Archive for the ‘College Resources’ Category
What the Debt Ceiling Legislation Means for Your College Education
This has been the summer of the debt crisis and a seemingly never-ending debate on raising the debt ceiling. Even if you didn’t really quite understand–or care to understand–the impact of the resulting bill signed by President Obama earlier this week, one of the biggest public concerns throughout the debate was how it would harm access to higher education. So was the future of college and graduate education harmed or protected?
Nothing is ever completely black or white, but here are some details of what the legislation will do:
Overall, the legislation will couple an increase in the government’s borrowing cap with more than $2 trillion in budget cuts over the coming decade, including cuts to federal education spending. So, do you want good news or bad news first?
If you chose “bad news,” skip to the section that says “bad news.” For “good news,” keep reading.
Good news:
Despite the nail biting induced by fear that the Pell Grant program would encounter extremely deep cuts, the program was salvaged. Need a reminder of what the Pell Grant program is? Basically Pell Grants are designated to students from low-income families. They are grants for college that do not have to be repaid. According to the U.S. Despartment of Education, more than 19 million undergraduate students are expected to be awarded Pell Grants in the upcoming academic year. That’s a lot of students and a lot of education.
Instead of harmful cuts to the program, as was expected, the Pell Grants progam will receive $17 billion in funding at no additional cost to taxpayers.
Which leads us to the bad news:
If the Pell Grant program is safe, and at no additional cost to the taxpayers, where does the $17 billion come from? No, not a money tree. Those don’t exist yet (I’m currently working on it in the secret laboratory in my basement). With a money tree out of the picture, money has to be cut from elsewhere. In this case, saving the Pell Grant program came at the cost of government-subsidized loans for graduate and professional students. The loans will be eliminated in July 2012, which means that graduate students would have to pay interest on their loans while still in school. On top of that, the rate reduction on student loan interest for on-time payments will be eliminated.
Together, these two changes are expected to generate $22 billion in savings, with $17 billion allocated for Pell Grants and the remaining $5 billion helping to reduce the deficit.
Nobody was expecting a win-win situation to come out of the legislation, but it will definitely be interesting to see how pitting undergraduate education against graduate and professional education will work in the long run.
Is this good news or bad news? Share your opinion by leaving a comment below.
4 Ways to End Your Summer Internship on a Good Note
The internship during college summer break is becoming the elusive fruit for college students. With the state of the job market, internships are all the more essential to land a job after college graduation since they give you the competitive edge of having that real world job experience employers are looking for.
So, we have 4 tips to ensure that if you are currently working a summer internship you end the summer on the best note you possibly can to land a job in the future.
1. Finish strong
You might only have two weeks left in your internship before you head back to college. So…Make. It. Count. The summer’s flown by, and maybe you haven’t gotten the chance you’ve wanted to flex your proverbial muscle to the boss. The best thing you can do is go above and beyond with the task at hand. Finish the projects you’re assigned with flying colors. Even if it’s just inputting numbers into a spreadsheet, do it with gusto. Have a smile on your face. Laugh at your boss’s jokes even if he’s told the same one to you six times, and you didn’t find it funny the first time. For the most part, your employer knows that they have you doing the boring stuff, so just show them that you’re a nice, hardworking person to have around the office.
2. Show some of your personality
It’s super hard to be yourself when you’re hoping that people like you enough to possibly hire you in the future. The pressure turns a lot of usually bubbly co-eds into twenty-something robots. But, after you’ve been working your internship for most of the summer and finally feel more comfortable at the office, show a little more of your personality. It will make it a lot easier for your employer to distinguish you from the rest of the company’s future job applicants because you do that hilarious impression of a zombie Charlie Chaplin chasing a a chicken.
3. Ask for feedback
This is the perfect time to ask your boss or supervisor for some feedback. You might think you know what the company thinks of you and your work so far, but you may be surprised. Who knows? They might mistake your stern seriousness about your work for being really bored at the office. Not only will feedback help you become a better employee, but it’s a time to let your supervisor know what’s going through your head as well, like, all those amazing ideas you have to stop global warming or where that the next office party should be at Zigorno’s because then everybody can get whatever they want to eat AND play extreme dodgeball.
4. Express your future career interest
Whether it’s the same meeting or different one, setting up a time to let your employer know what you see for future is great idea. The reason for this is because you might actually not be interested in working at the place you’re interning. You might have totally different career goals for a multitude of reasons. Letting your employer know this won’t make them think less of you as long you’re doing your job well. In fact, they’re still great contacts to have for the future. If you’re working at a bank but you’ve realized you want to go into public relations, perhaps your boss can get you an interview with his wife’s cousin who owns a boutique PR firm.
