Posted on Fri, Feb 03, 2012
By Taylor Cotter
StudentAdvisor.com Staff
Claremont McKenna College Admits to Exaggerating SAT Scores of Admitted Students
A senior administrator at Claremont McKenna College admitted to falsifying records of SAT scores of their admitted students. The administrator, allegedly Richard Vos, vice president and dean of admissions, had been falsifying these records since 2005. According to the New York Times, the SAT scores reported to U.S. News Report and other college ranking websites were inflated by 10-20 points. The school had been ranked as the ninth best liberal arts college this year. Though Claremont McKenna is the most prestigious school to be discovered falsifying records, they join Iona College, Villanova Law School and University of Illinois Law School as universities that have deliberately skewed their statistics to to inflate their rankings.
(Thanks to Jeremy L. for contributing this story.)
Vassar College accidentally accepts students
Last Friday, 76 students received acceptance letters in error from Vassar College. The students, who saw a test letter sent out accidentally from Vassar admissions, was sent to 122 early decision applicants. After retracting the mistake, only 46 of the 122 applicants were actually accepted. Vassar is refunding the $65 application fee for these students, though some students, parents and families are considering legal action against the college.
Maryland plans to cut swimming and diving teams, six other sports
The University of Maryland plans to cut men's and women's swimming and diving, unless the teams can raise $11.6 million by June 30 - 59 percent more than the entire fundraising sector of Maryland Athletics has raised. The "Save Maryland Swimming and Diving" booster club has raised over $1 million and has plans to raise as much as $4 million, but does not project coming close to raising the eight years of funds needed. Parents, students and supporters are meeting with legislators to begin talking about the complex legalities of the issue. After cutting swimming and diving, Maryland's plans include cutting men’s tennis; men’s cross-country, men’s indoor and outdoor track, women’s water polo, and acrobatics and tumbling.
Former Law Students Sue Law Schools Over Misleading Job Statistics
Fifty-one law school graduates from around the country have sued their alma maters for being misleading with their statistics about job placement. The graduates claimed that, though these schools touted high employment statistics, they didn't report that most of these graduates are employed in jobs that do not require a law degree. The graduates further allege that the school's data, some which claim over 90 percent of their graduates have jobs, does not correlate with the national data that claims 60 percent of lawyers that are employed. The twelve schools being sued are Albany Law School, Hofstra Law School, California Western, Golden Gate University, Southwestern Law School,; University of San Francisco School of Law, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, DePaul University College of Law, The John Marshall Law School, Florida Coastal School of Law, and Widener University School of Law.
Posted on Wed, Feb 01, 2012
By Dean Tsouvalas
StudentAdvisor.com Editor-in-Chief
More than ever, it’s crucial that college grads know that they will not only be competing with their fellow classmates for jobs - they’re also competing with graduates all over the world. Understanding the global market and economy is imperative for students looking to start their job search.
Here are three ways students can be prepare for a global marketplace and become well-rounded global citizens:
1. Utilize opportunities that are available.
Most universities make it easy for students to study or intern abroad. “Students should investigate the offerings of their college or university. What are the study abroad options? Are there short-term international travel opportunities available? Certainly study abroad is a great way for students to help develop their global mindset, but it is not the only way,” said Sarah Fatherly, dean of university programs and interim associate vice president for academic affairs at Otterbein University in Westerville, OH.
Students that can’t fit a study abroad into their schedule should consider summer or winter break abroad opportunities – these are usually less demanding and allows students to experience the best parts of an abroad trip in a short period of time.
2. Go deeper than tourism!
“To be a liberally educated person means that you have to open yourself up to new cultures, new languages, new ways of interpreting reality and seeing the world,” said Dr. William Felice, professor of political science at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, who teaches a summer course on the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. To be globally prepared means you’ve dug deeper into a new culture than simple tourism, he said. It’s crucial to remember that studying abroad is more than a vacation – it’s an experiment in cross-cultural understanding and developing relationships.
Make sure to spend time cultivating knowledge and skills related to the culture, as well as making friends and keeping in touch with students from the country.
