Find a Summer Sublet

If you live in the dorms during the school year, chances are you won’t be able to reside there in the summer. Even if you can, consider finding a summer sublet off campus. It will probably be on the less expensive side. Depending on your campus and town layout, this could be a great opportunity to sample living off campus.

Take a Class

Yeah, the last thing you want to do in the summer is attend more school. BUT, if you need a couple credits here or there, it can’t hurt to get those out of the way in the summer. Taking one or two classes at a time will be easier than a huge course load in the fall. Make it a fun class if you want!

Take Advantage of School Resources

A lot of colleges have museums and galleries on campus that are free (or almost free) for students. Universities are wonderful homes for great artwork and science facilities for obvious reasons – they want their students to have access to the best information!

Check out Summer Events in Town

Explore your college town as though you were a local, and not just a student! Summer is prime time for art and food festivals; outdoor movie screenings; restaurant deals; and more! Don’t be a stranger.

Research Opportunities

Many schools offer research opportunities to undergraduate students wishing to gain hands-on experience in their field of study. This is an excellent time to focus on research since you won’t have other classes and homework on your mind. Working with professors and grad students will give you great insight into your field and lessons for your future career. These people will more than likely help you make connections for post-graduation.

Connect

Try to plan on staying at your campus during the summer with some friends. Gather a group that inspires you or encourages you to try new things and get creative. The beauty of the season is that you’ve got time to apply what you’ve learned at school to your own projects. Make connections!

Make your profile on Cappex today for more information on college opportunities and campus life!

Nobody likes to be grouped into a stereotype, but sometimes, the truth just speaks for itself, and definitely in the case of a college campus. I’m not sure if it’s something in the soft serve of the dorm cafeterias or what, but there’s something about a college campus that universally produces these stereotypes in sleeper cells who, before entering college, showed little to no sign of the following stereotypes until after they fully move into their dorms and say ‘goodbye’ to their parents:

1. Library Sleepover Guy/Girl
This character is the one who strangely prefers the claustrophobic space under a desk in the university library over the down comfortable and padded mattress of their own bed. Why would this be? Good question, and it’s fairly difficult to answer, coming from a pro-bed disposition, but I believe it has something to do with the cozy atmosphere of a library, especially if you’ve been in there for hours. The soft whispers, the fall-leaf crinkle of pages turning, the hypnotic melody of your peers typing term papers, the asbestos in the walls, you know. It’s certainly enough to get you to doze off–not to mention that you’ve been in there for 29 hours already and have just gone mad and are confusing the library for your bedroom.

2. Guy Who says “Work hard; play hard” Way Too Often
This phrase should’ve burnt out with the 80s, but unfortunately, it’s going strong among a small population. This person likes to, well, work hard, and then play hard. They’re usually the ones somehow able to function with a level 5 hangover. Allowing them to, you know, workhardplayhard.

3. Mr./Ms. Moocher
Whether it’s another precious Diet Coke from your mini fridge, or notes from American Culture 101, there is always somebody willing to catch a free ride. Sure, one Diet Coke is nothing. But soon, the Diet Cokes add up and eventually you’re basically helping your friend slide through class without lifting a finger–or buying the text book! Did that metaphor get mixed up? You get it.

4. The Unexpected Party Animal
This person was on 24-hour patrol by their parents before shipping off to college. The freedom is often jarring and catapults this usually in-bed-by-9pm type into crazy party animal behaviors. Don’t worry though, they’ll get the balance sooner or later.

5. Wait, They’ve Found Signs of Life Outside the Greek Bubble?
What’s most interesting is that even though nobody’s born into the Greek system, a certain group of people completely disregard the life they led before going Greek and treat non-Greek people as if they’re lost puppies without homes. Let them live in their little dream worlds. It’s cute and stupid. But mostly cute. And also stupid.

