The first week of college classes is just around the corner - and some have already started! Even if you're worried about your roommate, floor friends, and RA, don't forget your most important relationship of your freshman year: your professors.
This advice comes from real professors on how to become a "teacher's pet" - in a good way! Learn how to have an advantage and make sure you're in the best position to perform well in all your classes. Read more...
How can you make your freshman year the best it can be? Jeremy Azurin of Virginia Tech shares his advice for owning your freshman year:
"This is a bit vague, but make sure you completely dominate your own path at your new school. Don’t let your advisor make your schedule, don’t let the financial aid office rip you of your money, and most importantly, don’t let anyone walk over you. You may be a freshman, but no one has the right to stop you from your success."
Read the rest of Jeremy's advice!
With colleges across the country starting move-in and classes this week, recent Bentley University grad Jayne Seward wanted to share her advice for first-year students:
1. Work hard, Play hard.
It’s all about finding a balance. If you decide to go out on a Tuesday night, you better be prepared to study all day Wednesday to make up for lost time, while dealing with a nasty hang over. If you work hard, you can easily maintain good grades while still finding the time to have a blast. My suggestion to any college student is to focus and apply yourself while in class, because the more you learn in class, the less time you have to study, and the more time you have to play.
Read the rest on StudentAdvisor!
Want a real take on what a college tour is like? Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, three students at Emerson College, want to help! These students plan to take every college tour in metro Boston (and maybe more) over this summer, and have been blogging about it at Rate My College Tour.
This week, we highlight their tour of New England College of Optometry.
Tour Guide
Tour Guide:
Holly, a third-year graduate student and former bio undergrad from Maine. Fun fact: She usually goes home to eat lunch because she lives so close to campus.
Personality
Holly was surprisingly friendly and did not seem like a stereotypical optometrist, which we found refreshing. She was eager to show us around while adding tidbits of personal information about her time at NECO. We got the sense that she really loved NECO and optometry and we would gladly put our eyes in her hands.
Appearance
Holly was wearing a white t-shirt and a cute mid-century-modern-patterned skirt with adorable white crochet flats. She even had her hair pulled back neatly out of her face: a sign that she obviously follows lab safety. On the hotness scale, Holly received an 8.
Ability to answer questions
Since we know absolutely nothing about science, eyes, or applying to graduate school for medicine, we had a lot of questions, most of which we were too embarrassed to ask. Jackie did a pretty impressive job of faking her knowledge of these subjects, but Holly was equally impressive with her ability to answer our questions.
Ability to relate
Holly and Jackie bonded over their shared experiences as bio majors, and Holly even said that they had a leg up over other students because of all the science they’d had to do while undergrads. We also spoke briefly to an admissions coordinator after the tour, who was excited that Jackie had gone to BU since her husband had also gone there.
Read more at Rate My College Tour!
Over the summer, Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, with some friends, plan on taking 47 college tours and want to report on the best and worst parts of every Boston school. Each Tuesday, we'll be publishing highlights of their various college tours. If you can't make it to every college you want to tour this summer, keep up with StudentAdvisor and Rate My College Tour!
The week is finally here: college freshmen are packing up, taking off, and beginning their first week of college. An exciting time for them, but a scary time for you - the parents!
Before your child hops in the car, bus, or plane that takes them to their new life at school, have you thought about how you want to keep in touch? Beth Fredericks, M.Ed. has some advice for parents who want to stay attentive, but avoid becoming helicopters. Read more...
Dating in college can be confusing. Are students hooking up? Who has a boyfriend or girlfriend from high school? Who is "friend with benefits" with whom?
Try and hold back your judgment: Almost half of college students judge men and women dating in college and hold equally negative attitudes towards both their male and female peers who they believe hook up “too much." Read more...
What are your thoughts? Do you harbor judgments towards those who "hook up" a certain amount? Have you ever been judged for your behavior? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or below in the comments!
Want a real take on what a college tour is like? Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, three students at Emerson College, want to help! These students plan to take every college tour in metro Boston (and maybe more) over this summer, and have been blogging about it at Rate My College Tour.
This week, we highlight their tour of Northeastern University.
Tour Guide
Alex, New York, NY, 3rd year chemical engineering major, Fun Fact: He competed in and won a dodgeball tournament on a team with other engineering majors against one of the school’s fraternities.
Personality
Alex was very friendly and courteous. We did feel as though we couldn’t get a great sense of his personality due to the size and set up of the tour. His jokes were greatly appreciated and he was really good at walking backwards while speaking. We were particularly fond of his joke about the library being the largest in Boston because “Harvard is across the river in Cambridge so it doesn’t count.”
Appearance
Alex was wearing a nice button down shirt which made him look very professional and put together. I would have liked to see a little more personal style in his look. On the hotness scale, Alex received a 5.
