Monthly Archives: April 2010

Online colleges have been praised, in part, due to their rapid growth and ability to offer an education to students of any background, regardless of any extraneous situations.  This has attracted both supporters and critics in the education industry, but the one issue that remains to be thoroughly discussed is what will happen over time, when online schooling becomes more mainstream?  There will be little face-to-face communication and we will seemingly be lost in a sea of social media and other technological advances.  Does this mean we as a society are slowly becoming agoraphobic because of the ease with which we have sidled into online education?  Online colleges allow students to take their classes solely from the comfort and privacy …

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If there is one place that many feel safe and secure, that is at school. Many students living in residence halls regularly leave their room doors either unlocked or propped open, inviting in curious neighbors as if they were already old friends. This behavior exemplifies the feeling of general comfort and sanctuary that students feel on campus, where nothing can seemingly go wrong as long as they are surrounded by their professors and peers. Unfortunately, sometimes things do go wrong and that is when the emergency systems that colleges have in place must spring into action to keep students safe. In an environment where there are already stressors plaguing students at every turn, such as worrying about how they will …

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An unfortunate stigma exists that pertains to community colleges. They're often perceived as schools for mediocre high school students who didn't put forth the effort to gain admission into four-year colleges. In truth, plenty of bright and hardworking students choose to attend one because it's the practical choice. According to the College Board, four out of 10 high school graduates today enroll at their local community colleges. The National Center of Education Statistics found that 9.8 million students in total are attending them – 1.1 million more than four-year colleges. The increasing popularity has been sparked by the myriad of advantages provided by community colleges. The most important distinguishing feature is their affordability. The average price of public two-year colleges …

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So college hasn't been the picnic you thought it would be and you've dug yourself into an academic hole. You just now realize that unlike in high school, you have to actually study for exams. You wish you had known important unit-relevant lectures still occur in classes that don't require attendance. You didn't realize that you had to do more than just not show up ever again if you wanted to drop a class. Things are different now. You're own your own and mom and dad aren't there to guide you. It's time to become responsible and self-sufficient because your future depends on it. Everybody goes through hard times during college, and many quit as a result. Some studies show …

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No matter what your major is, you're probably less than inspired by a lot of your class textbooks. But reading is fundamental to the learning process, whether or not you stick to your college syllabus. Take a look at this list of inspirational leaders and the books that helped them find success and become teachers themselves. John F. Kennedy: From Russia With Love, by Ian Fleming: Besides his political and liberal social reputation, President John F. Kennedy was known as a dashing ladies' man who may or may not have had affairs with high-profile women like Marilyn Monroe. His weakness for the fabulous fast life is evident in his list of favorite books, too, which includes the 1957 James Bond …

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Sometimes the idea of going to school online sounds so easy. After all, you don't have to show up in a classroom or drive to a campus, and there's no professor in the room to notice whether or not you're paying attention in class. However, some people get the idea that online classes are less difficult and that all online universities allow you to go at your own pace. The problem is that this is just not true. There's a reason that dropout rates are high at many traditional and online universities, and it is often because students are unprepared for how rigorous college classes can be. Another reason is that students have trouble balancing their time between work and …

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There are many eating movements that have hit hard only to fade out just as quickly. Then there are the ones that never really caught on at all. But out of all of the dieting and eating fads that have come and gone, vegetarianism is by far the most long-lasting and common, proving that nixing meat from your diet is not just another passing trend – it's a serious lifestyle choice and commitment. Luckily for those who practice the vegetarian way, many colleges are now offering scrumptious dining hall fare that will appeal even to meat eaters. Vegetarianism has been around for hundreds of years. People choose to give up eating meat for a variety of reasons, whether it is …

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So you've graduated. Have you found a job? Has your quest to land a job in this miserable economy been a bigger challenge than actually attaining your degree? In November of 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that the jobless rate for 20 to 24-year-olds was 16 percent – the highest it has been in 27 years. The economy has supposedly shown "encouraging signs" since then, but the national unemployment rate remains at just below 10 percent. For you and many of you fellow graduates, it seems that prosperity isn't just around the corner. No amount of clichéd advice will alleviate your anxiety about finding a job, but you really have to remain patient and persistent. Continue to utilize the …

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Science is arguably the most integral force in our lives, connecting humans to each other and to the planet.

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The recent testimonials from students of online colleges have revealed many things about the online education community: the flexibility of classes, the easy scheduling, and the importance of accreditation.  Accreditation ahs become a word that is largely associated with online schools because it plays an important role in ensuring that students receive their degree after years of study.  Without accreditation, the years of study and work will almost have been a waste to these students since they will be unable to have a degree to show for their efforts.  Most of the more popular and widely recognized online colleges such as University of Phoenix and Kaplan University are among the frontrunners for accredited online schools, but the smaller universities are …

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