quadblogs

Airwaves - how colleges are responding to the economy

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:48:54 -0500

The president of Vassar College, Cappy Hill, will be interviewed live, Thursday morning at 11:05 a.m. (Eastern) on WNYC public radio’s Brian Lehrer Show (93.9 FM and 820 AM). She will be talking about how colleges are responding to the economic decline, including schools’ commitments to financial aid and their budget strategies. WNYC also streams their programs live on the Internet at http://www.wnyc.org.

Do-Gooders Learning to Run Non-Profits

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:45:08 -0500

The NY Times had a good article recently about the increase in college courses teaching students how to lead non-profits. It is always nice to see colleges respond to their student bodies. The Youngs want to help people either through non-profits or socially conscious for-profit businesses. When looking at colleges, ask the admissions officers, students, and professors what the college is doing to provide new courses for the changing attitudes in their students— it will tell you a lot about the school.

This is a must watch video. If you are someone looking to apply...

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:25:35 -0500

This is a must watch video. If you are someone looking to apply to college, or someone who is already in college, you should think about the issues in this video. Ok, ok, it’s a little corny, but seriously, think about it.

Don’t Become a Victim of College Search Site Spam

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:53:00 -0500

If you are planning to attend college, you may have already noticed that your mailbox, inbox and voicemail are quickly filling up with college, credit card and student loan offers. If this hasn’t hit you yet, it will eventually, and you’ll probably ask yourself: How did all of these companies get my name? Unfortunately, companies can find you through many avenues —marketing lists, social networks such as facebook and mySpace and even through the companies that administer the SAT and ACT. It may be late for you to protect yourself from some of these companies, but there is one major avenue you may still be able to block off – College Search Sites.

If you haven’t decided which colleges and universities to apply to, you may consider searching the internet to find your dream school. There are several college search sites that allow users to conduct their own search or complete a college matching process to find prospective schools. These sites can be extremely helpful and are certainly better than sifting through those giant college directories in your school library. However, there are a few things you need to before you dive in to the World Wide Web:

1) What is your contact information worth?
This year, colleges and universities will spend an estimated 1.8 billion dollars to search for students online and are currently paying 15-100 dollars per name to purchase the contact information of a prospective student. Because of this, there are now thousands of companies trying to collect and sell your contact information. The bottom line is….WATCH YOUR BACK.

2) When is it alright to give your contact information?
Although you need to be careful, there are certainly times when you should give your contact information. For instance, some college search sites only sell your contact information to schools you objectively match with and others allow you to opt out to prevent colleges from contacting you. In these situations, it is probably fine to give your contact information and in fact, it might be beneficial to you. However, it is always wise to read the privacy policy before you sign your life away.

3) Which sites should you stay away from?
As a general rule, you should be skeptical of any sites that ask for your contact information upfront. Although there may be some helpful sites that do this, I don’t actually know of any. If you find one, just make sure to do your homework before you jump in. Additionally, any sites that are full of advertisements from colleges and universities are often not worth your time. Most of these sites will just ask you a few questions and give you a list of recommended schools that have little to do with your needs. These sites only recommend colleges that have paid for a listing.

4) What sites are worth my time?
My three favorite sites are myUsearch (admittedly I am the co-founder, but I honestly think it is one of the best sites out there), Petersons and Collegeboard. Our site, myUsearch, matches students honestly and accurately by providing the names of matching colleges regardless of the schools’ willingness to pay for a listing and it gives students the opportunity to opt out to prevent any school from contacting them. Both Petersons and Collegeboard have extensive data on thousands of schools and for the most part, they offer an honest match. There are a few other decent sites, but these are by far my favorite. If you can’t find what you are looking for, your high school counselor may be able to help you as well.

If you would like more information, you can check out my post about choosing a college website, but just to recap, I recommend following these tips:

Avoid sites that ask for your contact information upfront
Read the disclaimer to see who they will be selling your contact info to
Ask your high school counselor for a site recommendation
Visit a few sites to see if you get the same answers
Try sites that offer reputable services other than search engines such as publishing, test prep, etc.
Try my recommendations: Petersons and Collegeboard are much more unbiased than most, and myUsearch has a completely unbiased process.

Contributing author Elizabeth Kudner is the co-founder of myUsearch, an unbiased online service that matches students to colleges and universities.

Biology of Women

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:36:03 -0500

Colby wants to get down to details in this intro course. While most colleges are talking about biomes, Colby tackles the complex innerworkings of the female. An intersting way to learn about anatomy, development, the endocrine system, and the way science is used and abused.

[115] Biology of Women An introduction to the biology of the female throughout her life span. Topics include reproductive anatomy, the menstrual cycle and related hormones, aspects of sexual function, contraception, pregnancy and infertility, childbirth, lactation, menopause, and other gynecological considerations. Myths surrounding women’s biology will also be discussed.

