April 7, 2011
There are plenty of ways to make your voice heard. You can use various online channels to express your opinions rather than screaming at random strangers, as I assume they used to do in the dark ages before Twitter.
Category: Uncategorized
March 29, 2011
Your personal computer is one of the most important items you’ll bring to college (after an EasyBake Oven). You’re going to use that computer for everything, everyday, for four years, so it’s important to get the right one. And don’t forget to ask about student discounts.
Category: Education Technology, Higher Education, Uncategorized
April 6, 2010
Look familiar?
Unpaid internships can be a necessary evil when trying to build a resume. They are an accepted, and quite popular, solution to the ambiguous gap between college and a career, where so many graduates come to the harsh realization that a degree can mean very little without experience.
The New York Times recently reported that this widely accepted practice may be illegal in some cases. According to the article, some companies are improperly implementing the unpaid internship program, usually reserved for non-profit companies and other special cases.
Ms. Leppink said many employers failed to pay even though their internships did not comply with the six federal legal criteria that must be satisfied for internships to be unpaid.
The article also takes issue with the availability of unpaid internships; by nature these programs favor those who can afford to live without regular income for an extended period of time. Students of higher-income families may have the financial support to allow them to work for free, but for the majority of students and graduates, it’s unrealistic. Student loan payments and living expenses effectively mean automatic disqualification from the possibility of holding an unpaid internship.
This close look at the implementation of unpaid internships comes on the heels of an increasing popularity of the practice. Companies who are strapped for cash often view unpaid internships as a way to free up capital without sacrificing productivity. It’s worked; an increasing number of job-seekers are taking unpaid internships as a way to bolster their resumes and gain a competitive edge in the lean job market.
Several investigations are ongoing, mostly on the west coast, looking into the use of unpaid internships by companies. Officials hope to educate companies about the proper use of an unpaid internship, suggesting that they offer paid internships when appropriate. Paid internships, which are more widely accessible, also motivate a company to utilize an intern’s abilities, rather than waste them on menial labor or janitorial work, as the article states is the case in many situations.
A major roadblock seems to be the precedent set in some industries. Many students and employers view unpaid internships as a natural and acceptable step on the way to a career. Dana John, who interned at a music booking company told the Times this:
It would have been nice to be paid, but at this point, it’s so expected of me to do this for free, she said. If you want to be in the music industry that’s the way it works. If you want to get your foot in the door somehow, this is the easiest way to do it. You suck it up.
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Image courtesy of rejflinger via Flickr
Category: Career, Uncategorized
March 22, 2010
Sunday night, the House of Representatives voted on and passed a version of legislation set to overhaul the current student lending system, according to an article in the Washingtion Post. Under the new system, students would borrow directly from the Department of Education, rather than from federally subsidized student loan companies, a move projected to positively impact the federal budget. This is the latest development in the ongoing debate over what form the overhaul will take, how it will be incorporated into the healthcare bill and how the potential savings will be allocated.
Earlier estimates projected the savings to be $87 billion over the course of 10 years, but more recent estimates, which take into account Pell Grant funding issues, say it’s much less. Accoring to EduWeek.org:
“in part because of the expanded need for Pell Grants and in part because more schools joined the Direct Loan program over the past year, the CBO’s savings estimate is now much lower; one recent estimate was about $67 billion.”
The Pell Grant system, a federally funded effort to provide financial assistance to lower-income college students, has seen a spike in applicants since national interest has turned to higher education as a way to secure an edge in the lean job market. The student-loan legislation would provide additional funding to the Pell Grant system, enabling an increase in the maximum value of the Pell Grant (scheduled to reach $5,550 next year) while adjusting it annually according to inflation.
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See our earlier post for more information and links to other insightful articles about student-loan reform. We’ll continue to follow the progression of the financial aid bill, and keep you up-to-date on this blog. Or get a comprehensive look at financial aid for college.
