Private Scholarships

Universities often have monies available to finance scholarships for students, but they are certainly not the only place to secure these much coveted gift monies. Just as universities use scholarships as a way to attract and keep a certain segment of students, private organizations often have scholarship funds set up to ensure that the segment of the population they are invested in can go to college as well. Below, we will look at what kind of private scholarships are available, how to find them, and how to secure them.

What Kinds of Private Scholarships are Available? While it might seem surprising, almost every kind of scholarship exists that can be imagined. There are private scholarship funds set up by feminist groups for working mothers, ones set up by firefighters for the children of firefighters, scholarships for children of Vietnam Veterans, for first generation immigrants, etc. If you can think of it, a scholarship probably exists.

How Do I Find a Private Scholarship? There are several ways to go about finding private scholarships. The first and most simple is to contact your university’s office of financial aid and ask them. They usually have a list of private scholarships that are available. Next, go to the web. Using Google or a similar search engine type in your special interest and the word “scholarship”. You’ll be amazed at what comes up!

How Do I Secure a Private Scholarship? There is no one answer to this question. Some groups ask that you write an essay, others ask for proof of eligibility (your dad’s discharge paper, for example), and some might ask for a personal interview.

There are literally millions of private scholarships out there! Go out and find them!

Keeping Low Income Students Out of College

Barriers to Higher Education are Alive and Well

The Higher Education Act of 1965 launched some of the first financial programs aimed at the support of low-income and disadvantaged students. Since then, dozens of federal and state scholarship and grant programs have been developed to assist the same. A popular theory remains: more and more free money will put more disadvantaged and minority students into college and solve the problem of low college attendance rates among high poverty students. Regardless of the money higher education continues to throw at low-income students, the numbers actually attending college and staying in college remain low. If money is not the solution, then what’s the problem?

The Problem

There are significant numbers of public funds already available for low-income students. Add to this the increasing trend among elite and reputable colleges and universities to spring for full tuition scholarships for academically eligible disadvantaged students and a more relevant question becomes: “With the money available already for low-income and minority students, why do so many fail to earn a college degree?” What circumstances beyond the financial, continue to impede the educational roadway of the disadvantaged student, and why does higher education, at large, repeat the same ineffective gestures in its quest for the solution?
Dream of College Access for All Americans

Capitol Hill.President Lyndon B. Johnson dreamed of building our country into one in which “a high school senior [could] apply to any college or any university in any of the 50 States and not be turned away because his family is poor…” He further declared, “Education in this day and age is a necessity.”1 He made these statements on the same day he signed the Higher Education Act of 1965 into legislation. If higher education was deemed a necessity in 1965, then it has become critical by today’s standards.

For the most part President Johnson’s dream has become a reality, but outside of the financial, some of the same barriers to higher education remain:

* Schools that fail to adequately prepare students for college.
* Outside influences and expectations, especially those of parents/family and educators.
* Psychological factors.

Secondary Schools Fail to Prepare Students for College

Does the Student Qualify?

Regardless of the money available to low-income students, in many cases students fail to even qualify for college admission. Perhaps, as some critics of the current system argue, where career and guidance counselors proactive in “talking up” college as soon as middle school, kids particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds would incorporate college goals into their futures much more naturally than when career and education goals are thought inconsequential.

Educators, including teachers, counselors, and principals, simply have low expectations of disadvantaged students, say some proponents of education reform. An overall neglect of college preparation routinely takes place at most minority and high poverty high schools. The perception that disadvantaged students will either not make it into college, have little interest in higher education, or be unworthy of the time spent to get them prepared, are all subversive and deeply damaging perceptions. At best this disregard is a primitive throwback to the same circumstances President Johnson sought to bury.
The Non-Existent College Prep Curricula

Average, college bound high school seniors are alarmingly unprepared for the rigors of college academics, but an even more disturbing population of low-income and minority students seem to avoid college altogether or possess test scores and academic records that have put many in higher education on alert. In fact, the circumstances renew debate over the quality of public school systems: “Nine in ten high school graduates from families earning more than $80,000 attend college by the time they are 24, compared to only six in ten from families earning less than $33,000.”2

Research proves that many of the so-called high school assessment tests “bear little resemblance to the work [students] are expected to do in college.” Despite the best hopes of those students that do possess college degree expectations, preparation for such is sorely lacking—students again and again clearly “lack crucial information on applying to college and on succeeding academically once they get there.”3 College administrators report that most students only think they are academically prepared; the sobering reality is that the so-called college prep curriculum they slogged through in high school was not college level work, after all.

Ironically, this lack of preparedness is the ailment of many average high school grads, and not exclusive to low-income students. But evidence shows that “a greater percentage of low-income students are marginally qualified or unqualified for admission at four-year institutions.”4

And college prep includes providing students the appropriate information with which to pursue college, including college search, financial aid and scholarships, and admissions processes. But in many disadvantaged schools the information is not disseminated, not included as a natural progression in education.

Financial AidFor students interested in pursuing college the process becomes a bit like fumbling in the dark: “many low-income college students need aid and do not know how to apply for federal or state assistance.”5 Low-income students often opt for a community college—open access and remedial coursework, and schedule flexibility that allows students to work part time and carry on normal family responsibilities.
High Scores vs. Student Success and the “Push-Out” Phenomenon

High schools across the country have new standards by which to adhere. Accountability in secondary education may play a significant part in the collegiate success or failure of certain students. Since the inception of No Child Left Behind the reliance on test-based schools has split students down the middle—in some areas. Students are either an asset or a deficit to a school.6

In New York City, test scores served to define a dispensable archipelago of students most likely to fail. Students at disadvantaged schools throughout the region were so overlooked that rogue administrators and educators systematically amputated from the system whole populations of underachievers for the “betterment” of the whole. The plan was simple: “push out” students with poor grades and low test scores and test score averages would look a lot better.7
The Teacher Factor

Teacher.Does a high quality teacher make a difference to a low-income and/or disadvantaged student, and if so, why? A growing body of evidence shows that teachers do matter. But studies have begun to prove an alarming trend: “The very children who most need strong teachers are assigned, on average, to teachers with less experience, less education, and less skill than those who teach other children.”8

A study that surveyed three Midwest revealed consistent data proving that in most low income schools teachers were much more likely to be “inexperienced, out-of-field, and uncertified.” Furthermore, as school enrollment of low-income students increased, the population of teachers hired grew increasingly inexperienced.9 Most studies declare five years of teaching experience as the dividing line between experienced and inexperienced.

The less experienced the teacher the less likely he or she is to be qualified or motivated to guide disadvantaged students in wise career and education choices. Surprisingly, teacher surveys have also proven that on the whole they, too, tend to have an unsure grasp on the college preparatory process.10

The qualities most valued and effective in high-quality teachers include:

* Over five years experience teaching within their specialty.
* Teachers able to modify methods on-the-fly and in direct response to student abilities.
* Teachers with degrees from reputable institutions.

Contemporary findings such as these provide more leverage for school systems, and lawmakers when it comes time to plan teacher distribution models designed to serve future generations of students.
Can Experienced Teachers Get Disadvantaged Students to College?

Data has been culled from a crew of challenged high schools, turned-high-performing, in various regions of the U.S. that proves high quality teachers can make a significant difference with at-risk youth. In every high performing school surveyed almost half the student bodies were from high minority-high poverty backgrounds. And in every case the population of college bound students had increased above the national average.

What factors set high performing high schools with diverse student bodies well above others in nurturing college ready graduates?

* High quality and experienced teachers able to adjust methods to suit students.
* A very relevant and challenging college preparatory curriculum that surpasses state requirements.
* Unlimited access to academic tutors and career advisors.11

Part of the goal of the Higher Education Act of 1965 was to promote improvement in high minority/high poverty schools, including attracting more experienced teachers. Contrary to some, both these factors—schools and teachers—continue to figure prominently in the educational futures of students.
College Admission Requirements Detrimental to Disadvantaged Students

Whether high school or college, the fact is that reputation, high marks, selectivity ratings, and even cost of tuition, all constitute factors that conspire to create an institution’s reputation. Ratings and credentials have become a beacon for student business, a means to market and advertise a college to expanding populations of prospective students.

US News and World Report.

The annual U.S. News and World Report: America’s Best Colleges has become a much-anticipated publication.



New criticism, though, from college administrators aims to downplay the relevancy of some of the ratings, which many say have nothing to do with a good college education. Why so much fuss over ratings? The report has been widely dubbed the college “beauty contest,” and the higher colleges and universities have driven ratings the better their business. But in the process, some pieces of the academic puzzle have been forsaken, like some populations of students.
Ratings Drive Business, Which In Turn Drives Up Admission Reqs

Colleges and universities that rank well in the U.S. News report seek to be considered “selective.” This kind of marketing seems to make business more brisk, but it also makes it challenging to attract a large minority or low-income student population. In order to make a college accessible for the majority of low-income and disadvantaged students, admission requirements must be relaxed.