3. Make time for reflection.
It’s not enough to just experience new cultures, says Scott Manning, director of cross-cultural programs at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. “It’s necessary to think about what effects those experiences create.”
Students should think about how they can extend the learning experience after they return from abroad. “Consider how to keep in touch with the new culture, such as learning a language, reading online media from that country, or starting a service project to strength connections between the two cultures,” he says.
He suggests students also offer to share their adventures with other members of the campus community. “Talking about it is the best way to learn more from it,” Manning explains. “Students who give presentations on campus or in the community do a great service, but it also helps themselves to process their experiences.”
Posted on Tue, Jan 31, 2012
By Taylor Cotter
StudentAdvisor.com Staff
As the college basketball season heats up, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the sport’s most competitive adversaries. University of Kansas and University of Missouri duke it out ever year in their "Border Showdown," a sports rivalry with rich historial roots dating back to the 1850s.
Besides one of the nation's best basketball contentions, what else do these schools have to offer? Find out how Kansas vs Missouri compare off the court and read their college reviews:
Location: Lawrence, Kan.
In State Tuition: $7,167
Out of State Tuition: $18,150
SAT Scores: n/a
Acceptance Rate: 91%
Undergraduate Population: 20,343
Student-To-Faculty Ratio: 19 to 1
Student Body Make-up: Male 49%, Female 51%
The Good: Lawrence is a beautiful town and the campus is both picturesque and thriving.
The Bad: Campus is spread out and on the top of a hill, so it can take a while (and a workout) to get from class to class.
Learn more about what Kansas students have to say. Read University of Kansas reviews.
Location: Columbia, Mo.
In State Tuition: $7,368
Out of State Tuition: $19,383
SAT Scores: Math 530, Verbal 540
Acceptance Rate: 80%
Undergraduate Population: 24,834
Student-To-Faculty Ratio: 18 to 1
Student Body Make-up: Male 47%, Female 53%
The Good: Mizzou has a thriving student life with more than 50 Greek groups and hundreds of other student organizations.
The Bad: Weather in Missouri can be unpredictable, extreme and dangerous.
Get the inside scoop from Mizzou students. Read University of Missouri reviews.
Posted on Mon, Jan 30, 2012
By Taylor Cotter
StudentAdvisor.com Staff
Are you overwhelmed by the number of books out there that promise to clue you in on the nerve-racking college admissions process? Us too! But every now and then one college admissions book comes along and proves itself to be a real "game changer." College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step, a comprehensive guide for parents and students in the throes of the college application process, is one of the few college admissions books to earn our StudentAdvisor seal of approval. Authors Robin Mamlet, former Dean of Admission at Stanford, Swarthmore and Sarah Lawrence, and Christine VanDeVelde, journalist and parent, took a critical look at the college application process, and shared best practices for finding and getting accepted into the "right-fit" schools.
Admissions Pointers for Every Kind of Student
The book covers everything from becoming college-bound as a young student, to deciding where to apply, to actually applying, to deciding where to go and how to pay for it. One of the things we love most about this book is that Mamlet and VanDeVelde address a wide variety of student-specific issues, such as learning disabilities, home-schooled students, undocumented students, legacy students, in addition to issues pertaining to art students and student-athletes. No matter what concerns students and parents have about getting into college, they'll find practical pointers and a list of action items for almost every situation.
Real Admissions Advice from Real College Admissions Professionals
Who better to learn about the wild world of college admissions from than a bunch of actual Deans of Admission? In addition to their wealth of experience, the authors include a litany of deans of admission from over 50 college and universities, half a dozen financial aid officers, high school college counselors, professors, teachers, college students and experts in college admissions and parenting.
Some of the most valuable advice is for students that have barely started thinking about life after high school – 9th and 10th graders. Mamlet and VanDeVelde prepare them for the adventure that is to come – making sure that they’re focused on, not blinded by, the college application process:
“The hype surrounding college admission has spun so far out of control that headlines hawking tutoring, test prep, and a campus visits for students in elementary school are commonplace. When a magazine for Harvard alumni set out to produce a tongue-in-cheek guide to preparing a child in utero for admission, the editor complained it was almost impossible to satirize the subject because every ridiculous recommendation they came up with was actually in use.
