Archive for the ‘College 101’ Category

Do Advanced Placement Courses Give You an Advantage in College?

Monday, February 5th, 2007

Does taking Advanced Placement courses in high school give you an advantage once you’re actually in college?  To answer that question, The College Board conducted two studies, which shows that students who took A.P. classes in high school fared much better than their peers who took regular high school courses. The study was actually conducted […]

Advice from Recent College Grads

Thursday, February 1st, 2007

USA Today recently did a nice six-week series called “Young & In Debt“, which profiled five recent graduates struggling with high levels of debt just as they are starting out in the world on their own. They were asked to spill the beans about their financial situations and struggles, and were matched up with financial […]

Congress Proposes Pell Grant Increase

Monday, January 29th, 2007

Right now, going through the U.S. House of Representatives is a measure that would most definitely help lower-income students: increasing maximum Pell Grants.  House Democrats are proposing a $260 increase for the Fall 2007 term, which if implemented would bring the total maximum Pell Grant up to $4,310. The Pell Grant, for those not aware, […]

Why Women Now Outnumber Men in College

Sunday, January 28th, 2007

In 2003, there were 1.35 females for every male who graduated from a four-year college, which is almost the complete opposite of the picture in 1960, when there were far more men graduating from college than women. In a recently study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, they’ve attempted to figure out exactly why […]

Cheating on Tests

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

Cheating on your papers is not the only thing that can land you in hot water.  Cheating on exams is highly prevalent amongst students, with some agencies reporting that up to 3/4 of all students cheat at one point or another.  With technology such an integral part of our lives, it’s no wonder that students […]

Plagiarism: Not Worth the Risk

Friday, January 26th, 2007

It’s the night before your big paper is due, and your friends want you to go out with them. Do you: a) Download a pre-written paper off the net. b) Pull an all-nighter and get it done. c) Ignore it, and beg your teacher for an extension. d) Call up your brother and ask for […]

Snag a Cool Internship

Sunday, January 21st, 2007

Instead of wasting away your summer vacations, why not make them work for you by getting an internship?  While an internship isn’t necessary to get a killer job after graduation, it can’t hurt your chances at all, in fact it’ll likely help them.  Even if you aren’t sure of what you want to do with […]

Cookbooks for College Students

Saturday, January 20th, 2007

Sick of meals from a pizza box?  Yearning for something different?  Then it’s time for you to pick up a college cookbook!  Yep, there are cookbooks out there made especially for dorm-dwelling college students like yourselves.  Many of them aren’t all that expensive (great for budget-restricted students), and they can offer you some great new […]

Congress Cuts Interest Rates on Some College Loans

Thursday, January 18th, 2007

On Wednesday, Congressional Democrats in the U.S. pushed through legislation which would cut the interest rate on federally subsidized loans to college students. The bill drew large bipartisan support, despite opposition by President Bush and the White House. The bill passed quite easily with a vote of 356 to 71. The bill will cut interest […]

Traditional Degree vs. Online Degree – What to choose?

Wednesday, January 17th, 2007

When the issue of online degrees comes up, the first question that I always hear is “Are online degrees treated the same way as regular degrees?” To answer that question is not always so easy as it often depends on a number of factors.  One thing I can say, however, is that they are becoming […]

College Loans are Scary

Tuesday, January 16th, 2007

Unless you’re amongst the lucky few who have been able to finance your college education without the help of student loans, you’ll likely be graduating college with a pretty substantial debt. It’s a sad fact most of the times these days.  To get ahead, you need to get a college degree.  But getting the college […]

College Gear at an Affordable Price

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

College bookstores tend to carry overpriced products.  From the ridiculously expensive textbooks, to the overpriced notebooks, to the expensive t-shirts and apparrel, if you bought it from the college bookstore, you likely got ripped off.  If at all possible, avoid buying anything at your college bookstore. Textbooks: Before you run off to buy them at […]

