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The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College

In college, there's a surprise around every corner…

The #1 Student Handbook; Updated 3rd Edition

But that doesn't mean you can't be prepared! From sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to sharing lecture notes, The Naked Roommate is your behind-the-scenes look at EVERYTHING you need to know about college (but never knew you needed to know).

From sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to sharing lecture notes, The Naked Roommate is the behind-the-scenes look at everything students need to know about college (but never knew they needed to know). Completely revised and updated, this essential guide used by hundreds of thousands of students is packed with expert advice on everything from managing money to managing stress—plus hilarious, outrageous, and telling stories from students on over 100 college campuses:

College Living

• Dorm do's, don'ts, and dramas
• Lying, noisy, nasty roommates

Finding Friends

• Facebook and MySpace
• Friend today, gone tomorrow

Classes

• To go or not to go?
• How to get an A, C, or F

Dating

• 16 kinds of college hookups
• Long distance = BIG concerns

The Party Scene

• The punch in the "fruit punch"
• Sex, drugs, and the truth

Money

• Grants, loans, and loose change
• Credit cards and online gambling

The Naked Roommate is the #1 bestselling college life guide, and Harlan Cohen is the top voice on college life. Through his speaking engagements, college tour, music, and website, he has reached thousands of students with his message of relaxing, being yourself, and making the most of the college years.

With calendars, planners, and The Naked Roommate being used as the first year experience guide at colleges across the country, The Naked Roommate is the top name in college life advice.

PRAISE FOR THE NAKED ROOMMATE

"If The Naked Roommate existed when I went to college, I would have devoured every page before I stepped foot on campus."
Linda J. Sax, Associate Director of the Higher Education Research Institute and Director of the CIRP Freshman Survey

"The most useful guide [on college life]. (Five stars)"
The Daily Orange, Syracuse University

"The Naked Roommate is one of the best and most practical college advice guides I've read."
Andrew Tinnin, administrator at the University of Michigan

Naked Roommate Article (PDF) (20100826)

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Unlock the Secrets to Creating the Best College Application Possible

The secrets to writing a great college application involve your being organized, being well-prepared, and having assistance and guidance from a qualified success coach who can help you navigate the entire process.

You can create a college application that effectively promotes you to the college admissions committee!

The college application process is more stressful than ever, but I can show you how to create an application that effectively promotes you to the admissions committee.

The Common Application is one of the best things that have ever happened to streamline the application process.

Students can apply to over 300 different colleges and universities by using the same application form. Students can complete the common application online, and they can with the click of a mouse submit the application to the schools they designate. That saves a tremendous amount of time.

Some colleges will request a supplementary essay or other material from the student. Overall, this is a tremendous improvement over they way things used to be.

You can (and should) complete your applications before the summer of your senior year.

Students and their families have asked me if it makes any difference if they use the common application or a specific college application. Honestly, it doesn't make any difference.

The word was out for a while that the colleges favor their own applications, and students who applied using the common application put themselves at a distinct disadvantage. The member institutions that accept the common application have a contractual obligation not to discriminate against students who use the common application. All of my children have used the common application, and they had no problems whatsoever.

I encourage students to apply well in advance of the stated deadlines. If you follow my advice, your resume, your table of activities, and your college essays or personal statements will be completed well before the beginning of your senior year.

Many applications have the same components. Only the college essay or personal statement and any short-answer questions may be different. The basic components of a college application, which can be completed in advance are:

Personal data: Student's name, address, telephone number, date of birth, email address and other contact information, country of citizenship, social security number, racial or ethnic group (optional - but I encourage any student who may be able to benefit from any minority preference status to complete the personal data, including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc.)
Educational Data: Name, address, etc. of all of the high schools you attended. You will need to know your school's CEEB / ACT Code, your counselor's name and contact information, etc.
Standardized Test Information: List the name of test (ACT, SAT I, SAT II Subject Tests, etc.), date taken or to be taken, your score on each test and subtest (if requested), etc.
Family Information: Parents' names, parents' occupations, parents' level of education and colleges attended (if any), names of siblings and listings of the colleges they attended, etc.
Academic honors
Extracurricular, Personal, and Volunteer Activities (including summer): List the activity, dates of participation, approximate number of hours per week or month, number of weeks per year you participated, positions held, honors won, if you plan to participate in college, etc. You can see how valuable it is to keep an updated resume and table of activities.
Work Experience:  List the specific nature of the work, your employer's contact information, dates of employment, approximate number of hours per week, etc. on your college application.

I'm sure you can readily see that by completing these portions of your application before you senior year, and simply updating them as necessary, you can have most of your college application completed before you start your senior year classes. That will greatly reduce the stress associated with applying to college.

Even if you decide to apply early decision, you should still be ahead of the game and able to submit outstanding applications in a relatively short period of time - especially if you have followed my advice and completed your college essay or personal statement during the summer after junior year.

Applying to college surely tests your time management and organizational skills. It's very important to know what forms each college requires, the various deadlines, whether they have received all of your recommendations, etc.

Angela Arnold is an educator, author, consultant, and coach with close to 40 years experience in areas of academic achievement ranging from preK-12 on up to graduate and professional school.

She is a parent of five college graduates, a study abroad advocate and volunteer, a sought-after speaker, and a mentor to students of all ages and from varied educational backgrounds. Specializing in helping students get into their dream colleges, Angela Arnold is a wealth of information about the entire college application process.

Ready to learn more about how to get admitted to your dream college? Be sure to look for Mrs. Arnold's many college admissions videos by visiting her website and blog. Subscribe to her free, powerful 7-Day E-Course on what you need to do to get accepted to your top-choice college by completing the form on her home page at http://www.collegeadmissions411.com/

Contact Mrs. Arnold at 602.539.8857. You may also sign up for a free consultation about the college admissions process by completing the form at http://www.collegeadmissions411.com

Complete College Degree on a Frugal Budget!

There are a number of colleges in the US that allow students to obtain their Bachelor's or Master's degrees for a very affordable cost. Apart from being extremely affordable, the colleges are also very flexible and allow students to complete their degree as per their own schedules and timeline. This is something that makes it ideal for those holding full-time jobs or full-time family responsibilities. It is also a good low-cost alternative, to a traditional college, for those who have finished high school and are looking for a way to complete a college degree affordably.