The traditional metrics of admission include SAT scores and GPA, precisely the type of measurements most low-income students suffer by. As we explored above, it’s not their responsibility—educators have been loath to provide the proper guidance and nurture—and, besides, SAT and GPA are rarely accurate indications of academic worthiness. This then is why a growing stable of college administrators is taking aim at the notoriously exclusive annual ratings race.12

SAT.Compared to the relatively small number of college administrators backing away from the ratings game, there are plenty that believe in its promise. For instance, a strong cadre of schools believes the marketing theory that overpriced products and services attract buyers and consumers because high price implies high quality. This then is why tuitions are hiked and SAT and GPA requirements inflated. Yet again, disadvantaged students are unable to reach certain institutions where, ironically, money is likely to exist for their education.
When Admission Hikes Purposely Dismiss Disadvantaged Students

Another strategy behind ramped up admission requirements seeks to purposely define the splinter group of underachievers and those students with low test scores and make it impossible for them to essentially clog the way of those students without academic challenges. Low income and minority students with low SAT scores and low GPAs “will be steered” to the state’s community colleges.

Simultaneously more college prep programs are being built into the state’s public school system. Students will now have a system in place able to alert them should their academics fall below realistic first year college goals.13
Outside Influences Offer Most Resistance to College Life

Besides money and academic challenge, many low-income and disadvantaged students face challenges much more murky to middle and upper income, white Americans. In some cases the influence of parents and family are more profound than more mainstream issues.14
Parental Influence

ParentalConsider the idea that many minority and low-income students come from first generation families, meaning no one else has yet gone to college. For many average American students, the dream of a college degree is fueled over the years by parents. When that drive is not there, other priorities may take precedence, such as job, finance and family.

It’s not that parents of first gen college students have no desire to see their children succeed, even go to college, but most are unable to provide the type of support necessary to bolster a fresh and, perhaps, disenfranchised college newbie.
Cultural Perceptions of Debt

Financial aid experts may also have discovered another roadblock—“cultural aversion to debt.” Over the years the financial aid needs of middle and upper income students have risen, but statistics have shown little or no increase in the student loan debt among low-income and ethnic minority student groups, which “calls into question the effectiveness of student loans in aiding low-income populations.” Studies strongly suggest that minorities are “more sensitive to price and less willing to use educational loans to pay for college when making their college decisions.”15

Tuition sticker shock may be a similar deterrent. Even though academically talented low-income students may qualify to enroll in elite universities where the ability to prove a certain level of disadvantage buys them a free ride, only a fraction of those actually eligible partake of the opportunity. The scholarships from institutions like Harvard and Princeton are not just in place for altruistic purposes. These “white-bread” institutions want to diversify and offering money for disadvantaged students seems a good idea. Surprisingly, a much larger wellspring of academically qualified low-income students is out there. SAT scores prove the numbers,16 but where are they?
Educator Expectation Matters, Too

ExpectationsThe nation’s low-income students, including those with academic fortitude and those dubbed low-achievers, may share common bonds: many face familial and cultural obstacles, but do they also face low educator expectations? Studies have already measured the effect of educator expectation on the college outcomes of low-income, minority students and found alarming numbers of low-quality teachers and counselors with little hope for students in lower income brackets.

Teachers and advisors acting out of their personal beliefs and stereotypes may be unable to provide the unbiased guidance underserved students require to get them to the doorstep of a college campus, whether it be a community college or one of the elite universities.17
What Then if Not Money?

WonderingConsidering the obstacles discussed above, are there further psychological impacts? If I am a student from a low-income household in which neither of my parents attended college, isn’t it likely that a college degree will not be a main priority in my life? And if I am academically talented, would I not feel out of place and disenfranchised on a Harvard campus even if my education were fully funded?

If I overheard teachers in my high school complaining about their jobs and saying that many of the students will be lucky to make it to graduation, much less college, would I not doubt my teachability, my worth as a student?

Harvard can roll out its red carpet and dangle full scholarships ‘til the cows come home, but what really eats away at the collegiate futures of low-income, minority students—talented or not—has little to do with money.

Footnotes

1. LBJ for Kids, accessed September 3, 2007, http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/lbjforkids/edu_whca370-text.shtm.
2. “Harvard Announces New Initiative to Aimed at Economic Barriers to College,” Harvard University Gazette, February 28, 2004, accessed September 5, 2007, http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/daily/0402/28-finaid.html.
3. Rooney, Megan, “High Schools Fail to Prepare Many Students for College, Stanford Study Says,” March 3, 2003, accessed September 4, 2007, http://ed.stanford.edu/suse/news-bureau/displayRecord.php?tablename=susenews&id=25.
4. Andrea Venezia, Michael Kirst, Anthony Antonio, Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 Schools and Postsecondary Education Systems Undermine Student Aspirations, 2003, accessed September 4, 2007, http://www.stanford.edu/group/bridgeproject/betrayingthecollegedream.pdf.
5. Kirst, Michael, “Betraying the College Dream in America,” The College Puzzle, August 21, 2007, accessed September 4, 2007, http://thecollegepuzzle.blogspot.com/2007/08/betraying-college-dream-in-america.html.
6. Beveridge, Andrew, “Counting Drop Outs,” Gotham Gazette, August 2003, accessed September 4, 2007, http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/demographics/20030814/5/492.
7. Beveridge, Andrew, Gotham Gazette.
8. Heather Peske, Kati Haycock, Teaching Inequality: How Poor and Minority Students are Shortchanged on Teacher Quality, The Education Trust, June 2006, accessed September 2, 2007, http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/010DBD9F-CED8-4D2B-9E0D-91B446746ED3/0/TQReportJune2006.pdf.
9. Peski, Haycock, The Education Trust.
10. Venezia, Kirst, Antonio, Betraying the College Dream
11. “Preparing All High School Students for College and Work: What High-Performing Schools are Teaching,” ACT, February 23, 2005, accessed August 30, 2007, http://www.act.org/news/releases/2005/2-23-05.html.
12. “U.S. News College Rankings Debated,” The Online News Hour (transcript), PBS, August 20, 2007, accessed September 5, 2007, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/july-dec07/rankings_08-20.html.
13. Tresaugue, Matthew, “UT Campuses Will Raise Admission Standards,” University of Houston, May 10, 2007, accessed September 5, 2007, http://www.uh.edu/ednews/2007/hc/200705/20070510admission.html.
14. Szelenyi, Katalin, “Minority Student Retention and Academic Achievement in Community Colleges,” 2004, accessed August 29, 2007, http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-4/minority.html.
15. Cultural Barriers to Incurring Debt, ECMC Group Foundation, 2003, accessed September 3, 2007, http://www.ecmcfoundation.org/documents/CulturalBarriersExecSummary.pdf.
16. “Large Numbers of Highly Qualified, Low-Income Students Are Not Applying to Harvard and Other Highly Selective Schools,” Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 2006, accessed August 26, 2007, http://www.jbhe.com/news_views/52_low-income-students.html.
17. Patricia George and Rosa Aronson, How Do Educators’ Cultural Belief Systems Affect Underserved Students’ Pursuit of Postsecondary Education?” Pathways to College Network, 2003, accessed September 3, 2007, http://www.pathwaystocollege.net/pdf/EducatorsCulturalBeliefs.pdf.


source: www.collegescholarships.org

Why College Freshman Dropout

The Undercurrent in Undergraduate Education

As exciting as college prep can be, there is an alarming undercurrent that threatens almost half the population of incoming freshman—attrition. How do colleges and universities keep disillusioned students from dropping out?

The number of college freshman dropouts is typically cited between 1 in 4 or 1 in 5, with some sources positing arguments that nearly half of all college students fail to graduate. Surveys of high school students show no lack of interest for a college degree, in fact 95% of high school students when asked about college indicated a “very strong desire” to complete a degree program.1 If only a fraction of those respondents actually earns a degree, then what happened to change their attitude and/or desire?

A complex array of contributory factors may be to blame, and a growing stable of remedies offered for their cure. But what are the fundamental causal factors of college freshmen attrition and how can they be more directly halted?
High School Grads Poorly Prepared for Campus Challenges

High schools are generally motivated to make sure students go to college. The drive to go to college has little to do with the success rates of students, however. In fact, a mountain of research clearly illustrates that the motivation to excel in college has little to do with the reality of contemporary campus living. The real meat of the drop out problem is the academic preparation, or lack thereof, that students receive prior to arrival on campus.
High School Seniors that “Blow Off” School Likely to Suffer on Campus

A common practice among high school seniors is to take that last year as easy as possible, blow it off, waste it in easy courses. Perhaps this worked, once upon a time, but today’s high school senior slumming it his or her last year is doing more harm than good, report most studies.2 College advisers these days urge high school seniors to avoid “resting on their laurels,” and instead spend their senior year immersed in courses that pose academic challenge. This is the best method for college prep, say administrators. A Department of Education study proved the importance of academic challenge in regards to college performance:

“…the academic intensity of a student’s high school course work was the top factor influencing whether students earned a college degree — more than family income, high school grades, ethnicity or test scores.”3

Even for students that work very hard and then take it easy their final year of high school the odds are not so good. This is a wasted year, time in which every bit of a student’s good work can be undone. Given the fact that studies show students lose learned knowledge over the course of a summer break, it’s understandable how they could become quite academically bankrupt, after a full year of cushy coursework and time off from serious studies. Their GPAs are still high, but academic agility is low.
High School Students Fail New College Admissions Standards

College admissions standards have also become a major hurdle to clear for students. Add on a “lost” year of academics and students that for all intents and purposes should be college-ready, are unable to make the academic cut. Colorado State University system’s administrators decided, out of sheer necessity, to ease new admissions requirements for incoming freshman in the Fall of 2007, or risk losing about 20% of their incoming freshman class.4
Why the Strong Desire to Go to College?

