are photos. You’d be surprised how a photo on Facebook or MySpace or Flickr or that new network the kid genius across the street is programming can find its way through the annals of the Internet, and somehow wind up re-purposed and posted to a blog called something you don’t want associated with your name.
We know Facebook is a big part of your life, and people will post pictures of you, and you’ll post pictures of you, so just try to stick to Cappex’s Facebook etiquette Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook for college-bound students:
Don’t:
Indicate any illegal activity
So your friend who goes by BBQ because, in his own words, he ‘”loves BBQ,” had a hook up with some fake ID peeps on the other side of town and got you one. To celebrate, you had an actual BBQ and BBQ bought the beers, and Jenny, who has no filter, took a million bazillion photos of your 17 year old self drinking and posted it immediately to Facebook with the caption “Look at how much fun we can have now!!!”
This is wrong on so many levels. First off, be safe and smart. Second, if those photos wind up under the critical eye of an admissions officer, good luck. There are easy ways to stay out of situations like these: A. Update your Facebook privacy settings B. Don’t take BBQ’s advice. Seriously, we don’t want to bore you with advice that your parents and teachers have probably told you a million times over, but make smart choices. Avoid stupid things and you won’t get stupid pictures online.
Expose too much skin
Perhaps P90x has been doing glorious things for your abs, but capturing your newly toned muscles and posting it to Facebook might not make the kind of impression you want. When you think of college admissions do the words “scantily clothed” come to mind? No. No they don’t. Think of it this way: Academia is about expanding the mind, not showing an inappropriate amount of flesh. Dress to impress. Or, at least keep your clothes on.
Parade your PDA
Love is a beautiful thing. From the inside. From the outside, it’s kinda annoying to watch. Keep your kisses off the Internet for the sake of humans as well as for your chances of getting into your dream school. It’s not simply that your public display of affection is annoying to watch, it’s also that a lot of PDA photos can show admissions people your lack of judgment on what you choose to display about yourself not just fleetingly in public, but permanently online.
Be overly negative
Nobody likes a sourpuss. Having pictures with negative comments about other people or ideas just shines more brightly on your intolerance. College life is about expanding your worldview, so too much negativity in your photos might dissuade admissions counselors from rooting for you.
Do’s:
Post accomplishments
Humbly displaying the pictures that your mom took of you accepting the award for Student of the Year is a great thing for an admissions person to stumble upon. It could really bring to life that little line in your application where you wrote “Student of the Year”.
Share your travels
Your backpacking trip through Europe demonstrates how you’re an explorer and student of the world. The fact that you’ve traveled illustrates to admissions officers that you are open to new experiences and ideas.
Display your passions
Just like travel photos, photos of your paintings, dancing, acting, athletics or musical ability adds to your application by showing you as a well-rounded, passionate student. Any activity takes time and practice–both of which are great qualities in a student.
Show your service
A picture of the before and after of that house you helped construct for a family in need or you canning for a good cause illustrates that you are willing to give your time to others in need.
So those are the Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook etiquette for college-bound students. But just keep in mind, you don’t need photos of yourself doing good things, winning awards, or walking across the Great Wall of China to get into college. This is just advice for those who are stuck on having pictures online that people, such as admissions counselors, could come across. If you want to be 100% sure that a college is making a choice about you based on your application and your application alone, clean up your online footprint.
What’s your experience with Facebook and applying to colleges? Share your feedback and thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Comments: 1 Comment »
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