College and University Blog
Resources, help, and insight for your college experience
Colleges Allowing Students to Defer Enrollment with Gap Year
Although most college-bound high school seniors are anxiously awaiting admissions decisions from the schools to which they applied, some students have already decided to take a break between their high school graduation and their freshman year of college. Not a summer vacation— a gap year.
FAFSA Frustration? Free Help Available
Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid—FAFSA, for short—should be a whole lot easier this year. The 2011-2012 FAFSA, which will be available online January 1, contains fewer questions and a simplified online process.
15 Unique Scholarships for Students
Scholarships based on a student’s academic achievements, athletic abilities or financial situation are three of the most common types of college scholarships that students can receive, and many people are unaware that other types of scholarships exist. Some are based on personal characteristics that have seemingly nothing to do with school while others are awarded to contest winners.
If you keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, you might be able to find a scholarship that’s as unique as you are. Below you can learn about 15 unique college scholarships for students. Go ahead and take a peek—free money for school is sure to come in handy!
Common Application Glitch: A Common Concern Among Students
If you think it feels like the January application deadlines are approaching at the speed of light, you’re not alone. High school seniors are scrambling to wrap things up by perfecting their essays and securing glowing letters of recommendation during their winter breaks.
Students applying to several different schools often turn to the Common Application in hopes of simplifying the undeniably stressful college application process.
Boomerang Kids: Moving Back Home after College
Watching the kids go off to college is a rite of passage that’s expected and welcomed by most parents, and watching the kids move back home after college is quickly becoming nearly as common.
Nicknamed the “boomerang generation” for returning to the place that they left, more and more young adults are moving in with their parents after being on their own for some time.
Ivy League vs. Your State University: Is an Elite College Worth the Money?
Considering that the current unemployment rate among college graduates is the highest it’s been in the past thirty-five years—nine percent, according to the Economic Policy Institute— more young adults are experiencing economic hardships than ever before. Many new college graduates are ineligible for unemployment benefits because they have no recent work history, and research has shown that graduating during a recession can limit someone’s lifetime earning potential.
Spending Habits of College Students: Where Their Money Goes
According to The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2009, a study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles, two out of three college freshmen said they were either somewhat or very worried about their ability to finance their college educations.
Going Shopping? 25 Gifts for College Students
The holidays are in full swing and you know what that means—it’s time to take care of those last-minute gifts and cross everyone’s name off your shopping list. Young people can picky and many of them have tastes that change frequently, but these presents and stocking stuffers are perfect for nearly any college student.
College Bowl Schedule 2010-11
Whether or not you agree with the large number of bowl games being played this year, you’ll probably want to catch your favorite college in action. We’ve compiled a list of all 35 college bowl games being played this season. (All times are Eastern standard.)
Top 10 Best College Movies
If you’re finished with finals and home for winter break, why not sit back, relax and watch a college themed movie? You’re bound to have a good laugh or wind up with a smile on your face—without picking up a book or sitting through a lecture!
With such a large selection of college movies to choose from it was tough to narrow things down, but we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the Best College Movies. They’re listed below in order of release year.
College Bowl Games 2010: Too Much of a Good Thing?
The 2010-11 college football bowl season kicks off on Saturday, December 18 and run through Monday, January 10. Seventy college football teams will be able to boast that they played in a college bowl game this season because a record 35 bowl games have been scheduled— more than double the 16 games played back in 1996.
Final Exams: Finally Becoming Obsolete?
Depending on where you go to college, your field of study, and the preference of your professors, finals week can be either pure torture or just a jumpstart on your winter vacation.
Most schools still hold an exam week to signal the official end of the semester, but final exams aren’t as prominent as they were in the past. Why? Even though many colleges still require final exams for each course, more and more professors are choosing not to give them.
5 Coldest Colleges in the Country
The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s include festive holiday celebrations and exciting get-togethers with family and friends, but it’s also the time of year when snow and ice starts to makes a tropical island getaway sound much more fun than prepping for final exams.
Colleges in Hot Pursuit of Military Veterans and High Profits
Veterans and active members of the military have been enrolling in college at significantly higher rates over the past two years. It is believed that the group is being aggressively recruited by for-profit colleges thanks to the increased education benefits now provided by the Post-9/11 GI bill of 2008.
Could College Students Give Up Facebook?
College students are among Facebook’s biggest fans, updating their status several times throughout the day and using the site to chat, email and locate friends on campus. Some professors even create Facebook groups as a place to answer questions and post class announcements, since students are so accustomed to the site. This leads some people to wonder: what would happen if college students gave up Facebook? Could college students give up Facebook?
Divorced Parents Pay Less toward Their Kids’ College Educations
Even though student loan debt is nearly unavoidable with the rising costs of tuition, room and board, many college-bound young people expect their parents to help foot the bill for their education. If their parents aren’t married, though, they might be taking out more loans than they care to think about.
Wider Variety of Foreign Languages Now Studied at U.S. Colleges
College students have been studying foreign languages at a fairly constant rate since 2006 but the variety of languages studied has increased, according to the results of a Modern Language Association of America (MLA) survey released on December 8, 2010.
Bored in Class? 9 Out of 10 College Students Text During Class
Once upon a time, students passed handwritten notes to one other during class. Oh, how times have changed! These days they send text messages, and more college students than you may think text during class.
The newly released results of an anonymous study conducted by two Wilkes University professors show that 91% of college students surveyed have text messaged during class.
ACT Provides Insight on the Common Core State Standards and College Readiness Levels
ACT, Inc. released a new report on December 6, 2010 intended to assist states as they begin implementing the Common Core State Standards, a U.S. education initiative announced on June 1, 2009.
Doctorate Degrees are on the Rise in the U.S.
According to a report issued by the National Science Foundation in November 2010, the number of research doctorates awarded in the United States in 2009 was the highest number ever reported.
7 Common Reasons that Students Transfer Colleges
It’s normal for community college graduates to continue their education at four-year universities after earning an associate’s degree, but students transfer to new schools for a variety of other reasons. In fact, transfer students are increasingly common on most college campuses so we’ve compiled a list of 7 other common reasons that students transfer colleges.
Winter Break Alternatives for College Students
The stress of studying for final exams is rearing its ugly head, but try to relax because there is a light at the end of the tunnel! That’s right, winter break is almost here and it will be tough to decide what to do with all that free time … or will it?
A lot of college students will do little more than visit their family, hang out with old friends and sleep til noon every day just because they can, but others have planned some winter break alternatives. Continue reading and see if any of these suggestions sound appealing!
Cramming for Exams Made Easier with Facebook-Like Study Sites
It’s almost impossible to remember what life was like before Facebook—back when friends actually had to call one another to let them know what was going on or ask them if they wanted to get together for dinner!—and students are among the social network’s biggest group of users.
College students have a lot more on their plate than updating their Facebook status and posting photos and the site is basically considered a time-waster by professors and parents, but its immense popularity is the driving force behind several new sites created as a place for students to share class notes, ask questions or study with others.