Posts filed under 'Test Prep'
In honor of Halloween, I decided to investigate the things from our college days that will always leave us shrieking in terror. In no particular order, here are “Five Things That Still Scare Us About College.”
1. Tuition rates: While it’s possible to make your way through college with a cavalry of scholarships, loans, grants, and assorted financial aid at your beck and call, the ever-rising rate of tuition is something that still stirs fear in our CB hearts. Too bad we can’t ask a horror movie star like Ghostface to slash the price of admission.
2. Missing a class: It’s not unusual to pick and drop a couple of courses during the first few weeks of the semester — but doing so much schedule juggling has left many a college student with an acute fear of forgetting what classes they’re enrolled in. Computerized class registration only increased our worries, lest an overzealous HAL 9000-like computer program decide we don’t really need that intro course for our major.
3. The all-nighter: No matter what you do, you can’t prevent the all-nighter. Even the most well-intentioned of students will eventually fall victim to the task of completing a 10-page paper the night before their 8 am class. On the bright side, you won’t have to worry about nightmare-crawling Freddy Kreuger invading your dreams if you’re too busy researching classical composers from the Baroque period for your music history class.
4. The showers: Don’t worry; college showers are pretty devoid of Psycho-stars like Norman Bates, but that doesn’t mean you can claim the right to shower so easily. You’ll probably end up sharing a bathroom with at least one other roomie, so prepare to do battle over hair left in the drain, stolen shampoo, and a mysteriously small soap bar that you could have sworn you just opened.
5. The Freshman Fifteen: College is no reason to do away with healthy eating habits. Unfortunately, many college freshman become the Blob and start eating any — and every — greasy, fatty food in sight. Before you start settling for unhealthy fast foods and restaurant stops, consider expanding your culinary prowess, or at least buying healthy easy-to-prepare meals.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
October 30th, 2008
While no one can knock all the features that Microsoft Office has to offer, there are alternatives around that will grant you some of the same options (or more) for free.
Though this list doesn’t cover all of the writing software that’s available on the Internet, it will clue you in to some of the more interesting ones and who they’re best suited for.
Join the Dark Side
Designed for the PC and PC/Mac/Linux, respectively, the Dark Room (they.misled.us/dark-room) and JDarkRoom (codealchemists.com/jdarkroom) are distraction-free writing zones where the document takes up your entire screen and refuses to show pop-ups of any kind. No toolbar, no desktop, just you and your words. It’s the perfect solution if you have a hard time concentrating. Both Dark Room and JDarkRoom are free to download and use, and boast customizable colors.
If you feel like putting down a little bit of cash you can purchase WriteRoom (hogbaysoftware.com/products/writeroom), the software that inspired Dark Room and JDarkRoom, for $24.95.
Perfect for: Easily-distracted students, minimalists, hackers, anyone who misses MS-DOS
Drawbacks: When I say distraction-free, I mean it. There’s no spell-check or grammar-check, so once you’re done writing you should import the document to another program for a double-check.
Open Your Mind to Possibilities
What if you could have something that sort of looked like MS Office but without the $100+ price tag? OpenOffice.org (www.openoffice.org) is what you need. An open source office bundle designed for PC/Mac/Linux, OpenOffice.org features free alternatives to Microsoft staples like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. There’s no worrying about compatibility either thanks to the ability to save in multiple file formats.
Perfect for: Students on a budget, computer science majors/minors, anyone who hates the latest version of MS Office
Drawbacks: The dictionary doesn’t seem to be as comprehensive as MS Office’s, so you’ll have to do some old-fashioned dictionary flipping if you see a red squiggle underneath an uncommon word. (To be fair, though, MS Office regularly accuses me of misspelling “dialectical.”)
Shakespeare Says Celtx Rocks
Just because Shakespeare had to put up with quills, messy ink, and the occasional bout of writer’s block, doesn’t mean you have to. While Celtx (celtx.com) can’t save you from a lack of inspiration, it can help when it comes to formatting plays, screenplays, and comics — and, like most other programs on this list, it’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux .
There’s no more fine-tuning MS Office to indent just so and overriding green grammar squiggles when it takes issue with the screenwriting staple of “INT. BOB’S ROOM – NIGHT,” because Celtx gives you preformatted templates that take into account the difference between writing a term paper and the next Sundance Film Festival must-see.
Perfect for: Budding filmmakers, playwrights, comic artists, and more
Drawbacks: If you’re really into using a quill and inkwell then you’ll never like it. Sorry, Shakespeare.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
October 16th, 2008
Join U.Got It? in welcoming our new guest blogger, Barbara Bellesi. She’s an expert from CampusCompare.com, who’ll be dropping by once in a while to share some thoughts on the process of choosing a college.
As a college-bound student, it seems as though everyone’s got advice for you. From your parents to your guidance counselor to even your dentist, people are lining up for their chance to weigh in on your college decision. Thanks to websites like CampusCompare, you’ve also got tons of college students clamoring for your attention, ready to share their points of view on college life. But here’s a question that you won’t find on the ACT or the SAT: should you pay attention to student reviews?
College reviews are not like movie reviews. You might still pay the 10 bucks for admission even after the movie you want to see gets panned by the critics. College, on the other hand, carries a much heftier price tag and you certainly don’t want buyers’ remorse. Therefore, it is perfectly acceptable—and advisable—to make student reviews part of your decision-making process.
Notice I said part. There should be many factors that determine your final college pick, and student reviews can be an integral part of the equation. Here are some ways that you can use reviews to your advantage:
1. Consider the source. Let’s say you read a scathing review from a student at University X who says her professors are the worst ever. Well, are they truly the worst, or is she saying that because she just failed half her midterms? We’ve all had terrible days and have sought opportunities to vent our feelings, which is what some college students are tempted to do on review sites. Remember that while many bad reviews are justifiable, there are some that come from having bad days.
2. Check for consistency. Did everyone who posted a review about a certain school rave about the cafeteria? Sounds like the food could be really good. What about social activities on campus? Is everyone saying that there’s nothing to do, or is it just one bored student? Remember, one review—negative or positive—does not make or break a school. A student complaining about dorm size at Harvard won’t bring down the reputation of that hallowed institution.
3. See for yourself. Reviews are merely opinions; therefore, in formulating your own ideas about a school, you should check out the features that are being reviewed. CampusCompare allows students to post reviews in more than a dozen categories—from academics and financial aid to campus safety and dorms—but don’t let that stop you from scheduling a campus visit. Take a class. Eat at the cafeteria. Hang out on the quad. See if you agree or disagree with the reviews.
Most of us care what other people think more than we’d like to admit. When it comes to choosing a college, that might not be such a bad thing after all. As long as you take other factors into consideration as well, hearing from actual college students is a smart move.
-Barbara Bellesi
October 15th, 2008
It’s nearly September and time to pack up and start your college career. Of course, we here at “College – U. Got It?” won’t be sending you off alone; we’ve compiled a go-to list of CollegeBound Network (CB) articles to prep you for the coming school year. We call it “Freshman Year By the Numbers,” but you can call it a roadmap to success.
“31 Things You Need to Know About College” — From buying mattress sheets to meeting professors, this article will fill you in on the easily overlooked aspects of living on campus.
“25 Ways to Survive Freshman Year (Without Starving)” — All the penny-pinching tips you could possibly ask for without the stomach-starving hazards.
“10 Coolest Campus Jobs” — You’ve heard of working in the lunchroom or at the admissions office, but what do you know about getting paid to be a note-taker or a switchboard operator?
“8 Steps to a Stress-Free Semester” — Before you bug out, buff up on ways to avoid the stress and hectic scheduling that your first semester of college will bring.
“7 Freshman Year Myths” — Forget what your peers and the media have taught you about college; CB’s here to give you the real deal.
“5 Ways to Survive a New Town” – Ward off culture shock and homesickness with these simple rules for getting to know your campus town and its inhabitants.
