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Blog
Archive for April, 2010
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Friday, April 30th, 2010Sign of the Times: Students Consider the “Green” Factor When Choosing a College
Friday, April 30th, 2010Back in the day, students primarily looked at colleges’ academic reputation, location and tuition in deciding where to go. Students today choose colleges based on their eco-friendly practices, policies and academic courses as well.
Colleges and universities around the country are taking their own “Go Green” initiative to attract these students. Colleges are adding major and minor courses focusing on environment-related areas such as green architecture, alternative energy sources, and environmental journalism. In an effort to create a “green work force,” for example, a consortium of colleges in Ohio is partnering to produce expertise on solar panels, algae based fuels and climate changes. Colleges are adopting “green” tech such as moving desktops into cloud. Some campuses are reducing their carbon-footprints by using alternative hydro-power energy, running clean-fuel buses, commissioning environmentally-friendly construction, and buying food products from sustainable sources.
The importance of issues of sustainability in students’ decision-making process is highlighted by the availability of many publications and surveys ranking not only “Best Colleges,” “Party Schools,” “Top College Town,” but also “Green Colleges.” As more and more students are becoming environmentally conscious, the college or university of students’ choice must align with their commitment to the Earth.
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Do MBAs Need to Take an Oath?
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010President Obama came to New York recently to push his financial overhaul bill to the Wall-Streeters he is seeking to rein in. With the economic crisis still looming over the country, many MBA students at top business schools nationwide are taking steps to distance themselves from the unethical practices made infamous by some of their financial peers and future corporate colleagues.
Core courses in an MBA program are designed to introduce students to the various areas of business. During a two-year MBA program, students are asked to think about what it means to be a manager, a leader, and a professional and recognize their role in society. The financial crisis however has raised new challenges and questions regarding the MBA degree. Graduates of MBA programs are hesitant to go into financial careers and many media reports suggest new graduates are stepping onto alternative paths.
Just as doctors must take the Hippocratic Oath in the field of medicine, many business school graduates from esteemed institutions such as Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business and Yale School of Management have decided to sign an MBA Oath. Could this oath be an answer to the economic crisis?
What is the MBA Oath? The Oath is a pledge of integrity created by Harvard Business School graduates. According to their mission statement, this oath is a pledge for graduating current MBAs “to facilitate a widespread movement of MBAs who aim to lead in the interests of the greater good and who have committed to living out the principles articulated in the oath.” What started as a group of Class of 2009 Graduates of Harvard Business School has now grown into an alliance of MBA students, graduates and advisors, representing over 250 schools world-wide. They say that they want their degree to “mean something more than it currently does.” They feel that that the MBA Oath is their way of setting forth the principles of what an MBA should mean.
But so far only a small percentage of grads have signed the oath. Many opponents say that by signing this oath, business leaders won’t necessarily display unethical behavior in the future. This is definitely a heated debate that those in the business community will be taking sides on.
As a future, current or past MBA student would you sign the oath? Would you hire someone who had taken an oath to behave ethically over someone who did not? What is your take on the MBA oath? Do you think that all MBA students should display a high standard for ethical and professional behavior without having to sign a document? Will this oath be effective in warding off unethical corporate acts?
May 1st Deadline — College Decisions Due
Friday, April 23rd, 2010If you are planning to attend college this Fall then you know that May 1st is the big day in the college admissions process. Students must decide within the next few days whether to accept or reject an offer of admission and what college they will be attending. Maybe you got into your first-choice college and have no decision to make at all and already have started packing your bags. But, maybe your college choice is a little tougher than that. You could have been wait listed, received more than one acceptance letter or didn’t get the scholarship you had hoped for to help pay for the private university tuition. Or maybe, like so many others, you just don’t know what school you should choose.
This decision is a difficult one for many. The next four years are an investment in your future and how do you know if you are making the right choice. Should you go where you feel most comfortable? Should you choose the school where your friends are going? Should you choose your parents alma mater? Below are some factors you should consider when deciding if a school is a good fit for you. Take a look at these characteristics in order of importance to you and see how well each college matches up to each other:
• Academic
o Take a look at the professors at the school, their research, awards and backgrounds
o Review the course catalog online to get an idea of the types of courses and major programs offered and if they match your academic pursuits
o Sit in on classes - how big or small are they and do they teachers know the students on a first name basis?
o Talk to alumni regarding life after graduation - did they feel prepared in their chosen careers?
