Category: college references

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Four High School Graduation Gift Ideas

Are you wondering what to get a high school graduate as a graduation gift? Here are 4 practical gift ideas for a high school graduate who will be attending a residential college in the fall:

  1. College apparel (e.g., a hoodie) from the college they plan to attend in the Fall
  2. The book “The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College” by Harlan Cohen for advice about dealing with the day to day “surprises” they are likely to encounter at college.
  3. A gift certificate for a store like Bed, Bath and Beyond to purchase college dorm necessities like XL sheets, a shower tote, and shower shoes.
  4. A photography session to capture important events and people (e.g., high school graduation, graduation party, close relatives and friends). If you are looking for a central Jersey photographer, contact April Ludwig Photography at info@aprilludwig.com.
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Rich Educational Opportunities at College

Rich educational opportunities support student learning and development at college according to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) at Indiana University for Postsecondary Research. NSSE suggests that students ask colleges the following questions to learn about the college’s rich educational opportunities:

  • “How many courses include community-based service-learning projects?
  • What types of honors courses, learning communities, and other distinctive programs are offered?
  • How many students get practical, real-world experience through internships or off-campus field experiences?
  • How many students study in other countries?
  • What co-curricular activities are most common (performing arts, athletics, fraternities and sororities, guest speakers, etc.)?”

Here are examples of rich educational opportunities at colleges and universities:

The College of New Jersey
  • 91 percent complete internships (American University).
  • All students study abroad (Goucher College).
  • More than seventy courses combine academics with service work in the community (George Washington University).
  • As an alternative to a major and a minor, students can do the Nexus program which builds opportunities for internships, off-campus research, and public presentations in addition to coursework. Participating students can select from one of nine pre-professional tracks (Mount Holyoke College).
  • Community service organization arranges for students to volunteer in about 600 placements (Smith College).
  • Students dorm their freshman year with those in their first year seminar class (The College of New Jersey).
  • Students complete an independent study project in the last two years of college (College of Wooster).
  • Students staff and manage nine campus businesses (University of Massachusetts – Amherst).
  • The Outside the Classroom curriculum is an optional co-curricular program that rounds out the college experience with activities in leadership development, sense of self, service to others, and art appreciation (University of Pittsburgh).
  • Students can spend a semester getting hands-on conservation education from the Smithsonian Institution, George Mason University, and wildlife protection agencies (George Mason University).
  • All students do independent research for three years in the January term and all complete a senior project or write a thesis that they defend before a faculty committee (New College of Florida).
New College of Florida

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Some of my favorite college references

Here are a few of my favorite college planning reference books and websites organized by category.  What other references do you like and use?
Figuring out what makes a college right for you: College Match
College Majors: Book of Majors
College Guides:
·         The Princeton Review, The Best 3xx Colleges
·         Fiske Guide to Colleges
·         America’s Best Colleges for B Students
·         Colleges That Change Lives
·         Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers
·         The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences
·         Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges
College Search Sites:
Chance for acceptance: Naviance scattergrams from your high school
Financial Aid:
·         Financial Aid information- http://www.finaid.org/
·         FAFSA Web site – http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
·         CSS Financial Aid PROFILE – https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
·         Federal Student Aid – http://studentaid.ed.gov/
·         Some legitimate college scholarship search sites:

Net Price Calculator – on each college’s website

 

College Visits:
·         “A Pocket Guide To Choosing a College: Questions to Ask on Your College Visits” by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) – http://nsse.indiana.edu/pdf/NSSE_PocketGuide.pdf
·         On-line visit – www.youniversitytv.com
Common Application: http://www.commonapp.org/
College Essay: Conquering the College Admissions Essay on 10 Steps
Going to College Advice Guide:  The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College

Expected Pay when you Graduate: www.payscale.com
For students with Learning Differences:
·         “K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” by Marybeth Kravets and Imy Wax.
·          Information on SAT and ACT accommodations – http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/ssd and http://www.act.org/aap/disab/index.html.

·         “Questions for the Office of Disability Support” by Rana Slosberg on http://tourcollege.blogspot.com/2010/09/questions-for-office-of-disability.html.