Posts filed under 'Advice'
Sometimes the same skills you need to succeed in school can be used to fight fat, especially what’s known as the Freshman 15.
Those extra pounds that students pack on start as early as the first year in college (although it may not be just 15 pounds!). If you’re not careful, those pounds can add up due to factors such as stress, late-night eating, and not having the time to exercise.
It takes dedication, hard work, and motivation – three keys to success for good students, too – to keep your weight from ballooning out of control.
Spring is almost here, and it is the perfect to make exercising a habit. The weather is warm enough to exercise outside (even in the Northeast!) and fitness centers sometimes offer extra classes for students wanting to get in shape for the summer.
Here are 10 ideas to consider:
1. Join a boot camp. Boot camps offered by local gyms or personal trainers are a hardcore workout that will whip your body into shape. Although it’s an extra cost – sometimes $200 or more – for the sessions that meet every day or every other day, the boot camps I’ve attended attracted college students who needed something to motivate them to get out of bed in the morning and work out before a hectic day of classes.
2. Work towards a goal. Get a group of friends together from your dorm and sign up for a 10K, half marathon, or any kind of race or triathlon. You’ll avoid weight gain and can create long-lasting friendships. If you pick a race in a different city, that’ll be a great road trip!
3. Walk more. Chances are, you’ve found shortcuts to get around your large campus. Ditch the shortcuts–walk to your classes instead of riding the campus bus and take the stairs instead of the elevator. You’ll burn more calories without even realizing it.
4. Sign up for an intramural sports team. Colleges have a variety of options and fun activities like kickball and dodgeball, so you’ll laugh while you lose.
5. Go dancing. Schools have ballroom dancing clubs, salsa clubs, step dancing clubs, dance teams, and options that will allow you to sneak in some exercise.
6. Achieve balance. Sit on a stability ball while doing homework. You’ll still get your work done, but you’ll be challenging your muscles, especially those pesky abs.
7. Don’t binge drink. An average drink or cocktail has about 150 calories, and it only takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound. If you have five drinks over a weekend, that’s an extra 750 calories.
8. Plan ahead. Decide what type of food you want to eat before you head into the dining hall. That way, you won’t be overwhelmed by the options. Eat a piece or fruit or a salad before anything else–by filling up on the healthy options, you’ll have less room for the high-fat stuff.
9. Resist sodas. Carry around a bottle of water so you won’t be tempted to buy a soda or high-calorie coffee drink.
10. Get rest. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. For example, when sleep was restricted for men, their desire for high-carb food shot up by 45 percent.
—Lori Johnston. Additional reporting by Melanie Turner.
March 8th, 2010
If you are heading off to college in the near or distant future, it might have occurred to you to ponder the question: What is the difference between a college and a university?
The answer isn’t that complicated, but it does vary according to your home country. For the purposes of our li’l old blog here, let’s focus on the U.S. and Canada.
Colleges and Universities in the U.S.
In the U.S., the word “college” can refer to any school in the higher ed universe, from the Big 10 to the two-year community college right in your home town. Most people think that the university vs. college debate has to do with the size of the campus or student enrollment. While it’s true that there are many U.S. universities that are much larger than colleges, it’s not always the size that matters. What does matter are the resources and programs the school has to offer.
As you may have already learned during your college search, colleges are made up of different academic departments, while universities are made up of different colleges or schools that are separate entities from each other. For example, if you go off to a college, you might declare a major in the Business department. But if you go to a university, such as the very large Texas A & M in College Station, Texas—more than 38,000 undergrads alone!–you will eventually find yourself a student in one of the 10 smaller colleges on campus, like the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Science.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA is very much a university, but since there already is a Boston University, the moniker remains. Also, Depauw University in Greencastle, IN has just around 2,400 students despite having earned university distinction. So does that mean it’s possible to grow from a college into a university? Sure—just ask the good people at Quinnipiac University, known as Quinnipiac College up until 2000.
Colleges and Universities in Canada
This explanation is more cut and dry: If you hear a Canadian friend say that he or she is off to university in the fall, it’s not a matter of opting for the bigger word. In Canada, universities are degree-granting institutions, while colleges award only career diplomas and certificates. So while American students group colleges, universities, conservatories, and other degree-granting institutions under the name umbrella term “college,” there is an actual difference in the Great White North.
So there you have it. Should you make a decision based on whether or not your school is a college or university? Absolutely not. Your decision needs to be made based on your own goals and interests, not on whether a school is a college or a university.
–Barbara Bellesi
March 3rd, 2010
Early action and early decision notifications might have already gone out weeks ago, but if you applied regular decision, chances are you’re counting the days on the calendar until April. And unlike the characters on “Lost,” time travel is not an option, though there are certainly things you can do to keep yourself busy so that time goes by just a little faster. Like write thank you cards, for example.
You remember thank you cards, right?
There are so many techie gadgets coming and going these days that it’s easy to forget how to pick up a pen—a real pen!—and write out a thank you card to someone who has helped you during the college admissions process. But regardless of where we are in cutting-edge technology, an old-fashioned thank you card is a great way to remember those who advised and mentored you as you searched for and applied to schools.
