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by Katlyn Clark

So prom is over and graduation is almost here. All that’s left to do in your high school career is to take your exams and walk across the stage to receive your diploma but there’s still one more obstacle you must clear before you can officially call yourself a college student: Orientation. Here’s a few things your experience will likely include:

• Tours, sessions and lectures: If you do not know your college that well, there will be sessions for you and your parents to attend to learn more about your new school. Many schools offer extensive campus tours during orientation and you may even be able to meet the department head for your selected program.
• Class registration: Some institutions allow students to register for fall classes during orientation so look up your school’s course catalog online before you leave. I’d recommend not taking all general ed classes – mix up your classes so you’re taking a little bit of everything!
• Possible roommate selection: If you find you get along really well with someone you meet during orientation, you can possibly request that person as your roommate. I suggest this strongly if you feel comfortable with that person and get along easily, as it will make your transition from high school to college even easier.
• Other students just like you: If you are nervous about your new surroundings, you’re probably not alone. I was a little uneasy when I arrived on Campbell's campus for orientation but I quickly realized I was surrounded by students who felt the same way. Before I knew it, we were all having a great time because we found we had something in common.

I hope orientation works out for you and you have a great summer – you’ll be a college freshman for real before you know it! If you have any additional orientation tips, let us know in the comments!

Katlyn Clark is a freshman at Campbell University majoring in journalism and minoring in marketing. She hopes to become a broadcast journalist for entertainment or write for a magazine such as People or Seventeen. In her spare time, Katlyn loves to hang out with friends and family and watch sports; she is a Christian who is so thankful for God’s many blessings in her life. Katlyn is from Elizabeth City, North Carolina and loves Tim Tebow, Pinterest, the WWE and cats.

by Carly Gerber

Trying to find a job after graduation may seem grim but there are ways to better your chances. Here are a few helpful tips that any student (even you grads!) can use to get a job.

• Realize the value of internships. Many college graduates may find it difficult to find a job so consider internships instead. Today, there are both paid and unpaid internships and both provide interns with serious learning experiences. Plus, interns can add internships to their résumés, which, according to USA Today, will increase their success rate at getting a job later. (Forbes contributor Dan Schawbel is convinced that he got a marketing job at data storage company EMC because he had interned at Reebok and the brand's name alone boosted his image.) Also, apply for internships that are most related to the job you want to attain in the future. For example, I want to be a journalist so I applied and landed this writing-intensive internship at Scholarships.com.
• Don’t sell you major short. Whether your major is French, history, theater or something else, you shouldn’t believe you have no chance of finding a job. An article in Social Media Today explains how every major gives its students strengths potential employers will find useful. For example, a graduate of the history department has learned the skills needed to be a competent writer, researcher and critical analyzer, which are valuable tools for employees of marketing firms and news organizations.
• Create a blog. Finding something you’re interested in and write a blog about the topic. According to Social Media Today, if an employer does a web search of your name and your website or blog appears, they will see you have initiative, talent and passion. (And since we are on the topic of social networking, make sure to keep all your profiles and online content clear of any questionable behavior.)

All in all, there are many ways to increase your chances of landing a job after graduation. If you are driven and use all the resources that are available to you, you’ll be employed sooner than you think!

Carly Gerber is majoring in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She loves fashion and hopes to cover the topic for a Chicago-area magazine. In her free time, she focuses on her blog, loves making jewelry and spending time on Pinterest and Pose. She hopes to use this blog to guide and relate to its followers: college students like herself!

by Chelsea Slaughter

As summer approaches, we begin to see the bright light of freedom on the horizon. What are your plans for break? If you do not have any, no worries: It’s not too late to plan! Do not spend the next few months lounging on the sofa watching reruns – get out and make the best of your break! Here are some tips to make your summer a great one:

• Summer Jobs: While getting a part-time job at a local fast food place is always an option, try something new this summer. Find a job that will give you new experiences and allow you to meet new people. Ever thought about being a counselor at a sleep-away summer camp? Check out GreatCampJobs.com to find some of the best counselor jobs available. Some even offer college credit! Imagine getting paid AND earning school credit while working at a totally new place and helping kids have an amazing summer.
• Summer Classes: Summer classes are always a great option if you feel up to the challenge of focusing during the summer months. Don’t know if it’s for you? Check out my previous post to find out!
• Study Abroad:Take your educational pursuits to new levels or even new countries! Check your admissions office and see what study abroad programs they offer of the summer. You’ll continue to learn while experiencing a new culture, people and surroundings.
• Summer Internship: Many great places are looking for determined young minds to fill internship positions. Most degrees require students to participate in at least one internship in their major field of study. Even if it’s not a requirement for you, do it to build your resume: The more experience you have in your desired work field when you graduate, the better your chances are for being considered for employment. Some internships even lead to paid full-time jobs so work hard because you never know where an internship opportunity could lead!