If you are interested in the place you’re currently working, let them know as well. Companies want enthusiastic employees who demonstrate interest in them. So if you want in after graduation, let them know you’d appreciate it if they kept you in mind for the future and that you’re the one who brought the homemade chocolate covered pretzels in the kitchen.
Any other tips for interns? Share thoughts by leaving a comment below!
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A Midsummer Night’s College Checklist
How now, college-bound spirit! Whither wander you? -Mostly Shakespeare with a little bit of Cappex
Hark! Midsummer is here,
July’s halfway through.
A new school year’s so near,
so many things to do.
The college search ignites fears,
from now till you’re in.
So prop up your ears,
Cappex gives you tips to help you win.
If you need that translated, here’s what we said: Believe it or not, summer is flying by. So be sure you’re making the most out of your free time to get some important college search things down. In honor of it being midsummer, and because Shakespeare was a chill dude, our list shall be called:
A Midsummer Night’s College Checklist:
1. Start studying and/or register for the ACT or SAT
Many of you have already taken the ACT or SAT (either of which you’ll likely need to apply to a 4-year university or college). But if you haven’t, or just don’t like what your score looks like yet, no worries; you still have time! The next date for the ACT is September 10, and you have until August 12, 2011 to register. The next date for the SAT is October 1, and you have until September 9 to register. That gives you plenty of time to register and hit the books.
Don’t forget! Even though many college applications have you write-in your ACT or SAT scores, you’ll probably be asked to have College Board (SAT) or ACT send your official scores.
2. Contact colleges you’re interested in
Make some contact with the colleges you’re interested in. They like to see that you reached out to them before you applied–it shows that you’re truly interested and may possibly enroll if accepted. You may want to schedule an interview or a informational meeting with an alumnus in your area. If you do wind up having an interivew, make sure to follow our interview advice.
3. Visit colleges
Nothing gives you insight into a college or university the way a college visit does. It’s the only way you can actually experience what campus life is like. You can read all you want about your dream school’s history, when and how it was founded, where its original campus was built, what secret tunnel runs between the library and president’s house, the complete, unabridged list of which celebrities are alumni–you can go on! But just know, a visit to a campus will do you just as well. And considering you have some free time in summer, it’s a great opportunity to go now.
4. Rough drafts of your essay
Hopefully you’ve gotten a hold of the applications for the schools you’re most interested in applying to. Just like the phrase, “With great power, comes great responsibility,” with each application, comes a fairly hard essay question to answer. Perhaps that example was ill-fitting, but with any application, comes some sort of essay you’ll have to write. Bored on a Wednesday night because your shift got cancelled and all you’re friends are out of town ? Perfect! Start drafting those college essays!
5. Scholarships
Jan Brady once eloquently stated, “Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships.” She’s right. No matter what kind of stunt Jan is pulling, our attention will always linger back to scholarships. It’s the heart of the matter, because they will help you ultimately pay for college. Get a head start on your scholarship search. Start by making a Cappex profile to match you with scholarships that best fit you.
Have you checked anything off these items off your list yet? What steps do you think rising seniors should make before school starts again? Leave comment!
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Friday College Town Hall
In Friday College Town Hall, we post a question about college, and you leave an answer in comment field.
Today’s question:
The average distance students go away for college is about 94 miles. How far or close to home do you think is the right distance?
Have a thought or an answer? Leave a reply below.
We’ve also asked our @Cappex Twitter followers to chime in! Here’s what people are saying on Twitter:
@AshleySchmidtke You can never go to far. Go to the school that is the right fit and it will not matter the distance. Home away from home!
@AndreaDior Not far enough RT @cappex: Is 94 miles from home too close or too far? Reply to this tweet, and we’ll post your response on the blog!
@SarahFaithJ9 @cappex I think its just about right. It gives you freedom, but yet you’re still kind of close to home if you need anything:)
@_iShotdaSheriff @cappex thats pretty good mileage if you ask me! Not too close, but close enough to make it home for emergencies
@Andreais40nfab @cappex too close. For college? U need to be a minimum of 200 miles away
@steph_eff318 @cappex well college for me isn’t that far from home. It takes about an hour and a half by car and even less than that by train 
@jotamjota @cappex I don’t think distance matters. Its what YOU make of college and how involved, how active, and how engaged you become on campus.