So when should the college application process really begin?
Elementary school is way too early. But students and parents can also make the mistake of starting way too late. For most students, the formal application process will begin in the junior year of high school Before that, most students should simply enjoy being in high school – discovering who they are and exploring what they like to do. Rod Skinner, direct of college counseling at Massachusetts’ Milton Academy, says, “Build a life and the colleges that work for you will come.
Very First Steps: Freshman and Sophomore Years: During the freshman and sophomore years of high school, there are a few things that students can and should do. But these things should be done in the spirit of being aware of college as a goal and making decisions that keep doors open – not with a fat envelope in mind.
Checkpoints:
- For most students, the college admission process will begin in junior year.
- During 9th and 10th grade, students should pay attention to course work and grades, find and invest in some extracurricular activities they love, and spend a good dose of time daydreaming.
- Too much pressure to perform can have serious negative consequences for health and learning.
- For families who will be applying for financial aid (and this is the majority of families), keep saving and practice good record keeping.
Reprinted from the book College Admission by Robin Mamlet and Christine VanDeVelde. Copyright © 2011 by Robin Mamlet and Christine VanDeVelde. Published by Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
Posted on Fri, Jan 27, 2012
By Sam Coren
StudentAdvisor.com Staff
Thought you were comfortable adjusting privacy settings on your Facebook profile after the last round of changes? Get ready: privacy settings are about to change yet again for the social networking juggernaut. While some users have had Facebook's new Timeline-style profile through the developer application, it has finally started to roll out officially to all users this week.
But there's more to this slick new photo-centric Facebook profile than meets the eye. WCBV Boston's Newscenter spoke with StudentAdvisor's Dean Tsouvalas and Ashley Jones in addition to Emerson College student Anum Hussain about Facebook Timeline's privacy issues:
What you should do once you get Facebook Timline:
When your profile transitions to Timline you have 7 days to delete posts and pictures before they get published to your new profile.
- Go through post by post starting with the year you joined Facebook and click the pencil next to each post to adjust the settings.
- Use the "View as" feature (accesible via the on the bottom right of your cover photo) to preview what certain friends are able to see.
- Log out of Facebook to see what's viewable on your public profile to a user who isn't signed in.
- Be mindful of the privacy settings on each new post you publish - if you posted a public update the next time you go to post something, it may still be stuck on the "Public" setting.
Posted on Thu, Jan 26, 2012
By Dean Tsouvalas
StudentAdvisor.com Editor-in-Chief
Now that applications are in, it's time for college-bound students to start applying for financial aid to help fund their education. Yesterday I sat down with Gene Lavanchy of Boston's Fox 25 Morning News Show to discuss ways students and parents can land the best possible financial aid package. While the process of applying for aid may seem as easy as just filling out the FAFSA there's actually a lot more to it! So what can you do to ensure you're setting yourself up to receive the most aid?
Learn more about the 7 ways to get the best financial aid package for college:
1. Fill out the FAFSA! It all starts with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
One study showed that 53% of eligible families did not bother applying for aid through the FAFSA leaving millions on the table. Colleges use the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for government funded financial aid such as grants and federal student loans. Schools will also determine if you qualify for need-based scholarships based on your FAFSA score. You can do it all online at FAFSA.gov. DO NOT pass on filling out the financial aid paperwork if you think you won’t qualify
2. Proof read your FAFSA (at least 3 times) to avoid these common mistakes:
- Listing incorrect Social Security Number or Driver’s license
- Leaving blank fields – enter a ‘0′ or ‘not applicable’ instead of leaving a blank. Too many blanks may cause miscalculations and an application rejection.
- Using commas or decimal points in numeric fields – always round to the nearest dollar.
- Listing marital status incorrectly – only write yes if you are currently married. They want to know what your marital status is on the day you sign the FAFSA, or Renewal FAFSA.
- Listing parent marital status incorrectly – the custodial parent’s marital status is required; if they’ve remarried, you’ll need the stepparent’s information too.
- Leaving the question about drug-related offenses blank – if you’re unsure about something, find out before you submit your FAFSA instead of leaving it blank. A conviction doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from getting aid.
