Posts filed under 'General'
If you are a college-bound student, the big question on your mind isn’t “Will you take the SAT?” but, “How many times you will take the SAT?” 
I’ll make this easy. The answer is three. Three times is the charm for most things, but when it comes down to a big, bad standardized test like the SAT, it actually makes a lot of sense to cap yourself at three tries. Here’s why:
Take it once. No matter how many hours you put into studying for the SAT, nothing can quite prepare you for the actual day of the test. From the sneezing and sniffling student sitting behind you to the grunts of the football team as they practice right outside your window (that one happened to me), be prepared for a host of distractions. In fact, the only thing you can really be certain of the day of the test is that you will need a #2 pencil. In short—cut yourself a break. The SAT is a loooong test, and you don’t realize just how long it is until you sit down to take it.
Consider the first time you take the SAT to be a dress rehearsal for your second SAT. Give it your very best shot, but understand that you will have another opportunity to eat a better breakfast, get a better night’s sleep, and yes, get a better handle on all those vocab words.
Take it twice. Unless you are one of those lucky few who score 800s across the board on your first try, you’ll take the SAT again. (And if you do get a perfect score, please don’t be tempted to go for a repeat performance. This is not the Olympics—pat yourself on the back and sleep in instead.) This second time around, you’ll have a better idea of how to pace yourself during the long stretch—you might have taken several practice tests already, but sitting in the comfort of your own home is not the same as sitting in a hard chair in a packed, overheated (or ice-cold) classroom.
What can you do differently this second time? Pull out a few of the test-taking strategies that you know and try them out. You might be tempted to fill in a circle for every single question, so experiment with leaving some of the hard questions out this time around. After all, you are penalized a 1/4 of a point for a wrong answer on the SAT, and it is possible to still get a very high score by skipping a couple of questions.
Remember that most schools will take the higher of two scores that are reported for an entrance exam, so if you pulled up your score for the second test, you might want to consider yourself retired from taking the SAT. But if you are still not happy with your score…
Take it three times. This time, your test-taking stamina should be your main concern. The SAT is not at all like your favorite movie that you can watch over and over again—a third try on the SAT requires you to give yourself a serious pep talk to get you through that last question, let alone yet another timed essay. But it’s not all bad—by the third time, you are a seasoned test-taker and know what it’s like to sit in a room for four hours straight. You bring your granola bars. You remember to layer your clothes. You might even hand out tissues to those who are inclined to sneeze. In short, you know what to expect and have learned to roll with the punches…and hopefully roll with a high score, too.
Good luck to all of you taking the SAT tomorrow! Check back to see Monday’s blog on what’s next for you after the SAT.
–Barbara Bellesi
November 6th, 2009
Most educators are drawn to their careers because they seek rewards other than a fat paycheck. But when it comes to higher education, there are some who break out of the confines of a low pay scale and make some MAJOR coin. I’m talking about college presidents, and a recent report shows that there are a growing number of college and university presidents who take home a cool million each year.
So how does one become the president of a college or a university? As seen by the top five highest paid college presidents below, there’s no exact formula, nor is there a specific degree program one should follow. In fact, there is very little these people have in common, except a love for academics and a will to make their institution the best it can be.
1. Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, $1,598,247. As an African-American woman, Dr. Jackson’s place at #1 of the list signifies the breaking down of more than one barrier in the working world. Dr. Jackson is a physicist by trade; she earned her undergraduate and doctoral degrees in physics from M.I.T. Dr. Jackson’s background is in teaching and research, two things that RPI is known to do very well. 
2. David J. Sargent, Suffolk University, $1,496,593. It’s hard to believe that out of all the colleges and universities in Boston that it is unassuming Suffolk University that makes this list. David J. Sargent, a Suffolk University Law graduate, first returned to his alma mater as a law professor, then dean. Now at the helm of the school, Dr. Sargent is proof that Suffolk does an excellent job of preparing its students for great things.
3. Steadman Upham, University of Tulsa, $1,485,275. It’s hard to say if Dr. Upham knew his destiny when he pursued his undergraduate degree in English and Spanish Literature at University of Redlands, but his graduate and doctoral degrees in anthropology—the study of humans—at Arizona State University prepared him from working many students, faculty, and administrators, first as president of Claremont Graduate University and then at the forefront of the University of Tulsa.
4. Richard Meyers, Webster University, $1,429,738. Dr. Meyers is now the president of Fielding Graduate University, but his salary at Webster still makes the list. Dr. Meyers has an interesting academic background; he earned his undergraduate degree in music and psychology at DePaul University, then a master’s in music and a PhD in Instructional Technology and Psychology from the University of Southern California. His varied academic interests combined to give him a career as a college president; he has enjoyed the title at five institutions of higher ed, including Western Oregon University.
5. Cornelius M. Kerwin, American University, $1,419,339. As an undergrad at American University, Dr. Kerwin may have envisioned returning to his campus for Homecoming, but it took him a while to realize that he would return as president. With a master’s in political science from the University of Rhode Island and a doctorate in political science from Johns Hopkins, Dr. Kerwin taught for a decade before becoming an administrator. He was a dean and provost at Johns Hopkins before making the shift to American presidency, as it were.
–Barbara Bellesi
November 4th, 2009
While it’s fun to keep up with certain celebrities and read about the hijinks of others, what college-bound students really need are role models who give them a little more than just a photogenic smile on a glitzy red carpet.
And in the case of Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka Trump, you get a lot more.
Say what you will about Donald Trump’s hair, but you’ve got to hand it to him—he raises his children to be hard-working individuals who do not take their fortunes for granted. In fact, he also taught them not to assume that there was a job waiting for them in his own enterprise just because they were his kids; the next generation of the Trump Corporation had to earn their degree just like anyone else in his company.
Just like their dear old dad, Donald Jr. and Ivanka are graduates of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, arguably one of the best business programs in the country. Eric is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he majored in finance and management and also had a minor in psychology. After graduation, all three had great jobs waiting for them in Dad’s company, but if you’ve ever watched an episode of “The Apprentice,” you’ll know that they’ll have to continue to prove themselves in order to stay on the payroll.
It’s kind of nice to know that there are celebrities out there that people can still emulate without getting arrested. Even with Ivanka’s fair share of red carpet poses, I can’t help but wonder how many of those parties she’s had to leave early because she has work the next day.
–Barbara Bellesi
November 2nd, 2009
Shakira is one of The CollegeBound Network’s favorite celebrities, and not just because we hear that her upcoming CD She Wolf is muy caliente.
We already knew that Shakira enrolled in a history class at UCLA during a break from her 2007 Oral Fixation tour, but the story of the Colombian singing sensation’s stint on campus is resurfacing in the press now that her new CD drops next month. Some might call it old news, but we call it awesome any time a celebrity goes back to school instead of using their downtime to rack up DUIs or cavort with other people’s spouses. (Allegedly).
When Shakira was at UCLA, she claims that she threw her hair back in a hat, went by her middle name Isabel, and wasn’t recognized by anyone. The class must have been really interesting, because I find it hard to believe that Shakira wouldn’t have turned heads, even when incognito.
Sigh. Why can’t more celebrities be like Shakira and use their free time in a productive way?
–Barbara Bellesi
October 26th, 2009
If you are in the midst of a college search, you’ve probably got about a half million facts and figures running through your head. Some people might be founts of information when it comes to sports stats, but you instead are able to recite on command a host of enrollment figures, average SAT scores, and admission rates.
One figure that you might have come across in your careful research is the student-faculty ratio. A very important figure on any campus and a source of pride for many colleges and universities, the student-faculty ratio is a good indicator of what your academic life will be life at the school of your choice—that is, if you know how to look at it correctly.
The student-faculty ratio should not be confused with class size, but unfortunately, many students do just that. Rather, a student-faculty ratio is an equation of how many students are on campus in relation to how many faculty members there are at a given time. For example, if a college says that they have a 12-1 student-faculty ratio, this means that for every 12 students on campus, there is currently one faculty member. However, this does NOT mean that all of your classes will have 12 students in them. Large universities that boast low student-faculty ratios are particularly confusing, since chances are good that you will walk into a lecture hall for an intro class and be greeted by a hundred other students.
There’s no doubt that a low student-faculty ratio is desirable. A low ratio means that a college or university is working diligently to ensure that there is enough faculty on hand to teach both required courses and higher-level electives in their programs and that class size, particularly as you get further into your major, is kept at a minimum.
But again, the ratio can be misleading. Colleges often count part-time adjuncts into the mix, and at many colleges, adjuncts comprise a large number—if not the majority–of the faculty. This is nothing against part-time faculty, of course, but when you research a college, it’s important to remember to consider how many tenured faculty are on campus. Since adjuncts are often paid meager salaries and are not eligible for tenure, colleges look to them to fill in the gaps for low-level classes, leaving the published and more experienced profs to teach the upper-level curriculum.
However misleading, the student-faculty ratio is still the best figure for quantifying academic life, as average class size can be even more confusing. After all, it is possible to be one of 200 in a lecture hall and then one of only 10 in an advanced seminar; between these two numbers, the average class size is 105, which is not true!
