College and University Blog
Resources, help, and insight for your college experience
A Private or Public University—Which One Shall It Be?
Private and public universities are not entirely the same. This is especially true in critical areas, such as curriculum, atmosphere and cost.
When one decides to go off to college, not only is the particular program important, the type of school is important as well. This depends on the preferences, needs and academic and financial capabilities of the one applying. Since each person is uniquely distinct, the choice of school and school type will also be uniquely distinct.
There are basically two types of universities (or, generically, institutions of higher learning): the private school and the public school. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so no school will be perfect. The school should, though, be perfect for the individual and not be chosen based on general consensus.
The private school, which has, through the years, gained the reputation for being “snooty” or “stuffy” in atmosphere, does, indeed, have a smaller community of students and is therefore mor…
Learn More for Less: The Benefits of State Universities
If you’re a high school student who is starting to think about college, don’t overlook state schools – even those right in your own backyard. You may equate educational excellence with exclusive Ivy League schools, but for the vast majority of students who don’t have out-of-this-world GPAs or blueblood trust funds to fall back on, the hefty $40,000-a-year price tags that these A-list colleges demand may be too much for your budget to bear.
Private universities like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale might get all the media props, but education experts say that state schools offer most students the opportunity to enjoy a great college experience, as well. As you begin the process of lining up a list of schools you want to apply to, be sure to carefully consider at least a few state universities. Here are a few reasons why these schools should make your list of finalists.
State universities cost less. This is the clincher for the vast majority of students who ultimately ch…
5 Tips to Help You Find Your Dream College
The transition from high school to college is a crucial turning point in your life, marking the passage from childhood to adulthood and the beginning of your journey towards independence. Making the choice to attend college is just the first step of the process – in order to make sure you get the most out of your university experience, you need to find a school that’s well-suited to your personality, your interests, and your needs.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of choosing a college, you’re not alone. Experts say that many students wind up attending a local university or a parent’s alma mater because there are just too many other schools to choose from.
While there’s nothing wrong with opting for the nearby or the familiar, you might be selling yourself short if you don’t at least consider all of your options. By answering a few basic questions, you can narrow down your prospects and increase your chances of stumbling across a contender that could be a per…
Understanding the College Admissions Process: How to Crack the Code and Get Accepted
With all the stress, turmoil, and drama that the final years of high school typically bring with them, it can be difficult to imagine starting the whole process over again just a few months after your graduation. But if you want a shot at getting accepted at your top choices for college, you’ve got to force yourself to dedicate some time and attention to the application process – and the sooner you get started, the better your chances of acceptance will be.
If you’re thinking that the college admissions process is as easy as filling out a few forms, signing your name on the dotted line, and then sending in your first tuition check, think again. In reality, the admissions process can take months to fully complete. Multiply that amount of time by the number of schools you want to apply to, and you’ll begin to get the idea of the effort that’s involved.
If you want to boost your chances at getting accepted at your school of choice, you’ll need to begin by getting a clear gra…
Censorship: The Semi-Myth of Freedom of Expression
As harsh as the title of this article sounds, it is, unfortunately, the truth. Those college students who work for school papers or other literary publications learn really darn fast what they are able to say (and how) and what not to say. This, of course, extends into the real world, so it isn’t just a college issue, but it pretty much emerges there for students in . . . well, in every single department, more or less, and this is the case throughout the United States—and even beyond. As a matter of fact, censorship is a common practice prevalent throughout the world.
What are generally the reasons? Well, generally, the main reason censorship exists is that someone, or some group, quite often becomes offended by something said or how it is said. “Well, hey, if anyone is offended by what I say, that’s not my fault,” one might say. “I have a right to express my mind anyway I see fit.” Well, in theory, yes; in actuality? . . . Think again. Any publisher will tell you that respo…
Ace Your College Exams with These Easy Test-Taking Tips and Tricks
If you’re the type of person who gets flustered and confused when you’re under pressure, quizzes, tests, and exams probably aren’t your idea of a good time. But if you’re a new college student or a soon-to-be freshman, you should be aware the test-taking stakes are about to get higher than ever before – college tests are often known for being notoriously difficult, and your test scores often comprise a majority of your overall grade in each class.
