According to a Kaplan survey, 10% of admissions officers have checked out an applicant’s Facebook or MySpace profile. You’ve been warned: watch out what you post publicly!
Archive for October, 2008
Facebook, MySpace, and college admissions
Friday, October 31st, 2008Want boys to read? Make it gross!
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008The Wall Street Journal recounts a new trend in the publishing industry: a profusion of gross books that will inspire boys to read more–like “Vlad the Impaler: The Real Count Dracula” and “Oh, Yuck: The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty.”
Baylor rewards SAT retakes
Monday, October 27th, 2008According to The New York Times, Baylor University is paying students to retake the SAT. Many educators are up in arms because the higher test scores are not related to making admissions decisions, but to improving Baylor’s profile in the national rankings.
Men: the new minority
Friday, October 24th, 2008Blast Magazine reports that many colleges are now seeking out men in order to bring the gender balance on campus closer to 50-50. Take Dickinson College: “[Their] website features proportionally more pictures of men and athletics. They highlight their new physics, computer science and math buildings, and they started an international business program with the intent of appealing to potential male recruits.”
The benefits of videogames
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008CNN reports that videogames may actually have major benefits. Certain games can build critical thinking and fine-motor skills. In fact, “One study of 33 laparoscopic surgeons found that those who played video games were 27 percent faster at advanced surgical procedures and made 37 percent fewer errors than those who didn’t.”
“Kiss My Math”
Sunday, October 19th, 2008You might know Danica McKellar as “Winnie” from The Wonder Years–but she’s also a UCLA-educated mathematician who’s trying to show that math can be cool. Her books aimed at middle-school girls (Math Doesn’t Suck and Kiss My Math) are getting rave reviews on Amazon.
Dartmouth = dollar signs
Friday, October 17th, 2008According to Yahoo! Finance, Dartmouth grads make the most money, and Ivy Leaguers in general do quite well. Still, the article does a very poor job of reminding us that the person, not the school, is the real determinant of income. For proof, see these findings from economists Krueger and Dale.
Playing outside? What’s that?
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008The LA Times reports that unstructured play has all but disappeared, replaced by an overwhelming load of “taking soccer or piano lessons or practicing vocabulary words with computerized flashcards.” The writer invites the reader to contemplate the benefits of exercise, social development, and independence that come when kids brave the outside world on their own terms.
Colleges look at iPods as useful tools
Friday, October 10th, 2008The New York Times examines how colleges are beginning to look at internet-enabled iPods, iPhones, and the like as potentially useful tools–for sending messages, sharing campus information like menus and bus schedules, and even enabling students to vote in realtime class surveys. Of course, concerns about students goofing off in class remain.
Nine habits of good students
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008The Star-Telegram shares their nine habits of good students:
- Pay attention in class
- Make an effort to know the teacher
- Get enough sleep
- Eat breakfast every day
- Have good nutrition habits
- Have an organization system that works
- Have a regular time and place for homework
- Are accountable to someone at home
- Set goals for achievement
The second one–make an effort to know the teacher–is often neglected. Students who have a personal relationship with their teacher are more likely to get support and leeway when they need it most, and teachers who know students personally are able to write more meaningful recommendations.
What tips do you have to share?