With so much to get involved in while in college, some interesting opportunities can go unnoticed. Here are five things you probably never thought you could do in college, but students just like you are doing them.
1. Save a life.
At St. Petersburg, Fla., students on the Eckerd College Search and Rescue Team (EC-SAR) work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, 911 Emergency Medical Response and other state and local agencies to assist boaters in the Tampa Bay area. Members spend 12-15 hours a week training, meeting and repairing equipment and are “on call” for a 24 hour period every three days. It keeps them busy; EC-SAR receives up to 500 calls for help a year, ranging from minor incidents to life-threatening accidents.
On dry land, students at Sewanee: The University of the South can join Tennessee’s only volunteer emergency medical services team. Freshmen can take a class that runs from August to April to become certified EMTs, after which they must try out for a position on the team. Students can also join the Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department after taking a class in the spring semester and trying out for one of six spots for each class level. Student firefighters live together in Wiggins Hall, located next to the fire station.
2. Hang out with Supreme Court Justices.
Earlier this month, Dr. Todd Peppers, assistant professor of public affairs at Roanoke College in Salem, Va., led a group of students on a trip to Washington, D.C., where they got to watch the Supreme Court in action. Afterwards, they were granted a private audience with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, where they were allowed to ask questions and speak with her in a way most students will never get to.
3. Brush up on 19th century manners.
Fashion design students at Albright College in Reading, Pa. host a Victorian Fashion Ball each spring to bring the 19th century back to life. Students design and create the gowns – a process that takes up to 100 hours – in Paula Trimpey’s advanced costume course. Guests at the ball learn Victorian etiquette and dances, while enjoying a nice of historical music and dinner. You don’t even have to be a student at Albright to attend – the event is open to the public.
4. Learn how to win at Texas Hold ‘Em.
When most people think of statistics, the words “fun” and “exciting” don’t always come to mind. But Robert Hannum, a professor at the University of Denver in Colorado, applied his knowledge of probability and statistics to the study of poker to make math fun again. He can use his skills to analyze games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps. The ironic part? Hannum isn’t a big gambler. His students learn the ins and outs and most importantly the odds.
5. Hang out with the president of your school.
At Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa., President Maravene Loeschke make sure students know they are welcome in her home. If the light of her porch is on, which it is several times a week, that means students can come in to talk with her, hang out or just relax. She even has a candy dispensary in her house. Sweet, huh? What more could you want in a university president?
One of the most common FAFSA mistakes is simply missing the deadline. So to help you avoid that, we've put together the 2010 - 2011 FAFSA Deadlines for each state. For more information on the FAFSA, step-by-step instructions to filling out the form and other tips please read our Free FAFSA Guide.
Federal Deadline: Online applications must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight Time, June 30, 2012.
Any corrections or updates must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight Time, September 15, 2012.
State Deadlines:
Each state has a different deadline. See the listing below.
College Deadlines:
Each college may have a different deadline. Check with the college(s) you are interested in attending. You may also want to ask your college about their definition of an application deadline – whether it is the date they receive your FAFSA, or the date your FAFSA is processed.
Alabama - Check with your financial aid administrator.
Alaska -
- AK Education Grant – April 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
- AK Performance Scholarship – June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
Arizona -Check with your financial aid administrator.
Arkansas -
- For Academic Challenge – June 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
- For Workforce Grant – check with your financial aid administrator.
- For Higher Education Opportunity Grant – June 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
California
- For initial awards – March 2, 2011. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
- For additional community college awards – September 2, 2011 – date postmarked. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Colorado- Check with your financial aid administrator.
Connecticut- February 15, 2011. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Delaware - April 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
District of Columbia - June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Florida - May 15, 2011 – date processed.
Georgia - Check with your financial aid administrator.
Hawaii -Check with your financial aid administrator.
Idaho - Opportunity Grant – March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Illinois - As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.
Indiana - March 10, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.
Iowa - July 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time; earlier priority deadlines may exist for certain programs.
Kansas - April 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Kentucky -As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.
Louisiana - June 30, 2012 (July 1, 2011 recommended)
Maine - May 1, 2011
Maryland - March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.
Massachusetts - May 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Michigan - March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.
Minnesota - 30 days after term starts by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
Mississippi
- MTAG and MESG Grants – September 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
- HELP Scholarship – March 31, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
Missouri - April 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Montana - March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Nebraska - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Nevada - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
New Hampshire - May 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
New Jersey
- 2010-2011 Tuition Aid Grant recipients – June 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
- All other applications – October 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time, for fall and spring terms;
- March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Daylight Time, for spring term only.
New Mexico - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
New York - June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
North Carolina -Check with your financial aid administrator.
North Dakota -March 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Ohio - October 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
Oklahoma -March 15, 2011
Oregon
- OSAC Private Scholarships – March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.
- Oregon Opportunity Grant – As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.
Pennsylvania
- All 2010-2011 State Grant recipients and all non-2010-2011 State Grant recipients in degree programs – May 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
- All other applicants – August 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Rhode Island -March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
South Carolina
- Tuition Grants – June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
- SC Commission on Higher Education – As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.
South Dakota -Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Tennessee
- For State Grant – As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.
- For State Lottery – September 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Texas -Check with your financial aid administrator.
Utah -Check with your financial aid administrator.
Vermont - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Virginia -Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Washington -Check with your financial aid administrator.
West Virginia - April 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Wisconsin -Check with your financial aid administrator.
Wyoming -Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
For more information on the FAFSA, step-by-step instructions to filling out the form and other tips please read our Free FAFSA Guide.
©2010 fafsa.gov. All rights reserved.
Looking for a college class to take this Spring? Inventive faculty members are finding different ways to spice up college courses.
Popular culture by its nature celebrates the here and now. But 
how has the ‘here and now’ changed over time? That’s just one of the questions that the course entitled From Elvis to Lady Gaga: American Pop Culture 1950-2010 at Saint Leo University (Write a review of Saint Leo University - and tell perspective students why they should go) in Florida will explore. The instructor of this course notes that the class is full with numerous other students asking permission to take the course.
At Texas Christian University (write a review of Texas Christian University and tell others why they should go) students will be producing their own campus reality television program this fall. The show, titled “Top Grad,” will choose 10 students to compete in a series of academic challenges. For example, one week students may be asked to perform a ballet and the next dissect a fetal pig. Dance majors could not win the ballet challenge. Students will write and produce this year’s show. Three TCU classes help to write, direct and produce the show. It’s the first time that students and faculty have produced a reality television show.
Video game fans will like a course taught by Jeff Ritchie, professor of digital communications at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA. This semester-long course entitled Video Games: History, Theory and Social Impact examines video games as cultural artifacts, narratives and works of art. (Write a review of Lebanon Valley College.)
For young independent filmmakers, the Sundance Film Festival is a yearly attraction not to be missed. Students at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, have the option of taking the January term class entitled Beyond Hollywood: The Sundance Film Festival. In this course, students will explore the paradox between the mainstream and independent cinema since the 1960s. The course culminates with a trip to the festival held in Park City, Utah. Eckerd, an institution that founded the January term back in the 1960s, has more than 15 off-campus destination trips including to places such as Tokyo, Italy and Africa. Write a review of Eckerd College and tell prospective students why they should attend.
As college students try to gain a greater understand of themselves, courses on relationships and cognitive thought are increasingly popular with students. At Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, a course entitled Perception is being taught this spring. The course will study the various senses; how they function; and how one’s needs, desires, expectations, and previous experiences influences perception. (Be the first to write a review of Meredith College.) Howard Markman, professor of psychology at the University of Denver will teach a course entitled Why Do We Fall in Love? Understanding the Magic, Mystery and Meaning of Love this spring.
If you like novels by Vonnegut, movies such as Dr. Strangelove and The Graduate, and music from The Beatles to Motown, then you’ll love the Birmingham-Southern College January term course entitled The 1960s in Fiction, Film and Song. If the music and life of Bob Dylan is more suited to you, BSC offers Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown, which examines the life, times, music and poetry of Dylan. If you prefer branch out to learn more about rock and roll, the course History of Rock and Roll at York College of Pennsylvania might be the best option. (Be the first to review York College of Pennsylvania.)
Baseball has long been seen as a point of fascination for some scholars, both statistically and historically. Jeff Barton teaches a January term class at Birmingham Southern College entitled Baseball Statistics. The course examines when bunting is an effective strategy, the statistics behind pinch hitters, and conventional wisdom that baseball has been slow to accept.
Observing societal behavior has often a favorite among college 
students. For those folks who enjoy doomsday predictions, the Lebanon Valley College course End Times could be of interest. For centuries, religious people have harbored the suspicion that at some point in time known only to the gods, those gods would bring about the culmination of human history. This course will look at the development of these ideas, considering the Biblical material, as well as the influence of other Near-Eastern religions, and the sudden interest in Mayan prophecies centered around the year 2012. (Write a review of Lebanon Valley College.)
On a much lighter note, Robin van Tine at Saint Leo University entitled Creating Sustainable Societies. This course is designed to help the student consider how human societies must change in order to create a long-term sustainable interdependent relationship between humans and the rest of the ecosphere. Current rates of human population growth, habitat destruction, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, soil erosion and desertification, extinction of species, air and water pollution, living and mineral resource depletion, and waste production point towards an unsustainable future without significant changes. (Be the first to write a review of Saint Leo University.)
When it comes to the college admissions process there are plenty of misconceptions swirling around, but the ones concerning financial aid are undoubtedly the most notorious. These financial aid myths can easily hurt the families of prospective and current college students from all over the nation.
Across the country, students are in the midst of figuring out where they will be headed next fall - and how they'll pay for it. So, to help clear up some of the confusion, here are three common financial aid myths direct from the Financial Aid Officers at UC San Diego.
Myth 1: Only students from low-income families qualify for financial aid.
All families are encouraged to apply for aid, whether they think they qualify or not. Many are surprised to find they are eligible for grants or scholarships and almost all will qualify for low-cost educational loans for parents and students.
Myth 2: Applying for the FAFSA is too complicated.
It’s easier than ever to complete and submit your FAFSA form! While applying for financial aid can seem intimidating for the first time applicant, millions of people successfully navigate the process each year. The online FAFSA form was recently reduced from 27 pages to seven. Submit your FAFSA in January of your senior year in high school.
Myth 3: Each dollar my parents save hurts my chances to qualify for grants.
The amount in a parent’s saving accounts and other assets are indeed used in the federal formula that determines a family’s ability to contribute to college costs. However, a large portion of those savings are protected from consideration; it may be only a small percentage of the remaining amount that is considered an asset in the calculation of a student’s financial aid eligibility.
Still not sure if you are eligible to receive financial aid for college? Then check out our list of requirements by the federal government that students must meet in order to qualify!
For more advice on how to pay for college and maneuver your way through the financial aid process, check out our brand new FAFSA Guide.
The number of United States students studying abroad is up 8.5 percent and has increased four-fold in the past two decades, according to Open Doors 2009: U.S. Students Studying Abroad. With more students than ever studying overseas, many will feel out of place when they return to their college campuses.
Although most colleges help prepare students for study abroad experiences, few help students readjust when they return home, sometimes resulting in reverse culture shock.
Reverse culture shock is the real learning experience of study abroad, says Scott Manning, director of cross-cultural programs at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. “That’s when students are able to see the growth that they have made while they have been away,” he says. “They can compare their beliefs, values and ideas against those they held before they left.”
Manning had his own experience with re-entry shock as an undergraduate after returning home from studying in France. “Nothing in Kansas was going to be good enough,” he says. “Like many students, I came back feeling like I didn’t fit in anywhere anymore. Not in my home country, but also not in the country I visited.”
He wound up flunking out the year of his return – and hopes to prevent similar outcomes for the students at Susquehanna.
All students there are required to participate in GO: Global Opportunities, a program that requires each student to study off campus in a cross cultural experience for a minimum of two weeks. Students are then required to take a two-credit reflection course on their return to campus.
“The reflection course aims to change that feeling of ‘I don’t fit in anywhere,’ to ‘I fit in everywhere,’” Manning says.
It’s not enough to just experience new cultures, he says. It’s necessary to think about what effects those experiences create.
“We give students an organized forum in which to process their experiences with other students, so they can get the beneficial learning that comes from ‘reverse culture shock,’” Manning explains. “They get the advantage of a built-in support network in case they really do have problems.”
What else can students do to make the most of their return from study abroad?
First, think about how to extend the learning experience. “Spend some time thinking about the things that you will miss the most and the things you’ll miss the least,” Manning advises. “These are important clues to what has seemed really different and where some of that reverse culture shock will be focused.”
Also, 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 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.”
Finally, share your new empathy with international students on campus or immigrants in the local community. Experiencing culture shock and re-entry shock helps students learn more about themselves and the people around them, Manning says. “Having experienced those feelings can make you more empathetic to the needs of those who are new to your own culture.”
What advice do you have that can help students returning home from studying abroad with the transition process? Comment & share below!
For those of you who are still contemplating whether to study abroad or not, check out the top 9 reasons why you absolutely should!!
The excitement and energy at the beginning of the New Year is contagious, but it can often be hard to sustain through the spring semester. The following advice, as well as an excerpt from renowned author Robert Mack's Happiness from the Inside Out, provides great tips to help you maintain a positive outlook throughout the entire school year:
The core lesson [here] is based on one you learned as a child: “If you don’t have anything nice to say about somebody, don’t say anything at all.”
We only have to modify this adage a little so that “somebody” includes yourself and the situations in which you find yourself. The idea is, very simply, to reach for a positive feeling before you speak, whether it’s in your head or out loud. If you can learn to do this one thing, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and, consequently, how much your relationships and your college life will improve as well.
Focus on the appreciative side of unpleasant stories.
Find ways to reframe, rework, or recraft unpleasant stories so that you find and share the upside — the appreciative side — of the story. For example, when you’re on your way to a class, don’t repeat in your head the mistakes you made on your last exam; focus instead on appreciating this fantastic opportunity to be surrounded by other intelligent, competent college students and how grateful you are to be at such a leading-edge school.
When you’re getting ready for a date, don’t focus on how fat you look in your jeans, how badly your face has broken out, or how little money you have in your pocket. Instead, focus on how great it is that you have the opportunity to spend time getting to know somebody and how exciting it is that somebody’s interested enough in you to devote an entire evening to you.
When you’re relating your day to your friend or roommate, tell him or her what you found most intriguing, interesting, exciting, or delicious about your day. What was your favorite part of the day? What did you like most about your week? Who brought you the most joy? What inspired you the most? What are you most anticipating the following day, week, month, or year?
Always ask yourself: Is what I am about to say going to advance the cause of my vision, mission, and goals? Will it uplift the hearer?
Will it inspire, motivate, and create forward momentum? If you hear a negative story, simply don’t repeat it. Decide that that story has gone on long enough and be vigilant about not thinking about it or retelling it. This practice will eventually begin to shape your thoughts. And as you model this behavior yourself, the example you set for others will be a teaching mechanism for them, too.
Tell a Better-Feeling Story
In order to successfully tell that better-feeling story, you have to look for a positive, appreciative feeling inside you before you speak. Once you find this feeling, you can speak from this positive, appreciative place, and then you can keep trying to improve or enhance or exaggerate that feeling. You will feel better and better as a result. That’s the point of the storytelling.
Language doesn't just describe our world; it creates it. It’s through language that we create the world, because it’s nothing until we describe it.
Robert Mack is the author of Happiness from the Inside Out. He is the resident life coach for Miami Life Center, of Travel & Leisure’s top twenty-five health and wellness centers.
Excerpted with permission from Happiness from the Inside Out © 2009 by Robert Mack. Printed with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA.
Federal financial aid is a great opportunity for students in need of assistance with the high cost of education. There is a set of requirements by the federal government that students must meet in order to qualify for financial aid, including a number of factors such as a student’s academic performance and a number of legal factors.
Federal Financial Aid – Academic Requirements
- You must have one of the following qualifications:
- High school diploma or General Education Development (GED) certificate.
- If you do not have a high school diploma or GED, you must pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test.
- A homeschooled high school curriculum that has been approved by state law.
- You must be a regular student, which means you are enrolled or have been accepted as a student working toward a degree or certificate in a school whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- You must meet certain academic standards set by your college or career school.
Federal Financial Aid – Legal Requirements
- You must be a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
- You must have a valid Social Security Number (unless you’re from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau).
- You must certify that you will use your federal financial aid only for your education costs.
- You must be in compliance with Selective Service Registration. Males, aged 18-25 can give permission to register for Selective Service when they complete the FAFSA.
- If you have been convicted for the sale or possession of illegal drugs while you were receiving federally funded financial aid, you will lose your eligibility for financial aid for a certain period of time, depending on your conviction(s).
- Fill out a FAFSA even if you have been convicted since you may be eligible for nonfederal aid and the FAFSA information is used to determine and process nonfederal aid in addition to federal aid.
For the average student, financial aid is necessary to help pay for college and in addition to federally funded financial aid, students can benefit from state financial aid. But, even if you think you won’t qualify for need-based federal grants, you should complete a FAFSA to get access to low-cost federal student loans.
Source: “Funding Education Beyond High School,” Guide to Federal Student Aid, 2007-2008, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid.
For more advice on how to pay for college and maneuver your way through the financial aid process, check out our brand new FAFSA Guide.
The simple answer is: Fill out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, if you are interested in getting help to pay for college.
For far too long, students entering college have been asked to choose between two unappealing options: pay sky-high tuition bills upfront or accumulate enormous amounts of student loan debt from the moment they graduate and enter the work force.
The U.S. Department of Education provides around $100 billion a year or so in government student aid for college, and now StudentAdvisor.com's Free FAFSA Guide aims at helping you get your fair share of it. Two-thirds of students receive at least some financial aid today, so it’s important to know where to look.
Whether you are going it alone without the help of your parents, a single mom looking to return to school, or the parent of a college sophomore who will need federal assistance to pay for school again next year, we have the facts, tips, and advice you need to get through the somewhat overwhelming process of filling out the FAFSA.
The FAFSA is your first and most important step to getting the money you need to help you pay for college.
The FAFSA guide, a 26-page digital magazine, offers facts, tips, and advice on how to get through the somewhat overwhelming process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Among the articles:
- the step-by-step process to completing the FAFSA form
- an explanation on how financial aid is calculated
- 10 common FAFSA mistakes and how to avoid making them
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education provides over $100 billion in new education grants, student loans, and work-study stipends to more than 14 million college and career school students. Filing a FAFSA gives you access to a number of these need-based grants and subsidized student loans.
Get the free FAFSA Guide now!