While summer is considered a break, you can always take advantage of amazing opportunities waiting to be discovered. Tell us what you have in store once school gets out!

Chelsea Slaughter is currently a junior at Jacksonville State University majoring in communications (public relations concentration) and minoring in art. She serves as a resident assistant on campus, is the treasurer in the Public Relations Organization and is an active member in W.I.S.E., NAACP and Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Leadership Society. She aims to work in the entertainment industry post-graduation and is well on her way thanks to an internship with a digital marketer to several music artists. Chelsea strives to achieve all of her goals and motivate others along the way.

by Suada Kolovic

The Department of Education has recently announced that the FAFSA will soon undergo a few changes to accommodate students with same-sex or unmarried parents who cohabit in order to more accurately ascertain an applicant’s financial situation.

The forms, which will be introduced for the 2014-15 school year, will allow students to designate their parents as “Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent)” and “Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent)” rather than just mother and father. “All students should be able to apply for federal student aid within a system that incorporates their unique family dynamics," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "These changes will allow us to more precisely calculate federal student aid eligibility based on what a student's whole family is able to contribute and ensure taxpayer dollars are better targeted toward those students who have the most need, as well as provide an inclusive form that reflects the diversity of American families."

The department has said that the changes will not impact a vast majority of applicants but it could potentially (read: very likely) translate into reduced aid for students with same-sex or unmarried parents. Why? Those parents who do not benefit from filing joint tax returns will likely disqualify their children from financial aid if it’s found that jointly they are above the income threshold. So while the changes are considered progressive, they’re just slightly off the mark when it comes to helping “unique family dynamics.”

by Carly Gerber

The student librarian or the math tutor in the tutoring center at your university may be one of the thousands of students involved in the Federal Work Study program.

The U.S. Department of Education explains that the Federal Work Study program involves universities assigning college students part-time jobs in their institutions or through private employers. The income may be minimum wage or higher (it depends on the work the student is doing) and the income goes toward the students’ college expenses. For example, the recipient can have the funds go directly toward tuition or books.

Students can apply for the Federal Work Study program (or FWS or Work-Study) annually by filing a FAFSA. The FAFSA asks an array of questions, the answers of which determine the amount of federal financial aid the applicant can receive. Within the application, it asks the applicant if they would like to be considered for the Work-Study program.

Students may apply for work-study annually. Also, students who are in high school should ask colleges they are interested in if they have a work-study program. Work-study program is a big time commitment but it’s a great way to defray the ever-growing cost of college.

Carly Gerber is majoring in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She loves fashion and hopes to cover the topic for a Chicago-area magazine. In her free time, she focuses on her blog, loves making jewelry and spending time on Pinterest and Pose. She hopes to use this blog to guide and relate to its followers: college students like herself!

by Mike Sheffey

Today I’d like to discuss something that I’m positive is constantly on the minds of underclassmen: “What should I major in?” There’s pressure from all ends to do something that makes money but your heart wants to do something you are passionate about. What's a college student to do? Aim for something that has potential to do both. For example, I love music, I love promoting bands, I love going to shows and I love being a part of the music scene in any way that I can. My majors, however, are computer science and Spanish. Those majors paired with my interests may not make sense at first but here’s how I came to this decision:

• I determined what skills are considered valuable across the board. Spanish is practical in this time period for many reasons. I had the opportunity to study abroad in Chile and got to use my Spanish skills to interview leading punk bands for a research project. In this case, I was able to combine what I was studying with what I was passionate about.
• I thought outside the box. I am learning computer science so that I may one day combine it with my passion for music. After all, technology, music sharing, music streaming services and apps are the way of the future....so why not use my skills and love for tech towards my passion?

There is no right answer to choosing a major and the idea of a “practical” major (as discussed by Haverford College's dean of academic affairs Phillip Bean in his recent post for The Choice) is subjective, based on personal passion, skills and desires. You just need to be able to say, “Even though I love this, I could still study that,” and get the best of both worlds. This is also a good reason to do thorough research beforehand on what majors your college offers, though most people change their majors a few times or wait a bit to declare.

How have you decided what to major in and did you take your personal passions into consideration?

Mike Sheffey is a junior at Wofford College double majoring in computer science and Spanish. He loves all things music and has recently taken up photography. Mike works for an on-campus sports broadcasting company as well as the music news blog PropertyOfZack.com. He hopes to use this blogging position to inform and assist others who are seeking the right college or those currently enrolled in college by providing advice on college life, both in general and specific to Wofford.

by Katlyn Clark

As a person who writes for her college’s newspaper, I know that there are people who support its mission and those who couldn’t care less. According to a recent Inside Higher Ed article, the latter is becoming more prevalent, as college newspapers are requesting new student media fees to provide printed papers or going digital just to survive.

It's sad that some colleges struggle with getting a paper printed while having to use the students’ money to keep it running. At Campbell, there was one time that we were not able to print our paper because we did not have the necessary funds. The result? The campus did not take much notice when we missed our usual print day and I regularly encounter full paper bins when I go to put new issues in them. Like many colleges, Campbell supplements its print edition with an online presence; though I personally like to thumb through a printed copy, it's neat to be able to read it online anywhere using a tablet or smartphone.

College students may think their school newspapers have no influence but they can. They keep students informed of campus issues ranging from serious topics like tuition increases and crime to more lighthearted subjects. (For example, I cover on-campus events and write reviews for the entertainment section.) You may not believe it but your campus would be much different if student publications ceased to exist! My recommendation would be to pick up your school paper and take a look with fresh eyes – you may be surprised at what you find.

How important is campus media to you? Inside Higher Ed reports that in most cases, students have agreed to small fee increases to help their publications survive. Would you do the same? What else can campus publications do to fund their operations?

Katlyn Clark is a freshman at Campbell University majoring in journalism and minoring in marketing. She hopes to become a broadcast journalist for entertainment or write for a magazine such as People or Seventeen. In her spare time, Katlyn loves to hang out with friends and family and watch sports; she is a Christian who is so thankful for God’s many blessings in her life. Katlyn is from Elizabeth City, North Carolina and loves Tim Tebow, Pinterest, the WWE and cats.

by Suada Kolovic

If you’re actively considering a career as a physician, you’re well aware of the long, rigorous and demanding road ahead. With challenging coursework and fierce competition in the forecast, not everyone is up for the challenge...but that hasn’t necessarily translated into fewer students applying to medical school. According to U.S. News & World Report, medical school experts have predicted a shortage of doctors throughout the next decade but no shortage of prospective students. In 2012, total applications increased by 3.1 percent with the average number of applications at the top 10 medical schools totaling approximately 10,812. Check out the top 10 medical schools that receive the most applications for the most recent school year below:

• George Washington University – 14,700
• Drexel University College of Medicine – 12,690
• Boston University – 11,780
• Georgetown University – 11,733
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – 11,523
• Temple University – 10,329
• Jefferson Medical College – 10,018
• New York Medical College – 8,682
• New York University – 8,351
• Tufts university – 8,318

Did your top-choice medical school make the list? If so, would you consider other schools with less competition?

by Carly Gerber

Despite having other important things to check off my to-do list, I’ve spent countless hours on an assortment of social media outlets. (I’m sure you’ve found yourself in a similar predicament.) Recently, I began using one form of social media that isn’t a time waster: It’s called LinkedIn and it uses social media to connect its users to employers.

A LinkedIn user will create a personal profile with a picture, a description of their work experience, the education they’ve received and the type of degree(s) they were awarded from their college(s). Many students, however, don’t take advantage of LinkedIn, which can connect them with a number of employers who have job and internship openings. While 90 percent of students use Facebook frequently or occasionally, 46 percent of students have never used LinkedIn and those students who have don’t make it a priority to use it during their job search. According to this article on readwrite.com, students searching for jobs focus their efforts, in order, on:

• Employer's website (70%)
• Contact within the company (65%)
• School career fair (61%)
• Online job listings site (58%)
• Social networking - including LinkedIn (26%)

LinkedIn is underutilized by college students because many feel they don’t have enough work experience or connections to even create a profile. Yet, students who create LinkedIn profiles have a greater chance at making connections, which can lead to jobs and internships. Do you have a LinkedIn account? If so, has it been helpful in your quest for employment?

Carly Gerber is majoring in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She loves fashion and hopes to cover the topic for a Chicago-area magazine. In her free time, she focuses on her blog, loves making jewelry and spending time on Pinterest and Pose. She hopes to use this blog to guide and relate to its followers: college students like herself!

by Suada Kolovic

Everyone’s computing needs are different. Whether it’s mobility or speed, getting the right PC for your degree is important. Luckily, Hewlett-Packard has the help and expertise you need and now just for registering at HP Academy you could win one of two great prizes: $3,000 or an Envy DV4!

The Hewlett-Packard & Scholarships.com Envy DV4 scholarship is open to all United States citizens who are registered users of Scholarships.com and HP Academy. All high school and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. For more information on this scholarship and other scholarship opportunities, conduct a free scholarship search today!