Stephanie Cruz graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a B.A. and a double minor. She comes from a close-knit Dominican family and grew up on Long Island. John Jay was the right college for her because of its location, subjects of study, and total undergraduate enrollment of […]
Monthly Archives: April 2016
Today is the funeral for an old friend of mine who tragically lost a long battle with drug addiction. Today, I’m lost, looking back at what I had done and what I could have done. When I think of him, I am especially saddened by how young he was when […]
How to Help a Friend with a Drug or Alcohol Dependency
May is quickly approaching, which means that you need to send in a sizeable down payment to reserve your spot at a college stat. But because it’s kind of last minute, you’re struggling like Britney Spears in 2007. Your financial aid letters are a little more complicated than you thought […]
Understanding the Financial Aid Letter Featuring Justin Bieber
So you received a couple of acceptance letters and with them, some less-than-ideal financial aid offers. Maybe one school gave you a lot more money than the other, but the school that is shortchanging you is your top choice. Without more money, going to your dream college might not be […]
How to Afford College When the FAFSA Doesn’t Foot the Bill
You’ve been anxiously awaiting an admissions decision for months. Time ticks by slowly as you debate the two scenarios: acceptance or rejection from your favorite college. When you finally receive the letter in the mail or your inbox, you realize you didn’t prepare for this. It says you are neither […]
You Got Waitlisted: What to Do and How to Handle It
Megan Clendenon left her home in Louisville, KY, for cold and snowy Northfield, MN, to pursue her undergraduate degree at Carleton College. She spent her first two years deciding what she wanted to major in before declaring geology as her major. After a bout of appendicitis and a summer job […]
My College Story: Lessons in Listening to Your Body
Earth Day has been celebrated every April 22nd since 1970. The holiday was born eight years after Rachel Carson released Silent Spring, a book about the detrimental effect that humans have on the natural environment. Particularly, the book examined the negative influence that pesticide use had on birds, bugs, and […]
Celebrating Earth Day and Saving the Environment
Social media can play a significant role in an individual’s life, from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram and beyond. What many people fail to consider, however, is how their online presence can affect future job prospects and college application decisions. A Kaplan survey of college admissions officers revealed that 40% […]
Managing Your Social Media Presence: Yes, Schools Might Look You Up
The term “adult students” refers to anyone who is over the age of 25 and attending a postsecondary institution. Contrary to the idea that all college students should get their degrees immediately after graduating from high school, adult learners already make up 38% of college students. Some adults are enrolling […]
Common Concerns of Adult Students: Why You Shouldn’t Be Concerned
Gwen Elise graduated from Vassar College in 2012 with two bachelor's degrees: one in English and the other in Hispanic Studies. While at Vassar, she spent a year living and learning in South America, enjoying her study abroad in Argentina. While there, Gwen lived with a host family, and to this […]
My College Story: Expanding a Study Abroad Experience
There’s no way around it: If you plan to study abroad, you’ll have to shell out some cash for a flight to your host country. International flights aren’t cheap, so do your research well in advance. Sitting in front of your computer and setting a bunch of airfare alerts to […]
How to Find a Cheap Plane Ticket for Study Abroad
The idea of studying abroad alone terrifies you plenty, but something about traveling with a group of strangers is even scarier. Truth is, you’re an introvert. Maybe you’ve been a wallflower your whole life. Maybe you really just have no idea how to adult without help from your friends. And […]