October 2008
17 posts
Armed By Facts and Peers, UVA Curbs Drinking
NPR has a great article out about University of Virginia and their efforts to curb under-aged drinking and alcohol abuse. UVA is using two methods that seem so obvious, it is hard to believe that more colleges don’t implement these policies.
First, UVA does a great job of understanding their students. They do this by polling their students to better grasp the true drinking habits of their...
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Communism, Atheism, Free Love - Reed College Visit
A few months ago, I went on a visit to Reed College in Portland, OR. Since this visit was to see a childhood friend for a few days at Reed and not so much to visit the school, I caught a different glimpse than your typical prospie on an overnighter. One of the first things that I realized was that the campus was georgous. The campus was fairly close together and littered with old buildings that...
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Drug use at Reed College →
interesting article about drug use at Reed college - “Reed College is exceptional for more than academics. It’s one of America’s most permissive colleges for experimenting with drugs.”
College Board Will Offer a New Test Next Fall -... →
This is a dumb idea. The college board claims that this test is “diagnostic” in nature, but it will inevitably become an excuse for overinvolved parents to strees about their kids. Plus we already have ways to figure out a student’s progress—they’re called teachers.
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taking popular majors to the bank
If you decide to base your major on pay, which we already cautioned you against, take a gander at this article from our buddies at CNN that details some of the most popular majors and how much bread they win. Oh, and keep in mind that a lot of those buisness majors are now making zero dollars.
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“For every college that raises its SAT or ACT profile for rankings purposes,...”
– David Hawkins (Director of Public Policy and Research for the National Association for College Admission Counseling)
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Want money for taking the SAT?
I always wondered if college made me smarter. I know that summer right before college sure didn’t, but Baylor thinks otherwise. Does the SAT even measure how smart you are? Baylor University is paying students to retake the SAT. Great! You didn’t get into Baylor (probably for the best) so here’s your second chance and you get a prize at the same time! Sike. This offer only applies to...
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Thinking About Finance? Keep Your Options Open
The New York Times wrote an interesting article this weekend about finance students at top at “top universities”. If you are interested in mathematics or finance, you may be rethinking your possible major in college. While I think it is good to keep your options open and get a well-rounded education, if you like finance, stick with it.
The key words here are “like” and...
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social status
Academics are great. You go to college to get an education, but part of the education is learning how to interact with peers beyond textbooks and study groups. Here are three things to consider when choosing a college when it comes to social life:
Greek life - the presence of fraternaties and sororities on campus can have a big impact on how weekends are played out on a campus.
School spirit...
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Effort and College Admissions
The most successful people in gaining admission to the college of their choice do it because of effort.
We all hear about the football star who got into Yale because he runs a 4.4 40 yard dash and his dad donated a building. We hear about the slacker who had C’s in high school, but nailed the SAT and got into Princeton. We hear these stories of luck and lottery and it makes up mad,...
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“If you’re funny, be funny. If you’re not, don’t even try.”
– Amherst Admissions Officer talking about writing essays
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Totally Scary Class of the Day
I love literature classes that focus on one topic, like monsters:
Sarah Lawrence College: Ghosts, Monsters, and the Supernatural in Japanese Fiction
Sayuri I. Oyama
Semester: Spring
Literature
In this course, we will read translations of Japanese stories ranging from the ninth century to the present that feature ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural elements. We will explore various ways of...
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Do the Numbers Before You Accept →
When prospective students are looking for that perfect school, most wont consider the true cost of college. Remember, the purpose of college is to help you get an education, so that you can more easily pursue a path in life that you find meaningful. If you are drowning in debt, this can be a lot harder than you think.