Category: Career, FAFSA, Financial Aid, Grants, Higher Education, Loans, Scholarships, Uncategorized
March 18, 2010
We are currently 16 days from the April 3rd launch of Apple’s iPad in the U.S. The media is in a frenzy speculating what it will mean for the future of mobile computing. Admittedly, the hype seems warranted so far, but not just for iPad’s status as a new class of mobile device. We want to talk about how, in an academic setting, iPad is positioned to change the college experience.
iWork — Many people may not realize that, in the shadow of Microsoft’s ubiquitous MS Office suite, Apple produces its own version of the classic productivity software. The suite is called iWork, and consists of three programs: Pages, Keynote and Numbers; each an analogue to the more well-known MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel, respectively. During iPad’s unveiling in January, Steve Jobs announced and demonstrated the iWork suite Apple has developed specifically for the iPad. Education and productivity were clearly a focus during iPad’s development, and the inclusion of these applications (or apps, as they have come to be known) will give students access to a new set of tools for writing papers, preparing presentations and organizing data.
eTextbook Reader — Perhaps the most straightforward application of the iPad on campus is in the form of an ebook reader. Textbooks, as we will have formerly referred to them, are big, heavy, expensive things that require the woody pulp of countless trees to print. We keep them as references after college, partly out of the chance that we’ll need them someday, and partly because they have almost no resale value. New editions come out nearly every year, often changing the slightest bit of information, but always just enough to require that you buy the ‘new’ copy from the bookstore instead of last year’s edition at 1/4 of the price. There are, of course, exceptions such as books on your particular area of study that have become a happy addition to your personal library. But an algebra textbook in the collection of an English major is nothing but a glaring reminder of how hard basic math can be and the $150 you’ll never get back.
Digital textbooks will be lighter, cheaper and use fewer woody-pulp-based resources. Changes to the content or organization will be made in real time, just as computer software is periodically updated. They will read out loud to the seeing-impaired. Digital textbooks will also be able to incorporate multimedia content into what has traditionally been static text and images. Videos of lectures will be embedded, and students will manipulate the data in tables and graphs. Penguin Books has already announced a few of its plans for the iPad, and has taken a strikingly fresh and proactive view on the current state of the publishing industry.
Price — The iPad is currently priced to sell at $499 for the least expensive model. At this price, many students will be able to afford one, especially when you factor in the potential savings from eTextbook purchases. At about half the price of the base-model MacBook, the iPad will be able to perform most of the essential tasks expected of a personal computer.
Personalized Function — Just as iPhone and iPod touch have been distinguished by the ever-expanding app store, so will the iPad be shaped by the apps developed for it. Apple has already released the Software Development Kit, or SDK, to give potential app developers a head start. The apps created for the iPad will come to define much of the user experience. In addition to the apps created by Apple, developers and educators will help realize the iPad’s potential by producing revolutionary educational software. The iPad will become a different device for each user depending on the user’s need. For some it could be a library of classic literature, while for others the iPad will be an interactive study of human anatomy.
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With all of the potential the iPad has to enhance the education process, there is equally significant potential to obstruct it. Another window into Facebook could be the last thing students need in the classroom. Check out an earlier blog post, On Web-based Education, Technology and “Teaching Naked,” watch the embedded video, and consider the other side of the debate over education technology.
Category: Campus life, Education Technology, Higher Education, Online Education, Required Reading, Uncategorized
March 11, 2010
Fighting a declining economy and some of the highest unemployment figures in the country, Michigan recently posted a list of the 50 hottest jobs (PDF) in the state. The list is comprised of higher-than-average paid jobs with consideration paid to future growth potential and a projected number of annual openings.
Included in the list are engineering managers, which hold the top spot, physician assistants and personal finance advisors. A large number of the jobs are related to the health and engineering industries.
Michigan governor Jennifer M. Granholm emphasizes the importance of continuing education after high school, stating:
“There is a direct link between learning and earning. That’s why it is critical that everyone pursue education after high school, which could include a vast array of opportunities including apprenticeships, associate’s degrees, and bachelor’s degrees.”
