Specialty Schools | College Information

Start Training for Iron Man

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If you want to participate in a 2011 Iron Man competition, then now is the time to start training. The Iron Man is a triathlon, so it consists of three grueling events: a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. The amount of training that you need for this event is unbelievable.

The 2011 U.S. events will be held on these dates:

May 7, St. George, Utah
May 21, The Woodlands, Texas
June 26, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
July 24, Lake Placid, New York
August 28, Louisville, Kentucky
September 11, Madison, Wisconsin
November 5, Panama City Beach, Florida
November 20, Tempe, Arizona

These dates might seem far off (especially the November ones), but they approach quickly. If you don’t get started now then chances are that you won’t be prepared to finish the event.

In addition to lots of physical endurance, you will also need the right equipment. Don’t think that you’re equipped to complete the Iron Man in swimwear made by Baby Phat. You’re going to need to forget about fashion and focus on function. Be sure to purchase high quality running shoes. The average pair of running shoes will give you between 400 and 500 miles before you need to replace them. Spending a little more upfront, though, can mean that you save money in long run since you won’t have to purchase them as frequently.

You’re swimwear should offer only the most basic protection. You’re not trying to show off your looks. You’re showing off your athleticism. Choose options that allow you to move freely. Most people find that they spend the most money on lightweight road bikes. You can easily spend a couple thousand dollars on the best models. Purchase the best one that you can afford and keep it in top shape.

Filed Under: General, Specialty Schools Tagged With: Baby Phat, Iron Man, Jon Favreau, Marvel Comics

The Benefits of Going To A Tech School

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For many students the issue is picking a college is a difficult decision. The college information out there would tend to illustrate that there are many good places for students to take their next level of education to. However, making the right choice and being able to navigate through all the information is hard to do.

One of the popular choices these days is to go to a tech school to achieve the next level of education. Schools like these have seen a rise in attendance over the last few years, and for good reason too. Here are a few of the reasons why it makes sense for students to attend a tech or trade school as opposed to the traditional university.

The easiest reason to choose a trade school is that it is a direct path to a job after college. Many students in the traditional university spend four years taking classes to achieve a degree that will promise them no guarantee of anything beyond college. Going to a trade school or for a degree program will ensure that when school is over the student has a career for them.

These students who attend a trade school are given the gift of learning a discernible skill. This gives them an advantage in the job market. While they may not be competing for jobs with those who may have received a degree in English or Communications, but it gives them a clearly defined skill that they can market themselves in the open market.

Trade schools are becoming a staple and a serious choice for the child leaving high school. As they are looking for solid career options to fuel them as they move forward they will be looking more and more for trade schools. The question is what do the traditional universities have to compete with them?

Filed Under: Financial Aid, Specialty Schools Tagged With: Academic degree, Student, Vocational school

The Benefits of Attending a Community College

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Many high school students struggle to choose between attending a community college and a four-year college. Both options can provide students will a quality education and the means to continue on to further their higher education and find jobs in a variety of career fields.

Affordability is one big factor that drives students to consider a community college. Community colleges tend to be much less expensive than four year colleges and universities. Students can get the majority of their core curriculum credits done at the community college and spend that time deciding exactly what career they would like to pursue. If they decide that two years of education is enough for that career path, they can graduate with an Associates Degree. If they would like to complete their Bachelors Degree, their community college credits can transfer over to a four-year college.

For students who are not sure about attending college, a community college can be a great place to find their way. Students who struggled in high school classes can catch up and have the time to make decisions about the future.

Community colleges can also be a great choice for students who need to be able to work during college. Classes are often offered in the evenings and at times to work with busy adults schedules. Flexible class schedules and administrators that understand the challenges of working while going to school can make community colleges a great place for these students.

Non-traditional students often feel very welcome at a community college where the majority of students are typically commuting from home and not living in dorms. It is easy for older adults or people with jobs and families to feel left out at a four-year college where students are all living on campus, a community college is a place where learning can happen and then students can return to their lives outside of school.

Filed Under: Specialty Schools Tagged With: Associates Degree, Bachelors Degree, Community college, Curriculum, High school, Higher education, Student, United States

Adjusting to the First Week on Campus

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You’ve completed the long college admissions process, found the right school, and planned your class schedule for the first year. Now you’ve arrived on campus and it’s time to focus on getting situated in your new home.

Seek out Mentors
Get to know your residence hall advisers during your first week. These are the people who will help you to find your way around campus, make sure you don’t miss important events, and answer questions when you need help. Building a good relationship with them early on is an essential step in finding your way in college.

Also take the time to meet with your assigned academic adviser and your professors. Ask questions and take the time to be sure they know your name and know how they can help you navigate your first semester. Learn their office hours and show up at convenient times when they will best be able to work with you.

