It’s the “Finals” Countdown!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by zoppito

Well, this is it. It’s been a year full of social events, getting to know your campus, and meeting many new people. Perhaps you still need to declare a major, or maybe you already know you’re going to do a double major. By now, you should have housing applications and financial aid at least partially figured out. What better way to end of the year, than with a smattering of final exams and projects!

This blog has looked at how to avoid stress during finals, midterms and exams in general, success in college and beyond, and recently looked at how to finish this year strongly. The study tips still apply, but since it’s the end of the year, there may be a bit more stress tacked on to these exams given that it’s the final mark you’ll get, and will help set the overall tone for this school year. On top of that, you’re making sure your summer’s situated, and want to know that returning in the fall will go smoothly.

I won’t rehash pointers from the other blogs, but will offer these tidbits of advice for how to cope with all that needs to be done:

    • Stay organized! Make sure you’re well aware of each deadline you’ve got, and plan ahead for the time to keep up with everything. (And don’t overcrowd your time, rest is important too!)Friends
    • Have friends to support you! Be willing to ask for a bit of help if you need it, and be willing to help in return. Being part of a solid group of friends gives great opportunity if you need assistance, or just want to rest after an extended study session.
  • As fellow blogger Kaitlyn said, look ahead to the reward of summer! It’s only a few weeks away, so stay confident and pull through! With a good structure for your schedule and strong support from your peers, you’ll be fine. And before you know it, you’ll have conquered exams and it will be summer!
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

What Freshman Year Taught Me

Posted on May 9, 2012 by kmurphy

I can’t believe that my freshman year of college is finished, or how much I’ve changed since I moved into my dorm in August. The transition from living at home with three other people and taking high-school level classes to moving into a college dorm 90 minutes away with a more challenging academic environment was certainly a big one. Though difficult it was at times, it was the most daring, adventurous, and educational year of my life! I learned so much more than just what I was tested on.

I learned how to prioritize. Going into college, I knew school work had to be one of the most important things in my life. However, I soon began to realize that if I didn’t also put finding friends and talking with family high on the priority list, that I would be incredibly lonely and unhappy.

I learned that classes are actually applicable to life. I was worried that my liberal arts education would be a lot of time wasted in classes unrelated to my major. In taking classes in subjects such as Religion, Logic, and Atlantic History, I was able to build a broader worldview and greater understand of many things.

I learned to step outside of my comfort zone. There were a lot of things that I was afraid of doing because I was worried about who I would know or where it would end up. By going to a variety of retreats, club meetings, and interesting lectures, I was able to meet new friends and learn a few things, too.

I learned to take life as it comes. Sometimes, I’d have to cancel plans with friends to finish a big assignment. Other times, I’d stay up a few hours later on a Friday night to hang out with some new friends, who turned into best friends. There were always times when I’d have to make decisions as life came at me; having to choose who and what was important. Freshman year taught me a lot about History and Religion, but even more, my freshman year taught me about life.

Posted in College Readiness, Summer | Comments Off

This Week’s Education Links (4/29- 5/4)

Posted on May 4, 2012 by kmurphy

College loans: What you need to know  The latest political bickering in Washington centers on the interest rates charged on college loans. (CBS.com)

How Colleges Fight For Top Students  In the same way that college students compete with other students to get into their top choice colleges, admissions officers compete with other colleges and universities for their top choices in students. (NPR.com)

There is life beyond college with less debt  President Obama recently spoke about making a college education affordable, but the program he is proposing for cost containment sometimes misses the mark. (Fosters.com)

College students don’t want to be lawyers — but do want to be doctors  The Association of American Medical Colleges is out with new data projecting that first-year medical school enrollment will steadily increase in coming years, increasing by 29 percent over the course of 15 years. (The Washington Post)

Nudging Students Into College A new study finds that a simple intervention can raise college-enrollment rates among low-income students by 8 percentage points. (The Washington Post)

Ivy League Admission Isn’t Random The fact that applicants to Ivy League schools are evaluated through “a holistic review” does not by any means suggest that Ivy League admissions officers whimsically decide who gets in and who doesn’t. (The Huffington Post)

As college grads enter work force, still no debt solution While commencement marks the end of credit counting and cramming for exams, it also means facing real world issues, like how to pay for that degree. (The Chicago Tribune)

Posted in News | Comments Off

Crackdown on Hazing Policy

Posted on April 30, 2012 by cjohnston

Hazing has been a controversial issue for decades, but colleges have recently been increasing anti-hazing legislature after an alarming amount of a hazing scandals and rumors of hazing schemes on campus.

Binghamton University has become the latest in a string of colleges to crack down on Greek system hazing. The school has put all fraternity and sorority pledging on a hiatus until after the spring after hearing rumors about increasingly dangerous hazing activity.