More Colby biology courses

Are you an athlete and want to get recruited? CNN is featuring...

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:21:00 -0500

Are you an athlete and want to get recruited? CNN is featuring an interview with http://www.berecruited.com/ a website that connects high school athletes with college recruiters - specifically those athletes from smaller programs that might not get noticed otherwise.

Conservatives at Brown take to the interwebs

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:03:18 -0500

Being that day of days that cumulates many months of non-communication between college students and their grandparents, I figure why not feature something political. I stumbled upon a blog run by a ‘09er at Brown University. The blog, BrownIvy, launched September 16th and has only been around for a short while. It features a heavily conservative voice in what is otherwise the more liberal sea of students at Brown. It’ll be ineresting to see how the blog fares following the results of today’s elections once the fervor of the whole process dies down and students go back to caring about things like biology and beirut.

Awesome Art Class

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:34:00 -0500

Here is a guideline for finding a cool class: If a class seems like it is out of place being taught in a certain department, take the class. It’ll be interesting.

240b. Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics
Classical and modern theories of the nature of art, the experience of art, the creative process, and critical argument. Ms. Borradori

50 Most Expensive Colleges

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:33:36 -0500

Business Week has put together a great slideshow of the 50 most expensive colleges based on a College Board report released last week.

The average cost of tuition and fees at private colleges is up to $25k, a nearly 6% increase from last year, and $33k when you tack on room and board. Pretty cheap, if you ask me since some of us were lucky enough to be in the top 10 of that list for all four years. I pretty sure I still owe someone a first-born.

Check out the slide show.

It Is Really Hard To Change The Mind Of Anyone Over 15

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:14:00 -0500

It Is Really Hard To Change The Mind Of Anyone Over 15:

Recent studies show that liberal professors, or their right wing counterparts, for that matter, have no affect on their students’ political leanings. Big surprise. Isn’t it more likely that young adults start to question and refine their own political views once they are out from under their parents’ watchful eyes?

Armed By Facts and Peers, UVA Curbs Drinking

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:02:10 -0400

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 students, but they don’t stop there. They actually effectively communicate those habits to their students. This is important because more often than not, the statistics tear down the stereotypes. Less people drink heavily in college than you think. And when you understand this fact, you don’t need to feel like you are a social outcast if you don’t drink your face off.

Secondly, UVA uses peer counseling to help people understand the risks of drinking and deal with drinking issues. Many people in college have issues with alcohol and it is important to deal with those problems. But help won’t come from “security” or “the administration”. It is going to come from your friends, and it is nice to see a college levereging the power the community.

Communism, Atheism, Free Love - Reed College Visit

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:48:24 -0400

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 hinted at rich stories long since forgotten. The entire campus was covered in a lush wealth of green and had a river running right through it. Despite being cloudy and kinda rainy while I was there (in february) it was pretty warm and sure beat being in Boston. Of note: no one uses umbrellas. Seriously. In recent years (and maybe long before), Reed has begun to convert and ulitize old houses on the property and in the surrounding area for campus use. It creates a very diverse atmosphere when it comes to campus buildings and dorms.

Indoors, the school was covered in graffiti but only (mainly) in approved places. Basically, Reed condones and encourages the use of graffiti to allow student to express themselves in spaces throughout the campus. Some rooms are covered from the floor to ceiling (sometimes including both) in writing, ~~caveman paintings,~~ drawings, and murals. Basically, the only rule is don’t put up anything that would cause any members of the community unnecessary harm or discomfort - a theme that Reed takes very seriously. At first a glance, the random writings seem like any other expressions empty of thought, but upon closer inspection, many of the words and phrases sprawled along the walls and other surfaces throughout the campus contain signs of deep thinking and intelligence not normally found on the wall of the men’s room.

While walking around with my friend, all of the people I met at Reed were warm and friendly - Reedies as they’re called. The first thing I noticed was none of the reedies dressed.. normally. Hipsters you might call them, though that label may be too constricting. Despite the electic fashion sense that hinted at being under/over medicated, I could tell that I was in the presence of thoughtful minds as each person I met spoke with an easy intelligence and broad understanding that is on the rare side at places like West Conn.

Since my friend had just finished her thesis, as is required of everyone from sociology majors to chemistry majors to graduate, she took me to the thesis tower to check out all the thesis of the students and show me hers. To get to the tower, we had to go through the main library (see photo below), where apparently talking is banned. Seriously.