Problem: 95% of high school students expect to earn a college degree and indicate a strong desire for the same, but, regardless, more and more incoming college freshman are disastrously unprepared and unmotivated to achieve that goal. What, then, drives them in herds onto America’s campuses every fall?

Those same student respondents that expressed the “of course” attitudes about college, also responded that their primary motivators for pursuing college were: good job, good salary.5 Somewhere between the illusion of the American Dream and a Bachelors degree lies the truth. Do students simply expect to earn a degree with little work? It makes sense that students whose educational experiences up through secondary school have been somewhat boring, unchallenging and downright lackluster, may expect that their college experience will be similar. Given this illusion, then of course, most students see a college degree in their future, and are justifiably caught very off guard when their first semester of college rolls around and kicks them squarely between the eyes.
What High-Performing High Schools Know That Others Don’t

Samples of select high school teaching methods and policies, chosen for their success rates with college-ready students, reveal fundamental strategies that consistently nurture college campus-ready high school students:

* High quality, experienced, and flexible teachers.
* Teachers capable of evaluating the teaching-learning paradigm and prepared to adjust techniques given the results.
* Auxiliary mentors, tutors, and after school study assistance, available and engaged.
* Advanced college preparatory coursework “beyond state and district standards.”6

Any suggestion from naysayers that these methods would fail in certain high schools is moot– these methods belong to and were observed in practice in a handful of “high-performing” schools in high minority, high poverty areas. Which means, essentially, that if these methods work to develop the skills of high school students in disadvantaged schools, they should work in almost any high school in America. Furthermore, the study that distilled these findings was ultimately presented as a primer for education lawmakers.7
Some Students Face Deeper Challenges on Campus

Academic shortcomings notwithstanding, there are student populations that statistically struggle even harder.
Why First Generation Students Face Further Adversity

First-generation college students, especially minorities, face challenges stemming first and foremost from lack of familial support. In fact, the majority of ethnic minority students rate “parental influence” as a number one factor in their “educational choices.”8 This is not to say that parents do not want a college education for their children, but parents without experience of academic life beyond high school are less prepared to provide the emotional and psychological support and motivation necessary to keep their first-in-family student on campus. These types of students may also feel disenfranchised from higher education, and out of place with students whose families take college as a matter of course.
Male Freshman May Struggle with College Structure

Males are, on the average, less agile than their female counterparts when it comes to standardizing their on-campus lives, including organizational skills, prioritization and time management, and defining successful study habits and methods. Course assignments tend to fall behind and concrete goals are elusive. When these factors fall apart or are non-existent, males may be unable to remain academically buoyant, further supporting the alarming statistics: for every 100 women that graduate college, only 73 men will do the same.9

If so many college freshmen are surprised by the rigors of college academics—in combination with the traditional transition to campus life—that they are at risk for dropping out, then what’s being done to change the freshman experience?

Since America’s high schools are failing to adequately renovate curriculum or recruit (and pay for) the type of teachers necessary to maintain a high-performing program, then it must become the responsibility of colleges and universities to provide the necessary student support.
Freshman Survival: Retention Programs Stem Anxiety

Some college and university administrators are quite concerned that the drop out rate among college freshman is their responsibility. In response, retention programs have begun to spring up. Whether grassroots, campus-created, or pre-packaged Freshmen Survival courses administered by professional educational coaches, retention programs essentially guide students with bumpy campus transitions and connect them to the resources—academic, social, religious, medical, financial—they will need to succeed on campus.

Preparedness for college life goes well beyond the pale of sheer academics. Fueling the need for transition programs. High school students are equally unprepared for the responsibilities of a more “adult” world. Common challenges that await freshman on traditional college campuses:

* Financial matters
* Study and time management
* Personal organization and prioritization

“Give Them Time, They’ll Find Their Way Around”

Students most likely to drop out do so before they reach their sophomore year. Some leave for holiday breaks, Spring Breaks, and summer vacation, and never return, some with little indication they are leaving. The general excitement about college quickly wanes, but many administrators still believe much of the work is done once kids are on campus. As bright an idea as retention programs seem, they are only being used on a fraction of America’s campuses—29%.10
Factors in College Retention: What Programs Can Be Put in Place to Help Students?

Over the last few years college administrators, as well as students, have tackled the issues inherent to student retention. A large number of colleges and universities of all kinds, collectively assigned the following practices as primary in retention programs:11

* Freshman seminars and courses.
* Academic assistance, from mentors and tutors to remedial courses.
* Available advisors willing to engage with students and offer sooner-than-later guidance on academic goals.

Alternative indicators suggest that there are other factors that make a difference in student engagement and transition:

* Evidence suggests that students with campus-based jobs are less likely to drop out. Perhaps they are more disciplined with study skills and time management.12
* Remediation programs, or high school level courses that help bring students up to speed with essential freshman courses. Remedial coursework remains popular in community college systems, a controversial issue in higher education, but possibly a strong reason why an increasing number of students are opting for 2+2 programs, or community college to four-year transfer programs. Some supporters of remedial programs insist the concept must be accepted among four-year colleges, as well, to stem the dropout rate or discourage transfers to community colleges.13
* Available advisers are seen by students as “concerned person[s] in the campus community” able to interact and connect with freshman. Student responses have suggested this type of “quality interaction” may be one of the simplest solutions for new students away from home for the first time and feeling lost in the shuffle.14

Retention Tools

Colleges and universities unable to design and develop their own retention programs may utilize pre-packaged programs or resources from a number of providers:

* Of the 29% of schools that have retention programs, 1315 so far participate in the “Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year.” Policy Center on the First Year of College administers this program with a mission to inspire college and university campuses to become “engaging” environments for first year students. With tools provided through the Foundations of Excellence program, institutions may conduct careful self-assessment of all aspects of campus life, including “policies and practices.” Eventually changes are developed—the outcome, a totally synthesized campus that embraces first year students and their experiences, instead of excluding and isolating.
* The National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition provides written materials, seminars, conferences, and networking opportunities for institutions interested in creating a “first year experience” worth hanging around to savor. The Center is best known for its University 101 course, an innovative and very successful program that guides new students in their shift to campus life.
* The Center for the Study of College Student Retention provides a stable of resources for institutions. Administrators have access to research specific to the issues, as well as a general guide designed to lead any institution through development of a retention program.

High Dollar Freshman “Coaches” Hit a Mother Lode

Plenty of lip service is paid to for-profit “coaching” services prior to college—professional assistance with admissions forms, guidance during college and financial aid processes, as well as scholarship and grant assistance. But some colleges and universities are paying top dollar for another kind of coaching service—retention coaches.

First year coaches function as a freshman’s guardian angel; they provide motivation when students feel down, guidance in mapping academic goals, and offer tips and advice for improving study habits, managing time, coexisting with roommates, and building successful relationships with campus faculty and advisers.16

A mere handful of student coaching businesses exist, but plenty more are sure to follow—the money making potential is great and this segment of the education market, so far untapped. But with service fees of “$800 to $1,400 per student”17, what colleges and universities are paying? Apparently, plenty.
Freshman Attrition: No Easy Answer

Given the disparity of issues facing contemporary college freshmen, it’s clear there is no one easy answer to halt freshman dropouts. Students begin their college careers with little understanding of the impending rigors. Apparently high schools, save for a few high-performers, dish up less than desirable college preparatory curriculum. Admission to a college would also seem to validate a students’ academic record, but this is misleading, as well.

Retention programs are likely to continue spreading among college campuses; they must. Sources suggest that the federal government may soon challenge higher education on the dropout issue, perhaps with fines for high numbers of students that fail to make it to graduation.

First year on campus, given all the factors at work, is a tricky balancing act. Groundwork for first year transitions must be built. On the other end of the spectrum, is it just a dream that U.S. high school education will make the sweeping changes necessary to lead kids to college level academics; to inspire them as opposed to bore them?

1 National Freshman Attitudes Report, Noel-Levitz, 2007, accessed August 30, 2007,

2 Perez, Gayle, “Educators Support Temporary Lower Admissions Standards,” August 17, 2007, accessed August 27, 2007, http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1187335298/6.

3 “Study: One in Five Drop Out of College Before Sophomore Year,” Albany Democrat-Herald, February 21, 2006, accessed August 27, 2007, http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2006/02/21/news/oregon/state03.txt

4 “Study: One in Five Drop Out of College Before Sophomore Year,” Albany Democrat-Herald, February 21, 2006, accessed August 27, 2007, http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2006/02/21/news/oregon/state03.txt

5 National Freshman Attitudes Report, Noel-Levitz.

6 “Preparing All High School Students for College and Work: What High-Performing Schools are Teaching,” ACT, February 23, 2005, accessed August 30, 2007, http://www.act.org/news/releases/2005/2-23-05.html .

7 Implications for Policymakers, ACT, 2005, accessed August 30, 2007, http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/success_implications.pdf.

