If you are a tennis fan, then you’re probably in your glory this time of year. From the French Open to Wimbledon to the U.S. Open, summer is packed with fierce tennis competition.
Although school is out for college tennis players, there are probably numerous student athletes out there with their eyes glue to the matches on TV, wondering if and when it will ever be them in one of the Grand Slam tournaments.
Tennis talent can pop up anywhere, of course, but it helps if you go to a school known for its court competitors. Many colleges and universities have tennis teams, whether they compete or play on the intramural level. Here are the top 10 schools for men’s and women’s tennis in the NCAA Divisions I and II. Are you heading off to one of them in the fall?
Men’s Division I
University of Southern California
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Virginia
University of Texas at Austin
Ohio State University
UCLA
Baylor University
University of Florida
Stanford
Texas A & M
Women’s Division I
Stanford
University of Florida
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill
Baylor University
Notre Dame
UCLA
Northwestern
University of Michigan
Duke University
University of Miami
Like Division I, Division II schools award athletic scholarships, but the schools are often smaller and they don’t have the some of the restrictions that Division I schools have. Check out this list—some of these schools might be new to you.
Men’s Division II
Valdosta State University
Armstrong Atlantic University
Oachita Baptist University
Barry University
Lynn University
Hawaii Pacific University
Rollins College
Florida Southern University
University of West Florida
Columbus State University
Women’s Division II
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Barry University
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Lynn University
Valdosta State University
California University of Pennsylvania
Rollins College
University of West Florida
Hawaii Pacific University
Clayton State University
Like many of the top golf schools, most of these top tennis colleges and universities are located in warm weather states. After all, clay and grass are much better surfaces to play tennis on than ice and snow—but wouldn’t THAT make an awesome new event at the Winter Olympics?
Toy Story3 has been #1 at the box office since its release. If you are a fan of the Pixar franchise, then you’ll remember Andy, the young boy whose bedroom is home to a whole bunch of wisecracking toys, like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Mr. Potato Head. But in this third installment, Andy is off to college and needs to decide which one of his beloved toys he will take with him.
Sound familiar? If you’re packing for college now, you’re probably trying to figure out what you’ll be able to bring that will fit on your side of your dorm room. Besides the essentials, you know there will be one or two things from your childhood that you just HAVE to bring along with you. After all, it’s important to have something familiar to turn to when the going gets rough in school.
If you’re thinking of packing your favorite stuffed animal or that ratty old baby blanket, go ahead. You’re definitely in good company—check out what some past and present college students brought with them to campus:
Leslie Komet Ausburn, alumna of Vanderbilt University: “I had to have my ET figurine. Its little heart lit up and it gave me comfort when I was far from home.”
Devra Renner, alumna of University of Arizona: “My ‘must-have’ was a tattered stuffed dog, by the name of (big shocker) ‘Doggie.’ Doggie had been purchased for me by my parents at Saks 5th Avenue circa 1967, and I moved into the dorm at The University of Arizona in 1985. Originally covered in white fur, Doggie presented as bald and appeared mainly a light shade of grey. He had one eye–the other had long fallen off–and his music box no longer played ‘How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?’”
Eileen Roth, alumna of Purdue University: “When I went off to college, I had a large (maybe 3-4 feet) stuffed animal of Snoopy. I loved Snoopy and it was just something to personalize my room and have something very familiar from home.”
Some people bring things that aren’t as cuddly:
Heidi Waterfield, alumna of Yale University: “I HAD to bring my Chili’s restaurant bumper sticker and menu, along with the photo of my high school posse of girls, who spent as much time at Chili’s as any other hang out. My roommates found it a bit…uh…curious…but that menu, sticker, and photo always made me feel right at home.”
And others opt for something inspiring:
Caroline Radaj, junior at University of Wisconsin-Madison: “The one thing I had to bring with me when I moved to college for my freshman year were my pointe shoes from ballet. I grew up doing ballet from three years old until 14. I quit because I felt like it was the ‘lame’ thing to do, and I deeply, deeply regret it. In a way, the shoes were somewhat of a symbol for me to not give up on doing something I enjoy.”
Hmm, it can’t be that just girls who bring sentimental things to college, can it? After all, look at Andy in Toy Story 3. Come on, guys, don’t be shy…leave a comment below and let us know what you couldn’t bear to part with when you went off to college.
It’s no secret that community colleges are an affordable option when it comes to higher education. Many more students will be heading toward two-year schools this fall, but it’s not as easy as showing up at the registrar’s office to enroll in classes anymore. In this still-struggling economy, community colleges find themselves in a unique position: They are having to turn away students. Two-year colleges have always touted the “open access” or “open admissions” policy, but thanks to budget cuts and a huge jump in enrollment, not everyone is welcome anymore.
According to the New York Times, core classes that can easily transfer into four-year colleges and universities are among the first to fill up at some schools. This is a major problem for students, who logically decided that they would put in a few semesters at a more affordable school and then transfer to a private or public university to finish their bachelor’s degree.
If you are one of these students who have found themselves without a classroom to be in this summer or fall, rest assured that all is not lost. Here are three options for you to consider:
Go online.Online education is a great option these days because it widens the playing field when it comes to education. You might not be able to afford making the move to another city or state for the sake of your education, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enroll in a class in the next time zone. And we’re not just talking about the for-profit colleges, either—there are plenty of traditional brick-and-mortar campuses that are offering online degree and certificate programs to enhance their academic offerings.
Opt for a non-credit class. Yes, a for-credit class is optimal when it comes to chipping away at degree requirements, but you can also save time and money by opting for a non-credit class that will expand your current skill set. For example, a foreign language class can improve your writing and speaking skills so that you can jump into a higher-level class when you do get back to campus. Or you can take an acting, writing, or art class that will keep those creative juices flowing. Non-credit classes are an economical alternative that can also help you explore various interests before racking up a tuition bill on a major that you’re not sure has staying power.
Audit a class. Ask your local college if it offers an audit option, which is the opportunity to sit in on classes as an observer, often for a reduced fee. However, keep in mind that you won’t be able to earn credit, as most auditors do not take exams or submit assignments. What’s the point? You’ll keep up your classroom skills, including the habit of showing up for class—an important skill that can easily fall by the wayside if you decide to hold off on classes for the semester.
So if you find yourself shut down at an “open access” college, at least you’ve got some options. And don’t forget to stay in touch with your local community college—more seats or new sections of classes may open up as the summer progresses.
John Isner walked into the All England Club Thursday to continue his record-smashing tennis match – the longest in the history of the sport – wearing a red Georgia bulldogs shirt. You see, before Isner caught the attention of everyone at Wimbledon and beyond this week with his marathon match, he was a NCAA tennis champion as a University of Georgia student.
Isner’s former college coach, Manny Diaz, told theAtlanta Journal-Constitution that he’s “beyond proud” of Isner, a 2007 graduate of the University of Georgia. Diaz told the New York Times that days before a national indoor final in college, Isner injured his foot and “still hobbled out of bed to win.”
“That’s the kind of guy he is,” Diaz told the paper.
Isner finally won the historic match Thursday, after 11 hours, 5 minutes. He came through in the fifth set, winning 70 games to France’s Nicolas Mahut’s 68 games. Amazing!
Isner told the media that his experience in college, from 2003 to 2007, made him mentally strong and able to handle pressure-filled situations like this week’s match. “That’s one of the reasons I’m here today.”
As you’re entering college, think about how the experiences you have could help you after you earn your diploma. If you strive to do well enough in academics, sports, or other activities, think about how the adults you connect with in school will have the same proud feeling when you succeed upon graduation.
American doubles team (and twins) Bob and Mike Bryan are playing in this year’s Wimbledon, too, and they were in the finals last year. The brothers attended Stanford University from 1996-1998.
The cool thing about events like Wimbledon is that even current college students can be a part of the action. Michael Shabaz, a junior at Virginia, won a Wimbledon boys doubles title in 2005, and he had competed at The Australian Open, The French Open, and The U.S. Open as well by the time he was 22. He recently told NCAAA.com that playing at the big tournaments “will bring out the best in yourself.”
Let’s just hope that “the best” won’t always require a 10+ hour match.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” This morning, my friends, we learned a very important lesson: This time-tested mantra rings true for lots of things, including education.
Here at The CollegeBound Network, we’re always on the watch for breaking news, especially as it relates to making the transition to college easier for our readers. When a press release dropped into our email in-boxes this morning touting “more than half a million dollars in scholarships for Gulf Coast residents affected by the oil spill,” our that-sounds-like-big-news ears perked up. Like the rest of the country, our hearts are broken over this whole debacle, and we’ve been trying to do our part to shed light on possible solutions (see “College Response to the BP Oil Spill”). Checking into this new story was our first order of business today (even before picking up our coffee).
And so our heart broke again when we explored the offerings of the said “university.” Despite a slick website, we began to see some proverbial red flags waving … What’s up with the “Get your degree for only $399.95 a month!” and the call-to-action touting a roll-back in summer enrollment costs from $600 to $499? A college tuition sale?! Huh?!
We did what every prospective student should do upon first checking out a college, university, or career school; we clicked Command+F and searched for “accreditation.” Accreditation is the primary means of ensuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs, and it’s something you must know and understand about a school you plan to attend.
If you complete your studies at a non-accredited school, no matter how much you learn and how great your instructors are, you will have difficulty translating your “degree” when it comes to landing a job or transferring to another school. Essentially, attending a school that’s not accredited by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education is like buying a fake Rolex… it may look good from afar, but upon closer inspection, it’s just a bunch of cheap jewels that can turn your wrist (read, your future) a yucky green.
Don’t be fooled…. many schools that are simply not worth the time boast about some very official-sounding accreditation. In fact, states Vicky Phillips, founder and CEO of GetEducated.com, who calls herself one of the leading experts on education fraud, there are more than 30 agencies that claim to accredit a variety of programs but are not recognized as accreditors in the U.S.
And so instead of landing a story this morning on free tuition for Gulf residents, the result was an equally useful piece reminding us that sometimes, some things may look or sound enticing and “academic” but may not necessarily be a smart move. To ensure a school is legit, check its accreditation against those listed on CHEA.org and make sure you have a degree worth boasting about.
The World Cup is in full swing in South Africa, and even if you are not a soccer fan, chances are you’ve heard something about the rather controversial object that has been found amongst rabid fans in the stands—the vuvuzela.
Ah yes, the vuvuzela. The vuvuzela is a plastic horn that is popular at South African football matches (that’s soccer to us Americans) but has caused considerable consternation among fans from other countries, as well as among doctors, who say it could be detrimental to one’s ears. I’ll admit that while a single toot on a single vuvuzela is okay, the drone in the background of the World Cup matches has had me diving for the remote on several occasions. Seriously—an obnoxious air horn is like a sweet symphony to me now.
I won’t begrudge rabid soccer fans their right to have fun, but I do reserve the right to watch the rest of the World Cup on mute. And for those of you college-bound fans who are wondering what to do with your vuvuzela after the final kick of the World Cup, here are some options for putting it to good use at college:
1. Use it as a mating call. Whistling is so 20th century. If you pull out your vuvuzela, you can get the attention of that hot guy or girl, even if they are way across campus. Of course, you will also get the attention of everyone else in your immediate area, but when it comes to true love, don’t hide your affection.
2. Consider it your key to financial success. Some people just can’t wake up to their alarm clock. Armed with your trusty vuvuzela, you could start a dorm-based wake-up call business. By charging a small fee per toot, you could rack up some serious dough, especially on Monday mornings.
3. Use it as a tension breaker. Bring your vuvuzela to class and blow on it during those awkward moments during a class discussion when no one has anything to contribute. It will also help to keep people awake during a lecture, for which your professor might grant you some extra credit as thanks.
4. Carry it as self-defense. Yes, you could wear a whistle around your neck when walking back to the dorm late at night. But with the vuvuzela, you could also bonk a would-be assailant over the head, then blow loud and hard to alert others as you run away.
5. Rely on it to get you out of awkward situations. Is your boyfriend or girlfriend trying to break up with you? One toot on your vuvuzela and you will stun the person you are conversing with long enough to run away or, at the very least, change the subject.
I do agree with those who have dubbed the vuvuzela “the most annoying sound in the world,” but thanks to my mute button and perhaps a good pair of earplugs, I can also see the plastic horn as being a cool accessory to have by your side at college.
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve experienced the effects of or you’ve at least heard about the BP oil spill.
The massive, ongoing spill in the Gulf of Mexico occurred at an oil-drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana on April 20, 2010, when an explosion damaged a well and killed 11 platform workers and injured 17 others. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which is now considered the largest offshore spill in U.S. history, unleashed a leak that continues to spout an unprecedented amount of oil into the Gulf. BP and the federal government are still trying to cap the well, but they’re not the only ones responding to the disaster.
Colleges and universities are also getting their hands dirty – literally – by cleaning up the mess and educating the public on the use of clean, green energy so that catastrophes like the BP oil spill might never happen again—or in the first place.
Training Workers
Some colleges have preexisting programs in place to handle disasters like the Gulf oil spill. For the last 15 years, Clark Atlanta University and Dillard University in New Orleans have been offering technical training to minority workers in construction and environmental remediation. The programs include 40-hour hazardous waste worker certification that is standard for oil spill cleanup.
Prince William Sound Community College in Alaska delivers a unique marine-based Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training program to area fishermen and oil industry employees. The three-day, credit-bearing program consists of classroom instruction, hands-on training in indoor and outdoor skills stations, and on-the-water experience.
The National Spill Control School, part of Texas A&M University’s College of Science and Technology, offers specialized hands-on training for those in the oil spill, HAZMAT, and emergency management industries. The school began teaching oil spill classes in 1977, HAZMAT/waste classes in 1980, HAZWOPER in 1989, and spill management team training in 1995.
Additionally, in direct response to the BP oil spill, schools like Florida Keys Community College have launched brand new community training sessions. The three-day programs provide training to stop, contain, control, and clean up the spill. The training also meets OSHA requirements for Hazardous Material Technician certification.
Mapping the Spill
Graduate students in Geographic Information Systems classes at Tulane University are participating in the Gulf oil spill recovery efforts in a more scientific manner. Using open-source software, they’ve created an Oil Spill Crisis Map that utilizes information from texts, tweets, e-mails, and online submissions from citizens to plot the effects of the oil spill. The dynamic map is enabling the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an environmental health and justice nonprofit, to track locations with an oil sheen or oil onshore; affected birds, marine, and other wildlife; odor; smoke; damaged property; health effects; and threatened livelihood. Citizen reports are automatically added to the map and reviewed to ensure their legitimacy. Fortunately, the architecture for this project already was in place when the oil spill occurred, allowing students to quickly shift from general reporting on environmental hazards in Louisiana to specific reporting on the spill.
Donating Hair
Many colleges, particularly cosmetology schools, are joining the Gulf oil spill recovery efforts in an unconventional way. Schools like Santa Monica College, Capri College, Remington College, and Virginia College are collecting and shipping clean hair clippings to Matter of Trust, a nonprofit group that uses the material to make eco-friendly booms and mats to contain oil spills. The booms, which act as giant sponges, are made by stuffing pantyhose with hair or fur. Human hair and animal fur are believed to be some of the best materials for sopping up oil, especially given that they are renewable and biodegradable.
Raising Awareness
Another important college response involves raising awareness about the BP oil spill and the need to invest in clean forms of energy. Several campus groups at the University of Oregon have been involved in hosting a concert, rally, and demonstration, as well as gathering student signatures on their petition to President Obama to reinstate the moratorium on offshore oil drilling.
As a blogger for The CollegeBound Network, it is my fun daily duty to read any and all newspapers, magazines, journals, and, of course, other blogs, to find out all the good stuff that is going on in education. After all, I never know who will have some interesting tidbit information: The New York Times? The Washington Post? Perez Hilton?
Believe it or not, it’s Perez Hilton this time around. As it turns out, my favorite Hollywood blogger has come through on several occasions with reports of celebrity escapades in, of all places, higher education. Dakota Fanning has been on his radar lately, since the celebrity high school student is currently conducting her own college search. That’s interesting enough to me, but what’s even more exciting to us is that Fanning recently missed a red carpet event for Eclipse so that she could take the ACT. Talk about dedication to the college dream!
The ACT is offered several times a year, but the most recent one offered on June 12 was the last one for this academic year; Fanning and other college-bound students won’t have another opportunity to sit for the ACT until September. So while it makes sense that Fanning opted for comfy test-taking clothes instead of a chic movie premiere dress, it probably wasn’t the easiest decision for her to make.
Kudos to you, Dakota, for choosing #2 pencils and a Scantron over a movie premiere and an after party. Your college aspirations make you a true role model for young adults. I can’t wait to see what school you’ll attend next year.
A visit could help you bond with other Muggles at college. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is opening June 18 at Universal Studios in Orlando. Are you planning on going this summer?
That’s right: being a Harry Potter fan can form a bond among your new college friends – it’s not something that has to be left behind in high school. Tufts University’s Alyssa Wohl, who has been a Harry Potter fan since sixth grade, tells the school’s paper that she can’t wait to try the butterbeer at the park, which Emma Watson, who plays Hermione and who is a student at Brown University, has already checked out during her visit.
When the first book in the series – Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone – came out in September 1998, this year’s college freshmen were 7 or 8 years old. So it’s pretty cool to see that something that’s been part of your life elementary school, middle school, and high school is now being included in a major theme park.
Some people have created Facebook pages dedicated to the theme park, and I know of several college students from around the country who are planning trips this summer and fall to visit it. A Villanova college student also writes about why she’s excited about the park.
Muggles who have been able to visit the park before opening are calling it “magical.” What have you loved about the Harry Potter series during high school? And if you’re going to the park, definitely let us know what you think!
—Lori Johnston. Additional reporting by Delaney Young.
Your summer probably seems so busy, with spending last moments with friends going to other schools, family vacations, and working to come up with money for tuition, food, clothes, and having fun in college.
So it may seem like you don’t have time for your college’s freshman orientation, which may be happening as soon as this month.
Freshmen orientation is the time a college takes to set you up as a student (including getting the all-important ID card), introduce you to your adviser, show you more about campus, register for your first classes in college (you may have to take placement tests), and host activities for you to make friends. If your parents are going with you, they’ll have their own stuff to do, like workshops on financial aid.
At my freshmen orientation, I knew nobody. I was an out-of-state student coming South to college – the University of Georgia – with a Chicago accent that stood out. I could have been intimidated by not knowing anyone, but taking this first step made it easier when I officially started college. I got a small taste for dorm life and knew from freshman orientation on that I had made the right college choice.
Your school might have already sent you instructions on what to bring and expect at your freshman orientation, or they’ve set up a website with important info and questions about the often overnight, multiple-day events. But I love what NYU says about preparing for freshman orientation. It says students should bring with them, “A sense of openness and adventure.”
Going in with a good attitude and an eagerness to make friends can help you when classes officially begin. Believe me, you’re not alone if you feel anxious or nervous about freshmen orientation.
By meeting other students now, you can Facebook and text over the summer and come to school in the fall knowing people in campus. It’s possible that your freshman orientation roommate or someone you sit beside during a placement test could be one of your best friends in college.
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If you are a tennis fan, then you’re probably in your glory this time of year. From the French Open to Wimbledon to the U.S. Open, summer is packed with fierce tennis competition.