The good news is that test-taking is just another skill – and just like riding a bike or learning how to drive, you can improve your test-taking abilities with some preparation and practice. Here are a few tips from the experts to help you overcome your fear of tests and face your next college exam with ease and confidence.
Learn how to relax under pressure. If test-taking anxiety is a problem for you, you need to address this first. Otherwise, no matter how much you study, your anxiety is going to prevent you from perf…
Do You Really Need a College Degree? Putting a Price Tag on the Next Four Years of Your Life
Along with a house, a nice car, a happy family, and a successful career, a college degree is now firmly ensconced as part of the American Dream. Most people assume that an undergraduate degree is a mandatory requirement for achieving professional success, and some experts point out that a growing number of managerial positions now require graduate study, as well.
But beyond this conventional wisdom, is a college degree really necessary? Well, the answer to that question is probably different for each unique individual, depending on your career plans, your talent and potential, your academic capabilities, and your financial resources.
If you’ve been wondering if you should bother to go to college, make sure you consider all of the options and implications carefully before making a final decision. Here are some factors to think about as you ponder whether pursuing a college degree is the right path for you.
Is financial security important to you? If you’re the typ…
College Drinking: Stopping Isn’t the Answer—Education Is
According to several academic studies on the effects and severity of college binge drinking (defined as drinking for the sole purpose of merely getting drunk), the reality of the situation is far worse than recent reports show. Whether this inaccuracy of reported information is due to the deliberate motivation of covering the truth so as not to cause worry or create negative impressions among unknowing parents, or due to merely faulty research or calculations is uncertain. At this point in time, that particular issue is really unimportant, as the problem does exist and is out of control.
Young college students are excited about drinking. This is their first time away from home, so they taste freedom and independence in abundance. To them, being an adult means among other things “drinking as much as possible, whenever possible,” because that’s the freedom that adults have. Therefore, whenever they drink, they feel like adults. They haven’t yet reached the realization that adu…
Make the Grade with These Memory Tricks and Tips
No two college students learn in exactly the same way. Take a look around the room during your next lecture session -– every person sitting around you has their own unique strengths and weaknesses as students. Some excel at writing and research-related tasks, while others get ahead by putting their top-notch studying and note-taking skills to good use.
But no matter which type of learning skill you’re best at, you won’t be able to pass your college classes without doing well on tests. And when you get right down to it, it’s your ability to remember names, dates, and other important details that will determine whether you’ll be able to perform on tests in college. Memory is a bigger part of college success than most students realize.
If you’re the type of person who is constantly losing your car keys and forgetting where you put your backpack, don’t despair. The good news is that memory can be improved. Just as if it were a muscle, you can exercise and strengthen your capa…
Campus Nutrition 101: Making Healthier Food Choices in the University Dining Hall
College students are famous for their astoundingly unhealthy diets. Between midnight munchies, pizza parties, fast food feasts, and all-you-can-eat ramen noodle buffets, it’s no surprise that scientists at Washington University in St. Louis recently found that over 70 percent of all college students pack on a few extra pounds before the end of their sophomore year.
With the tight budget and limited food options that most college students face, you might think that you have no choice but to adopt the typically unhealthy campus diet. However, while it’s true that your dining choices will be restricted, you can still avoid the Freshman 15 if you choose your foods wisely.
If you make full use of the resources at your disposal and approach the on-campus food challenge with some discipline and creativity, you should be able to just fine. Here are some tips to help you navigate your on-campus food choices and escape with your health – and your waistline – intact.
