Student Loan Rates to Double

With Congress currently deadlocked, student loan rates will double next week, unless something is done quickly!  This isn't going to help make college more affordable.

Student Loan Info

If you already have student loans or are considering taking one out in order to help pay for college, you really should stay up-to-date on the various bills/ideas being tossed around in Washington.  With that in mind, here's one possibility that would be more beneficial for college students!

http://huff.to/124grZO

The Pros and Cons of Choosing Your Own Roommate

Because I've seen too many high school best friends end up not liking each other after a year of living together, I tend to think it's better not to live with someone you know.  But I will allow that there are pros and cons to picking a roomie, as this writer articulates.  Just be careful. Sometimes the one you don't know is better than the one you do.

Maintaining Your Health in College

Over the years I've seen a number of lists describing what every college freshman should take to college. (Trust me, Target has a HUGE list of essentials - many of which you do not need!).  This is the first one however, that focuses on items you need to maintain your health, and that deserves it's own blog post!

So what are the essential items? Tupperware, multivitamins, and water bottles are a just a few of them. Check out the rest, visit http://usat.ly/14l6edW

College Time Management

Back in the fall, we showed our seniors a chart that compared their school day in high school to the school day in college.  There's a lot of free time in college, and I mean A LOT!!!

So what do you do with all those extra hours?  If you're not careful, you'll spend a lot of it doing nothing.  But as one of our alums once said, if you treat college like a 9-5 job, you'll get all your studying in, have time for activities or a job, and still have plenty of time to have fun.  She was on to something.  This article would agree.  http://usat.ly/19ucMhp

College Criteria

Everyone's talking about academics, study abroad programs, internships, service opportunities, and all that stuff.  But what you really want to know is who has the coolest dorms? Well, here you go.  http://huff.to/12jIRmC

Student Loans

So.....on one hand the government says it is concerned about how the record amount of money students are borrowing for college, while on the other hand, there is a proposal to increase the government's profits by raising the borrowing costs.  The student loan program may need to be overhauled, but I don't think this is the way to do it.

Looking for something to do this summer?

You're not saving the rain forests this summer; you're not swimming with dolphins; you're not becoming the next Food Network star.  In fact, you're not even leaving Chattanooga.  So what can you do?  Some of these ideas may not seem that exciting, but I'm pretty sure they are good for you and will make you a more interesting person.

Your Digital Footprint

If you have read some of our earlier posts, you'll know that we think it is important for you to manage what you post on facebook, twitter, instagram, etc.  So if you're headed off to college this fall (and even if you're not), there are steps you can and should take to manage your digital footprint so that it won't come back to haunt you later.  As we've said before, nothing is really private any more, so take a few minutes and read this!!!

The Importance of Thank You Notes

When was the last time you wrote a thank you note?  Not an email, but an actual, hand-written thank you note.  They haven't gone out of style, you know, and in fact they can be quite beneficial.  I'm not saying it will get you into the college of your choice, but it can, as this writer suggests, say a lot about you as a person, and you might even learn something about yourself as well.  For those of you who might not know where to start, she even offers some pointers on what to say. 

Perhaps the next time you go on a college visit, a personal thank-you note might be in order.  It certainly can't hurt, and it's a good habit to develop.

I love reading too!

I've always been a reader, so it's hard for me to understand someone who doesn't enjoy reading like I do.  However, here are some good reasons (written by a former non-reader) why it's good for you.  So far this summer, some of my favorites include The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, Eights Girls Taking Pictures by Whitney Otto, and Mary Coin by Marisa Silver. Oh, and I also enjoyed Jon Meacham's Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power.

Things To Do Before You Go To College

From getting organized to cooking for your parents to registering for classes, this author has a list of 50 things to do before you go to college.  Even if you don't accomplish all of them, it's a good place to start.

How do I pay for college?

That is a really good question, and fortunately, there are some good resources out there for you to consider, and they're free.  So rule # 1 is: don't pay for help.  The FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is free; there are several excellent free scholarship searches, college awarded scholarships (grants) are free.  Rule #2: searching and applying for scholarships takes time.  I've seen very few, if any, scholarships that just let you sign up, and you're done.  There might be essays to write, projects to develop, or questions to answer, so you will have to consider the amount of work involved before you begin.  So when you see those people who say they got college paid for by looking for outside scholarships, just know that a lot of hard work went into it, and sometimes they had to apply for LOTS of scholarships to achieve that goal.

By the way, I still think the best place to start is with the college itself, but if you're considering schools that (a) don't give merit awards or (b) everyone else is applying to, you might (will) end up empty-handed.  Be willing to consider a different school - perhaps one where there are few students from Tennessee or one where you will be the cream of the crop.  Talk to your counselor and be open-minded!

And while I'm on the subject of money, this is good advice whether you are headed to college or leaving college for the working world.  Young women need to know how to manage their money!

Long Live the Humanities!

"Without liberal arts to provide a context, young people can not be expected to understand the general nature and structure of our society, the necessity of academic freedom or the importance of values - all their education will have no ethical, moral, or societal context. Freedom will be confused with license."
                                                                        – from Declining by Degrees - Higher Education at Risk

Published several years ago, this report at least partially addressed the importance of the liberal arts in education.  We're still fighting that battle, however, and now a new report is encouraging the importance of the humanities.  It's also the second article I've read that said China is now learning more toward the liberal arts as a "stimulus to innovation."  I still think that balance is the key, at least in high school.

Extracurricular Options in College

Let's face it - college is about more than just going to class. Whether it's study abroad, Greek life or athletics, most of my students are also looking for certain extracurricular opportunities, and there's nothing wrong with that.  Perhaps that's why these two stories caught my eye. 