- Forgetting to list the college – obtain the Federal School Code for the college, you plan on attending and list it – along with any other schools to which you’ve applied.
- Forgetting to sign and date – if you’re filling out the paper FAFSA be sure to sign it. If you’re filing electronically, be sure to obtain your PIN from www.pin.ed.gov. Your PIN is your electronic signature and will always be assigned to you only.
3. Make sure your parent has as little cash in checking, savings and other cash-equivalents as possible on the day you file your FAFSA.
The final set of questions on your FAFSA will ask about the money you have on hand. Make sure that you and your student have as little money in checking, savings and other cash-equivalents the day you file the paperwork. It also helps to pay off as many bills as possible before filing the paperwork.
4. Your student should always file a tax return, even if he or she is not making any money.
A tax return that says $0 can actually work in his or her favor, as it demonstrates a need.
5. Understand that grades have little to do with financial aid awards.
Many parents assume their child must have good grades to qualify for grants and scholarships. This is inaccurate. Most colleges award a majority of their grants based on financial need, not merit. Merit scholarships comprise less than 2% of the total “pot.” Although it’s fun to talk about merit scholarships, the big money - more than 98% - is in the need-based financial aid system.
6. Don’t wait on your acceptance letters before applying for aid!
Financial Aid is on a first come, first serve basis. You don’t need to be accepted to a college before you can submit your FAFSA – you only need to list which schools you have applied to. Typically, for first year students, colleges mail their financial aid reward statuses to students a few months after the application deadline to accepted students.
7. Be sure to compare financial aid packages from different schools closely.
Do not be afraid to read between the lines on financial aid reward letters. It’s not uncommon for “expensive” private colleges to offer better financial aid packages than state schools. Examine the gap (if there is one) between the financial aid package and the cost of attendance for each school to see how well the package meets your need. Break down how much money is coming from grants, federal loans, scholarships, and work-study. Grants and scholarships don’t have to be paid back. Work-study money must be earned through part time employment during the school year and students must pay taxes on it. Loans need to be paid back and different families can take on different amounts of debt. Remember – federal loans are less expensive and have more benefits than private loans.
REMEMBER:
You must fill out a FAFSA every year you are in school, but if you apply online, you can re-use your FAFSA-on-the-Web PIN each year you apply for federal financial aid.
Make sure you fill in every year for every child you have in college starting in January of their SENIOR year in high school to ensure you have a chance at receiving the most aid.
Posted on Tue, Jan 24, 2012
By Stefanie Weisman
For StudentAdvisor.com
There are few tasks in college that demand such a wide variety of skills as writing a research paper. It requires time management, research skills, creativity, logic, persuasive writing, and much, much more. Intimidated? Don’t be.
By following the "Five Rs" below, you’ll be well on your way to writing a grade-A paper:
1. Read the instructions.
Most professors will give you a written assignment as the basis for your paper. I can’t tell you how many students throw points away by not following these instructions to the letter. Remember: read, don’t skim – and then read it again. Look out for things like how many pages and what types of sources are required. Don’t disqualify yourself from an A before you’ve even started!
2. Restrict your focus.
If your professor hasn’t told you what to write about, choose something you’re interested in, but keep your focus as narrow as possible. I recommend choosing a topic that's accessible but still fairly obscure – this way, you won’t be overwhelmed by all the material out there, and you’ll avoid writing on a subject that’s been done to death. That's how I chose a topic for my senior thesis. I wrote about the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 (ever heard of it?) because there were only a handful of primary sources to contend with and the secondary sources weren't too extensive.
3. Research actively.
Many college papers require you to do independent research and come up with a thesis. (A thesis, by the way, is the statement you'll be proving in your paper.) Start by searching your school’s online library catalog to find the general location of your topic. Then, go to that bookcase or shelf and tear it apart! Look at all the titles and skim through the ones that pique your interest; you’ll find stuff you never would have known existed with an online search alone. If your school provides you with access to it, use the database JSTOR to get a sense of the latest scholarship on your topic.