Portion …
College Students: The Politics of Steroids
College sports are very important everywhere, and even more so than academia or curriculum. This might not sound right, nor does it seem fair, but, hey, that’s the reality. The reasons for this are simple and obvious for some, not only to those involved in sports, but to those outside as well. The basic generic, yet no less evasive word for this would be “politics”.
When it comes to steroids, the controversies constantly abound: Doctors have confirmed that steroids threaten heath, and therefore the law has prohibited their use due to both the health factor and that of the player advantage (the “unfairness” factor, where the substance supposedly builds up bulk to counter the abilities of any opposing team members). Yes, despite the law, universities continue to use steroids, though discreetly so that their presence does not bring forth scorn or contempt. The substance’s effects are too attractive and too necessary to ignore or disregard.
Although many players do not use st…
Money-Saving Tips and Tricks for College Students
The terms “college student” and “impoverished” are practically listed as synonyms for one another in the thesaurus. According to economic statistics, college students consistently rank near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to income, overall earnings, and spending power. What else can you expect from the group that popularized the ten-cent dorm room feast commonly known as ramen noodles?
But even though your college years will probably represent the lowest point of your life in terms of net worth, that doesn’t mean that you should throw all caution to the wind and abandon fiscal responsibility. To the contrary, many experts say that the spending habits you develop during this crucial period can make or break your financial prospects later in life.
So even when you don’t have two dimes to rub together, it’s vital that you take a prudent approach to managing your money. Here are a few helpful tips, tricks, and strategies designed to help see you through the four years…
Going Greek: Should You Join a Fraternity or Sorority?
Fraternities and sororities tend to be a love-‘em-or-hate-‘em phenomenon – it seems like everyone you ask harbors a very strong opinion about Greek life. Maybe you were raised in a fraternity-friendly family that taught you the Greek alphabet before you even knew your ABCs, or perhaps you were brought up in a bookish clan that regarded fraternities and sororities as the epitome of tackiness. Regardless of your own background or your beliefs about Greek life, there’s probably more to this age-old college tradition than you might think.
For example, if you think Greek life is nothing but wild parties and pantie raids, think again. Most Greek organizations donate a surprising amount of time, money, energy, and resources to charity and community service. But on the other hand, there’s undeniably a strong social component to the Greek world, as well. If loud parties and all-night shenanigans don’t really appeal to you, you might be better off somewhere else.
Bottom line? Just …
The Disadvantages to Living in a Coed Dorm
Despite the obvious excitement of living away from home and amongst a whole new crowd of people—of both genders—to meet while away at school, sometimes such a set up is not its cracked up to be, especially for those people who aren’t used to it. Yet, at most, if not all, universities, freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus until their third year, and coed dormitories are now the norm, which means that these poor luckless souls who move in and find that they don’t care for it have to, quite simply, live with it. Hopefully, the advantages will allow these students to gain something worthwhile from the experience despite the drawbacks.
Among the disadvantages of living in a coed dorm are: the obvious lack of privacy; loud and disruptive noises; curfews; sometimes poor quality cafeteria food; undesirable or unpleasant roommates or floor mates; thievery and destruction of private property; other severe crimes, such as rape; and, quite often, the oh-so ever dramati…
How to Make the Most of an Untapped Resource: Tips on Connecting and Networking with Professors
Over the years, college professors have gained a reputation as being stuffy, uptight nerds who are too busy, too preoccupied, or just too snobby to interact one-on-one with their students. However, although there are a few bad apples that do their best to prove that this stereotype is true, most college professors are personable professionals who take pride in their ability to connect with and assist their students.
For a wide range of reasons, many college students make the mistake of avoiding their professors like the plague. Some are intimidated, while others think that keeping a low profile will minimize their accountability if they’re absent, unprepared for class, or otherwise MIA. But if the only word you exchange with your instructor all semester is “here” when they say your name during roll call, you’re selling yourself short.
