Life Tips for College Students | Student Community Initiative » Featured

Nursing School Tips

NurseKC — Mon, 30 May 2011 20:42:41 +0000

There is huge need for nurses and health care practitioners in the US right now, so the field is growing and there are plenty of program options at traditional and online campuses.

If you are on this academic track or may be interested in it, below is an informative presentation on what to expect. There are some great tips on surviving nursing school from students who have done just that. Thank you, Victoria and Casey for sharing your nursing school experiences with us, and congrats on your success.

Places to Study: Best College Campuses

Professor UP — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:42:41 +0000

While the US News & World Report ranks the top colleges every year, these schools do not necessarily reside on the best looking or most exciting campuses in the US. Certain American universities have become iconic, stand alone works of architectural wonder. Their landscapes are beautiful, their histories are tied in with the fabric of the community, and very often, entire neighborhoods, if not cities, have been built around these academic centers of higher learning. Now we can not list every gorgeous or dynamic campus in this article, so forgive me if I neglect your alma mater, an institution to which you have an emotional connection, and/or one you are certain deserves to be on this list. As with any opinion based post, I am sure there will be much debate and disagreement, but what can not be disputed is that the following campuses are beautiful, lively, and renowned in their own right. Below is a list of my top ten college campuses, providing top tier academics, gorgeous facilities and scenery, and an abundance of activities.

Harvard University

This scholastic powerhouse offers more than just the top academic institution in the world. Beyond its colonial charm and gorgeous architecture, Cambridge, MA is an amazing university town with Harvard, MIT, Boston College, and Boston University in the vicinity. Not to mention that Boston, a thriving metropolis with an opera house, great restaurants, and plenty of sports passion is right across the bridge.

University of Wisconsin

Madison is on everyone’s list of favorite college towns. The lake view creates a landscape considered by many to be the most beautiful of any campus in the US. Not to mention that the sports teams, party life, and education are top tier. If you want the true campus experience in a trendy and fun town that isn’t a sprawling metropolis, UW in Madison is your spot.

Tulane University

Obviously, New Orleans in an incredibly unique town. The food is second to none with jambalaya, Gumbo, craw fish, and other Cajun and Creole specialties on the menu. Marti Gras anyone? Besides the benefits of the city, Tulane is a top university with a varied social scene, from Greek to independent options, one will never be bored on this attractive southern campus.

University of Washington

Cherry trees in bloom are a common site on this marvel of a campus. The natural beauty here is second to none. Activities are abundant as well, whether it is watching the huskies play football or basketball or frequenting one of the great cities in the US…Seattle, WA. If you are the laid back west coast type, and can handle a bit of rain, UW is an amazing combination of nature meets city meets scholastic opportunity.

University of Virginia

This campus is a “Southern Bell.” You will feel as if you are walking through colonial America as you trek to class or through the streets of Charlottesville. The home of the founding father and university founder Thomas Jefferson is overflowing with history and tradition. The campus is beautiful and Washington D.C. can be visited on the weekends if you feel the need for a city break. This top public university is a great option for anyone looking for a bit of southern charm in their life.

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor is perhaps the ultimate college town. It is lively, it is cultured, it has elite academics, and offers an abundance of activities. For the sports crazed or the sophisticated artist types Ann Arbor is a versatile town that can satisfy its varied student population. The architecture and campus topography is eye candy as well, from its foliage to its roman libraries, Ann Arbor is a special place.

Stanford University

Perhaps the most beautiful university in America, the “Harvard of the West Coast” is a special place. Stanford is in the heart of California’s wine country and provides a pristine setting within which to study towards a college degree. The campus itself is not as lively as some of the others on the list, so weekend trips to San Francisco and local vineyard attractions may be in the cards. Either way, if you are lucky enough to be to get into this elite institution, jump on it….and if not, at least visit this Palo Alto campus once in your life.

University of Colorado

Nestled in the Rockies, Boulder Colorado offers a beautiful and unique setting within which to attend college. Nature lovers and hippies have long voyaged to this locale to enjoy outdoor activities from bike riding to hiking to skiing. The school itself offers a top tier education and an amazing Greek and party scene. And for those needing some city action, trips to Denver are always an option. If you like granola and camping, the University of Colorado may be the right spot for you.

