Student-Friendly Apartments in Chicago

Being a college student means being able to adapt to a lot of things. Chief among those things is apartments you can afford, instead of apartments that you would actually like to stay in. With this being the case, your apartment choices tend to be fairly limited. However, you can find some great deals out there, even in Chicago.

Chicago apartments have a well deserved reputation for being extremely conservative in the fire codes. They also deserve their other reputation of being expensive as a general rule. While Chi Town is an expensive city, you can find places that are great to sleep in, study in and bring a date to, even if they aren’t the best hangouts when you want to throw a party. Some people adapt to living in super small spaces, but many people find that finding a great apartment for a reasonable price just means making some other kind of sacrifice. Consider your transportation situation, your neighborhood or even taking on roommates if you really want to maximize your pizza budget.

Do you need to live in a “good” neighborhood? Can you ride a bicycle a mile or so to the nearest train depot or bus station? If you can find a way to make a sacrifice, you can often negotiate your rent or find a place that has a lower payment somewhere a little down the street. While it isn’t going to be perfect, figuring out how to adapt to suboptimal circumstances is a valuable part of the college experience. You didn’t think you were just here learning how to party and get a good job, did you?

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Toughest – and easiest – colleges to get into

What are your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice? You can easily find admittance rates on any college’s website, but if you’re looking for the most exclusive or the most open, here’s a list:

Colleges with the highest acceptance rates:

1. Weber State University, Ogden, Utah – Weber (pronounced WEE-ber) State has a 100% acceptance rate. A large percentage of its students are concurrently attending high school.

2. Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio – YSU is the least expensive public university in Ohio.

3. University of Texas – El Paso, El Paso, Texas – UTEP is the largest school in the nation with a majority of Hispanic students.

4. University of Texas – San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas – UTSA’s acceptance rate is 99.38 percent.

5. Evergreen State College, Olympia, Wash. – Evergreen students design their own majors and get evaluations, not grades.

Colleges with the lowest acceptance rates:

1. Yale University, New Haven, Conn. - In 2006, Yale’s admissions rate of 8.6 percent was the lowest ever of all Ivy League schools.

2. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. - Harvard’s undergraduate acceptance rate for 2006 was 9.3 percent. Its class of incoming freshmen in 2009 had a median score on the SAT I of 1495 out of 1600.

3. Princeton University, Princeton, Ohio – Princeton accepted only 10.2 percent of applicants in 2006.

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass. – In 2006, the admissions rate for freshmen at MIT was 12.7 percent.

5. Brown University, Providence, R.I. – Around 15 percent of incoming freshmen to Brown graduate first or second in their high school classes. Brown’s acceptance rate for the class of 2010 was 12.6 percent.

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The best- and worst-paying college majors

Are you facing your first term of college with the terrifying realization that you have NO CLUE what you want to study?

You’re probably a well-rounded individual, but you just haven’t found your passion yet. How do you go about choosing what to major in? And will that one choice set the course for the rest of your career and your life?

Personal interest is crucial in picking a field of study – if you don’t like it or you’re not interested in it, don’t torture yourself – but there are other factors to consider, too. One aspect that deserves some scrutiny is a potential major’s earning potential out in the real world of the work force.

Here are the top and bottom five college degrees by starting median salary for 2010-11, as reported by PayScale Inc.:

Top five:

  • Petroleum engineering $93,000
  • Chemical engineering $64,800
  • Nuclear engineering $63,900
  • Computer engineering $61,200
  • Electrical engineering $60,800

Bottom five:

  • Exercise science $32,800
  • Athletic training $32,800
  • Social work $31,800
  • Elementary education $31,600
  • Child and family studies $29,500

The most popular college major, business administration, came in 35th out of the list of 75 undergraduate college majors, with a median starting salary of $42,900.

Don’t totally count out a career in the lower wage ranks just because you’re not likely to get rich quick. Plenty of jobs with low numbers on the pay stubs make up for it in non-salary perks, benefits and job satisfaction. Take teaching, for example: While salaries are notoriously low, public school teachers enjoy union representation, health and retirement benefits and a nine-month work year!

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Write an outstanding admissions essay

Why do college applications require you to write an essay about yourself? What are admissions officers looking for in an essay, and how do you go about writing an outstanding one?

Test scores and transcripts may be an indicator of how you can be expected to perform in college, but the admissions essay tells the school about you, the person. Colleges want to attract the best and brightest, partly because a high-quality, diverse campus population contributes to a better learning experience, and partly because they want their graduates to be successful alumni who will support their alma mater.

So even if your SAT scores aren’t stellar and your GPA could use some TLC, a brilliant essay can showcase your ambition, your goals and your creativity. Here are some tips for crafting your best work:

1. Pick an interesting topic. Don’t just talk about your future career plans in generalities. Have a specific goal and tell why you chose it. Or if you don’t yet have specific plans, tell about a major achievement in your life or describe the qualities that set you apart from everyone else. Whatever you choose, make it something you feel passionate about.

2. Grab your reader. Start your essay with something vivid – ask a question, give a short and vibrant description, or make an intriguing statement. Keep your voice natural: Read your essay aloud to your friends and family to make sure it sounds like you. Avoid starting every sentence with the word “I.”

3. Proofread, proofread, proofread! Hardly anyone is perfect with spelling, punctuation and grammar, but turning in a polished essay shows that a) you know how to use resources to make it perfect, and b) you care.

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Bridging the Gap on Education Costs

The cost of college hasn’t gotten cheaper over the years. For many people the dream of going to school to get their higher education has become a bit of a financial nightmare. Just trying to make ends meet at the tuition office isn’t close to what they are going through. There is so much more for a person to do that all it takes is one bad week at work or one car repair and a student can go from on track with his or her higher education payments, to wondering what went wrong.

For many students there are very little options when a tuition crisis arises. Loans that a student usually takes out are only available until after the semester. Once the semester starts there are no emergency loans to help bridge the gap. There are very few banks that are going to give college kids a sum of money that low or that quickly to keep them in school. Many banks have a certain protocol to follow and in doing so they must wait days for a decision on an application.

The cost of an education gets bigger. Payday loans are there to bridge the gap. Use them sparingly and you’ll stay on the right track.

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The challenges of online learning

Taking courses online is often an attractive option when work, family or location prohibits someone from enrolling in traditional college classes. But it’s not all as easy as lounging around with a laptop. Here are some challenges you should know about:

1. Procrastination. Without regular class meeting times and the motivation to keep up with your classmates, it’s easy to put off doing your studying or your assignments. Plus, life gets in the way! Set aside a block of time each day to concentrate on nothing but your coursework.

2. Plagiarism. You’re already on the Web, and so much information is just a click away … no one will ever find out if you copy and paste, right? Wrong. Read the material, think about it, then restate it in your own words as if you were telling it to someone else. The whole point of learning isn’t to get a grade, but to expand your mind.

3. Minimal effort. When it’s just you and the computer, you have to be your own taskmaster. Don’t let yourself just get by with doing the bare minimum requirements for a class – do your best and take pride in your work.

4. Negative attitudes. You can bet there will be times when your online course seems like a time-waster, a stressor or a burden. Don’t let it turn into a chore. Remind yourself of the reason you began the course and how excited you were to start this adventure.

5. Mistaken assumptions. Do your homework before you select a course! Check out the program thoroughly and make sure the online school is legitimate and accredited, the curriculum meets your needs and the coursework fits with your schedule.

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What can you expect at a fraternity?

Starting college can be a daunting prospect, especially if you’re the only one of your high school classmates at your new school. The Greek system of fraternities and sororities offers social and leadership activities that can help you adjust, have fun and even gain valuable experience for your resume.

The first Greek letter organization was Phi Beta Kappa, a literary society founded at the College of William and Mary in 1776. Social activities began to take prominence over academic interests in the first half of the 19th century. Currently, houses exist for specific demographics (such as black, Jewish, Christian or gay students) or with a focus on a professional, academic or service orientation.

Students scout out fraternities during Rush Week, attending events and getting to know the members of the houses they’re interested in. Once a house decides to offer membership to a student, he becomes a pledge. Pledges usually have to complete a period of service that proves their dedication and worthiness; if they pass the pledge period satisfactorily, they are initiated into the frat.