6. The Unassuming Genius
This is the best one. You’ll be asking a homework question to yourself out loud, like “Wait, so what’s the dif between diamond and graphite?” And your roommate who happens to be watching Real Housewives of Orange County because that’s what she does ALL day, says, “They are chemically identical–completely carbon-based– but their bonding patterns, graphite being held together like sheets, and diamond created from 4 incredibly strong covalent bonds result in completely different materials. The graphite in your pencil is writing this all down because the sheets can slide off easily since they’re only held be weaker Van der Waal bonds,” she says without looking away from the television. Kinda nice to have on tap.

7. Person Who Thinks That They’re the Only One in a Hard Class with A Lot of Work
This stereotype cannot get it through their heads that they are not the only ones on campus to be in a class that requires some hard work. It’s really annoying, but usually these types have a bunch of other redeeming qualities you can concentrate on. Usually.

Any stereotypes we’re missing? What would you be considered on campus? 

Today’s question:

An increasing number of U.S. students are taking a semester to study abroad.

How important, or unimportant, is leaving campus to live among a different culture for a student’s education?

Leave your answer in the comments below or tweet at @Cappex to chime in (we’ll post your answer below).

You have a good idea about what it takes to apply to college–the research, the ACT or SAT, the campus visits, the interview, the essay, and so much more. You’ve already even discovered your perfect college match.

Now what you’re wondering is what college will actually be like when you get there. What’s it like actually living on campus, going to classes, and college parties? Is college life really like what it’s like in the movies?

We’ve taken a balanced sampling of different kinds of movies based in and around college life and rated them on how truthful they are when it comes to a real students’ college experiences.

Closeness to actual college life ratings will be ranked 1-10, 1 being not close at all, 10 being on the money.

The Social Network
The Social Network’s protagonist, or Mark Zuckerberg, went to Harvard–one of the most elite colleges in the nation let alone world. That already brings its likeness to real college life down since most college students in the world do not find themselves at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world surrounded by friends making $300,000 over summer break betting on oil futures.

The tagline for David Fincher’s chronicle of how Facebook was founded is, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” Lucky for you, you will make new friends in college, just not 500 million, and hopefully not a set of athletic twins who want to sue you.

Closeness to actual college life rating: 3

Legally Blonde
Elle Woods is the sorority princess of her Southern California university. The Greek life enthusiasm is not too far fetched–you will come across college campuses with a very Greek-oriented student body; however, you won’t necessarily come across a sorority house as beautiful and equipped as the one Elle lives in. Exercise machines, expensive furniture, ginormous singles.

It’s also kinda difficult to decide last minute to go to law school and get into Harvard Law–difficult, yes. But not impossible.

Closeness to actual college life rating: 4

Rudy
Have you ever dreamed of playing Notre Dame football so badly that you quit your job at the steel mill, took on a part-time job on the grounds-keeping staff, got tutored by a friend in exchange for helping him get a date, and eventually fully transferring to Notre Dame, overcoming all odds and playing on the football team?

Yes? Then this movie is probably exactly what your college experience is like.

No? Then, uh, Rudy is probably a far-fetched realization of college life.

Closeness to actual college life rating: 3

Animal House
Take the Legally Blonde sorority house, subtract all the niceties, add a lot of horrible smells, holes in walls, and way too many housing code infractions, and you’ll get the Delta Tau Chi house in Animal House.

Yes, you will find the occasional toga party on a college campus, but the likeliness that not only the president of your rival house has a vendetta against you but the dean of your college does too is slim to none…hopefully.

Closeness to actual college life rating: 4

Accepted
So maybe you didn’t get into your dream college. It happens. But when that happened did you decide to just, ya know, make your own college? Did your innocent scheme take a shady turn when hundreds of other rejected students enrolled in your college leading to a big legal brouhaha but ultimately gaining the elusive approval of your highly respected father?

I didn’t think so…

Closeness to actual college life rating: 2

What’s did you/do you expect college to be like? Share you thoughts! Leave a comment below.