Thank you cards don’t need to be fancy—you can pick up a pack of plain cards at any office supply store or supermarket. A simple sentence or two like “Thank you for all of your assistance during the college admissions process” will do.
Why handwrite a card when it’s so easy to email? It goes back to the idea of being old-fashioned—many years ago, people had a lot more time on their hands and were able to write long letters to friends and family members. A short, handwritten thank you note shows that you are taking time out of your hectic schedule to thank those who took time out of their hectic schedules to help you. While each student has their own unique team of helpers, here are some key people who should make your thank you list:
- Your guidance counselor. Yes, it is his or her job to be there to answer your questions about college applications and transcripts. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t thank your guidance counselor for a job well done.
- Your recommendation letter writers. One day, you will be asked to write a letter of recommendation—which is not always an easy task, by the way–and you will appreciate what your teachers have done for you. But don’t wait for that day to come—send a note to all of your teachers, coaches, and staff members that had your back by writing a rec letter.
- The admissions counselor who gave you your campus interview. Just as you will for each job interview you have four years from now, you should write a note to the admissions counselor who interviewed you on campus and thank them for your time. This note is important because it is two-fold: yes, you are expressing your thanks, but you are also reminding the admissions counselor of who you are—and why you are still very interested in attending their school.
- Coaches and professors. If you are being recruited for a sport or a specific program, there’s a very good chance that you met various important people in athletics or academics. Can’t remember all of their names? Go to the college’s website and search the directory, or else send a general note to the department to express your appreciation.
Other people you might consider adding to your list include your SAT or ACT tutor (if you have one) and the current college student who shared his or her dorm with you for an overnight campus visit.
After writing countless drafts of college essays, a simple thank you should be a piece of cake. In this case, no one will tease you for being old-fashioned.
–Barbara Bellesi
February 23rd, 2010
I was at a conference in Tennessee this past weekend and had the privilege of meeting and mingling with many intelligent and wonderful college students from the U.S. and Canada. Since CollegeBound likes to stay in touch with as many colleges and universities as it can via social media networks like Twitter and Facebook, I was happy to see that I knew a little about the schools that many of these students attended.
I met two young women from Tufts University in Medford, MA and thought I’d impress them with what I knew about Tufts on Twitter.
“How cool is it that Tufts tweets out the cafeterias’ menus each day?” I said.
A brief, awkward silence followed. Then one spoke up.
“Tufts is on Twitter?”
Oh yes, my friends. Tufts is on Twitter. As well hundreds of schools, large and small, well-known and not-so-well-known. Twitter and Facebook are awesome. So are YouTube and Flickr. And the schools that use them are more awesome, because they are going far beyond the days of the traditional viewbooks and brochures and finding better ways of reaching prospective students.
In addition to using social media to connect with college-bound students, colleges and universities are also using the Web to reach out to students currently on campus. Blogs are updated regularly, Facebook fan pages post events and activities on campus, and students are invited to upload photos and videos to share on Flickr and YouTube. And as we’ve seen with the Yale admissions video, social media has caught on in a big way.
For starters, you can check with the schools to which you’ve already applied and see the ways they are using the Web. As for the rest, well, we’ve done the legwork for you. Join us tomorrow on our sister blog at CollegeSurfing.com, when we salute the top web-savvy campuses in the country in our first ever Web 2.0 Olympics!
We might not be in Vancouver, but that’s not stopping us from handing out our own medals. Check in tomorrow to see if one of your top schools won the gold. And while you’re on the web, why not become our fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter?
–Barbara Bellesi
February 9th, 2010
During your college search or perhaps even during a campus visit, you might have heard the term “college endowment” come up in conversation. And since it is often mentioned as a point of pride for a college or university, you might have wondered, “What is a college endowment?”
A college endowment is a sum of money that is granted by an individual or a group of people to a school as a permanent funding source. Usually, the endowment is so great—we’re talking millions in many cases–that the school can use just the interest earned on the investment to support the department, program, scholarship, or whatever is being funded. But if that’s too much math for you to wrap your head around, just know that endowments are a BIG deal in the college world and that the more endowments a college or university has, the more great things they can offer their students.
So should you worry about college endowments when it comes to choosing a school? The short answer is no, which is a good thing, since the Council for Aid to Education has recently reported that college endowments are down because of—what else?—the economy. Endowments certainly add to a school’s prestige, but they are not used to determine college rankings. So instead of seeing how much coin a college has, consider things that will more directly affect you, like academic programs and campus life.
While endowments are suffering right now, they, along with everything else, will eventually rebound. It’s not like the Ivies are going to close their doors any time soon, and after all, there are plenty of colleges out there with very small endowments that are doing just fine. So don’t shed a tear for Stanford University, which only got $640 million in endowments. Somehow, I think they’ll get by.
–Barbara Bellesi
February 4th, 2010
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.
–Barbara Bellesi
January 22nd, 2010
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.
–Lori Johnston
January 21st, 2010
One of the biggest lessons I learned in college is that I alone am responsible for my academic success. But it’s a lesson that should be learned even earlier, while a student is still in high school.