8 Szelenyi, Katalin, “Minority Student Retention and Academic Achievement in Community Colleges,” 2004, accessed August 29, 2007, http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-4/minority.html .

9 National Freshman Attitudes Report, Noel-Levitz.

10 Draeger, Justin, “An Examination of First-Year College Students,” NASFAA, 2007, accessed August 26, 2007, http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2007/examinationoffirst-yearcollegestudents.html .

11 Wesley Habley, Randy McClanahan, What Works in Student Retention? All Survey Colleges, ACT, 2004, accessed August 30, 2007, http://www.act.org/path/postsec/droptables/pdf/AllColleges.pdf .

12 Cermak, Katherine, “On-Campus Employment as a Factor of Student Retention and Graduation,” DePaul University, February 19, 2004, accessed August 26, 2007, http://oipr.depaul.edu/open/gradereten/oce.asp .

13 Gehrman, Elizabeth, “What Makes Kids Drop Out of College?” Harvard University Gazette, May 4, 2006, accessed August 26, 2007, http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/05.04/13-dropout.html

14 “Many U.S. Colleges Overlooking a Potential Cure for College Dropouts,” ACT News, June 23, 2004, accessed August 26, 2007, http://www.act.org/news/releases/2004/6-23-04.html .

15 “MSU Fights to Retain Freshman Students,” KFYR-TV, August 21, 2007, accessed August 26, 2007, http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=9751 .

16 DeBare, Ilana, “Executive Style Coaches Put College Students on Track to Success,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 19, 2007, accessed August 26, 2007, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/19/BU2QRJB29.DTL .

17 DeBare, “Executive Style Coaches Put College Students on Track to Success.”


::link source: http://www.collegescholarships.org/blog/2007/09/05/why-college-freshman-dropout/

Admission Tips: When Should I Take (or Re-Take) the Test?

If you're thinking about taking the SAT, ACT, or another standardized test, part of the process is deciding when to take it. Here's how to decide.

Take the test only when you are ready.
Standardized tests measure the same skills in the same way every time. The exact questions will be different, but the content you need to know will be the same. So, there's really no point in taking a standardized test if you aren't ready. If you're unprepared, you won't do your best, and you'll want to take the test again anyway. So why bother? If you're thinking about taking the test just "to see what it's like," take a practice test instead and save the registration fee.

Make sure that you have time to prepare.
People who know how the test is put together and the best strategies for the questions have a major advantage over those that don't. So make sure that you budget some time to prepare. Some people have an easier time studying during the school year, but others prefer to study over the summer and take the test in the Fall. Either way is OK, as long as you're ready to do your best. Be honest about the amount of time you're willing to spend preparing, and make the commitment! It'll pay off in points on test day.

Take the test early enough to report your scores.
Getting your application in early is always good, but most admissions offices won't look at an application until that application is "complete," which means it has to include all required test scores. So getting your test scores in early is good. (Just make sure you're prepared!) Taking your test the Spring before you apply will get your scores in on time.

Leave yourself a margin for error.
On test day, you might get sick. Or your car might break down. Or you might just have a bad day. Lots of things that have nothing to do with your ability could affect your test score, and most of those things will lower your score. If your bad day happens on the last possible test date, you're out of luck; you have to live with a bad score. But if you have another test date ahead of you, then you'll have another chance to prove your abilities. That's why it's best to take the test early rather than late. It's good to have a backup in case something goes wrong.

Getting a bad score is not a reason to take it again.
So, it's good to take the test early, but only when you're prepared. Now, what should you do if you have taken a standardized test and aren't happy with your score?

Almost everyone wishes they scored at least a little higher. Unless you score perfectly, it's always possible to do better. But wanting a better score isn't enough. To be worth the preparation time, aggravation, and the new testing fee, you need a strong reason to believe that you'll score significantly better.

Ask "what will be different next time?"
If you totally bombed the first test because you were sick, or something unexpected happened that affected your concentration, then go ahead and take it again. But if you were completely prepared the first time, taking it again isn't likely to make a big difference. Standardized tests are very consistent, so if you don't do anything differently, then you're likely to wind up with about the same score. However, if you didn't prepare well (or at all), then you have much to gain by improving your skills and taking the test again.

SAT Test Dates for the 2003-2004 Academic Year

* October 11, 2003
* November 1, 2003
* December 6, 2003
* January 24, 2004
* March 27, 2004
* May 1, 2004
* June 5, 2004

Sunday administrations follow each Saturday test date, except in October 2003, when the Sunday test date is October 5.

ACT Test Dates for the 2003-2004 Academic Year

* September 27, 2003 (only in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington)
* October 25, 2003
* December 13, 2003
* February 7, 2004
* April 3, 2004,
* June 12, 2004


Information provided by Petersons.com

Admission Tips: How to Beat Test Stress

You're in the middle of a test. Your heart is pounding. You're hyperventilating. Where are these symptoms coming from? They're actually part of a primitive survival mechanism known as the "fight or flight" response. Back in the good old days before standardized tests were even on the horizon, this response prepared primitive human beings for intense physical exertion, such as spearing wild boars, or running from predators. The problem is that these same reactions might hamper a modern-day test-taker like you from delivering your best performance. After all, it's not like you can spear the test booklet with your number 2 pencil or run from the exam room screaming (or at least you shouldn't).

Now, even though you are experiencing some very physical symptoms, you may be surprised to find out that it's actually your thoughts that are producing your stress. You're reacting not so much to the test itself, but rather to your perceptions about the test. And that's good news. Unless you can infiltrate the Educational Testing Service, you have no control over the SAT, but you can control your thoughts about it.

Get Ready
Seeing yourself as a victim of the test is neither productive nor accurate. When you feel out of control and helpless, you're tapping into the negative side of stress, or distress. It's not possible to rid yourself of stress entirely, but you can learn to manage it and function effectively in spite of it. You can even harness that rush of adrenaline to get energized and sharpen your focus.

Begin to prepare mentally by dispelling the myths and half-truths that you've been telling yourself about the exam. By shifting your negative thoughts to more positive ones, you can begin to take some control.

Here's an example of some typical self-defeating chatter:

I never do well on standardized tests. It's so unfair that I even have to take this stupid test. They're probably going to ask me all the stuff I don't know.

Now, here's a more empowering way to perceive the same situation:

I can't control what questions are on this test, but I'm confident that I'll do my personal best because I'm well-prepared. I'm choosing to take the SAT because I want the opportunities that it will give me.

Once you've gotten your thoughts under control, it's time to start taking a proactive approach to preparing for the exam itself. Studies have shown that rehearsing a stressful event can significantly reduce your fear of it. Think of preparation as a "stress rehearsal."

There are currently many test prep product on the market, which will allow you to become familiar with the test's format and practice the different question types you will encounter on test day. Preparing will make the actual test seem more familiar and less intimidating. Face your fears directly by focusing on your weakest areas. You may still feel anxious, but you'll grow accustomed to the feeling, and then anxiety will no longer hurt your performance. Studies have shown that the subconscious mind does not easily distinguish between imagined and real experiences, so visualizing a successful testing experience can help you to succeed on the real test and help you to control stress as well.

Get Set
Make strategy your focus during the final days before the exam. Don't try to cram in a lot of new material. Review what you have already learned and let go of the rest. Don't even think of taking a practice test the night before the real thing! At that point, you know what you know, and you just want to remain calm and confident so you can access the knowledge you have on test day.

Minimize the risk of confronting any other anxiety-producing situations by having a plan in place. Make sure you can find the test center. You don't want to get lost on test day. Pack up your admissions card, calculator, pencils, and test center directions the night before. Being hungry or tired can make you feel jittery, so get a full night's rest and wake early enough to have a light, healthy breakfast. Leave enough time to get to the test center without rushing, so that you don't raise your anxiety level right from the start.h

Go
You may feel your stress start to spiral just as the test is about to begin. Remember all the preparation you've done: you know what you're doing, and you're not likely to be surprised by anything. Also, keep the exam in perspective - your life will not be wholly determined by your performance on this one exam. Bear your last resorts in mind, even though it is not likely that you will have to use them. You can always cancel your scores, and take the exam again if need be.

If a negative thought creeps into your brain during the test, quickly replace it with a positive one, and then resume the business at hand. Zap out a thought like "Typical, I got math first and I stink at math" with one like "Good, I can get a math section over with while I'm alert." And don't add to your stress by blaming yourself for having it. A certain amount of anxiety is perfectly natural, and lets you know that you're focused on the task at hand.

Stick to your plan during the test, staying as engaged in the questions as possible. Don't get bogged down on tough questions - eliminate answer choices, make educated guesses and keep moving forward. If you know that you're not likely to answer the most difficult questions correctly and that even looking at them is going to make you panic, plan to skip them. And it may seem obvious, but don't forget to breathe. Stress can cause you to hold your breath without you even realizing it, and that can impede your ability to concentrate. Taking deep breaths will relax your body and clear your mind.

Finally, plan to do something fun and relaxing after the exam. That will make the test seem less like "the be all and end all," and remind you that life goes on regardless of how you do on the SAT. It really does.


