Posts filed under 'General'
Need a break from all those college or scholarship applications? Get in the holiday spirit by checking out our annual list of the coolest stuff, all with campus life in mind.
School Pride
Collegiate Beanbag Toss: Especially if you’re going to a school where tailgating before football games is a part of student life each fall, a beanbag toss game (also known as cornhole) is a must. Target is among the stores selling the games with school names and mascots on them; you can also find them offered by your potential school’s bookstore. $69-$99
Collegiate Wallet: One of the first thingscollege freshman was a faux-leather ID holder/keychain with my university’s logo on it. But the Pottery Barn Teen wallets are so much more stylish, with the logo and school colors stitched in needlepoint. $55.
Dorm Room Stuff
Door Organizer: In college, you’re going to be so busy that anything that can help you remember important items (like those keys!) is awesome. The Doorganizer from The Container Store is one of those items, staring you right in the face as it hangs from the door knob. It holds phones, keys, glasses, pens, flash drives, and other stuff that you need on a daily basis. $11.99.
Cool Tools: Show your independence by asking for some tools, even starting small with a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench set. But girls can still be cute, such as the Tools for Her set. $19.99.
Tech tools
Mophie Juice Pack Air: Here’s a common Facebook status update: “My battery died so don’t call me. Just FB me!” Don’t let your cell phone die and disconnect you from your friends and worried family. This iPhone case, available in red, black, and white, has a rechargeable battery. $79.95.
Pandigital Frame: Remember your high school friends – and have room for photos of new college friends, too – with a digital frame. There’s a ton on the market, but you’ll want to see how many images it stores (this one from Bed, Bath & Beyond can hold up to 4,000), the frame’s size, and if it comes with a remote (just in case you want to skip past any of those embarrassing photos). $59.99.
Traveling Around
KAVU Keeper: Look all laid back, but organized, with the five compartments in this slender bag to hold your cell phone, keys, and anything else you’re likely to lose while on campus or hanging out with friends. We love the pattern names, like Fireworks, Wallpaper Stripe, Licorice, and Arctic Bloom. $30.
Car Trunk Organizer & Cooler: If those busy weekend trips make it seem as if you are constantly living out of your car, you can get organized with this car trunk organizer. It may join the wooden bar you may have affixed in your car to hang up your clothes too. But this organizer also comes with a cooler, making you a popular person when on a road trip with friends. $49.95.
–Lori Johnston (Delaney Young contributed)
December 12th, 2011
Today’s guest post comes from one of the friendly tutors at Parliament Tutors. Want to ask a question or clarify a point? Join us today for our #collegebound Twitter chat, which will be cohosted by Parliament Tutors!
An important item on the college-bound student’s preparation checklist is the decision to take the ACT or the SAT (or both.) Fortunately, there are factors to consider that will help to make this decision process easier:
The Obvious Choice
Most importantly, students need to know the admissions requirements for the college(s) they are hoping to attend. Although most schools will accept either test, a few schools will only accept one or the other. This information may help make your decision very easy. If you know the schools’ preferred college entrance test, you’ll make the correct choice.
Note: Some top universities will require up to three SAT Subject Tests (SAT II) if you choose the SAT route. For the ACT, the test is offered in two versions: with writing and without. Many top schools will require that you take the test with writing, which again is something to research with your school’s admission office before signing up for your test.
If your schools alternate between requiring the SAT and ACT, be sure to sign up for both.
Narrowing it down
Let’s say your school(s) don’t have a preference–now what do you do? Let’s look at the characteristics of the tests to see which test is a better fit for you. Choosing which of these two tests is right for your skills and study habits can increase your likelihood of scoring high enough for the top universities, as well as make the standardized testing process much less stressful.
Test Purpose
The intention of both the ACT and the SAT is to measure what students have learned in high school courses. This difference is reflected in the types of questions asked and what is expected of the student’s test taking abilities.
The SAT is an aptitude test, meaning that it is testing ability, rather than learned information. The test questions are designed to determine knowledge through the student’s capability to think through the question to get the answer.
The ACT is more of an achievement test, meaning that it is testing information that has been learned. The ACT measures knowledge with direct, clear-cut knowledge testing questions.
Think about your high school experience. Which classes had tests that fit these testing styles? How did you do? Spending some time reflecting on your high school testing experiences is a wise step in making this important decision.
SAT and ACT score comparison
Test Characteristics
There are differences in the characteristics of the SAT and ACT that could make a difference to you as a test-taker and should be taken into consideration when making your choice.
- Test Content. Although the tests are directly related to what students have learned in high school courses, the test content is organized differently and can be a consideration in your decision process.
- Questions. The Princeton Review cites several differences between the tests including the following:
● ACT questions tend to be more straightforward
● SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary
● ACT tests more advanced math concepts
- Test Length. The ACT is 4 hours and 15 minutes long, plus an additional 45 minutes for the optional writing test. The SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes long.
- Test Structure. The ACT has four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science with an optional Writing section. The SAT has three primary sections: Reading, Writing, and Math with 20 optional SAT Subject Tests in five general subject areas: English, history, languages, mathematics, and science.
- Essay. The ACT essay is optional and not factored into your composite score (though a few schools do require that you take it). The SAT essay is mandatory and is a part of the Writing score.
- Wrong Answers. The ACT does not penalize test takers for incorrect answers, while there is a penalty for incorrect answers with the SAT.
- Results. All scores are sent to designated colleges with ACT, whereas the SAT offers the student the opportunity to choose whether to automatically send all scores to designated colleges or to be selective with the scores they send.
Test the Test
Before you buy a car, you take a test drive to make sure the vehicle meets your needs. You can do this with the college admission tests, too.
Both tests offer pretest options (see chart below.) By participating in these pretests, you can get a realistic first-hand idea of how each test works for you. You will get the feel for the testing experience and what to do with the results. Results from the ACT and SAT can be compared; although they are scored differently, there are comparison charts that provide equivalency information. (SAT-ACT Concordance Tables)
Additionally, there are online sites with sample tests characterizing the ACT and SAT. Although the testing environment is not the same as that of a testing center, a student can gain some understanding for the feel and character of the tests by taking these practice tests.
Yes, this is a big decision, but it does have a default answer, if needed. If the colleges on your wish list do not have a preference and if these characteristics and strategies don’t help you with your decision, simply take both tests and cover all your bases. Good luck to you in your college admission process!
Anne N. is a SAT Tutor for Parliament Tutors in Des Moines, IA. Parliament Tutors offers private tutoring and test preparation for all subjects and standardized tests. Check Anne’s recent article, “Whether to Retake the SAT or ACT?”
November 21st, 2011
As a kid, you learned to look both ways before you cross the street, and it’s a guideline that shouldn’t be ignored once you’re in college. But year after year, students on campuses across the country are injured or even killed in accidents while walking on campus. Sometimes it is the drivers’ fault, but there are cases when students get in the way of danger by jaywalking, being distracted while texting and walking, or losing their focus when running into a friend on a busy street.
Being safe on campus is not just something that students attending college in a city need to consider. On suburban and even rural campuses, there are so many things that could put you in danger – buses, bikes, cars, scooters, and even other students rushing to get to class on foot.
You may have searched safety on campus when you were applying to colleges, but government data about crimes doesn’t include the incidents that happen when students are hit by vehicles. Last year, a student at UConn was killed by a campus bus. At a lot of schools, current students can easily pick out spots where jaywalking is common, which could lead to injuries. The tragedies are so common that some schools, such as Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY have had guards monitoring crosswalks to prevent jaywalking.
Police at Valdosta State University in Georgia this month are giving $112 tickets to students and other caught jaywalking in an effort to make the roads safer, according to WCTV.
The University of Minnesota in April ticketed more than 120 people (the fees were $100) for jaywalking on campus. One student told a TV station: “For me, it’s changed the way I walk. I used to just go when there weren’t any cars. Now, I look both ways and make sure there are no cops around.”
We’re proud, just as you are, that you are attending college, and we want you to have a safe and wonderful experience on campus. So while you’re rushing to reach class on time, or are ready to get back to your dorm room or apartment, don’t let a lack of focus on the streets keep you from being safe while on campus.
–Lori Johnston
September 19th, 2011
It’s one thing to suspend a high school student because he or she has done something horribly offensive or horribly dangerous. And in a post-Columbine world, I would normally say that a student should get in some sort of trouble for trespassing on the school grounds after hours. But today’s news of an overreacting school principal has me and a lot of other people scratching our heads.
Here’s the story: In probably one of the greatest “Awwwww!” moments of the year, James Tate, a senior at Shelton High School in Shelton, CT, decided on a sweet and memorable way to ask his girl to the prom: He and a friend went to school after dark and posted the message SONALI RODRIGUES WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME? HMU-TATE.” (HMU=hit me up, BTW. And Sonali said yes!) Adorable, right? But the killjoy school administration had to go and not only suspend Tate for trespassing, but bar him from the prom.
Seriously?!
I understand rules. I understand respect. But Tate neither disrespected nor harmed anyone in this case. And consider the rumors that swirl around other after-hours pranks that high school students pull, this candy-coated, G-rated incident is not even close to being in the same category.
I mean really, how cute are these two? Let them go to the prom!
Of course, a Facebook page was made in the seconds following the handing down of the punishment, and more than 26,000 people (including me) have already liked the page. Brenda Kyer posted, “This is ridiculous; talk about abuse of power…The kids should not be punished for a romantic gesture. In a world of war, bad economy and violence in schools these kids should be thanked for their mirth.” Well said, Ms. Kyer.
Fox News is reporting that even the town’s mayor has come out against the school ruling, saying that the punishment in no way fits the crime. Apparently, not only is Tate a good kid, but his parents are also upstanding, involved citizens.
Sheesh. Let Tate go to the prom already. There’s bigger fish to fry in the world today. It’s kind of refreshing to see a kid be a kid for once. Props to you, James Tate. Sonali Rodrigues is a lucky girl.
–Barbara Bellesi
May 11th, 2011
Even if you’ve already taken the general campus tour at one of your college choices, consider using part of your spring break to check out what it’s like to actually be a student there.
Since most colleges have already had their spring break, your visit will likely be timed when school is in session, but double check the college or university calendar to make sure your trip doesn’t conflict with another holiday or special days off.
More and more schools are customizing spring visits, and this is a great option for you to consider, especially if you’re facing a May 1 deadline to reply to a school that has accepted you.
At Washington University in St. Louis, you can attend a student organization meeting, exercise with college students in the athletic complex, listen to a concert, or sit it on classes during a spring university visit.
Dickinson College’s day visit option is available each winter and spring (through April 26), allowing students to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at campus life by eating lunch with a student and attending a class at the Pennsylvania college. The cool thing is that your campus visit is designed just for you.
Minnesota’s Hamline University also offers options for a spring visit, such as staying overnight with a student, eating with them, and going to classes with them; students also get to sit down with professors and coaches.
Don Fraser Jr. of the National Association for College Admission Counseling tells Education Week that it’s important to set up meetings with people in certain departments you’re interested in to get the most out of your visit. Another great tip from Fraser is to look at aspects of student life, even negative aspects such as crime, by checking out the police blotter in the student newspaper that you pick up during a campus visit.
Zola Dincin Schneider, author of Campus Visits & College Interviews, offers some good info about visits on the CollegeBoard’s web site. Among the tips: Spring break of junior year is a good time for a visit for athletes who are too swamped during the fall to visit or students considering applying for early decision.
So cure your spring fever by using your spring break to visit the campus that may be your home next fall!
–Lori Johnston
March 22nd, 2011
While the whole Charlie Sheen debacle seems less and less magical as the press commentary explodes, it got us to thinking…. What would happen if you were stuck with someone like him as a college roommate? Although it may be hard to imagine more than one Charlie Sheen in this world, what with the winning tiger blood flowing through him, the likelihood that you may be mismatched with a roommate at school is very common. For those who have lived through the tale to tell about it, having an erratic, unpredictable roommate (with or without a scary drug problem) can be quite “epic” (and not in a good way).