While the library seemed like a good library it wasn’t nearly as impressive as some I’ve seen, but it did happen to have a great art exhibit right inside the doors that captivated my attention for sometime and I don’t even like student art. But, once in the thesis tower, it was obvious as to the caliber of the students that graduate from Reed based on the variety of works and examples of original thought (Andrew will probably argue with me on the idea of original thought, whatevs)

During my stay, I did get a chance to go off campus a bit and was shown the beautiful rhododendron garden just beyond the Reed campus. It was a sanctuary that rivaled nearly any I’ve seen at any school. Also of note was Otto’s Sausage Kitchen, a great reason not to be a vegetarian (which is a silly idea in the first place, seriously). I also got a chance to catch a bit of the Reed rugby team game. Confused as to which side was playing, I thought surely it was the second side, but found out that it was in fact the first string players on the pitch. Hey, they looked like they were trying and I bet they’d still beat Bard.

Even the president of Reed says that one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Reed are drugs. (See the article I mentioned in a previous post). Well, from my brief experience, it seemed pretty true (though I missed out on Renn Fayre, so I really have no idea). The drug policy at Reed was definately “relaxed”. The student union had a slightly dank aroma and I was told that so long as you don’t blow smoke in their faces, most security guards just walk on by. This policy apparently extends to alcohol too. At one point during the visit, my friend and I were sipping on some forties in the student union looking over the room from some couches on a balcony of sorts when a security guard walked up the stairs. Having gone to a college that had a ‘wet’ campus, I was pretty sure the guard would just ask us for ID or to put the 40’s away. Instead, the guard just asked us how what we were doing for the rest of the night and told us that we “should really get some orange juice and turn those things into brass monkies”. Later that night, we saw the guard casually sipping on her own beverage in the pool hall. Well done, Reed.

Im done for now, but if I write anything else down, I throw up another post. My suggestion: if you decide to visit Reed on your own, give it a few days and immerse yourself in the student culture. Its a place you need to visit before you decide. Overall, I was impressed.

Drug use at Reed College

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:00:24 -0400

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 - NYTimes.com

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:43:56 -0400

College Board Will Offer a New Test Next Fall - NYTimes.com:

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.

taking popular majors to the bank

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:14:00 -0400

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.

Trailer for Big Reed Movie, a documentary about Reed College...

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:50:00 -0400

Trailer for Big Reed Movie, a documentary about Reed College (that so far does not exist on the interwebs). While some parts look a bit extreme, a lot of schools have similar traditions and events, though probably not to the same degree.

"For every college that raises its SAT or ACT profile for rankings purposes, there are hundreds, if..."

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:06:00 -0400

“For every college that raises its SAT or ACT profile for rankings purposes, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of qualified students who will never apply because artificially inflated test scores signal yet another barrier to higher education.”

- David Hawkins (Director of Public Policy and Research for the National Association for College Admission Counseling)

Want money for taking the SAT?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:29:36 -0400

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 admitted students. Students already admitted to Baylor get 300 dollars in bookstore credit just for retaking the SAT. If you improve by 50 points, you get $1000 a year via a merit award. That’s pretty nice of Baylor seeing as their median accepted SAT score range is 1140 to 1320 which is still towards the apex of the SAT score curve. Utilizing my commanding knowledge of statistics from a semester of ~~kindergarten~~ psychology statistics, that means that its easier to get those points in the 1140 – 1320 range than say the more competitive range of Williams College (1320 - 1520). Still, why would a school basically give away monies? To boost their rankings. Better rankings equals happier alums which means more monies for the school. Wouldn’t a better measure, one more true and useful, involve having students take the test after their first year at the school? Or hey, if you’re really worried about more students getting merit scholarships, why not include artistic ability, critical thinking, original thought not just an ability to get better with your calculator? My vote - you just bumped your score by 50 points or more? Go to a better school.

Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/education/15baylor.html

Library Organization When you are on a campus tour, look at how...

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:31:00 -0400

Library Organization

When you are on a campus tour, look at how the library is organized, it will tell you a lot about how students use the library. I know it sounds funny, but there are many ways to use a library (and no, I don’t mean that). Take a look at the Amherst College library above—all the students all lined up in a row. This place was dead silent, everyone in their own little world. There were very few spaces in this library that encouraged collaboration and interaction. While libraries should allow for quiet study, that is not the only way we learn. Plus, its no fun.

Thinking About Finance? Keep Your Options Open

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:35:00 -0400

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 “interest”. Too many people in the last 15 years went to college, then realized, “I can make a TON of money going into finance!” so these people major in econ and try to get a job at an investment bank or a hedge fund. And yes, a lot of them have made a TON of money.

But those times are over. If you have been following the news, there are fundamental changes happpening in banking and finance—and the people who got into it just for the money, are even more miserable than they were when they were working 18 hours a day.

Don’t choose a major because it seems like you’ll be able to make easy money with your degree. You won’t. Making money is hard, and will involve either hard work, or boring work, or both. If you do something you like, and are an absolute rock star at it, you will make money. A TON of money. Don’t be a lemming and just follow what seems like the easy road to success. Be extraordinary.