When it comes to college campuses, rural and suburban don’t mean lame or in the middle of nowhere or tumbleweed or Deadwood or no man’s land or super extra lame or “Good day, sir!” (because it definitely does not mean that)–a rural or suburban college campus just means it’s a more traditional-style campus.  It’s the kind of campus you’ve seen in the movies. Unless that movie was about an urban college. Any who, you get the picture.

So, now you ask:

Q: What Type of Student Goes to an Suburban or Rural College or University?

A: A student who…

Wants a sense of community
A suburban/rural college campus generally means that the college is one of the factors that the town is known for. As compared to New York University, where the university is in the city, in a smaller town, sometimes it feels as if the city has built itself around the campus. In that sense, the entire town becomes part of the university. Everywhere you go you see your college colors–even while you’re off campus, you feel like you’re in it.

Wants to bring their car
Parking at a traditional college is much more doable than it would be living in the city. Whether there’s ample free parking, permit parking, or a space you have to pay for monthly, if you desperately want your car at college for the occasional trip home or to the grocery store or just to have on tap for the sake of adventure and being young with the open road at your fingertips, then it’s worth the price! 

Wants a haven for the outdoors
Going to a rural or suburban campus gives you access to the wonderful wide world of nature in a way that going to city campus does not permit. Even if you’re not planning on becoming an environmental science major, you might enjoy the outdoor activities the area you’re in has to offer, like camping, rock climbing, relaxing on the beach, or taking a quiet walk through arboretum, getting all Darwin on us, and journaling every walk of life you see out there.

Wants school and friends in walking distance
At a traditional college campus, getting from Point A (Psych 101) to Point B (Library) to Point C (your dorm) to Point D (Archie’s Burgers) to Point C (that awesome theme party you’re definitely going to) is all usually within walking distance. Once you get used to campus and know where everything is, the only thing you need to get around is a good pair of walking shoes.

Wants school to be the center of academic and social life
In a big city, you’ll have so many distractions, like museums, events, clubs, and so many other things.  On a rural or suburban campus, it’s not as much the excitement of the town that will entertain you, but its the students, professors and staff itself.

What’s your opinion on going to a traditional college campus vs. a city/urban campus? Leave a comment.

If everybody on your college campus is in a fraternity or sorority, would that affect your decision?  What if nobody is? How are you supposed to know if you want to be part of Greek life before you even land in your freshman dorm room? It’s a strange and hard decision you have to make, so the best way to figure out if you’re into the toga parties, mixers and various accessories with Greek letters is to contact a friend or a friend of a friend, or even a friend of a friend of a friend’s cousin’s step-dad’s niece, and ask her some questions!

In the meantime, these are the top 10 colleges with the most students in fraternities or sororities.

Percentage of Students in Fraternities:

1. Clearwater Christian College – 100%

2. Free Will Baptist Bible College – 97%

3. Washington and Lee University – 81%

4. Allen University – 72%

5. Sewanee-The University of the South – 70%

6. Depauw University – 63%

7. York College – 60%

8. Westminster College – 54%

9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – 51%

10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology – 50%

Percentage of Students in Sororities:

1. Clearwater Christian College - 100%

2. Free Will Baptist Bible College – 98%

3. Washington and Lee University – 79%

4. Depauw University – 72%

5. York College – 72%

6. Sewanee-The University of the South – 68%

7. Wofford College – 56%

8. Transylvania University – 55%

9. Ashland University – 55%

10. Millsaps University – 54%

Is there a percentage of students involved in Greek life that’s too high for you? What’s your take? Comment and share!

Bapst Library - Boston College

Your dorm room can get cramped.  Plus, it might be hard to concentrate when your theater major roommate is practicing his monologue for the Glengarry Glen Ross audition, so why not study in your college library?

Chances are you’ve got a beautiful one just a couple minutes away.

Here are the top 25 most beautiful college libraries according to CampusGrotto:
1. Bapst Library, Boston College
2. William W. Cook Legal Research Library, University of Michigan
3. Suzzallo Library, University of Washington
4. Butler Library, Columbia University
5. Fisher Fine Arts Library, Penn
6. Chancellor Green Library, Princeton
7. Doe Library, UC Berkeley
8. Harper Library, University of Chicago
9. Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library, Vassar
10. Sterling Memorial Library, Yale
11. Firestone Library, Princeton
12. Powell Library, UCLA
13. George Peabody Library, Johns Hopkins University
14. Widener Library, Harvard
15. Special Collections Library, University of Virginia
16. Perkins/Bostock Library, Duke University
17. Riggs Library, Georgetown University
18. Bizzell Memorial Library, University of Oklahoma
19. Rush Rhees Library, University of Rochester
20. Baker Hall, Harvard
21. Williston Library, Mount Holyoke College
22. Uris Library, Cornell
23. Monroe Library, Loyola University New Orleans
24. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale
25. Baker Memorial Library, Dartmouth

On that note, we present to you our new series of student-to-student advice, Cappex Real Talk. The subject today? Campus visits.

See what your peers are saying about them:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03GugIusy6I&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

Do you have any advice you’d like to share? Leave a comment!

This is not an easy decision. With all the factors that go into applying for college, the enormous amount of paperwork and figuring out how to pay for it, some of the original reasons for why you applied to certain colleges over a different set of 12 colleges have gone out the window.

So, we’re here to help you loop back to those original thoughts that made you apply to the specific colleges in the first place.

Here are 5 things not to forget about when deciding on a college:

1. Your goals and passions
By the time you’ve gotten into some colleges, you’ve probably heard everybody’s opinion about where you should go–which colleges are ranked higher, which has a better reputation, which college has the best campus. It’s nice to have some feedback from your family and friends to work with but maybe Uncle Carl’s passion for the U’s football team isn’t why you should go to his college of choice.  This is your college experience, so make sure you take into mind your goals and passions.

If you’re passionate about college football, maybe the school without a football team isn’t right for you.  If you’re goal is to graduate in two and half years, maybe that huge party school is too distracting.  Take into account your goals, your passions and which college or university meets those requirements.

2. The way you learn best
You’ve probably heard it way too many times to count, but everybody learns a little differently.  Some students only thrive when they’re in the front row of a 15 person class.  Others prefer to be incognito in the back corner of a 500 person lecture hall.  Whatever your learning habits are, try to see how they match up to the schools you’re accepted to.  A 40,000 student university will have a different academic culture than a 1,000 student liberal arts college. Where will you thrive?

3. The people you want to be around
There are different kinds of cultures at different colleges.  Some campuses have more diverse student bodies than others; some have super academically competitive-natured student bodies.  If you’re the type of student who is laid back about grades, surrounding yourself with overachievers might not be the perfect college fit for you.

The best way to understand a student body is to visit the school.  Take a road trip with your family and get to know the school a little better to help make your college decision easier.  You can start planning your easy campus visit trip here.

4. The distance from home
A lot of college-bound high school seniors get a certain bravado about how far away from home they’re comfortable being.  Maybe that Australian college recruiter who gave a cool speech about surfing and studying during 5th period was convincing enough to make them forget about the 9,000 miles distance from home.

Take some time to really consider what you’d be comfortable with.  If you’re a homebody, going to a school where you have to fly to get there will most likely restrict how often you’ll be able to go home.  If you never want to go home again, by all means, go to school in Australia.  Just make sure you understand costs of transportation between home and school and how it might affect the frequency at which you can go home.

5. Networking possibilities
Having a little foresight never hurt anybody…that we know of… For this reason, take a few mental jumps ahead to think about your life after college.  As a college graduate, what will you want to do?  Certain schools have strong alumni ties to the Peace Corps, others have connections with Wall Street.  The alumni pool of your college might just be able to help you kick-start your dream career after graduation.