You see, when you (or your parents) sign and send in that tuition check, part of what you’re paying for is access to your professors. Most…
The Advantages of College Coed Living
Coed dorms are a tradition of American college life. This is probably due to the fact that the advantages of living in a coed dorm are out of this world. In actuality, the coed dorm is a world all its own.
Among the advantages are, of course, the most obvious: freedom and independence, socialization, and access to the opposite sex. These three, at least, are more than enough to entice the recent high school graduate to enroll in college. This is because said college, or more specifically coed dorms, is the place where students get the first taste of adulthood.
Freedom and independence is intoxicating! One can have one’s own personal space, make one’s own decisions and come and go as one pleases. Yet the new-found responsibility for these students can be quite overwhelming, especially for those who don’t know of the real world, which, to be blunt, is a heartless dog-eat-dog arena where all players must keep their eyes open and their wits about them at all times. Thinking t…
Consolidating Student Loan Debts Has Become Extremely Difficult Due to Disappearing Lenders?
Consolidating student loans is a process that was originally intended to make student loans easier to manage—and repay. This is especially true when you consider that consolidating student loan debts minimizes the overall amount that the borrower will have to repay.
That’s the basic concept behind student loan consolidation anyway, and it usually makes things easier, especially when students understand what’s going on and know what to expect. Thinking about consolidating student loans, then, should be a priority right from the point of applying. If students aren’t consolidating student loan debts, mismanagement can occur. The student might wind up paying too much, which will cause said student to likely get buried in debt and eventually default. This is mainly due to high interest rates that compound the overall amount owed, and it does add up really fast. Consolidating student loan debts, then, has been the smart and expected move for all students on financial aid.
Th…
The Lo-down on Student Loans, Direct Student Loans and Bad-Debt Student Loans
Student loans of many kinds exist to assist low-income students with the financial means of their education. Among these are Direct Student Loans and Bad-Debt Student Loans for ease and convenience. At one time, one’s credit affected eligibility, but now with certain loan programs, such as those mentioned above, gaining at least some financial assistance proves to be more of a certainty for most prospects. Bad-Credit student Loans and subsidized Stafford Loans allow students and their parents to work around iffy credit and the trouble with unmanageable interest. In this way, financial aid can work for students and not against them.
Below is a list of important information on student loans, applying, and other aspects of the process. Although each type of loan has different requirements—some requirements indigenous to only that particular type loan—the information provided is common to all types of student loans, including Direct Student Loans, Bad-Credit Student Loans and St…
Packing for College: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Unnecessary
So, you’re headed off to campus this fall. You’ve sailed through the application process, narrowed down your list of finalists, and finally decided which school would be right for you. Now, all that’s left to do is figuring out how to cram a metric ton of clothes, furnishings, gadgets, and school supplies into the back of your car.
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, think again. For some college freshmen making the transition to on-campus living, packing can be one of the most stressful parts of the process. According to statistics gathered by the College Board, the average double-occupancy dorm room is less than 200 square feet in size. If you split it right down the middle with your new roommate, that means you’ll have to squeeze all of your stuff into a space that’s about the same size as the average bathroom.
The good news? With a bit of preparation and advance planning, it is possible for the packing process to go smoothly. What matters most is packing smart and strate…
In Pursuit of the Perfect Schedule: Tips for Picking Out Your First-Year Classes
Whether you’re an academic superstar, a party monster, or something in between, mapping out your course schedule for your freshman year can be a real challenge. Some ambitious students bite off more than they can chew, packing their first-year schedules full of ultra-challenging courses and then crashing and burning mid-way through. Others opt for a super-simple first-year schedule, only to find themselves becoming bored and disengaged from the learning process before too long.
So, what’s the secret to picking out first-year classes that will work for you? Most college counselors recommend aiming right for the middle – a schedule that’s challenging, but not overly exhausting. Of course, you’ll have to craft a compromise between your needs, the requirements of the major you’re interested in pursuing, and your school’s policies. Here are some more tips to help you pick the right courses for your first year in college.
