Posts Tagged ‘collegebound’
The Top 10 Most Pet Friendly Colleges
Thinking about bringing some furry friends with you to college?
Or were you thinking you had to leave the only true friend you’ve ever had with your parents?
Turns out, you can bring Sparky with you and still wake up in the morning with the morning paper delivered at your slippers–do college kids read newspapers?
Certain schools have dorms and programs with great pet amenities. Here are the top 10 pet friendly colleges from US News and World Report:
1. MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has 4, count ‘em, 4 cat-friendly residence halls.
2. Stephens College
Stephens College is like the college student’s pet mecca. Searcy Hall allows students to keep all kinds of pets there and even offers a pet day care.
3. Washington and Jefferson College
This is exactly what Washington and Jefferson would’ve wanted, a dorm that permits cats, dogs that weigh less than 40 pounds, small birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, turtles, and fish. That’s the American dream.
4. University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame allows students to house non-carnivorous, freshwater fish in aquariums, as long as the tank does not exceed 30 gallons. Your roommate will be glad he’s not sharing a room with a fish that might eat him.
5. Sweet Briar College
Seabiscuit can come with you to Sweet Briar College, as long as you’re in their special equestrian program. But that’d kinda be like bringing your space shuttle to college if you’re not studying to be an astronaut. Doesn’t make sense! Right?
6. Stetson University
There’s an entire dorm at Stetson that allows animals including, hamsters, small dogs and cats. There is even a dog park for dogs to find friends. You’ll be socializing at college, your dog should, too!
7. Principia College
If you can fit it in an enclosed space-cage or tank-you can bring it along with you to Principia.
8. Lehigh University
Fish tanks are allowed at Lehigh. That’s that.
9. Eckerd College
Dogs are a huge part of Eckerd culture. At one of their commencement ceremonies, a girl walked across the stage with her dog. Or maybe, the dog got a degree, too.
10. Case Western Reserve University
Case Western University approves of small, caged animals, such as bunnies or hamsters. Students in Greek life can even apply for a house “mascot,” such as a cat or dog, to live in fraternity and sorority homes.
What are the pet rules like at your college? Is having a pet friendly dorm important to you? Comment and share!
The Most Popular College Commencement Speeches on the Internet
It’s graduation season! That means that the proportion of inspirational words of wisdom to hours of the day is increased ten fold compared to any other season of the year.
Just because you’re not graduating or attending a graduation ceremony does not mean you have to miss out on some of the favorite speeches given in the last couple of years.
Here’s a list from the Huffington Post of some of the most watched commencement speeches:
1. Binghamton University
Undergraduate Anthony Corvino sheds light on the “average” individuals out there, who aren’t often in the limelight. His humorous speech has garnered almost 200k views!
2. University of Tennessee
Country crooner Dolly Parton surprises the graduating class in 2009 with her great speaking skills.
3. Carnegie Mellon
Bill Cosby was Carnegie Mellon’s 2007 keynote speaker. According the Huffington Post, the experience led Mr. Cosby to give Carnegie Mellon its first live mascot, a Scottish terrier named Scotty who arrived in Pittsburgh in May 2008.
4. Tulane University
New Orleans native, and hilarious comedian, Ellen Degeneres was the keynote speaker at Tulane University’s 2009 Commencement. This was the graduation of the “Katrina Class” that entered in Fall 2005.
5. Barnard College
Who wouldn’t want the million-times Oscar nominated Meryl Streep to deliver their commencement ceremony’s keynote address? I wonder if she did it in character…
6. University of Michigan
President Barack Obama spoke to a packed Big House at the 2010 Michigan commencement ceremony.
7. Vassar College
Funny lady Lisa Kudrow, a Vassar graduate herself, channeled her ’85 self to give the graduates the best advice she could.
8. Stanford University
The lady of the hour, (if you happen to read this in a few days, months, years from now, this was written the day the last episode of her show aired) Oprah, gave an, as always, inspirational speech to the Standford grads of 2008. They also all discovered keys to their new cars under their seats! Just kidding.
9. Carnegie Mellon
Randy Pausch, the incredibly moving and influential co-author of “The Last Lecture” surprised Carnegie Mellon graduates in 2008 with this speech. It has 1.3 million views.
10. Stanford University
Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks at the university’s 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.
Who would you want to speak at your graduation ceremony? Comment and let us know!
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4 Ways to Answer the Question Most High Schoolers Dread: “Where are you going to college?”
As rising seniors, there will be certain things you’ll get excited for over the summer, like getting to hang out in the senior courtyard, take the classes you’ve been waiting to take or any other perks that only seniors get.
The one thing you might not be prepared for is the question that most students wind up dreading:
“So, [insert name], where ya heading off to college next year?”