As you read through your sources, write down any quotations, facts, and ideas that strike you, with page numbers. This is critical for two reasons: (1) reviewing these notes will help you come up with a thesis; and (2) when you’re writing the paper, you’ll be able to cite your sources without going on a wild goose chase for half-remembered quotes.
If you’re lucky, a light bulb will go off and you’ll find the perfect thesis. For the 99% of the times when this isn’t the case, here are some tips on how to force inspiration:
- Challenge statements that are overly conventional, contradictory, or controversial.
- If your teacher posed a question in class and didn’t answer it, he or she is practically giving a thesis away. You just have to come up with an answer.
- Look in the footnotes of academic texts for the authors’ half-finished ideas and unproven theories. Footnotes are the great untapped resource for students in search of a thesis.
- Keep reviewing your research notes until a theme or pattern starts to emerge. Sometimes it takes a while to see the connection between things, but then – wham! – you’ll wonder how you ever missed it.
- Go to the prof’s office hours if you’re stuck, but come prepared with an account of what you’ve done so far. Your teacher won’t be pleased if you walk in demanding a thesis for free.
4. Reinforce your argument.
Before you start writing your paper, you should make an outline. For a short paper (under 5 pages), write down how each paragraph is going to support your thesis. For a longer paper, just sketch out the flow of your argument. This is when having taken detailed research notes really pays off; use them to find quotes, facts and figures to back up your thesis. Now that you’ve laid the foundation for a successful paper, it's time to start writing!
In general, your first paragraph should end with a clear statement of your thesis. Every succeeding paragraph should begin with a sentence that links the previous paragraph to the point you’re making in the current one. Don’t make your professor guess where you’re going. Words like however, moreover, while, nevertheless, in addition, and although can really help get your point across. Your final paragraph should summarize your argument and address its broader implications.
5. Revise, revise, revise.
Make sure you leave plenty of time to edit your paper! No matter how good your thesis is, your professor probably won’t take it seriously if your writing isn't polished.
Stefanie Weisman was valedictorian of Stuyvesant High School and graduated first in her class from Columbia University. She has a B.A. in History, a B.S. in Computer Science, and an M.A. in Art History. Her senior thesis won Columbia's Lily Prize for the best thesis in history on a non-U.S. topic. Stefanie is currently writing a book on how to achieve academic success called The Valedictorian's Guide to High School and College. For more information or to send her an email, go to her website at http://valedictoriansguide.com/
Photo: elaine faith Lower Columbia College
Posted on Tue, Jan 24, 2012
By Purvi S. Mody
For StudentAdvisor.com
The beginning of a new year brings resolutions, hope, and change. For high school seniors, the next six months marks the end of childhood as they know it and the beginning of the rest of their lives. In just a few months, they will venture out into new territories: geographic, academic, emotional, and professional. Now, parents across America should begin the harrowing financial aid process.
This process can be more complex than the admissions process. While there are no essays to write or recommendations to manage, the forms are complicated and the process anxiety-ridden.
Here is a primer on how to tackle the financial aid process easily.
- It is important that families gather the appropriate documents early to make filling out the forms an easier process. You will need to have last year’s and current year’s tax returns, end-of-year reports from all financial institutions including mortgage accounts, and social security numbers easily available. While many people wait until mid-April to file tax returns, it is vital that they are filed as soon as possible this year – ideally by February 1st.
- The first step to applying for aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can do this online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. You will first need to create a pin in order to access the form.
- Many colleges also ask families to fill out the CSS Profile. This can be done online at https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp. This form asks for additional information not captured on the FAFSA. Before you fill out this form, confirm that the colleges your child applied to require it since it has an application fee.
- Some colleges require supplemental financial aid forms. Don’t rely just on the FAFSA and/or CSS Profile.
- The financial aid application captures a snapshot of your financial situation. Make sure that snapshot demonstrates an accurate picture. For example, if a grandparent just gave a child a significant amount of cash for a holiday gift, it will appear to a college that money can be used to pay for tuition. But if that money was given to a child to pay for current expenses and cannot be used for college, it will hurt your financial aid situation.