New York University

New York, New York. Not much else needs to be said. NYU has top academic programs, but its biggest attraction is the city itself. If you are looking for the college town experience, this is probably not the best option for you. But if you are intrigued by a school located in the grandest metropolis of them all, then you can do no better than NYU. The SOHO and Bleeker Street area is up and coming with bars, shops and restaurants popping up everyday. Food and nightlife is second to none, of course. I mean really, would you expect anything less of NYC?

University of Texas

Hook Em Horns! Austin is not a small stereotypical conservative Texas town. In fact, its a capital of rock bands and an underground alternative music scene. Yep, the University of Texas campus is in an amazing, lively community of arts and culture. Now, of course, football and the sports scene still reign supreme on this traditional college campus, but never doubt that the academics are elite and the activities abundant in this beautiful and charming town.

AIFS – Top Study Abroad Destinations

DR.Howard — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:26:28 +0000

The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) is the leading provider of study abroad programs in the US. Over a million students have traveled abroad with AIFS since its inception in 1964. AIFS, with its extensive resources and experience in safeguarding traveling students’ welfare, provides a safe and uniquely authentic travel abroad opportunity. AIFS program fees are guaranteed in dollars, making it a great option for students traveling on a budget. The program fee is all-inclusive, making it simple to live and study abroad.

Well, AIFS clearly offers a simple option for studying abroad, but what it can’t do is choose your destination for you. With programs in Asia, Australia, Europe, South Africa and the Americas, the hardest part of the process may indeed be deciding where to study. While many students choose a country based on a language they have studied or want to learn, most AIFS campuses offer courses in English as well, so if language is not a priority, you are really free to choose any location on the globe. While everyone will have differing opinions and aspirations in terms of where they want to travel and what they want to see, below are my top 5 choices for study abroad opportunities. In other words, based on my own travels and from talking with students that have studied abroad, these are the destinations that I would most recommend.

Barcelona

Technically, Barcelona is in Spain, but any local will tell you that he is Catalan first, then Spanish. Spain’s second largest metropolis after Madrid is a living, breathing museum of a city. Its parks, museums, and buildings are second to none in terms of history and originality. One can’t help but be in awe when walking down las Ramblas, through Gaudi’s Parc Guell, or into la Sagrada Familia. Barcelona is a cultural titan, oh, and did I mention its top beaches? If you are looking for a classic European travel abroad experience, Barcelona has to be at the top of your list. Paris has nothing on this Spanish gem.

Rome

Many people will tell you that if you are going to study abroad in Italy, Florence is the city. I respectfully disagree. Florence is beautiful, and the museums and art are second to none, but this is something you can see in a few days. Unless you are an architect or an art major, I would definitely think about Rome as your Italy study abroad destination. The city is alive and the history is second to none. This is the Roman empire we are talking about. The colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, the restaurants, the night life….Rome has it all. The energy is incredible and you will not be surrounded by tourists and study abroad students like you would be in Florence. Instead you will have a chance to mingle with the local population.

Cape Town

While the history of apartheid in South Africa is nothing short of inhumane brutality, Cape Town offers a unique opportunity to study in an evolving and rapidly advancing region of Africa. No doubt you will witness first hand the effects of historical injustices and racist policies on the local population. That being said, you will also have the opportunity to see one of the most beautiful natural locations on the face of the earth. Not to mention that you will be living in one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world on a daily basis, but can escape to the bush on the weekends, taking a safari into African plains.

Sao Paulo

While it may not be Rio de Janeiro when it comes to partying, Sao Paulo is no doubt a true experience in living the Brazilian Samba lifestyle. Enjoy the sun, food, and beautiful people in this the largest Brazilian city. This metropolis is known worldwide and has significant influence nationally and internationally, in terms of culture, economy and politics. Its parks and museums are famous, but the true pleasure in studying in such a locale is interacting with people and learning to live in the moment. Brazil may not boast the cultural opportunities of some of the European destinations, but no doubt a stay in Sao Paulo and traveling through other Brazilian cities will leave students wishing to return. Your perspective on life will never be quite the same after this journey.

