So, you're thinking about the future of your education. Or maybe it's your son's or daughter's education. Either way, deciding where to go and what to do after high school can be a very daunting task - what you do here will effect you for a very long time, if not the rest of your life.

That's why it's important to know going in what to expect and what your options are. Now, if you're reading this article, it would seem you've already chosen to go to college. If so, then the decision lies between going to a 4-year university [or] a junior/community college. [Either option can work well, depending on the family], so I'll try to point out the good and bad things associated with each one. That way, you can make an educated decision for yourself. Continue reading University or Community College ...

Original article by Rudolph Troha, published on Aug 08, 2006

"What is there to do around here?" This is a common question for any college freshman who has moved away from home and found himself in a new and unfamiliar town. The common answer to this question from upper classmen and alumni of Colorado State University in Pueblo is, "You have to make your own fun."
Although this is a very helpful tip for incoming freshman, it is not entirely true. One of the best tips for incoming college freshmen at Colorado State University Pueblo, especially regarding the question of fun, is to live in the Belmont Residence Hall. Some students find that they don't like the experience and move out after their first semester but it is this CSU-Pueblo alumni's experience that students who don't live in the dorms are less likely to be involved in other activities around campus, such as Casino Night, guest speakers (in past years these have included former punk bandleader turned political activist, Jello Biafra, and poet Maya Angelou), or Movies at the [Fountain] Plaza. Continue reading about CSU-P ...

Original article by D. Gabrielle Jensen, published on Jun 09, 2006

STEPHANIE "CULBY" CULBERSON

A pianist, a scholar, a Miss America finalist, and a dedicated Christian, Culby has always been an achiever.
Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, she was involved in everything from cheerleading to classical music to sports to reading great literature.

Culby decided to attend Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee after hearing university president Dr. Paul Conn speak. "[Dr. Conn] has a passion for learning as well as for making Lee an excellent university," she explains.

At Lee, Culby continued her piano studies and also played violin in the chamber orchestra. "But one of my favorite activities at college was playing intramural football," she says. "We won two championships!"

Double-majoring in music and business, Culby also found time to be involved in the social service clubs Nu Sigma and Alpha Gamma Chi. While still a student at Lee, Culby was recruited to take part in a local beauty pageant. Less than a year later, she found herself at the Miss America pageant, hearing her name called as second runner-up, supported by her many friends at Lee.

Culby says, "One of my favorite things about Lee is that I have friends all over America and the world. I began to realize during my time at Lee that it's okay for people to believe different things, or to be grounded in different cultures or faiths. I learned to appreciate people for who they are and not try to change them."

Culby's fondest college memory? "Having the opportunity to speak at graduation. I felt so proud to be asked, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to thank the professors who had influenced and inspired me." Culby graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA and received the prestigious F. J. Lee Award as the outstanding graduate.

Since college, she notes, she's become more open-minded and accepting. "I suppose I'm still the independent, opinionated person I was in college," she laughs. "But I strive to understand others' worldview and beliefs."

Now a pharmaceutical sales representative with Pfizer, Culby has plenty of plans for the future. She wants to have a family, continue her education, and perhaps become a teacher. "Besides my family, teachers have made the biggest impact on my life, and I'd like the opportunity to do the same for other students."

It is your first hours of college, and you are in your new dorm room unpacking when in walks your new roommate, the person with whom you will be sharing a small space for the next nine months. For some, this could be your first encounter with a friend-to-be, for others, it might be a future horror story.

Jessica, a recent graduate of Williams College, in Massachusetts, had a freshman roommate nightmare. Her roomie seemed to thrive in constant mess and once left a banana peel on the floor, which Jessica slipped on, spraining her ankle.

Her roommate also had a habit of borrowing clothing without asking. "I remember getting packages from J. Crew, and leaving them on my bed," says Jessica. "She would open and wear them before I had even seen the clothing."

