Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Had this Founding Father been a high school student in the 20th or 21st centuries, he would probably have added “reading The Catcher in the Rye” to the list.
The literary world is mourning the loss of J.D. Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye and hero of many an angst-ridden teen. The reclusive author, who had not published in over 50 years, died yesterday at age 91.
Conservative schools banned or burned the book, while more liberal schools—including my own Catholic high school, oddly enough—embraced the classic as a permanent part of the English literature curriculum. The novel’s famous antihero, Holden Caulfield, became the poster boy of many a restless teen trying to find their way in the world.
I was a sophomore in high school when I first read The Catcher in the Rye. As an aspiring writer, I thought it one of the most well-written books I had ever read, but was disappointed that I wasn’t as in love with Holden and his sarcasm as some of my classmates were. Still, I recognized that Holden was a force to be reckoned with, as was Salinger’s insightful prose.
The strange thing about Salinger’s death is that just the other day, I bought another copy of Catcher, as my high school copy has been long lost. I felt the need to revisit the book from a fresh perspective, and now that Salinger is gone, I have a feeling that many other people will be doing the same. In fact, I’m fully expecting the novel, as well as Salinger’s Nine Stories and Franny and Zooey, to reappear on best-seller lists in the upcoming weeks.
But of course, this is exactly the kind of fanfare that drove Salinger to become such a recluse. He hated his fame, and although he continued to write each day, he never published again. In today’s pop culture, where there are too many people who are famous for being famous, Salinger’s legacy is like a breath of fresh air—he achieved fame for hating fame.
If you’ve already read The Catcher in the Rye for high school English, drag the book out and read it again. If you haven’t already, get going on it. At the risk of offending Salinger, it is one of the greatest books of our time.
Looks like Harvard University is bringing sexy back.
Pop icon Justin Timberlake has been chosen as the 2010 Man of the Year by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals at Harvard. His parade and awards presentation will be on February 5, while Anne Hathaway, the 2010 Woman of the Year, is enjoying her honors in Cambridge today.
“The Pudding” usually opts to bestow the MOY or WOY title on stage and screen stars, not music stars like JT, but then again, the NSYNC alum has known to tear it up in such movies as Alpha Dog and The Love Guru. If you’re a “Saturday Night Live” fan, then you’ve also enjoyed JT’s stints as Andy Samberg’s sidekick in some hilarious digital video shorts, as well as his turn as a leotard-clad backup dancer in Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” skit.
This is not Timberlake’s only connection to Massachusetts. His girlfriend, actress Jessica Biel, attended classes a while back at Tufts University in Medford, just a town over from Cambridge. When I lived in Boston, I actually saw Biel on the Red Line once, with a pair of pink toe shoes tucked under her arm. I don’t think she recognized me, though.
Who says you need to be in New York or LA for a dose of star power? Today and next Friday, Mass Ave. in Cambridge is the place to be.
There are many things for college-bound students to complain about when it comes to filling out college applications. Hefty application fees are usually at the top of the list, ranging anywhere from $25 to upwards of $75. (That’s right, Yale and Harvard, I’m talking ‘bout you). Unless you are approved for a waiver, you can expect to pay hundreds of dollars in app fees. Ouch.
Some schools, like The College of Saint Rose, are starting to feel your pain. The Albany college sent out a whopping 30,000 “Exclusive Scholar Applications” to high school seniors, which eliminated not only the app fee, but also the essay. Additionally, the school promised a speedy response—an acceptance or a rejection in only three weeks. Needless to say, The College of Saint Rose and other colleges and universities that jumped on this marketing bandwagon saw their application numbers soar.
According to the New York Times, some schools paid around the $1 million mark to send out “fast-track” applications to top students, but the increase in applications received makes the investment worth it. Other schools that are mailing out trimmed-down applications include Marquette University and its “Advantage Application,” Rensselaer Polytechnic and its “Candidate’s Choice Application,” and the University of Minnesota and its “Golden Gopher Fast Application.”
Even if some of these fast-track app schools aren’t on your radar, it makes a ton of sense to send in an application anyway because it increases your chances of getting accepted without further emptying your wallet. It will be interesting to see how many students end up enrolling at these schools after being wooed by a free and easier application.
Did you get a fast-track college application in the mail this year? Did you apply? Leave a comment below.
You may be willing to eat all the ramen noodles that you can, but skimping on food still might not allow you to save all the money you need to pay for college.
That’s why January is such an important month, because now is the time to turn in your application for financial aid. So we want to make sure you have all the details you need to be eligible for that money.
Add these five tips from Student Financial Aid Services, a California-based student aid preparation service, to your checklist, if you’re just getting started or are about to submit the crucial FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form:
1. Don’t miss the financial aid deadline.
The deadlines vary and some state deadlines are as early as Feb. 15.
2. Do your math.
Miscalculations can lower your aid. Also, make sure figures such as money taken from a retirement fund are being included correctly.
3. Job loss? Your gain.
A parent’s layoff could make you eligible for more money. See if you fit into the criteria for the dislocated worker question.
4. Leave off the house.
A home is a huge investment for your family, but a primary residence is not considered an asset on the FAFSA. In the New York Times’Q&A about financial aid, Mark Kantrowitz, founder of FinAid.org, said the net home equity of the family’s primary residence is not reported as an asset, but if the home is sold, the proceeds from the sale are treated as an asset.
5. Avoid a mix-up
Read over your application to make sure you haven’t transposed your Social Security number or made some other simple mistake–like forgetting to sign the form.
I am sure that Heidi Montag is a very nice person. But since I have not met her, I am forced to base my opinion of “The Hills” star on the reports of her recent plastic surgeries (10 in one day!) and her new CD, “Superficial.”
While it is true that Hollywood values youth and beauty, it seems that Montag has taken her quest for physical perfection too far—and, in her words, she’s only getting started. Montag is morphing into a real-life Barbie doll right before our very eyes, and the jury is still out on which one has more plastic.
Although Montag had stints at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, perhaps her time would have been better spent studying other arts—liberal arts, that is. With her busy schedule of staging photo shoots for the paparazzi, it’s understandable that Montag wouldn’t have time to complete a degree. But even a class or two in the liberal arts curriculum might help her realize that life is about more than simply aspiring to be like the wax version of herself at Madame Tussaud’s.
Here are some suggestions for classes that might be worth Montag’s valuable time:
Math. Montag has gone on record saying that she wants to inflate her already ample bosom even more—“H for Heidi,” she says, referring to the bra cup size to which she aspires. (Imagine if her name were Sara.) But if she took a class in math, she’d understand proportions. Specifically, she’d realize that with a body as small as hers, she can’t get much more top heavy without toppling over. (Fingers crossed that the cameras are rolling when she does!)
Music. Montag has said that “Superficial” will become a phenomenon similar to that of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” That said, I’d recommend a music history class, particularly one that focuses on 20th century music. Maybe then she’d realize the impact that Michael Jackson had on the music world and understand that “Billie Jean” has a lot more staying power than, say, “Turn Ya Head.”
Psychology. Even an Intro to Psych class will explore the topic of delusion, something in which Heidi has been happily living for some time. Although true to form, Montag probably wouldn’t even recognize the very word that describes her personality—or else she’ll miss that class in order to recuperate from yet another surgery.
Business. Really, even a calculator would be helpful at this point for Montag. She claims she spent around $2,000,000 of her own money for her recent CD and was optimistic that she would earn the money back in just the first week of its release. Since the CD dropped on the 11th, it has sold less than 700 copies. If Montag did some number crunching, she’d realize that she is far behind in her goal. So maybe a course in basic business principles would teach her that pouring big bucks into her own talent isn’t the best way to make a good return on investment.
Foreign Language. If you’ve read any blogs about Montag and her hubby, Spencer Pratt, you may begin to wonder if anybody likes them. But Montag carries on, seemingly unfazed by the haters who aren’t downloading her CD and saying she is on her way to becoming the next Cat Lady. Does this girl understand English? Apparently not. Perhaps it’s time to learn another language—maybe she’ll understand things better in Spanish. Ay dios mio!
The Salahis, a.k.a. the White House crashers, are in the news again. While I don’t like to bring any more attention to people whose 15 minutes of fame should never have started ticking in the first place, I do give advice to college-bound students. Make no mistake–that now-infamous couple has some tactics that you can use to get into college.