Information provided by Petersons.com

Admission Tips: Money Saving Tips for Buying and Selling Books

College textbooks are expensive. You may spend $500 to $800 each semester (that's an additional 3 to 7 percent of your annual school costs), and the bookstore wants its money now! What to do? Some students get to campus before the semester begins to be first in line at the bookstore and grab used books at 70 to 80 percent of the original cost. But if getting to the school bookstore early isn't an option for you (or if the person in front of you takes the last used book), it doesn't mean that there isn't a used copy somewhere. It just means that it isn't in your bookstore. Write down the price of the book and look at any online booksellers, including eBay, to see if you can find it cheaper. Remember to consider the actual cost of the book, the shipping and handling costs and the length of time it will take to have it in your hands. One of the drawbacks with online buying is that you need either a credit card or a debit card. Also, you are taking a chance that the book not will arrive in time for your class. In general, one of the cheapest ways to get books is from your classmates through campuswide e-mail, word of mouth or flyers on campus. Expect to pay 50 to 70 percent of the original cost this way. If you don't need a book right away, keep checking, because there are always students who drop a course and have books to unload. Some large universities have several bookstores, usually with competitive prices, and there are often off-campus bookstores within walking distance that cater to students and sell used textbooks. Still no luck? Don't give up yet! Contact the professor. Sometimes the book is not required but rather recommended or optional. Maybe the professor has assigned only a couple of chapters from the book. In any case, you may be able to check it out of the library or skim a classmate's copy. Sometimes professors put reserve copies in the library. It's not the same as having the book within reach at all times, but it will save you a lot of money. If you are really in a financial bind, talk to the professor, who may be happy to offer you a loaner book to read over the weekend. Remember that you can get back some of the cost later by selling the books. With this in mind, take good care of them. If you plan to sell your books back to the bookstore at the end of the semester, keep receipts (even though most bookstores go by barcodes); don't write in the books; keep them away from food, animals and bad weather; and rush them back to the bookstore by the sell-back deadline. You can expect to get back 10 to 20 percent of the book's original cost. If the book isn't being used the next semester, however, you're out of luck. As you can see, the rate you get from the bookstore isn't great. So again, some of the best sellback methods are campuswide e-mail and selling them to friends. Students begin buying books as soon as they get their lists for the next semester. You can expect to sell for at least 50 percent of the original price. In addition, almost all the online booksellers buy books, and you can get a quote quickly. You will have to ship the books, but at least get an estimate, including shipping costs. CHECKLIST
The costs associated with buying books are a fact of college life. But there are plenty of alternatives to annually spending $1000 to $1600 in one-stop shopping at the campus bookstore each year, but you will have to do a little research. Buying books:

• Check the campus intranet and bulletin boards. If you don't see what you need, advertise.
• Buy used textbooks at the college bookstore.
• Know the bookstore price of your books and look at online booksellers. Amazon and Barnes & Noble both sell used books, but through a third party. Determine the shipping and handling costs and expected date of arrival before you place your order.
• Look at bookstores that are off campus.
• Contact the professor to see if all the books on your book list are really required.
• Ask classmates to share or borrow books.
• See if the professor has put any books on reserve in the library. If not, request that it be done.
• Ask the professor to borrow the loaner copy.

Selling books

• Advertise on the campus intranet.
• Get quotes from the online bookstores, but add in your cost of packaging and shipping before making a decision.
• Sell books back to the college bookstore.
• Sell books to bookstores that are off campus.

Information provided by Petersons.com

Extra-Curricular Activities - Getting Involved

College is a center of culture and new ideas. Probably the biggest single thing to make you feel connected to your college or university is to get involved in extracurricular work and build friendships. Remember that you are going to be in college for only a short time. Try to take advantage of as many things as possible, both academic and extracurricular. Research shows that students who get involved are more likely to succeed academically and earn a degree. Getting involved is important for any student, whether resident or commuter. Granted, the commuter, part-time, or working student may not have as much time to participate, but there should be enough things available to entice that student population to be a part of, and feel engaged in, the school community.

How do I get involved?
Your college years are a time when you can try out many different areas of interest, much more so than in high school. And not just academics. That's where clubs and special activities come in. Some schools have hundreds of clubs, and if they don't have what you want, you can almost always start one. Talk to the administration. Usually it just takes someone willing to set up a meeting time and place. There are clubs, Greek organizations (fraternities or sororities may be social, philanthropic and/or academic), student government, religious groups, newspaper, political groups, radio or TV station, student life recreation activities, band, choir, bike-riding, special-interest groups, special events on campus, campus-sponsored off-campus projects and activities, film festivals, intramural sports, concerts and symposiums.

But how to find them? At new-student orientation, there will probably be an event where several of the larger on-campus groups have booths advertising their activities. Go to the Student Life Office for a list of all official groups on the campus and get a copy of the Student Activities Book. Ask about Habitat for Humanity or other volunteer groups. Check the bulletin boards in all buildings. That might be the only place to find out about the weekly astronomy night watch. Check out the fitness-center equipment. Stop in at the Career Center to see about on- or off-campus part-time jobs. Ask your RA for advice, and ask other students who are doing something you find interesting. Go to a meeting and see if this is an activity for you. Ask questions such as meeting frequency, the cost, the amount of involvement expected, if attendance is mandatory, and if a faculty member is involved or if the group is student-run.

CHECKLIST
Where can you fit in, learn, relax, contribute your skills, hang out, or just plain have fun? Try these ideas.

* Visit the Student Life Office and read the Student Activities Book to find out about special activities, projects, intramural teams, volunteer groups, organizations, and clubs.

* Ask the Student Life Office for lists of religious organizations on campus and off. Many of the houses of worship are particularly welcoming to college students and always have volunteer opportunities.

* Read the bulletin boards in all buildings.

* Read your campus e-mail alerting you to events and groups.

* Visit groups' booths at the college information fair for discussion and brochures.

* Get a fitness-center schedule.

* Ask experienced students for advice and information.

* Call, sign up, or attend an organization's meetings.

* Start a new club. If you learned to knit over the summer and want to meet occasionally with other knitters, decide in advance how often and where you want to meet, the degree of formality desired, the level of experience of participants, and whether or not you will include teaching. Ask the Student Life Office about procedures and advertising.

10 Things You Can Cook in Your Dorm Room

Eating in the dining hall is not always convenient. Aside from the probability that the food is unappealing, the college mess tent is also not accessible 24/7 - and neither are the local eateries, for that matter. Now is the time to practice the art of dorm-room cooking/food preparation. Since your locale limits your options, you won't be preparing gourmet meals. You will, however, need two major appliances: a small microwave and a mini-refrigerator, which are the only appliances the campus powers-that-be normally allow dormitory dwellers to house. Arrange with your roommate beforehand who will bring what appliance, and ask your college's office of student life to check if appliances are for rent. So, here are some ingredients for dorm-room cooking success.

• Soup
  Keep it simple. Opt for canned soup over brewing your own stock. Remove the lid with a handheld can opener, pour contents into a bowl, and nuke according to the label's instructions.
  Nutri-tip: Choose brands with fewer than 400 mg of sodium per serving.
• Bean Burrito
  You'll find these in the campus mart's frozen food section. Heat burrito according to the package's directions.
  Nutri-tip: It might taste like junk food, but with all the protein it packs, a burrito is basically a healthy meal.
• Microwaveable Veggie Burgers
  You can find these healthy yet palatable patties with the frozen foods. Follow the heating suggestions on the box. Place the burger on a bun. (Do not nuke the bun!) Add your favorite beef burger toppings.
  Nutri-tip: These faux burgers are full of real nutrients, including peppers, zucchini, and lentils.
• Ragu Express
  Akin to Kraft Easy Mac and Cheese, this spiral-pasta-and-tomato-sauce concoction requires only water, a bowl, and a microwave. It takes about three minutes to prepare. And you can choose from three flavors.
  Nutri-tip: Each serving only has 200 calories and 2.5 grams of fat!
• Frozen Dinners
  These can be expensive, but frozen meals quickly satiate your hunger and offer the most variety.
  Nutri-tip: Choose healthy meals, not the ones with enough sodium and fat to give a lumberjack high blood pressure and a heart attack.
• Teriyaki Vegetable Stir-Fry
  Empty frozen stir-fry vegetables into a bowl. Cook on high for about four minutes. Stir in teriyaki sauce. Cook on high for 30 seconds.
  Nutri-tip: For a change, substitute any vegetable for the stir-fry veggies.
• Tuna Sandwich
  Before you open the can of odorous fish, clear it with your roommate. Drain the water in a sink. Use a bowl to mix the tuna with a dollop of mayonnaise.
  Nutri-tip: For your heart's sake, select whole-grain bread, reduced-fat mayonnaise, and water-packed tuna.
• Egg Salad Sandwich
  Again, because of the pungent aroma, check with your roommate before cracking open a couple of hard-boiled eggs, which you can grab from the dining hall. Combine the eggs and a spoonful of mayonnaise in a bowl.
  Nutri-tip: Since they have only 15 calories and no fat, consider using just the egg whites.
• Cereal
  If this requires instruction, you may want to reconsider going to college at this time.
  Nutri-tip: Reach for low-sugar brands. Sweeten naturally with fruit. Use skim or 1 percent milk.

CHECKLIST
Tools and Rules for Dorm-Room Cooking Tools

• Refrigerator
• Microwave
• Microwave-safe dishes
  • Medium-sized bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Plate
• Pot holder
• Handheld can opener
• Sturdy plastic utensils
• Dish soap
• Pot holder
• Sponge
• Dish towels
• Paper towels
• Cookbooks
  • The Healthy College Cookbook, by Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley, Emeline Starr
  • The College Cookbook, by Geri Harrington, Constance Oxley (Editor)
  • A Man, a Can, a Plan, by David Joachim
  • Where's Mom Now That I Need Her? Surviving Away From Home, by Kathryn J. Frandsen, Kent P. Frandsen, Betty Rae Frandsen

Rules

• Buy some crates to store dry goods.
• Be prepared by keeping your refrigerator stocked.
• Put only microwave-safe dishes in the microwave. That means no metal or tin. Glass or Corningware is the wisest choice.
• Always cover your food with wax paper or a paper towel before you microwave it to avoid splattering.
• Use a pot holder when removing anything from the microwave.
• Keep the bugs away.
  • Clean your dishes immediately after you finish eating.
  • Try to eat at your desk to avoid getting crumbs on the floor or in your bed.

Nutrition Tips for Freshmen

What is the purpose of eating nutritious food? Indeed, you'll look good. But while vanity as a motivator is perfectly acceptable, making your insides beautifully healthy is even more important, especially for college students. By fueling your body with the appropriate nutrients, you'll have plenty of energy - to stay awake in class, study for tests, and spend time with friends. Remember, you're in school to expand your mind and social circle, not your waistline.

Healthy translates into success. The healthier you are, the more get-up-and-go you'll have to get up and go to your early-morning classes. After all, how much can you learn from the comfort of your bed at 8 in the morning when instead you should be at your psych lecture across campus? The optimum way to acquire the necessary vitality for success is from clean eating.

Clean eating means opting for foods with fewer preservatives and unnatural sugars. The ingredients for clean eating are the basics: fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains, water, and vitamins.

College is the perfect time to start (or continue) focusing on nutrition. If you're on a meal plan, you have someone preparing various healthful foods for you every day and for almost every meal, depending on which plan you've selected. If you're buying your groceries, you - not your parents - are in control of what you eat. Take that power to choose your food and use it for the good of your body. Choose clean foods.

Just because the clean eating menu is void of excess salt and sugar, this does not mean that you can never again indulge in your favorite snacks. Simply opt for single servings. You'll consume fewer calories but still quench your junk food craving. After all, who keeps track of the number of chips they're eating when enjoying the jumbo-sized bag of Doritos? And exactly how many of those broken pieces at the bottom equal one chip?

Beware of caffeine. Your average "energy-boosting" cup of joe has no benefits. While you may believe coffee and soda are effective study aids, they're anything but that! Caffeine causes restlessness and irritability, which make sitting still to read for your Greek civilization class almost impossible. You may be stressed out about passing your physics exam, but gulping a liter or two of Coke will only aggravate your stress since caffeine also causes anxiety. Caffeine, which is a drug, indeed compromises your emotional and mental states. And because it is often accompanied by sugar and/or cream in a hot beverage and massive amounts of sugar in the form of cola, your physique will be compromised as well. Just say no to this drug. (And read Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of Caffeine by Stephen Cherniske.)

Finally, take a nutrition class. Not only will you learn more about food, but nutritious noshing will be on your mind as well. Hopefully, this will inspire you in the dining hall to pass on the banana split and choose just the banana instead - which, by the way, makes you look good.

CHECKLIST - Tips for Avoiding the Freshman 15

• Eat Fruits.
  • Add fruit to your cereal.
  • Drink orange juice for vitamin C.
• Eat vegetables.
  • Munch on baby carrots and celery sticks between classes.
• Eat protein.
  • Have red meat once a week. In addition to protein, it's also a great source of iron.
  • Use egg whites or Egg Beaters for your breakfast omelet.
  • Have a handful of nuts - just a handful, though.
• Eat whole grains.
  • When consuming carbohydrates, opt for dark (unrefined) instead of light (refined). Eat wheat bread instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, and sweet potatoes rather than the run-of-the-mill variety.
• Take a multivitamin daily.
  • Try children's chewables if "adult" vitamins bother your stomach.
• When eating junk food, limit your portions.
  • Select single servings.
  • Never, ever choose the jumbo- or king-sized portions.
• Limit caffeine intake. To stay alert while studying, try the following techniques:
  • Pace as you read.
  • Read aloud.
  • Study in a group.
  • Eat green apples. The tart taste and crunchiness keep your senses on their toes.
  • Drink plenty of water. Making trips to the bathroom relieves monotony and burns calories.

Surviving College: 7 Tips to Writing a Superior Research Paper

At one point or another, you're going to have to write a heavy-duty research paper. If you haven't written one already, you've certainly heard classmates complain about the 28-page monster they had to write for one of their courses. And if you have written one, then you know what a grueling task the project can be. Regardless of how long your paper must be, the amount of time you have, or the topic you choose, some general guidelines exist for writing a first-rate research or term paper. Sharon Sorenson, author of Arco's How to Write Research Papers, suggests the following.

1. Plan Your Time. Some instructors give you ten weeks to complete a project, while others might allot only four. Plan backward from the day your paper is due and map out a schedule that allows you enough time to finish.

2. Choose Your Topic Wisely. Depending on your instructor, you may or may not have a choice regarding the topic of your paper. If you have a choice, then try to select a topic that interests you. Otherwise, you may have trouble sticking to the task. Also, keep your topic broad enough to find enough resources to cover the topic of your paper, but narrow enough that you can develop and successfully support your thesis.

3. Write a Top-Notch Thesis Statement.All research papers must contain a thesis statement. These statements suggest a paper's main topic and imply the order in which the ideas appear. For example, a thesis statement on a paper entitled Teenagers Coping with Alzheimer's Patients may appear as follows:

"Understanding the emotions of both the patient and the family will help reduce everyone's frustration."

The paper will then go on to discuss patient and family emotions, as well as reduction of patient and family frustrations, as implied by the thesis statement. Keep in mind that your thesis may change after you've done a little research. This is OK, so long as your paper supports your final thesis statement.

4. Use Excellent Secondary Resources.Try not to rely heavily on one source. You need to consult varying opinions and information about the subject to provide a well-thought-out argument on the topic, especially if your paper is persuasive. Be prepared to address arguments from the opposing side. Also, confirm that your resources aren't out of date. For example, if you're writing a piece on new software applications, then any resource older than a year is too old. However, if you're writing a paper on the Civil War, publication dates probably don't matter as much.

5. Write an Outline.Once you've found the resources that will best help you, develop an outline of what you plan to cover in the paper. This will help keep you from drifting into uncharted waters as you begin to write the paper.

6. Create a First Draft.After you've written your first draft, go back and check your facts. Did you forget to include an important argument or piece of information? Does the content flow easily from section to section? Are you sure that you paraphrased and quoted sources correctly?

7. Proofread!Once you are comfortable with the content of your paper, take another look for grammar and typographical errors. If you feel as if you're too close to the paper to look at it with an objective eye, then ask a friend or relative for constructive criticism.

Writing a research paper can be a daunting task, but if you break it down into small steps, the work becomes much more manageable. This article only skims the surface of what writing a research paper entails.


Information provided by Petersons.com

Life After College: Thinking About Med School

Yes, it starts as early as high school! If you know, as a student in high school, that you want to become a medical doctor, you can get a head start on your preparation for medical school. Take advanced-placement courses. They may enable you to take advanced science courses once you get to college. And of course, get work experience in the medical field, such as a summer job with your family physician or volunteering at a local hospital. Not only will it help you decide if medicine is for you, it could help you get into medical school.

Begin Researching Medical Schools
While in high school, you also can begin researching medical schools and checking admission requirements - get your first copy of Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) now! You can order this volume online from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) at their Web site, www.aamc.org. You might consider meeting with a premed or admissions counselor at a local university to discuss what kind of preparation you will need to succeed in a premed program. It's also good experience; formal interviews are uncommon for admission to undergraduate programs, but you can treat this meeting as a practice interview for medical school. Try to look your best, speak well, and come prepared with questions. Ask what the ideal academic program would be, and then plan to follow that program.

Choose an Undergraduate School
If medical school is in your plans, you will want to choose an undergraduate college or university with a good premed program and a good premed adviser. However, you should not only be thinking about medical school when selecting your undergraduate school; there is, after all, the definite possibility that you will change your mind over the next four years. You want an undergraduate school that will suit your learning needs, and you should consider the school's class sizes, location, overall course offerings (in case you decide Greek, not medicine, is your true passion) and cost. Do not limit yourself to the school you think will give you the best chance of attending medical school. There are many variables that go into your medical school applications, and your undergraduate institution is just one of them.

If you are considering attending a two-year college first, you may want to reconsider: Many medical schools do not include community college grades when calculating GPAs. This then requires that your prerequisites be taken at a four-year institution (otherwise you could officially have no science GPA!). Even if the medical schools to which you apply do accept your two-year-college science courses, they will likely weigh the two-year courses less than those at most four-year colleges, and this will hurt your chances of acceptance. This does not mean you cannot get into medical school if you start your college career at a community college - only that there may be additional factors for you to consider.