It is not the only school to crack down on students during the “party season” that surrounds final exams and the start of summer. The University of Connecticut has encouraged its students to leave campus in attempts to decrease the number of students participating in the binge drinking that surrounds what is known as “Spring Weekend.”

This time of the school year should be a time for celebration and commencement, yet it also heralds “rushing” season at many schools. New York hazing laws state that a person can be found guilty of a misdemeanor by “conducting initiation and affiliation activities that cause physical injury or create a substantial risk of injury,” and that is just what is occurring throughout the nation’s campuses. Most high school seniors don’t give the Greek system much thought when it comes to choosing a college, but the fact is that some schools have a social dynamic defined by frats and sororities.

As an incoming freshmen to the College of William and Mary, I can honestly say that I know little about the Greek system other than the fact that nearly one third of students pledge. Personally, I believe that no incoming college student can make a sound decision about pledging without first gauging the social situation at his or her school and deciding whether or not it is the right step for him or her. 

For ways to get involved on campus that do not involve the Greek system, read fellow blogger Zachary’s post on the importance of getting involved in school activities. And if you do decide to become involved in a fraternity or sorority, remember that you should not have to do anything that you don’t feel comfortable with. There is plenty to be gained from joining a fraternity or sorority, but dangerous hazing rituals should raise a red flag that you may want to consider other options. Greek life can be a rewarding aspect of the college experience, but it is important to remember that pledging should not put your college experience in jeopardy.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Finishing The School Year Strong

Posted on April 30, 2012 by kmurphy

The weather is turning warmer and the amount of classes you have left is a number you can count on one hand. That means summer is right around the corner! However, getting caught up in the excitement of summer vacation can be detrimental during the last few weeks of school. Even though summer might be just weeks–or days–away, there’s still bound to be important tests, papers and projects to be done before you get to taste that freedom. Be sure that you spend the last stretch of school just as focused and diligent as you were during the rest of the year!

-  Don’t let the nice weather stop you from getting work done. If you want to spend time outside, grab some flashcards and study in the sun, or suggest having a group project meeting outside.

 - You can count the days, which also means you can schedule them. Write down exactly what’s due on which day so you’ll be sure to have everything in on time.

- Turn distractions into motivation. If you can’t stop daydreaming about those summer days at the beach, use the thought as a reward for finishing up the school year strong.

-  Don’t Procrastinate. This is a difficult task throughout the entire school year, but avoiding procrastination should be especially emphasized during the fast-paced last weeks of school.

Remember, the work has to get done sometime! The end of the year is when all those projects and papers mentioned on during the first days of classes are due, and they will get done eventually. The bottom line is, by the summertime, everything will be over, it’s just a matter of how you use the time that you have left.

Posted in College Success | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This Week’s Education Links

Posted on April 27, 2012 by cjohnston

Evaluation Special Ed Teachers - As the government begins to evaluate teachers based on student performance, questions are raised regarding the evaluation of special education teachers. (educationnews.org)

Tech Graders - New technology that grades student essays is becoming available to schools; are these computers really capable of picking up on the tone of a student essay? (edweek.org) 

Falling Short of Graduate Goal - Despite a 2025 goal of a certain number of degree holders, it appears that the U.S. will fall nearly 24 million degrees short over the next decade. (huffingtonpost)

Charging More for Major - Colleges are beginning a curious trend of charging higher tuition for certain majors. (USA Today)

Education Standards Divisive - Differing demographics, age groups and backgrounds are creating more and more factions of education standards. (Tucson Citizen)

Posted in News | Comments Off

World 4, Level 1: College Classes

Posted on April 27, 2012 by zoppito

Oftentimes, when working on projects or studying for finals, college students must make a difficult choice. Should they spend their time pouring through their notes and working diligently, or maybe just take a short break for some MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) time? Video games and academics are very frequently at odds with each other for many students time. However, what if education were to draw some cues from gaming? What if the college classroom experienced some minor gamification?

Game

This article offers some interesting points about gamification, and here an article shows how Penn State is already trying to implement this ideology into some part of its education. But why bother? How could video games improve the educational experience, instead of detracting from it?

While it may seem odd, these thoughts presented are not completely off base.  Applying video game logic such as “experience points,” “level’s,” and achievements” to education could yield some interesting results.

There are many valid points as to why this pattern of application, if done effectively, could be very helpful. First off, games have a knack for being able to motivate players. Goals, challenges, and potential skills are put in front of the player – but only if they can achieve enough to earn or reach them. And in well-made games, these obstacles to overcome are not impossible, but will stretch the individual’s abilities. Instructors can easily insert levels of achievement into the classroom, or perhaps add perks for completing assignments beyond requirements. Through this, college professors can help spur on their students to explore the topics further themselves. Where interest may have once lacked, there is now a secondary motivation to grasp the information better.

Many times, professors state that all the students start with an A, and have to work to keep that grade there. That’s a big reason why stress is so prominent during midterms and finals. If instead, the points merely added up like experience in games, there is more of a desire to achieve, and less of a desire to protect one’s grade. While this wouldn’t remove exam stress, it would help to encourage students to work harder. I know personally that thinking about exams as adding points instead of threatening to decrease them, would definitely be an encouragement for me.

Gamer Student

Gamification is an odd idea at first glance, but does hold serious promise. For all levels of education, especially in college, it could be effective in helping students to achieve more. It wouldn’t make for a perfect system, but definitely has some worthwhile benefits to consider. And who knows? Perhaps some of you could talk to professors as this semester comes to a close, and encourage them to try out some new curriculum styles over the summer?

Posted in Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Choosing the Right College

Posted on April 22, 2012 by cjohnston

Some people assume that college stress ends when college acceptance and rejection letters arrive. The reality is, however, that the months of April and May can be some of the most stressful months of a high school senior’s life. Many teens are too caught up in the whirlwind of college letters to relax and choose the school that is right for them, but choosing a college need not be a hectic frenzy defined by rankings and “good” name schools.

First, high school seniors should strongly consider attending a day for accepted students at their chosen list of schools. If this is inconvenient, you should at least attempt to visit the school or speak to someone who goes there. Often, seniors will visit schools before applying; chances are, however, that there are one or two that he or she will see in a different light after receiving an acceptance letter.

It’s easy to get caught up in the name and reputation of a college, but students should reevaluate what is best for them and consider the school that is the best fit for them. Have a conversation with your parents in which you discuss financial aid and the economic implications of attending certain schools. Now that you have financial aid, weigh it against the other pros and cons of each college.
It’s also important to point out some factors that should be ignored (or at least not heavily weighted) when making a college decision. The college that all of your friends are going to may not be the right one for you, so you shouldn’t give in to pressure and attend the same university because of social comfort.
If you’re still unsure of how to go about making your decision, enjoy this video on the college decision process. Keep in mind that a college experience is what you make of it. You’ve already gotten in to (hopefully) several colleges–the hardest part is already over!

Posted in College Application, College Readiness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

This Week’s Education Links (4/16-4/20)

Posted on April 20, 2012 by zoppito

Recruitment Ads by For-Profit Colleges Targeted - Where do for-profit colleges get the money they spend on all those highway billboards and television and radio ads?  Mostly from the government, at least indirectly. (Kansas City Star)

Career Education Plan From Obama Administration Unlikely To Bear Fruit For A Year Or More - “The Perkins program must be transformed if it is to live up to its potential to prepare every youth and adult to participate in the knowledge-based global marketplace of the 21st century,” says U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. (Huffington Post)

Are College Entrants Overdiagnosed as Underprepared? - The continuing debate about early detection versus overdiagnosis in medicine is surprisingly relevant to a similarly critical debate in education: how to identify and “treat” students who enter college underprepared for college-level coursework. (NY Times)

1 in 2 New Graduates are Jobless or Underemployed - A weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed in positions that don’t fully use their skills and knowledge. (Times News)

College Graduates, Unemployable No More - But now that they have shiny new degrees, they’re still not working (and neither are the young college graduates). Instead they’re left with big loans and limited job prospects. How do we change this? (Business Week)

Posted in News | Comments Off

The Final College Decision

Posted on April 15, 2012 by dattanasio

After over a year of planning, standardized testing, applying and stressing, I have finally chosen the institution where I will spend at least four years of my undergraduate career. On September 2, 2012 I will enroll at Suffolk University. I will immerse myself into the cultural experience of college and life in the big city of Boston. This decision could possibly be the most satisfying moment of my high school career. Hard work has finally paid off and I am preparing to make the next step in my life.

To be honest, the idea of moving on from the comfort of your parents home is terrifying. It’s difficult to accept the reality that these next four months could be my last as a carefree high school student. But just because it’s so far away it doesn’t mean that I can afford to ignore it until the time comes. I still have to check on my college’s website to keep up to date on future student checklists, and maybe even go to an open house for accepted students.

Although there are still multiple college-related things that need to be accomplished before I can ship myself off into the future, I still have high school to worry about. I have personally found it easy to become distracted and unmotivated to give school work 100% of my effort. Lately, however, I have come to the realization that I need to keep myself in check in order to fully enjoy my final days as a high school student. So a word of advice to seniors in my position: remain focused, take a deep breath and congratulate yourself on a job well done.

Posted in College Readiness, High School Graduation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off