Granholm’s statement drives home the point that nearly every job on the list requires some form of postsecondary education.
50 Hot Jobs is an initiative to promote employment in Michigan along with the Michigan Career Portal, a forum where employers and job-seekers can contact each other, and No Worker Left Behind, the mission of which is to double the amount of trained workers in three years to 100,000.
Unemployment in Michigan is currently about 14% compared to the national average, 9.7%.
Focus.com recently posted a similar info-graphic, a “Best Jobs in America” list, reaffirming the need for individuals with postsecondary education. Learn more about career-specific education on our website and become qualified for jobs in high demand.
Photo courtesy of Chi King via Flickr
Category: Career, Higher Education, Required Reading, Uncategorized
March 9, 2010
You’ve seen the commercials, and it’s official: we are truly an advanced society. We can attend school in our pajamas. Long-distance space travel must be just around the corner.
The implications of this development might seem trivial, but I assure you they are anything but.
Web-Based Education
Online education is a relatively new idea that takes students out of the classroom and places them in front of a computer. Assignments are turned in electronically. Tutoring is done via email correspondence. Lectures are given in a variety of ways from two-way video conferencing to pre-recorded class sessions. No human contact between teacher and student need ever take place, and the student need never stray from the warm, soothing glow of the computer screen.
Bending Space and Time? Not a Problem
Online education means re-thinking the way we learn. Imagine a lecture hall filled with 10,000 students who meet three times a week. It’s not possible with traditional brick and mortar campuses, but it happens through online education.
The beauty of the Internet is truly in its ability to bridge great distances. Those distances could be geographical, or simply the space between you and a useful piece of information. Online education utilizes that inherent quality to provide access to higher education at a fraction of the cost of traditional college. Students in Australia can take a course from a Canadian professor while corresponding with their classmates in Scotland. Time zones aren’t an issue because the professor can pre-record lectures, post PowerPoint presentations, or provide a system of online assignments and testing.
Learn More
There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding whether online school is right for you. Check out these websites and continue to read our blog to ensure that you make a well-informed decision.
How do Online and Traditional Colleges Differ?
Cost of Online vs. Tratitional Colleges
First-Hand Experience of an Online Student
Photo courtesy of Qtea via Flickr
Category: Career, Higher Education, Online Education, Uncategorized
March 3, 2010
Although we’re still in the process of bringing YSGTS.com to its full potential as a powerful education resource, we will be providing relevant higher education information in the meantime via this blog. Be sure to bookmark us, or subscribe to the RSS feed to keep up-to-date on any new developments.
The Problem of College Completion
Many people are under the impression that once accepted to a college or university, finishing a degree or certification is simply a matter of course. This turns out to be very far from the truth, as was made evident by information gathered by a group called Complete College America, a nonprofit organization founded by Indiana’s former commissioner for higher education, Stan Jones. According to the website, and the New York Times, less than half of students who begin some form of higher education will receive a diploma. This is a troubling statistic considering that the website also states that within ten years, over 60% of jobs will require some form of postsecondary education.
The Solution
Complete College America, the joint effort of 17 states and several philanthropic foundations, aims to change those statistics by fundamentally altering the way that higher education is perceived and implemented. One area of concern that is central to the group’s mission is the array of confusing and intimidating financial aid programs. We will be providing resources on this website that will help navigate those options to ensure that every available opportunity is utilized. Another key factor will be career-focused education, which is designed with a clear vocational goal in mind (graphic design programs, nursing programs, etc.). This is in contrast to the traditional higher education model which is focused on acceptance to rather than completion of an academic program.
With the bleak state of the current job market, there’s never been a better time to invest in a career-focused education program. Check out the resources on our website, and improve your chances of success in the education world.
Photo courtesy of Dimitry V. via Flickr
Category: Career, Financial Aid, Higher Education, Uncategorized