Fighting the Freshman 15

Friday, January 5th, 2007

Over the years, students have complained about gaining around fifteen pounds in their first year at college, hence the term “freshman 15.”  Now whether or not that fifteen pound figure is actually what most student gain remains to be seen.  Some students gain more than that, some gain much less, and others maintain their current […]

Big Bowl Round-Up & BCS National Championship

Thursday, January 4th, 2007

On Monday January 8th, 2007, we’ll see two Division I powerhouses take to the field in the BCS National Championship game. The Buckeyes and Troy Smith, this year’s Heismann trophy winner, go up against the Southeastern Conference Champion Florida Gators. The OSU Buckeyes come in at a little bit more than a 7 point favorite. […]

Sneaky and Little-Known Ways to Get Credit for Classes

Thursday, January 4th, 2007

As with anything, there are ways to get around the traditional constraints of academic college life. Instead of actually attending all of your classes for the entire four or five years of your college career, you can learn how to cut a few corners and save yourself some time. If you’re still a high school […]

What You Need to Know About Transferring Credits

Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007

If you are looking to transfer credits from one college to another, you will want to be prepared. Before you commit yourself to any particular school or program, you should really speak with an admissions counselor.  This way, you’ll be able to go over with him or her what classes of yours will transfer. When […]

All About Accelerated Degrees

Monday, January 1st, 2007

For adult students holding down jobs and trying to finish up their college degree, accelerated degree programs are an alluring opportunity that many take advantage of. If you are not an adult student or do not possess any special circumstances that would prevent you from going the traditional route, you too can still take advantage […]

Dish Dirt on Your Dorm

Sunday, December 31st, 2006

Was your dorm room completely unlike the college catalog description?  Did you live in luxury for your four-years at college?  Dish the dirt on your college dorm experience at Dorm Advisor.  At Dorm Advisor, students can register for the site, and share their insights into dormitories at colleges around the United States.  Dorms are given star […]

Great Websites for Students & Parents

Saturday, December 30th, 2006

Current students, as well as prospective college students and parents can all benefit from being well-informed about the financial aid process and opportunities, as well as being aware of resources available for further information about higher education.  There is a lot of valuable information online, and it can be difficult at times to sort the good […]

Free Pizza, Internships, & Scholarships From Google

Friday, December 29th, 2006

Did you know Google supplies free pizza and other Google branded gear to hardworking college students in computer science degree programs?  Students who wish to to become a Google Ambassador can sign up here on the Google site. Some of the benefits of becoming a Google ambassador include: Free pizza for study groups Free Google […]

Top 100 Education Blogs

Thursday, December 28th, 2006

Last week, Online Education Database (OEDb) released a list of the top 100 education blogs as choosen by their staff.  Blogs were choosen within the following categories: College, E-Learning, Education News, Education Policy, Internet Culture, Learning, Library & Research, Speciality, Teaching, and Technology. College V2 made the cut, getting choosen as one of the top […]

Applying to U.S. Graduate School Programs

Wednesday, December 27th, 2006

Remember the fun of filling out college applications, writing cheesy essays, and gathering good recommendations? If you thought that was over with when you got into your undergraduate college, it may not be – if you’re planning on going to graduate school, med school, or law school. If you are still a first or second […]

How to Handle Roommate Conflicts

Tuesday, December 26th, 2006

Think you’ve got the roommate from hell?  You might, or you might be in the same boat as the rest of us.  Most of us have (or had) roommates that just down-right annoy the heck out of us.  So how do you handle tricky roommate situations? One of the first things you should do, if […]

Places to Visit, Services to Use on Campus

Monday, December 25th, 2006

Despite what you might believe, college doesn’t just provide you with adequately torturous classes to attend, and those cramped dorms to live in.  There are other places on campus, as well as services that your school provides, that you should definitely take advantage of. More than likely, your college has a campus health center.  If […]

