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Most Popular Commencement Speeches on YouTube

Fri, 31 May 2013 11:20:10 +0100

A great commencement speech not only inspires graduates, but audience members as well. A speaker may not have all the answers, but one with the right words can light a fire inside of all of us and push us to our potential.

So whether you�re a fresh college grad, someone stuck in a career rut, someone who could use a little direction in life, or simply someone who likes to listen to motivational speeches, we present these popular commencement speeches from various college graduations.

1. Steve Jobs� 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech

Steve Jobs encourages graduates to find what they love and to not settle. �Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith.� There is meaning and reason behind everything; you have to trust that somehow the dots will connect in the future. Find what you love. Follow your curiosity and intuition. Trust in your gut.

2. David Foster Wallace�s 2005 Kenyon Commencement Speech

In David Foster Wallace�s commencement speech �This is Water,� he is referring to water as what's around us. He encourages listeners to look at things from a different perspective. Be less arrogant. Have more critical awareness for yourself and your surroundings. Be more aware of what is going on around you, especially when doing some of the more mundane tasks in life like picking up groceries after a long day of work. These are times when you can come across the most important realities in life. Use these times to think. "The world as you experience it is there in front of YOU."

3. Randy Pausch�s 2008 Carnegie Mellon Commencement Speech

Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was told he would only have 3-6 months left to live because of pancreatic cancer. He gave this speech at month nine. Because he knew his time was coming to an end, the focus of his speech was about getting the most out of life. "It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our deathbed, it is the things we do not." So do the things you want to do. Follow your passions and live life to the fullest. Don�t let anything get in your way. (Randy passed away two months after he gave this speech.)

4. Conan O�Brien�s 2011 Dartmouth Commencement Speech

"...whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come...The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality."

Conan injects tons of humor into this speech, cracking jokes at Dartmouth and other Ivy institutions. He tells graduates to be patient because the job market is tough out there. Sometimes life isn�t fair. In the speech he references how things didn't work out with him on The Tonight Show. What he learned is that when things aren�t working out, don�t be afraid to try new things. "It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound re-invention." Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.

5. Oprah�s 2004 Stanford Commencement Speech

Oprah encourages graduates to be themselves and not live to other people�s expectations. Learn from your failures: for every bad experience you go through, rather than getting down on yourself, think of what you can learn from the experience. In her speech, she touches on the meaning of life: to be truly happy, you have to give something back.

6. Mitch Thrower�s 1990 St. Lawrence Commencement Speech

Begin your life today.

Mitch Thrower advises graduates that life is not a destination, but a journey. �Life doesn�t start now. We�ve been living it all along.� Too many people wait to begin their lives. Don't hesitate, start today, and on this journey, attempt to put back more into life than you take out.

7. Lisa Kudrow�s 2010 Vassar Commencement Speech

Lisa Kudrow�s commencement speech touches on the uncertainty and crossroads that lie ahead for the graduates. Kudrow is one who believes everything in life happens for a reason, even the bad things. �When one door closes, another always opens.� That�s her way of looking at life. Always follow your inner voice. That's how she went from biology researcher to actress.

8. JK Rowling�s 2008 Harvard Commencement Speech

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination.

The Harry Potter author talks of how failure enabled her to become successful. Had she succeeded at anything else, she may not have found the determination to go on and write novels. You will fail at some point, it�s how you pick yourself up and overcome your setbacks that makes you stronger and shows you�re a survivor. "It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all � in which case, you fail by default."

9. Steven Colbert�s 2011 Northwestern Commencement Speech

In a graduation speech full of humor, Steven Colbert expresses that as your life goes on, your dreams will change. If something doesn�t work out, something else will. �Life is an improvisation. You have no idea what�s going to happen next and you are mostly just making things up as you go along.�

10. Ellen DeGeneres� 2009 Tulane Commencement Speech

In her commencement speech to Tulane graduates, Ellen tells of how she was completely lost after getting out of school. She had no plan and no idea of what she wanted to do. It wasn't until a tragic event happened in her life where she started asking herself questions and thinking, and there on finding her true path in life.

While she had found her true calling, she found the journey was not easy. When she came out, she lost her career, yet still managed to find a way to pursue her passion. What she learned is as you grow your definition of success changes and you discover more about who you are. It's about finding out who you are and being yourself, not living to other people�s expectations. You need to be true to yourself. Live with integrity, don't try and be something you're not.

11. Denzel Washington�s 2011 Penn Commencement Speech

Life isn�t worthwhile unless you take risks.

Denzel talks about the idea of having something to fall back on and how he disagrees with the notion. "If I�m going to fall, I don�t want to fall back on anything, except my faith. I want to fall� forward." He encourages graduates to take risks and take chances. �You will fail at some point in your life. Accept it.� Life will never be a straight path. Every failure is a learning experience that gets you one step closer to success. If you don't fail at some point in your life, you�re not pushing yourself hard enough. You may have all the training and talent in the world, but do you have the guts to take risks? Do you have the guts to push yourself as far as you can go?

To see what he means about taking risks and being willing to fail, Denzel recommends watching the character he plays in the movie �Philadelphia�.

12. Meryl Streep�s 2010 Barnard Commencement Speech

In her commencement speech at Barnard, Meryl Streep discusses her experiences in acting and passes on tips and inspiration for graduates to achieve success in the next part of their lives. She encourages graduates to put empathy in their work for greatest success.

13. Bill Cosby�s 2007 Carnegie Mellon Commencement Speech

Donning a gray Carnegie Mellon sweat suit, Bill Cosby shares the story of doing his first major comedy show. It was supposed to be his big break and he totally tanked it. He let the fear of the crowd and the fact that he might not be good enough get to his head. Luckily he was given a second chance and he blew the audience away. His point of the story: �Don�t talk yourself into not being you at any time.� You need to be sure of yourself and be prepared.

14. Obama�s 2010 University of Michigan Commencement Speech

"How will you keep our democracy going?"

In his commencement speech to the class of 2010 at the University of Michigan, President Obama encourages graduates to keep an open mind, to actively seek out information that challenges us, and to listen to different viewpoints from various backgrounds to better understand where others are coming from. In doing so, you may learn something new. He encourages participation in democracy: "When we don�t pay close attention to the decisions made by our leaders, when we fail to educate ourselves about the major issues of the day, when we choose not to make our voices and opinions heard, that�s when democracy breaks down."

15. Obama�s 2009 Arizona State University Commencement Speech

In his commencement speech at ASU, President Obama congratulates graduates on their journey but warns them the road doesn�t end here. �No matter how much you've done, or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, always more to learn, and always more to achieve.� You'll have to constantly adapt to the changing economy. You have to keep gaining new skills to ensure you are successful. He encourages graduates to follow their passions to success. To do what�s meaningful to you, to help others, to make a difference in this world, and not measure success in the amount of materialistic things you have.

Get your Resume Online in 5 Easy Steps

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:32:52 +0100

Your resume is a marketing tool to sell you as the best candidate for the job. It�s best to tailor it to the specific job you are applying for, only put the most complimentary stuff on it, and always ensure potential employers have the most up-to-date info on you.

A resume you submit in paper form or as an email attachment can get outdated very quickly. What�s the best way to ensure job recruiters always have access to your most up-to-date resume? Make it available online on your own personal website.

First, you�ll want to update your resume.

As the year has progressed, you should have some significant material to add to your resume. Update your resume: If you�ve volunteered, interned, or joined a new club since you last updated it, add it in.

Finish building it up and then take it in to the career center for feedback.

The career center can help you craft the perfect resume. See if they have any upcoming resume workshops that can give you a chance to get your resume reviewed so you can further fine-tune it. You can also set up a meeting with someone in the career center and have them look it over and give you some pointers. There also may be someone in your major�s department who can do this as well, who may have better experience creating resumes for the specific field of work you are looking to get into.

Other Resume Tips

When summarizing previous work history, make sure you are listing what you accomplished, rather than sounding like a job description. Highlight your contributions: talk about your performance on the job. What did you contribute? How did you go above and beyond the basic job duties? Use strong action verbs.
Let your personality shine through on your resume. While relevant job skills are important, employers like to see you have other interests as well. Don�t be afraid to list leadership positions, hobbies, or other things you�re passionate about.
Use fonts that read well and look good in print or on screen, depending on the resume format you are submitting.
When emailing a resume as an attachment, send a PDF version to ensure the formatting stays the same on any computer.
Keep the resume to one page if possible.

Getting your Resume Online

Are you a real go-getter? Then this challenge is for you. It�ll take you about an hour or so to complete, but it will be well worth the effort and will really come in handy for your future job search.