I can personally vouch for these colleges since I too had completed my Bachelor's degree from Excelsior college in Computer Information Systems, in 1999. At that time, Excelsior college was part of the University of the State of New York. Excelsior college is the most popular of these flexible colleges and is the largest such college in the United States.

For clarity, I will call these colleges as 'flexible colleges' since they offer a level of flexibility and convenience for students which I've not seen anywhere else.

Here are some additional benefits of these flexible colleges:

They allow unlimited credits transfer for prior learning completed at other accredited institutions.
They offer the lowest cost for completing a college degree in comparison to traditional colleges offering 4yr Bachelors or Masters degrees.
They assign college credits for passing standardized exams such as CLEP, DSST and many more.
They also offer credits for work experience, on-the-job training or other training which can be properly substantiated via a Portfolio Assessment (PA) or a Prior Learning Assessment.
Additionally, these colleges allow students to take any courses, exams or training as long as it is within the degree requirements at the flexible college.
They allow students to complete their degree on their own schedule, with rolling enrollment throughout the year.
More importantly, these colleges value knowledge and learning and offer credits for learning, irrespective of whether the learning was acquired within or outside the classroom.
The colleges also allow foreign students or those who have completed some studies abroad to transfer the credits to the flexible college in the US. A foreign credentials evaluation is generally performed by an agency such as the ECE (Educational Credentials Evaluators) to determine the US credit equivalents for all courses or exams completed abroad.

For the Bachelor's degree, the primary eligibility is a high school diploma and a small number of college credits that have already been earned. It is best to check with the college as to the number of credits they require before enrolling the student into their degree program. This can be as small as less than 10 credits, but it's best to check with the college individually.

Apart from having completed my Bachelor's degree at a frugal/ flexible college, I've also done years of research and have found just over a handful of such highly flexible colleges all across the US. These include Excelsior college, Thomas Edison State college, Charter Oak State college and many more.

I sincerely wish this article and my website are helpful to you or someone you know in obtaining a reputed college degree! To Your College and Career Success!!

For more information on the flexible colleges, please check out http://www.frugaldegree.com on my website. I've provided a lot of information, all absolutely free of cost and will be regularly updating it with more and more articles. If you have any questions unanswered upon reading through my website, please comment on the relevant articles or ask your question on the "Ask a Question" section.

College Application Process Blunders - Don't Make This Mistake With Your College Admission Essay

There are some common mistakes made by college applicants when trying to make their college admission essay a good one. I managed to figure out how to write a standout college admissions essay that helped me get into three Ivy League colleges. As a former recruiter for Yale University, I remember the reactions from admissions officers as they read a good college essay versus an average one. I would say that there are six mistakes that are the most common and potentially the most deadly to college applicants who want to get into Ivy League colleges or other universities during the college admission process that result in major blunders. One mistake I saw was:  submitting a generic application.

Read each college application essay topic and try to put it into the context of the individual colleges. You can easily research a college's history online or at your local library. Try to find out what the topics were for a year or two prior to your application year and this might give you an edge with coming up with your own college essay ideas even before the college or university announces their current college application essay topics. Although the questions may change slightly, the general themes discussed will remain the same, after all,  in a good college essay one year,  is a good college essay any year. 

Doing your homework, or in this case, online research, will help you tailor your essay to the specific universities you target during the college application process.You probably will not need to write a completely different essay for each application, but it needs to appear that you did so that each college or university feels like you are taking them seriously (and indeed you should be).

Unfortunately, this is not the only mistake made during the college admissions process by college applicants who strive to write a good college essay that will help them to get into Ivy League colleges. To help those who are serious about getting into Ivy League colleges and getting into university in general, I outline insider information based on my experience as a recruiter and alumni interviewer for Yale University. My recommendations, tips, and insight are available at http://www.collegeadmissionessaytips.com as part of the Keys to the CASTLE program (College Admissions Secrets & Tips to Look Exceptional). If you want to increase the odds of getting into university or want your child to get into Ivy League college, then you need to immediately go to http://www.collegeadmissionessaytips.com and get the FREE REPORT: Top College Essay Ideas. Everyday that goes by that you don't access this information, the odds of getting in decreases. High school graduation is right around the corner, don't you want your child to have big plans for the following fall. I hope this was helpful to you. Here's to making your dreams, your reality.- Kamala Appel, Exec. Producer

The CollegeHumor Guide To College: Selling Kidneys for Beer Money, Sleeping with Your Professors, Majoring in Communications, and Other Really Good Ideas

From beer pong to final exams, from instant messaging to hooking up with people whose last names are a complete mystery, The CollegeHumor Guide to College is the bible to getting through college with minimum work and maximum fun. The authors, six recent graduates from colleges around the country, fill readers in on how to do their own laundry, how to pick the best (easiest) professors, and how to tell if someone has an STD just by looking at them.

From the creators of the smash-hit website, The CollegeHumor Guide to College is perfect for anybody who can make it past twelfth grade, and an incredibly mean gift for those who can't.

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Medical Science Colleges

Forensic science colleges specialize in the application of a wide range of knowledge, processes, and methods used to find evidence from a crime scene, These colleges train to aid law enforcers to bring the culprits to justice.

Forensic science originated from Latin, which means "before a forum". Most scientists are employed to verify and testify evidence in court litigations. People who master in forensic science mostly begin as laboratory scientists doing research and experiments. They are perhaps allured into the law enforcement support functions for the thrilling experience of deciphering the mysterious, the baffling, and almost insolvable crime stories. Lawyers, policemen and journalists may enroll in colleges to augment their skill sets. There are numerous science colleges and universities that offer science as an elective. Short courses are also offered online for graduate students.

Why to Enroll in Forensics in a Medical College

Forensic science students can get degrees in any of the Forensic Science disciplines, including criminalistics, engineering sciences, jurisprudence, odontology, pathology, physical anthropology, behavioral science and psychiatry, questionnaires and toxicology. Admissions to forensic science colleges pave way for students to choose from a vast array of technical or medical job opportunities.

