myUsearch blog

As we all get back to our normal post-holiday lives, I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on all of the college tips the myUsearch.com team gave to readers in 2009. Here are my top picks for last year’s best college tips:

Photo by Sally M

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myUsearch asked me to create a Top 10 College Tips list for 2009. Often the best advice is the common sense advice – work hard, follow through, improve on your weaknesses, and harness your strengths. I think you’ll find some of these ideas throughout the following list. I’ve included college tips for those who are entering college, currently in college, and graduating from college – so there’s a little something for everyone.  I hope you find these tips and the accompanying articles helpful. So without further adieu…..I present my Top 10 List of College Tips!

Photo by Ann Dabney

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Choosing a college can be very stressful. The college’s reputation, cost of tuition, college major options, location – all of these points are important to consider, but what are the important things that people forget to consider? Here is a list of 5 frequently forgotten facts to consider before you make your college choice:
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College. That one word alone is the definition of being broke! As a college senior, I can tell you that no matter how many part-time jobs you take on, you are still going to be lacking when it comes to cash flow. It takes some longer than others to run out of their high school savings, but you’ll be sure to find out the true value of a dollar during your time away. So how can you make the last $5 you have for the week (and it’s only Monday) last until Friday’s pay check? I’ve learned some simple tips on how to find college deals and making that dollar go further.

Photo by Goldberg
 

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As a sophomore, I am sad to report that the battle against the freshman 15 does not end after the first year of college. I still find myself tempted by the option of eating ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner, finding time to go to the gym can seem impossible when my to-do list is filled with reading assignments and problem sets, and it’s just too easy to take comfort in a bag of potato chips at 2 a.m. But after a year in college, my friends and I have learned a thing or two about staying healthy and preventing weight gain.

Freshman 15 pizza picture by titanas

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There’s a belief among some students that senior year is a time to take easy classes.  Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but if you really want to go to college that’s the last thing you should do.  It seems that every year the same erroneous ideas regarding applying to college manage to make their way into students’ conversations.  They are part of what I refer to as “Hallway Mythology”.

Photo by Kevin Walter 

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This week, myUsearch.com has the privilege of hosting a very special carnival. I know what your thinking. Mmmmm….elephant ears and cotton candy, ferris wheels and six foot stuffed animals. But we’ve got something even better than deep fried dough and spindles of refined sugar. We’ve pulled together all of the best college bloggers to create one long list of college advice - The Carnival of College Admissions. And unlike elephant ears that are 719 calories with 32 grams of fat per serving, you can have as many links as you want and you won’t even gain a pound! Eat up!

Photo by edenpictures

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Some things, like going to class, seem obvious. But there is a huge temptation to skip class in college. There’s a lot of other things to do that you might find more interesting than, say, “density functional theory.” Unlike high school, many college classes don’t take attendance. And if you’re living away from home, your parents aren’t there to make sure you get to class.

Photo by rofltosh.

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Last week, our friends over at Unigo published a great back to school guide with a ton of tips for college freshman,  including links and videos with helpful advice for those of you starting college for the first time. After checking this out, it made me wonder what tips I’d give to college freshman. As a wise old sophmore in college, I think it’s my duty to tell you a few things.

Here are some basic tips for your first year away from home.

Image courtesy of foundphotoslj.

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Last month, the Princeton Review released their annual college rankings, listing off the nation’s biggest party schools, best college towns and nicest dorms. And while you may be thinking about those factors as you shop for schools, maybe it’s worthwhile to look ahead: PayScale.com recently released an interesting report of college graduate salary statistics. Is your dream school worth the price of tuition?

 photo by L. E. MacDonald

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Every year, more and more students choose to apply online - a trend I’m happy to see as we become more environmentally responsible.  However, in some students’ minds, online applications seem to trigger a response that says, “It’s just another online form.  How hard can it be?”  The truth is, it’s not “just another online form”.  It’s your chance to make a great first impression - or not. (more…)

Four years of high school felt like forever. You work your way up from being a tiny freshman to a big bad senior through endless homework assignments, cliques, school dances, breakups, sports teams, puberty, and the dream of graduation day. It seems like just yesterday that I was walking across that stage receiving my diploma… that’s how fast the last 3 years have gone by. In less than a month, I’ll be a big bad senior again. A college senior! I almost can’t believe it. So what was college really like when I look back on it?

 Collegeboy photo by weifly

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As summer is coming to an end, high school seniors will begin to think about applying to college.  Having worked in college admissions for over 10 years, I’ve seen my share of stupid mistakes from students in completing their college applications.  While many professionals will give you advice on how to construct the perfect application,  few will share the unfortunate errors with you.  Today’s blog will cover the top 5 mistakes that I’ve seen. (more…)

I’d like to let you in on a little secret: I am usually assigned topics to cover for this blog and I, naturally, follow my grand-master’s guidelines to the “T”. However, this month, no such luck. I was told to write on anything– ANYTHING that I choose. I’m picturing my high school seniors who come to me saying that they’re choosing to write their college essay using the Common Application’s prompt, “Topic of your choice”. So I guess I will take the advice I often give them and “be specific”. I would like to talk about how important it is for students to become their own advocates in the college application and admission process.

 Photo by theparadigmshifter

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It’s true that many students change their major several times before graduating. So why do so many experts advise you to to compare the quality of your intended major when it comes to choosing a college?

Here’s a look at why choosing a major before freshman year might actually matter–and why it might not.

photo by Jonathan Ng

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With another school year down and a new one just lurking around the corner, it is important for high school seniors to begin their college application process now. No, we’re not doing this to fuel the fire of competitive college admissions. And we’re certainly not doing this to pile on more stress and anxiety to the already-hectic life of a teen. What we’re doing is actually trying to alleviate some of that by planning — creating a timetable of sorts to make your life more orderly. Let’s face it, the junior year was tough because that’s what the junior year is supposed to be. Your senior year is equally as difficult in the classroom. Do you really want to add to that by doing nothing the summer before? So let’s figure out what you can do now that will save you time and worry during your last hoorah in high school.

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You applied, you got in, you packed your car and you’re all ready to go off to college. But what about tuition? What about books? And you can’t forget room and board. You’ve sent in your FAFSA form and received a small scholarship, but it still seems like the college price tag might be more than you can bargained for. Where do you go from here?

College Fund photo by djukami

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Last week I attended the RMACAC conference in Colorado Springs and attended a presentation given from college admissions insiders from three different selective colleges across the country. Jared Cash, Associate Dean of Admissions, Bates College; Todd Rinehart, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of Admission, University of Denver; and Abby Noel, Assistant Director of Admission, Vanderbilt University shared some inside information about how they determine who is accepted or denied admission to their colleges.  This is what I found out…….. 

Photo of the University of Denver by Velotech 

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Planning to attend college in the fall? Thinking of going back to school? Check out this kick a@$ list of links from some of the best college-related blogs in the biz.

Brought to you by myUsearch, the Honest College Matchmaker, I present you with……..

THE CARNIVAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION

Photo of noise makers by Ann-Dabney

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…and Does it Matter?

It’s probably the most frequent question asked across college campuses or by anyone you know when you’re starting college. It’s also a topic that’s been debated over and over — does your major really matter? (more…)