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How to Personalize Admissions at a Large State University with Social Media
Stacey Kostell, director of admissions at the University of Illinois, is in a unique position: With Illinois being one of the largest state schools in the country, how does she provide prospective students with a personalized view of the campus? From Stacey’s experience, the answer is showcasing the broad diversity on campus and communicating it through enrolled students. While students are still asking the basic questions–How do I get in? What ACT score do I need? When is the application deadline?—Stacey sees social media as an important lens for students to look through to get to know Illinois.
We spent some time talking with Stacey to learn about U of I”s social media program.
Q: Could you explain why social media has such a large presence on the Illinois undergraduate admissions site?
With a big place like this, we wanted our undergraduate admissions site to somehow represent all the different voices our current student body encompasses. After all, the students can sell the school better than we can. The social media integration, such as YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, WordPress and Facebook provide so many different kinds of channels for so many different kinds of students to tell their stories and provide their personal and authentic views of the University of Illinois.
We are also committed to continually improving the site based on what our hits are telling us. If the clicks tell us to make more students blogs, we’ll head in the direction. We have millions of hits, and it only makes sense to keep reorganizing the admissions site based on what information, and in what form, prospective students want to see it.
Q: Why have you chosen to create multiple Facebook pages from Illinois admissions?
We decided that since we’re a big school with a lot of different sets of information to get across, three pages would get the right information to the right students. So we built three separate Facebook admissions pages: one for prospects, one for admitted freshman students and one for admitted transfer students since each group has different needs. The two admitted pages will essentially become their “Class of 2015” pages for students to communicate with each other, ask questions, and comment on posts. The pages work as another lens through which students can learn about the university.
Q: How has social media and online recruiting affected your recruiting strategies?
Traditional recruiting methods, although still useful for many of our needs, are limited and expensive. Online recruiting techniques have allowed us to cast a much wider net. Online college search tools gives us a way to geographically reach students we wouldn’t necessarily be able reach without spending a lot of money using some of the more expensive traditional methods. Cappex’s inquiry production, for example, is displacing some long-established list buys such as the PSAT search.
Q: What advice would you give other schools about online recruiting and social media?
On top of the traditional modes of communication, the social media produced by our own enrolled students provides another opportunity for students to connect with the school in a way they’re comfortable connecting. In the end, whether you’re using online recruiting and social media or not, it’s important to keep your information honest and authentic.
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The Most Expensive Public Colleges for Out-of-State Students
Does going to a public school mean you’ll be saving money on tuition? Well, it really depends. If you’re going to a public college or university as an out-of-state student, tuition can still be pretty steep. According to US News, the average out-of-state student at a public school paid $16,678 in 2010-2011 for fees and tuition.
Why are they so expensive? One reason could be that some of the schools on this list are not the most expensive schools for in-state students, meaning that out-of-staters are making up the difference.
If you’re set on an out-of-state school-especially a California state school– you might want to think about scholarships to off-set the cost.
In the meantime, here’s the list of the most expensive public colleges for out-of-state students:
1. University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$36,163
Cool fact: Michigan Stadium, or the Big House, is the largest college football stadium in the nation and one of the largest football-only stadiums in the world, with an official capacity of more than 109,901.
2. University of California-Davis
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$34,863
Cool fact- UC Davis campus is the largest campus in the UC system, spanning over 5,500 acres and across two counties: Yolo and Solano.
3. University of California-Irvine
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$34,792
Cool fact- UC Irvine has an underground network of tunnels connecting different buildings and have been the subject of much campus lore.
4. University of California-Santa Barbara
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$34,509
Cool fact- In the late 1960s and early 1970s UCSB became nationally known as a hotbed of anti-Vietnam War activity. Other than UC Berkeley, no other California college received as much attention from the national media for its antiwar activities
5. University of California-San Diego
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$34,185
Cool fact- The UC San Diego Sun God Festival, which is in its 28th year, has grown into a 20,000 person event with student org booths and performers, as well as an eclectic mix of musical acts across 3 stages.
6. University of California-Riverside
Tuition and Fees 2010-2011-$33,901
Cool fact- UCR is currently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United States.
7. University of California-Berkeley
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$33,747
Cool fact- Berkeley student-athletes have won over 100 Olympic medals.
8. University of California-Los Angeles
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$33,660
Cool fact- Not to rain on Berkeley’s parade, but the student athletes at UCLA have won 214 Olympic medals – 106 gold, 54 silver and 54 bronze. But, hey! Anyone embarking on higher ed is a winner.
Mind that gap: the next school is not from California.