Find the Information
Do bulletins go out in emails or to an online board? Where do you find the schedule of upcoming events? Get familiarized with the information flow on campus and you’ll be less likely to miss out on opportunities and places to meet people. If there will be a clubs and activities fair, be sure to attend and sign up for things that interest you. Clubs are one way outside of the classroom that you will be able to get involved and identify new interests.

Use the Buddy System

Link up with your roommate, someone in your hall, or someone in class and start broadening your horizons from there. Sometimes the most challenging part of finding your way in a new place is making that first friend. From there, you will be more likely to go to events where you will meet more people and build yourself a support system in your new college home.

Filed Under: Specialty Schools Tagged With: Cafeteria, Campus, Colleges and Universities, Dormitory, Education, School, Student, United States

The Basics of Getting Into College

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Wanting to go to a 4 year university is one thing, getting in is a whole other story. The truth is that getting into a university is not easy. There are a lot of things you have to be prepared for because the better the college the more you will have to do to be prepared to get in. Making the right moves for the 4 years you are in college will impact you significantly down the road. Here are some tips to getting into the 4 year university and what you need to do.

The first thing a college looks at is the GPA(grade point average) of the student. While it’s important to do well on the standardized tests, it’s far more important that a student show consistency in their work day in and day out. Without it there is something lacking in the application and will get passed over by a student with a much more consistent in class grade point average.

The next thing is a good college prospect must be is able to do well on the standard test. Sometimes the little extras that go on an application make it hard for the university to determine if that makes you better than any other candidate. So in order to get through the list of applicants down to the right list of applicants they have to take a look at the standard test scores. This means that doing well on the ACT and the SAT will speak well for their attractiveness to a university. It would make sense to even take prep courses to ensure the very best score possible.

Getting in to college means doing things right from the start. Making a mistake on the bigger picture items means less of a chance getting into a persons university of choice.

Filed Under: Financial Aid, Specialty Schools Tagged With: Grade (education), SAT, Standardized test

Graduation is Just The Beginning

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High school students spend four years preparing for graduation. What is after graduation? What are your plans and what steps have you taken to complete those plans? If college or tech school is in your future, how do you go about finding out which school is best for you? Maybe you are not sure exactly which course of study you wish to pursue. There are many, even hundreds of websites in Cyberspace that are ready and willing to tell you where to go to complete your education. Never before have such a high percentage of high school graduates chosen to continue their education. It is more than likely that most high school graduates will continue on in their quest for the perfect career.

Knowing what path you want to pursue is an important first step. Having made that decision, you now have to decide which school will help you reach your goal. Is is a university education that you seek? Perhaps a technical school is the right choice. Is there a specialty school that meets your education needs? By the time you are a senior you probably have a room full of mailings from various colleges telling you that they have what you need. How many schools should you visit? How do you narrow down the search?

At iticollege.org the work has already been done for you. This site can tell you what programs are available at the colleges you want to look at. Here you can find the requirements for enrollment, tuition and other costs. It can also guide you through the admission process, that all important first step into your future. You have worked hard. You have set the goals for your future. You are ready to begin that journey into the unknown and iticollege.org takes the guess work out. Your future is too important, you need to be sure.

Filed Under: Specialty Schools Tagged With: America's Promise, Education, Graduation, High school, Higher education, Johns Hopkins University, New York City, United States

Unraveling the College Search

Congratulations! You have worked hard for many years, studying, writing papers, doing homework, and now it is time to jump into the big pond – college. If you have never searched for college information, it can be a daunting and exhausting process. Who has the right information? Where do I find the “tricks” to choosing the right place for me? How do I narrow down the mega information superhighway of the Internet? The answer is simple, just go to iticollege.org. This is a college information website, and a great place to start.

If you google search “applying for college” more than 23 million responses will come up. Well that narrows it down for you, doesn’t it? However, iticollege.org has done the work for you. The site can show you benefits for technical schools, four year universities as well as specialty schools. If you have a school in mind, you can easily find out what the application requirements are, what programs are available, costs and the admission process itself.

While the visiting and open houses that are offered by the colleges are informative and interesting, this is not the first step in the process. At that point you will want to be informed and ready to ask all the important questions, in order to distinguish one particular school for another, and ultimately the right choice for your education, the “perfect fit.” With a little research, you will have that edge.

Searching for that place that is just right for you can be a frustrating process, but it is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life, choosing the education that will form your future. That is why iticollege.org is there, to help you filter through the fluff, and get down to finding that one place that will not only prepare for a future in the big world, but put you in charge of your destiny.

Filed Under: Financial Aid, Specialty Schools Tagged With: College Search