How to get admitted in a Medical Science College for Forensics

To get admitted in these colleges follow the below mentioned steps:

Start young with your goal in forensic science. Choose PCM or PCB combinations of subjects in your high school classes. Students need to have a extensive knowledge in chemistry, biology, physics and psychology.

Take a list of the names of renowned medical science colleges, seat availability and cut-off percentage. Also take into consideration the accreditation of the university.

Fill in the forms for entrance tests in multiple medical science colleges and specialized forensic institutions.

Take crash courses before the science college entrance exams and strive to get good grades. Participate in some science clubs to keep your knowledge of the subject updated. You may also participate in mock sessions.

Top 10 Medical Science Colleges for Forensics

Find the top 10 Medical science colleges to enroll and pursue study of forensics:

K.J. Somiya Medical College

Christian Medical College

Lady Hardinge Medical College

Maulana Azad Medical College

Calcutta Medical College

All India Medical Institute

Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research

King George's Medical University College

Armed Forces Medical College

Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute

Students are advised to prepare and enroll for PMT entrance and other state organized medical entrance tests after graduating from any science college to specialize in forensic science.

Shefali Roy is a webmaster of latestt. To get information related to Free education, medical science colleges, colleges & institutes in India. Visit latestt.com

Master the College Application Process - How to Get Into College With Unique College Essay Ideas

Are you struggling to figure out the college application process. Do you want some college essay ideas that can help you figure out how to get into Ivy League colleges or any university, for that matter? I was where you are once and that is why I am writing this article.

There are some common mistakes made during the college application process by college applicants when trying to come up with college essay ideas that will help them get into college, especially college application essay topics that may help them to get into Ivy League colleges. As a former recruiter for Yale University, I remember the reactions from admissions officers as they read an average college admission essay as opposed to a good one. A good college essay starts with having good college essay ideas. I would say that there are six mistakes that are the most common and potentially the most deadly to someone writing admission essays as part of the college application process. One mistake I saw was: a college applicant not writing something that was true to the college applicant's life story.         

One of the biggest mistakes a college applicant can make when writing their college admission essays during the college application process is writing something that is not true to their unique life experience. So if you are seeking college essay ideas or college application essay topics that will help you write a good college essay, look no further than your own backyard, so to speak, your values, your background, and your community. Represent! Some of the biggest and brightest leaders come from dark and humble beginnings.

Bill Clinton came from a dysfunctional family. Barack Obama overcame adversity. Look where both of them are now. Don't be ashamed. Be proud of who you are because that is what makes you- you; and more importantly, it could be what sets you apart from the competition and helps you get into Ivy League colleges potentially all the universities that you apply to for consideration.

Unfortunately, this is not the only mistake made by college applicants when writing college admission essays or during the college application process. To help those who are serious about getting into university, especially those who want to get into Ivy League colleges, I outline insider information based on my experiences as a recruiter and alumni interviewer for Yale University. My recommendations, tips, and insight are available at http://www.collegeadmissionessaytips.com as part of the Keys to the CASTLE program (College Admissions Secrets & Tips to Look Exceptional) and will help you come up with college essay ideas that can help you figure out how to get into a top college. If you want to increase the odds of figuring out how to get into college or your child getting into an Ivy League college, then you need to immediately go to http://www.collegeadmissionessaytips.com and get the Free Report: TOP ESSAY IDEAS. Everyday that goes by that you don't access this information, the odds of getting in decreases. High school graduation is right around the corner, don't you want your child to have big plans for the following fall. I hope this was helpful to you. Here's to making your dreams a reality.- Kamala Appel, Exec. Producer

Save Money on College - 5 Strategies For When College is on Your Doorstep

There are five places where you have a significant opportunity to lower your costs for college. Now I am not talking about how you are going to save money for college. This is not about putting away money for the next 15 years in anticipation of paying for your 1st grader's college down the road. These are actions you can take now when you have a high school student and college is on your doorstep.

1.  The place to start is lowering your expected family contribution or EFC. This is the baseline calculation developed by the federal government used to determine how much the schools and the government think you can spend on your student's college education. When you fill out a FAFSA form (free application for federal student aid), you are providing the feds with the information they use to determine your EFC. In a nutshell, your EFC is determined by the student's income and assets, and the parent's income and assets. Now if you know how to manipulate those income and assets, you can lower your EFC... you can lower your baseline. And the lower you get your baseline, the less money you will spend on college.

2. Identify the schools with the generous financial track records. I cannot overstate the importance of this step. Not all schools treat students equally. Some schools are far more generous than others. For example: a student applies to four different colleges and all of the schools have a sticker price or more than $20,000. At school 1, he will pay $10,000. At school 2, he will pay $15,000. At school 3, he will pay $20,000. And at school 4, he will pay $25,000.

The difference is the schools' financial track records. School 1 in this case has a financial track record that is far more generous than any of the other schools, therefore school 1 costs less. 

Here is the shocker to most people... the schools with the most generous financial track records are not the public colleges with the lowest sticker prices. In fact, the public colleges often have the worst financial track records around and often wind up costing the most. Because of the way financial track records work, private colleges often have the lowest out of pocket costs. So forget the myth that private colleges are always more expensive than public colleges. It's just not true.

3. Position your student well. You need to have a well thought out strategy as to which schools your student will apply. I always recommend that your student apply to at least 6 colleges, if not 10. One of those colleges should always be a safety school. A safety school is where your student knows they are getting in no matter what. The community colleges are very common safety schools.

4 to 5 of the schools should be core schools. Core schools are those colleges where your student will have a good opportunity for being in the top 25% or 50% of the incoming freshmen class. Just because your student placed in the top 25% of their high school class, it does not mean they will place in the top 25% of their college class. Different colleges are looking for different students. The top 25% of a college such as Northwestern University is going to look very different compared to the top 25% of a college such as Arizona State. You need to match your student to colleges which are a good fit for them.

You may want to include 1 or 2 stretch schools in the mix. Stretch schools are those colleges that you're not really certain that the student can get in, but it would be a real source of pride if they did. Now some students and families may want to include more than two stretch schools, and that is fine. You can include as many as you want, but under no circumstances should you reduce or eliminate neither safety schools nor core schools from the mix. I have seen far too much heartache by pursuing a college mix far too heavily weighted by stretch schools.