Clothing was not the only thing that Jessica's roommate would "borrow." She would often come home to find her roommate napping in her bed! "At some point, she must have had the brilliant idea that if her sheets were dirty, it made the most sense just to sleep in my bed whenever she felt like it."

It got worse. Jessica's roommate had a boyfriend who spent a lot of time in the room--a common source of tension between roommates. One evening, Jessica walked into the bathroom shared between her and her roommate to find the boyfriend using her toothbrush. For many, this would have been the last straw, but Jessica stuck it out for the year and lived to tell the tale. Unfortunately, she did so by avoiding her roommate rather than confronting the situation.

Most students don't encounter the monster roommate, but to keep strife to a minimum, Dr. Carol Schmitz, director of residential communities at the University of Southern California (USC), suggests these strategies:

1. Don't room with your best friend. Great friends do not always make great roommates and being compatible roommates will not necessarily mean that you must be friends.

2. Be open and honest. Communication is the way to learn to respect one another's needs. Have an initial discussion about any concerns the two of you may have. By setting clear boundaries early on in the relationship, you and your roommate should be better equipped to solve misunderstandings before they are blown out of proportion.
USC takes this one step further by requiring freshman roommates to create a contract based on a discussion of issues that might arise over the course of the year, including differing ideas of cleanliness, study and sleep habits, and the regularity of visitors to the room. These contracts are often reexamined around the six-week mark, when roommates typically start to feel more comfortable with each other.
Omar Shakir, a sophomore at Stanford University, says you should stay open-minded even if your roommate is not like you at all: "My freshman roommate was my total opposite. I'm liberal and more stressed. He was very conservative and chill. It was great to get a different perspective, and his good qualities rubbed off on me."

3. Confront problems first, then get help. Approach your roommate first rather than call your parents or a friend to complain. Try to work through the difficulties, then if the situation grows into something more than you feel you can handle with a one-on-one discussion, consider speaking with your Residential Advisor (RA). An RA can act as an unbiased mediator to help you and your roommate work through the issues you are having.

No doubt your freshman-year roommate will play a significant role in your first-year experience. By working to make the relationship a positive one, he or she will be someone with whom you share a few late night pizzas or even someone who becomes your life-long friend.

Article by, Jesse Nankin and courtesy of www.careersandcolleges.com

Of the many persistent myths and misconceptions surrounding the college application process, there is perhaps none more pervasive than the myth of the "well-rounded" student. Conventional wisdom, as dispensed by most well-meaning guidance counselors and parents, holds that colleges seek to admit students who have their toes in a little bit of everything. Those who single-mindedly excel in only a few areas will be seen as too focused or unbalanced, the kindly adult advises: "it's better to be well-rounded". Thus the star thespian is advised to go out for track, the music prodigy feels compelled to run for student council, and the phenomenal athlete joins clubs with reckless abandon.

The stereotypical student who seems to have it all: good grades, a sport or two, some volunteer hours, and a long list of clubs, and doubtless earns accolades on the high school level as the ideal student is in fact not going to stand out at all, in a sea of similar college applicants. "Well-rounded with a lump or two" might be a more apt description of the truly ideal college applicant. The basic package does have to be there-academic excellence and some evidence of the ability to interact productively with other students are non-negotiable-but Ivy League and equivalent schools could fill their classes several times over with applicants bringing excellent grades and SAT scores and the standard list of cookie-cutter National Honor Society-type high school activities. The students whose true passions shine through on their applications are those who are likely to be admitted to their top choice schools. Conversely, the admissions committee will see right through and immediately discount a laundry list of clubs that demonstrate no authentic commitment or real initiative for the student. This effect is even more pronounced when the committee is presented with a long list of activities joined only in the junior and senior years.