Challenge: Create a personal website to post your resume.

When it comes to showcasing yourself online, a LinkedIN profile may be enough for some; then there's an about.me page for the creative types, but why not take it one step further with your own website?

Having your own personal website dedicated to hosting your resume is a great way to stand out and have a lasting impression on employers. Plus, the feeling of creating something and putting a live page up on the Internet for all to see is a thrill in itself.

Offering a good-looking resume on your own website rather than on a sheet of paper shows you�re ahead of the curve. Remember, it�s all about separating yourself from the hundreds of others who will be out there competing for the same job. How serious do you want to be taken when it comes to landing your desired job? Think about it: How many of your friends or classmates have a website for their resume?

It�s going to take a small investment on your part, about $6-$9 a month, (but you can get the first month for a penny when using the coupon code �1CENT� over at HostGator.com) a relatively small price to pay for what will really stand out in an innovative way.

Having your resume available online is great for the job search. Rather than sending attachments via email for jobs, you can simply email the URL of your personal website where the resume is posted. Also, you�ll be able to easily link to it from your online profiles, post it on business cards, and in any other correspondence you have with job recruiters. By making your resume available on the Internet you have the potential to reach an unlimited number of people.

Here's a quick guide on getting an HTML version of your resume up on your own website.

Create an online resume in 5 easy steps

Having a personal website dedicated just for your resume shows you�re serious about your career. This just speaks of professionalism and determination. You want your resume to be posted at firstnamelastname.com, something easy to remember that you can put on a business card.

Note: This short guide is designed as a super easy way of getting a nice looking resume up on your own website with the non-technical user in mind, without any knowledge of coding. After you get it up and running, you can expand your knowledge and the depth of your website at your choosing.

The steps outlined here should be able to be completed in about an hour and will cost you just a penny to get started. Give it a try!

Steps to take:

1. Go to HostGator.com

This is where your online files will be hosted so they can be displayed on the web.

Select the �Hatchling Plan� under web hosting plans. This is just the basic plan, and is all you will really need. It should cost you just a penny for the first month when using the coupon code �1CENT�.

2. Next, you�ll have to pick your domain name. You want your own dot com here, preferably your first and last name if available: firstnamelastname.com.

3. Once you have the account setup at HostGator, go to CVMKR.com.

CVMKR.com helps you create an online professional-looking resume that you�re able to save in multiple formats (PDF, HTML, etc.) In this short guide, we�ll be saving the resume you create as an HTML file to later upload to your website.

Fill out the forms on CVMKR.com as complete and accurate as possible.

Upon completion of creating your resume on CVMKR.com, click the �Save & Download� button and save the resume in HTML format.

4. The HTML file of your resume you just downloaded should now be saved to your computer as My_CV.html. Rename this file to index.html.

5. Now upload this file to your website by using the File Manager in the control panel of your account at HostGator.com.

This tutorial gives an explanation of how to go about uploading files to your HostGator account. If you ever get stuck, the people over at HostGator offer excellent customer service if you have trouble getting your page up on the web.

Anytime you need to update your resume, you can simply log into CVMKR.com, make your changes and hit the �Save & Download� button again. (Note: every time you make changes to your resume on CVMKR.com, you�ll have to save the resume as an HTML file and upload it again to your website.)

Upon completion of these steps, you should now have your own website with your resume publicly available to share with job recruiters.

10 Little Known Facts about your College Mascot

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:00:50 +0100

They entertain crowds with their school spirit and antics. They pump up fans loud enough to help sway momentum in their team�s favor. They pose for thousands of fan photos. But what else goes on in the secret world of a mascot?

Here we take an inside look at some things you might not know and see just what it�s like to be a college mascot.

1. The costume smells pretty bad

It's gross: anytime you�re in a mascot costume, you can expect to be sweaty, stinky and just feel nasty. The suit is made out of heavy material so the temperature inside gets a good 20-30 degrees warmer than the surrounding environment. This leads to horrid conditions inside. It�s possible to lose up to 10 pounds of body weight in sweat during a game. Any clothes worn under the suit typically get soaked all the way through.

Being a mascot may be fun, but it�s not easy. You run out of energy very quickly when it�s hot and you�re lugging around a 25-pound costume. It gets dry-cleaned regularly, but when you sweat that much into an air-constricted suit there is no way it's going to smell good. The best way to describe it is to think of a bad mix of BO and Febreze.

2. Mascots get a full-ride scholarship

Some will and some won't, but most Division 1 mascots get a full-ride scholarship. It largely depends on how prominent the athletic program is. Even the smaller schools will cover a large percentage of tuition.

3. They get excessive perks to the job

Mascots not only get to hang out and party with the cheerleaders, they get access to other perks as well. NCAA athletes get treated like kings. Since the mascot travels with the cheer team, they get treated the same way. We�re talking chartered jets to and from tournaments, fancy hotels, free food and meal stipends, and lots of free clothes and team gear. The athletic department spends more money than you think.

4. They go to Mascot Camp

Mascots go to summer camp. Schools will send mascots to these training camps to prepare and develop mascots for the coming year. Mascot camp is a 1-2 week summer program where students from all over the nation go to learn mascot skills. Apparently this is a time where mascots like to go crazy and party as well.

�I hear that when the B1G has their meet up of cheerleaders and mascots, it gets pretty insane.� � former college mascot

�The best part of mascot camp was playing dodgeball in costume with all of the other mascots.� - Mascot camp attendee

5. Most Mascot Fights are Pre-Planned

Most mascot fights you see are orchestrated. Before a game, mascots will get together and plan out mini-skits with the intention of entertaining the crowd. Sometimes mascots will have to share changing rooms and while hanging out during this time some like to arrange a �fight� to get both fan bases fired up. An actual fight would lead to the student being kicked off the mascot team, banned from all athletic events, and possibly suspended.

Not planned: fights started by the Oregon Duck and the Ohio Bobcat.

6. The worst time to perform is when hungover

The worst time to wear the suit and have to perform is when you are experiencing a hangover from the night before. While mascots aren�t allowed to go to parties with the suit on, they still roll with a crowd that likes to have a good time.

When you are hungover, you are dehydrated and considering how much you sweat while wearing the costume, your body loses more water. This just leads to more problems and amplifies the hangover. It gets so bad, you nearly pass out.

�My school is a big party school so I've had to make a lot of miserable appearance real hungover. Those are the worst.� � former college mascot

7. There are multiple mascots at your school

Mascots carry a demanding schedule. It�s a very time-consuming job. Mascots do more than just sporting events as there are many off-the-field requirements at special events both on and off campus. You can even hire the mascot to perform at your next event: weddings, parties, etc. Sometimes mascots are even hired to work with psychologists to help children overcome fear of costume characters.

There�s no way a single student could carry the responsibility of all these mandatory events, therefore, some schools will have 4 or 5 students on the mascot squad. All members of the mascot squad share the same suit (Mascot suits are expensive). One mascot costume can even be shared by up to five people on the same day! (This really adds to the smell factor. Think of multiple sweaty dudes sharing the same suit on game day�or don�t.)

8. They strictly maintain a secret identity

The college and mascot squad go to great lengths to keep the mascot�s identity secret. Sometimes only the closest of friends know (sometimes not even them). Students who mascot on game day usually have to resort to lying to their classmates on why they can�t make the game by saying they are an athletic intern or manager rather than reveal their true identity as the mascot.

Some mascots will end up revealing their identity at graduation by wearing some part of the costume at commencement. For example, at Virginia Tech, the Hokie Bird reveals his or her identity by wearing the Hokie feet at the graduation ceremony.

9. Going to the bathroom isn�t a problem

Mascots have to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated in the sweltering suit. While performing as a mascot, you would think that a trip to the bathroom would be difficult. Actually the costume makes you sweat so much that you just sweat it right out, so a trip to the bathroom while wearing the suit isn�t a problem. (You just wait until halftime.) It takes some time because they typically have to take the costume off.

"I'll go through three bottles of water and not have to pee once. You just sweat it all out."

10. They always have to be moving

Mascots are told they always need to be doing something because someone is always watching during games. �Even when you�re resting, if you�re standing doing nothing you�re breaking character,� says a former mascot. So much for getting a break in that large, big-headed, sweat-drenched suit.

2013 NCAA Tournament Bracket

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 15:54:55 +0100

The field of 68 teams has been announced for the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Follow along with the tournament by downloading and printing your tournament bracket below.

Download Tournament Bracket (PDF)

Introducing: 30 Days to a Better Student

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:36:21 +0100

Last week we announced a project we�re developing that gives you an opportunity to take a huge step forward in bettering yourself as a student and essentially guides you to get the most out of your college experience.

The Challenge:

Become a Better Student in 30 Days

While the finished product will be a full-on downloadable workbook available this fall, we�re giving special access now to the first 50 people who want to accept the challenge and give it a preliminary test drive.

You�ll be getting early inside access to the eCourse version of the challenge:
Challengers will receive a daily email in their inbox everyday at 6am for 30 consecutive days with a task or challenge to complete or get started on for that day and an explanation of the benefits of doing the task.

Some of the tasks given will be uncomfortable because you�ll have to step outside of your comfort zone and push yourself to do better. Being a successful student is possible; sometimes you just need a little kick in the ass and new experiences to get things going. This is what this 30 Day challenge provides.

Interested in becoming a better student now? This is your chance (and we�re giving those first to try it out a massive discount).

By being one of the first to run through the course, you�ll be able to provide feedback on what worked, which tasks were strong or weak, and other ways to fine-tune and further improve upon this project.

By the end of the 30 steps you will:

Be a better, more organized student
Be more involved on campus
Have more friends and connections
Have greater self-confidence
Feel more a part of your school

Complete the tasks in this challenge and you will be a better student, full of confidence and determination, with a newfound, take-charge attitude.

Show your determination now by starting today.

60 day money back guarantee. If you complete the tasks in this challenge and you don�t think you have become a better student because of it, we offer a 100% money back guarantee.

Are you ready for the 30 Day Challenge?

I'm up for it!

I�m interested in improving myself. Send me the 30 day eCourse.

I'll wait

I�m interested, but I�ll wait until this fall. Put me on the list to be notified and I�ll receive a special list-only discount when the course debuts.

New Year's Resolution: Be a Better Student

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:32:20 +0100

Since we�re all in the midst of forming New Year�s resolutions, we thought we�d let you in on a little secret and take action on one thing we all could do a little better at: Being a better Student.

Given it�s the New Year, perhaps it�s time to step up and show better dedication to your time in college.

Want to become a better student with a newfound, take charge attitude?

This is your chance, listen up.

We are releasing something big this fall. (Follow closely and you�ll find out how you can get early inside access as well as a massive discount on the price.)

We are designing a new guide. Actually, it�s more of a challenge/workbook.

Become a Better Student in 30 Days

This 30 day challenge is divided into 30 easy-to-follow tasks where each day in the guide gives you a specific task or challenge to complete for that day.

By the end of the 30 steps you will:

Be a better, more organized student
Be more involved on campus
Have more friends and connections
Have greater self-confidence
Feel more a part of your school

Don�t want to wait until this fall when the full guide is released?

We will be doing a special limited time pre-launch offer next week where we�ll be letting the first 50 people try it at a massively discounted price.

Come back next week and we�ll announce how you can get special limited access and a discount only available to you. Remember, this is only available to the first 50 people, so follow the blog closely and watch for the announcement.

Ace your exams: Finals Week Preparation

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:05:19 +0100

Finals week is a test of endurance on your brain and body. For some, it will be hell. So to make sure you don�t end up like this during finals week, we offer some tips to get you ready and prepared for a week full of exams.

You need to be mentally ready to take on finals week: A sharp brain starts with proper sleep and a healthy diet.

Step 1: Get Proper Sleep

The amount of sleep you get has a major impact on your academic performance.

No all-nighters here: Your best bet is to get a full night�s sleep when studying before exams.

Researchers at UC Berkeley found that when we sleep we boost our ability to learn. Much of this brain boosting sleep happens in the second half of the night, so if you sleep six hours or less, you are shortchanging yourself and might not be able to learn as much.

Research has shown that brain waves during the latter part of the sleep period promote our capacity to store fact-based memories. �This discovery indicates that we not only need sleep after learning to consolidate what we�ve memorized, but that we also need it before learning, so that we can recharge and soak up new information the next day,� says Bryce Mander, a post-doctoral fellow in psychology at UC Berkeley who led the study.

Sleep not only refreshes the mind, but can make you smarter. The more hours we spend awake, the more sluggish our minds become. Therefore, pulling an all-nighter, a common practice during finals week, decreases the ability to learn new facts by nearly 40 percent, due to a shutdown of brain regions during sleep deprivation.

Image: The All-Nighter. Is this you right now?

Take a nap after long study sessions

When it comes to napping, power naps actually work. Naps under one hour long can dramatically boost and restore brain power. Anything longer can make you feel sluggish when you wake back up. Even a 20 minute nap will greatly benefit anyone who feels they need a recharge as it will improve overall alertness, boost mood and increase productivity. Therefore, after a long study session, it may be beneficial for you to take a quick nap so your brain has time to �file away� all the information you just took in and give it time for a quick recharge.

Getting Alert

After a good night of sleep it can be a good idea to start your day off with a nice cup of coffee. Indulging in a caffeinated beverage of your choice will make you more alert. You don�t want to overdo the caffeine and become jittery, but a nice cup or two should help get the brain spinning.

Have a Study Plan

Take the time to plan out a study schedule for finals week. Decide how much time you will set aside, what tasks you will complete in this time and the order in which you will complete the tasks. When creating your study plan think about the times when you are most productive. If you find it easiest to study in the morning but hard to concentrate at night, schedule as much of your study for the mornings as possible. Be realistic when developing your game plan, otherwise it will be useless. Once you have a plan, stick to it and disregard all the distractions that come with college life.

Block out All Distractions

When it comes time to study you need to be 100% focused. This means blocking out all physical and mental distractions, including facebook and your cell phone. Always study in an environment that you are comfortable in that allows you to do your best work. You probably already know what sort of environment you are most productive in so try to recreate that environment when you choose to study.

Bonus Tip: Try switching around your study environments rather than using a single location to study. Studies show the environment you choose helps you remember things better. Simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention as the brain makes subtle associations between what it is studying and the background sensations it has at the time. Studying in a more natural setting with a view can be even more effective.

Make Effective Use of your Study Time

It is important to make the most of the study time you have to maximize the results from the effort you put in. Know where you currently stand grade wise in your classes so you know how well you will have to do on the final to get the grade you desire. This will also help when it comes to prioritizing what class you need to study for the most.

Take Regular Breaks

As finals week looms, you might start getting the feeling that you need to work for hours on end, but in doing so you are actually doing yourself a disservice. Retention of information is best when your mind is fresh, so take short breaks regularly and remove yourself from studying so you can come back refreshed and ready to absorb more information. Maybe even consider exercising as a break. Exercise is said to sharpen the mind.

Don�t Stress: Overcome Test Anxiety

Preparing for Test Day

Make a checklist of things you need to bring to the exam and consult with it on exam day to make sure everything you need is on hand.

Use Office Hours

Take advantage of office hours and discussion sections before big tests. Students who properly utilize office hours often do better on exams and papers. The week before exams and finals are times in which your professor will be in high demand, so they may schedule additional office hours during that time.

Many office hours go unused by students, which is unfortunate because professors are such a great resource of information (they know what will be on the test). It is essential to visit during these times because professors are typically in the process of determining what will be on the exam and can give away clues about what will be on it.

It is important to ask lots of questions and make sure you are clear on what the exam will cover so you know you are focusing your energy wisely. If you can cut out material you don't need to focus on for the upcoming exam, you'll save yourself hours of study time. Knowing what to study (and what not to) before a test can be very beneficial.

Review Previous Tests

Go over previous tests that have been given throughout the semester. Spend most of your time learning what you got wrong. You should also take the time to get to know the format of the final so there are no misunderstandings later. Be sure to ask your professor for an old final exam for review purposes.

Study Time: Make flashcards for review

Flashcards are an excellent way to learn material and learn it quickly. It works in two parts because you are learning while you write the information down on the flashcards and then when you test yourself later, the information is reinforced. Run through these cards as much as possible to help the information stick in your mind.

Create flashcards for review using StudyBlue, an excellent tool to help with acing your finals.

StudyBlue is a free tool to help you study and prepare for exams (and better yet, actually learn and remember the material). With StudyBlue you can create digital flashcards with images and audio and use them on their free mobile app, making it great for studying on the go.

Using these tips can help you get better prepared and organized for a long, grueling week of exams. After finals week, a nice semester break comes well deserved. Take some time to unwind and enjoy some fun in moderation. Maybe even pull a dorm room prank or two.

Resource Roundup: The Web's Best College Advice

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:40:49 +0100

When it comes to advice for college students, some of our most popular content includes our 100+ tips for college survival, our 50 tips for saving money in college, and 10 things you need to start doing for college success.