Unfortunately, hazing rituals involving humiliation, physical assaults and alcohol are part of the history of some fraternities. But absolutely every national fraternity, as well as every university with a Greek system, officially prohibits hazing. Several fraternities have even established themselves as “dry” houses, meaning they do not allow alcohol.

Why join a fraternity? You’ll bond with dozens of your frat brothers, making connections that could benefit your future career. You’ll practice leadership and philanthropy on campus. You’ll enjoy parties and events that are off-limits to non-Greek students. You may be able to get housing in the frat. And if your house has a colorful past, you’ll have the chance to raise its reputation for the classes that come after you.

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Why go to a community college?

With higher education becoming more expensive and admission requirements tightening, many high school seniors are considering community (or junior) colleges as their first choice for pursuing a degree. Community college students constitute 43 percent of all undergraduate students in the United States.

In Fall 2007, 11.8 million adults were enrolled at more than 1,100 community colleges across the nation. The majority (6.8 million) take classes for credit toward a degree; 5 million take non-credit classes for skill building, personal interests or career development. Forty-two percent of community college students are the first members of their families to attend college.

Each community college develops its own mission based on the community it serves; but in general, most exist to provide open access to postsecondary education, prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions, provide workforce development and skills training and offer non-credit programs ranging from English as a second language to skills retraining to community enrichment programs or cultural activities.

It costs far less to attend a community college per year than a public four-year college. In 2007, the average annual tuition and fees for a community college was $2,544; average tuition and fees at a four-year college was $7,020. Still, nearly half of all students attending community colleges receive some form of federal financial aid.

Community colleges offer a vast variety of degree and certification programs in addition to countless non-credit courses. Many offer an associate’s degree in a number of fields, requiring about two years of study. Some have partnered with their state university systems to offer transfer degrees, where students complete two years of general education requirements and enter their four-year school with junior status, ready to concentrate on courses in their major department.

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Slumping Job Markets

The economy can bring many woes and many blessings. If the economy is doing well, many college graduates are grateful to take advantage and look for well-paying jobs. If the economy is doing poorly, many college graduates find that the jobs are simply not available, and that making their bills on-time each month can be a struggle. However, for college graduates, there is one bill that has to be paid, regardless of income flow. There are certain government programs that can help during times of hardship, but they only last for a specific duration of time, usually a cap of 36 months per program. This means that once the hardship programs—such as forbearance and deferment—expire, a college graduate will not be able to depend on that relief again. One such way to help graduates with the cost of education is by consolidating student loans.  It can show graduates how they can save significant amounts of money each month, making the process of paying bills on time that much easier. This is especially true for those that are not able to find jobs that are as high paying as once believed. Graduates are provided a six month grace period, or deferment, after graduation. This means that no payments are to be made on behalf of the student loans. This time gives graduates a preparation period to begin planning how they will repay the loans. Consolidation can also be done during this time, making the student loans more manageable from the beginning of the repayment process. This can help lower the stress of repayment for many graduates as they may have a struggle finding adequate work in a slow job market. It is important for graduates to investigate their options as soon as possible as this can help to save time and energy later on.

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Why Should You Consider Studying Abroad

With students from all over the world flocking to the United States to attend our colleges, why would anyone consider going overseas from the United States to attend college elsewhere?

The first reason that comes to mind is about experience. Many adults in the United States have never set a foot outside of this country’s borders. A trip overseas would be a learning experience that you would never forget. Immerse yourself in another culture. Learn a new language. Be on your own for the first time ever.

Another reason to leave the country to attend college is to go to specifically learn a foreign language. If you know that you want to teach Italian, then attending school in Italy is a great idea. Many times this can translate into a job for you as well, teaching English in the schools or privately.

Some countries are known for certain subjects over others. If this is the case, you may want to study under a master in your business. For example, attending chef school in France can be very prestigious for American students. Coming back to the states with a degree and good grades from a French cooking school gets your foot in the door at just about any restaurant you choose. A student that wishes to study opera may choose to apply to schools in Italy that are known for their music and their singing. A student who truly believes she has a gift may decide that she wants to study ballet in Russia.

In any of these cases, attending college abroad can be a great experience for American students. Going while you are still young, before you are tied down by a job and family, will give you a lifetime of memories.

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