Do you really need all that stuff for your dorm room?

Apparently many students do, and retailers are making big money off of college students.  Many campuses are now sponsoring a private shopping party at Target (as described in this article) so that students can pick up those last minute items.  Is it a little too much? You'll have to decide for yourself.

Friday Wrap-Up

As I believe we have mentioned before, we are a country obsessed with rankings, and there are enough college rankings for just about everyone.  Here is one we haven't seen before, however. Published by the Washington Monthly, this list focuses on colleges that contribute to the public good in three areas: social mobility, reserach, and service.

This brief story made us a little sad, because it suggests that college students don't spend much time following political news.  Since this is an election year, we wish they paid more attention.

And finally, given the cost of higher education, this study surprised us a bit because it found that less than one third of families are considering the financial realities their children may face after college graduation.

Roommate Issues

Finding a college roommate (or being assigned one) has always been one of the more interesting and sometimes stressful aspects of going to college.  So many colleges use facebook or other forms of social media to help connect students and let them make their own pairings.  But some schools still approach it the old fashioned way, and they think they can do just as good a job.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-08-29/college-roommate-selection/57417968/1

The Importance of Extracurriculars

Frankly, I am tired of the word "passion," as in "your extracurricular activities should reflect your passion(s)." I don't know that many teenagers who necessarily know what their passions are at this point in their lives. However, I do think this brief article has the right idea, and that is that your high school activities should be more than something you simply check off a list.

High school is a good time to explore clubs, sports, and other extracurriculars. You may click with some of them right away, or it may take time to find the ones that spark your interest.  The point - particularly for freshmen - is to try activities on for size, and then once you find a few that you like, commit to them. Get involved on a deeper level. Make a difference.  And who knows? You might just find your passion!

Great Advice for Parents

With all the different forms of electronic communication these days, staying in touch with your college age child has never been easier.  But that doesn't mean parents should still be doing everything for them.  Here's some great advice from two college presidents.

The Future Looks Bright

Despite the gloomy student outlook reported in the news, a recent survey by Gallup, Inc. reports that roughly half of American students are hopeful about their future (meaning that the future will be better than the present.  However, there is some cause for concern as that optimism starts to slide when they get to secondary school.  Still, that hopefulness, well-being, and engagement in learning leads to academic success.

Fudging the Numbers

You may have seen recent reports about Claremont McKenna College and Emory University misreporting test scores. In fact, they are not the only schools that have admitted to the practice, and at least some of the time, is it done to improve a school's ranking in publications like the US News & World Report. 
There is, however, an underlying problem that I think this opinion piece addresses, and that is our over-reliance on rankings in the first place.  The goal should always be finding the college or university that best fits a student, and that school may not be #1 on some arbitrary list.  As the GPS college guidance mission statement says:

     "The mission of the college guidance office is to encourage students to consider appropriate and challenging college options over a broad geographic area. Although the student is ultimately responsible for taking control of the process, we will also assist students through all aspects of the application, scholarship and financial aid process with the ultimate goal of finding a college that best meets their academic, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs."  And that goal will be different for every girl.