Ability to answer questions
Throughout the tour not many questions were asked at all, which seemed to upset Alex. We could tell that he was very eager to answer any questions that we had. When questions were asked he was able to give a great a response.
Ability to relate
We found it a little difficult to relate to Alex, simply because of a difference in our interests, but that is to be expected at a large school like Northeastern. He shared a lot of his experiences with the intramural sports offered at the college, but we would have liked to hear more about other organizations.
On another note, we would have liked the opportunity to introduce ourselves and say what our intended major was. Perhaps this would have allowed him to gear the tour a little more.
Read more at Rate My College Tour!
Over the summer, Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, with some friends, plan on taking 47 college tours and want to report on the best and worst parts of every Boston school. Each Tuesday, we'll be publishing highlights of their various college tours. If you can't make it to every college you want to tour this summer, keep up with StudentAdvisor and Rate My College Tour!
Moving to college in the next few weeks? It's a scary thing! You're likely moving away from home for the first time, about to take on a huge courseload and worried about making new friends. Eek!
Kevin Hagan of Transit Systems knows what it's like to have some college anxiety. He gave us some advice about how to deal with the big move. Read more...
For many students, going to college or university also means moving away from home and starting a new life in a new city. Take the opportunity to also start a new eco-friendly chapter and with these
tips to be green:
- You’ll notice that many campuses, including Brown University, Harvard University and Ryerson University in Toronto, are going bottled-water free. Tap in! Use a reusable mug and water bottle. This saves resources and sends a message to the world that you are a conscientious student who recognizes that tap water is healthier, cheaper and tastes great. Check for bottles that are BPA and PCB free. Did you know that tap water is often subjected to more stringent water testing standards than bottled water?
- At Starbucks and other coffee shops, you can often get a small discount if you bring your own reusable coffee mug. If you happen to forget your disposable mug, be sure to find a place that you can recycle your cup. Many schools have special recycling programs for Styrofoam coffee cups.
- Choose soap products (such as shampoos, conditioners, dish soaps, and laundry detergents) that are phosphate-free. Phosphates are not only bad for your skin, but also hard on our environment. Too much phosphate in our lakes and rivers contributes to algae blooms that are choking up our beaches.
- Go unplugged! Unplug your computer charger, phone charger and other electronic devices when not in use. When you leave them plugged in they still use energy—even if they aren’t doing anything. Set your computers to “sleep mode” instead of using a screensaver. This saves battery power and the environment!
- See if your city has any green initiatives. For instance, Toronto has a 'Live Green' card which offers deals at local restaurants and shops that have local, sustainable and/or organic products.
- Did you know that most fruits and vegetables travel between 1,500 and 2,500 miles before they reach your plate? Buying locally is a great sustainable decision you can make, so check out neighborhood markets for cheeses, meats, fruits, vegetables and baked goods.
- Why stop there? If you’re of age, do your part by drinking great local beer and wines. Craft breweries and small wineries are popping up all over the place. You’ll be reducing your ecological footprint while discovering all your region has to offer.
- Volunteer! Make a community impact. Your new neighborhood is likely home to many great philanthropic efforts. Find the one that’s right for you and make your community more livable.
Any more tips for green college living? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.
Greengage Mobile is a smartphone app that makes it easy to educate, create awareness and foster employee participation in sustainability initiatives while simultaneously providing management with detailed analytics. Lindsey Goodchild is the CEO and founder of Greengage. As one of the first graduates from Ryerson’s post-graduate program in Sustainability with a specialization in Corporate Responsibility, Lindsey brings a current and innovative perspective to the changing demands of corporate citizens.
Greengage Mobile is one of 46 teams currently incubating at Ryerson University’s Digital Media Zone (DMZ). For more digitally-themed back to school expert tips, visit the DMZ’s Back to School page.
The science section of the ACT is one that's often meant with a little apprehension. After focusing on your verbal and math skills, what's the best way to suddenly make the shift to science? Our best advice? Watch some TV!
Jonathan Darrall of Kaplan Test Prep shows us that some of the best strategies for taking the ACT science test can be found in the Discovery Channel show, Mythbusters. Read more...
Want a real take on what a college tour is like? Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, three students at Emerson College, want to help! These students plan to take every college tour in metro Boston (and maybe more) over this summer, and have been blogging about it at Rate My College Tour.
This week, we highlight their tour of Tufts University.
Informative vs Entertainment
We got a lot of useful information about Tufts, but Taylor also did a great job of bringing in some fun facts about the school and going to school in the Boston area.
Quality/Quantity of free stuff
We got a lot of literature. In addition to the standard information book, we received several brochures and the official admissions magazine: very classy.