Sydney

This largest and most populous city of Australia is an absolute gem. Not only will you get the true fell of the land down under and all its quirky customs, but you will have the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful and surprisingly cultural capitals in the world. While the opera house is iconic for its architectural significance, the orchestra and music they produce are world renowned. You also have the incredible opportunity to visit the outback and experience creatures most of us only see on the Nature Channel. While this location is a long, long ways from home, it is most unique in the sites and perspectives you will achieve. After all, you will be living on the wrong side of the equator!

Fraternities: Is Greek Life Right For You

Jordan Michaels — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:28:16 +0000

I have to admit…Upon entering college the extent of my knowledge on the Greek system was from the classic fraternity film “Animal House”. I didn’t have any older siblings or friends who had been through college and the frat system so I was really on my own in deciding whether or not Greek Life was for me. So I showed up last fall as a nervous freshman and went through the whole rush week scene. It was totally intimidating, going from house to house, meeting all the “brothers”, many of whom were juniors and seniors twice my size, and bs’ing about what I was looking for in a “house”. Honestly, I was looking for the easiest way to get chicks, and the frats seemed to have a monopoly on that for underclassmen. It also seemed like a great network to have down the road….I mean you were pretty much forced into friendship with these guys by joining their group, for better or worse. To this day “Animal House” remains one of favorite movies, but real Greek Life, like many things you see in the movies, is quite different in reality. Now when I watch that movie, I think to myself how naive I truly was to believe that was all there was to college life and the Greek system.

Well, rush week was a blast all in all. The awkwardness of the rush process was totally masked by the insane parties on campus. As a freshman who visited all the houses to potentially join, I was invited to stop by for all the parties they would have that weekend. Of course it was amazing. Free alcohol for an 18 year old, and hot chicks going out of their way to talk to me, albeit in an effort to recruit me for their respective brother fraternities. Even knowing it wasn’t always going to be that sweet, I was wide-eyed and sold on the Greek system. Big deal if I had to be a lemming or follower….it’s not as if I was the only one…..Something like 40% of students on our campus were part of the Greek system.

So, I rushed three of the major houses on campus and got a bid to my first choice. Pledge night was insane as they invaded the dorm and dragged us out in our underwear. Well, the easy part was over. The entire semester was then brutal, culminating in “Hell Week” where we were hazed and beat down like prisoners before finally being initiated. I have to admit, my grades definitely suffered. All the partying, chores, drinking, and just obligations to the “House” took their toll on my freshman year. I really did bond with a bunch of my brothers going through the hazing process, and I know that is a big reason fraternities use these rituals, but honestly I could have done without a bunch of the military abuse. While most of the older guys in the house were cool and understanding, there is always that one meat-head prick who goes out of his way to torture the weaker defenseless frosh, just so he feels better about his dormant homosexuality.

Now that I have survived the pledge term and all its negatives, I am loving the frat life. Sure, I wish it wasn’t so exclusive towards non-Greek members, as I have often had trouble getting some of my independent friends into parties, but overall it was the right choice for me. I have met a bunch of girls, been to some great date and crush parties, and made some great friends. That being said, I will definitely be more chill with the incoming class of freshmen next year than some of the bullies were to us this year. Making someone clean the house or drive them to class is one thing, but physical torture, naked humiliations, sleep deprivation, and forced alcohol consumption are not only not cool, but dangerous activities. Had I known before hand that I would have to go through all that to get into a fraternity, I probably never would have joined. But at this point it’s water under the bridge, I guess, and I will get the most out of the experience and my remaining time on campus.

How to Find the Best Deals on Textbooks

Thrive — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:10:54 +0000

As students, we are ,or atleast should be always on the lookout for ways to save money. In recent years, sites that offer textbook rental have been popping up all over the internet. There are the heavyweights in the market like BookRenter and Chegg, along with countless other reputable websites that offer students outstanding discounts on their textbooks. With so many companies offering textbook rentals, it can difficult to locate the best price. Lucky for us though, there are sites like CampusBooks.com.

CampusBooks.com is a unique website that scans through the most popular textbook websites and allows students to compare prices on rentals, as well as on new and used textbooks. Their goal is to ensure that students are able to find the best deals on textbooks, while saving them the time and hassel of manually browsing each website. To get an idea of how awesome CampusBooks service really is, search for a few of your textbooks in the widget below. It will automatically pull up the best deals from all of the top textbook rental companies. You can also head over to CampusBooks.com to search for your books.

Widget

Textbook Prices by CampusBooks.com

Find Books On-the-Go

CampusBooks takes the search for the best textbook prices a step further by offering students the option to browse books on-the-go. With apps for both iPhone and the Android platform, students can always find the best prices using the price-comparison tool. The app has some pretty amazing features like barcode scanning which enables you to quickly pull of book prices simply by taking a photo of the barcode. Another feature takes advantage of GPS technology by showing you the closest bookstores that carry the exact textbook you need.

To read more about the app visit Campusbooks.com.

To Close

It’s always important to search around for the best deals on textbooks, and CampusBooks makes it easier than ever. Whether you are buying new, used, or renting, be sure to save as much money as you can. Keep in mind things like shipping cost and speed, rental period, and pricing structure when looking for the best deal.

One of my favorite places to rent textbooks is from BookRenter.com. They have a 5 star guarantee and lightning fast shipping. We have recently teamed up with BookRenter and opened our own bookstore. If you want to support CollegeThrive, head over to http://go.bookrenter.com and get your books, or use the widget above.

Get Class Notes Online

Thrive — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:00:10 +0000

For many of us, taking notes in class usually doesn’t go over so well. Mostly because we are sleeping, browsing facebook, or hung over from the night before. Still though, getting the notes is something that has to be done if you want to pass a college course. Lucky for you (and myself), there is help!

Below is a collection of great websites where you can find the notes your classmate took while you were sleeping. Check them out!

1. GradeGuru.com

GradeGuru.com is a notes sharing website where you can find course-specific notes. You can easily invite your friends and classmates to join so you can all benefit from the note sharing. A cool thing about GradeGuru is, when other users download your notes, you earn reward points which are redeemable for cash.

2. ShareNotes.com

Sharenotes.com is another awesome way to find notes for a class. You can browse notes by school, subject, class, and professor, so it is easy to find the notes you are looking for. They have also made it very quick and easy to download the notes once you find them. Another great feature of sharenotes.com is that you earn reward points everytime you download, post, or sell notes. These reward points are redeemable for items such as iPods, camcorders, gift cards and more!

3. WiseCampus.com

WiseCampus.com is built around student involvement, and is driven by users submitting and downloading notes. Like Gradeguru, you can earn financial rewards by submitting your notes into the community. Be sure to check out their rewards catalog to see what you can redeem your points for.

Additional Sites

Conclusion

Well, now that you have these great resources, you can feel better about sleeping during your professors lectures. (That last statement was mostly a joke. You shouldn’t get in the habit of relying only on sites like these, but they definitely are very useful when you are unable to take notes.)

These are 3 of the best sites for online note sharing that I know of. The great thing about them is that they are always growing, and you can be a part of that by submitting some of your own notes. There is nothing better than getting rewarded by helping your classmates out by uploading your class notes.

Why You Should Rent Textbooks

Thrive — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:40:12 +0000

Textbooks are a pretty big chunk of your college expenses. If you choose to buy them, you are looking to spend around $900 per year for all of your textbooks. There is another option though. You can rent your textbooks online and drastically reduce the amount of money that you spend on your textbooks. Sometimes saving up to 85% on your textbooks.

Check out the savings for yourself! Here are a few sites that offer textbook rentals.

Chegg.com

Chegg is the #1 Textbook rental service and has saved students a total of $71,596,544.54 and this number continues to grow every second! It is very easy to use and they have thousands of textbooks. They also have very quick shipping so you can get that book at the last minute. With Chegg, you can Save $500 a Year on Textbooks. There are not enough great things I can say about this service. Use Chegg.com to Rent Textbooks!