No, I’m not suggesting that you show up on the first day of classes and insist that you were invited—I mean, accepted. The Secret Service apparently has nothing on the college registrar or bursar, both of whom will expose you for a fraud pretty quickly once they realize that you’re not showing up on a) class rosters or b) tuition bills. But you can still channel some of that boldness which the Virginia power couple used—and avoid a federal subpoena at the same time. Consider these tips:
Dress nicely and show up at the admissions office. It’s always a good idea to make an appointment for a campus tour, but unlike the White House, admissions offices are usually prepared to assist you if you weren’t “on the list.” So if the mood strikes you and you feel like walking and talking, remember to smile and say please and thank you when they squeeze you in for a tour.
Shake hands with important people. It’s old-school etiquette, but it never goes out of style. Shake hands with everyone you are introduced to, especially the admissions staff. Have a firm grasp and make eye contact. Again, smile. Pretend you are a guest on “The Tonight Show” and say, “It’s great to be here.”
Drop names of people you know on campus. Wave a copy of an email from them, if necessary. Whether you are friends with a student who has raved about the school or there’s an admissions office staffer with whom you have spoken on the phone, use the name in conversation. It will show that you really want to be there for that campus tour or admissions interview and you are acknowledging the people who encouraged you to get there. If it sounds cheesy, it’s not—it’s just one of the many ways you can show the admissions staff how much you want to go to that school, without having to resort to camping out on the quad.
Plead the 5th. After you’ve sent in your application, let it go. You’ve checked off everything on your to-do list as far as your essay, recommendation letters, transcripts, extracurriculars, etc. Now it’s time to let your accomplishments speak for themselves. Get back to your regularly scheduled life and try not to let the long weeks of waiting get to you. If it helps, take a page from the Salahis and don’t talk about it. Remember, there were lots of other things you talked about before college apps entered your life, so it shouldn’t be too hard to avoid the subject—and stress.
A whopping $168 billion is available in federal aid for college, so whip out those applications (if you haven’t already) and start working to get a chunk of that money.
If you’re in the midst of the nearly 130-question FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), take a deep breath and relax for a moment. Whew. Then check out these 12 mistakes that students and parents often make, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
1. Leaving blank fields. Enter a 0 or “not applicable” instead. Too many of these can cause miscalculations in how much aid you get and could get your application rejected.
2. Listing incorrect Social Security number or driver’s license number. It seems silly, but check these entries and have someone else check them too. One typo could be all it takes.
3. Forgetting to list the college. Look up the Federal School Code for the college you plan on attending, as well as any other schools that have your applications.
4. Entering the wrong amount of federal income tax paid. Look at your income tax returns, not your W-2 forms, to find how much you paid in federal income tax.
5. Listing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as equal to total income: Surprise – it’s not the same figure.AGI often is larger than the total income.
6. Listing marital status incorrectly. Choose “yes” if you’re married right now. The feds only want to know what your marital status is on the day you sign the application.
7. Listing parents’ marital status incorrectly. You’ll need to provide the custodial parent’s marital status, too. Also include the stepparent’s information if they’ve remarried.
8. Leaving the question about drug-related offenses blank. A conviction might not disqualify you from receiving aid. If you’re unsure about an offense, find out before you submit your form instead of leaving it blank.
9. Using commas or decimal points in numeric fields. Round to the nearest dollar instead.
10. Forgetting to sign and date. Remember to sign the paper FAFSA. If filing electronically, be sure to get your PIN, which will serve as your electronic signature.
11. Entering the wrong address. Your permanent address is where you live when you won’t be at college; i.e. your parents’ house, not your campus or summer address.
12. Sending in a copy of your income tax returns. You don’t need to provide a copy of your tax returns with your application, so save time and trees by skipping this step.
Yale University doesn’t need to recruit students. Nor does it need to spend much money on advertising. In fact, it’s pretty safe to say that Yale doesn’t have to do anything but be its charming, 309-year-old self, and it will still get a full freshman class each year–plus a long wait list of students chomping at the bit.
So while Yale doesn’t need our help in reaching out to college-bound students, that’s not going to stop us from sharing this incredible video, created by the admissions office and some young and talented alumni. Enjoy!
In between studying for the SAT or ACT, writing college essays, filling out financial aid applications, and otherwise planning your next four years, sometimes you just have to stop and consider what’s really important in life.
For instance, whose side are you on, Team Conan or Team Jay?
