"The Experience"
Checking Out Accreditation
Author: petersons, Category: College Search
Want to find out if the school or college in which you are interested is regionally accredited? Looking to see if a program has the specialized accreditation you need, and if the agencies that have accredited the school and program are legitimate? Of course, you can ask the school or program, but it’s a lot wiser to check elsewhere.
As you begin researching the accreditation status of the schools on your list, there are a couple of places to look. First, check with the regional accrediting agency that covers the state in which the school is located. Then check to see if there are specialized accrediting agencies that assess the particular program in which you are interested.
Checking on an unaccredited institution
Seeking accreditation is a voluntary process, and some legitimate schools are either too new to qualify or choose not to pursue it. So what can you do to make sure a school is legitimate if it is not accredited?
Read the rest of this entry »
Just Ask Jeeves: Who’s Googling Who?
Author: petersons, Category: Getting Started for College
Internet savvy is on the rise and the electronic media culture is firmly planted in our society. Just in North America alone, Internet search engines have become a daily search tool for roughly 70 percent of the population. In fact, more than 60 million people log on daily to seek out information on whatever topic interests them — product reviews, driving directions, health information…college applicants…
Googling the dark side
Yes, it’s true. The dirty little secret of the college admission industry is that some admission officers are using the Internet to get the scoop on prospective students. Illegal? Hardly. Sneaky? Without a doubt. Harmful? Depends. Read the rest of this entry »
Blogging with Caution
Author: petersons, Category: Getting Started for College
Blogging seems like one of the coolest things on the planet. You can be whoever you want to be, share whatever you want to share, and meet tons of people who can relate to you. It’s a creative outlet for gathering what most everyone wants — attention and affirmation, but without physically putting yourself in front of a crowd.
For the most part, it’s a positive thing, even if you don’t always know the people who read it. However, there can be a downside, so make sure you know who or what you might be dealing with when you decide to share yourself with the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Pre-Med Curriculum: Get Your Science On
Author: petersons, Category: Getting Started for College
You might be surprised to know that you can be a “pre-med” student without actually being enrolled in a pre-med program. You can also major in just about anything as long as you take enough courses to build a strong biological sciences background. Whether you major in Music and take a lot of science electives, or get your degree in Biology, the courses you take serve not only as prerequisites for medical school, but help build the foundation you need to get through your first year. However, the reality is that to be competitive when it comes time to apply, you should pursue a degree in the natural sciences. Read the rest of this entry »
Identifying Scholarship Scams
Author: petersons, Category: College Scholarships & Financial Aid
With thousands of scholarships out there, how do you know if that too-good-to-be-true scholarship is just that? You have to check it out! In many cases, there will be red flags that should trigger your spidey sense and help keep you from getting trapped in a web of deception and disappointment.
The fee factor
Some things are obvious once you know what to look for, but others can be hard to unearth. If you find yourself receiving scholarships that seemed to just magically appear, be on the lookout for the following: Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing Your College: Housing
Author: petersons, Category: College Search
Food and sleep. Sleep and food. More sleep. More food. Somewhere in there are classes and a social life, too, but when it comes to the basics (sleep and food!), your living arrangements in college will have the most influence on the quality of both. They’ll play a significant role in your access to activities and classrooms, as well.
So, what is it that you want…food at your fingertips and surroundings that are never quite fully asleep, or do you prefer to heat up ramen when the need hits you as long, as you can always catch your ZZZZZs? Well, you know what they say: Location! Location! Location! Read the rest of this entry »
Scholarship Myths
Author: petersons, Category: College Scholarships & Financial Aid
Have you heard about the alligators lurking in Manhattan’s sewers? They’re not there! In reality, this is just an urban legend…a myth…and myths exist everywhere, even in the land of college scholarships, where skilled mythmakers churn them out.
There are a lot of valid reasons why scholarship myths take hold, but unfortunately, those myths often keep students from applying for awards they could very will win. It’s not true that they’re only for valedictorians or the very poor — academic institutions offer vastly different award programs with a wide variety of eligibility requirements.
Fortunately, many people who deal with undergraduate financial aid go out of their way to address these myths, and one of those people is Marvin Carmichael. As past Chairman of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), he’s familiar with the misunderstandings people have about scholarships and financial aid. He’s since brought his expertise into his role as Director of Financial Aid at Clemson University. Read the rest of this entry »
A Word of Warning: Scholarship Scams
Author: petersons, Category: College Scholarships & Financial Aid
The lure of free money can turn even the smartest student or parent into a gullible victim of a scholarship scam. After all, an award may just tip the scales in your favor when it comes time to pick a school and pay for it. Unfortunately, with very few rules or guidelines, the private scholarship business is full of swindlers. Illegitimate programs take advantage of the loose rules surrounding award criteria, timetables, application procedures, and decision-making processes and when it comes to getting their mitts on your money, it’s game on!
For every ten students who receive legitimate scholarships, there’s one who falls prey to a scam. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing Your College: The Student Body
Author: petersons, Category: College Search
Ever hear somebody say that college was the best time in their life? Most likely, that has a lot to do with the friends they made along the way. Whether it’s in a classroom or a dorm room, part of the fun of college is meeting new people — and regardless of where you go, you are going to make friends. Keep in mind that not all colleges are the same, and neither are their students. Large schools and those in large cities are more likely to enroll students from a wide range of ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. Others, especially small schools and those in rural locations, tend to have a more homogeneous student body.
Give some thought to the type of people you want around, where they may be from, or how many are male versus female. It’s also OK to think about what sort of values the students and the schools reflect. If you’re conservative, a more liberal college may make you uncomfortable (unless you’re looking for a chance to learn about others’ experiences and perspectives), or vice versa. The people you meet during your college years will influence you in ways you may not even imagine! Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing Your College: Getting In
Author: petersons, Category: College Search
Want to know a secret? Rankings aren’t what college is really about. Just because a school is ranked first doesn’t mean it’s the best — and it definitely doesn’t mean it’s the best for you.
So how do you find your match? Making sure you’re aligned with prospective schools’ academics is a good place to start. This includes things like entrance criteria, SAT/ACT scores, and the high school GPA of admitted students. While stats like these are just guidelines, thinking about them helps ensure that you’ll end up in a challenging and rewarding academic environment.
Remember, you’re choosing your college as much as your college is choosing you. As long as you seek schools that suit you, there’s no need to stress. Read the rest of this entry »
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