- Remember that some types of debt are not taken into account when the college allocates your aid package. Credit card and car loan debt are two examples. If you have money sitting in an account, that money will be considered available for college expenses. If your financial situation allows it, pay off credit card and car loan debt.
- Talk to your mortgage lender or bank about rates on student and parent loans. Often existing relationships can help lower interest rates.
- Even if you think that you may not qualify for need-based aid, you may qualify for federal loans if you apply for aid. You are not required to take out any aid that you are offered. It is better to leave loans as an option at least until May when your child decides where he or she will be attending next fall.
- Don’t be afraid to call the financial aid offices of different schools. They are there to answer questions that you may have. In reality, the better you fill out the forms, the easier you are making their work.
- If you think that the forms you are submitting do not fully capture your need for aid, send in additional information with supporting documentation. The offices will use this information to calculate your aid package and it is easier to do this now then in April.
- Sit with your financial advisor or accountant, if possible, about the benefits or downsides to second home mortgages, lines of credits, and distributing money across accounts. You don’t want to sacrifice your longer term financial plans for the sake of a little more financial aid.
Don’t procrastinate until the last minute. The faster a complete application is received by a college, the more quickly financial aid counselors can crunch the numbers, and the faster you will get an estimate of the hit to your bank account. There is plenty of aid out there for the families that really need it. And more and more colleges are changing their aid policies to make a college education more affordable across the board, which is beneficial to the middle class. Your kids have done the hard work, and now it is your turn. Your family will then be one step closer to beginning a new phase in your lives.
Purvi S. Mody is co-owner of Insight Education, an educational consulting firm that helps students throughout the country and internationally to achieve their educational goals. Get in touch with her via email at purvi@insight-education.net or follow her on Twitter @InsightEduc.
Posted on Mon, Jan 23, 2012
By Ally Pelle
For StudentAdvisor.com
Deciding whether or not to play a competitive sport in college is a big one for any student and the answer is different for everyone. After four years of high school swimming and diving, I chose to continue swimming in college. I was a student-athlete for my freshman, sophomore and the first semester of my junior year after walking-on to a Division I swim team in the Big East Conference.
Although I loved my time as a swimmer, there were a lot of things I missed out on. I soon found out that most of the pros of being a student-athlete can also be cons.
Here are 9 things you should consider before becoming a student-athlete in college:
1. Your financial need.
Many schools offer scholarships for athletes, which is great. If you’re one of those lucky enough to receive one and you’ve already got your school’s jersey on your wall, then you’re in the right situation. But if you’re only taking the scholarship because you can’t afford school without it – then think twice before accepting it. You’ll feel trapped by this obligation and won’t be able to enjoy yourself.
Do yourself a favor now and decide to make the most of your four years. They do go by as fast as everyone tells you.
2. Your work ethic.
The way you do work in college will probably be very different than the way you worked in high school. For me, I had to pay much more attention, take better notes, ask for help more often and study much harder than I ever had to in order to get good grades. If you have solid study habits and are willing to be extremely regimented in the way you spend your time at school, than you’ll be a great student athlete.
Sometimes, you’ll have three classes, practice, lifts, club or group meetings all day. But just showing up isn't good enough: sometimes coaches will keep GPA minimums that are above the NCAA requirements or create mandatory study hall hours. In the end - it's up to you to learn how to best manage your time to keep up academically.
3. Your sleeping habits.
If you’re not exactly a morning person, you may not have the easiest time becoming a student athlete. Often, coaches will schedule early practices and lifts to avoid conflicting with classes and exams. I used to routinely go to bed at 9 p.m. every day, having to endure all of my friends calling me “grandma.” Very few people go to bed at 9 p.m. in college. If you find that you’re up with the birds, more power to you!
4. Your dedication to your sport.
This is an important one. How much do you identify as a football/lacrosse/tennis/field hockey/whatever you are player? College sports will likely become your life. The friends you make, the parties you go to, the schedule you keep and the culture you become a part of will come back to this ultimate sacrifice of your time in order to be great at your sport. One of the things that shocked me about being a swimmer was that my teammates and I only talked about was swimming. Sometimes I just didn’t want to think about it anymore.
5. Your other interests on campus.
Are you really excited about joining student government? Or the volunteer organizations? Maybe the newspaper? It’s difficult to manage a sport and academic responsibilities while being involved in a variety of on-campus clubs. There’s always that uber-involved guy or girl that we all love to hate who seems to be able to do it all.
Forget about them – they’re not human. After all of your prior commitments, it’s going to be tough to get to that choir or campus ministry meeting and really contribute as much as you’d have originally liked.
6. Your friend-style.
This is one of the things that originally made me want to be a student-athlete. You get a pre-assigned group of friends! They’re excited to meet you! They want to take you places! A whole big group of guys and girls of all grade levels just waiting to accept you. You will no doubt get super-close with this group of people because you do everything from practicing, to rooming, to eating, sleeping and socializing together. These are some of my best friends from college.
Here comes the bad part: they were my best, but my only friends in college. When I decided not to swim my senior year, I was pretty unknown to the rest of the senior class. I went to parties and can’t tell you the amount of times I got “Hey, where do you go to school?” Once I got over that hump and started making new friends, I had an absolute blast. locked in for “social butterfly” for your school’s yearbook – then maybe opt out of being an athlete.
7. Your FOMO.
In college, my friends and I used to refer to “FOMO” as “fear of missing out.” Usually, this applies to that girl or guy who goes out every night and begs you to come to the bar on Sunday nights because “so and so is there,” even though you couldn’t give a rat’s behind.
As a student athlete, you will probably miss out on a lot of things. For me, it was every Friday night. Our swim team had Saturday morning practice, so we spend Friday nights staying in. Consider that you may only have a few (or no) days off for breaks, one night per week to go out, and miss out on spring breaks and on-campus events. It’s a trade off for the glory on the field, I suppose. If you fear missing out on any college activity, you will suffer from FOMO as an athlete.
8. Plans to study abroad.
This is a tough one to answer before you get to your freshman year – but if you’re dead set on going abroad already, you will probably miss out on some important team time. I spent my second semester of junior year in London, and not only did I miss out on training, meets and social events, I came back disconnected. This led to my not joining the team again senior year. If you’re okay with taking a break in your athletic career and coming back to your sport – do it! Plenty of people do. For me, it wasn’t the right thing to do.
9. What are the perks?
Free stuff! Free hotels! Free food. Assignment extensions! Yes, athletes get a lot of perks. You’ll have to weigh how important those are to you. Sometimes it makes other students resent you a little bit, which is zero fun. No one likes those dirty looks shot across the dining hall when the basketball players walk in with new Air Jordans, but it happens. For me, these things didn’t make it worth staying.
At the end of the day, I am glad that I got to be both a student-athlete and a “muggle,” as the ever-so-wise “axe bros” at my school so intelligently named non-athletes. I got the best of both worlds. I learned discipline, hard work and bonded with my team in incredible ways.
But I also got to experience sleeping past 6 AM, going out as much as I pleased and meeting a whole slew of new people. Whatever you decide, make sure to take the above things into consideration to find out if participating in college athletics its the right decision for you.
Ally Pelle is a 2007 graduate of Providence College, where she was a Division I swimmer for three years. Ally has a degree in marketing and is an Account Executive at CBS Radio Boston.
Photos: SD Dirk Tulane Public Relations mbsurf
Posted on Sat, Jan 21, 2012
By Taylor Cotter
StudentAdvisor.com Staff
The NursingHomeAbuse.net scholarship is the first scholarship to be offered to applicants who are pursuing a career that will help combat abuse in nursing homes. NursingHomeAbuse.net is part of the National Association to Stop Nursing Home Abuse and is focused on prevention, education, and repairing the conseuquences of abuse.
This scholarship is $5,000 toward non-tuition related expenses such as rent, childcare, books/supplies, travel/gas expenses, utilities or groceries.
Who is eligible?
- Applicant must be working towards a degree in Nursing (a background in Geriatrics is preferred), Social Work, Psychology, or Healthcare Administration with which he/she is planning to work with the senior citizen population
- Applicant must be attending an accredited post-secondary institution
- Applicant must be a US citizen
- Applicant must currently be receiving some type of financial aid
How to Apply