Consider a Combined Program
Some schools offer combined programs that allow you to obtain your bachelor's degree with the assumption that if you do well in your undergraduate studies, you will be admitted to a medical school program upon graduating. Not all of these programs combine the bachelor's degree and M.D. at the same school; some medical schools have joint programs that begin at another university, and others begin in the undergraduate division of the medical school. A few programs are limited to state residents (City University of New York, University of Illinois at Chicago, State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse and Texas A&M, for example), and though the majority require a full eight years for the completion of the two degrees, a number of schools reduce the full time to six or seven years. The MSAR includes a section on such programs.

CHECKLIST
If you think medical school is in your future, here are some tips to follow while you're still in high school.

* Take advanced-placement courses.

* Get work experience in the medical field; e.g., get a summer job with your family physician or volunteer at a local hospital or nursing home.

* Apply to selective colleges and universities if your grades and SAT or ACT scores are good.

* Find out which undergraduate schools have combined programs.

* Speak with the premed advisers at the undergraduate schools you are considering to find out:
o how many premed students the school has;
o their rate of acceptance into medical school; and
o how extensive the advisers' knowledge of medical school admission is and how helpful they will be.

* When choosing a college, remember that you may change your mind about medical school, so make sure the college you select can meet all your requirements for a good education in any major you may choose.


Information provided by Petersons.com

Planning Ahead: Thinking About Law School

Have you always known that you wanted to be a lawyer? Or is becoming a lawyer in the back of your mind, something you might eventually consider?

Law school normally takes three years (six semesters) of full-time classes. In order to apply to law school, you must have a four-year degree from an accredited college or university. Law schools mainly look for students who have taken a rigorous track in undergraduate school and have demonstrated good writing and critical-thinking abilities.

Undergraduate Majors
Perhaps the most common misconception about getting into law school is that certain majors are looked upon more favorably than others in the admissions process. Also, since virtually no school has a "prelaw" undergraduate major, many students believe that political science is the prelaw major. Not so. Any rigorous program of study, from anthropology to zoology, is fine. You should major in an area you enjoy, since you'll do better in that subject than in any other. Engineering or physics majors often think that they cannot apply to law school because they lack a liberal arts degree. This is wrong! Law schools are happy to receive applications from engineers, chemists, physics majors or anyone who majored in any of the so-called "hard" sciences.

Course Selection
Undergraduate students often believe that they should take law courses to prepare for law school. By all means, plan to take courses in public law or business law if you are interested in those areas, but don't feel compelled to. In fact, law schools often frown on student records that show lots of courses in law-related areas. They don't want students coming in with preconceived notions about the law.

The best tools to take to law school are the abilities to write and analyze quickly, well, and with economy. If you are a "hard" science major, make sure that you take elective courses that require sufficient writing - for example, philosophy or critical writing. Conversely, liberal arts majors should take courses requiring logical analysis, such as math all the way through calculus or advanced courses in the physical sciences.

Extracurricular Activities
Evidence of extracurricular activities can be important to law school admissions personnel, especially activities that show your commitment to your community or less fortunate individuals. It may be nice that you were on the governing board of your social fraternity, but it says more about you from the law school perspective if you spent your weekends as a research volunteer for the Legal Aid Society or helped fix up the local battered spouse's shelter.

The Deciding Factors
Law school admissions committees generally make their decisions based on two factors: undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores. Most schools convert an applicant's GPA and LSAT score into an index score, a single number that is then used to compare the applicant to the rest of the applicant pool. Some schools require extremely high GPAs and LSATs, while other schools are more flexible in their approach. Typically, the highest-ranked law schools require superior performance in terms of both grades and LSAT scores. So, as with any graduate school, plan on studying hard and getting a high GPA during your undergraduate years.

CHECKLIST
Thinking ahead to law school? Here are some points to consider:

* Talk to your high school counselor about your academic strengths and weaknesses regarding writing and critical thinking.

* Consider taking advanced-placement courses in literature, writing, journalism or government.

* Think about appropriate weekend and summer jobs, such as volunteering at a legal clinic or working with the underprivileged.

* When selecting your undergraduate school, make sure it offers a broad range of courses that give you flexibility in deciding on graduate school. You might discover that your interests lie in a different field. But remember that even science majors can apply to and get into law school.

* If you are certain you want to pursue law school, consider an undergraduate school that offers some prelaw courses.

* Try to meet and talk with people working in the law field.

* Once you're in college, talk to a prelaw adviser as soon as you realize that you may have an interest in applying to law school. Even your first year of undergraduate school is not too early.


Information provided by Petersons.com

Planning Ahead: Thinking about a Career in Nursing

Why Should I Consider Nursing?
As the U.S. population continues to grow and we live longer and more active lives, there is an increasing need for nurses, especially those with advanced education and skills. Health-care costs are increasing, doctors are becoming more specialized (and spending less time with patients), and nurses are providing more direct health care to patients. All this points to a profession that has one of the highest starting salaries of any field. Add to that the current shortage of nurses, which is expected to grow from more than 300,000 to more than 600,000 over the next 10 years, and you have a career path well worth considering.

Besides a good salary and job security, nursing has other benefits. It can be very flexible. You can work in a variety of places: hospitals, private-practice physician's offices, a federal nursing agency, schools or in the military. You can work part-time to accommodate your family demands. You can spend your days seeing to the general comfort of a patient or working as an administrator, manager or researcher. Nurses can specialize. Some of the most popular specializations are pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, critical-care nursing, neonatal nursing and working as a nurse anesthetist. Nowadays, nurses even form their own new businesses such as nursing informatics (combining nursing and computers), legal nurse consulting (combining nursing and law) and home health-care businesses. And men are starting to realize the potential that nursing presents for a challenging and rewarding career; approximately 5 percent of nurses are men, and the number is growing.

How do I become a nurse?
Each state has a Board of Nursing that sets the licensure requirements for that state. The most basic-level license is the LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse (or LVN, Licensed Vocational Nurse, depending on the state). To earn the license, you must complete an approved LPN program and then sit for a state-administered nursing exam known as the NCLEX-PN or the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses.

The most common or sought-after license is the RN, or registered nurse. There are a few different paths to becoming an RN. You can enter a two-year associate degree program, where you focus more on technical skills than theory, earn an associate's degree in Nursing (A.D.N.), and then sit for NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses), a state-administered, five-hour, multiple-choice exam. You can also take this route if you are planning to go on to earn your bachelor's degree in Nursing (B.S.N.), which is preferred in the job market, but wish to work and earn money as an RN while studying for your bachelor's degree.

Or you can go directly to a four-year college, take the standard bachelor's degree prerequisite courses, and apply to the college's nursing program. Each college has different requirements for entering their nursing programs, so you need to check the procedures carefully. You would then sit for the NCLEX-RN exam upon graduating.

Accreditation
Whichever path you plan to take, keep in mind that accreditation is very important. The LPN program must be accredited in order to sit for the exams given by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and the bachelor's degree program must be accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commissions (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Certification and Graduate Degrees Take You Even Further
Once you are a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree and are working in the field, you may discover a particular area you'd like to specialize in. You can then earn certification as a nurse practitioner, a nurse anesthetist or a nurse midwife. There are two- to three-year master's degree programs that allow you to specialize in areas such as geriatric nursing, neonatal nursing or school nursing. Some go on to earn joint degrees in fields such as business or public health. And there are four- to six-year Ph.D. programs that prepare nurses for careers in health administration (nurse executives), in clinical research and in advanced clinical practice. The possibilities for personal fulfillment and career satisfaction are unlimited.

One thing is clear. Nurses, who have always given so much to others in terms of care, comfort and compassion, are now getting the respect, recognition and reward they truly deserve.

CHECKLIST - ABC's of Nursing
Here are some common abbreviations used in the field of nursing.

A.D.N. - Associate Degree in Nursing

ACNP - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

ANP - Adult Nurse Practitioner

APN - Advanced Practice Nurse

B.S.N. - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

CNP - Clinical Nurse Practitioner

CNS - Clinical Nursing Specialist

D.N.Sc. - Doctor of Nursing Science

LPN - Licensed Practical Nurse

M.S.N. - Master of Science in Nursing

N.D. - Doctor of Nursing

NCLEX-RN - National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses

Ph.D. in Nursing - Doctor of Philosophy degree in nursing

RN to B.S.N. - A program in which registered nurses study to obtain their B.S.N.

RN - Registered Nurse

RNA - Registered Nurse Anesthetis


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Become a Nurse - One of the Fastest-Growing Professions in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 2 million jobs for nurses in the country, and the profession is one of the 10 occupations projected to have the largest numbers of new jobs in the coming years. If you're like many Americans, then you probably have been thinking about how you can steer your career in a direction where you are helping people. Nursing can fulfill that goal, and with so many job opportunities forecast through the year 2010, you'll have an excellent chance at being gainfully employed when you complete your studies.

Three Major Factors Influencing the Need for Nurses Today

1. The current nursing population is aging. Many nurses are reaching the age of retirement and hospitals and other health-care institutions can't find replacements fast enough.