While they are all full of solid tips, we�re not the only ones serving up advice to college students. We�ve scoured the web for some of the best college advice and have listed those resources here below. We�re not going to list all 600+ tips we found here, but we�ll provide links to some great reading and share some of the top tips that we think each resource provides.

Here�s a quick look at some of the top college advice articles we�ll be looking at in this resource roundup.

1. Steve Pavlina�s 10 Tips for College Students
2. 10 Tips about College Majors and Careers at Psychology Today
3. 50 Tips for Freshmen at Xatal.com
4. 10 Things to do for College Success at CampusGrotto.com
5. 88 Surfire Tips for Success at OEDB.org
6. 50 Tips for College Students at Psychology Today
7. 42 Things I Learned Freshman Year at CollegeInfoGeek.com
8. 27 College Tips I Learned Sophomore Year at CollegeInfoGeek.com
9. College Advice: 100+ Tips for Survival at CampusGrotto.com
10. 27 Money Tips for College Students at GetRichSlowly.org
11. 118 Ways to Save Money in College at CollegeScholarships.org
12. 40 Money Tips for College Students at Bargaineering.com
13. Saving Money: 50 Tips for College Students at CampusGrotto.com

1) Steve Pavlina�s 10 Tips for College Students

Steve Pavlina is a personal development expert and one of the most popular posts from his blog is his �10 Tips for College Students�. Here are three great points taken from his advice.

Answer the question, �Why am I going to college?�
Many college students really don�t have a clear reason for being there other than the fact that they don�t know what else to do yet. They inherit goals from family and peers which aren�t truly their own. That was how I started college. Is this you as well?

Your goals for college will likely be different than mine. What are they? Why are you there? If you don�t know � and I mean really know it in your gut � then you have no focal point for your experience. You may as well not even be there. What is it about your experience that resonates as true for you? What are you there to learn? What do you want to experience?
Set clear goals for each class
Decide what you want out of each specific class. Is this a subject you�re eager to learn? Do you want to target this teacher for a letter of recommendation? Is this a required class you must take but which doesn�t otherwise interest you?
Take at least one extra class each semester
Students are taught that 12-15 semester units (3-5 classes) is a �full� schedule. But a schedule that light is hardly full. A person with a full-time job will put in a good 40+ hours per week, and students enjoy every possible vacation day plus spring break, winter break, and summer vacation. If you want to spend four or more years in college, add more degrees or get a job on the side. Don�t feel you have to go at a snail�s pace just because everyone else does.

If you�re an above average student, you can certainly handle an above average schedule. Sometimes we don�t know what we can handle until we push ourselves a little. If you think you can handle 15 units, take 18 or 21. You can easily shave a year off your schedule. Or you may be able to add a minor or a double major.

I think the real benefit to a dense schedule isn�t that you�ll graduate sooner. The real benefit is that you�ll enjoy a richer experience. Taking five classes instead of four means more learning, more achievement, and more friends. And what employer wouldn�t be attracted to a student who graduated more quickly than his/her peers? This sort of thing sure looks great on a resume.

2) 10 Tips about College Majors and Careers at Psychology Today

Advice from Psychology Today says keep an open mind about your prospective college major:

"Try to ignore the pressure to declare your major before you're ready. It may feel like "everyone" has declared a major and knows what career they want to pursue, but that's really not the case. Surveys show that about 80% of first-year students don't know what they plan to major in-- and that over 50% of college students change their majors at least once before they graduate. Most schools allow you to pursue up to four semesters of study before you are required to declare a major, so if you need that much time, take it."

Read: How to choose a major

"Be prepared to be surprised. Most colleges have distribution or core curriculum requirements that require you to take classes in subjects you are currently unfamiliar with-- or maybe even dislike. Keep an open mind-- one question I ask my seniors who take my career classes is: "How many of you are majoring in the subject you planned to major in when you came to college?" Out of a class of 40 students I usually see only about 5 raised hands. I then ask them how they discovered their chosen major--- and for a majority of those students it was because they "had" to take a class in the subject and found it and/or the professor so interesting they decided to learn more."

Read: Advice on choosing classes

3) 50 Tips for Freshmen at Xatal.com

Xatal has 50 great tips for freshmen with some of the most solid advice relating to becoming more social in a new environment.

"Keep an open mind to different lifestyles and viewpoints. People in college come from all different walks of life, don�t rule them out just because their hobbies and views are different than yours. Make friends of all different types."
"Adopt a �Yes Man� attitude. Start accepting opportunities as they come to you instead of making excuses not to do something. You�ll be amazed at how much more interesting your life will become."
"Make friends early on. The first couple of weeks of school are the easiest time to make friends. Take advantage of this to meet people and put yourself out there."
"Leave your dorm room door open when you�re there. This is a great way to encourage people on your floor to stop in and chat for a bit. When everyone on a floor does this, a sense of community develops pretty quickly."

4) 10 Things to do for College Success at CampusGrotto.com

The next piece comes from a great guest post provided by Isa Adney of CommunityCollegeSuccess.com on 10 things you need to start doing for guaranteed success in college. Here are a couple to get you going:

Write down your goals
Writing down your goals changes everything. It feels like magic. That magical feeling comes from the incredible results of being focused. The most common thread in all successful college students I�ve ever met is the ability to focus.

When you write down your goals and read them every day, your mind is suddenly focused on what you need to do that day and what opportunities to seize in order to make those goals a reality. Write down your goals today and put them all over your room. Trust me.
Visit the career center often
It�s vital to figure out what major and career interests you the most as soon as possible. Having direction will give new life to your college experience. The best way to find this out is through your college�s career center. Take all the career tests they have. Read at least three books about career discovery. Do a resume review. The career center is one of the most underutilized resources in college and yet it is one of the most valuable.
Get a fascinating internship
Internships can open doors and help you learn about the professional world more than anything else. Whether it is paid or unpaid, in a large company you�d die to work for or a small start-up, find one that fascinates you. Get an internship doing something or being very close to something you really, really want to do with your life. This is where internships have the most benefit, because you�ll have the opportunity to see if it�s something you actually want to do. It will either show you the career is not what you expected it to be, or it will give you a great experience and contacts in the career you want to go into.

>> Browse Available Internships

5) 88 Surfire Tips for Success at OEDB.org

Here are three great recommendations from their �88 Surfire Tips for Succeeding in College�:

"Take advantage of every moment you have in the next few years. At most colleges you have a plethora of resources there to help you grow into a successful person, if you simply know where to look and are willing to take advantage of them."
"Prepare for each class as though there would be a pop quiz. The benefit of this is two-fold: firstly, you'll be more able to participate in class; secondly, you'll be prepared if there actually is a pop quiz."
"Get to know your professors. It is pretty easy to coast through college without ever getting to know your professors. It will take a bit of effort to get many of them to even learn your name. But doing so could really pay off when you need a letter of recommendation or if you plan on doing an independent study."

6) 50 Tips for College Students at Psychology Today

"Get involved on campus. All work and no *productive* socializing is boring."
"There are a lot of free activities on campus. Take advantage of them."
"Stay on campus on weekends. If you go home every weekend because you are homesick or have a girlfriend/boyfriend back home, you will be missing out on a lot of the college experience."
"Use flashcards to quiz yourself when studying. And get someone else to quiz you with them. If you always quiz yourself with your own flashcards, you may skip over some that you don't know the answer to."

7) 42 Things I Learned Freshman Year at CollegeInfoGeek.com

A great up-and-comer to the college advice scene, Thomas Frank shares 42 things he learned his freshman year of college. Here are five quick ones:

"Get to know your professors. College is just as much about networking as it is about sitting in class. Plus, most of them are bored out of their skulls during office hours."
"Live in the campus residence halls your first year if you can. Residence halls are much, much more social than apartments, and you�ll be involved in a lot more cool things."
"When you study, don�t do it in your room. Also, try to use an active study method such as making flashcards or writing your own quizzes. It�s a lot less boring and a lot more effective than just looking over your professor�s slides."
"Get out and explore your campus. If you have to ask your friends where the main financial office is, you�ve failed. Same goes for exploring the city your campus is in."
"Be confident, get out of your comfort zone, and try new things. College is the greatest opportunity you�ll ever have for personal development."

