TravelBug
After months of tortuous papers and projects, hours of mind-numbing lectures, disputes over grades, not-so-patiently waiting for your professor to email you back or handing out grades, filling out course evaluations seem to be a student’s revengeful saving grace. Some students capitalize on this opportunity to express their true feelings. Others complain about their professor all semester and as they feel relief that the course is coming to a close, they quickly circle all of the highest scores for their professor and run out of class, disregarding their opportunity to voice any concerns.
Through casual conversation with various students who attend colleges and universities throughout the country, it seems as though students simply do not believe that taking the time to fill out course evaluations holds any weight in terms of improving teaching departments.
Taking course evaluations seriously does impact professor’s teaching styles. Evaluations keep standards high. If a professor needs improvement but only receives positive feedback, they will have no reason to believe they need to make changes, aside from being simply passionate teachers. Honest course evaluations can break the chain of overlooked poor quality teaching. On a greater scale, when a professor receives negative feedback from a majority of students, a career may be in jeopardy. Taking evaluations seriously can significantly impact how and if professors will be teaching next semester.
One thing about course evaluations to remember is that you are evaluating the professor, not the course. Especially when taking general education courses, you may be facing a course that is not your expertise, a course you did not enjoy by any means. Be sure to judge your professor fairly in this respect. Was your teacher un-supportive, or did you really just not like the material and thus paid less attention? Did you not like the teacher’s pace working through course materials, or was it that you weren’t attentive in that Friday 8am Econ class?
While you are in the midst of presentations, finals, papers, course evaluations are probably the last thing you will be giving any brain power to, but making sure that you fill them all out truthfully and honestly can keep the standards of the faculty high and give you that satisfying feeling that your voice has been heard.
-TravelBug
I’m reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
What comes to mind when I mention the word statistics? Maybe you think of a rough class you took last semester. You might glance over to your bookshelf to your copy of the Statistics for Dummies book. Maybe you think of boring charts and graphs.
Chances are, you aren’t the ten percent of people who like statistics, as mentioned by Some People Don’t’ Like Statistics Blog. But if you are, this blog post is for you. Here are some interesting college statistics:
“The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010” survey polled about 200,000 first-year students at four-year colleges. This study revealed that the emotional health of freshman has hit its lowest point in 25 years.
Okay, so yes, I decided to start off on a bad note, but statistics like any good playlist has its ups and downs. On a happier note, also from the “National Norms” report, about a third of students polled “believe there is a ‘very good chance’ they will participate in volunteer or community service work.” Back in 1990, that was only 16.9 percent! I told you things were looking up.
A 2010 survey from The Chronicle of Higher Education explains that in 2009, more students prioritize “being very well off financially” over “raising a family” by about three percentage points. This was the opposite reaction in 2004 by about two percentage points. Other top objectives include helping other who are in difficulty, becoming an authority in my field, and improving my understanding of other countries/cultures. Least important objectives polled are creating artistic work, becoming accomplished in one of the performing arts, and writing original works.
The Chronicle of High Education’s almanac reveals some other awesome statistics about colleges and college students. Did you know 9.4 percent of all college students attend community college in California?
How about only 0.4 percent of undergraduates in America attend an Ivy League school?
Also, 332,489 more students earned business degrees rather than mathematics degrees in 2009.
The U.S. Department of Education’s The Condition of Education 2011 confirms that out of 1,601,000 bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2008-09, 348,000 were in the business field, followed by169,000 social sciences and history students, 120,000 health sciences students, and 102,000 education students.
So there are a lot of non-Ivy League business majors out and about. The more important question, where are all the guys? According to a presentation done by Becky Brodigan of Middlebury College at a College Board Forum back in 2005, male birthrates have been outnumbering females 105 to 100, but males account for only 47 percent. Way to get that education ladies!
Men listen up! ClassesAndCareers.com released a cool YouTube video about the guy to girl radio at colleges. Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA wins that prize at 99.58 percent. The coed colleges tied with the lowest male to female ratio are Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA at 62.5 percent.
If you’re thinking of transferring due to those stats, fine comfort in the fact that 1,250,000 others transfer too.
If you’re looking for some fun without transferring, why not hit up spring break along with the 1,125,000 (average) other college students attending spring break. Just try not to be a part of the 88,750 on average who get arrested at Spring Break each year. College students attend an average number of 62 college parties per year. We also average 2 parking tickets per student per year. We each skip an average of 26 classes each year too.
What about our stuff? The most common car for a college student in the Toyota Yaris, while the most driven scooter is the GS Motor Works CY50-B. I don’t know about you, but with that scooter costing $769, I’m fine walking…
Don’t forget to hold onto your stuff too! The most common item stolen from college students is the iPod. Unfortunately, I play into that statistic (don’t worry, I didn’t do the stealing. I got it stolen.)
-TravelBug
I’m reading Essentials of Geology
Crap that paper is due when? Okay, let me add it to the list. So I’ve got class these days, a presentation here, a term paper due then, my friend’s graduation party that weekend. Alright, my calendar is complete. Unfortunately, I’ve got one more thing to add to your list.
In all the craziness, please do not let your poor mother go unappreciated on SUNDAY, MAY 13, this year’s Mother’s Day. While you think to yourself you don’t have the time to do anything, remind yourself that she experienced nine months of pregnancy than hours of labour for you. No matter if you have an hour, five minutes, or thirty seconds to spare, use that time to send some love to Mama. Even if your relationship with your mom or grandmother is not the best, this could be an opportunity to taking a step toward clearing the air.
No idea what to do? Well, if you are already at the library working on papers, it doesn’t take much to print out a card to mail or hand deliver. If trying to be environmentally friendly, there are always e-Cards although they have their lameness factor. A handwritten card would be best. If unsure what to write, look up what those print out cards or eCards say (this is the one time plagiarism might go unnoticed).
While procrastinating on your paper or final, check out 1800Flowers.com to order a bouquet (ranging from $25 to $200).
EdibleArrangements.com is another way to go for Mother’s Day with chocolate covered fruit boxes, fruit bouquets with and without stuffed animals and balloons are available (also ranging in price from $25 to $100).
If you’re looking for something a little different for Mom, consider ordering her some gourmet cupcakes or cake pops from a local bakery.
Day’s at the spa never go unnoticed either! Although massages can get pricy, a gift card or treating your mom in person to a manicure or pedicure, especially if she does not get them regularly, can help her relax (which can lead to less nagging).
Simply spending some time with Mom on mother’s day is the cheapest, most heartfelt which seems to be most appreciated by moms everywhere. If you’ve got a final, making a point to talking with her and making a plan for after you are out of school for the semester is sure to bring a smile to her face.
-TravelBug
I’m reading Biology: Science for Life
Depending on where you go to school, living can be a sticky situation. If you go to a big school your options might consist of freshmen dorms, off campus apartments or houses, and potentially Greek Sorority or Fraternity houses. You may get to choose where you live—and make the tough call of staying put, or venturing off on your own. However if you go to a smaller school, your options start to change.
Smaller schools can accommodate more students because of smaller numbers—instead of 33,000 beds, you may only need a few thousand—if that. Small scale universities have large commuter, day time, and evening populations. Dormitories can be built to hold fewer students than state schools would need to, and often guarantee housing for all four years instead of offering a less than desirable lottery system.
But how do you choose where to live? If it’s mandatory to live on campus, is that a bad thing? If you can choose whether or not to live on campus, should you? Or if you have the option to move off campus, what factors should you consider? Where does benefit vs. cost analysis kick in?
Before you toss and turn trying to figure out all of you housing worries, consider the facts. Make a pros and cons list and really weigh your options. Most campuses are different, so what may make more sense for friends studying at other schools, may not necessarily make the most sense for you!