• Social
o Go visit the school in-person if you have not done so already - some schools will even let you stay overnight or for the weekend with another student. Can you picture yourself there - do you and the school click?
o Meet the current students to get a real sense of the school - where are they from and what are their backgrounds?
o Look at the extracurricular activities, sports, Greek life - does this school offer everything you are interested in?
o Look at the school’s Facebook or twitter pages, read the college newspaper online - see what the admissions counselors aren’t telling you
•Financial
o Can you, or your parents, really afford this school?
o Review not only the tuition, but the costs for housing, meal plans and transportation. Will you need to fly, take the train/bus or drive home on breaks?
o Compare the financial aid packages, scholarships, loans, gifts, grants and any work-study opportunities
This week you’ll make one of the biggest decisions of your life. If you still have questions, talk to your guidance counselor, a favorite teacher or your parents who know you both academically and personally. They might be able to help you evaluate the pros and cons. This decision is a personal one and the final choice should be made yours, but it never hurts to ask for advice from people who know you well and care about your future.
How to Choose the Right Online College
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010In recent years, e-learning/distance learning has become main-stream. This is particularly so as many people are dealing with the economic downtown — parents are grappling with their children’s college tuition bills, adults learners are going back to college either to improve their skills or to get a degree in order to change their careers. Amidst all the uncertainty, online education has emerged as a viable and affordable option for many.
While traditional brick-and-mortar institutions have started offering online classes, there are also strictly online institutions which offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. Consider the following when choosing an online school that’s right for you:
• Research – Look into and compare the various online colleges. There are plenty of free websites on the Internet, which present a comprehensive list of online colleges and related information.
• Accreditation – Check to see if the online college is accredited. This means the college has been reviewed, its credit is transferable and they can qualify for issuing federal student aid.
• Tuition – How much will it cost to attend the online college? Are there any hidden costs or fees. For example, do you have to buy textbooks, have study materials shipped or access all materials through some sort of a digital library? Do you need to purchase additional software?
• Financial Aid – Does the online college offer financial aid? Many online colleges offer financial help to students as the Higher Education Reconciliation Act replaced a rule that banned federal financial aid to institutions instructing more than 50% of their students online.
• Teacher credentials and expertise – As with traditional colleges and universities, research teachers’ background and field of expertise.
• Class size – Smaller class size means greater attention from the instructor and fluid communication.
• Reputation – Read up on literature regarding the reputation of the online college.
• School Calendar – Part of the reason some consider distance learning is to complete a program in a shorter time frame. It is important to find out if the online college follows the traditional “School Calendar” or does the college operate at anytime.
• Hardware – What computer hardware will you need to complete the curriculum.
• Communication with the college and instructors – Since issues may arise in the course of completing your program, is communication strictly online or is there a telephone number to call for help?
Some choose online education for its convenience, others for its affordability and many to fast-track the time it takes to get a degree. Whatever the reason may be, some old rules still apply when choosing the right online college. Know all the specifics before you commit to an online college!
Find out how you can make money by teaching online
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010Can you afford not to teach online?
Students today do pretty much everything online: watch movies, talk with friends, read books, purchase music. With the aid of experienced teachers and tutors, now they can get help with their schoolwork too. Online learning is fast becoming a trend among students from high school to college and through graduate school and even adult/casual learners.
Start hosting your own online classes and tutoring sessions by using Examville’s learning tools.
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Countdown to the Big Day!
Monday, April 19th, 2010Whether you are applying to college, grad school or law school, in the next few months you will be taking an entrance exam of some sort.
Here are some important dates to keep in mind. The next test dates for the following standardized tests:
SAT - May 1, 2010 and June 5, 2010
LSAT - June 7, 2010
GRE - The GRE General Test is given year-round at computer-based test centers in the United States, Canada and many other countries. Find out how to register at www.ets.org.
(Paper-based administrations are offered only in areas of the world where computer-based testing is not available.)
GMAT - To take the GMAT exam, you must select a test center. Each test center has its own schedule and can accommodate varying numbers of test takers throughout the day.
Check the official website of the Graduate Management Admission Council for information about test centers and registration.