“4 Quick Tips for Getting Professors to Notice You” – Depending on your school, a freshman lecture can have well over a hundred students. Here’s how to stand out and get noticed for all the right reasons.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
August 13th, 2008
An hour past midnight and I was just a page away from finishing my term paper; due the next day. I’m sure it would have been a great paper but Microsoft Word had other designs at that moment — namely crashing and taking my paper with it. When I finally loaded my “recovered” file, I found that not much had been recovered. My 10 pages of hard work had turned into 300 pages of random gibberish, the occasional asterisk, and a strange sentence that was either from my first draft or just my Mac taunting me.
Fortunately, I had an understanding professor — but that’s not always a guarantee in college. To avoid having your papers lost to a digital black hole consider these back-up plans:
The Easy (and Lazy) Way
E-mail
Why? It’s the easiest and cheapest method for saving your files to a secure place. As you work on your papers make a habit of sending back-up copies to yourself via e-mail. If you’re using a POP3 account your document will be saved to your inbox and sent box, while an IMAP account will save an extra copy to a remote e-mail server.
Any perks? It’s the height of portability. If your computer or printer should break down, simply hop on another computer and access your e-mail to grab the last sent version of your paper.
How much can I save? As much as you need, unless your e-mail provider has data limits on attachments or mailbox space.
How much does it cost? Free.
The Cheap (and Kitschy) Way
The USB Flash Drive
Why? Long gone are the days of floppy disks; in their place stands the USB flash drive. Smaller than the conventional CD and far more portable — you can place it in your pocket or buy models that hang from necklaces and keychains — 
the USB flash drive is the perfect place to store your important school docs.
Any perks? Not only can you easily access your files and encrypt them if necessary, you can also express your individuality thanks to the numerous novelty designs on the market.
How much can I save? Depending on the USB flash drive you select, you could have anywhere from 64 MB to 32 GB of space.
How much does it cost? As much as $100 or as little as $7.
The Pricey (and Best) Way
External Hard Drive
Why? The ultimate form of computer back-up, an external hard drive has the power and the space to accommodate all your files and applications. It’s essentially the same as your computer’s internal hard drive except it’s as easily detached and reattached as your average USB flash drive or Firewire device.
Any perks? Although it’s not the easiest thing to carry around, thanks to a protective case and its own cooling system, external hard drives are often smaller than your desktop computer or laptop and take up little desk space. 
You can even leave it connected to your computer all day, setting the drive to automatically copy and update files according to what you’d like.
How much can I save? External hard drives can range in size from 30 GB to 500 GB.
How much does it cost? Most will run you from $90 to $300.
For more college-relevant tech tips check out our article, “Manage Time the Techie Way.”
– Genevieve M. Blaber
August 7th, 2008
Facebook has been known for its social networking capabilities, but what if someone told you that you could prep for the SAT right on their site? Kaplan, one of the leaders in entrance exams test prep, now has a Facebook application where you can practice for the SAT or ACT, while at the same time continue to socialize.
Kaplan’s FB application includes links for SAT and ACT practice and a link to create your very own SAT or ACT quiz. There are informational links included. These links hold key dates for SAT and ACT registration, as well as a Kaplan Admissions Interactive Timeline. But along with all the standard study prep items, Kaplan’s FB application also has two fun items – a game known as a “spit-cab-u-lary” and a “SmashWall.”
The “spit-cab-u-lary” tests vocabulary skills for the SAT and even allows you the chance to challenge your friends. The “SmashWall” is a bit different. This application was not made for test prep but instead as a form of stress and anxiety relief . Items used for this wall are referred to as “smashables.”
I recently checked through this application myself and have found it to be very helpful for anyone currently preparing for the SAT or ACT. Kaplan’s application is great for studying and fun. To see exactly what this application is all about, visit www.facebook.com/kaplan.
- Priscilla Rodriguez
June 30th, 2008
If you’re like most soon-to-be college students, chances are there’s a philosophy course waiting in your future. While you may recoil in horror at the notion of studying things like utilitarianism and deontology, the truth is that looking at the world through a philosophical lens can be fun and — dare I say it? –- enlightening.