Begin with the end in mind. College is a great …
College Loans: Top 5 Student Loans Are within Reach
College loans, or more commonly student loans, are sometimes difficult to get because of the requirements, and sometimes the waiting period, but they are definitely attainable for the college students who need them, especially those who live in the low-income status.
Such requirements for student loans, and all college loans, revolve around several factors, namely personal income for the previous year, age, previous grades, necessity, and the availability of funds. Quite often, these factors overlap, such as in the case when the age of the applicant affects the amount of student loans awarded or that applicant’s qualification. In the latter case, the determining factor of income for those who are aged twenty-four and younger generally include the combined income of parents or guardians as well. This consideration will not necessarily spell doom for applicants who need student loans, especially if their parents collectively made less than $12,000.00 the year previous to the o…
Hive Mind or Waste of Time? How to Get the Most Out of College Study Groups
Remember all those group projects you worked on back in high school? You know, the ones that usually took three times as long as they were supposed to because of all the joking around, goofing off, and other zany high-jinks?
Well, if that’s your only experience in group scholarship, you might understandably be turned off by the idea of college study groups. With a class schedule that’s packed to the brim and tougher material than you’ve ever encountered before, you probably have no interest in something that’s just going to be a waste of your precious time.
But it might serve you well to take another look at the idea of college study groups before you reject them out of hand. Generally speaking, college study groups are much more focused and effective than their high-school counterparts. For certain types of students who are grappling with challenging college coursework, the right study group can be a lifesaver. Here are a few guidelines to help you figure out whether stu…
The Intuitive Shell Game: College Ranking for a Purpose
College rankings serve a purpose for, not only academic classification, but also for administrative research on the part of the prospective students who are looking for the best college and program to suit their respective needs.
That’s the point, though: The individual student’s particular needs determine where s/he should go to advance her or his education, whether it is for the sake of obtaining that great-paying professional job or simply challenging or enhancing one’s own personal knowledge or skills.
There are several college ranking lists for 2008. A few of the more common and important college rankings for those interested are below.
The most significant list would have to be the national list, which covers the top institutions of higher level education throughout the entire country. Those at the peak, of course, are Princeton (NJ), Harvard (MA), Yale (CT) and Stanford (CA), in that order. These, presumably, go without mentioning, but they are official nonethel…
5 Top Online College Courses From Brick and Mortar Schools
Regarding both online colleges and “Brick-and-Mortar” schools with online programs, many online college students view the online college degrees that they are obtaining or have obtained as exceptional and worthy of status of being superior. Some college students have said that these online college degrees, which have been extremely rigorous and challenging, are even better than the “Brick-and-Mortar” schools that they have attended.
Below are some degrees of special standing, as described through the very college students who are presently completing or have already completed the online college degrees in question.
1) The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) at Columbia Southern University – Online is an exemplary online college degree that has been praised and five-starred. As a matter of fact, CSU is the first nationally accredited institution of higher learning to offer this particular program. This might be why many online college students rate the program as to…
No More Dorm Room Drama: How to Get Along with Your Roommate
When you hit campus as a freshman this fall, you’ll get to experience a whole array of interesting and exciting “firsts.” But milestones like your first college class and your first campus party will pale in comparison with the significance of another “first” – your first encounter with your new roommate.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll be rooming with one of your buddies from back home. But the overwhelming majority of college students who live on campus – nearly 75%, according to one recent estimate – share a dorm room or a suite with someone they’ve never met before. If you’re like most college students, learning to live with – not to mention get along with – a complete stranger can be a very trying experience, to put it mildly.
If your relationship with your new roommate gets started off on the wrong foot, you could be in for a year of turmoil and trouble. Ask anyone who has shared a room with someone they couldn’t stand, and you’ll likely be regaled w…
4 Reasons Why Online University Programs Are an Option Over Brick-and-Mortar Institutions
Universities have moved to the Internet! Not only that, but many universities exist solely online. Ads are everywhere, so the notion of conducting one’s education online has become a very popular and preferable one.