To put it another way, universities want to build a well-rounded class-that is, a class full of students who avidly pursue a diverse range of interests rather than admit individually well-rounded students. The amateur pianist who ran cross-country and served on the student council might sound like a good applicant, but the musician who performed as a soloist with local orchestras, the athlete who won a state championship in her event, and the young leader who volunteered on half a dozen political campaigns will win out every time, even if their individual profiles are much more unbalanced. In fact, that's quite likely to be the case, as the time commitment required to pursue one or two activities to some degree of excellence probably precludes spending much time on the usual range of extracurriculars. Beware of overload, especially if it might hurt academic achievement: aside from a few recruited athletes, even the best extracurricular activities will never trump a poor academic record and/or low test scores.

None of this is meant to imply that students should quash genuine interests in favor of specializing or appearing more focused. Nothing could be further from the truth. Believe it or not, after reading thousands of applications, admissions officers become quite skilled in teasing apart activities truly pursued out of love from those done "just to look good". Especially early on in a high school student's educational career, it's great to explore a wide range of interests. As you mature, it's only natural that some activities will become better-loved than others, and you will naturally settle into those pursuits. Be aware of this process and seek to grow in responsibility and achievement in the things that you are passionate about. When the time comes to do the applications, try to convey your evolution through high school as a person with deepening interests, and knit together your activities where possible-your unique personality should be the common thread.

In a discussion with another admissions committee member at a top-ten college about his thoughts on extracurricular activities, he thought that it was best for students to follow their own path: "Let your best qualities shine through by doing the things that coincide most closely with what you enjoy. Ignore people who say colleges especially prefer that you express your good personal qualities through specific activities X and Y, for example 'sports and community service.' I promise, they speak nonsense". In the end, we agreed, a student with passionate interests, even if they are somewhat off the beaten path-in fact, especially if they are somewhat off the beaten path-is truly the hot commodity in college admissions.

Don't worry about rounding out your facets: they're what make you stand out. So polish and play up all your bulges and angles, because in the high-stakes game of competitive college admissions, outstanding is exactly what you want to be.

Article by, Joe Jewell and provided by PrepMe, a premium online ACT and SAT prep company.

I hope I am not the first person to inform you how important a visit to a college campus really is during your application process. If it is at all possible to visit, please do so. I cannot imagine why anyone would commit to live four years in a campus he or she had only seen through college infobooks and tiny internet photographs. You have to physically go to a campus and talk to current students to feel what it's like to live there. The only people I know who are unhappy with their college decisions had not visited the campus beforehand. Convinced? Ok, good. At least try to visit the colleges you are really serious about, and definitely do not apply early decision without having visited the school you are binding yourself to.

When should you visit? When you can, is my first answer. Whenever, during your high school career, you have the opportunity to visit a college you are even remotely thinking about applying to, do so. Many people wait until their senior years to visit schools they have already filled out applications for, or are in the process of applying to. This is not always a good idea - visiting colleges can help you by narrowing down your list of schools, or by pointing you in different directions. I recommend most of your visiting be done in your junior year, although sophomore year is definitely not too early to begin your search. When to go? If you can only go during summer, that's fine - most campuses still have tours and information sessions then - just remember that it's summer, and although the campuses will be at their prettiest, you will be inhabiting them in the fall and winter months. If the school you are visiting is in California, you probably won't have to take this into account - but if you are visiting colleges in New England, definitely try to picture them looking dreary on a rainy day - if you still like where you are, that's a good sign.

Summertime, and the living is easy . . . time to kick back, relax, and maybe plan a few weeks at the beach to work on your tan, right?

Sorry. If you're thinking about applying to college in the next year or so, summer isn't the time to slack off. In fact, those long sultry days between June and September are the perfect time to boost your application. For some students, that might mean taking a summer course in Shakespearean comedy, enrolling in a French immersion program, or picking up a few extra credits in advanced math. Still others might have the luxury of travel or doing volunteer work full-time.

But if you're like most students, you've got to earn some money to help finance your education. And that means you need a summer job.