2. The largest generation in U.S. history is getting older. The baby boomer generation born between 1946 and 1964 are aging, and consequently the need for trained health professionals increases.

3. Health-care delivery is shifting away from physician care to nursing care. For example, if you've been to the emergency room for stitches lately, then a nurse practitioner and not a physician probably performed the procedure.

The people who benefit from these three major changes in America are highly skilled nurses with bachelor's and even master's degrees. So how can you join this group of in-demand professionals? The first thing to do is to get an education!

Outstanding Programs for Nurses-In-Training

Licensed Practical Nurse: Also known as licensed vocational nurses in some states, these individuals go through one year of training at a hospital, vocational school, or community college. Once you've passed your state licensing exam, you will most likely work under the supervision of a registered nurse and will have a limited amount of responsibility.

Registered Nurse: Registered nurses generally have more responsibility (and earn more) than licensed practical nurses, but becoming one requires more education. You can earn your RN in the following three ways:

1. Diploma: A diploma nurse goes through about 3 years of training through a hospital. This type of program is decreasing in popularity as hospitals and other health-care institutions seek college-educated nurses.

2. Associate Degree: Nursing students who take this route focus more on technical skills than nursing theory, and it is often the first step to acquiring a BSN. With this program, you can earn your degree in 2 years and begin practicing as an RN as soon as you pass your state board examination.

3. Bachelor's Degree: You'll see this most often referred to as the BSN, and you'll also find that this is the pedigree for all RNs. If you take a look through the job classifieds section of your newspaper, you'll see that most RN positions are now requiring candidates to have a BSN. Although this program takes 4 years to complete, these are where you'll find the most opportunities for advancement?and the most money!

Advanced Nursing Opportunities
Once you earn a BSN in nursing, your career is certain to take off. You can advance to become a nurse practitioner, earn a master's in nursing that can lead to many managerial and administrator positions, or specialize in critical care, which is a highly respected field in nursing.

Good luck as you start on the road to success in your new career!


Information provided by Petersons.com

Planning Ahead: Thinking about a Career in Culinary Arts

Why Should I Consider Culinary School?
You love to cook; garlic essence smells better to you than expensive perfume; your friends and family say you should have a restaurant; and right now you're seriously studying the choice of the best culinary training you can afford to allow you to live your dream. But it is never too early for you to think about the opportunities that will come along after culinary training.

Chef, caterer, pastry chef and restaurant cook are merely the most familiar four options, but there are hundreds of jobs in the food industry. You may want to consider preparing for positions in management as executive chef, or in sales as catering director or in administration in food and beverage management. Maybe you'll want to explore developing specialty products - a line of sauces or dressings, for example - for retail or wholesale markets. Maybe you'll want to become a restaurant consultant to entrepreneurs who want to start restaurants. There are also teaching opportunities in professional cooking schools. Still another option is food writing and editing for magazines and books devoted to food and cooking.

For any of these career directions, you'll find the best preparation in an accredited school program - you'll come out with a certificate or a degree. This training will provide you with a lifelong basis for understanding quality raw ingredients, creating balance and pleasure in combined flavors and presenting a beautiful plate to the diner. Yes, you keep learning on the job, but culinary school gives you a base of knowledge to test and compare to new trends, new ingredients and your own creativity.

Where can I go from here?
When most culinary students start their training, they believe they have found the work they want to do for the rest of their lives - and many are right. But some are surprised when they find so much routine and boredom and repetitive tasks. You haven't seen appetizers until you've assembled 3,000 identical stuffed puffs for a hotel reception! House salad? You'll clean and prep cases of the same greens and garnishes day after day. And the signature white chocolate mousse and meringue dacquoise layers you always wanted to perfect? You'll be preparing untold orders for it every evening. You have to love it.

If managerial positions are more to your liking, you'll need skills in addition to cooking. Managers create the working environment for the staff, often developing a sixth sense to recognize problems before they erupt. They are the motivational force that drives the staff. They must understand finance and business reports and their implications. They must have highly sensitive character judgment and the ability to manage people.

If your interests take you into catering and sales, think about these skills: You'll need to be able to research a product and explore your market. You'll need to really enjoy being with people. You'll need to draw on strong self-esteem to hear "no" and not take it personally. You'll need internal discipline to keep the work flowing. You'll need communication skills to persuade people that your product is best. And you'll need to be strongly motivated to make a sale.

Getting the whole culinary picture
An easy and enjoyable way to learn about the spectrum of food-related jobs is by joining a professional organization. Among the largest are the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), and there are regional culinary groups--guilds, societies, alliances - in many large urban areas. Most organizations allow guests to come to their meetings and programs - a good way to get connected and see if you feel comfortable in the group before joining. Among the rewards of joining a local culinary group are friendships; mentors; learning from varied guest speakers; job leads; customer referrals when another member is too booked to take the work; learning unrelated skills when you volunteer to work on program, membership, and communication committees; contributing to the community when you volunteer to work on a food-related benefit; and the lifelong asset of connections.

CHECKLIST - A Variety of Degrees
Check out this list of degrees and certificates common to the culinary and hospitality industries. You'll often see these acronyms following the names of faculty members to indicate their level of education and certification.

AA - Associate of Arts
AAC - American Academy of Chefs
AAS - Associate of Applied Science
BA - Bachelor of Arts
BS - Bachelor of Science
CAGS - Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study
CC - Certified Culinarian
CCC - Certified Chef de Cuisine
CCE - Certified Culinary Educator
CCM - Certified Club Manager
CCP - Certified Culinary Professional
CDM - Certified Dietary Manager
CDN - Certified Dietetics Nutritionist
CEC - Certified Executive Chef
CEPC - Certified Executive Pastry Chef
CFBE - Certified Food and Beverage Executive
CFBM - Certified Food and Beverage Manager
CFE - Certified Food Executive
CFSC - Certified Food Service Consultant
CFSM - Certified Food Service Manager
CHA - Certified Hotel Administrator
CHAE - Certified Hospitality Accounting Executive
CHE - Certified Hospitality Educator
CHM - Certified Hospitality Manager
CMB - Certified Master Baker
CMC - Certified Master Chef
CMPC - Certified Master Pastry Chef
CPC - Certified Pastry Culinarian
CRDE - Certified Rooms Division Executive
CSC - Certified Sous Chef
CWC - Certified Working Chef
CWPC - Certified Working Pastry Chef
DFS - Doctor of Food Service
DTR - Dietetic Technician, Registered
EdD - Doctor of Education
EPC - Executive Pastry Chef
FADA - Fellow of the American Dietetic Association
FMP - Food Service Management Professional
FCSI - Foodservice Consultants Society International
LD - Licensed Dietitian
LRD - Licensed Registered Dietician
MA - Master of Arts
MBA - Master of Business Administration
MEd - Master of Education
MHRIM - Master of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management
MOF - Meilleur Ouvrier de France
MPC - Master Pastry Chef
MPH - Master of Public Health
MPS - Master of Professional Studies
MS - Master of Science
MSA - Master of Science in Administration
MSEd - Master of Science in Education
RD - Registered Dietitian


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How To Get An Online Degree From Home

Nowadays, the decision to pursue further education, most commonly some type of degree is one with continually increasing benefits. Regardless of the career you are looking to pursue, the attainment of a formal degree gives you higher levels of recognition amongst employers due to a perceived dedication and commitment to your field, competitive advantage over other job seekers, and greater earning potential. Becoming increasingly popular at the moment are online degrees.

Basically an online degree is exactly what it seems to be: A full course of formal study conducted over the wires of the world wide web. The student logs on to access the information at the website of the appropriate online college, makes their way through the course material in their own time then completes formal examination to be assessed by the online college's faculties and voila, a degree is attained.

These new online schools allow students to obtain an accredited online degree over many fields just as they would do if they were to attend a regular campus. This option is perfect for students who because of their location or circumstances cannot afford the time or effort to make their way to a physical college.

Online degrees are offered by many organizations and the most difficult decision for students seeking to pursue this form of education can often be the selecting of the most appropriate one. Usually they are split up into physical schools that also offer a university online degree and schools that maintain programs only online. While the most reliable option will generally be to go with the more reputable already established offline school, the benefits of lower costs and faster attainment can be attached to high quality solely online schools.

One example of a popularly undertaken degree is a criminal justice online degree. This degree, in a relatively short period of time gives the applicant a grounding in basic principles of criminal justice and prepares them for a career in law enforcement or the option to pursue higher studies in criminal justice.

Similarly those seeking an online online degree in education can pursue study in the same way. Numerous online schools cater for this popular field of study and accreditations can be obtained in far lesser periods of time than non online degrees in traditional colleges.

The quality and depth of online education now means that degrees taken over the web can be taken to the full extent of the academic curriculum from a bachelors degree right through to an online PhD degree or Doctorate degree in many fields.

Although it all began with an online IT degree as they were the easiest to carry out on line, the spread of degrees, not just IT but other degree options also, is now prevalent and to do the work online is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the western world, and as systems improve and develop will continue to be a trusted source of formal education and training long into the future.

If you are diligent and committed an accredited online degree can prove to be a highly beneficial path of study and should be considered by all those whose positions make it worth considering.

Mike O'Brien offers advice and information about master degree This is a quality web site that has a wide selection of online degree and course information at your fingertips!

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