Why? The reasons for this allow online universities to compete on equal footing with brick-and-mortar schools, especially in a struggling world.
The first and most important reason for the online university, or getting one’s degree online, is, of course, the convenience. If one has a full-time job and an otherwise busy schedule, going to a brick-and-mortar school would make one’s life more hectic. This way, prospective students can do work at their own pace and in accordance with their own schedule. Since course work is posted online, it can be accessed and retrieved at any time, day or night, along with class discussions, whatever and wherever they may be. Nothing can really be missed.
In conjunction with this is another convenience that appeal to students…
Size Matters: Should You Pick a Large or a Small University?
In the process of narrowing down your list of potential colleges, you’ve probably considered just about every factor in the book – reputation, location, cost, academic specialties, extracurricular activities, athletics, and student-teacher ratios. But if you’re like a lot of prospective college students, you might not have given enough thought to the one thing that will probably have more impact on your university experience than any other factor – the size of your school.
In many ways, university life is pretty much the same no matter where you decide to go to school. But the differences between a student’s daily routine on a small, rural campus and a sprawling, urban campus can be staggering. Neither one is necessarily better than the other, but if you wind up on campus whose size isn’t a good fit with your needs and expectations, you could be in for a big disappointment.
That’s why it’s particularly important for you to take school size into consideration when you’re c…
3 Reasons Why Laptops are Preferable to Desktops
Laptops are very popular today, and for a variety reasons. These reasons designate the considerations as to what one should look for when buying a laptop. These are pretty much no-brainers, but they are so important. Still, the insight gained will allow buyers to make specific, more informed decisions when looking for just the right laptop for an individual’s particular desires and needs.
First, the most obvious reason to buy laptops is that they are preferable to desktop computers due to their size and construction. Laptops, by design, are smaller and more compact, so they easily portable. To make the deal even better, their hard-drives hold just as much space and memory as desktops, perhaps even more, now that current technology is creating the ‘better functional’ in miniscule form
The thing about the laptop in regards to its size and shape is that these allow the busy college student or professional to do their work while out-and-about, say, while eating lunch or relax…
Dorm Décor on the Cheap: Free and Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Room
If you’re one of the lucky few whose dorm room is of the quaint and picturesque variety, this discussion isn’t intended for you. If, on the other hand, you’re one of the millions of college kids across the country who got saddled with the kind of dim, dingy cinder-block cell that would make a death-row prisoner feel right at home, we’re here to help.
Let’s face facts – on a college student’s budget, you’re not going to be able to hire an interior decorator to add some pizazz to your pad. In fact, for most of you, even a $50 spending spree in the home décor section of your local Wal-Mart would probably be pushing your budgetary constraints.
But take heart, dorm room denizen. Even if you’ve got nothing but lint in your pockets, you can “de-institutionalize” your room and add a few basic personal touches that will make your place feel more like home. Here are a few cheap and free decorating ideas to help you get started.
*Get crafty. If the word “crafts” makes yo…
Freshman Success Factors: How to Make the Most of Your First Year on Campus
Your first year on campus can be a roller-coaster of ups and downs. Along with the exhilarating highs of crashing raucous college parties, exploring a new social scene, and getting your first real taste of freedom comes the sobering challenges of a soul-crushing academic workload and the sometimes-unpleasant consequences of your new adult responsibilities.
Sadly, for some students, the pressures of freshman year turn out to be too much to bear. According to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education, nearly one-third of all college freshmen fail at least one class their first year on campus. Even more distressingly, 60% of incoming freshmen fail to graduate within six years. Presumably, many of these students eventually drop out and never complete their degree.
So what can you do to make sure that you don’t fall prey to this fate? Experts say that being aware of just a few key pitfalls to avoid can go a long way towards ensuring that you’ll sail through your …
Smart Tips for Successful Last-Minute Studying
You’ve just stumbled back into your dorm room after a raucous night of merrymaking. Just as you’re about to collapse into bed, a note posted to your bulletin board catches your eye. There’s a major exam scheduled in one of your classes tomorrow. With all that’s riding on your GPA, surrender is just not an option. Now what?
Well, put on an extra-strong pot of coffee, pull out a fresh notebook and a handful of highlighters, and get comfortable – it’s going to be a long night. Granted, last-minute studying isn’t the best way to make the grade, but sometimes, it’s just an unavoidable part of college life.
In fact, cramming for exams is practically a rite of passage for new college students. Between the pressures of a massively increased academic workload and the temptations that the newfound freedom of campus life affords, it’s not uncommon to find yourself caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to studying.
So, if you’ve suddenly found yourself in a despera…
Beating the First-Semester Blues: 4 Tips for Homesick Freshmen
Your first few weeks on campus are likely to be a whirlwind of frenzied activity – finding your way to your classes, figuring out what’s actually edible in the dining hall, standing in a slew of mile-long lines, and scoping out your new roommates. Even if you feel a few pangs of homesickness during this honeymoon period, you’re bound to be too busy to be let it get you down much.
But after you’ve begun to settle into your schedule and the novelty of life on campus begins to wear off a bit, it’s likely that you’ll start to miss all you’ve left behind back home. Whether you’re missing a boyfriend or girlfriend, your circle of lifelong BFFs, or your mom’s home cooking, the emotional roller coaster of homesickness can be an unpleasant shock.
The feeling of loss that comes with first-year homesickness is often exacerbated by the fact that it takes most freshmen a few months to find their footing socially. When you haven’t been able to connect with new friends on campus, your …
College Students Decide: Choosing a Major and a Minor
Choosing a major and a minor primarily depends, of course, on the individual preference; majors and minors reflect the individual student’s interests and goals. Because of this, making such a choice is probably the easiest and one of the most engaging steps when planning on going to college, and, for high schools, this is usually explored during their senior year. Of course, interests and aspirations change over time, and many students have changed their programs quite a few times back and forth during their tenures in college.
This would not seem like a problem regarding anything except when it comes to making up one’s mind. Some college students go ‘undecided’ for their first two years, but are forced to make a decision upon their third year so they can focus on devising their class schedules comprised of courses reflecting their respective majors and minors, which starts at beginning of junior year.
The real problem when it comes to deciding a major and a minor is dete…
Workshops for College Students: Learning by Doing
Workshops are especially important because they are conducted based on the premise of “learning by doing.” Unlike regular classes where information is presented and explained and discussions ensue to elaborate on that information—not at all a disadvantage, considering many concepts do not possess a physical dimension, although much working with intellectual concepts require ongoing practice—workshops serve a purpose of allowing students to enhancing their skills by actually using those skills and gaining insight through others who are doing the same, and then providing their own insight to others. This is an equal exchange where everyone contributes equally. Seminars and shop classes are forms of workshops.
In light of their hands-on nature, workshops are the preferred type of course for various fields, such as writing, studio art, automotive engineering, film-making, advertising and magazine publication, among others. Other skills that might feature a workshop for enhancing…
How to Avoid the ACTs and SATs to Get into the Universities
Despite what many might think, being accepted to university without completing and passing an ACT or SAT examination, as some people have done it and successfully graduated. This goes for both Baccalaureate and graduate students.
How is this done? One might ask. Well, the primary way (sssssh, don’t tell anybody) is a means indigenous to North American educational systems called the junior college or the community college.
Now, readers are liable to gasp in unison when scanning this, but they need not fear or feel shame or disgust, as this transitional institution has more to it than meets the eye. First, and most importantly (I know a lot of readers have been waiting for this part), the community college is not for “losers” or the “less-intelligent” or “less-talented” (yes, readers, if they wish, may ridicule the truly unfounded belief behind all three of those terms), nor is it an “extended high school,” which is another term that has been applied by the less-informed (“…