8) 27 College Tips I Learned Sophomore Year at CollegeInfoGeek.com

Thomas Frank did a follow up to his freshman post: 27 Tips he learned during his sophomore year. Here are some of the highlights:

Don�t take on commitments just because you think they�ll look good on a resume.
Try to focus on a few things rather than juggling a ton.
"Students � especially the success-minded ones � tend take on commitments by the boatload. They think that the more things they fill their resumes with, the better. The problem with this strategy is that, if you try to do everything, you�ll be good at nothing. Hardly anyone remembers the people in history who were the Jacks-of-all-trades (with a few exceptions); no, the ones we remember are the ones who found one passion stuck to it."
RainyMood + classy music = perfect study sounds.
"Great study music can make late-night cramming sessions a lot more bearable, but things really get interesting when you combine it with white noise. By far my favorite type of white noise is the sound of rain � and I�m definitely not the only one. RainyMood, a site whose only purpose is to play the sound of rain, has been Liked, Tweeted, or otherwise shared over 456,000 times. This insanely popular site is the perfect companion for low-key music."

9) College Advice: 100+ Tips for Survival at CampusGrotto.com

Some of the key points taken from our 100+ tips for college include:

Take advantage of office hours. They are there for a reason. It's your chance to get one-on-one help from a highly qualified teacher. If you are struggling in class, there is no reason why you shouldn't be going to your teacher's office hours.
Make a real effort to get to know more people. This is a new beginning for everybody and a great place to make new friends. Be outgoing and ready and willing to meet new people. These people are in the same boat as you.
Before selecting your major, consider taking a few related classes or even doing an early internship to make sure it's actually something you want to do.
Take a wide variety of classes your first two years, that's your experimental phase. Take the courses that interest you and some that don't. Give your mind and soul opportunities to be bent in directions you would not ordinarily choose. You may just find something you love that you didn't even know existed or that you thought you hated.

Money Tips

10) 27 Money Tips for College Students at GetRichSlowly.org

This site offers immediate financial advice for those about to go off to college:

"Now that you�re on your own, you might be tempted to spend money on all the things your parents wouldn�t let you have before. Go slow. If you play it smart, you can avoid the sort of money troubles that plague many young adults."

To follow up on this money advice, they also include:

"When you want to buy something, ask yourself �Do I need it?� If you think you do, then wait. Don�t buy on impulse. Write the object of your desire on a piece of paper and pin it to the wall. Look at it every day for a week. If, at the end of the week, you still think you need it, then consider purchasing it."
"Live without a car. Cars are expensive: gas, maintenance, insurance, registration, parking. Stick close to campus. Learn to use mass transit. Find a friend who has a car."
"Take advantage of campus activities. There�s always something to do. Attend free movie festivals. Pay a few bucks to see the local symphony every month. Support the sports teams. Attend lecture series. Get the most from your student ID!"

11) 118 Ways to Save Money in College at CollegeScholarships.org

"If you are buying new [textbooks], check for an �international� edition. The book will be almost exactly the same, except for maybe some Chinese characters on the front, AND it will be exponentially cheaper."
"If you live on campus and pay for a partial or whole meal plan, then use it. Some programs don�t restrict you from taking food to go or eating as many meals as you wish."
"If you�re buying a computer, save by shopping the student specials; discounts, rebates and back to school specials. Some regions/states even have a tax-free shopping week. Apple Computer offers student discounts to students and teachers, and consistently advertises important education incentives and rebates."
"A student travel discount card will get you nice discounts on accommodations, food, and transportation if you are traveling nationally or internationally."
For discounts book with STA Travel and carry a International Student Identity Card (ISIC).

12) 40 Money Tips for College Students at Bargaineering.com

"Have fun while you�re in college. You will never again have the same mixture of freedom (no parents!) and direction (go to class!) in your life, so take advantage of it. Take advantage of all the free seminars and conferences your school will no doubt offer, go to the free movie nights and participate in intramural sports. Most of all, leave your comfort zone and try things you don�t think you�ll like because you never know what can happen. Best of all, most things on campus will be free (technically it�s included with your tuition) so take advantage! Once you graduate, everything will cost money."

And on selling textbooks�

"List your textbooks online about a week before finals. That way by the time it sells, you will have no need for them. If the book is being reused the next semester, list it on your school�s for sale boards. You will earn far more selling it locally than on a website, which takes a commission."

This is good advice because it is the best time to sell.

13) Saving Money: 50 Tips for College Students at CampusGrotto.com

Keep an eye out for free activities on campus. Most college campuses have free entertainment almost every night. For example: some colleges have a weekly movie night that is free to all students.
Take a look at your college bill. Certain fees are optional. If you won't be using your college's fitness center, remove the fee.
Take advantage of student services. There are plenty of free programs that assist you while going to school. From health care to transportation, there are many different ways to save money.

Know of any other advice links that have helped you in your college quest? Send them to tips@campusgrotto.com

A New Era: $60K per year Colleges

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:09:32 +0100

A new era is upon us, and while it�s not quite the end of the world, it sure feels like it when the sticker shock hits the pocketbooks of those sending their kids to college.

It�s not just the college-bound that are feeling the pinch, an increasing number of past borrowers are struggling to pay. The current default rate on federal student loans stands at 13.4% for the first three years that students are required to make payments, the highest level in 14 years.

Colleges have jacked up costs high enough for student debt to top $1 trillion.

Unless something changes, it�s only going to get worse. At this rate we�ll be seeing $130,000 a year colleges by 2030.

Between costs approaching $60,000 a year, an increase in student loan defaults and over $1 trillion in student loan debt, it's clear that the current model of raising tuition every year (at a rate higher than inflation) is unsustainable.

College costs began to increase at a rate faster than inflation in the early 1980s. This has been a continuing trend: 74 colleges now charge over $55,000 per year. (Just 19 did last year and only one the year before that.)

Most Expensive Colleges for 2012-2013

Our 6th annual ranking features the first $60K/year college: Sarah Lawrence College

This is the 6th annual Most Expensive Colleges ranking compiled by CampusGrotto.com. The significance of this year�s ranking is that it is the first year a college has passed the $60K/year mark in total cost.

Sarah Lawrence College is once again named America�s most expensive college, marking the 5th year in a row it has topped the ranking.

One school on the list, Mount Holyoke College, had their price remain the same as last year thanks in part to a tuition freeze. This is the first time since 1968 that the college has not increased the cost of attendance and was enough to drop the school 33 spots to #94 on the most expensive list. It will be interesting to see if we see more of these tuition freezes in the coming years.

The price tags shown for these institutions do not mean that these schools are financially out of reach.

Just because these schools have high tuition does not mean you will actually be paying that amount. Many schools will provide a financial aid package that meets 100% of a student's financial need (Cost of Attendance - Estimated Family Contribution). While going to college is still expensive, many of the colleges here offer excellent financial aid packages. Some colleges, like Brown University, even eliminate tuition altogether for lower income students. (It is the middle class who are seeing financial difficulties in paying for college.)

To get a better understanding of what you will actually be paying, be sure to use the net price calculator that each school provides on their website. These typically take about 10-15 minutes to complete, but can provide a more realistic ballpark figure of what you can expect to pay. (For a complete list of colleges and links to their net price calculators visit NetPriceCalculator.com.)

We start by taking a look at tuition and fees that are required of all undergraduates.

Highest Tuition and Fees for 2012-2013

College	Tuition & Fees
1. Columbia University	$47,246
2. Sarah Lawrence College	$46,924
3. Vassar College	$46,270
4. The George Washington University	$45,780
5. Trinity College (CT)	$45,730
6. Wesleyan University	$45,628
7. Carnegie Mellon University	$45,554
8. Bucknell University	$45,378
9. Tulane University	$45,240
10. Union College (NY)	$45,219

More: See the Top 100

Room and board is another cost that is often overlooked. Where the school is located plays a big factor in rooming costs. Here we add the typical cost of room and board charged at each college giving us the total billable cost of attendance. In addition, students should anticipate for textbooks, supplies, personal expenses and transportation costs (not included in these prices).

Most Expensive Colleges 2012-2013

College	Total Cost
1. Sarah Lawrence College	$61,236
2. New York University	$59,837
3. Harvey Mudd College	$58,913
4. Columbia University	$58,742
5. Wesleyan University	$58,202
6. Claremont McKenna College	$58,065
7. Dartmouth College	$57,996
8. Drexel University	$57,975
9. University of Chicago	$57,711
10. Bard College	$57,580
11. Trinity College (CT)	$57,530
12. Eugene Lang College (The New School)	$57,340
13. Johns Hopkins University	$57,320
14. Barnard College	$57,312
15. Pitzer College	$57,266
16. Bates College	$57,235
17. Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$57,188
18. Northwestern University	$57,108
19. Fordham University - Rose Hill	$57,106
20. Carnegie Mellon University	$57,104
21. Cornell University	$57,091
22. Scripps College	$57,088
23. Vassar College	$57,070
24. Occidental College	$57,028
25. Oberlin College	$57,025

More: See the Top 100
Total Cost = Tuition + Room & Board + Required Fees

Data compiled by CampusGrotto.com

Upcoming:

The Most Expensive College Dorms
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Notes:
Total Cost = Tuition + Room and Board + Required Fees

The fees included in the total cost only include fees that are required for all undergraduates. These fees typically include items like the Student Activity Fee, a Facilities Fee, and a Technology fee. You won't see any fees by major, orientation fees for incoming students, or medical insurance fees included in these costs. Many other fees can be optional and can vary per student and per major. A Student Health Insurance Fee, for example, is obviously not going to be required for a student already on their parents� insurance plan. Some colleges have their yearly budget for students listed slightly higher than what you see here. This is because some colleges also add in estimated costs of books, personal expenses, and transportation costs.

Tuition numbers were taken directly from each college's website during the last week in September of 2012.

This list only takes into account colleges that offer bachelor's (BA) degrees, so you will not see schools like Landmark College (costs over $55K) who only offer students an Associate of Arts (AA) degree. These prices are for traditional 4-year undergraduate colleges, so no Junior Colleges or Music Conservatories are included.

Basic Skills you will need to know before heading to College

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:21:31 +0100

One thing is clear: college is a lot different than high school. Not only when it comes to academics, but your personal life as well. No longer do you have immediate access to parents who cook your meals, do your laundry, pick up after you and help you with the other things that go by unnoticed (until you find yourself out on your own).

Here�s a little guidance for those who are off to college for the first time on some basic life skills you will need to know, complete with instructional videos if you want to dive deeper into mastering the skill.

How to do Laundry

Other than the times you head home for the weekend or over a semester break, you will need to do your own laundry. If you don�t have much experience in doing your own laundry, you�ll want to get a rundown of how to do so; you don�t want to end up ruining your fresh gear.

This video sums up laundry 101. It�s pretty basic stuff, but there are still some out there who don�t have a grasp on how to properly wash clothing.

How to Fold Clothes

Now that your laundry is clean, you�ll need to know how to properly fold and store your clothing items. Don�t be the one who shows up to class in a wrinkled shirt. Use proper clothes folding techniques to keep your wears in shape.

Instructional Video

How to Iron

As mentioned above, you want to keep your clothes from being wrinkled. You want your clothes looking sharp, especially when it comes time to dress up. You will need to know how to iron.

Instructional Video

How to Tie a Tie

Between interviews and formals you�ll need to know how to tie a tie at some point. It�s best to learn beforehand as we all know how rushed we can become on an important date where formal wear is required.

Instructional Video

How to Parallel Park

Parking at college is a pain. If you feel you must have a car on or near campus, you�ll want to master the art of parallel parking as you�ll probably be squeezing into some tight spots.

Instructional Video

How to Initiate Conversation

As children we were always told don�t talk to strangers. While that advice may have been fine at the time, it�s some of the worst advice we can carry on to our later years. The point is you need to be comfortable talking to someone you don�t know or you�ll never meet anyone in college. So open up, smile, and be ready and willing to converse with fellow students on campus.

Instructional Video

How to have a Healthy Diet/Eat Properly

As mentioned above, you no longer have access to healthy home-cooked meals. Students are often in a hurry and often grab whatever comes cheap and easy. Unfortunately this means a lot of fast food and pizza. To ensure you don�t become a victim of the freshman 15 you�ll have to keep an eye on your diet and make sure you are eating healthy.

Instructional Video

How to be Organized

An organized student is a prepared student who is able to get things done faster and in good order. Use some of our recommended tools like Evernote and Mint.com to stay on top of what�s going on in your classes and with your finances.

How to Study

The academic rigor of college can be an eye opening experience for many students. The sad fact is that many students at this level simply do not know how to study (33% according to one study). They don�t have a grasp of proper and effective techniques when it comes to studying and preparing for exams.

For a good read on how to study check out these links or watch the following video series.

5 Tools for Smart and Savvy Students

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:00:00 +0100

You need all the help you can get in college. While we've previously discussed using office hours as a way to better grades, here are a few useful tools you can use on your own that will help you become a better prepared and organized student.

1. Livescribe Smartpen - Take Notes like a Pro

Besides our laptop, the one tool we would have for our studies is a smartpen from Livescribe.

While some students choose to take notes on their laptop, the majority of students prefer to take their notes down by hand. Having notes on your laptop makes them easily searchable and revisable but taking notes by hand feels more natural and is easier to take down ideas, especially in classes like math and science. Using a smart pen from Livescribe gives you the best of both worlds.

The pen will digitally capture your handwritten notes and the audio of the lecture as you write.

The pen digitally stores your notes in a built-in storage drive as you write by hand. These notes can then be uploaded to your computer, making them easily searchable. The pen is also equipped with a built-in microphone, so you�re able to record the lecture if you�d like.

Great for Studying:
The pen will sync your notes with the recorded class lecture making it great for study sessions. When it comes time to review, just tap on your notes (written on their specially designed paper) with the smartpen and the device will play back the professor's explanation - word for word.

Use this link to receive a special 15% discount on Smartpens.

2. Evernote � Organize your Coursework

Evernote is a free note taking program that can be used across multiple platforms and on multiple devices.

Take notes on your computer using Evernote and your work will automatically sync to the web to an online storage space where all your notes can be saved and accessed with any web-enabled device. (Therefore, if your laptop ever crashes or gets stolen, you'll still have your notes stored safely online.)

If you prefer to take notes by hand, handwritten notes can be scanned into Evernote and the program will use image recognition technology to store and easily allow you to search for terms throughout your handwritten notes.

In Evernote, your notes can be organized into separate notebooks for each class and you can scan in handouts and any other papers for convenient storage and access within the Evernote program. Once they are scanned in they will be completely searchable and you�ll have all course-related materials stored in one location, accessible from any device.

Evernote is the perfect organization tool for students. Students can use it to take notes in class, organize homework and handouts, manage to-do lists, and is great for compiling research for a project with its clip feature that allows you to save any useful webpage.

Evernote Screenshot

3. StudyBlue � Ace your Exams

When reviewing flashcards, the application will remember what you get right and wrong so you can focus on the material you haven�t learned yet. With this technology you can also create personalized practice quizzes to further prepare yourself for the upcoming exam. StudyBlue also allows you to import your notes from Evernote to easily create flashcards from notes you have stored in Evernote.

StudyBlue Mobile App Screenshot

4. Mint.com � Master Student Finances

In college, managing your money is important as so many students go through without realizing how much debt they are actually incurring.

The key to surviving on a college budget is to stay on top of your expenses. Mint.com is a free tool that does all the work for you.

After you sign up for a free account and link up your financial accounts, Mint automatically tracks all your financial transactions by type, allowing you to set budgets for each type of expenditure, keeping you completely on top of your personal finances.

Mint is used by over 7 million financially savvy people to help with budgeting and keeping track of expenses, so if you're not using Mint, head on over and get yourself a free account now.

5. Seagate Backup Plus � Always have a Backup

You may have heard the horror stories of students losing their final term paper the night before it�s due. Well, it happens. Always have a backup!

A smart student will always keep a safe backup of all college work. Seagate Backup Plus provides quick and easy backups and enough storage for all your college work and media files, all on a device that looks good too. Choose from two easy backup options: automatic or scheduled.

The Seagate Backup Plus is also the first external hard drive to allow you to easily save your photos and other digital files from your social network accounts, like Facebook and Flickr. You can set the device to automatically save the photos from the online accounts.

Save your digital life with an external hard drive.

What tools are you using for better success in college? Email tips@campusgrotto.com

College Laptop Review: HP Envy 4

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:47:09 +0100

We�ve always said when it comes to choosing a laptop for college, what you want is something powerful, lightweight and portable with a long-lasting battery.

Using those guidelines, here we�ll put the HP Envy 4 up to the test and look at a few other things to see if it�s a good choice for a college laptop. Also, we�ll be giving one away to one lucky reader.

Design

Style goes a long way on a college campus. We want a device that is lightweight and portable, but looks good too.

This sharp looking model sports a brushed aluminum finish in midnight black with a soft-touch red base. The brushed aluminum gives it a sleek modern look and its thin profile (0.78 inches) will easily fit into your backpack, leaving you plenty of room for your books.

Weighing less than 4 lbs., the device is easily portable, and the soft to the touch red velvety underside made carrying by hand easy and enjoyable.

The HP Envy 4 is thin enough to easily fit into your satchel.

As sharp as this laptop looks, there are a few things we don't like. While the brushed aluminum looks great, it�s also a fingerprint magnet. No one likes to see fingerprints all over their shiny new device. We almost had to make a habit of washing our hands before each use with the laptop.

Fingerprints!