Many students worry that working full-time at the local pizza shop or doing clerical work won't impress admissions reps and could even hurt their chance of being admitted to their top-choice school. Good news: a summer job, whether it is volunteer or paid, glamorous or practical, will add a great deal to your college application. Schools are looking for the big picture of who you are--they want clues about your character and insight to predict how successful you'll be in your college career. Any work experience helps illustrate that.

Do put some thought into what type of summer job you're most interested in, and why. But keep in mind that even if you end up with a job you consider less than glamorous, the experience is valuable. For starters, you'll be learning things--about yourself and about the work world--and that's what admissions committees most want to see.

Applying to any of the Military Academies (The Naval Academy, West Point, The Air Force Academy) is unique in the sense that it not only has high standards for academics, but also makes sure the applicants are physically fit and have certain ethical and moral standards. As I attend The Naval Academy, I will discuss this particular academy.

The first thing that is looked at is the academic transcript. The Academy is one of the top engineering schools in the country and makes sure that only qualified applicants are accepted. Unlike other colleges, the Academy does not make exceptions for recruited athletes. They must be academically satisfactory, just like any other applicant.

Just as with any other college it is important to be a part of extra curricular activities. What is stressed, however, is that the applicant has taken on leadership roles where he has assumed responsibility. Often referred to as a leadership laboratory, one of the Academy's main purposes is to develop leaders, so any prior experience is strongly encouraged.

Best-selling authors Mimi Doe (parenting guru) and Michele Hernandez (college consultant extraordinaire) have come to the rescue with a collection of tips and strategies for anxious parents and their frazzled teens. Follow their advice, take a deep breath, and Don't Worry, You'll Get In!

1. Keep in mind that there is a college for everyone. Sure, the Ivy Leagues are extremely tough to get into, but the truth is, once you get past the top 20 most competitive colleges, many schools admit the majority of applicants.

2. Create a printed list of all the schools to which you are applying. Give it to your guidance counselor so that he/she is sure to send the official school report to every college on your list. Your application is incomplete without the school's documents even if you send in your part.

3. Studies have shown that applying early decision increases your odds for acceptance dramatically. So, get going. Spend time the summer before your senior year discerning your clear first choice college, then prepare your application. If you haven't already, check out our Application Boot Camp where you can work with us to finish your applications in 4 days.

4. Keep it to yourself. Don't enter into the frenzy of talk about colleges. This is your personal journey to finding the right college; getting crazy about everyone else's opinions will only bring you down.

5. Identify the teacher who is your strongest supporter, and then do everything you can to stand out in his or her class. This is who you'll go to first for that ever important recommendation.

6. Learn the fine art of saying "no" to activities that take you off course. Focus on a few things that you love and become really good at them rather than frantically trying to do everything.

7. Set up a specific schedule during the year to study for any upcoming standardized test: For instance, Wednesday evenings from 9-10:00p.m. We love the newly launched PrepMe.com which gives you expert one on one SAT tutoring and guidance from the comfort of your home.

8. Don't believe all you read. The best way to find out about a particular school is to visit in person, speak to students, observe a class and meet professors. Otherwise, you're just responding to slick marketing rather than actual traits of a college.

9. Let your academic passions guide your class choices. No college likes a cookie cutter applicant who follows the prescribed path and nothing else. The most interesting candidates follow their own interests and it shows.

10. Make time to relax! High school shouldn't be all SAT prep, hours of community service, and three different tutors in the name of "getting in". Get a life and you'll be much happier.

Article by, Mimi Doe and Michele Hernandez This article is provided by PrepMe, a premium online ACT and SAT prep company.

In 1900, industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, founded the Carnegie Technical Schools. It was renamed the Carnegie Institute of Technology when it became a degree offering institution in 1912. Then in 1967, the co-ed "Carnegie Tech" merged with the Mellon Institute to become Carnegie Mellon University.