4. Know how to negotiate. The official financial awards from the colleges typically show up in March or April of the student's senior year in high school (assuming you are on the ball and get all the paperwork done). Many families believe these official awards are set in stone, but that is not necessarily true. There are many colleges that will negotiate with you if you know how to draft and compelling argument and know how to speak their language. 

The number one rule about negotiating with a college is never call it "negotiating". Colleges don't negotiate. Colleges have an appeals process. There is a very big difference between negotiating and an appeals process. "Negotiating" starts with an "N". "Appeal" starts with an "A."

The number two rule about negotiating with a college is never be afraid to ask for more.

5. Finally, you want to use smart money management practices. You are embarking on one of the largest expenses in the history of your family's budget. You need to take a full inventory of your finances and see what needs to change. Do you need to pay off some consumer debt? Should you delay a major purchase? Does it make sense to refinance the house, or should you look into a money merge strategy? There are all kinds of money management strategies that can save you thousands of dollars alone. Shoot, we have one client in the Chicago area that is saving hundreds of thousands on a money-merge strategy alone.

So there you have it... five strategies that have saved our clients thousands of dollars every year, year after year. Put them into practice, and you will save yourself a lot of headache as well.

Scott Anderson
http://www.realcollegesavings.com

Scott is owner of RealCollegeSavings.com and College Financial Strategies. He has been a college financial strategist and coach since 2001. Scott works with students and families in order to help them minimize college costs, help students determine college & life goals, and help families stay out of and get out of debt in the process. Scott lives with his wife Susan in Davenport, Iowa; but he works with clients all around the United States.

Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: College

The college years are a time of noble pursuit of knowledge, self-betterment—and unending peril! Students are at risk from the moment they receive their acceptance letters. Fortunately, the authors of the phenomenally best-selling Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series have come to the rescue, offering all-new, hands-on, step-by-step instructions for surviving the worst that higher education has to offer, on campus and off. Learn how to identify a party school, engineer a hookup, survive "the spins," and escape a stadium riot. Discover the best way to sleep in class, pass a test you haven't studied for, avoid the "freshman fifteen," and pull an all-nighter. With practical advice for avoiding laundry and identifying unsafe institutional food, along with an appendix of excuses for missed deadlines and a back-up diploma, this is truly required reading for all college students—and a perfect high school graduation present.

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Colleges That Change Lives

Today's college scene is composed of an interesting dichotomy of experiences and learning environments that are proving one method highly successful while proving another, time worn method, to be more and more deficient. Ordinarily, high achieving students would focus on the brand names of education, with their prestige and instant name recognition which would provide many assumed benefits. However, many students are finding a more productive alternative to the Ivy League and big name colleges of America. Students, who are spending time at smaller, more involved colleges, are finding themselves getting better educations for the future than students who are in large, uninvolved institutions. The gap between the two methods of learning is widening and may be a foreshadowing of changes to come in future generations of college attendees.

Long term statistics and student experience are proving that the smaller schools are actually turning out the better students in the far stretch. Large, impersonal schools are providing too much opportunity for a student to hide within the crowd and earn a degree by simply being present and paying tuition. Smaller schools of about 2,000 students allow the student faculty ratio to be much closer and therefore students receive a higher percentage of attention at the learning level. At this closer ratio, students can ill afford to allow themselves to be a nameless faceless person in the crowd. Students around them are more involved and personally know the instructors, they also move in a direction that is obvious to all and therefore provide a social climate by which a student can excel and wants to excel.

Larger and more prestigious colleges have become "overstocked" as it were, with the student body and are little more than a spectator experience for many students within a 200-300 person classroom. Many of these classes are there for the sole purpose of filling up your notebooks, and then administering tests that are made out for a general audience, and then graded by teacher assistants. In a smaller college, the student may find themselves in classes of only twenty students, which with day after day of moving together in the same direction, can become a kind of "family" where everyone knows each other and the professor as well. In these smaller classes the instructors actively seek to expand the mind of the student and engage them in the process of learning right there in the classroom. Therefore, the student is always studying for the test three weeks away, from the beginning of classes. The learning process is always activated whether the student is in class, with his other classmates or alone in study hall. It would be very difficult for a student in such an environment of closely knit societies to wonder what will be on the test tomorrow.

Much to their own detriment, many aspiring students make their choices about future college based on their social climate they acquired in high school. Unfortunately, this herd mentality can be instrumental in continuing a spiral of non-success that will follow them to the college level. If none of the students a child knows in high school have done any research into colleges that will be personally fulfilling to the individual student, then the crowd that goes to the big state school together will have very few who actually benefit. The individual benefits from matching a student to the correct school will be lost in a major waste of time and money simply due to the herd mentality guiding the students as one and failing to benefit the individual students as parts. Students need to realize that friends today will more than likely be memories tomorrow as life moves on for all of them. An atmosphere of achievement must be maintained at the high school to college crossover age or else many years will be lost in a attempt to make up for missed time. Too often this kind of student finds themselves years after college cutting into today's events in order to make up for the lost opportunity of education that was sacrificed for a social climate that will be, more times than not, ending.

Much of the time students who are given no guidance at all, or who fail to do the homework themselves, believe that all colleges will be the same. They mistakenly believe that it only matters that you go somewhere to school in much the same way they believed that it only matters that you graduate, not how well you do during high school. College for students must be seen not as a continuation of the time they had in high school but as a new kind of learning experience. Colleges are full of like minded students who are just starting out into their professional lives and also learning about who they are as individuals. I can't remember how many times I have spoken with persons in their 40's about who they were in their 20's and had the same conversation about the level of awareness. Many of them tell me that in their 20's they were totally deluded about who they were as people and the extent of their abilities and maturation. This is a critical time in a young person's life and needs to have the benefit of parents, advisors and professors who understand the blind spot of the twenty something person for his future and what achievement will bring about in the realm of self discovery. Choosing a college is instrumental in this development and must consider the students needs personally as must also the college itself in educating the student. Smaller colleges facilitate this process with more intimate learning environments and a crowd mentality that is beneficial to the student.