9. University of Virginia
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$33,574
Cool fact-Since 1842, UVA has an established Code of Honor where students at the University have pledged not to lie, cheat, or steal. The honor system, for instance, would allow the freedom for students to take exams outside trusting that students would not cheat. Offenses of the UVA honor system are presented to the Honor Committee, a student judiciary body.
Don’t get too comfortable out of California state lines, because we’re heading back in:
10. University of California-Santa Cruz
Tuition and fees 2010-2011-$33,505
Cool fact-Imagine the Lord of the Ring’s Shire and now plop that into UC Santa Cruz’s northern campus where shrines, dens and other student-built curiosities are scattered around in the undeveloped forested area. These structures, mostly assembled from branches and other forest detritus, were formerly concentrated in the area known as Elfland,but relocated after new building in the 90′s.
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10 Least Expensive Public Colleges for In-State Students
We’ve given you the list of the most expensive and least expensive private colleges and universities. But, a lot of you are planning on going to your state schools.
So, since you’ve been requesting it, and US News has the stats, here it is: the ten least expensive public colleges for in-state students.
1. New Mexico Highlands University
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $2,952
Cool fact: The university’s first president was famous archaeologist Edgar Lee Hewett, known largely for bringing about the Antiquities Act, a piece of legislation important for the conservation movement.
2. Macon State College (GA)
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $3,082
Cool fact: The school recently approved name and design for a new mascot, The Blue Storm, in January 2011.
3. Fayetteville State University (NC)
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $3,637
Cool fact: Alumni Darrell Armstrong is the assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks, winners the 2011 NBA Championship!
4. California State University – Northridge
Tuition and fees: $3,702
Cool fact: Northridge is home to the National Center on Deafness and hosts the annual International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities.
5. Elizabeth City State University (NC)
Tuition and fees: $3,707
Cool fact:Founded in 1891 as a two-year school, it became a 4-year teachers college in 1937.
6. University of Wyoming
Tuition and fees: $3,726
Cool fact: A ring of university buildings surround Prexy’s Pasture, a large grassy area whose name is attributed to the unique rule that the university president, or “prexy”, is given exclusive use of the area for livestock grazing. So don’t mess with the President’s cows.
7. University of North Carolina – Pembroke
Tuition and fees: $3,890
Cool fact: The university was originally established in 1887 as an historically American Indian liberal arts school.
8. North Carolina A&T State University
Tuition and fees: $3,899
Cool fact: NASA is one of A&T’s School of Engineering major partners. How much more legit can you get?
9. Eastern New Mexico University
Tuition and fees: $3,900
Cool fact: The university’s original construction was hindered for five years by the 1929 stock market crash and proceeding Great Depression.
10. Fort Hays State University (KS)
Tuition and fees: $3,942
Cool fact:Fort Hays annually celebrates Oktoberfest to acknowledge the Volga German heritage of Ellis County, Kansas.
Do these tuition and fees surprise you? Leave a comment!
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5 Ways to Pump Up Your School Spirit Before You Land on Campus
Recent high school grads are finding themselves in this strange “I’m not in high school but I haven’t started college yet” limbo.
It’s a strange place to wander. But don’t worry; you’re not alone. In fact, with a little summer downtime you have the opportunity to fit in a few school spirit pump up sessions.
Now you ask, “But Cappex, how do I implement a school spirit pump up session?’
Well, it’s just a couple reps of this and a couple reps of that and you’ll be on your way. Specifically, we have 5 answers for you:
1. Join your class Facebook page/group
What’s your college graduation year? 2015? Yikes, I feel old. Any-who, whether the page was created by the college itself or a student group, it’s a great resource to be a part of. You’ll be privy to college news, events and be able to ask questions to your peers and answer them as well.
The shared excitement of your peers will definitely get you excited for your college year to begin. Who knows, you might even find some new friends there, too!
2. Get some gear
It’s not scientifically proven, but I’d guesstimate that 90% of tangible school pride stems directly from college day wear. Want to show some of your school pride? Request a sweatshirt, t-shirt, shorts, sweatband–whatever it is–from your awesome aunt who keeps asking you, “Dear, what should I get you for your graduation?”
3. Check up on the news, blogs and vlogs
Your college or university has an entire life of its own, which includes news, events and all-around happenings. Keep yourself informed about these things by reading school blogs, watching student vlogs and of course, the student paper. Keeping up with the news around your school will get you excited to finally jump into the scene when you land on campus.
4. Research school activities and find your passion
The summer is a great time to do some preliminary research on what student activities your school offers. If there’s an activity you’re passionate about, see if there’s a student group dedicated to it and email them over the summer. If you don’t see the tight-roping club on the list, well, get pumped to start your own club!
5. Talk to alumni
This step is only for the students most serious about their school spirit. Talking to an alum of your school is like going straight to the source of school pride–it’s pure and it’s powerful. So be prepared to get really seriously excited about going to college. You can contact alumni through alumni relations at your college.
Do you have any other ways to get your school spirit up before school starts? Leave a comment!
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The 10 Most Expensive Private Colleges
Last week we gave you the list of the ten least expensive private schools. Today, from US News, we bring you the 10 most expensive private colleges.
Before you take a looksy and get all choked up because your dream school costs $40,000 a year, remember that doesn’t mean you can’t apply for merit aid and scholarships to lower that price by whole lot.
Without any further delay, here are the top 10 most expensive private colleges:
1. Connecticut College
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $43,990
Cool fact: Chartered in 1911, the founding of the college was a response to Wesleyan University’s decision to stop admitting women.
2. Columbia University
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $43,304
Cool fact: Columbia is the oldest university of higher learning in the state of New York.
3. Vassar College
Tuition and fees: $43,190
Cool fact: Vassar has a student organization called The Barefoot Monkeys, which is aCircus Arts, Firespinning, and Juggling Club. You will not only be paying for a multidisciplinary education, but also some old school entertainment.
4. St. John’s College (MD)
Tuition and fees: $42,592
Cool fact: Founded originally in 1696 as a preparatory school, it received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest colleges in the United States.
5. Trinity College
Tuition and fees: $42,420
Cool fact: Trinity has a student to faculty ratio of 10:1.
6. Bucknell University
Tuition and fees: $42,342
Cool fact: The sixth president of the university, David Jayne Hill, had an epic mustache.
7. St. John’s College (NM)
Tuition and fees: $42,192
Cool fact: Both St. John’s College campuses are known for their Great Books Program where student-led discussion is the basis for most classes and teachers take a non-directive role.
8. Wesleyan University
Tuition and fees: $42,084
Cool fact: Wesleyan offers a BA/MA Program in the sciences leading to a Bachelor’s degree in the fourth year and a Master’s degree in the fifth year. Tuition for the fifth year of the Master’s degree is waived.
9. Bard College at Simon’s Rock
Tuition and fees: $41,990
Cool fact: Simon’s Rock is an “early college”, designed for students to enroll immediately after completing the tenth or eleventh grade, rather than after graduating from high school.
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Tuition and fees: $41,940
Cool fact: John Forbes Nash, the subject of A Beautiful Mind and winner of the 1994 Noble Prize in Economics, was a 1948 graduate.
How much does tuition price affect your college decision? Leave a comment!
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4 Ways to Choose your Freshman Roommate
If you’re like me, when one stress source closes, another window of stress opens. So, even though you are officially relieved from the anxiety that is begotten from the college search–assuming everyone reading this blog has been admitted to college and has decided where they’ll be heading–don’t get stressed out that you’re going to run out of things to stress out about. We have another stress factor for you: Your freshman roommate.
The freshman roommate can turn out to be a(n):
A. absolute nightmare
B. BFF
C. just a person you happen to share a tiny room with
Here are 4 ways to go about choosing your future freshman college roommate:
1. Blind
Rooming blind is for the adventurous. For those who yearn for the surprise and peril of the open sea! It’s also for anyone who is kind of apathetic about the whole thing.
Pro: You could be paired with someone who you wouldn’t meet otherwise and who could help expand your college world.
Con: You have no way of knowing what you’ll be getting in to.
2. A friend
Rooming with a friend is a risk, but not for risk-takers.
Pro: You’ll be living with someone you already know! Having a safety net could help you be more outgoing when making new friends.
Con: Moving from friends to college roommates is an underrated shift in the tectonic plates of friendship. You’ll suddenly be around each other 24/7. You could risk changing the friendship you have.
3. A friend of a friend
The friend of a friend roommate strategy is the perfect smoothie made from the blind roommate situation and friend roommate situation.
Pro: You have a friend in common, so you know a mutual friend thinks you’re both pretty rad and probably won’t steal things.
Con: If you both have a lot of the same mutual friends, your social circle might not expand the way you wanted it to in college.
4. Facebook or social networking site
For the person who wants to control the roommate issue as much as they can without going through friends.
Pro: You can handpick your college roommate by sifting through different options to find the person that you think you’d get along with while dwelling together.
Con: You might not get what you thought you signed up for.
Do you have any advice or thoughts on choosing a freshman college roommate? Leave a comment!
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