College and University Blog
Resources, help, and insight for your college experience
College Dropouts: 10 Reasons Why Students Quit School
If you’re returning to campus as a sophomore this fall but can’t seem to find all of your friends, don’t be too alarmed. Research shows that thirty percent of college and university students drop out after their first year, and about half of all college students never graduate.
Technology in the College Classroom: Here to Stay?
Laptops and smart phones are the norm among today’s college students, young adults who can’t even fathom the thought of life without internet access, cell phones, email and text messages. The entire college experience has undergone a complete overhaul since the current batch of students’ parents were in college—in addition to the easy availability of online college programs that allow people to earn degrees from home, professors are using multiple types of technology in the classroom.
Hot for Teacher: Students Rate Professors on Their Looks
The ability to read product ratings from other consumers is one of my favorite aspects of shopping online. In fact, I even find myself looking things up on my Amazon iPhone app so I can read reviews before I make a final decision on whether or not to purchase something when I’m at Target or Barnes and Noble.
Avoid the Freshman 15 by Getting the Freshman 8?
The freshman fifteen—the dreaded weight gain that has plagued new college students for decades—often occurs because of overindulgence at all-you-can-eat campus dining halls and excessive alcohol consumption at parties, but studies show that lack of sleep can also contribute. Weight gain is not uncommon among college students … but neither is a full night’s sleep.
Colleges, Students and Social Media Networks
The use of social media networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter has become extremely common among all age groups so it’s not surprising that students can find their teachers on the internet and vice versa. A few of my high school and college friends are teachers and even though I didn’t stay in touch with them over the years, I learned their occupation courtesy of Facebook. To be honest I was pretty shocked to see that more than one of them had “friended” some of their students.
Washington Monthly Community College Rankings: Helping the American Graduation Initiative?
President Barack Obama announced the American Graduation Initiative during a speech given at Michigan’s Macomb Community College in July 2009. A “historic effort” compared to the passage of the GI Bill, the goal of Obama’s Initiative is for America to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world—a status it once held yet lost in recent years.
College Student Engagement: Extracurricular Activities Help in Multiple Ways
Getting involved on campus is one of the fastest and easiest ways for students to make new friends and feel connected with others. Colleges and universities across the country urge their undergraduates and graduate students to join groups and participate in extracurricular activities. Becoming engaged with other students is a rather simple way to create a sense of belonging, develop and grow outside the classroom, and possibly even run across opportunities for leadership experience.
Separation Anxiety: Parents and Students Deal with Leaving for College
This month, thousands of recent high school graduates will head off to college and for many, it will be their first time away from home. Despite the excitement of beginning a new phase in their lives, feelings of anxiety are completely normal—for both the new college freshmen and their parents.
Building Successful Relationships with Professors: 5 Tips for College Students
It doesn’t matter if you’re starting college this fall or returning for your final year— plan to build successful relationships with as many of your professors as possible, especially if they are instructors within your major.
Your college professors do much more than teach the classes required to earn your degree—they can act as mentors and provide you with worthwhile advice, too. A successful relationship with a prominent professor may even be your ticket to a great internship or a thriving letter of recommendation.
Going Green at College: Sierra Club Ranks America’s Greenest Campuses
For the fourth year in a row, the Sierra Club has ranked the Coolest Schools in America. One hundred colleges and universities are spotlighted in the list, which ranks educational institutions on their “eco-friendliness.” Results were published this month in Sierra magazine.
2010 ACT College and Career Readiness Report
The annual Condition of College and Career Readiness Report was issued by ACT, Inc. earlier this week and results have caused mixed reactions among educators, officials, and academic experts. Although the number of high school students taking the ACT is increasing, their scores are not.
US News and World Report College Rankings Released for 2011
Eagerly anticipated since its inception in 1983, the 27th annual US News and World Report Best Colleges rankings were released today.
Applying to College? Rushing Through Applications is Not Recommended
Even though it’s technically still the summer, the 2010-11 academic year will begin at most schools sometime during the next two weeks. Students entering their senior year of high school will be full of excitement knowing that they’ve arrived at “the beginning of the end,” but it’s not the time for them to slack off! Seniors that are applying to college will find themselves busy with the application process, but with proper planning and preparation there should be nothing to worry about.
Organize Your College Dorm Room Efficiently
Moving away from home and setting up a college dorm room or an off-campus apartment for the first time can be slightly confusing, even if your parents swear that they know just how to help. If you’re getting ready to move into your dorm this fall, here are some great ideas for organizing your belongings. People are usually most productive in neat environments, so putting things in order from the start can help you start the semester on a good note.
Ebook Readers and College Textbooks: Can the iPad or Kindle Replace Traditional Texts?
Thanks to the ability to purchase used books online and the relatively new textbook rental services, the hefty price tag associated with college textbooks may finally be decreasing. The rising popularity of ebook readers such as the Amazon Kindle, the Barnes and Noble nook and the Apple iPad is also expected to change the way college students purchase and “read” textbooks.
Earn Your Degree Online: 7 Advantages of Online College Courses
Thanks to advances in technology over the last few years, the majority of colleges and universities now offer online classes. Thousands of people make the decision to go back to school and enroll in online college courses every single day.
Back to College: 6 Common Issues Facing Non-Traditional Students
It’s that time of year again! The stores are full of school supplies and students around the country are getting ready to head back to class. If you’ve been tossing around the idea of going back to college to finish your degree, you probably have some questions you want answered and some concerns that you need to have addressed.
Auditing a College Class: Learning without Exams or Grades
Despite the seemingly endless amount of information that’s easily available on the internet and at the library, some people prefer to learn in a classroom setting. College students who have not yet declared a major, high school students that want to experience college before they officially enroll, and people who are simply interested in learning more about a particular subject can all benefit from auditing a class.
Highest Paying and Lowest Paying College Degrees in 2010
Although I can honestly say I enjoyed my college experience, I regret my choice of major: music education. I began teaching myself the piano when I was a little girl and I started formal piano lessons in elementary school. In the seventh grade, I joined the school band so I could learn how to play the flute. I stayed in the band throughout high school and college and I never looked back. I loved being in the marching band and I loved my band directors, and for those reasons I decided that I wanted to be one, too.
Retirees Going to College: Discounts and Tuition Waivers for Seniors
Under normal circumstances I’d think of prospective high school graduates when reading the words seniors and college in the same sentence, but programs giving retired people the chance to take college courses for free or at substantially discounted rates are popping up across the country.
Scholarships: Get Help Paying for College and Avoid Scams
Graduating from college with a massive load of debt doesn’t sound very appealing to high school seniors or non-traditional students looking to go back to school, but alternatives to student loans are out there if you just know where to look.
College Tuition Savings Plan: Have Money for College with a 529 Plan
My daughter isn’t even two years old yet and I’m already wondering what the price of college will be when she turns eighteen. Whenever we slip a few quarters into her piggy bank my husband and I joke around about her “college fund,” but in reality setting up a savings plan for college is something that a lot of parents are concerned about.
Small College or Huge University? Size Does Matter
Although some teenagers– or possibly their parents – have had their hearts set on Harvard since kindergarten, proximity to home is often a deciding factor when selecting a college or university. (Some people want to live at home and save money while others want to get as far away from mom and dad as possible.) When the time arrives to begin making lists of potential schools, another common requirement has to do with the college’s size.
Ivy League Colleges: Basic Information about the Prestigious Ivy League
My cousin’s son recently graduated from Notre Dame, only to enroll in law school at Columbia. We do not live in the same state so I haven’t seen him in a few years, but based on his acceptance rate at prestigious universities I’d have to guess he’s extremely intelligent.