Since its inception as a trade school, Carnegie Mellon has maintained "three primary objectives:

• to deliver distinctive, first-quality education;
• to foster research, creativity, and discovery; and
• to use the new knowledge created on campus to serve society."

Out-of-state tuition for this private university is $35,580. According to Prinecton Review, "the workload at Carnegie Mellon is pretty daunting, so it's no surprise that students say the typical undergraduate is 'extremely studious and serious about academics.'"

Out of the 22,356 undergraduate applicants for 2007, 6, 259 were accepted and 1, 486 actually enrolled. Princeton Review lists CMU as one of the Best Northeastern Colleges; however, it also appears on their "Is it Food?" list. Oh, well, you can't have everything. Fortunately, the campus is only blocks away from a variety of restaurants and only a short bus ride away from the nearest grocery store, so those lucky individuals with the wherewithal to do so can avoid the cafeteria.

What you can have at Carnegie Mellon is a high caliber education on a beautiful, spacious campus. And when you graduate, you can add your name to a list that includes such distinguished alumni as Andy Warhol (Carnegie Tech), Blair Underwood, Jack Klugman, John Nash, Ming-Na Wen, and Challenger astronaut, Judith Resnik.

As you can see, you don't have to be an engineering, science, or math major to consider attending CMU. But you should probably have a lot of math courses on your high school transcript. It could greatly improve your chances of acceptance to this internationally renowned university.

Florida Institute of Technology was founded in 1958 by Dr. Jerome P. Keuper as Brevard Engineering College to "offer continuing education opportunities to scientists, engineers and technicians who were working for NASA at Cape Canaveral at what is now known as the Kennedy Space Center."

In 1961, the school moved to its present location in Melbourne, Florida, and in 1966, the university's name was officially changed to Florida Institute of Technology.

Florida Institute of Technology's students say its tough to describe what would be considered a "typical" student "given the diversity of people from the many states and countries we represent." The diversity of its student population might be one of the reasons FIT secured a spot on Princeton Review's list of the 146 Best Southeastern Colleges.

Out-of-state tuition for this small, diverse university is $27,540. The number of undergraduates for 2007 was 2, 594 and the total number of students, including graduate students was 5, 118.

Although FIT isn't listed as one of the toughest schools to get into, you have to figure it can't be easy. Princeton Review lists the most common majors as Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Aviation/Airway Management and Operations, Mechanical Engineering. You had better bring your A-game if you want to make it to graduation at this school.

Founded in 1764, Brown University was the seventh college in the United States and it was the only one that welcomed students of all religious faiths. It has the oldest undergraduate engineering program in the Ivy League. The college moved from Warren, Rhode Island in 1770 to its current location in Providence, on College Hill. It was renamed Brown in 1804 in honor of Nicholas Brown for a gift he gave the university. The Women's College, which was later named Pembroke, opened in 1891, and merged with Brown in 1971.

Although it began as a Baptist university, Brown currently has no particular religious affiliation and it maintains its reputation of openness.

The most popular majors, according to the Princeton Review, are Biology/Biological Sciences, History(general), General Studies, and International Relations and Affairs. It ranks sixth on Princeton Review's list of toughest schools to get into and second on its list of schools with the happiest students.

Out-of-state tuition for this small, private institution is $37,860. The annual undergrate enrollment is 5, 821 and the total enrollment, including the graduate and medical schools is 8, 025. Out of 15,157 applicants in 2007, 2, 442 were accepted and 1, 423 actually enrolled.

According to their Web site, Brown's mission is to "serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of inquiry and by educating and preparing students to discharge the offices of life with usefulness and reputation.

If you're interested in Brown University, keep in mind that colleges and universities are looking at high school transcripts more than anything else. Take advanced placement and honors courses if your school offers them. Doing that in addition to getting good SAT and/or ACT scores will help tremendously to increase your odds of being one of the chosen few invited to attend Brown University in the fall.

It's no secret that the competition to get into the best colleges is just as stiff as the competition to find the best internships and entry-level jobs. Choosing the right college or university has never been easy, but now it's gotten even more difficult because there are so many more highly qualified applicants vying for a place in the top schools. Princeton Review published an article, "Competition in the College Application Process - Myth vs. Fact," that might help you increase your odds of being accepted by the college or university of your choice.

"Facts

1. More high school-age students are applying to college today than in years past.
2. As a result, college admissions have become more numbers-based.
3. Eolleges want to see that students have tried to challenge themselves by taking the toughest courses their high school has to offer.
4. Your SATs are obviously important, but not as important as the high school transcript.
5. math and science are important in this process.
6. There's an ever-growing number of senior class presidents applying to college, along with editors in chief and club founders.

"Myths

1. Using the Common Application will hurt my chances of admission.
2. A fabulous interview can increase my chances of admission.
3. Going to a prep school will increase my chances of admission.
4. If my SAT scores are super strong, I'll be admitted to highly selective colleges."

What impressed me most about this article was that they stressed overall class performance as the most important factor in selection. Senior class presidents and editors of the school newspaper are judged the same as students who don't participate in a lot of school activities. Repeatedly, they say if you have a weak transcript, your extra-curriculur activities will be all for naught. So, as my father was wont to say, "hit the books," if you want to be admitted into one of the countries top colleges and universities.
Now that's not to say that you should give up your activities. They're stil important because they make you a more well-rounded student, but if your activities are causing your grades to drop, cut back a little.

Founded on July 4, 1881, by Booker T. Washington, in Tuskegee, Alabama, Tuskegee University is one of America's best known historically black college or university.

What do they have to offer? According to their Web site, "Tuskegee, through its five colleges and Centers of Excellence, offers a curriculum for success that includes courses in engineering, the natural and physical sciences, the health sciences, business and computer science, aviation science, the social sciences, liberal arts and education, and the fine arts."

What started as the "normal school" for training teachers in a small shack borrowed from a church, has grown into a major black university, covering 500 acres of land with 3,000 students on campus each year.

Tuskegee's National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care is the first in the country devoted to "engaging in the sciences, humanities, law and religious faith in the exploration of the core moral issues which underlie research and medical treatment of African-Americans and other underserved people," according to Wikipedia.

Although Tuskegee, like MIT, is a private university, tuition is nowhere near as high. For out of state students, the tuition for one year is a reasonable $14, 740. For families who want their children to have a good education but can't afford the creme de la creme like MIT or Cornell, might want to consider Tuskegee. But be warned, Princeton Review ranks Tuskegee ninth out of its list of 20 schools with the least happy students, ninth on the list of 20 schools with dorms like dungeons, and twelfth on its list of 20 schools with less than stellar library facilities.

If you're looking for an affordable, quality education, Tuskegee University is the way to go; if you're looking for college with all the trimmings, you might have to look somewhere else. You'll probably also have to get used to a chronically empty wallet.

MIT's mission statement reads as follows: "The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century."

Undergraduate admission to MIT is based on "academic potential, strong personal qualifications, and outstanding interests, activities, and achievements." Potential graduate students are judged based on "previous performance and professional promise by the department in which they wish register." In short, you have to bring your A-game if you're looking to attend this particular university. Out the 12, 445 students who applied in 2007, only 1,553 were invited to enroll.

Established in 1861 by natural scientist, William Barton Rogers, MIT didn't officially open its doors until 1865. Situated on 168 acres of land along the Charles River in Cambridge, MIT becameco-ed in 1870 when Ellen Swallow Richards enrolled as the first female undergraduate student.

With both classic and ultra-modern architecture, MIT is an aesthetically pleasing, though intimate campus.

Should you meet all the criteria for acceptance, you'd better have deep pockets, a great financial aid package, or loads of scholarships. Tuition for out of state students is
$34,750 per year. That's $150 more than Cornell.