Also, the touchpad takes some time to get used too. Between the awkward glossy texture of the touchpad and no definitive line between right click and left click buttons, navigating using the laptop was a little slower than normal. If you are considering this model, consider picking up a wireless mouse as well.

Battery Life

We recommend your college laptop should provide at least 6 hours of battery life. HP claims up to 7 hours and 30 minutes on this model. We were able to get a full 5 hours playing YouTube videos at full screen, so getting a full 6 hours doing things like taking notes and surfing the web is certainly possible.

Power and Performance

The 1.70GHz 3rd generation Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of memory provide plenty of power and performance for all your multitasking needs.

Display

The screen is bright thanks to a 14" HD BrightView LED-backlit display, and bigger than you would expect on such a portable notebook. The viewing angle of the display is impressive, but sometimes almost appears too glossy, as it easily shows reflections.

What if I want to use the laptop while studying outside?
Even though the screen is glossy, we were still able to use the laptop while working outside. There is a somewhat mirror-like effect, but the screen is bright enough to where we were easily able to see what we were working on.

Sound

Portable laptops aren't known for producing quality sound, but being equipped with a 2.1 Beats Audio system does help. While we weren�t blown away by the quality of the sound, Beats audio still provides a slightly better sound experience.

Keyboard

Having a comfortable keyboard can be particularly important to college students who will be taking notes and writing papers on the device. The island-style keyboard felt good to type on and did not have much flex, especially when compared to a Sony S Series notebook with a similar island-style keyboard. The backlit keyboard (can be toggled on and off) would be useful in dim or dark study environments.

Quiet and Cool

When working in a quiet study environment you want as little excess noise as possible. The unit stays quiet and cool, even after watching videos in full screen. There is very little fan noise: we had to put our ear to it in a quiet study room.

The laptop is equipped with HP CoolSense technology, which automatically adjusts the notebook�s temperature based on usage and the conditions around you. Even if you do start hearing noise from the fan, you can put the laptop into quiet mode with HP CoolSense. With the device staying cool, it can comfortably rest on your lap for long periods of time without getting too hot.

Other Notes and Observations on Use:

The HP Envy 4 seems to hold its charge well, making it useful for all day use in your classes. Not needing to bring a power cord with you means less weight in your bag.

Fast start up and wake times. You can put the laptop on standby by simply closing the lid. It can be used immediately upon opening it back up: the system resumes in less than a second.

The power button feels weird to the touch. When pressing it we expected to hear a satisfying click, but instead it felt like we were pressing on a button that was jammed.

The 500GB hard drive will be large enough for all your college work and media files.

The HP TrueVision HD Webcam will be useful for Skype sessions to family and friends back home.

Pros

Looks Sharp
Quiet and cool; no annoying fan noise
Backlit keyboard
Enough battery life to get you through your classes
Fast start up and wake times
Thin and light: weighs only 3.8 lbs.

Cons

Aluminum finish is a fingerprint magnet
Touchpad is unpleasant and takes time getting used to
Storage drive isn�t SSD
Wish battery lasted a bit longer
Sound is good, but not as great as advertised

Final Thoughts

HP does a nice job of providing cost effective laptops with solid power and performance. With a splendid mix of portability, speed, and beauty the Envy 4 has a nice balance of everything we want in a college laptop. The Envy 4 proves to be a very cost effective and affordable Ultrabook that definitely puts it in consideration as a top choice college laptop for those who don�t want to spend $1000 or more.

Cost

The price of the laptop is $829.99 over at HP.com, however, at time of publishing Amazon has it for $749.99 with free shipping.

HP Envy 4 Specs:
CPU: 1.70GHz 3rd generation Intel Core i5
Memory: 4GB
Hard Drive: 500GB
Screen Size: 14-inch 1366 x 768 display
Dimensions: 13.38" x 9.28" x 0.78"
Weight: 3.86 lbs.
Battery Life: 7.5 hours

For more see additional details or read more reviews. Enter to win one here.

Disclosure:
This post is a sponsored review in which we were provided with a HP Envy 4 laptop to test and review in exchange for an honest review of its use as a college laptop.

Prepare for College in 30 Days

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 23:17:40 +0100

Go into your local Barnes & Noble and browse the college section.

What do you see?

Books on college admission and paying for college. Study Aids and Test Prep. Books on careers and life after college...

But, nothing that serves as a guide to prepare incoming freshmen.

It�s as if everything a college freshman is supposed to know is thrown at them at �freshman orientation�.

Weren�t colleges against cram sessions?

Perhaps there�s a reason why only seven in 10 students who go to college come back for their sophomore years.

You Need to be Prepared

You can start here with our free course designed for those entering college:

Prepare for College in 30 Days: a free 4-5 week eCourse to get you ready for college.

Who this course is designed for:

Incoming College Freshmen

This course may also be useful for:

Parents of first-year college students.
Those who have been out of school for a while and are going back.
Those who have been in college for a semester or two but are stuck in a rut or are having trouble getting going.

What you�ll receive:

Tips for Success
Recommended tools for survival
How to live on a college budget
Tips on how to handle college life
Advice from former college students
Tips for a better college experience
How to get off on the right foot

All for Free!

Enroll now and get a free complete �What to Bring to College� checklist.

What are you waiting for?

>> Start Getting Prepared

The 7 Deadly Regrets of Former College Students

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:04:40 +0100

After four years of college, you sit at graduation and realize just how fast the time went. During this time, a slight sense of anxiety sets in as you begin a new chapter of your life and you realize all the opportunities that were presented to you in college have come to an end. As your college life comes to a close, it is easy to think of the things you could have done, rather than what you did do.

�Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn�t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.�
- Mark Twain

Here are 7 of the biggest regrets from those who went to college. This article isn�t meant for college grads to regret any lost opportunities they had in college, but rather to inform current and future college students of what former college students wish they had done differently.

The 7 Biggest Regrets of Former College Students

1) Wish they had gone to class more

Whether it is boredom, lack of a challenge, scheduling the class too early, or simply having no interest in the subject matter, the excuses for not going to class can pile up. If you realized just how much you are actually paying per class, you�d be more inclined to go and get your money�s worth.

While some classes for your major will be required, you are free to choose from a wide selection of classes to make your class schedule more stimulating. Take classes that sound interesting or select subjects that are totally new to you, maybe you will stumble upon something you had no idea you liked or you even know existed. Taking a variety of classes will open you up to new ideas, new people, new professors, and will help keep your mind fresh rather than overtaxing yourself on a single subject.

Read:
How to choose your classes
Recommended Classes

2) Wish they had met more people/made more long-lasting friendships

On a large campus it can be hard to feel any sense of community. Many students complain of universities being too big and having too many students. Going to college is about improving your education, but being on a college campus can also be a good opportunity to work on improving your social skills.

Go out of your way to talk to more people. Put yourself into more opportunities to meet people. Get out more, say yes to new opportunities, join, participate, and be active in a club. Joining a club is one of the better ways to meet new people because you immediately have a group of students who share the same interest as you.

Your four years in college will go by quick. This again is why you need to seize every opportunity presented to you and not rush through it.

�Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.� - Ferris Bueller

Read:
How to Meet People in College
Benefits of joining a Fraternity or Sorority
Extracurricular Activities
How to Start a Club in College

3) Wish they had done study abroad

Once you join the working world, you realize that it becomes difficult to travel for anything more than a week or two at a time. This slight loss of freedom makes those wish they had taken advantage of the freedom they had in their college years by choosing to study abroad. With study abroad you get an opportunity to see another part of the world and advance your studies at the same time.

Read:
Newbies Guide to Studying Abroad
Reasons to Study Abroad
More on Studying Abroad

4) Wish they had gotten to know their professors better

Getting to know your professors is beneficial in both the short term and in the long run. It can lead to better grades, and if you get to know your professor on a personal level, they can even help when it comes to things like job offers and scholarship opportunities. One of the biggest mistakes students make in college is not taking advantage of office hours; these are times in which the professor specifically sets aside time to meet with students. Use it to your advantage.

Read:
How to make the most out of office hours

5) Wish they had selected a more employable major

Some students realize after it�s too late that the job prospects of their degree are dismal. (Insert Liberal Arts degree joke here.) It�s important to thoroughly research your intended major and look into the marketability of your intended degree upon the time you expect to graduate. This research may even involve things like doing an early internship or job shadowing to make sure it�s actually something you want to do.

Read:
How to choose a major
Job Shadowing
Changing Majors

6) Wish they had done an internship or worked harder to get a better one

Interning is one of the easiest ways to get your foot in the door at a desired company. College grads have come to the realization that many employers are looking for work experience on top of educational experience. Doing a strong internship is one of the better ways to separate yourself from other classmates who will be graduating and competing for the same jobs as you.

Read:
Benefits of doing an Internship
Top Internship programs
Browse Current Internship Listings

7) Took out too much in student loans

Many students don�t realize how much deep water they are actually in until it comes time for the first student loan payment being due. Stress levels go through the roof when you�re up to $100k in debt and have no job lined up.

Monthly Payment Example:
A student with $50k in Stafford loans on the current interest rate of 6.8% can expect to make payments of nearly $600/mo. on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Figure your monthly payments using a student loan payment calculator.

So it�s important that you apply for as many scholarships as possible and only borrow what you need. Shop around and use a student loan comparison tool when additional loan funds are needed.

An Entrepreneur's Advice to College Graduates

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Entrepreneurs are an ambitious bunch.

To be able to take chances and not let anyone get in the way of your dreams says a lot about a person�s character. These are the kind of people that don't let rejection interfere with the path to success.

Don't let rejection get in the way of dreams and success: Even Michael Jordan was once cut from his high school basketball team. He used failure as a motivation for success.

What do you think of when you hear the word entrepreneur?

Self-starter, self-made → people who took things into their own hands and took control of their lives.

You need to take this proactive approach upon graduating from college. Not saying you need to start your own business here, but make things happen, take chances (like an entrepreneur would), embrace vulnerability, and think outside the box when it comes to landing that desired position/job.

Successful entrepreneurs are looked up to because they took big risks, overcame obstacles, and succeeded when it wasn�t supposed to happen. They showed the ability to adapt and change and had the strength within themselves to overcome market obstacles and turn it into success.

We look up to and draw inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and find their advice highly motivational. This list of motivational graduation speeches is full of successful entrepreneurs offering their advice.

One of the more well-known graduation speeches from that list is a very inspirational speech given by Steve Jobs at the 2005 Stanford commencement. He basically says the key to success and your career is to find your passion.

�You've got to find what you love.� - Steve Jobs

Video: Steve Jobs� 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech

But that's not enough according to another successful entrepreneur, Reid Hoffman, founder of career networking site LinkedIn.

He suggests finding a match between your passions and the market realities.

Video: Advice for College Graduates

Video: Reid Hoffman: roadmap to your success

After College and Beyond

According to Hoffman, you have to approach your career like an entrepreneur.
Meaning: Invest in yourself, build assets/skills, always be learning and evolving.

These are the ideas presented in his recent book, The Start-Up of You.

In order to conquer the job market, you need to �anticipate the change in the world, as well as the change in yourself.�

What does this mean?

Adapt and build yourself for the future through improvement, continuous learning, and adding assets that give you a competitive advantage over others in the job market.
Be able to evolve and be flexible with your career plans as market conditions change, and as you experience changes in yourself.

�You are not a finished product. If you don't keep evolving, you start dying.�

Take intelligent risks

Win or lose, taking small gambles improve you and your career. In taking risks, you have to be comfortable with not succeeding. Sometimes it's disappointing, sometimes it's embarrassing, and that�s OK, it becomes a learning experience. So go ahead, make yourself vulnerable and take a chance.

"Behind every flinch is a fear or an anxiety - sometimes rational, sometimes not. Without the fear, there is no flinch. But wiping out the fear isn't what's important - facing it is."
- Julien Smith, The Flinch

*It�s important to note that many successful entrepreneurs stepped out of their element and took risks to get where they are today. If something doesn�t work, keep trying.

Look at the story of Colonel Sanders.

Colonel Sanders didn't give up, even with his age. Here was a man in his mid-60s who spent two years driving across America in an old, beat-up car, sleeping in the back seat in his white suit, getting up each day armed with his secret spice mixture in search of business partners.

Knowing he had a great tasting chicken recipe, he withstood over 1,000 rejections before finally finding a restaurant that was willing to work with him.

He went on to sell the business (KFC) and make millions.

Per�se�ver�ance: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Say Yes to New Opportunities

Say yes to opportunities that can be a breakout for you. This can lead to changes in yourself that you will only learn through the discoveries of going down the unknown path. Take risks that can lead to new (career) opportunities, provide new experiences, expose you to new environments, and can differentiate yourself from the crowd.

"All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous, unpremeditated act without benefit of experience."
- Henry Miller

Find your competitive advantage

You have to give yourself a competitive advantage over your peers. You have to invest in yourself by continuously adding new skills that sets you apart from the competition.

Examples

This can be:

Taking a public speaking class.
Learning how to type faster.
Learning how to speed read.
Creating a top-notch professional looking resume that really sells you.
Getting added experience over your peers through internships.

Adapt to the Future

Ask yourself the following questions regarding your career path:

What can you do to build soft assets?
What skills or relationships can you improve that will be beneficial to your career?
What are some things you can do to step out of your comfort zone and take intelligent risks that could lead to a breakout (experience) for you?

Be Bold

Try Something New and Innovative

�Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.� - Steve Jobs

Do something no one else has ever done or tried before. Whether it works or not, it will be a learning experience.

Two great examples:

The Job Shadowing Project: 60 Jobs in 60 Days
In an effort to decide on a career path, Michael Warshafsky of Queen�s University, completed a project where he job shadowed 60 people in 60 days. The experience helped him find his passion: he really enjoyed job shadowing for both an optometrist and a dentist. �I could definitely see myself doing either of those careers and I probably wouldn't have known that without doing 60 jobs in 60 days.�
The project was a learning experience. Not only did it give him a deep understanding of what many professionals do every day, he came out with some great business contacts. Talking and meeting with these professionals enhanced his interview skills and got him comfortable with the practice thanks to the project.
Another valuable tip he learned: people will want to help you if you take the time to reach out in an honest way. Meaning if you know someone working in your intended career field, feel free to reach out, ask questions, and get advice.
The Google Job Experiment
In an innovative way to score job interviews, Alec Brownstein placed Google ads for the names of top creative directors at major marketing and advertising agencies in NYC. When these top creative directors Googled themselves, they received a personalized ad from Alec asking them for a job. He ran ad campaigns on five directors, received interviews with four of them, and received two job offers. After a mere $6 investment, he is now employed at one of the top agencies in New York.

Brownstein's advice for others:
�Don�t be afraid to put yourself out there in an interesting way.�

Show your Focus

Many students enjoy the social aspects of going to college, although many are too consumed with finding the next party, get together, or whatever it may be so long that it involves some type of alcoholic drink. While a little R&R is good every now and then, if one simply showed this kind of focus, attention, and detail to their future career, amazing things would happen.

Ask:

When is the next career fair?
Where can I go for more help in perfecting my resume?
What can I do to get my foot in the door at ______ company?
Who in my prospective career field can I go to for advice on my future prospects?
What can I do to separate myself from the thousands of other peers who hold the same degree and are fighting for the same jobs I am?

Limit Distractions to Gain Clarity

You have access to a lot of information and resources on the web, so don't waste your precious time by checking email and facebook 100 times a day.

It is easier than you think to find a career in something you love - set your mind to it - take some time to think and self-reflect. It's amazing what the mind can accomplish when you�re actually able to listen to it - Get away from the distraction of TV, Internet and facebook and take time to think of something that could work for you. Try it! And if you fail, try again.

�There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.�
- Paulo Coelho

�Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.� - Albert Einstein

Don�t lose touch with yourself

Embrace your uniqueness and who you are as a person. America is too consumed with the crowd factor; don�t be a follower, be the one that goes down the new path. Be different, be yourself, don�t be afraid to let your personality shine through - People who are different are talked about. Being who you are, rather than adapting to a fake persona or the crowd mentality is going to be what gets you ahead. Forget the status quo.

�Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma � which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.�
- Steve Jobs

Think and stay positive

It is important to stay positive during the job search process. At times it can be frustrating - Turn that frustration into deeper motivation that lights a fire under your ass. Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Don�t lash out with the fact that your future is unknown. Don�t forget who your true friends are. Don�t forget who loves you. Realize what you have, rather than what you don�t have. Keeping this positive mental attitude is what helps you advance forth during these times.

"A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes." - Gandhi

�The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking.�
- Robert Schuller

In General/Conclusion:

Hustle, try and keep trying (don�t give up regardless of how many times you fail), take risks, show no fear, and Say Yes.
Do what you want to do and don�t let anyone get in the way of your dreams.
Keep on improving - Always be learning.
Embrace the unexpected (vulnerability/be vulnerable).
Don�t be ashamed of being an unemployed/underemployed graduate�your time is coming (with a little hustle, hard work, luck, and saying yes to new opportunities).
Embrace your individuality. Never lose touch with yourself. