Besides the sights, food, and sense of adventure that comes with the appeal of studying abroad, there are other elements to the program that can be beneficial to a student’s future. If you are a student, and money is not the main issue that you consider before studying abroad, perhaps you should think about these other facts about studying abroad that will help broaden and nourish your education. You will notice that each point builds off of another.

#1 Become Cultured

Being cultured does not mean that a person becomes snooty. It is becoming well-versed and knowledgeable with other’s surroundings, becoming aware that there are other cultures and people who live different lives than your own. Being cultured is a form of education because you are learning about other people, which actually make you also learn more about yourself.

#2 Learn Independence

This may actually be the immediate appeal of studying abroad for some people – getting away from authority figures. Depending on whether it is a foreign exchange or a group study abroad program, there are still people who you have to check-in with and answer to. However, being without your ordinary care-givers and learning the rules of another chaperone actually forces you to depend on yourself to deal with the changes around you. You may need to go shopping for yourself, get used to the foreign transportation, and learn to communicate with new people. Adjusting to the different lifestyle and regimen makes you depend on your own ability to mature with an ever-changing life, whether it is in a foreign country or when you eventually go back to your own home soil.

#3 Become a Better Student

Learning independence can greatly improve your study habits, which in effect creates a better student. Although there is much to offer with the surroundings in a foreign country, a study abroad program forces students to study hard. If you believe that you are traveling to a foreign country to slack off, you are under the wrong impression. Study abroad programs keep their students busy with classes and homework. A friend of mine told me that his trip to Spain kept him so busy with his school work that he only had time to sight-see on the weekend. And, having spent the money as well as the effort of getting into the program, students feel more inclined to do a good job, and learn to depend on themselves to get a good grade since there isn’t really anyone else to force you to do your homework except for you. But, with all of your new friends around you studying hard, you can feel inspired to try just as hard as everyone else.

#4 Learn a Second Language

Usually, students who study abroad visit with a country that speaks another language. Although this is not always the case, since students could easily study in England, Ireland, or Scotland where they speak English, if you do go to a country with a different language, you are forced to pick up some of it. Even if you do not become fluent in the language, you will at least learn enough to have broken conversations or get by. Knowing a second language is extremely beneficial in regards to your education since schools want students to learn a second language anyway, and speaking at least two languages is even beneficial to your career since most jobs are impressed with applicants who speak more than one language.

#5 Improves Resume

Learning a second language, earning independence, and become cultured are all parts of studying abroad that impress employers. Everything that you can gain from a study abroad program will help you be a better worker in the future, and employers recognize that. Putting your study abroad program on your resume is a great addition to the skills and education you have earned.

Study, study, study… it’s what students do almost every day of their life. And, if they aren’t studying, then they are worried about when they have to start studying again after their short break. Unfortunately, that is just the way of the student. There are good and bad ways to study though. If you are a student who wants to improve your grades, then there are simple tricks and tips to keep in mind that will not only improve your grades, but possibly make your own studying habits a little simpler on yourself.

Overall, it comes down to planning. Think ahead a little bit and try out these 7 things to help improve your study skills and, ultimately, your grades.

#1 Get Rest

Although this has been gone over many times, it is never said enough – Get enough rest before you go to school. Showing up to school tired means that you are not focused on the material that your teacher is lecturing or on what you are reading. If you are having trouble focusing in class while you yawn every ten minutes or more, chances are that you are not getting enough sleep during the night. If you are still skeptical on the importance of getting sleep, there is an entire blog on Eduify that is dedicated to the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.

#2 Eat Before an Exam, (but don’t drink much)

Food is fuel. When people do not eat properly they become tired, weak, and grumpy. None of those symptoms of hunger are conducive to proper concentration while you try to study or attend class. If you are in class and you stomach is grumbling because you skipped breakfast again, you are going to end up daydreaming about food rather than listen to the lecture. Do yourself a favor and eat something that will tide you over while attending class. However, you may not want to drink anything in excess. The feeling of a full bladder and needing to run to the bathroom in the middle of class can be just as distracting as an empty stomach.

#3 Arrive to Class Early

When students are showing up to class late they are often out of breath or are interrupting the instructor’s lesson. A late entrance not only distracts the students, but it distracts the teacher, which is no way to get on a teacher’s good side. Being late also means that you have missed some material that was first given in the beginning of class, which may leave you a bit frazzled and possibly missing even more information as you ask a fellow student, “What did I miss?” I recommend showing up five or ten minutes early to class, so you have time to take your seat and set up your books without disturbing anyone with your backpack’s zipper or adjustments of your chair. An early student is prepared and in a ready state-of-mind to be taught.

#4 Make Flash Cards

Many students make flash cards when they are preparing for a test. I suggest making flash cards even before your test. Make early preparations for your test. If there is some information that you feel will be difficult to remember, you should put it on a flash card, that way when it is time to take your test, most of your flashcards will already be set for you, which should make you more relaxed than having to prepare cards last minute for your test.

#5 Record Lectures

If you happen to have a teacher who goes over material quickly or does not seem to stay on a topic long enough for you in class, ask the instructor if he or she would mind that you record the lecture. With a copy of the lecture in your pocket, you can later rewind and listen to any important parts that you may have missed jotting down in your notes. Most teachers do allow students to bring a recorder in to class, as long as they are warned ahead of time. It is not ethical to record a person talking who is not aware of it, so be sure to ask your teacher for permission before doing so.

#6 Read the Material after the Lecture

It may seem simple, but there are far too many students who only listen to the teacher lecture over a subject, but never actually read the material in the book. After the lecture, make time to read over the same material your instructor went over. Going over a lesson twice will help solidify the information in your memory better.

#7 Discuss Material with Friends

Although most students do not want to talk about their homework, having a discussion about the material you are studying is a great way to help remember information. If you are reading something confusing or interesting, relay that exact information to a friend or family member. When you force yourself to repeat the material and think about the topics in a conversation, you help yourself remember the information better. Since I had trouble remembering dates in history, I used to spout off facts to my brother with, “Did you know…?” He would usually roll his eyes or ignore me because he didn’t want a history lesson, but I just continued talking at him and it was a lot of help for me to remember the facts easier.

Picking an outfit for the first day of class is harder than you think

We have always been taught that first impressions are the most important impressions we make. There is only one shot at it, and if it’s messed up, people have a hard time changing their initial opinion of us. This rule still applies over the course of the semester, as the student. You may believe that you can disappear among the rest of the class-full of students, but this is not true. Instructors observe their students from the very first day, trying to figure out what kind of people they will be dealing with throughout the semester or year. And, since students rarely get to speak the first day of class, the way teachers surmise a student’s character is by observing the way that they dress. Here are some tips on making a good impression with your teachers by dressing in an appropriate manner.

Avoid Wearing Crude T-Shirts

It is very popular to wear shirts with slogans across the chest or back, or to even have large pictures of people or jokes. There may be nothing wrong with this, as long as you are not wearing anything that could be interpreted as offensive, immature, or sleazy. T-shirts displaying girls in bikinis could make your teachers uncomfortable, as well as the other female classmates. Similarly, you can easily lose your teachers and some classmates’ respect by wearing shirts with foul language or inappropriate jokes. I once had a friend who wore a shirt displaying the best ways to avoid taking a test. Although his friends were amused, the teacher was not. If a teacher loses respect for you, it is less likely that that teacher will be able to give you the benefit of the doubt when you need assistance or tell him or her that you need an extension on some homework.

Don’t Wear Provocative Clothing

Skimpy clothing on men or women is not appropriate in the classroom. Young ladies in low-cut tops and young men who wear thin undershirts with nothing else can make the professors feel uncomfortable. Provocative clothing can be distracting to other students or teachers by constantly drawing other people’s eyes towards you. It can also make professors feel that you are disrespecting the class by trying to use the classroom as a time to pick up a date instead of learning from the lecture. Getting an education can be looked at as a form of a job, so dressing in a more serious manner than clubbing attire should be taken into consideration.

Take Off Your Sunglasses During Class

Students who wear sunglasses appear as if they are trying to ignore everyone around them. This is disrespectful to a teacher, who may feel as if the student is not listening to the lecture. Having witnessed one student who always came to class with sunglasses, I know first-hand that both the teacher and the other students would comment how unfriendly and rude the sunglass-wearing student appeared.

Do Not Overdress for Class

Some students think that they need to come to class looking as if they are dressed for the office. Showing up in button up shirts or high heels cannot be comfortable as you sit at a desk for over an hour. Yes, you want to make a good impression, but wearing clothing that is stiff or stuffy could make you so uncomfortable that you are distracted from the lecture and hinder your learning ability.

Wear Something Appropriate to Your Style

It is important to make a good impression, but it is also important that your fashion choices also show some of the real you. You don’t need to go out and buy new clothes just because you need to make a good impression. Use what is in your closet, but just keep in mind that the clothes you wear will be what the teacher uses to profile you with over the course of the school year. Dressing nice the first day and then changing your style completely in the next few weeks will not maintain a good impression.

Finding the right internship is not as tricky as it seems.

By Amelia Anderson

Although internships are like taking on a part-time job while students are finishing their education, they are actually very beneficial to future goals. Internships will not only give you experience in the field you are interested in pursuing, but they usually act as some form of school credit, can potentially open a possible permanent position within that same company in the future, and some will actually offer a small payment or stipend. All in all, internships are great ways to get you on the right career path. Even if you find that you no longer hold interest in your field, then the internship has served the purpose of showing you whether you would feel compatible with that career or not. Whether you are in high school or college, here are some tips on finding the internship that will be beneficial for you.

Ask Your Teachers

Teachers are a great source of information when it comes to your school and whatever jobs might be available in it. Chances are, at least one of your teachers will know of an internship at the school, which will make it easy for you to get to your job and classes on time. And, since your teachers have gotten to know you pretty well over the course of months or years, they are inclined to have your best interests in mind with your future plans. If you are interested in becoming an editor, ask your writing teacher if he or she knows of any internships that are related to the editing field. In my own experience, I had a teacher who referred me to taking an internship in a Writing Center because I was interested in becoming a writer.

Browse Online

There are plenty of job-listings that actually list available internships, as well. Just punch in the word “internship” into your search engine and plenty of helpful sites will pop up. Websites like http://www.craigslist.org, www.internships.com, and http://college.monster.com are great resources for finding internships for a specific field. Be sure that you are dealing with a legitimate company for your internship, though. Some internships are offered that do not provide school credit or any compensation, which is not a productive use of your time. Get another individual’s opinion, like one of your professor’s, to see whether or not the internship you have found online will benefit your career goals.

Check the School’s Career Center

Schools are meant to help people earn a better career, so college campuses provide a career center for their students as an extra step in those future plans. Career centers will not only help you find an internship that is suitable for you, but they will also help you prepare a resume and possible even provide some coaching and tips for your interviews. Yes, even an internship requires an interview. Internships not only provide experience, but they help prepare students to deal with the pressures of a regular job, which also requires an interview and resume.

Ask Friend and Family

There is no shame in asking the people who are closest to you for help in finding an internship. These days, jobs can be hard to come by, and internships are not an exception to this. It is very common for people to network, using the people they are close with as resources for inside information on job and intern openings. If you know someone who is working in a field that is related to your own future goals, then ask that friend or family member about any internship openings. If that person can recommend you to his or her boss, then you are already ahead of the game by having a personal reference within the company.

Check the Newspaper’s Classifieds

It may seem old fashioned to some people, but leafing through a newspaper can be useful in finding an internship. It not only lists available jobs, but it lists available internships, too. Although most people prefer to search for their information online, sometimes when the cyber world of searching lets people down, it is helpful to use a different resource and open up the black and white pages of the classified section of the newspaper. If you ever feel stumped with your searches, try a different source. There is always more than one.

When I was a freshman, I was stressing through my first college exams when my brother,  who was three years above me and had already learned the ins and outs of college life, took me aside and said: “Find the Egg Chair. Trust me.”

Mystified, I followed his directions to the Counseling Center on campus, where I found a room called Stress Services. The room was dimly lit, and soft music was playing in the background.

“Um, excuse me?” I asked the student receptionist. “Is this where I can find the Egg Chair?”

The student nodded, and asked for my student ID card. “Come this way,” he said, and I followed him into a small room, where a massive massage chair lay waiting. I could see why they called it the Egg Chair—it had a circular seat and a little white dome overhead. “You can turn on the music if you want,” he said, gesturing to a stereo behind the chair. “You’re entitled to thirty minutes,” and then he left the room.

I was awestruck. How was it that, halfway through dead week, I was somehow entitled to my own personal massage chair? Just how many university students knew about the magical Egg Chair? And what other equivalent services could I cash in on with my school ID card?

As it turns out, most colleges and universities offer a plethora of student services. Believe it or not, but schools are not just for classes. Now that your semester is winding down, here’s a list of the Top 5 Campus Resources You Forgot Were There. You never know, there might be an Egg Chair out there for you.

5. Drop-in Tutoring

The transition from high school to college can be a big academic jump. For this reason, most schools have an on-campus tutoring center where students can make appointments or drop in to get help with their homework.  Depending on the class, your professors might be able to direct you to a specific extracurricular workshop that corresponds with your field. Many of these tutoring services are also linked to programs such as the Economic Opportunity Program (EOP) and the National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCSA), so if you qualify for those scholarships, you are usually guaranteed a certain number of tutoring hours per semester.

If you can’t make the tutoring times, you can always get help here on Eduify with writing. We offer a whole group of great writing tutors that are standing by 24×7.

4. Counseling Services

As my experience with the Egg Chair shows, Counseling Services can apply to a variety of different things. For many students, starting college can be a surprising life change, and sometimes it can be hard to ask for help away from home. It is also common for certain health conditions, such as depression or bipolar disorder, to emerge in late adolescence, so it’s always a good idea to check in with counselors if you feel the need. Most colleges will offer a series of counseling sessions with a therapist, and can refer you to other resources if necessary.

3. Career Services:

Here’s a service I wish I’d utilized more as an undergrad. Most colleges have programs in place to help students meet with career counselors, take aptitude tests, research grad schools and internships, and attend resume and job skills workshops. These are amazing resources that are pretty hard to find once you leave school. Many career centers also offer a service where students can save letters of recommendation from their professors on file, in the event they want to apply to grad school. This is great because professors can write your recommendations while your work is still fresh in their minds, and also helpful if you plan to take time off before applying to graduate school.

2. Study Abroad Services:

The opportunity to study in another country is a privilege that might not interest everyone. That said, it is an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in another country, and, sometimes, language. Even if you have no plans to leave the country, it is worth visiting your school’s study abroad center, if only to meet exchange students on your campus and learn about school and internship opportunities beyond your college. Many majors and departments have affiliated programs in other countries, especially foreign languages. Given the state our economy is in these days, many companies value students who have lived, studied, or worked abroad. ¿Por qué no?

1. Recreation Services:

Most colleges these days support athletics programs in a huge range of sports: football, basketball, soccer, swimming, water polo, volleyball…sailing. That said, you don’t have to be on a college team to use the facilities and equipment on campus. As a student, I often registered for half-unit recreation classes such as weight lifting, aerobics, or swimming, just to become familiar with the facilities. Of course, you don’t need to take a class to use a Stairmaster. Take advantage of these services while you’re enrolled; they get a lot pricier once you graduate!

Believe it or not, but universities offer a lot more than simply classes. Regardless if this is your first semester or your last, you still have time to take advantage of some of the student services on campus. Many students might not realize just how many programs help universities run, as well as how many services they qualify for. So what are you waiting for?

by Julia H. Jackson

Sometimes the simplest questions provoke the most complicated answers. When applying for college, you will be asked to write an essay that distills your personality into a few short paragraphs. Just how do you define yourself to an admissions advisor without appearing like just another one of the thousands of other applicants out there? In this, our last installment of Write Like You Mean It, we’ll pick apart a few application prompts and show you how to craft a unique personal statement essay.

Personal Statement Prompts for Undergraduate Fall 2010 Admission:

From the Common Application, used by dozens of participating Ivy League institutions:

Applicants have their choice of prompts. The essays must be at least 250 words, and each individual college might have its own length preference. Topics include:

1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

3.  Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

From the University of California:

Freshmen applicants are expected to both “Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.” and share a “personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you” while relating how this “makes you proud” and “the person you are.”

Both essays must be limited to a combined total of 1000 words. At about 500 words per single-spaced page, that’s four double-paged pages total to describe who you are to an academic institution.

The personal statement prompt is a challenge. Colleges are already asking you your SAT, ACT, and AP test scores, evidence of your extracurricular activities and academic achievements, as well as teacher references and school transcripts. This is your opportunity to establish your own personality, and to show not only how qualified you are, but how unique you are. Where do you start?

Step One: Key Terms.

Just as you are expected to express a lot about yourself in few words, the applications are asking broad questions in minimal terms. These words are carefully placed. Zero in on the most important ideas in each question and reflect on them before writing. Just what is “diversity?” What constitutes an “ethical dilemma?”

Reflect on each term’s various meanings, and how your interpretation might be different from someone else’s. Then, be prepared to brainstorm a creative approach.

Step Two: Brainstorm.

As with any first draft, sitting down to write for the first time might be daunting. Here are several techniques to get the ideas going:

Mind Maps. Circle your main idea (for example, influential figures) and draw lines that extend out. On each line, write in a related idea, such as names of friends, family, clergy, teachers, or even characters in novels. Make notes about your relationships to each of these people, and why they are important to you.

Free Write. Write the main idea at the top of your page, and set a timer for ten minutes. Pay no attention to spelling, grammar, or syntax (that comes later), and write down whatever comes to mind. Try not to edit or stop the flow.

Outline. If you already have a clear idea of your main arguments, organize your ideas into numbered and lettered lists. Label each section “Introduction,” “Body,” and “Conclusion,” and be sure to include a clear, concise thesis statement.

Step Three: Thesis Statement.

That’s right. Just because you aren’t comparing characters in a novel or deconstructing the Civil War, doesn’t mean you won’t need a solid thesis statement. Any well-written article or persuasive essay needs a good thesis. And where else do you need persuasion than when you are applying for college? Here are some tips for formulating a good thesis:

Distill your overall ideas into one main argument. Who is the most influential person in your life? Why? Write that into one sentence, and when you are done with your first draft, go back and fine-tune it to reflect related ideas.

Reflect key terms from the essay prompt. Although it is imperative that you use your own, carefully-chosen words, it is always a good idea to weave in key terms from the prompt. This will show them that you have read and interpreted the question.

Relate each paragraph back to the main idea. This doesn’t mean repeating your thesis in each paragraph; it just means reinforcing your overall point. Transitional terms and phrases help relate ideas between paragraphs while reminding readers of the main idea.

Step Four: Write. Then Rewrite.

Get all your ideas down on paper. Let the paper simmer, then share your first draft with someone to get feedback. This someone could be your parents, a teacher, school counselor, or perhaps a friend who has recently applied to college.

Review the instructions, watch your word count, and edit accordingly. Although your ten-page memoir might be stellar, remember that following the directions is as important as answering the question. Keep in mind that the admission committees that will be reviewing your application will also be reading hundreds, if not thousands, of others, and so they will appreciate your concision.

Allow yourself plenty of time to revise drafts. Many colleges make their applications available fairly early in the season, and so the sooner you begin your personal statements, the more time you will have to revise and rewrite.

Bottom Line: Make Personal Statements Personal.

You might have a perfect SAT score. You might be a varsity athlete, champion debater, or involved community volunteer. These are all desirable characteristics that you can list on your college applications, but they do cannot substitute for a carefully crafted personal statement. Regardless if your major is medicine or literature, once you get to college, it is imperative that you express yourself well. This is your first opportunity to show schools what you already know, and how well you can describe it.

Personal statements don’t stop with freshman admission. If you ever plan to attend graduate school, you will be writing another slew of them before long. Any jobs you apply for will require concise, well-written cover letters. These are all tests of your ability to describe and market yourself.

Already in college? Have tips to share? Let us know!

What are 4 things to do on your college visit and 3 things to avoid doing? Read our tips after the jump!

Do socialize

Talk to other students, ask plenty of questions, and most importantly, make sure you stay with a current student during your visit to get a real sense of campus life! As we wrote in 5 things to ask yourself when picking a school, “A variable that often gets overlooked when you apply to school is your inherent personality. Your happiness definitely matters when going off to school, and there is no worse feeling than going to a school you dislike, where you don’t get along with the student body and are unhappy. One thing you have to ask yourself is, in general, what the student body will be like in the ideal school you attend.” It’s important to socialize with other students during your campus visit in order to gauge whether the types of students you meet at the college you are visiting are the type of people you want to spend the next 4 years of your life with.

Do eat

Whether the food is good shouldn’t be one of the bigger deciding factors of choosing a college (because, chances are, the food won’t be good). However, eating at the school cafeterias is a great way to talk to currently enrolled college students. This goes back to our socializing point. Go to the cafeteria, grab a snack, and strike up a conversation with someone. Generally, students are understanding of visiting high schoolers (they were there at one point too!) and are more than happy to answer some general questions. I’m not saying you should monopolize their precious mealtime, but there’s no harm in sparking up a short chat.

Do learn

You are going to school to learn, and the departments and curriculums that interest you are definitely a relevant factor in ultimately picking a school. College visits are a great way to sit in on classes and see/hear what the whole shebang is all about. For those who are extra ambitious, see if you can schedule a meeting with a professor during office hours! Just make sure you have a list of relevant questions in hand as to not waste anyone’s time.

Do explore

Ditch the parentals and go off exploring on your own! This is your college visit and it’s totally your prerogative! BUT, don’t get lost. Make sure you have a map, a guide, or a clear understanding of your surroundings. You don’t want to be THAT high schooler who flies out for their college visit only to get lost in a neighboring town.

Don’t get arrested

It goes without saying that getting arrested or getting caught doing anything illegal should be number one on your “don’t” list. If you are caught before matriculating doing anything of questionable legality, the administration won’t hesitate to rescind your acceptance. Better not take any chances. After all, you’ve worked so hard for the past four years to get in, so it’d be a tragedy to lose it all in an instant.

Don’t be parented

Don’t let your parents dictate your opinion of the campus too much. Say they want you to go to Wharton, but you’re totally set on the Fashion Institute of Technology. It’s your life, your career, and your responsibility to choose the right school for YOU. Their input should be minimal!

Don’t judge

You are on a college visit to gather information, and not to disperse it. Keep an open mind and don’t judge. If you’re a die hard straight edger and you witness some college students getting rowdy at a kegger — keep in mind that they are living their lives according to their own desires, not yours. Likewise, if you are a social butterfly and can’t fathom why the campus is full of science nerds who live in the library — don’t judge. Colleges all come with their own personalities. You are looking for one that you fit in with, not trying to fit them to you. That distinction is crucial if any good is to come out of your visit!

So you’ve been accepted to a university.  It’s smooth sailing from here on out, right?  You’re going to breeze through your senior year, live it up during your last summer at home, and move off to your college town.  It’s a good plan, but if you  actually want it to work, you’re going to have to dodge the senioritis storm.

Though it’s not an actual clinical disease (as the name suggests), senioritis is real.  Perhaps it’s caused by the boost of confidence you get when you receive that college acceptance letter or maybe it’s that there are so many distractions during your senior year…you know, with prom, graduation, and, of course, the parties.  And you should be confident and proud and you should enjoy the festivities that go along with senior year, but it’s important to stay focused on your academic and professional ambitions as well.

Eduify has prepared the following list of things you can do to avoid senioritis and to make the transition into college smooth and seamless.

Balance Your Time

All of the other items on this list are predicated on your having a balanced and well-managed schedule.  Aside from helping you organize your social life, a good day planner will help you stay on track during your busy and often-hectic senior year.  Use a computer program such as Microsoft Outlook to help you manage your time and stay in touch.

Challenge Yourself Academically

You’ve been grinding it out for the last three years so you would be able to take it easy during your senior year.  But, really, what’s another year?  You are, after all,  going to college where the standards are higher and the classes are more difficult, so why not challenge yourself with a couple of classes that will help you prepare your brain for college?  If you take a year off (mentally) from school–which is often a symptom of senioritis–you’re going to have a more difficult time making the transition to college.

Speaking of transitioning to college, why not get a head start by taking some college courses at the local community college?  This is a great way to get some college credit while you’re still in high school.  And you thought you had an open campus when they allowed you to go to McDonald’s for lunch.

Befriend Your Counselor

A big part of your school counselor’s job is to answer your questions about college.  They can be an invaluable resource for you when you’re planning your senior year and post-graduate options.  Among other things, your school counselors can help you figure out your course of study for college;  give you information about college classes that are available to high school students (above); help you find scholarships, financial aid, and student loans; help you fill out college applications; and, perhaps most importantly, they can help you stay on track during your senior year.  As a policy, their doors are always open, so stop in and introduce yourself–you won’t regret it.

Get Some Experience/Volunteer

Though you may not be sure what you want to do as a career or even what your major will be in college, it’s a good idea to get some real-life experience under your belt before you make any long-term commitments. Like animals?  Spend some time volunteering at an animal shelter or by answering phones at a veterinary clinic.  Such experiences will help you decide if you want to make a career out of helping animals.  This, of course, is only one example, but you get the idea.  Your school counselor might be able to help you find an internship at a local company or organization that fits your interests.  Senior year is a great time to explore and discover the options that you are going to have after graduating from college.  Another benefit of work and volunteer experience is that it looks great on a resume.

Extracurricular Activities

Joining student clubs and groups, running for student office, and playing sports are all great ways to stay focused during your senior year, and each, in its own way, will help you develop important skills that will not only help you in college but also in your life after college.  As an added bonus, these activities are great ways to meet new people and make the most of your time in high school.

Here’s a tip: start an online group for your classmates who are planning to go to the same college as you. This is a great way to meet people who are going to be around you for the next four years, and it never hurts to have a friend in a strange place.  Spread the word in your school’s newspaper and on bulletin boards.

So you’re heading off to college? Leaving home for college can be, at the same time, an exciting and a nerve-racking experience. Moving into a dorm room only adds to the excitement and frustrations of college life, but being prepared will make the transition a lot smoother. Eduify has prepared the following list of essentials that you should have if you’re heading for the dorms.

Space is limited in a dorm room, so you want to make sure you don’t have too much stuff—two TVs, for instance, is one too many. Try to get your dorm mates’ contact information ahead of time to avoid bringing unnecessary items. Talking to your roommates about the décor, furnishings, and appliances is a good way to introduce yourself to them before your first actual meeting.

Bed & Bath

Bed and Bath Linens: A bed in a dorm room is different from your bed at home: it may double as a couch, triple as a desk, and quadruple as a dining room table. Therefore, if you like a clean bed, but don’t want to do laundry every other day, you’re going to want some extra sheets. Also, don’t forget a nice blanket and pillows for your bed. Save the cold feet for your oral presentation: Bring bath mats! Other important linens for the bathroom include towels and wash cloths.

Shower Caddy: Depending on the dormitories at your university, you might not have a bathroom in your dorm room—that means communal bathrooms. Yuck! Yuck is right—especially when you’re talking about the floors, so include a pair of plastic flip flops in your caddy to wear in the showers. With a stocked shower caddy—essentially a plastic basket with all of your toiletries in it—you will save yourself a lot of time. Include soap or body wash, shampoo & conditioner, a shower cap, body lotion, and shaving implements.

Electronics

Personal Computer: In the digital age, it’s hard to get by without a personal computer. While there are computer labs on campus that make computers available to students, it’s always nice to have your own. If you can choose, get a laptop, for they take up less space and because you can take them with you to your classes. Also bring the accessories for your computer: lapdesk, laptop cooling pad, USB drive, speakers, etc.

MP3 Player w/ Noise-Blocking Headphones: There are sure to be times when you’re going to want to drown out the noise of yours and the surrounding dorm rooms. An MP3 player with noise-blocking headphones is perfect for this task. You may consider getting an alarm clock that hooks up to your MP3 player. This small, multi-functioning device will help you get to your early classes on time and keep your guests entertained.

Flat-screen Television: Don’t buy one, but if you’ve already got one, bring it. Mounting it on the wall saves a lot of space, which is always an important consideration when decorating and furnishing your dorm room. There are other benefits of a flat-screen TV, too. With a simple cord you can connect your computer to the TV set, which turns your television into a large computer monitor. Now you have a giant digital picture frame and a digital whiteboard that can be used for group projects.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget a power strip so you can plug all this stuff in!

Furniture/Appliances

Furnishing your dorm room requires some creativity to maximize the limited space you have to work with. We’ve already seen how a bed is more than just a bed in a dorm room, but here are some other tips:

Folding Chairs: Having folding chairs—as opposed to regular dining room chairs—will allow you to save valuable space around your room and accommodate your guests. Pull them out on movie night or when working on a group project.

File Cabinet/Locking Chest: In a room where there’s generally going to be a lot of foot traffic, it’s important that you keep your papers organized and your valuables safely locked up. A file cabinet will help you keep all of your papers organized and, when placed beside your bed, makes a great bedside table. A chest or foot locker will help you keep your valuables safely locked up and works well as a table at the end of your bed.

Small Kitchen Appliances: One of the great real-life lessons you’ll learn in college is how to eat on a limited income. While ramen noodles are sure to be a staple in your room, small kitchen appliances such as a mini fridge, a microwave, a George Foreman grill, and a coffee maker will help add some variety to your table (or bed). Check ahead of time for your school’s policy about these appliances.

Everything Else

Toolbox: Having a toolbox stocked with a hammer and nails, screwdrivers and screws, and wrenches will help you when you’re hanging pictures, fixing loose door knobs, or dismantling furniture to create space. While the Resident Advisor might have tools for students to borrow, it’s a good idea to bring your own to have them handy at all times. A multi-tool is also a good item to have lying around the dorm room.

First-Aid Kit: Because you never know when you’re going to need a band-aid!

Mementos: Even though you’re probably happy to be away from your home for the first time, small reminders of home such as pictures of your family and friends or your first teddy bear will help you make your dorm room feel like home. It’s amazing how much such items as these will help you get through a stressful period.

If you’re buying some or all of this stuff new, you may look into purchasing it online and having it sent directly to your dorm room—this will save you a lot of time and energy. Check with your college to see if this is possible and how to make the correct arrangements.

Going to college is, in a lot of ways, like buying a house. You’re making an investment in your future, but you have to pick the right one. And there are lots of different variables that go into deciding which college to attend. What can you afford? Where do you want to be? How do you see yourself growing, when you finally go off to college, and where do you want that college to do for your future? Sitting down and thinking about each variable can be hard, especially when so many different and conflicting ideas are being bantered around in your brain. Unless you are one of the rare people who has known, since they were five, which college you want to go to, the decision-making process is difficult no matter how you approach it.

When I was applying to schools, I made a chart that detailed 5 different things I would have to consider before deciding on the right fit. They were: location, areas of interest, my personality, finances, and my desired career path. When I chose my school, I made sure to consider each variable, and then used my findings to narrow down a selection of schools I wanted to consider. In the end, I found this to be a useful tool, and I am happy with the decision I ultimately made. I hope it can work for you!

5. Location and size

Thinking about location is important, because wherever you end up going for college will be a place you will be stuck for the next four years. If you are a city person, you might not want to go to school in rural Alabama. If you are into the idea of going to school in a small town, urban Chicago is probably not the best location. If you don’t fare well in cold weather, New Hampshire is not a state you want to study in. And if you love to be surrounded by lush, green environments, Arizona won’t fit you at all. There are so many schools all across the United States – 4,352 to be exact – so there should be plenty to choose from. Don’t settle for going somewhere you don’t really want to be — because, trust me, it will come back to haunt you. You should also ask yourself whether going to a big school or a small school better suits your wants. Because there are some big schools out there (40+ thousand students) and some tiny ones (less than 4 thousand students) and finding a number you are comfortable with is essential. Here is a list of colleges and universities according to state, which you mind find helpful in your decision making process.

4. Areas of Interest

What are you interested in? Are you interested in the humanities? Science? Medicine? Law? Business? Even if you don’t have a clue what you want to study, or what you want to be after you graduate, it’s still important to consider your areas of interest. Perhaps you love biology but you also love music. Find a school that accommodates both of those interests, so that once you get there, you can take classes in both disciplines and see which one you’d rather concentrate on. At this point, it would be a shame to limit yourself when it came to your interests, so you should use those interests to guide you into finding a ‘good match’ school. Needless to say, if your interests lie solely in the realm of humanities, it would be unadvised to go to any school whose names ends in “Institute of Technology”. Similarly, if you are into technology, it would probably be best not to go to a school that has the term “Art” anywhere in its name. Think about your interests, and use that knowledge in your research of different colleges.

3. Personality

A variable that often gets overlooked when you apply to school is your inherent personality. Your happiness definitely matters when going off to school, and there is no worse feeling than going to a school you dislike, where you don’t get along with the student body and are unhappy. One thing you have to ask yourself is, in general, what the student body will be like in the ideal school you attend. If you want to go to school with a liberal peace-loving student body, you probably shouldn’t go to the Naval Academy. Capiche? You want to make friends where you go, and in college, you will make some of the closest friends you’ll ever have in your life. You should ask yourself about fit because that’s such a key ingredient in finding the best school for you. US News and World Report has an interesting college personality quiz that might be of help!

2. Finances

I hesitate to put this up here, becuase no matter what, you can probably afford to go to the school of your choice. You can take out loans, you can apply for financial aid, and you can get grants or win scholarships. That said, there is a limit to how much debt any prospective students wants to commit to — debt which can be stressful to pay off. So it’s important, when considering schools, to figure out the financial aid data before you send back an acceptance. These custom calculators can be really helpful in figuring out your financial aid information. They can help you calculate loans, savings plans, award comparisions, and budgeting.

1. Career

College will last 4 years. After those 4 years are done, you’ll be in the real world, where you will be expected to work a real job and have a real career. That’s what college was preparing you for, right? Whether you decide to become a bohemian and work on your art, despite your anthropology and political science double major, or if you decide that graduate school right off the bat is your best bet, or if you decide that what you really want in life is to work in an office and put money toward your 401k, you should start thinking about it sooner rather than later. I’m not saying you should already know what you want to be, but you should realistically consider your wants and your options, and figure out if the school you’re going to will get you there. If you want to be a movie director and you know that’s what you want, why spend 4 years studying linguistics? Go to film school!