Long term statistics have now proven that successful college careers rarely depend on the prestige of the college name a student attended. Their real success follows them in the form of what a student takes with them after leaving a college. The influence of smaller colleges with a hands on approach to learning and a smaller community to orbit the student is proving to be more beneficial than the large classes where the student sits all day in a sea of faces. Many graduates of these larger colleges are now revealing the ease with which large colleges graduate students. Many of these students tell tales of how they could have "mailed it in' during their stay at the college they graduated from. Students who drop out of these large colleges and transfer to schools who are smaller and more intimate sing the praises of professors and student bodies who engaged them not only in learning but socially as well, contributing to a major improvement from the large college experience.

Statistically, these smaller colleges are also proving that a students high school grades were often not true indicators of a students performance capabilities. Many of the graduated students from these smaller institutions report having their minds challenged and improved by the attention they received from educators who where there to educate rather than gain tenure. These students found themselves a part of the honor society in these colleges for the first time in their lives. Afterward, they also found themselves out distancing the students from the larger colleges due to the personal growth and more intimate attention that enabled them to meet major challenges with the skill to learn how to learn and think through any situation they encountered. Though the subjects may have been text book oriented, the skills learned in unison with the lesson carried them farther and higher than those they would have gained simply by filling in notes in a book.

Due to the closer attention that the smaller college can afford the student, such administrations find they can concern themselves with those who have been mislabeled as learning deficient. It is being discovered that those who simply learn differently are developing further than the literary based student just as the two hit a certain level of personal maturity. These students, who represent a more complex entity than their counterparts, have a more creative and hypothetical - almost, intuitive - way of performing in life than the literal status quo of the intellectual. Colleges have recognized that this may be indeed the wave of the future as far as turning out students who access parts of the mind we today can only guess about. As in nature, the more complex entities take much longer to mature and perhaps, these colleges believe, there is an untapped resource lying beneath the surface of these students that needs to be cultivated and produced for the betterment of all mankind. As this new age of educational development takes flower, the universities of the future may look vastly different from those of today in both their attendees and those chosen for the higher place in economic life.

Smaller colleges are on the frontier of change for the educational needs of America. Today's system from the pre-school to the highest levels may take on a whole new complexion due to the ability of smaller colleges to recognize the promise of students and implement proven techniques for their development, rather than simply churning out graduate numbers and paper degrees. Home schooling may take on a larger amount of students as it is proven to be a more beneficial and acceptable course of action than today's overcrowded schools. The small college will be more ready to accept these students and produce an adult into working society who has experienced education from a much different perspective than the marginally successful student of today. What will these unusually trained students appear like in working society? What will the continued schooling and training of the gifted student once believed to be learning deficient produce for the next generation of America? The outlook is promising and the signs encouraging. Perhaps the answers to America's educational needs and failing system are being found intuitively through an unconscious connection between us all. This connection will result in benefits that will surprise our conscious minds, but be of little shock to the deep inner workings of the unknown mind that pushed us as a nation toward the solution. Then, someday in the future, when a student says, "I don't know how I knew the answer, I just did." Professors will nod approval and reply, "Good ....very good."

Hubie Goode is a columnist who comments on many subjects concerning today's society from a Christian perspective. Articles discuss items such as education, government, current events and also movie reviews. There will also be articles concerning such things as consumer advocacy and "business opportunities".

http://hubiegoode.blogspot.com

Why a College-Bound Student Should Apply to at Least 10 Colleges

1. Your student's chances of getting in are improved. The chances are good of getting into some college, but your choice of a right-fit college must consider these critical elements: location, costs, major, costs, size, costs, academics, and costs. The more right-fit colleges you apply to, the better your chances of getting accepted.

2. More financial aid is available. By contrast imagine a student who applies to 5 colleges: at best the student gets maybe 2 decent offers, each of which will be different. That means you only have 2 buckets of money (read: discounts) to pick from. On the other hand, if you have 4 buckets to pick from, that's doubling your buckets which makes your choice more attractive and easier.

3. You're in control. College marketing strategies are very good at making you think they are in control. The fewer colleges you apply to means the more control you have given to the application process; the more colleges you apply to means the more control you have: you have a far greater variety of options that you don't have with fewer colleges.

4. Take an offensive posture. No, I don't mean that you ought to be nasty, but to take the attitude that you don't need any one particular college as the be-all and end-all; that's a dangerous approach to selecting colleges. Just as you don't need any one particular college to meet life's challenges and survive, having ten to choose from makes the choosing of a college on your terms, not on someone else's. This is taking real ownership of the process, something admission people love to see in an applicant.

5. Reduce your stress. This is the ultimate emotional objective, isn't it? Your student may not have to do more paperwork: with the popularity of the Common App, your student can apply to many schools with only one application.

6. You're in the driver's seat. Contrary to what you continue to hear, despite the rising cost of college, it's always a buyer's market when you INCREASE the amount of your college applications. Applying to only 4 or 5 colleges can prove to be a very expensive exercise because you're limiting your choices. Consider your choice of colleges like you would a choice of cars on a dealer's parking lot. There are many makes and models to choose from, and in the case of colleges, you have the pick of 4,000 colleges.

Instead of the "Less is more" formula, go for "More is more."

Colleges loathe the fact that you're reading this. They'll claim that I'm adding to the problem of college admissions - making it harder to get admitted because so many more applications are being submitted. Cold fact for me to live with: there aren't a lot of people reading this. At least not yet. The fact is...colleges don't like the increased work load, and besides, for what they are gouging you for in costs, do you really care what these colleges think?

Paul Lloyd Hemphill is the web's Video College Coach, and he specializes in designing, marketing, packaging and selling a student to a college by using the very same techniques colleges use to design, market, package ans sell their services to unsuspecting students. Visit his website: http://www.videocollegecoach.com

Finding Money For College to Retire - Students Financial Help - Part II

Throughout my speeches, I've constantly been asked by students how it is possible to graduate college with retirement ability. How can you use money for college to retire? Is this even possible? College is the greatest investment in the world IF you approach it intelligently the right way. This article provides students financial help by introducing you to an evolutionary way of thinking and approach which can have you graduating with the ability to pursue any passion you may have while not worrying about how next month's bills are going to get paid, or trying to keep up with the economic turmoil and the dreadful avalanche of student loans.