During my brother Joe’s freshman year at college, he had a roommate who he instantly classified as skittish and silly. He kept opposite hours than my brother (and most people), sleeping in between classes and tackling the hours between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. as if they were the middle of the day. Though such a night owl, quirky persona isn’t enough to warrant a roommate change request, the situation imploded when Joe awoke one night to an ominous feeling. Earlier in the day, the roommate had been quizzing Joe about his car, which he kept on campus for that one semester due to a work responsibility. “It was like he was interviewing me for a paper, or something,” Joe recalls.
Half asleep and worried about having to get up early for work the next day, my brother dismissed the feeling and the fact that his roommie wasn’t in bed. When he went out to his car the following morning, though, he knew a roommate tsunami had struck. While Charlie Sheen rides it on a mercury surfboard, Joe’s roommate “borrowed” my brother’s car. Both it and his roommie were missing for almost half a day before they were recovered. His roommate was still hung over from a night of drinking and driving, and the car – well, let’s just say it had seen better days. Though there was no serious accident, the parking-challenged dormmate saw to it that Joe needed to get both a new roommate and a new bumper.
If you’re worried about how to deal with a current or future college roommate who exhibits a “winning” Charlie Sheen personality, here’s some rocket fuel to sustain you. (And remember, if there is a serious drug or alcohol issue involved, alert your resident adviser immediately. It’s too bad there’s no RA at the real-life Charlie Sheen’s “Sober Valley Lodge…”)
Winning at the Roommate Game (appropriately titled, we know!)
Dealing with a Depressed Roommate
Roommates 101: 48 Ways To Keep the Peace
Living With the Enemy
Roommate Face-off: How to Avoid a Dorm Divorce
Roommates You Don’t Want
-Gina LaGuardia
March 2nd, 2011
Today is the 12th and final day of the Christmas holiday. We’ll miss the festive holiday season, but we’re excited to spend a new year with all our college and college-bound friends.
So to celebrate this last day of Christmas, let’s sing the last verse of “The 12 Days of Christmas” in the way only we at The CollegeBound Network can:
On the 12th day of Christmas, The CollegeBound Network gave to me:
–The CollegeBound Network
January 5th, 2011
Your New Year’s resolution (or your parents’ resolution) might be to save money in 2011, but how is that possible if you’re heading to college?
While there’s still the burden of tuition, books, room and board, and other necessary school expenses, there are some financial perks to being a college student. Here’s a look at a few freebies and discounts you’ll be enjoying in college:
Movies and more
Flash your student ID and you’re likely to get discounts to movies and museums, making it more affordable see the latest Harry Potter or Twilight movie with friends. And most campuses offer movie nights and concerts that are free for students – and sometimes there’s free food too.
Sports and recreation
Admission to school sporting events can be at no cost for students, and schools also often offer discounts on amusement park tickets, ski passes, and rounds of golf. It’s enough free or discounted stuff to make you forget about studying … almost.
Banking
Banks in your hometown or college town often will offer free checking and other perks, getting rid of another monthly or yearly expense. Some require a monthly balance; others don’t. And if you’re wanting to do online banking, that’s often a free option, too.
Career help
Free job databases, job search consulting, resume help, and more are offered by school’s career services departments. A new college grad told me this weekend that she was surprised to learn she would continue to have free access to her university’s career services assistance.
Laundry
At least one school – Davidson College in North Carolina – has a perk where students can drop off their laundry to be washed and dried for free. Students can have their dress shirts and blouses pressed and returned on hangers, and sheets, pillowcases and mattress covers are washed too.
Legal representation
If you’re in trouble with the law, battling with your landlord, or need another type of legal assistance, your status as a full-time student allows you to seek help from school’s Student Legal Services office. If you can’t afford to pay for an attorney, it’s a much cheaper alternative. It’s offered by schools such as Indiana University-Bloomington and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Be sure to check out what other types of freebies and perks are offered at your school or the schools you’re applying to.
–Lori Johnston
December 22nd, 2010
The holiday season is a time to reconnect with old high school friends who are returning home from college.
Be prepared in case your reunion is a little bit awkward because your friends have moved onto college life and all that implies, and it may feel like they’re leaving you behind. But don’t let that stop you from trying to hang out with them.
In fact, any real-life advice they can give you about college could help you out as you’re making your college choice, pursuing financing aid, and just planning in general for life on campus next fall. This is your chance to ask more detailed and personal questions than you could ask during your college visit or campus tour.