Here are some alternative textbook rental sites that you can check out. I haven’t personally used any of the below services before, but I’m sure they are great. If any of you have used them though please review them in the comment section. Thanks!

BookRenter.com

“College bookstores are expensive and finding reliable used textbooks can be a hassle. Why bother when you can rent your books online for a fraction of the cost? As the best way to rent textbooks, BookRenter.com is here to make education more affordable. Register Now and see what renting books can do for you.” Save hundreds on your college textbooks with BookRenter.com!

CampusBookRentals.com

“Renting textbooks makes sense plain and simple. Every rental comes with a worry free guarantee within the first 15 days if you drop your class or change your mind, you keep more cash in your pocket up front, you can order from the comfort of your home or office, it doesn’t cost a penny to return your rented textbooks when you’re done with them (we even provide the package), and you don’t have to worry about disappointing buyback prices at the end of the semester. Let us take the risk that your textbook will be worthless next semester; you don’t have to anymore.” Check out Campusbookrentals.com!

KnetBooks.com

“Knetbooks is a division of Knetwit.com. Our goal is to give back to the students and to make education affordable for all. Knetbooks is a textbook rental site that helps students save money on textbooks that they would normally have to buy anyway. We also want to help educate people less fortunate and will donate books and scholarships to schools, organizations, and people in need.”

Skoobit.com

“Skoobit is an online textbook rental company which delivers the very best in customer service making textbook rental very easy. Our rental service saves students up to 85% off by just renting, which also saves the environment, whereby students are reusing books.”

Conclusion

There you have it, five awesome services to help cut the cost of college. Happy renting!

How much have you saved this year?

Find Scholarships Online

Thrive — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:29:18 +0000

We all know how expensive it is to attend college. With it being so expensive, you should do everything you can to make college more affordable. One of the most common ways to do this is by getting a scholarship. Many people believe that scholarships are only for people with outstanding grades. This is not true, even if you do not have good grades, there are still plenty of options to receive a scholarship. Here are some great websites where scholarship opportunities can be found.

FastWeb.com

“FastWeb has exclusive tools for students to search for college scholarships by their interests. Our unique matching feature lets students search for college scholarships that match their educational goals and activities after they fill out a personal profile. Our easy-to-follow form asks for their educational background, school activities, and what they plan on studying in college. Students have the power to search, find, and apply for college scholarships all on one website!”

This is truly an awesome website. It is filled with opportunities to win scholarships. They claim that 1 in 8 applicants receive a scholarship. On the website, you will find scholarships based on merit, promotional scholarships, and need-based scholarships. Need money for college? Use FastWeb’s free scholarship search to find information on more than 600,000 scholarships!

Scholarships.com

“Scholarships.com makes the scholarship search process both fast and easy by using our unique filtering process and sophisticated relevancy algorithm to sort and rank scholarship awards based on each user’s individual characteristics. The Scholarships.com difference lies in our database and our scholarship search engine which uses a personal profile to identify the scholarships that are most relevant to each student.”

Scholarships.com has over 2.7 million available scholarships worth a total of 19 billion dollars. That is a ton of scholarships! You should have no problem finding one that you can apply for.

Collegescholarships.org

“We created this site to serve people who are interested in college funding. What makes us unique is that we list a broad array of funding opportunities without asking for information from you. There are no long forms to fill out in order to access our resources.”

This is another site worth checking out if you are interested in obtaining a scholarship. The good thing about collegescholarships.org is that it does not require registration. Although it is not as easy to use as the other two, it is a valuable resource none the less.

What Are You Waiting For?

So there you have it, plenty of scholarship opportunities just waiting to be found. So what are you waiting for? Yeah, most scholarships are going to take a little effort, but doesn’t everything? Put in some hard work, and it will pay off. These are priceless resources that really have the potential to make college more affordable. Believe me, your parents will thank you so much, even for the smallest scholarship.

Didi I miss any awesome scholarship resources? Don’t keep them a secret. Let them be known by leaving a comment below.