Posts filed under 'Schools'
Once you get in to college, you probably think you’re done reviewing all the ridiculous education rankings. Not so for those looking ahead to grad school.
For law school and b-school hopefuls, however, the rankings review might not be as bad as you think.
The hot-off-the-press 2009 print and online editions of “Best 174 Law Schools” and “Best 296 Business Schools” may appear daunting at first glance. But The Princeton Review’s annual guidebooks are chock full of fun lists that are mostly based on student input. It’s kind of like having a grad school insider give you the scoop on what each school is really like. Each guidebook lists the top 10 schools in 11 categories.
So if you’re interested in the best business school for career prospects, you would click on Stanford University (Stanford, CA). Or if you want to be aware of the toughest law school to get into — the only ranking in the books based entirely on school-reported 
data — you would take note of Yale University (New Haven, CT).
Both books include lists of schools that are the toughest to get into and that present the best career prospects, best classroom experience, and most competitive students.
The b-school ranking categories also include best administered, best campus environment, best campus facilities, best professors, greatest opportunity for minority students, greatest opportunity for women, and most family friendly.
The law school categories also include best environment for minority students,
best quality of life, candidates for Center for American Progress Fellowships? (or, students lean to the left), candidates for Heritage Foundation Fellowships? (or, students lean to the right), most diverse faculty, most welcoming of older students, and professors rock (legally speaking).
Remember, the schools are ranked from their students’ perspective. So the guidebooks can serve as a sort of shorthand for you. Say you’re a minority student interested in Badabing U., but it didn’t make the list of the top 10 schools for minority students. That’s your cue to follow up with the school and get your questions answered directly.
It can be dangerous to take grad school rankings at face value. But if you take the guidebooks and online listings for what they really are — a guide — you’ll have a valuable tool to determine how various schools rate in the areas that matter most to you.
For those looking toward law school or b-school: Do you plan to review the rankings first?
-Robyn Tellefsen
October 8th, 2008
How would you like to get a college education completely tuition-free for your four-year degree? This is possible for all students who attend Berea College (Berea, KT), where every single student admitted gets a free ride. There is a catch, however. Students who are admitted are from low-income families and show exceptional need and promise for completion of academics.
Berea College is just like a regular college - you get a great education, you can participate in extracurriculars, and there is a staff that cares about your academic success. Students not only do all these things but they also work on campus (and get paid too!) at least 10 hours per week. Internships, co-ops, and study abroad opportunities abound. And there are more than 45 majors and minors from which students may choose.
Students are chosen based mainly on their family’s income to give students who may not be able to afford college at all, the chance to get a solid education. At Berea, they “don’t think your income should dictate your outcome.”
For more on Berea, see the article in the Times.
-Amanda Fornecker
July 21st, 2008
You’ve seen them — bulletins sent in the mail or galleries linked on school websites — and they’re all filled with the same things: happy, smiling students of every race and color who are either walking around campus or deeply engaged in a professor’s lecture.
But just how accurate are these microcosms of college living? According to recent research headed by Timothy Pippert, an associate professor of sociology from Augsburg College (Minneapolis, Missouri), not very.
Using a random sampling of 371 college and universities, Pippert studied various promotional materials and found that schools often over-represented the number of minorities on campus. For example, while black and Asian students comprise 7.9 and 3.3 percent of the average college student body, respectively, their presence in college bulletins and other materials amount to 12.4 and 5.1 percent of students portrayed.
The effect can be two-fold, gain the interest of students who are interested in attending a diverse college and make minority students feel more welcome. But does this penchant for picture diversity constitute a conspiracy to lure in students? What do you think?
– Genevieve M. Blaber
July 11th, 2008
For those who want a lot of college information in one place, but can’t necessarily travel all the time, check out a virtual college fair! CollegeWeekLive is a two day online event that showcases different schools, panels, and guest speakers to give students a perspective on getting into the right college.
Attendance is free at this virtual college fair by CollegeWeekLive and includes participation by at least 200 colleges across the country. You don’t even need to get out of your pajamas to attend this - how much more convenient can you get?!
The site is set up like a typical college fair and has you walk through the event and pick a booth to learn more about a particular school. Parents and counselors can even attend. Check CollegeWeekLive out today so you can sign up for the sessions on March 25-26, 2008 from 12:00p.m. EST - 11:00 p.m. EST.
Get going on your college search today from the comfort of your own home!!
-Amanda Fornecker
March 19th, 2008
It’s January and that can mean only one thing: time for Simon Cowell’s scowl!
If you’re like millions of other TV viewers, you’ve spent the last two 
weeks laughing and singing along with the latest season of Fox’s American Idol. Over the last six years, this nationwide singing contest has helped get some stars off the ground, including Kelly Clarkson, whose pop rock stylings have rocketed her up the charts, and Fantasia Barrino, who recently starred in the Broadway musical “The Color Purple.”
But not everyone can get their start through “American Idol” which is why many aspiring singers turn to performing arts schools for the training and opportunities it takes to enter the industry. Take for instance, Sunita Puleo, who chose to earn a bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in vocal performance. Performing arts schools help students learn proper techniques while also giving them a leg up in the audition world.
Although it may not be the glitz and glamour of a hit TV show, performing arts schools will set you on track to your dream career — while also protecting you from Simon’s sharp tongue.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
January 30th, 2008