Even if you take just a few minutes to chat with your friends, here are some questions that can tap into their valuable experience:
1. How tough is it to stay on a budget, and what are they spending their money on?
You may find some friends have had to take part-time jobs, even if they weren’t planning on working, and others are constantly checking their bank account in hopes that they haven’t hit $0 yet. You’ll get a better idea of what type of money you need to have budgeted for college, whether you’re taking money out of savings or asking your parents for help.
2. What’s the biggest distractions they’ve faced when studying?
Knowing what’s kept them from focusing on finals and other tests could prepare you for what you’ll face when dealing with the pressure of exams.
3. Do they get homesick?
The independence that freshman love still can be accompanied by homesickness. So you’ll want to get prepared for times when you really want to be back home, which may only happen when you’re faced with a mound of laundry or are in need of a home-cooked meal. Or it may happen more often, depending on the relationship you have with your family.
4. What did they do to meet people?
You’ll want to find out what clubs, sororities or fraternities, or other social activities they attended to make new friends. Even if you’re attending a different college, it could point you to potential activities to consider.
5. Can I really wear my pajamas to class?
Well, maybe you won’t ask this particular question, but now’s your time to ask what is and is not acceptable on a college campus, particularly when it comes to classroom etiquette. While being yourself is always important, it’s also a good idea not to offend your professor or classmate on the first day of class with any misguided actions or words.
Have other questions? Come join us today at 4PM ET for our weekly #collegebound Twitter chat, where we’ll continue talking about those burning questions you have about college.
–Lori Johnston
December 13th, 2010
You may be counting down the days until you head off to college (even though you don’t know where you’re going yet), but one huge thing I learned as a college student was that it was up to me to survive.
Mom wasn’t there to do my laundry, although I tried to always bring it home and hold off on using the dorm washer and dryer until I had nothing left to wear. I had to learn to clean up after myself and my roommate, who sometimes left dirty dishes in the sink for days. I had to wake up early and get myself to class and work on time, whether by driving, walking, or taking the bus.
So it’s interesting to see a recent Associated Press story titled, “Are You Raising a Generation of Nincompoops?” make that point of calling out “college kids who’ve never done laundry, taken a bus alone or addressed an envelope.” If any of this is new to you, ask your parents or friends now to help you get used to being on your own when away at school. They want to help, and some realize that it’s not all your fault.
Diane N. Quintana, author of Flying Solo: A Guide to Organizing Your Home When You Leave Your Parents’ Nest, writes: “I have found that while [my children] have lived in an organized and well-thought-out household, they were clueless as to how to set themselves up,” she writes. “Then I realized much of the problem was of my own creation. You see, this generation has had so much done for them.”
The Atlanta-based certified professional organizer recommends four things students can start to do this year to get ready for college life.
1. Spend an hour on the weekend thinking ahead. This short-term planning for the next week could include jotting down appointments you have, errands you need to run, special events you want to attend, and even chores, such as laundry and dusting, that have to get done. Knowing what absolutely has to be done in the coming week will help you figure out how to do them at convenient times, Quintana says.
2. Create an emergency card. That small item in your wallet or purse should include essential details such as any allergies you might have, doctors’ names and phone numbers, major surgeries you have had, contact numbers for you and your family, and a list of prescriptions and vitamins you take.
3. Discuss chores and expenses with your roommate. This is a step you can do well in advance, if you’re planning on living with a best friend or high school classmate. You’ll want to divide the chores and expenses, so make sure you know how to handle the chores you’ve agreed to do.
4. Keep track of your food. We’re not talking about making sure your roommate doesn’t drink the last of your milk (bought with your money), but making sure you’re not keeping outdated items in the refrigerator. If the date isn’t written on the item, use a permanent marker to note when it was opened on the bottom of cartons, bottles, jars, cans, and other items. Referring to a food storage chart can keep you from getting yourself sick at school, too.
What other ways do you feel unprepared for college? How can CBN help you figure it out? Leave us a comment below or tweet us at @CollegeBoundNet.
–Lori Johnston
October 7th, 2010
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