College and University Blog
Resources, help, and insight for your college experience
How to Be Successful in College: 10 Helpful Tips
You did it! High school is a thing of the past and you’re ready to start the next chapter of your life—college! After you finish patting yourself on the back, take a few minutes to read these tips on being successful in college. As many as one in three first-year college students don’t make it back for their sophomore year
12 Graduation Gift Ideas for the Class of 2012
Wrapping up four or more years of classes, homework, studying and exams to finally earn that diploma or degree is a huge milestone. A copy of the Dr. Seuss classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go! can bring a smile to anyone’s face, but reward the grads in your life with a thoughtful yet practical gift that will be used and appreciated. Here are a few popular graduation gift ideas to help you out:
A Sensitive Subject: Is College Too Easy?
A lot of people have jumped to the conclusion that college just isn’t worth it. After all, tuition is on the rise and recent college grads are having trouble finding decent-paying jobs related to their majors.
However, some critics are wondering if the college graduates themselves, rather than the economy, could be the problem. Is college too easy to actually prepare young adults for the real world?
8 Things to Remember When Looking for a Summer Job
Finding a job in the current economy can be tough. Just watch the news or read the paper online and you’re sure to see something about the unemployment rate. Last summer, high school students were competing against recent college graduates and people who had been laid off and were desperate for work, but one 2012 survey found that fewer experienced workers are looking for seasonal employment.
Why Go to College? Study Suggests College Grads are in Better Health
Research has found that a college degree can dramatically increase lifetime earning potential, but a bigger paycheck isn’t the only benefit of going to college. Higher education is also linked to better overall health and a longer life expectancy.
10 Things to Do Before Your First Year of College
Statistics show that just over half of college students earn a four-year degree within six years. Some students drop out for financial reasons and others are simply unprepared for college.
Even though you’re celebrating the fact that your high school years are over and you’re busy spending time with friends who you won’t see on a regular basis come September, here are 10 things that all incoming freshmen should do before their first year of college:
Homeless Students: College by Day, Shelters by Night
Deciding between a dorm room and an off-campus apartment is a tough decision for some undergraduates. After all, both have their strong points as well as their disadvantages. However, a growing group of young adults would gladly take either—homeless college students without a place to call their own.
College Graduation Speakers 2012
The shiny new degrees are the main attraction, but it is the commencement speech that can make or break a college graduation ceremony. With colleges and universities across the country vying for top-notch speakers to take the podium each spring, it’s easy to see why graduation speakers are such a big deal.
A good commencement speech can stay in graduates’ minds for decades while a bad one can have them staring at their watches. Here are ten of the most popular commencement speakers for 2012.
College Hazing Causes Physical, Psychological Damage
Although it’s illegal in most states and nearly always against the rules of colleges and universities, the practice of hazing continues.
Verbally harassing people, making them perform embarrassing and often dangerous rituals in front of others, and even physically abusing them as a way to prove their loyalty to a group has been going on for centuries.
Student Loan Interest Rates in Jeopardy
High student loan payments are a source of stress for recent grads who borrowed to attend college. If Congress fails to intervene, loan payments will go up for students taking out unsubsidized Stafford loans. Current interest rates are set to double on July 1, 2012—increasing from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.
College Professor Salaries: How Much Do They Earn?
Teacher salaries are controversial in some states because educators are expected to shape the minds of young people and help prepare them for the world. The rising cost of earning a degree is also consistently making headlines, but college professor salaries aren’t on most people’s minds. Even so, you might be curious by now—just how much do they earn?