First off, picking up from Part I, what other ways are there for finding money for college to retire? Well you can't get rich if you're not taking the step of receiving income. Similar to what is said about the United States, college is definitely the 'land of opportunity' to achieve this step easily. Think about this for a second. What are you going to college for? What are you good at? What do you have which can benefit other college students? Use those answers to make money for college to retire. For example, I know individuals who braid hair as a hobby. I'm a great writer, and I used to charge my friends to write their essays. Utilize the fact that many students are lazy to your advantage. You may also charge for typing up papers. If you have a car, you can charge people to drive them places, and make a profit after the expense of gas. Perhaps you speak a particular foreign knowledge, and can charge others for lessons or tutoring. I know a few students who clean up places for their friends after house parties. College brings tons of opportunities! Get creative. With financial aid, the scholarships, loans, work study, part time jobs, and other creative 'side hustles', making money in college is really easy. The problem, which is also the solution to using college as the greatest investment, is keeping and building that money while in college. I continuously hear college students say they're broke, but whose fault is that? It's our own faults. It takes a commitment and sacrifice of everything you're used to in order to become successful (whatever that means to you).

I always tell my peers to treat college as a business. With all of the temptations to act like a party animal, or just a study robot, many of us don't realize how profitable college can actually be for our financial futures. Finding money for college to retire is easy. Making intelligent decisions with that money in college is the issue. College is the greatest investment because while we're in college, we have not yet been hit with the ultimate hardships of life. Now this isn't true in all cases, but majority of Millennial college students aren't yet hit with mortgage payments, huge families to support, and trying to outrun the economic turmoil with 9-9 jobs for starters. We also have an ample amount of free time to really pursue our passions and establish a secure financial position. Time is your most precious asset, and needs to be spent productively. Saving money in college, and investing into 'income-producing' ventures are the keys.

I know certain businesses where you can join for $40 and make a significant stream of income just by doing what you're already doing. Those huge financial aid checks don't mean shopping sprees and rims for your cars. It doesn't mean clubbing every weekend. Use money for college to succeed, not financially fail. I know plenty of students who receive checks after their tuition and bills are paid for, and spend it on physical things which are only for temporary pleasure and no income producing value. Remember that the parties and everything else will still be there when you get out of college. The real fun begins when you graduate college, don't have to struggle to get a job you dislike, and don't have to worry about how next month's bills are going to get paid. Treat college as a business, where you are meeting wonderful people from all around the world, building relationships, pursuing your passions, and establishing a wonderful life for yourself. Stop spending money on what you don't need while in college. Live under your means. This is the best time to do it! Live to help others to the best of your ability, but definitely not try to impress them. The most impressive life is one lived to impress its owner. Physical things don't determine wealth.

Your knowledge and soul desire to help others speak louder and make more of an impact than cars, clothes, jewelry, etc. Use money for college to succeed, not financially fail. Mark down everything you need (not want) and shop around for the cheapest prices. Yes I am saying to be cheap while in college. This is just a few years of your life. The fewer expenses you have, the better. Determine your return on investment (ROI) with every decision. This just means that if what you get is not worth more than the initial investment, then don't do it. Don't overdraft in your account trying to impress your dates. Trust me romantic walks to a few spots on campus at nights are much more impressive. Think about how lovely the rest of your life will be, and how much fun you will have, if you just saved and invested the money you receive in college.

College is majorly portrayed in the media, especially with African Americans, to be a fun party environment. Then we wonder why graduates aren't truly equipped with all the knowledge and skills necessary to truly evolve in their lives and professional fields. We wonder why the economy is in turmoil. We wonder about the future of future generations. Well it's time college be portrayed as a place of opportunity and prosperity where passions are to be pursued and dreams can become reality IF it's utilized efficiently. Use money for college to succeed, not financially fail. For these reasons, it is definitely possible to completely redefine college graduation AND retirement. Finding, saving, and investing money for college to retire can be achieved. I wish you all of the college student success, happiness, and prosperity in the world!

Stefan Johnson (G-Prez) is the President and CEO of Graduatirement, LLC, an evolutionary business of success for the entire Millennial Generation, which shows students all around the world how to graduate college and retire professionally... simultaneously! His mission is to help everyone, especially Millennials, reach their ultimate individual success, happiness, and prosperity by providing evolutionary knowledge and extremely profitable opportunities, and ultimately revolutionize the entire Educational System for present and future generations so that success happiness and success is more commonly achieved, passions are pursued, and poverty is conquered. The answer to any and every question a college student may ever have, and the evolution of Millennial Success is now here: [http://www.gprez.com] - To Your Success, Happiness, and Prosperity.

What's Really Behind College Tuition Hikes?

Imagine you're the third sibling in your family to enter college in your home state of Minnesota, and that each of your family members entered college four years apart. Believe it or not, you may spend twice as much on college as your eldest sibling. While consumer prices usually rise between one and four percent each year, many colleges have hiked tuition and fees at double or triple that rate.

True Sources of Hidden College Costs

While some critics have charged college administrators with overpaying faculty and with pursuing vanity real estate projects, the real reasons for spikes in college costs mirror changes in the broader economy. For instance:

o Technology Upgrades. Although universities helped originate the Internet as we know it, college and university IT professionals have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade campus networks and to implement stronger data security measures.

o Staff Compensation. Many colleges and universities offer extensive benefits packages to both faculty and staff. To absorb sudden spikes in the cost of health care, some schools have resorted to raising tuition.

o State Budgets. Like government agencies, state colleges and universities must respond to lawmaker demands to freeze or reduce budgets. Administrators in hard-hit states like California and Minnesota have hiked tuition rates to replace state funding.

o Energy Prices. Just as volatile energy costs caused grocery prices to rise, transportation expenses have forced campus dining facilities to buy more expensive ingredients.

o Stock Declines. Stock market shortfalls have even hurt college sports programs. Stanford, Ohio State, and Florida State all announced athletic cutbacks due to dwindling alumni donations and stalled ticket sales.

How Rising College Costs Impact Enrollments

Sharp increases in tuition and college fees have forced many young Americans to rethink their higher education plans. Instead of moving away to school, many first-year students have started choosing colleges closer to home. By living with family members instead of in the dorms, students can avoid many of the extra expenses of a college education, such as rent, meal plan charges, and utilities. Government statistics also indicate that more students are choosing to attend school part-time, paying for tuition with a combination of student loans and income earned from entry level jobs.

