The Kept-Up Academic Librarian

Giving Parents A Taste Of The Freshmen Experience

Afforded a night away at college, something he never experienced when he was young, Roger Sobrado had an idea: toga party! Alas, he couldn't get enough of his middle-aged cohorts to sign on. So he had to settle for dining hall chow and a blandly furnished dorm room. But that was enough for Sobrado, whose daughter is an incoming freshman at McDaniel College in Westminster. Sobrado was one of about 200 McDaniel moms and dads who spent two days earlier this month on campus for "Parent Preview." The program, in its second year, is designed to give parents a taste of what their children will experience when school starts at the end of August. Read more at:
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-07-22/news/bs-md-mcdaniel-parents-visit-20120722_1_mcdaniel-college-parents-freshman-experience

A Record For Campus Visits By A Prospective Student

TO find his perfect-fit college, Dan Shi traveled East Coast to West and crossed two borders (into Canada, for the University of Toronto, and England, for Cambridge). He visited 55 campuses and submitted 24 applications, including 22 to large engineering powerhouses. Excessive? Indeed. Counselors recommend six to eight applications, and just 5 percent of college-bound students submit more than 12. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/education/edlife/student-visits-55-campuses-to-find-perfect-fit.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

Middle-Income Families Grow More Dependent On Merit Aid To Afford College

Middle-income parents are being squeezed more than ever these days — higher property taxes and cost of living, lower home equity, frozen salaries. Many no longer have enough savings and borrowing power to keep up with rising education costs. Rather than lose bright students to less-expensive public colleges, universities like Tulane offer sizable amounts of aid based mainly on academic promise. Even public universities, despite state budget cuts, continue to offer merit aid to try to build an accomplished student body. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/education/edlife/a-rise-in-students-receiving-merit-awards.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Families Say They Plan To Spend Less On Higher Education

Families have implemented more cost-saving strategies to cut college spending in the past academic year, choosing less expensive schools and finding more economical ways for students to attend. More students also are living at home in order to help afford college, according to new survey results. The average amount spent on college by families responding to the survey declined by 5 percent in the 2011-12 school year. More parents and students alike said they make their college decisions based on the cost they can afford to pay than in the previous four studies. Read more at:
http://www.boston.com/news/education/articles/2012/07/16/study_parents_pulling_back_on_college_spending_1342438767/

With Less Aid Available More Students Are Lowering Their College Expectations

After loosening their coffers to help families cope during the recession, some colleges now are cutting back on grants and scholarships, aid that students don't have to pay back. The move—prompted in part by the colleges' own financial troubles—is prompting students and their families to borrow more to close the gap, raising the already-heavy debt load many graduates will face. some students and their families are taking on more debt or are opting for lower-priced public schools or two-year institutions. Some students also are passing on dorm life, choosing instead to live at home to save on room and board. Read more at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303612804577528770015146982.html

 

High School Seniors Who Slack Off May Get A Scary Letter From Their College

College-bound seniors beware: If you slept through your classes this semester and have the failing grades to prove it, your university may soon threaten to rescind your admission this fall. Of the 1,825 incoming freshmen at T.C.U., about 100 students — all of them ailing with senioritis — will soon receive a “F.O.G. letter” in July, Mr. Brown said. Large public universities may lack the manpower to check thousands of final transcripts, which may give students at large the false impression that they can get away with lackluster final performances. Read more at:
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/university-sends-fear-of-god-letter-to-students-with-senioritis/

It's College Exam Season In China

They’ve been at it for years now, cramming for China’s annual college-entrance exam, some of them hooked up to oxygen canisters and intravenous drips of amino acids during late-night and weekend study marathons. Their parents hire special tutors, force the kids into educational boot camps in the summer and promise lavish gifts of cash and cars for good results. More than 9.1 million students throughout China sat for the college exam beginning Thursday morning, competing for 6.85 million places at Chinese universities. Read more at:
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/putting-chinese-students-to-the-test/?emc=eta1

To Compete For Best Colleges Prospective Students Will Abuse Prescription Stimulants

At high schools across the United States, pressure over grades and competition for college admissions are encouraging students to abuse prescription stimulants. While these medicines tend to calm people with A.D.H.D., those without the disorder find that just one pill can jolt them with the energy and focus to push through all-night homework binges and stay awake during exams afterward.  But abuse of prescription stimulants can lead to depression and mood swings (from sleep deprivation), heart irregularities and acute exhaustion or psychosis during withdrawal. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/education/seeking-academic-edge-teenagers-abuse-stimulants.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

NerdWallet Compares Colleges On Post-Graduate Experience

The financial Web site NerdWallet has compiled results of the questionnaires, collected by the top 60 colleges and universities as well as 160 specialty undergraduate programs within those schools, and created a comparison tool with the information. The tool allows prospective students to compare the “top” institutions by, for instance, area of study or starting salary, to get an idea of what students from different colleges do after graduation.The tool isn’t comprehensive, cautioned Stephanie Wei, the NerdWallet vice president who oversaw its creation. Read more at:
http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/comparing-colleges-by-what-new-graduates-are-doing/

New 'Shopping Sheet' Would Help Prospective Students Compare Colleges

The Obama administration is pushing hard this week to keep the spotlight on its efforts to make college more affordable. On Tuesday, administration officials met with 10 college presidents who have agreed to include a consumer-friendly “shopping sheet” in the financial aid packages they send to incoming students. The sheet would simplify the current process of comparing colleges. It would clearly state the cost of a year of classes, the student’s net cost after grants and scholarships, financial aid options to pay that cost and estimated monthly payments for federal loans. It would also provide information about the colleges’ retention and graduation rates and the share of graduates who default on their student loans. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/education/obama-officials-aim-to-ease-college-cost-process.html