So why live on campus? Here are my reasons: I go to a small, private institution in Philadelphia. It’s centered in an urban area, 15 minutes from center city. Housing options are limited off campus—you have to rent, buy or sublet. However, students are fortunate enough to be guaranteed housing on campus for all four years. And that’s not all! Your start in the dorms, but as you move through semesters and classes (and start to accumulate credits!) you can move up on the housing ladder. Dorms turn into apartments, and eventually your apartment turns into a townhouse with three floors. Now this isn’t the case everywhere, but you get the point. There are options for students who want to stay close, and stay put right on campus! The upkeep is taking care of, you don’t pay water and electric, you have options and space to room. Really, campus is your new backyard. The only downside? Your room and board receipt. Maybe it’s covered in your financial aid, scholarships or loan, or maybe not. Just consider the numbers and decide if adding this portion to your bill makes sense.
If on campus isn’t for you, what else can you try? Here is my perspective– On the flip side of our cozy campus community, is the off-campus living. Students who are local, or who want slightly more freedom than dorms allow, make the move off campus. There are houses and apartments close by with owners looking to rent, or sublet to desirable students. There are factors that go into this move that students don’t often consider—safety, upkeep, costs, etc. However, when all is said and done, those who decided to become “college home owners” do okay. You can make your own rules, decorate however you want, and eat on your own plan. However, don’t forget to consider the time commitment you are signing up for! You are signing a lease or contract and become responsible for property. You are paying bills (that may or may not be cheaper than on campus alternatives), and managing the upkeep of your place. You have to cook, clean, and monitor aspects of your living life that you may not have even noticed when you were in the dorms.
Unfortunately there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to where you should live on campus. It’s mixing bowl of factors, time, and costs. You need to decide what makes the most sense for you individually and how you want to spend your time when you don’t have your head buried in a book. Do you want to share a room, are you comfortable with roommates? Can you remember to take on the trash? Will you remember to turn off lights and lock your door? Will you remember to grab your keys?
Take your time and do your research. Check out every available outlet of information on housing in your college area and decide what makes the most sense—also check requirements. Some scholarships stipulate that you live on campus, so does some financial aid! Or your campus may have a “first year” rule making it mandatory to live on campus. After that, it’s up to you! You can also choose how you decorate your room and what furniture to have—now you just have to decide where that room will be!
-Ring Queen
The Economic Policy Institute reported in early March that entry-level wages of male and female college graduates have fallen in recent years; no surprise there. The average hourly wage for graduates aged 23-29 has fallen to $21.68 for men (a whooping 11% decrease in the past ten years) and $18.80 for women, which is a 6.7% decrease.
So where can recent graduates go for jobs? The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has data showing the unemployment rate dropping from September 2011 to March 2012, but where are those jobs? Utilizing the articles and databases of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great place to start informing yourself about where the jobs are in your field.
Forbes has released an article naming ten cities to be the Best Cities For New College Grads. The cities to win the lowest unemployment rate of the ten is tied, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. and Washington, D.C., including Arlington and Alexandria, Va. at 5.5%. The latter also has the highest mean wages hourly as of May 2010 at $29.95. Other cities to make the list are Boston, Seattle, Houston, Baltimore, Dallas, Kansas City, Raleign/Durham, and Austin.
MSNBC released an article in September of 2011, which would add Hartford-New Haven, Cleveland, Denver, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and St. Louis to the list of best metropolitan areas to start out in.
So what are these cities ranked on? What makes a city great enough to make the cut? These lists are based on job markets and local economies, but there are many other factors that you should consider. Is there a metropolitan area that has a growing job market that is within commuting distance to a family’s house? Living at home is not always ideal, but spending a year or two crashing with Mom and Dad can save you enough money to put a down payment on a place of your own, or at least help you save enough to get you on your feet.
Coed Magazine posted an interesting infographic in the beginning of the year that is worth checking out:
Moving to an area based on statistics without a job prospect can lead to a great adventure, but not always a great career. Start your job hunt within these areas first before packing up and jumping in.
-TravelBug
I'm reading Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective
