If you are planning to attend a state college in Massachusetts this fall, you might be surprised to arrive on campus and discover that your new school has a new name. Just yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts signed into law a bill that officially recognizes the state colleges as regional teaching universities.
It’s not uncommon for a college to obtain university status based on expanded offerings. However, these Massachusetts colleges have already been acting as universities by offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees; Governor Patrick’s signing of the bill is basically the long-awaited cherry on top.
The new Massachusetts State University system is not to be confused with the University of Massachusetts system, a group of nationally recognized research universities, including UMass Amherst.
The six state colleges in Massachusetts that have now added “university” to their names are Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Salem State University, Westfield State University, and Worcester State University. The three specialized colleges that are retaining their names but joining the university system are Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
An excerpt from the official announcement on the Westfield State University website states: “We believe strongly that this change will enhance the value of our students’ degrees and help them compete for jobs; help our college compete for private and federal grants and attract the best faculty from national pools of candidates; and benefit our state by keeping more Massachusetts students in state to attend college.”
It’s almost August, which means you are in the home stretch when it comes to heading off to college. Chances are good that you’ve got most of your stuff packed up already, although with all the great goodies that are in store for college-bound students, another shopping trip is always an option.
Speaking of shopping, be sure to check out Bed Bath & Beyond’s huge college contest, which is co-sponsored by HGTV. The grand prize includes a $10,000 check, a $5,000 Bed Bath & Beyond gift card, and a personal consultation with HGTV Designer. The other prizes aren’t too shabby either, and if you sign up with your email address, you’ll be entered into a contest that awards a gift card each hour!
Dorm rooms and their furniture can be pretty ho-hum, so imagine what you can do with your new campus digs if you won this contest. Good luck!
Yesterday we had another great Twitter chat, and were very happy to welcome some new tweeps to the conversation. Our topic was “What I Learned from My College Mistakes.” It was interesting to note that while we all enjoyed our college experiences, they weren’t always perfect, bump-free journeys. Check out some of the questions that came up:
People say: “College is the best four years of your life.” Does anyone think that idea puts pressure on college students?
If you knew then what you know now, what would your major be?
What is the one class/activity you wish you had participated in?
The hour was packed with good advice and great information. If you are a college-bound student, please join us on Twitter one of these Mondays. If you missed us yesterday, check out the transcript.
Love her or hate her, you’ve got to admit Sarah Palin is human like the rest of us. In the past week, Palin used the word “refudiate” twice, once on television and then again on Twitter. Problem is, “refudiate” is not a word. Perhaps she was trying to make a clever new word out of “refuse” and “repudiate”?
Then again, maybe not.
When called out for speaking what I like to now call “Palinese,” she tweeted out at @SarahPalinUSA: “Refudiate,” “misunderestimate,” “wee-wee’d up.” English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!
Well, Ms. Palin, you got me there. Shakespeare did coin quite a few words, as did Lewis Carroll. But they did so for the sake of literature, not because they didn’t know their vocabulary. But I’ll commend you for calling yourself out on your mistakes, and in your honor, I give you five college-themed words that I feel should be added to the English language:
1. ramender: A note you write to yourself when you need to buy some snacks for your dorm because all you have left to eat are stale ramen noodles.
2. all-tighter: When you stay up all night, crying and complaining to roommates that none of your clothes fit anymore since you’ve gained the Freshman 15.
3. campush: The act of dragging yourself out of bed on a cold winter morning to get to a class on the other side of campus.
4. coffiend: What you are until you get your first dose of caffeine.
5. infernoship: Despite what they told you at your interview, you are earning “real world experience” by going out on endless coffee runs and making copies. In short, you’re pretty sure that if Dante were alive, he’d add your internship to one of his rings of hell.
Got a word to add? Tweet us @CollegeBoundNet or leave a comment below.
If you can’t bear to leave behind your dog or cat when you go to college, there are ways to make it work. Some schools are paying more attention to the connection students have with their favorite animals by creating pet-friendly residence halls, which have their pros and cons.
But for those of you still trying to decide whether bringing your pet to live with you at school is a good idea, here are five things that two University of Georgia students have learned about having their furry friends with them.
1. Don’t forget Fido in your plans.
The biggest adjustment that Jessica Floyd, a statistics major, has had to make is planning her day around making time for dog, Bruiser.
“I made breaks in my day to walk Bruiser in the morning, at least once in the afternoon, and then in the evening,” she says. “So you have to plan class, work, whatever else, so that you don’t have surprises on your floor.” It’s the same way when you’re wanting to take a road trip with friends. If you can’t bring your pet with you, you’ll want to make sure people are willing to watch the pet or that you have money saved up to board your pet.
2. Plan ahead of time for a new pet.
If you’ve always wanted a dog and you figure college is the time you can get one on your own, or if you miss your family pet so much that you want one, certain times of the year are better than others to add an animal to your life. So think about that when you see a cute stray.
Emily Davis recommends getting the pet early in the summer and setting aside that time for socializing, behavior training, and potty training. Your apartment and neighborhood should be chosen with the pet in mind and you should bring the pet to those places before school starts and the craziness of classes, work, and other activities begins, she says.
3. Set aside spending money.
Jessica learned to budget differently to include food, treats, toys, a crate, and grooming for Bruiser. Also, you need to put away extra cash for unexpected trips to the vet or the groomers, says Emily, who is majoring in biological sciences. Money and schedules are obstacles that must be faced as a pet owner, and it’s amplified when you’re a college student, Emily says.
4. Protect your place.
Also add into the budget money for furniture protector so that your pet won’t destroy items in your dorm or apartment. Emily says she’s learned from experience that it’s a good investment. If your pet ruins something owned by a roommate, you need to replace it, Jessica says.
5. Get your roommates’ honest approval
Give special thought and consideration to roommates who may or may not have been honest with you about their fondness for or familiarity with pets, says Emily. Because of her conflicts with roommates, she rethought her decision at times to have her dog, Wally, in college. But overall, “he’s been very therapeutic and a joy to come home to every day.”
Be upfront with your roommates about the character of your pet, such as if they bark a lot or are messy, Jessica says. “Be respectful, and don’t let your pet in their room unless invited.”
A big thank you to all our Twitter friends who joined us for our weekly #CollegeBound Twitter chat yesterday. And to those of you who are “lurking” while we’re chatting—don’t be shy! These Twitter chats are the perfect opportunity to get the answers to the questions you have about starting or returning to college.
Yesterday’s theme was “College Myths—Debunked!” We weren’t talking about college urban legends, but rather those very real campus situations in which it might be difficult for new students to separate fact from fiction. Check out some of the highlights:
@CollegeBoundNet: True or false? If I don’t get a scholarship as a H.S. Senior, I’m out of luck. #collegebound
Responses:
@cappexcom False—there are so many scholarships and financial aid opportunities out there for students at all stages of schooling. #collegebound
@GinaLaGuardia You should always be seeking scholarships, regardless of grade, age, pursuit, etc. #collegebound
@CollegeSurfing Adults heading back to school can reap scholarship rewards, too, both school-based and private. Research is key! #collegebound
@CollegeBoundNet True or False? If I transfer, it means I couldn’t handle my school.
Responses:
@SuzanneShaffer That’s a generalized statement. Not all transfers mean failure. #collegebound
@SheldonWordNerd So not true! Every student I knew that transferred did so for personal reasons, never grades. #collegebound
@GinaLaGuardia I’d agree with @SuzanneShaffer. Many transfers mean simply a shift in pursuit/intention/”fit.” #collegebound
@CollegeBoundNet T or F? I need to major in the area in which I plan to pursue a career.
Responses:
@SheldonWordNerd Not necessarily true…there’s no undergrad major in “international supermodel” is there? Ha! #collegebound
@CollegeSurfing In a perfect world, major leads to career…but how often does that really happen? #collegebound
@SheldonWordNerd For anyone in liberal arts, your major doesn’t really “qualify” you to do anything. It’s all about critical thinking. #collegebound
Again, that’s just a small sampling of our hour-long conversation. You can read the transcript of the entire chat, or better yet, join us on Twitter on Mondays at 4 EST!
The countdown is on for college, and we know that many of you are chomping at the bit to put high school behind you and get started on your new life at college. Which means, of course, that we at the CollegeBound Network can now focus on our next assignment–brand-new high school seniors.
Sure, many of you rising seniors are probably relaxing and enjoying your summer before your last year of high school and the madness of college admissions begins, but we also know that there are a bunch of you who are already consumed with campus visits and maybe even a college essay or two. And we say more power to you–it’s far better to start drafting a college essay by the pool or on the beach than trying to finish one in the stressful days right before an admissions deadline.
So CBN would like to remind you that we are here for you. We’re still working hard even though it’s summer and school is out–but don’t worry about us, because we’ve got air-conditioned offices and plenty of caffeine. So get those burning questions about college ready. You can find us on Facebook, leave a comment below, or better yet, find us on Twitter, especially on Mondays at 4PM EST when we host our #CollegeBound chats. From financial aid and scholarships to essays and SAT or ACT advice, we’ve got you covered.
Speaking of college essays, we’d LOVE to see what this male cheerleader wrote for his. With the amount of energy and spirit he shows in this quick video, we’re rooting for him and his college aspirations:
Without a doubt, college can be a great four years. And like many college graduates, I’ve often thought about what it would be like to go back and have a do-over. Sure, I’d love to give my social life another go, but as the self-professed nerd that I am, I often think about other majors I could have given a try. Allow me to share some thoughts with you:
If I could go back to college, I would:
Major in psychology, so I could make sense of Spencer Pratt’s antics.
Study accounting, so I could help balance the budget in my home state of New York.
Major in music AND fashion design so that I could give Lady Gaga a run for her money.
Study computer science and create a product so cool that Steve Jobs would drop his iPad.
Major in an obscure foreign language, so that I could find a way to make Lindsay Lohan understand just exactly where her life is heading.
Study political science, so I could take over for any one of the many politicians whose personal lives cause them to self destruct.
Major in marketing and advertising, so I could help all those big corporations regroup after dropping Tiger Woods as their spokesperson.
Study exercise science, so that I could once and for all keep up with the Kardashians.
Major in physics or environmental science, so I could save the day in the BP oil spill disaster.
Study anthropology, so that I can make Mel Gibson understand that he is evolving into something that makes the caveman look like a perfect gentleman.
We never thought we’d say it, but we really like Mondays. And we think our change in philosophy has more than a little to do with our lively weekly #CollegeBound Twitter chat, which just so happens to take place at 4 PM EST on Mondays.
Our chats, hosted @CollegeBoundNet, cover a variety of topics in higher ed that both traditional college students (fresh out of high school) and non-traditional students (adult learners returning to campus) will find interesting.
Take a look at some of the highlights from yesterday’s chat: “Am I Ready for College?” (The #collegebound hashtag is what we use to track each other’s tweets in the Twitter universe). We had some really great answers and advice for some of the questions and topics we presented:
@CollegeBoundNet My classes look pretty hard. I’m scared? How can I brush up on my skills before I start school? collegebound
Responses:
@vickisalemi If classes didn’t look hard you wouldn’t be growing. If they were easy, what fun would that be? B to the ORING, right? #collegebound
@megs0124 You can always take remedial courses at the local community college. #collegebound
@student advisor Try to reach out to your professors over the summer. Get their advice on best preparation tips. #collegebound
@CollegeBoundNet I need to work during the school year. Should I drop credits to allow for a job? #collegebound
Responses:
@cappexcom Look into work-study programs, they can be a great way to get some extra cash while keeping up with your classes! #collegebound
@studentadvisor This question is loaded. If you drop credits, you might lose fin aid. But fewer classes could mean no debt… #collegebound
@Russell_Golowin I worked in an office supply store as a cashier. I could easily memorize biology or other things between customers #collegebound
@CollegeBoundNet I have no idea what my major will be. What can I do to avoid wasting time/$$$ in college?
Responses:
@studentadvisor Start interning early. Figure out what you do/don’t like. Adjust your major as necessary. #collegebound
@Admission101 Meet with the career and advising office within the 1st semester to establish a relationship #collegebound
@megs0124 Many Career Services Offices have free tests in which you can explore various majors. #collegebound
Intrigued? Read the transcript of the entire chat. Better yet, join us on Twitter on Mondays at 4!
Whoa! We’ve got some major higher education news straight out of Hollywood, and no, it doesn’t have to do with Lindsay Lohan! Perez Hilton, Hollywood blogger extraordinaire, had two posts that had us dancing around with our laptops this morning. Check it out:
1. Mary J. Blige is heading to college! The woman behind those amazing vocals was once a high school drop out, but she has since earned her GED and is now setting her sights on higher education. It looks like she’ll be heading to Howard University in Washington, DC, one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). We wonder what she’ll study–something related to the music industry or something completely different. Either way, we say rock on! UPDATE: Apparently Mary J.’s college aspirations are news to Howard University, as there is no acceptance OR application on file for Ms. Blige. Oh well. At least she wants to go to college. We’ll give her props for that.
2. Former child star Kellie Martin has some advice for Miley Cyrus—go to college. Martin swears that college life (she went to Yale) did wonders for not only herself, but other child actors including Fred Savage (Stanford) and Mayim Bialik (UCLA). She says that fame is fleeting, but education stays with you forever. (Miley, are you listening?)
We love it when we hear of celebrities singing the praises of a college education, but the fact that there were two stories in today’s Hollywood news has us in a state of near hysteria! What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Find out more about the popular Twitter chat, #CollegeBound, which can connect you with college respresentatives and others who have the same goals, struggles, and questions you have. Every Monday at 4 p.m. EST on Twitter. Get detailed info here.
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If you are planning to attend a state college in Massachusetts this fall, you might be surprised to arrive on campus and discover that your new school has a new name. Just yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts signed into law a bill that officially recognizes the state colleges as regional teaching universities.