I kid, of course. But for those of you who will miss Triumph The Insult Comic Dog when (if?) Conan leaves the airwaves, you might have spend a little time lamenting the fact that late-night television—at least on NBC—has gotten a little out of hand.
Interestingly enough, both Jay and Conan got their starts far away from La La Land in Massachusetts. Jay was raised in Andover and stayed in the state for college, graduating from Emerson College in Boston. Conan grew up in Brookline and went on to graduate magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was editor of the lauded literary magazine, the Harvard Lampoon.
Last night, Leno took a few minutes to explain his side of what’s going with “The Tonight Show.” According to him, he and Conan have no hard feelings—after all, it’s not personal, it’s television. More importantly, it’s ratings. And I believe him. There’s something about Jay Leno that makes me think he’s a really nice guy, despite the fact that he is rather unceremoniously taking back control of the show.
I really like Conan, too. Oxymorons aside, he’s the most intelligent goofball I know, although maybe that’s just his Harvard degree trying to convince me. I don’t think this battle will end well for him. I do hope the proposed tens of millions of dollars he is supposed to get will make it up to him somehow.
Whose side are you on? Comment below with TEAM JAY or TEAM CONAN. Or look for us on Twitter–@CollegeBoundNet.
I tried to enjoy my three-day weekend, but it was pretty difficult knowing that relief workers in Haiti have been working non-stop since that massive earthquake hit.
Generous people all over America have been supporting the effort through donations to places like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. When Hurricane Katrina hit, we were able to collect supplies like clothes and food, but for the victims of the Haiti disaster, it’s very difficult to get supplies into a country where the infrastructure is virtually gone. And unless you’ve got the bank account of people like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, it’s hard for “normal” people to feel that their contributions can actually make a difference.
College students typically don’t have a lot of money either, which means that they must resort to interesting fundraising measures on campus. Or, in the case of my new heroes at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, you say goodbye to classes for a while and hop a plane to Haiti to pitch in with the effort first-hand.
The five Union College students and one administrator are all part of the school’s International Rescue and Relief program. They are trained to be an integral part of rescue operations and are responding directly to an invitation from Haiti Prime Minister, Jean-Max Bellerive. The group has been assigned to distribute supplies at a hospital clinic and orphanage right in the midst of the devastation. CORRECTION: There are four students and one administrator that went to Haiti. Shortly before they left, their assignment was changed to training rescue volunteers.
One of the many wonderful things about being a college student is the high level of energy with which you take on important tasks, like the one these Union College students have before them. There is no doubt that they will be seeing some truly horrendous sights once they land in the capital of Port-au-Prince, but their energy and determination will carry them through it.
The Haitians need all the help they can get, and their relief effort will soon be six people stronger. Join me in sending many positive thoughts and good wishes to the Union College students, and, of course, to Haiti as it struggles to rebuild.
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Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Had this Founding Father been a high school student in the 20th or 21st centuries, he would probably have added “reading The Catcher in the Rye” to the list.
Conservative schools banned or burned the book, while more liberal schools—including my own Catholic high school, oddly enough—embraced the classic as a permanent part of the English literature curriculum. The novel’s famous antihero, Holden Caulfield, became the poster boy of many a restless teen trying to find their way in the world.
Looks like Harvard University is bringing sexy back.
There are many things for college-bound students to complain about when it comes to filling out college applications. Hefty application fees are usually at the top of the list, ranging anywhere from $25 to upwards of $75. (That’s right, Yale and Harvard, I’m talking ‘bout you). Unless you are approved for a waiver, you can expect to pay hundreds of dollars in app fees. Ouch.
You may be willing to eat all the ramen noodles that you can, but skimping on food still might not allow you to save all the money you need to pay for college.
I am sure that 
Although Montag had stints at the 
The Salahis, a.k.a. the 
Shake hands with important people. It’s old-school etiquette, but it never goes out of style. Shake hands with everyone you are introduced to, especially the admissions staff. Have a firm grasp and make eye contact. Again, smile. Pretend you are a guest on 
A whopping $168 billion is available in 
In between studying for the SAT or ACT, writing college essays, filling out financial aid applications, and otherwise planning your next four years, sometimes you just have to stop and consider what’s really important in life.
Generous people all over America have been supporting the effort through donations to places like the 