Working While in College

Sunday, December 24th, 2006

You need to find a job.  There’s simply no way around it.  You need to finance all or part of your education, or have enough money to feed and clothe yourself. You’ve already thought about the potential impacts on your educational career, and you know that you should not take a brutal course load or […]

Self-Study Classes Aren’t for Everyone

Saturday, December 23rd, 2006

If you hate going to class, or constantly find yourself cutting out, you might think that online, tv, or correspondence courses are perfect for you.  Afterall, you can do the coursework when it is convenient for you, not when the schedule dictates.  This is all fine and dandy, but before you leap into any kind […]

Online Research Resources for Students

Wednesday, December 20th, 2006

Nowadays, students don’t neccessarily have to trudge down to the library to conduct research for all those lovely papers that their professors expect them to write.  Instead, a good majority of their research can now be conducted online. So what kind of information can you find online that will help you in your research?  Where do […]

When your parents want you to do something else: How to deal with it

Monday, December 18th, 2006

We’ve heard stories about it many times before: a student who is passionate about music (for example) is being pushed into getting an accounting degree by his or her parents.  Or maybe they want him/her to be a doctor, when what he/she is really interested in is political science?  It’s easy for an outsider to […]

Winter Break: A Much Needed Escape

Thursday, December 14th, 2006

Classes should be ending for the semester (or quarter), and if you’re like many students who have gone away to college, you’ll likely be heading back home for the break.  Before you head back home and settle in, there are a few things to keep in mind: Your parents still see you as their baby, […]

Use Your Student Status to Your Advantage

Friday, December 8th, 2006

Most college students aren’t rolling in the dough, and pretty much everyone knows this. Even businesses. And what’s great about that is now they are starting to reward you for being a student by offering up discounts for college ID holders. While you’re busy racking up your student loan debts, you can save a little […]

Excuses You’re Not Going to Get Any Sympathy For

Wednesday, December 6th, 2006

In college, your instructors don’t bug you to do your homework, and your parents aren’t there to make sure you get your homework done before you watch tv? Here, you are all alone and on your own? Failure or success, it’s all on you. That being said, I’d like to discuss excuses that lots of […]

Dorm Room Cuisine

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006

The semester is winding down, with finals looming (or already taking place) at most colleges and universities, and soon students will presumably be heading back home for winter break and lots of nice, home-cooked meals. But for the time that you’re still stuck in the dorms, why not make the most of your two most […]

College Scholarships 101

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006

If you are like most students, you don’t have an extra $20k lying around each year, and you’ll need some help in financing your college education. Your best chance of securing a scholarship (or two, or a few) is before your freshman year of college. There are fewer available scholarships for students who are already […]

College 101: If you are going to be a smut, be a smut off camera

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006

As mentioned in some former posts (links below) college students live increasingly digital lives, taking pictures of their nights out and posting them on Facebook or Flickr. Well, the secret is out and employers are beginging to Google their applicants.  Be sure to keep those photos off the Internet and pinned to your wall. LINKS: […]

College 101: guest entry from Ramit of ‘I Will Teach You to be Rich’

Wednesday, June 14th, 2006

Ramit of “I Will Teach You to be Rich” recommended an article from his site to be in our College 101 series. Ramit blogs about being an entrepreneur while teaching his readers about financial savvy. His post “On Greed and Speed” decribes the right attitude a young person should take when desiring money. When I […]

College 101: Commuting

Monday, June 12th, 2006

I’ve seen it happen to the best of us. We get all excited about going to college and living on campus. A party down the street from your dorm every night? Awesome! … Until you get the bill. Then, you college socialite, you are forced to save cash by living at home (or a nearby […]

College 101: two tips to prevent being a “Super Senior”

Friday, June 9th, 2006

The fifth year college student, or “Super Senior” is becoming more and more common these days. I’m pretty sure that, while the reasons vary, most fifth year seniors are where they are because of mistakes they made as Freshman. Whether its not taking enough classes, failing, or not being aware of all of your requirements, […]