While schools large and small like to flaunt their low student-faculty ratios, beware of the schools that don’t make this info readily available—it could mean a high ratio. While a high student-faculty ratio isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, it is something that should weigh in on your decision, since this could mean a shortage of classes each semester or, worst-case scenario, a possible termination of smaller, less popular academic programs.
Learning about a school’s facts and figures are a great way to get a snapshot of what campus life is like, but—and we know you’ve heard this before—there’s nothing better than seeing it for yourself. When you call to schedule a campus visit, ask about sitting in on a freshmen class to see what it’s like for yourself before you make your final college decision.
–Barbara Bellesi
October 26th, 2009
I was surprised the other day to see a college student I know pull out a stack of index cards and flip through them while studying for a big test. She and her friends constantly text and communicate via Facebook, but when it comes to taking notes and marking important passages in a textbook, they seem to turn to traditional paper instead of technology.
That observation fits with what The Associated Press reported when Amazon.com gave university students Kindle devices this fall. The Kindles, which had been uploaded with digital textbooks –pricier than books –were tested by more than 200 college students.
Some students reported problems typing notes using the small keys. Although there’s the ability to highlight passages or bookmark pages, some students told the AP that they had trouble sorting through the many bookmarks.
One positive: Students said the portable Kindle allowed them to study more often.
If you are pursuing a career in technology, your future could involve creating tech-savvy tools that assist students in learning and studying.
Some of my friends in college or who work at colleges say the drawbacks are the lack of color and difficulty with graphics or reading PDF documents that professors may provide students. They and the students interviewed by the AP also said they didn’t want to lose the ability to scribble notes in margins.
In an electronic world, index cards and notebooks still have a place – for now.
–Lori Johnston
October 21st, 2009
Good news for those of you looking to become a teacher in the next few years: the Department of Education will be looking to hire an estimated 1.7 million new educators by the year 2017.
It’s nice to see encouraging employment numbers in the midst of a recession, isn’t it?
What is less encouraging is the reason for the teacher shortage. Not only are baby boomers retiring from the classroom in droves, but new teachers are also being driven away from the profession by low salaries. There’s no doubt that when it come to professional careers, teachers are at the lower end of the payscale, but ask any veteran teacher why they continue, and they’ll tell you that their interaction with the students is what keeps them coming back year after year despite a paltry paycheck.
A new website, MyTeacherMyHero, has been launched to honor teachers for a job tremendously well done and to educate those who are thinking of becoming teachers. The site features videos of individuals expressing their thanks for a special teacher who has been an inspiration in their lives. MyTeacherMyHero is sponsored by MAT@USC, the very first Master of Arts in Teaching program that is solely online and is offered through the prestigious University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education.
Anyone can upload a video, but the first round of videos features some pretty big names from various industries. Craig Newmark, the brains behind Craigslist, is one video to check out, as well as the ones starring musician Sean Paul, HBO President Sue Naegle, and Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford.
I’m thinking of posting a video message for my all-time favorite English teacher, Eileen Finn. While she couldn’t possibly predict when she taught me in 7th grade that I’d be a blogger, she did encourage my writing, and for that, I’m very thankful.
–Barbara Bellesi
October 19th, 2009
Students could be getting the shaft in health care reform.
The bill approved earlier this week by the Senate Finance Committee has some people, including the American College Health Association, worried that it leaves out college-sponsored student health insurance plans. The ACHA says the bill’s language is unclear and ambiguous about how the college-sponsored plans should be treated.
The group has asked Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the committee’s chairman, to make clear that nothing in the proposed legislation is intended to preclude or inhibit the continuance of those student health insurance plans and that colleges will retain the ability to mandate comprehensive coverage levels for their students.
If not, it says 9 million college students could be impacted.
Some college students I know are dealing with the swine flu, seasonal flu, or other illnesses that threaten to keep them away from classes or add to the stress of writing papers and studying for exams. Some experiencing sickness at school for the first time have the extra frustration of figuring out if they have insurance, what it covers, and where they can seek treatment.
While we wait to see what happens with health care reform and the impact on students, go ahead and investigate what your insurance situation is like now, or what you may need to do if entering college next year.
• Check if your school offers insurance plans for students at subsidized rates. Data shows that 71 percent of four-year private schools and 82 percent of four-year public institutions offer student insurance plans, according to a March 2008 Government Accountability Office report. You may already be paying for insurance, but take a look at the plan before you seek treatment from a doctor that may not be covered and incur a big expense. Those plans typically cover treatment at a university health center.
• Ask if you are covered as a dependent under your parents’ health plan.
You may have certain requirements to fulfill, in terms of credit hours. And the plan may not cover certain physicians in the town in which you are attending school.
• See if your employer offers health insurance. This could depend on the number of hours you work or your time on the job, but it could be a smart option to get affordable coverage.
College and university students comprise about 10-12 percent of the nation’s 45.7 million uninsured U.S. residents, according to a report by Aetna Student Health using GAO data. About 37 percent of uninsured young adults were carrying medical debt, as of 2007 data.
There’s enough financial pressure during college to have to worry about mammoth doctor’s and hospital bills as well. We’ll have to see what changes health care reform brings about, but there are ways to pursue getting coverage until then.
–Lori Johnston
October 15th, 2009
If you are like most students, figuring out how you’re going to foot the bill has become even more important than deciding which college you will attend. But should your impending tuition bill be the ultimate factor in your big decision?
It is true that college is one of the best investments you’ll ever make—if not THE best. But that doesn’t mean that you have to wind up in the poor house while you wait for that investment to mature. Here are a few important questions to consider as you make your decision:
What is your major? Don’t panic. It’s OK if you have no idea what you want to study. But for those of you who do, make sure you take your future career aspirations into consideration. Want to be a business major? Well, once this economy behaves itself again, you’ll be able to score a good salary coming out of school. Want to become a teacher? It’s an awesome career choice, but know that you’ll never command a Wall Street salary. Plus, most states, if not all, require a master’s degree to remain certified, so grad school is not exactly a choice anymore—and that means loans, loans, and more loans for you.
A paycheck should not sway your passion, but it should give you a reality check. Yes, you might very well have the talent to be the next big thing, but as any E! True Hollywood Story will tell you, even the A-listers had some lean years before they made it big. Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics—it’s a great source for employment and salary information.
Do you want to attend graduate school? I know, it’s frustrating to think of a second degree when you haven’t even earned your first one. But if grad school is indeed a blip on your radar at this point, then you need to weigh it as an additional cost.
In fact, that’s exactly the predicament I found myself in when I was applying to college. I was accepted to what I believed was my dream school, which just so happened at the time to not award ANY merit scholarships. So I was looking at financing all four years of college. (Note to younger self—what were you thinking?) I knew that grad school was a possibility for me, so I ultimately passed on my first choice and accepted a scholarship offer at another college on my list. To my happy surprise, that college turned out to be my dream school. Sure enough, four years later, I enrolled in grad school, and I was very glad to have fewer undergrad loans to repay.
Are you loving life in your home state? You already know that state schools offer the best bang for your buck—an excellent education with major tuition perks for state residents. But did you also know that some state schools offer even more benefits to those students who remain in the state after graduation? A number of states have noticed a massive exodus of students after graduation, and in order to keep more of those well-educated residents, state universities–and even the states themselves--are offering additional scholarships to sweeten the deal. Some states even have the endorsement of their celebrity residents. Longtime Maine resident Stephen King used his speech to the graduates of the University of Maine to encourage them to make the state their permanent home. So if you enjoy living in your home state and plan on spending some quality time there after graduation, then do yourself a huge favor and check in with the state schools to see if you can cash in on some of that loyalty.
These questions are a good start, but don’t stop there. When it comes to your (and your parents’) hard-earned money, you should have lots of questions about how best to spend it. Got any you can’t answer? Post them in the comment section below.
–Barbara Bellesi
October 8th, 2009
If you’re feeling haunted by the college application process, you’re not alone.
These are the top 10 things that frighten college-bound high school seniors, according to Cappex.com’s survey of more than 600 students.
1. Getting rejected (77%)
2. Writing the application essay (50%)
3. Keeping up with deadlines (31%)
4. Finding scholarships (31%)
5. Applying for financial aid (29%)
6. Meeting a college’s GPA and test score requirements (26%)
7. Filling out applications (22%)
8. Narrowing a list of college picks (18%)
9. Reading all the mail from colleges (12%)
10. Starting a list of college picks to explore (9%)
Those are all scary propositions, but there are ways to face those fears.
The application essay may be a huge worry, but here are some tricks for making it through the fall without looking like the “Scream” stalker all the time. Think of that essay as letting college admissions folks see the real you behind the Halloween costume, as well as to learn more about your personality and dreams – things that aren’t on the basic application. Revealing an interesting side to yourself could be one way to do just that in an engaging essay that people won’t want to put down.
Getting rejected is something we all want to avoid, but it’s nothing to be frightened about.
Instead of waiting and worrying, focus on finding scholarships and applying for financial aid, which can help keep those checklist items from driving you batty. Researching options online and connecting with people in the community with funds available for your education can keep you busy this fall – and getting a head start will allow you to hit those haunted houses with a clear mind.
The ultimate treat? Not a bag of candy, but knowing where you are headed to college.
–Lori Johnston
October 7th, 2009
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