How far away are you willing to go?

More and more public universities are recruiting students from outside their home state.  State budget cuts are part of the reason colleges are seeking out-of-state students, but they often offer some pretty good scholarships as well.  Here's an interesting look at this new trend.

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Cross-Country-Recruitment/129577/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Georgia Tech High School Outreach Event

The Society of Women Engineers at Georgia Tech is pleased to be hosting an engineering outreach program for female high school students in grades 9-12 who are interested in math or science.
The program will be offered:
Saturday, November 12 from 9 am-2:30 pm on the campus of Georgia Tech

To register please visit:
http://swehsoutreachfall.eventbrite.com/

How Much Can You Pay for College?

Did you know that all colleges that participate in federal financial aid are required to post net-price calculators on their Web sites?  This new law is designed to help  prospective students estimate their out-of-pocket costs.  But while you're at it, you should find out what's included in the total cost of attendance.  It obviously includes tuition,  room and board, but do they include books in the total cost? What about travel expenses (and your travel may cost less than what they anticipate)? Does it include miscellaneous dollars for pizza, dry cleaning, etc.?  Student fees?

If you're not sure, talk to the financial aid office.  And make sure you know exactly which forms you need to fill out (FAFSA, CSS Profile, institutional forms).  It pays to plan ahead!

Syracuse University - Finger Lakes #3

Syracuse University is home to some 13,000 students but if you apply to their College of Arts and Sciences, it's like attending a highly selective liberal arts college within the heart of a major research university. In other words, there is something for everyone at Syracuse. Strong programs abound including their renowed Newhouse School of Communication (Bob Costas and Steve Kroft are notable alums) and the School of Architecture. Downtown Syracuse is within walking distance of campus, offering an excellent art museum, an opera company, a symphony and plenty of local restaurants. Carousel Mall, a shopaholics dream with six levels of stores, is just 10 minutes away. Although it does get cold, football fans need not worry since games are played in the Carrier Dome, but basketball really rocks the house. There are plenty of study abroad opportunties since SU has nine fully staffed campuses around the world including Turkey, Chile and Hong Kong. Community spirit is evident from the minute you walk on campus and the students couldn't be friendlier.

The Role of Your Grandparents in the College Process

Here's a wonderful piece about the role your grandparents might have in the college process.  If nothing else, it's just a great piece about the wisdom these wonderful people have.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/grandparents-as-college-admission-guides/2011/10/16/gIQA3MbhsL_blog.html

Hobart and William Smith Colleges - Finger Lakes #2

As a GPS student you should be very familiar with the benefits of an all girls' school but most of you would never consider a women's college, right? Hobart and William Smith Colleges (it's plural because they are two separate schools) offer a unique coordinate program that ensures neither guys nor girls ever feel they are at a single sex school. The admission office, deans and student governments operate independently but students eat and take classes together and even share residence halls. Situated on the shore of Lake Seneca, environmental research takes place daily aboard the Colleges' 65' steel-hulled research vessel, The William Scandling. The campus of 2,000 is very socially conscious, logging over 100,000 hours of community service annually. Service learning is also structured into most study abroad excursions, of which 60% of student partake. An added bonus: HWS is test optional!

Fun College Courses

I'm not sure these fun college courses are what your parents think you should be studying, but check out some of the options that are available at some college and universities across the United States.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/10/06/hot-college-courses-mad-men-south-park-and-more-unique-classes.html

Four Colleges in Finger Lakes region of New York

I was recently invited to a counselor fly-in to tour 4 distinct schools in the picturesque NY region known as the Finger Lakes, home of 11 magnificent lakes. Follow my posts for the next 4 days as I highlight each of the schools visited!

University of Rochester is a tier one research institution of 5,000 students, the majority of which will conduct and possibly publish research results as undergrads. They are one of the very few schools in the country with an Optics Department, think hybrid between physics and engineering, and Optics is a high demand field, especially for women. Rochester offers a unique "tution free" fifth year during which students can take classes outside their major for enrichment and exploration. (Room and board bills still apply!) Students are focused learners who spend a lot of time studying but also singing, since Rochester is also home to the famed Eastman School of Music. The reading room of the library was packed on an October Monday afternoon around 5:30 pm -- a quiet respite from the activities on a the quad just outside.

Thinking Outside the Box

Looking for scholarships? Perhaps you need to think outside the box when you're considering where to apply.  In the last few weeks, we have received information about academic scholarships at a variety of colleges, but they're not always the one's GPS girls think about first.  So if you're interested, you might want to take a look at Villanova, Ohio Wesleyan, Montana State or the University of Montana, Presbyterian, or the University of Kansas.  Not interested?  The point is that you need to look at a variety of schools, not just the same ones everyone else is considering. Sometimes that's where you'll find the money.