Why does this question get annoying? Well, for one, you might not know the answer. And for another, any question that is repeatedly asked by anyone and everyone you happen to come in contact with will make you feel like you accidentally stepped into a never-ending inquisition.
So here are 4 ways to repeatedly answer the most dreaded college question:
1. RUN
As soon as you notice the words forming in your podiatrist’s lips, hop off the chair, and run out the door–you can send a pigeon for your shoes later.
If you are not a good runner, or you haven’t trained your pigeon to carry heavy objects quite yet, the next 3 options might be for you.
2. I’m Still Searching
You might have zero clue where you’re going. In fact, depending on the time of year someone asks you the question-that-shall-not-be-named, you might only be in the beginning of your college search. If this is the case, be honest. Let the inquisitor know you’re really not sure. You can tell them about the schools you might apply to, or which schools Cappex has introduced you to. Keep your answer short and sweet.
3. Magic
Don’t underestimate your magician-like skills as a conversationalist. Utilizing the magician’s method, you can make it seem like the question never existed by artfully changing the subject. This takes skill, but, hey, David Copperfield didn’t just make the Statue of Liberty disappear one random morning–he honed his craft (and had a big crew).
4. Bore your listener
If you really want to teach the person who asked the dreaded question a lesson, give them all the gory details. They’ll realize how much is behind the question–the hours you spent studying for the ACT/SAT, the conversations where you asked your favorite teacher to write you a recommendation, more hours you spent studying for the SAT II’s, asking a teacher you didn’t like that much for a recommendation, figuring out what to write your college essays about, joining the 10 different clubs that all raise money to help children–the list goes on!
The more you elaborate, the less likely that person is to ever assault another high schooler with the question:
“So, where you going to college?”
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4 Ways to Graduate College in 4 Years or Less
Have you met Slow Joe? He’s that friendly guy on campus who says “hi” to everybody and who you see at every party but never at the library. Oh, and according to legend, he’s been in school since ’96.
College is great. But the debt you’ll accumulate paying for all those years of fun without getting your degree is not worth it–unless you’re an heir or heiress to a billion dollar oil company.
Graduating in 4 years or less is most definitely possible, and here some tips to make sure you can do it:
1. Decide on a major
A lot of schools, guidance counselors and older friends will tell you that you should take your sweet time choosing a major. The truth is, while it might take some time to realize what it is you really want to study, the earlier you figure it out, the sooner you can you complete the courses you’ll need to graduate. The later you decide on the major, the less time you have to complete those courses by graduation.
Check out our article about why you should declare a major now.
2. Wean off of the party scene
Chances are, the more you party, the less time you’ll be studying. It’s a simple law of science–I’m pretty sure Einstein discovered that relationship. The party scene at school can be fun, especially since it’s your first real taste of independence. But once you’ve had your taste, get back to the books. Partying can take a huge toll on the work you’re able to complete and classes you’ll be able to pass.
3. Sit down with an advisor
Once you decide your major, make an appointment with an advisor to help you plan out each of your semesters. A college advisor will help you make sure all of your requirements will be covered by the time you want to graduate. Stick to the plan, you’ll be sure to graduate on time or earlier.
4. Study abroad wisely
Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the world. If this is something you want to do, make sure 100% that all of the abroad program credits transfer to your school. One of the ways to makes sure of this is to go with a program that your school recommends or is partnered with. Again, meeting with an advisor can help you find the right program that will work towards your major.
Do you have any other words of wisdom for graduating in 4 years or less? Comment and share!
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How Much Sleep Should a College Student Get?
How many hours do college students need?
Raise your hand if you think 8 hours.
Raise your hand if you think 7 hours.
Raise your hand if you think 6 hours.
Using our advanced hand-raising-censor-technology, we calculated that most of you think we need between 6 and 8 hours.
The truth of it is, however, that it varies with the individual. And since you know yourself better than anybody else, it’s a fairly simple thing to gage. Can you function on less than 8 hours? No? Then you need 8 hours of sleep. Do you feel mighty fine and dandy after only 4 hours of sleep? Well, then you’re a superhuman.
As long as you can reach those deep phases of REM and NREM sleep, you’re good. According to CampusGrotto, researchers have shown evidence that brain waves during the latter part of the sleep period promote the capacity to store fact-based memories. This could mean we not only need sleep to remember what we’ve learned, but we need it to learn in the first place.
So, what about those other factors?
Naps
Who doesn’t love naps? And guess what? They’re actually pretty good for you to help recharge and improve overall alertness, mood and productivity. So if you’re tired and you have a lot more to finish studying for your final exam, take a 20 minute nap if you have time to recharge.
Oversleeping
For the lucky few who have this problem, oversleeping can actually make you more sleepy throughout the entire day. If you tend to fall asleep at 11pm and walk up at noon, an alarm clock might be your best friend.
Environment
A frat house isn’t the best place to get some quality, Zzzz’s. Even just white noise throughout the night can keep you from REM sleep. In cases like this, try ear buds!
Nighttime Computer Use
Surfing the web before going to bed is not the best idea. Research has shown that bright screens before bed make it more difficult to fall asleep. Plus, we all know we’re our own worst enemy when it comes to going online for what you plan is 5 minutes and staying on for 2 hours.
How much sleep to do you get? Comment and share!
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5 Unsentimental Things to Do Before Leaving for College
At some point before you graduate high school, you will inevitably run into–whether on Facebook Chat or at the farmer’s market–an older friend who’s home from college. That person will congratulate you on graduating, get you excited for college, and then proceed to give you a list of things you just have to do before heading off to college.
That list might include making a scrapbook of you and your BFF’s, ditching a class for “Senior Ditch Day” or scribing your initials into a bathroom stall to leave your “legacy”–whatever you need to do to feel emotionally prepared to leave your home and friends for a new place.
But there are also some things you’ll need to do logistically before you head off to college:
1. Clean your room
Not only will your parents appreciate the effort, but after 18 years of stuffing teddy bears and gifts from your grandma under your bed, you might find something you could actually use in your college dorm room–maybe it’s a poster, a blanket or a pair of slippers. Whatever you wind up discovering in the ether of your walk-in closet or bottomless drawer, sorting through your inventory can keep you from buying things you already have and save you some money.
2. Cook a meal in the microwave
A time will come in your college life when you will discover that for any number of reasons–strange hours, cold weather, etc–the trek to the cafeteria or a local restaurant is not worth your time. In that case, to stave off your hunger, you’ll have to compose something in your dorm room with nothing but a microwave. There are plenty of microwavable meals out there, but you can get creative too. Teach yourself some microwave lessons before you head off. Here’s one for a pizza bagel, and here’s one for Rice Krispy treats.
3. Save/transfer files on you computer
Many students use different computers when they head off to college. Sometimes they get brand new ones, other times they use their school’s state-of-the-art computer labs. Either way, you might have some files–like pictures, papers, music, etc.–you want to keep with you in college. Make sure to either transfer those files to your new computer, a hard drive, flash drive or even email certain things you might want–like that picture of your dog in a Halloween costume.
4. Get a check-up
College means freedom! It also means your mom’s not going to be there to bring you chicken noodle soup the minute your temperature climbs to 99 degrees. So, just to play it safe, get a check-up before you head off to school. Make sure you’re healthy and/or that you have the prescriptions you’ll need for college. You’d be surprised how many college-bound high school seniors don’t even know how to unscrew the lid to get a Flinstones vitamin, so make sure you’re healthy and ready to take care of yourself in the fall.
5. Practice living on a budget
The most popular game in college is going as close to $0 in your bank account without overdrawing. All the kids are playing it! If this game doesn’t sound that fun to you, draw out of budget plan for yourself before you head off to college. Practice using it and sticking to course. The more rehearsal you have with the budget, the less you’ll feel like a fish out of water when you actually implement it your first semester.
Do you have any other tips? Comment and share your thoughts!
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10 Classic College Campus Novels
Some of the best stories happen during the college years. Most great college stories you hear probably involve a guy claiming his frat house was the inspiration for Animal House, not about a murder mystery some co-eds were able to solve between organic chem and animal phys.
The Huffington Post just posted 10 classic novels that take place on college campus. Here they are:
1. The Secret History by Donna Tart
This murder mystery classic takes place at Hampden College in Vermont, as should all murder mysteries novels.
2. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
This British novel takes place at, of course, Oxford University, because that’s where I’m assuming all people go to college in England.
3. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
This southern gothic novel’s protagonist attends Harvard University–not so southern, but totally Gothic.
4. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Set in the 1950s, this English novel take place at a college inspired by the University of Leicester because too many stories were happening at Oxford.
5. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
An attractive young Princeton student dabbles with the usual love, greed and good ole’ status seeking.
6. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
Surprisingly, this classic is not an actual portrait, but a metaphorical one. Also, I’m not quite sure what college the young man, Stephen Dedalus, goes to, but I’m sure he gets a great education.
7. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
This Victorian novel takes place at the fictional “Christminster,” which, of course, is modeled after Oxford.
8. Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm
This English satire involves a beautiful female magician. And if you were to guess that it takes place at Oxford, you’d be correct.
9. Stoner by John Williams
An English professor teaches at Oxfo–wait no! He teaches at a drab Midwestern University. What could be worse than a British protagonist not being at Oxford?!
10. Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers
Please don’t think poorly of this English murder mystery not taking place in Vermont, or at Oxford. In fact, it takes place at the fictional Shrewsbury College where shrews berries grow plentiful. It’s loosely based off of Sayers’ own Somerville College.
What college campus do you think would make a great setting for a novel? Comment and share!
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4 Ways College and High School Students Can Avoid Procrastinating During Finals
Finals week on campus means students start doing really strange things–sleeping in library cubicles, drinking copious amounts of terrible tasting energy drinks, and procrastinating with things they would’ve never thought twice about before final season hit, like say, generously offering up 3 hours of your time to organize a friend of a friend’s Star Wars action figure collection.
Look, it happens to the best of us. And we know from experience that procrastination is your worst enemy when it comes to finals. So here are some tips to help keep you from procrastinating so you can stay on top of your studying:
1. Make a list and create a schedule
Finals is the most annoying time of the school year because everybody and their mom is citing off all the insane workloads they have to do in a rapidly approaching deadline. It’s like a campus-wide game of one-upping:
“I’ve got three 7-pagers and 14 short stories I have to write in the next hour.”
“Oh that’s funny, because I have to somehow get in an interview with the leader of the free world, edit the footage, and produce the greatest social commentary of our generation in the next 5 minutes.”
Instead of just blabbing your list of to-do’s off to anybody who’ll listen, actually write it down. Taking the time to write out your list will help you visualize the amount of work you have. Estimating how much time each task will take will help you distribute your time more effectively.
2. Start with the thing you fear the most
We know you’re not looking forward to the 25 page research paper on how disease is portrayed in 20th century opera–or maybe you are–either way, whatever the assignment is that you have the most anxiety about, that’s the one you should get done first. It’s kinda like a nightmare–you get it over with by the time you wake up, and then you’re off to conquer the day! If you avoid the work you fear the most until the end, chances are you won’t have the time or the energy to fully complete it….let alone get the grade you were hoping for.
3. Get off Facebook
Do it. Deactivate your account. We all know the real culprit behind this nationwide college procrastination! Why would you want to spend 4 hours studying biochem when you could spend 2 of those hours learning about your ex-boyfriend’s camping trip and the other 2 about his new girlfriend. We love our social networking addiction as much as the next guy, but it’s definitely a roadblock when it comes to studying. Plus, you can always reactivate your account as soon as the last final is over.
4. Treat yourself
At the end of the day, we’re all just a bunch of Pavlov’s dogs who can be conditioned to do just about anything as long as there’s a yummy treat waiting at the end. Motivate yourself with something you know you’ll forward to, like ice cream, 30 minutes of your favorite television show, or a nail polish change. Little pick-me-ups through your long study days will give you the breaks you need and keep you from procrastinating.
Do you have any other tips? Comment and share!
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10 Most Economically Diverse Colleges
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on whether colleges and universities are living up to their economically diverse stance for their student body.During the past decade, the country’s wealthiest and most elite colleges have faced heightened pressure to serve more low-income students. So are they doing it?
The Chronicle looked at which schools the students receiving Pell Grants–federal aid for students who generally come from families with annual incomes of less than $40,000–are attending, and the news is that Pell Grant students are still significantly less represented at the wealthiest colleges than they are at public and nonprofit four-year colleges nationwide
Here are the 10 most economically diverse colleges and the percentage of Pell Grant recipients attending each one according to the Chronicle:
1. University of California Los Angeles – 30.7%
2. Smith College – 23.6%
3. The University of Texas at Austin – 21.4%
4. Michigan State University – 18.8%
5. Ohio State University – 17.8%
6. University of Washington – 17.4%
7. Case Western Reserve University – 17.3%
8. Texas A&M University – 16.2%
9. Amherst College – 15.9%
10. University of Southern California – 15.6%
Need help paying for college? Find tons of scholarships here!
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Can Facebook Affect Your Grades?
How many hours a day would you say you spend on Facebook? If you actually logged your hours Facebook-ing, you might be frightened to realize the amount of time you spend on the social networking site. But it’s not just Facebook. There’s Twitter, Reddit, Foursquare, that kid in your history class’s obscure blog about stingrays. You’ve got places to be, people to see! At least, online you do.
So what’s the effect that social media has on students?
According to OnlineEducation.net, there are some negative effects of students who pair studying with Facebook. In fact, students who do this specific type of multitasking earned 20% lower grades than their peers who were able to focus on their homework without the distraction.
If being online so frequently can affect grades, who knows what effect it may have on other things, like your relationships, your health and getting down to business on that college search or job search!
Do you think Facebook or other social media are affecting your study habits or grades? Comment and share your thoughts!
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