Still skeptical? Then maybe you should try easing yourself into the realm of philosophical discussion with the help of the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series. Each book from this ongoing collection is dedicated to analyzing a different cultural icon or show within the entertainment world. 
Chapters are written by college professors from across the nation and are as educational as they are representative of fandom at its finest, with everything from character motivations to plotlines discussed.
Case in point: After reading just two chapters of Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul, I’ve been introduced to classical and contemporary thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and Judith Jarvis Thomson — all in the course of pondering popular Batty topics like why Batman is better than the Man of Steel, and Bruce Wayne’s motivations for ever donning the cape.
In short, the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series is a perfect easy-to-understand crash course in philosophy cushioned by a topic you already love. Where else will you be able to read about the philosophical implications of hot shows like 24, Lost, Family Guy, The Office, and even The Daily Show?
– Genevieve M. Blaber
June 25th, 2008
It’s not unusual to hear about kids taking more pains to cheat than to study – there are even entire movies written around the concept as in the case of “The Perfect Score” – but a high school student in Orange County, California may have recently taken things to the extreme.
Known for his Cs and Ds at the prestigious Tesoro High School, 18-year-old Omar Khan now has to deal with some heavy math. There are 69 criminal charges pending against him — and they’re all related to an alleged scheme to turn lackluster grades into sterling As! Using everything from identity theft and spyware, to the old standby of and breaking and entering, Khan is alleged to have broken into his school’s computer databanks to up grades for himself and a dozen others.
While these charges may seem petty when taken on their own, together they result in nearly four decades of jail time. Though it’s doubtful Khan will get even half that amount if convicted — a few years of jail and community service is far more likely — it’s still a high price to pay for what could have easily been gained through a few hours of studying.
So maybe next time Khan will try cracking some books before he has to crack open a jail cell. With his leet hacking skills and computer prowess he could have easily embarked upon a lucrative career in technology. And trust me, “career criminal” doesn’t sound half as good as “computer systems analyst” to a prospective employer.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
Update: Looks like Khan had a “study buddy” in all this. Fellow student, Tanvir Singh, is suspected in connection with the cheating scandal and will turn himself in next week.
June 20th, 2008
Snoop tells the new issue of Esquire: “A lot of people like to fool you and say that you’re not smart if you never went to college, but common sense rules over everything. That’s what I learned from selling crack.”
This from the man who speaks in “izzle-isms.”
Sure, college doesn’t teach you everything, Mr. Dogg, that’s why it’s important for people to live life, act on their entrepreneurial passions, soak up lessons both in and out of the classroom, and then go, go, go. But still, college equips you with the foundational knowledge to make sound decisions, excel in the business world, and deal with everyday situations both on the job and off.
And for those who have a life goal greater than dealing crack in a back alley, it sure does help.
–G.L.
June 9th, 2008
Lengthy novels, obscure phrases, and unfamiliar metaphors — combine them all and you may have a tough time landing a 4.0 in your college lit class. But don’t stress yet. There are plenty of ways to boost your reading comprehension and your grades. While study groups and study guides (like CliffsNotes and SparkNotes) are classic strategies, Internet-savvy teens like you might be interested in the next level of studying: Book Glutton.
Created as a type of social marketing network for bookworms, Book Glutton (www.bookglutton.com) lets users create free accounts and then download and discuss literature with each other. Although these free e-books are limited to works that are in the public domain (e.g. Voltaire’s “Candide”), students will find that many of their required readings are offered on Book Glutton. Presented in an online reader format, each book has a real-time chat box in which users can discuss their interpretations and views. Book Glutton members can also add notes to a book, allowing future readers to benefit from their insight as well.
As for the social aspect of the site, Book Glutton members create profiles, friends lists, and join and create reading groups — a handy solution for college students who want to create study groups but who can’t always meet on campus. Aspiring writers can even choose to upload their own works for discussion and review by others.
Still in its beta version, Book Glutton seems like a promising way for college students and lifelong bibliophiles to learn and share.
Psst! Want more tips for getting good grades in college? Then be sure to check out “10 Simple Things You Can Do to Conquer College.”
– Genevieve M. Blaber
April 4th, 2008
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