Gaps Between Private and Public College Spending

Private school administrators are no longer immune to the effects of a troubled economy. Some of the largest private university endowments suffered capital losses of as much as fifty percent over the past two years. In most cases, private universities now find themselves in the same position as state schools forced to raise tuition to cover other funding shortfalls. Although experts predict that tuition should continue to rise, students at state-run schools can expect to enjoy greater value relative to students at many private colleges and universities.

Fighting College Tuition Sticker Shock

Although college costs aren't likely to drop anytime soon, students and parents can still take a few simple steps to trim their own education budgets, including:

o Interview the Career Office. Colleges and universities that have invested in strong alumni networks and job placement programs may help you land the kind of job that can help you repay student loans sooner.

o Mix and Match. Many students now complete core undergraduate courses at community colleges or at state universities before finishing their degrees at private colleges. This strategy can cut college costs in half while resulting in the same diploma.

o Rethink Work/Study. Career-oriented students can complete an associate's degree online or at a less expensive school to qualify for an entry level job in their desired industries. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement programs to help students complete bachelor's or master's degrees.

Keeping college costs down may require rethinking the traditional higher learning experience. By focusing your search on colleges and universities colleges and universities with a track record of smart spending and proven job placement, you can get the best return on your education investment.

Kelli Smith is the senior editor for http://www.Edu411.org. Edu411 is a career education directory for finding colleges and universities, training schools, and technical institutes.

College Success - Most Students are Not Ready

ACT, Inc. (American College Training) reported that college readiness levels were 22 percent in 2008. This is startling and the numbers are even worse for low-income and under served students.

Most high school graduates are not prepared for college success or to succeed in the workforce. My work experience gives me a unique perspective about the similarities between skills needed for college success and work success. Currently, I am a part-time college professor of college success strategy and career development courses. For many years I worked as a job placement specialist and also owned an executive search and recruiting business.

Skills needed:

Here are some of the skills needed for college success, which are also necessary for success in a professional career:

* Reading comprehension

* Problem solving

* Reasoning and critical thinking

* Writing

* Note-taking

* Time management

* Goal setting

* Knowing your learning style

* Self-awareness

* Learning how to learn

These skills are even more critical for career success during our current economic crisis. Employers are much more selective in hiring during tough times. College graduates will face greater difficulty finding good jobs in the next few years but will do better than many lacking a college education.

College success will be more important now because of increased competition for jobs. Employers will be looking more closely at college majors, grades, internships, volunteer work, and related work experience. Students who prepare for high demand jobs and who excel in college will have the best job opportunities.

College enrollments increase in hard times.

As job shortages increase it is likely that enrollment in colleges, especially community colleges, will grow. One reason for this is that community colleges offer vocational programs that lead to jobs in a year or two. This is appealing to both recent high school graduates as well as returning older students who need to acquire new skills quickly due to job losses.

The problem, as stated by ACT and many other sources, is that most high school graduates are not ready to succeed at a college level. What can be done?

Many colleges offer courses that can teach you how to study and learn more effectively. Effective learning strategy courses can help you to succeed in your other college courses by teaching you how you learn best, goal setting, time management and many of the skills mentioned previously in this article.

When you learn how to learn and how you learn best, this ability is also an asset when you go to work because you are able to acquire the latest job related knowledge and skills. College success strategy and career exploration courses are also needed in high schools. This would help students come to college prepared for success rather than failure, and they would have a better idea which college majors and careers are a good match for them.

Tips for learning:

Here are a few simple study tips that can increase your learning:

* Anticipate test questions. Create and take practice quizzes before you take the actual test.

* Write brief summaries in the margin of the text in your own words.

* Study for 30-45 minutes at a time followed by short breaks.

* Pause after reading a section and ask yourself questions about what the author is saying.

* Teach what you are learning to others. It reinforces what you are learning and makes it clearer.

* Discover and identify your preferred learning style and types of intelligence.

I have seen firsthand in my courses that when a student studies, understands and applies college success strategies, grades on tests and papers quickly improve. Students also report that their grades start getting better in their other courses. When you combine willingness to work and learn how to study, you will find success can quickly come your way.

Copyright 2009. Raymond Gerson

Raymond Gerson is an adjunct professor of college success and career development courses. He has over 40 years of experience teaching personal and career development. Professor Gerson is the author of six books including, Learn How to Achieve College Success...In 20 Hours or Less. He is offering a free college success quiz and customized report at http://www.achievecollegesuccess.com

Find out how much you know and don' know about achieving success in college and receive an instant score and free success tips.

College Student Success Secrets - Orientation, Maximizing and Leveraging the Experience

When I attended law school orientation day, it helped me become familiar with the college and faculty. This is something in the past I did not do whenever I attended colleges and Universities. I wish I would have, because knowledge is power. Knowing in advance the kind of college and the attitude of the administration toward college students is extremely important.

Here are some college student success secrets I tell university students throughout the world whenever I speak at orientation welcome week and college kickoffs.

1. Take your mentor, a trusted teacher, or parent along with you.

The wisdom and experience of years is priceless. Not to mention associating with such a person immediately gains you the respect of college administrators who handle you differently and speak to you professionally.

Furthermore having a trusted mentor of parent by your side will help lessen anxiety and help whenever you need to ask hard questions. Some you may forget to ask, but they can present some key and crucial points for you to consider at orientation.

No life transition is easy, particularly the one from high-school to college. Therefore don't tackle this alone. Having somebody with you, even if just a respectable friend, will provide comfort and strength to you emotionally. If your parent can take time off from work to attend, this will later lessen you having to answer all of their many questions once you begin school.

2. Take as many entrance and placement exams that you can to become self-aware as a college student.

Self-awareness is a lifelong discovery process. The more exams you take, the more able you will be to gauge your strengths and weaknesses.

The ACT and SAT are just two college entrance exams that help colleges determine your scholastic aptitude and academic ability. Placement exams such as the CLEP also enable you to determine and identify what classes are appropriate and most suitable for you to begin as an entering freshman at college.