A recent Deloitte survey of low-income students and parents found that only 22 percent say their high school has done an “excellent” job of preparing them for college. Only about a quarter of students said they feel “very prepared” to handle college courses.
The 2009 Education Survey also found that only nine percent of teachers say preparing students for college is their mission, while more than 40 percent of the parents and students say they thought that was the most important purpose of high school.
There’s a lot of discussion about the purpose of high school, but since college is your future, let’s go ahead and get you prepared. That way, you won’t be disappointed if the help you’re expecting to receive from teachers and guidance counselors doesn’t happen.
Here are four tips from College Rules! How to Study, Survive and Succeed in College, by Sherrie Nist-Olejnik and Jodi Patrick Holschuh, who are professors at my alma mater, the University of Georgia.
- Follow the 40-hour mindset if you want to succeed academically. Be involved in academics at least 40 hours a week, like a full-time job.
- Prepare to make some changes in how you think about school, learning, and studying. That may mean improving your motivation, self-discipline, and strategies for learning.
- Set studying hours and studying goals to keep on track.
- Be flexible and use different strategies for studying depending on the task and the subject. You may study science differently than you study a language.
–Lori Johnston
January 7th, 2010
Last night, I was falling asleep on the couch while watching TV. I mustered up the energy to change the channel at one point, but I must have fallen asleep again, because I had a crazy dream. In it, there were five women who were judging single men as they went by on a conveyor belt. If one intrigued them, the women would hold up an “Interested” sign; otherwise, it was “Not Interested.” Weird, right?
Unfortunately, this morning’s news blogs led me to discover that I did not have a dream, but instead experienced a few minutes of a new show on ABC called “Conveyor Belt of Love.” Really, ABC? You haven’t sunk low enough with “The Bachelor”? Whether this new offering will make for good TV is yet to be seen, but one thing’s for sure—conveyor belts are for efficiency, not for love.
What if you chose a college the way these women are looking for love? Imagine basing your college decisions on a 30-second skim of a website or a viewbook. What could you possibly learn about the place where you will spend the next four years? Just as looks can be deceiving when it comes to finding a mate, they can also be misleading when it comes to choosing a college. Consider some of the following shallow options for applying to a school:
The campus is beautiful. I went to Wagner College, which is considered by The Princeton Review as one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. I appreciate this distinction, but it was not a factor in my decision to go there. In fact, even if it were the ugliest campus in the world, I would still have chosen Wagner because it was the best fit for my goals. I won’t name names, but some of the most unattractive campuses in this country also happen to be home to some of the best opportunities in higher education. And remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
It’s a “good” school. There are many college-bound students—maybe even you?—who will admit to applying to a school for the prestige of its name alone. And yes, there are many colleges, especially the Ivy League schools, that are undoubtedly “good.” But are the colleges to which you are applying good for you? Some of the best universities might not even have your intended major, so why bother applying? Some schools are in locations you might never even want to visit, let alone live there for four years. Make sure your list of “good” schools are also “good for me” schools.
My father/mother/etc. went there. Family traditions are awesome. I can name a dozen off the top of my head in which I am happy to participate. But family ties can be a little too tight when it comes to academics. It’s one thing, of course, if you want to go to the college of which your family members hold fond memories. However, if the idea of attending that school is causing you grief and anguish, it’s time to have a discussion with your family and inform them of your specific wishes and goals. This all assumes, of course, that you have already looked into your family’s alma mater and made an informed decision, not simply that you are rejecting it in an act of rebellion.
In short, you should give your college options more than just a once-over as they slide by on a conveyor belt. After all, you need to make it through four years, while “Conveyor Belt of Love” might not last long past the first episode.
–Barbara Bellesi
January 5th, 2010
Family holiday dinners and parties can be fun, but what happens if you let the S-word, F-bomb, or another swear word slip?
Holding back your cursing at family gatherings is good practice for your admissions interview. Why? How you talk in front of those deciding your college fate could impact your ability to get into that school. Some may take offense to your swearing, and even if they don’t, it doesn’t help your case when your colorful language overshadows your answer to an important question about yourself and your college dreams.
Here’s some of the reasons that James V. O’Connor, author of Cuss Control: The Complete Book on How to Curb Your Cursing, gives for you to stop swearing:
- It gives a bad impression.
- It show you don’t have control.
- It’s the sign of a bad attitude.
- It’s immature.
- It’s abrasive, lazy language.
- It neglects more meaningful words.
- It lacks imagination.
- It offends more people than you think.
- It is disrespectful of others.
- It has lost its effectiveness.
His book and Web site–home of the Cuss Control Academy (yes, that’s what it’s called!)–gives plenty of tips on dealing with swearing, including ways to find alternative words. I like these tips:
- Look for exclamations to replace the nasty ones you use.
- Look for descriptive adjectives.
- Look for witty similes and metaphors that soften insults and complaints.
- Look for words that have a ring to them that you like.
Thinking about this could help ease some of the tension created. Why not practice some of these while hanging out with your family during holidays – and get a jump-start on impressing that admissions panel.
~Lori Johnston
December 23rd, 2009
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