The first consideration regarding the location of a college is whether you want to be near or far from home.  The answer to this question is really up to you and your family and should be easy to determine based on whether you want to fully experience campus life far from home or are interested in being able to commute back and forth more than once a quarter.

Secondly, colleges are and should be built with you (the student) in mind to give you the best education for your money. With that being said you should also have a choice on your surroundings, whether that be rural, city, suburban or even international.  In this blog post we will be looking at the three basic types of areas that colleges are located in.

When you think of rural, the first thing that comes to your mind is party! No, not really.  The words that cross my mind are adventure, hiking and nature. Most rural colleges have backdrops that are beautiful and make for a peaceful place to study and work. They can also be safer because they are in a smaller, tight knit community. They can be the kind of communities that leave their doors open at night. Though the town may  less populated, the college often will be the opposite and that can create a more campus community feel to the town, which ultimately brings the town together at things like sporting events.

The city never stops and, if you like that, then a city college should be your choice. College in the city can be more spread out and more diverse because of the different people who live, work and study in the city. Being surrounded by a big city can give you a boost in job experience. Many companies are looking for college students to intern with them and internships will look good on your resume when you’re graduated and applying for a job.

If you want a mix of city and country, then the suburban area is for you. You will never be far from a city, yet far enough to be near a rural area. Colleges in suburban areas tend to be newer and so the history behind the community and the college are often intertwined. This can also overflow into how the college runs. The flipside to the suburban college is that the architecture, people and entertainment may be more modern and less unique, you may have to go out of your way to find a place where you and your friends can hangout.

Whatever you choose, choose carefully and make sure that the area where you are going to school, fits your needs – both academically and socially.

One of the first things to consider when choosing a college is what degree programs are offered.  Colleges offer many different programs.  Certificate and associates programs typically take two years, while bachelors programs typically take four.  Most masters programs are undertaken after a bachelors has been earned and vary considerably in duration, some can be completed in nine months while others take years.  Doctoral programs may be undertaken after a bachelors or after a masters has been earned and also can vary considerably in duration.

Historically, certificate and associates programs were offered at technical and community colleges.  However, more and more four year university programs are offering certificate and associates programs and more and more technical and community colleges are offering four year programs and masters programs such as the Washington State University education department that is located at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Washington near where I grew up.  This diversification in programs offered has been caused by the need for colleges to compete for students and dollars in a difficult recession and the needs of individuals and employers in the communities that are served by the colleges.

Many certificate programs prepare the student to take a state certifying examination for a specific career field such as Pharmacy Technician.  Others are highly regarded by hiring managers in their respective fields such as some culinary arts  and graphic design programs.

Most certificate and associate programs do not require a thesis (major research paper) or major project before completion, some bachelors programs do require this and most masters and doctoral programs make this a major requirement of the program.

Bachelors level work is typically referred to as undergraduate work while masters program work is most often referred to as graduate work.

Some colleges will have all or most levels of programs and some even blend some levels together such as the Masters of Architecture program at Washington State University in Pullman, WA which blends the Bachelors and Masters of Architecture into one continuous five year program.

If you have identified a career field in which you want to work, it is best to ask people in that field which schools have the most and best programs.  For example, if you want to become a medical research scientist, it would be good to ask some medical research scientists  and the people who hire them which schools provide the best preparation for that field.  By doing this you are likely to discover that some schools have special programs that combine the studies for medical doctor with the studies for research scientist and actually offer full funding of the program to students who are willing to have all the work they perform during the program become the property of the university and/or government.

Another good place to get information about specific programs are annual publications such as the US News and Reports ranking of best graduate schools.  According to http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools the best school for business currently is Harvard,  the best for education is Vanderbilt, the best for engineering is Massachussetts Institute of Technology, the best  for law is Yale, and the best for medical is Harvard.

If you don’t know what specific career you want, then it is best to look for a school that offers programs in several fields that interest you most.

If you have a general idea such as health care, then it is good to choose a school that has multiple programs in that field such as medical assistant, nursing, physician assistant, medical doctor, dentistry, health admininstration and public health so that you can continue to explore options while in school and more easily transition from one program to another.

As you consider schools it is good to shoot for the best without worrying too much about cost.  My mentors consistently advised me to apply to at least three schools – one that would be my ultimate dream school, one that would be a good next choice and one that would be a fairly sure shot.

Many of the best schools are”needs blind” which means they decide whether to accept you without knowing what your financial situation is and then once they accept you, they help you figure out how to pay for it.  So as you are first exploring which school would be your dream school don’t let your dream be limited by costs.  There are many people with very little money to go to college who’ve gone to the most expensive schools in the world because they had a dream and they let others partner with them about that dream.

When I was in the process of choosing a college I knew that I wanted a school that offered training in Christian ministry, specifically in ministering to youth within the denomination in which I grew up.  I knew I wanted to get a Bachelors level degree.  I had several mentors who were youth pastors.  I respected them and chose to go to the same school that they did.  I decided on the degree program and school before figuring out how to pay for it.  This sequence of decision choices paid off for me and so I recommend that others also decide on the program they want as one of their first criteria for choosing a school.

Teamwork: Working with others to accomplish a task

Working as a team can help make a big project easier to complete, but it can also make the project more complicated.

Last spring quarter, in Sociology 110, I worked with close friends on a project that lasted all quarter. The only problem was that the group was too large (7 people). This meant that some people initially were given no meaningful work to do while others felt they were carrying the burden of the work.

Working as a team (even when you get to choose the team members) can be very difficult. Sometimes there are disagreements regarding who should lead the team. At other times there are miscommunications regarding how the work should be accomplished. And sometimes there is a team member who acts as though she/he doesn’t need to do any work, but can simply ride on the work of others.

Working with close friends can generate even more tension and unnecessary drama because social issues other than the project at hand can distract the group. Because of this, it can be better to choose acquaintances rather than close friends when assembling a team. Acquaintances are less likely to bring in superfluous issues to the team process.

Although working as a team can be very frustrating, it can also produce results that would never have been accomplished by one person. Greater variety of perspective and work approaches can produce a more creative result. Team members with special expertise such as graphic design, video production, songwriting, choreography, spreadsheet design, software development, object lesson and speech skills can add creative elements that would not be present without their involvement.

However, even when the result is not a better one, the process has merit as a learning experience because it simulates the teamwork that may be needed or expected by a future employer.

Personally, I have had very mixed experiences with teamwork. At times I’ve had to stand by in a presentation while some individuals took credit for work they didn’t do and at other times as with the sociology project, each member of the team was commended by faculty for work well done. So today, while I prefer to work solo, I can speak to how the team process has helped me grow as a student and individual

You’re nearing the end of your junior or senior year of high school and suddenly it hits you, school is almost over and you’ll be thrown into the real world. Luckily you choose to go to college which gives you some extra time to attain skills for the real world and do what you feel a passion for. Yet you are stuck in a rut, there are so many great colleges out there, which one is right for you? In this multi-part series I am going to discuss some of the factors you might want to consider before choosing the right college.

Things to consider when choosing a college:

• Degree Programs Offered
• Geographic Location
• School Size
• Reputation of School
• Public or Private
• Secular or Religious Affiliation
• Courses
• Living Arrangements
• School History
• Athletic Opportunities
• Opportunities to Travel
• Opportunities to Fund

Over the next several weeks I will go into more detail regarding each of these 13 factors.

As always I welcome feedback.

Going into college, most students want to live a life of freedom from their families and attempt to make it on their own.

Yet what happens when a student struggles and needs that extra push?

A mentor can guide the student through the long and hard road of college life by simply being a trustworthy person to whom the student can vent or share problems and find solutions or just hangout with.

Having a mentor helps a student learn from someone who has been in the same shoes before and knows what it’s like.

Choosing a mentor can be a difficult task.  The best thing to do is ask a counselor at the college and ask for mentoring programs that are looking for mentees. My advice is find someone who you could potentially become great friends with and move past that stage in which it is stranger and stranger meeting and talking. Find things that you both like to do and, if possible, share life stories.

Who knows?  That person might have a similar story to yours.

Meeting goals can be especially difficult when you are caught in your own world of studying and socializing. A mentor can help you plan and come out with success.  Most mentors are wise because they have been there and done that so it’s a smart decision to listen intently to what they are saying and ask questions. Be curious!

If an older mentor kind of thing doesn’t interest you then take a look at peer mentoring groups on campus. This can be one on one or together in groups. A peer mentor can be more comfortable because chances are you might know the person you are meeting really well. This type of mentoring allows for a more personal experience to guide each other through the maze of college, through sharing pains or joys or helping your peer get ready for a big test.

Whatever mentoring route you choose, know that neither of them are going to mess you up.  It’ll make you a better person and boost your confidence knowing that someone is standing in the crowd cheering you on as you run your race.

So many scholarships, so little time. That’s what I thought when I was applying for scholarships. In this post I am going to provide you with four detailed ways to help you apply for and get scholarships. Let’s get to it!

First narrow your choices on which scholarships you want to apply for. For example, aim it for what you are interested in majoring in. Once you have found a good chunk of scholarships that fit, you get to work and start the essays, if needed. One thing that I advise you not to do is look at the dollar amount.  Take whatever you can get because it all counts in the long run and will soon add up.

Second, don’t be afraid to talk about yourself and the awards and things you have accomplished. People looking at your scholarship application want to see the great things you have done in and out of school. It’s okay if you have never played a sport in high school; the person looking is not going to throw out your application if you have never played any sport whatsoever. Put it on your application if you’ve volunteered somewhere, preferably consistently or if you’ve been part of a club. Scholarship givers want to see if you have been committed to and consistent in something.

Next, keep all of your essays for other scholarship essays because chances are most scholarships that ask you to write essays are going to ask questions that are almost identical. For example, in what ways have you given back to your community? Or the classic: What circumstance in your life has shaped you into the person you are today? All you have to do is tweak your former essays to fit the essay questions.  This saves you time and effort.

Finally, start early. Too many times I have seen friends who are panicking at the last minute scrambling to put together a halfway decent essay and send it through the mail. Don’t procrastinate. Ask for the application early.  If the due date is in a few months, get started ASAP. This way you have enough time to gather recommendations and revise essays without having to lose any hair at the end. Starting early gives you time to finish and revise and come out with the final edit and send it in. Then start on a new application.

It’s also a myth that you can only be a senior and apply for scholarships. I applied for the Achievers scholarship going into my junior year and received it my junior year. All you have to do is look around, ask your counselor, do some research.  One website I would recommend is http://www.collegeboard.com/.  On this website you can narrow your search to your specific needs.

Just remember take your time on the applications and revise, revise and revise! I cannot stress that enough. Any time someone has to write it takes this process – not just yourself but your teachers, peers, even people who are majoring in writing. Its ok if you get denied a scholarship, there’s always so many more other ones waiting to be caught by you.

Good luck!

Hi! My name is Nicholas and I am an upcoming freshman at Northwest University in Washington State. It has been a dream of mine to go to this school ever since I first decided to become a youth pastor during the summer between my freshman and sophomore year in high school.  I intend to major in youth ministries at school.

The best part about going to college is not having to pay for it! How you ask? Well last winter I applied for the Act Six Scholarship which is for students who are leaders and want to learn how to be a leader through the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Sounds easy right? Well it took a lot of hard work and time, as do all scholarships. Even through the summer, work is required, what I mean by this is meetings every Tuesday and plenty of homework. Yet it is the least I can do, I mean this foundation is paying my way through college and all they ask is that I do the work and make a lasting impact on my community.

Enough about me, I am here to share ideas with you guys on how to get prepared and through college and don’t worry I’ll be trying to do the same thing myself.

Thanks for reading the blog!

firstgencollegekid

One of the first things I had to figure out as a beginning freshman was how to save money on buying college textbooks.

The first step is to get the booklist for each class. Sometimes the booklists can be obtained from a campus advisor or online when you search by course description or ID number. Other times it is distributed the first day of class. Make sure you note which edition you need for each book because there maybe small changes between editions or major rewrites. If you have questions about editions, I recommend you ask your professor if an older edition would suffice.

Once you have the booklists for your classes, go to the college bookstore and note the price for each of your required books. Typically, prices of books in the school’s bookstore are more expensive than other options. Often in the bookstore you will find new and used prices. It is good to note both prices for each book.

Other options for buying books are:

• A student who has previously taken the course(s)
• A student operated book exchange/bookstore; this could be a physical room or a website
• Online websites; personally I recommend http://amazon.com/ and http://halfpricebooks.com/ but remember to include shipping and handling costs when you are comparing prices

Older books like classic novels tend to be cheaper online than at the school’s bookstore. If a professor asks you to purchase a book that is out of print, meaning no longer being published, the book can most likely be found on some online bookstore or through a previous student. If you can find a student who is one or two years ahead of you in your major, you may be able to buy most of your books from that one student. In some cases, students are generous and will give you the books you need for free.

If you have the chance, buy your books as soon as possible. Math and science books may be more limited online and the sooner you buy them the less stress you will have in finding them later.

If you find that the only way to secure a particular book is through the bookstore, consider buying one in the best condition possible and then use it gently so that you can sell it for at least half its original cost.

When you go to sell your previous years books, try selling them directly to students because this could get you more money than selling the through the bookstore at school or online.

Don’t let buying books stress you out. Just make sure you are getting what you are paying for.

Hello, I am Miss RunningStart. I am a senior in high school. I am registered at a small public high school focused on math and science in the Seattle area. Athough I am a high schooler, I have been taking fulltime college courses as a Running Start student at a local community college for a year.

Running Start allows high school students to not only graduate with their high school diploma but also an AA/AS/AB. Washington State pays for up to 18 credits a quarter for junior and senior high school students enrolled in the Running Start Program.  Washington State has offered the program since 1990. It is well accepted at most private and public universities in the United States. In fact my older sister wishes she had done it because the private college she attended in the midwest accepts running start credits.

I am planning on applying to Whitworth University, a small private college in Spokane, WA, for my junior and senior years to get a BA in early childhood education.

I am a member of AffinityCare Student Assistance Program and am happy to share some of my experiences in this Student to Student blog.

I welcome comments and feedback.