Adjusting to College Life and Summer Plans Starting a Business

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Summer Plans – Starting a Business: Some young adults score an internship, some are lucky enough to undertake travel that incorporates fun and community service, and others take a summer job in order to squirrel money away. One exciting idea is to start your own business. Here are some ideas to make this a memorable summer!
Majoring in Fashion Design/Merchandising: Do you love fashion? Are you usually the first in your group to spot the latest clothing trends? Is Project Runway one of your favorite reality shows? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, a college major in fashion merchandising and a career in the fashion industry may be a good match.
Pre-College Financial and Legal Matters: There are a few legal and financial issues that should be addressed before your son or daughter goes off to college.
Adjusting to College Life: Nearly every college freshman encounters a few surprises as they adjust to college life. Understanding the most common challenges can make the transition to college life go more smoothly for both students and their parents.

Financial aid packages can be confusing – learn to determine which parts of your package are “great money”

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This month’s issue includes:

Undergraduate Honors Programs – Discover what an honors program can do for you! Honors courses are frequently offered in smaller size classes, often taught by top faculty, or they may also offer academic opportunities with visiting scholars. The perks and coursework vary from college to college – learn more here.

Majoring in Cybersecurity – According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs in the information security field are expected to grow 28% through 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Is a major in cybersecurity right for you?

Great Money – and Not So Great Money – Great money is financial aid that does not need to be repaid. Financial aid packages can be confusing – learn to determine which parts of your package are “great money”.

What to Do if You’ve Been Deferred –Acceptances and denials are pretty straight-forward. But then there’s the deferral—a kind of non-decision that gives you a second chance at acceptance. If you really want to have that second chance, you’ll need to take a proactive approach and do what you still can to influence the final decision.

Social Media and College Applications

We can’t hide from it, social media is EVERYWHERE! We’ve all heard stories about how social media postings have resulted in athletes getting kicked off of sports teams for violations of athletic codes, and by this time we are aware that job seekers need to manage their online identities as well since social media has become an additional reference source. What about for College Admissions? Have you given that any thought? You should!

College Admissions Offices are social media savvy. According to Kaplan Test Prep’s most recent survey of college admissions officers reposted that the percentage of admissions officers who visit applicants’ social media pages to learn more about them has hit a record high of 40% — quadruple the percentage who did so in 2008.

Information that can negatively impact college-bound students is what you’d expect: references to drugs and alcohol, bullying, nudity, and accusations of plagiarism. So what can you do, other than make good choices and avoid situations that put you in a compromising position? Kaplan recommends:

How to Get Geared Up Before Heading Back to School

September is here, and we all know what that means: time to attend class, study, get good grades AND be involved on campus. Oh yeah, and I guess have a social life on the side. After a summer off, it might seem nearly impossible to stay afloat. That’s why now is more important than ever to prepare for the stressful semester ahead. Read on for some eye-opening insight on getting inspired, staying motivated and avoiding burnout.

What’s the Deal with Early Action?

Early Action, like Early Decision, is an accelerated college application process in which students typically must complete their applications in November. In most cases, students will then receive a decision from the college before the New Year. Some schools even have a second Early Action deadline that comes after the first but before the regular decision deadline.

If Early Decision is a 10 on the stress-o-meter, Early Action, which doesn’t have the added pressure of the required commitment, is around an 8. With Early Action, you won’t need to withdraw other applications if you get accepted. Also, if accepted, you can wait until May 1^st to respond.