My daughter is a strong advocate for Greek life, and she regularly champions the opportunities for networking, philanthropy, sisterhood (she did go to an all-girls high school, after all).  But do you have to join a sorority to find those advantages?  This author says no.

Studying abroad is another popular option, but just how far away are students willing to go? There isn't a great deal of research on the topic, but this article suggests that the farther away from home you are willing to go to college, the more comfortable you are studying abroad. 

And finally, how important are residence halls to you?  Are there benefits to living in on-campus housing compared to off-campus apartments? Do you lose some of your connection to the university if you're leaving at the end of the day?  Does that even matter?  These are all questions that I cannot answer; it's up to you.

Do you write like a girl?

"Girls....are expected to be ‘humble’—not try to take the spotlight, emphasize the ways they are just like everyone else, and de-emphasize ways they are special.”

We discuss this issue all the time and are constantly encouraging our girls to be more vocal about their many accomplishments.  I just never thought about how it might be reflected in their resumes as well.  Perhaps it's time to ask yourself "do you write like a girl?"

You can be sure we will discuss this issue during Application Boot Camp for seniors on Wednesday, August 7!!

Does it pay to have a graduate degree?

Recently I have seen several articles discussing the value of certain careers, as in which ones pay the best over the long haul or which ones give the best return on your student loan.  I understand the concept, but let's face it: everyone doesn't want to be a microbiologist, a pharmacist, or a civil engineer (all of which, it seems, have that good return on your loans). 

I did, however, think it was worth noting that graduate degrees are more beneficial for certain careers than others. We've probably all heard stories about unemployed PhD's, so maybe their degree wasn't really necessary. It's something to consider.

Summer Reading

Looking for something to read this summer?  Do you want to know more about the college admissions process? Perhaps as a parent, you'd just like to know how to survive the upcoming months!  The director of college counseling at the Derryfield School in New Hampshire asked a few college admissions deans and some of his college counseling peers for some summer reading ideas.  One I particularly enjoyed was I'm Going to College, Not You! Surviving the College Search With Your Child by Jennifer Delahunty.  I highly recommend it!

Advice for the College Bound

If you're on your way to orientation, planning your freshman year schedule, or just shopping for dorm supplies, this is good, solid advice.  I would suggest reading the comments too.  There are some additional worthwhile suggestions.

Are you open to the possibilities?

During the last few weeks of May, I was so busy with AP exams and graduation that I missed this blog post in the New York Times.  The title of it - Let's Hope College Doesn't Go According to Plan - may be my favorite part!

Visiting colleges this summer?

If you're headed out on a college tour this summer - and we hope you are - this mother's perspective might give you a few ideas.  While I'm not sure a student tour guide can really tell you if the professors are happy or not, most of her suggestions are good ones.

I would add that it is always a good idea to spend some time walking around campus on your own. An even better idea is for you to go in one direction and your parents can go in the other.  Maybe you can just sit in the student center and just watch and listen. See if you can find the building or rooms you're interested in, like the theater or science labs. Then you can come back and compare notes with the folks.  Also, see if you can find an off-campus hangout for lunch.  Put it all together, and you'll start to figure out if it "fits" or not!

The story behind your college application...

In a way, your college application is a story...the story of you. Who you are, what you do, where you want to go.  But it can be very difficult to convey all of that in a couple of pages.  Your essay can help; so can your recommendations.  But ultimately it is up to you to tell your own story.

One of the sites I've discovered this year is YouTern, a site for young people trying to connect them to internships and careers.  What I have discovered however, is that much of their advice can be applied to the college applications as well.  Plus, as you graduate from college, their advice could be very useful! This particular article asks "does your resume tell a compelling story?" You could ask the same thing when reviewing your application to college. Does it tell a good story? Does it tell the reader anything about who you are and what you're interested in?  Your college application may be limited, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't ask the questions before you hit submit.

Will you know when you find the right college?

I have a few very vivid memories of my own daughter's college search process, including our first visit to Tufts University.  Call it a gut instinct, but only minutes into the information session, she and I both knew that this school would be a good fit for her.  Alas, she got waitlisted and ended up going elsewhere, but she was so confident in her instincts, that she transferred to Tufts for her sophomore year.  She loved every minute of her experience there (of course it didn't hurt that she was a die-hard Red Sox fan).

The problem, I think, is that you expect to get that special feeling and worry if you don't.  But it doesn't always happen that way. Perhaps you're a person who can see herself just about anywhere.  Perhaps you know you will make the most of any school, big or small.  Maybe you know you can make a home in a big city or a more rural countryside.  I say good for you!   You're flexible, adaptable, and those are great characteristics to have. 

Like this article, I think the most thorough college search combines gut feelings with more practical matters. You may walk onto a campus for the first time and be able to picture yourself there, but you also know that scholarships or financial aid plays an important role.  Emotionally you may be aware that you need plenty of green space in order to be happy, but you also know that the school has to have an engineering department.  Everyone's different, and you have to know what you're looking for in a college.

Once the initial excitement wore off on our Boston visit, we made sure Tufts met most of the objective criteria on my daughter's list, and fortunately, her gut feelings and the must-haves went hand-in-hand.  If you do find "the one," take a deep breath and make sure it also meets your more practical needs.

Student Loan Interest Rates

If you have a student loan or are thinking about getting a loan to help pay for college, you need to be aware of Washington's debate over interest rates.  If you have an opinion, contact your own senators and congresswomen/congressmen.