Will You Get Into Your Dream College?

November 30th, 2010

What are your chances of getting into your dream college?

I wanted to share with you a great tool that you can use to help assess what your chances are for getting an acceptance letter from any college on your list.

You can find the tool at COLLEGEdata, which is a website shock full of resources for parents and high school students who want to learn more about the college process. (Full disclosure: I have just started writing a financial aid newsletter for the site.)

The COLLEGEdata tool that I want to mention today is called College Admissions Tracker. You can check the admission profiles of thousands of students who have applied to individual colleges and universities across the country.

One of the coolest things about the tool is the use of scattergrams. The scattergrams show acceptances, rejections, deferrals and wait list status of teenage applicants for individual colleges. What’s also neat is that you can look at students who applied early decision/early action or through the standard admission process. Y

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Tags: College, Dream College

Study Abroad Advice: Australian Catholic University

November 30th, 2010

Courtesy of Australian Catholic University

First up is Australian Catholic University! My College Guide spoke with Elissa Newall, online marketing manager, at Australian Catholic University for a little study abroad advice. Keep watch over the coming weeks for more study abroad advice and tips from several International universities – and maybe even a few right here in the US! It’s good to know your options.

If a student hasn’t really traveled before, is studying abroad a good idea?
Definitely! Study abroad is a great way to explore the world, while still having support from university staff at home and abroad. You have the ability to live and experience another culture, while continuing to complete your degree.

Australian Catholic University (ACU) provides comprehensive support services to all students to help them make the most of their time at university and to ensure their studies are successful. These Read more…

Tags: Australian Catholic, Australian Catholic University, Catholic University, University

Those challenging books find strength in numbers

November 29th, 2010

And the latest wrinkle: A wave of complaints around the nation about inappropriate material in public schools has stirred emotional argument over just how much freedom should be extended to students in advanced courses.

Earlier this year, a California parent objected to sex-related terms in a collegiate dictionary placed in a fourth- and fifth-grade classroom to accommodate advanced readers. And the American Library Association and other groups say they have seen a noticeable rise in complaints about literature used in honors or college-level courses.

“This is a relatively recent phenomenon, and it’s spreading,” says Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, a New York-based group.

More high schools are offering Advanced Placement or similar honors courses, in part to help students earn college credit and to give them a leg up in college admissions. Nearly 12,500 U.S.

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Enrollment study will be a sprint

November 29th, 2010

A new state study of how to count K-12 students formally got going Wednesday – only about six weeks before the effort is supposed to produce a report.

And discussion at the first meeting of the Average Daily Membership Advisory Committee highlighted fears that changing the way the state counts students will cost school districts money and create more work for them.

Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver

The author of the legislation that spurred the study sought to calm those fears. “Our belief was [changing the count method] leaves the same amount of money in the system,” said Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, with “less amount of work.”

Witnesses and panel members also sparred a bit over whether the current system makes it too easy for schools to let problem students drop out of school after enrollment is counted every October.

The long lead-up to Wednesday’s meeting is an interesting case study in the pitfalls of legislating in a time of state budget cuts.

Colorado’s current enrollment counting system basically involves adding up the students who are in school on Oct. 1 and awardin

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Tags: Study, Study Sprint

Winter is here

November 28th, 2010

The fall-winter season is already in full swing.

A team-by-team look at  the WCSSAA and District 8 basketball leagues will be available on Wednesday.

Today it’s off to catch St. Mary’s debut in the WCSSAA girls hockey league and other sports will be looked at in the days and weeks ahead. Girls volleyball is already underway, as are boys hockey, curling and swimming.

We’ll get around to them all.

Feel free to drop me a line at mbryson@therecord.com if there are stories you’d like to see covered.

* * *

Also, the weekly top-10 list will be back next week, highlighting the achievements of players who played a role in their team’s success the previous week.

Send in nominations to the address above, stating what the player did, his or her grade, as well as whatever other info comes to mind. Other teams, sports, school activities, that sort of stuff.

* * *

The District 8 girls basketball all-star games are Wednesday night at Rez, with the juniors at 7 and the seniors to follow.

 

Tags: Winter, Winter Here

MSP University Book and Audiobook Blowout!

November 27th, 2010

That’s right – we are blowing out our best-selling publications with most titles 70% off!   Act now to receive an AMAZING discount on all of our valuable books and audiobooks!   These savings can be had on the following best-selling resources:

  • Book – The Guide to a Successful Managed Services Practice – normally $99.95 –
  • Book – The Best I.T. Sales & Marketing BOOK EVER!- normally $149.99
  • Book – The Best I.T. Service Delivery BOOK EVER! – normally $149.99 –
  • Book – The Best NOC and Service Delivery BOOK EVER! – normally $149.99 –
  • Audiobook Download - The Guide to a Successful Managed Services Practice- normally $59.99 –
  • Audiobook Download – The Best I.T. Sales & Marketing BOOK EVER!- normally $79.99 –
  • Audiobook Download – The Best I.T. Ser

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Tags: Audiobook, Audiobook Blowout