Prematurely taking a college class before you are academically ready and prepared for it could be disastrous, cost you unnecessary money, and damage your GPA. Save yourself the pain and heartache by accurately gauging your ability beforehand and becoming self-aware as to your academic ability before haphazardly enrolling in classes.

3. Be friendly, curious, humble, and network whenever possible.

Meet and greet as many people as you can. Express a genuine curiosity in others and take an interest in those around you. By doing so, you will learn more and be able to process the college experience and grasp the essentials for college success.

College student success requires you interact with others and learn from upper level, more established students who know the ropes and ways of your college. For example, you will want to know where the cafeteria and gym are. Finding classes may require you to step out and ask for help periodically. Getting the resources you need at the library will also demand you be friendly, courteous, and ask for help.

4. Develop meaningful friendships among college students who can assist you in your own academic progress and professional development. Depending upon your major, join a college association or organization for like minded students.

Once you pinpoint your passion and know which direction you are moving academically and professionally, it will be far easier to identify the appropriate and ideal student association with which to align yourself. Greek life is also useful to make friends for fun and feel a part of something larger than yourself.

The greatest thing you can do however is look for organizations that are wholeheartedly pursuing your interests and objectives. Once aligned with them, you can jump right in and become a part of a meaningful group on track to where you want to go.

5. Cultivate student advisors and professors to guide and mentor you.

Whenever possible, draw near and talk to student advisors and professors seeking their advice and guidance on issues of importance to your academic success. Student advisors don't have mixed motives (as sometimes older students associated with an organization or association might) and it is their job to direct and advise you.

Therefore take advantage of the resource and don't be afraid to ask questions whenever you need to know something.

6. Take a walk around the campus and become familiar with all of the nuances and peculiarities.

Each campus has its own protocol, policies, and procedures. As you spend time walking around, interacting, and observing the way things are done on your campus, you will quickly learn the ins and outs.

When you attend a college as a student, the campus becomes your home away from home. Therefore make sure you feel comfortable with your college and university before you proceed. If for any reason you feel uneasy, troubled, or disturbed about something on campus, quickly address and get these issues resolved before proceeding academically.

7. Get acquainted with the professors teaching your classes and review the syllabus well before classes begin.

By personally meeting and talking with your future professors, you get a feel for their personality and possible teaching style. When I did this once at a community college, I was shocked to observe a professor with whom I was to begin a course yelling and complaining about her computer. I immediately knew I wanted to withdraw from this professor's course (since I wasn't overly thrilled with the technology involved in the course and her level of impatience, which would not serve me well as a student).

Seek out older students who have taken classes with various professors also who can give you some helpful feedback about their teaching styles, coursework assigned, and class requirements. This will enable you to find and choose a professor that best matches your learning style.

8. Go to the college financial aid website and office to complete any application forms available for college funding and scholarships.

Complete every form available to get financial assistance. College is not cheap and you are going to need thousands of dollars to live on and cover the expense of your tuition. Think and plan ahead pertaining to the financing of your education.

Get your tax records in order and ready to submit whenever applying for financial aid. Ask your parents for their annual tax statements, when necessary, to apply for financial aid and various scholarships.

9. Be proactive in all things financial and beware of signing up for any free credit cards on camps when vendors offer you something.

Most of these credit cards are at high interest rates and can wreck your credit. Beware of vendors (especially mobile phone and credit card vendors) seeking to prey on you, get you to sign contracts, and obtain your social security number and financial information.

10. Always stay focused and healthy throughout your college experience.

Live strong and be strong. Eat well and exercise regularly. Don't abuse your body partying. You can celebrate after you finish college and land a good paying job. Stay focused, have fun, but don't forget why you have come to college.

Invite worldwide speaker and life-changing author Paul F. Davis to speak to your college students about success secrets and breakthrough leadership!
info@PaulFDavis.com
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
407-967-7553

Paul is an exceptional & frequently requested speaker for college student success, leadership, orientations & to kickoff college events. Paul's 17 life-changing books have landed him celebrity guest appearances on Fox News Radio, Investor's Business Daily, and 3 times on Oprah & Friends. After a 45 minute interview on Playboy Radio, Afternoon Advice host Tiffany Granath calls Paul an awesome relational coach and recommends his books on love, dating & sexuality. Paul's academic success & leadership secrets for college students are unparalleled and greatly empowering. Paul builds bridges cross-culturally, cultivating diversity awareness, while empowering college students to discover their destiny and live their dreams.

A master in NLP & life coaching; Paul's humorous, fun, playful and transformative messages graciously challenge college students to ask themselves hard questions and be their personal best. As a former high-school senior class English and ESOL teacher, Paul understands the challenges facing incoming college students. Moreover Paul personally knows what transfer students go through as he himself attended a community college where he graduated with a 3.8 GPA before entering UCF, where he graduated Cum Laude. As a worldwide professional speaker who has touched more than 50 countries and 6 continents, Paul greatly appeals to international students throughout the world. Paul worked at Ground Zero during 9/11; helped rebuild a home at the tsunami epicenter; comforted victims of genocide in Rwanda; spoke to leaders in East Timor during the war; inspired students & monks in Myanmar; promoted peace & reconciliation in Pakistan & has been deep into Africa where villagers had never seen a white man. Paul empowers people to love passionately, work together globally and live their dreams fearlessly.

http://www.PaulFDavis.com

Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps: Crafting a Winning Personal Statement

Writing a memorable personal statement can seem like an overwhelming project for a young college applicant, but college essay coach Alan Gelb's holistic strategy and reassuring voice takes out the intimidation factor. Students will identify an engaging topic and use creative writing techniques to compose a vivid statement that will reflect their individuality. A much-needed supplement to other college entrance guides, this useful handbook will help students win over the admissions dean, while preparing them to write better papers once they've been accepted. A guide to crafting a meaningful and polished college admissions essay that expresses the applicant's unique personality, strengths, and goals. Step-by-step instructions lead students from idea to initial draft, through revisions, and to a final version ready for submission. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 69 percent of high school graduates enroll in college.ReviewsPublisher's Weekly, March 24th 2008: Included in test prep/college feature article

Price: $11.99

Click here to buy from Amazon