Quality of literature provided
The literature we got was pretty informative. It was sleek and well-designed, and provided all the information we needed without being too text-heavy.
Length of tour
The tour lasted for an appropriate amount of time, but due to outside factors (the heat, our lack of actual interest in Tufts, and the foreboding walk back to Davis Square), it felt a little long.
Quality of tour content
We learned a lot about getting into the school, what to expect once you arrive on campus, and the social life. Vivian realized that she would be a great fit for Tufts socially, but quickly realized that she is not a “try-er” like the typical Tufts student and would probably have to leave.
Read more at Rate My College Tour!
Over the summer, Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, with some friends, plan on taking 47 college tours and want to report on the best and worst parts of every Boston school. Each Tuesday, we'll be publishing highlights of their various college tours. If you can't make it to every college you want to tour this summer, keep up with StudentAdvisor and Rate My College Tour!
When Lendsey Achudi moved from Kenya to the University of Rochester, she knew she wanted to be a leader in international relations. What she didn't know, however, was that she would find a mentor, get an amazing internship opportunity, and be making huge waves in the world before the end of her sophomore year.
Lendsey is the youngest, and only female, intern for the Kenyan Mission to the United Nations. What has Lendsey learned, and where does she hope to go from here? Read more...
Most college courses take place in a small classroom or large lecture hall. Maybe, if you're lucky, you have courses in a science or computer lab. After four years in these interchangeable classrooms, it can start to get to you. So, what would you do if you could take a course where your classroom was outside?
Meredith College is offering a class this fall aptly titled "Get Outside," an art class taught by Warner Hyde. Interested in seeing how these students are going to learn about art, nature, and themselves? Read more...
Want a real take on what a college tour is like? Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, three students at Emerson College, want to help! These students plan to take every college tour in metro Boston (and maybe more) over this summer, and have been blogging about it at Rate My College Tour.
This week, we highlight their tour of Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Informative vs Entertainment
Once again, we found the perfect balance of information and fun. Andrew even said that he knows what the “cool things” are on campus and makes a point of taking tours there: like the glassblowing studio. He told us everything we needed to know about MassArt, the application process, and life on campus.
Quality/Quantity of free stuff
We got a cute accordion-style book about preparing your portfolio, a large book of information, and even a sticker. We also got a bottle of water at the start of the tour, as it was a hot day.
Quality of literature provided
As befitting an art school, MassArt’s literature was amazing. Not only did we learn about the programs of study, we also got to take a look at various student and alumni experiences at the college. It even turned out that Andrew was one of the featured students in the book. “If you visit campus, you might be able to ask Andrew your questions in person. He’s one of the student tour guides. And he’ll give you honest answers,” the book says. He certainly did.
Length of tour
Once again, it was perfect. MassArt has a lot of facilities in a small space, and we managed to get to them all in an hour. However, Andrew told us that we were allowed to leave once we’d visited the area of our interest. We started with about eight or nine groups, but by the end of the tour it was just us and Andrew. This did give us a great chance for some one-on-one at the end, though.
Quality of tour content
Andrew knew about every single major. He took us to the main space for each major and told us about the program of study. We saw everything from the loom room to the architecture studio to the metal shop to the glassblowing studio. We also got to see inside several MassArt dorms, including the brand new tower that will open in the fall. Andrew took us to the top floor of the new dorm and used this opportunity to show off MassArt’s great location by pointing out all the museums, colleges, and attractions in the area.
Read more at Rate My College Tour!
Over the summer, Vivian, Jenna and Jacqueline, with some friends, plan on taking 47 college tours and want to report on the best and worst parts of every Boston school. Each Tuesday, we'll be publishing highlights of their various college tours. If you can't make it to every college you want to tour this summer, keep up with StudentAdvisor and Rate My College Tour!
We've been following the London 2012 Olympics closely and have had a great time rooting for Team USA! However, where did these Olympians get their starts? Most of them were college athletes before they started racking up gold medals - and they went to some pretty great schools!
See which colleges your favorite Olympic athletes attended, and see what StudentAdvisor's community had to say about them. Did you go to the same college as an Olympian? Make sure to write a review and let us know!
To see the colleges of olympic athletes, read more...
Yesterday, we brought you a little insight on sections one through four of the 2012-13 Common Application. Today, we bring you the real meaty parts: sections five through eight! Read more...
Miss Part 1? Check it out here.
Attention high school seniors! The Common Application, or Common App, was released online yesterday. The college application process has started, and it's finally time to start thinking about essays, class ranks, and more.
But, where to start? The Common Application can be intimidating - tons of sections, supplements and details you must get right. We broke down the Common Application for you - letting you know what's important, what's optional, and what you should (and shouldn't) be stressing over. Read more...
Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow!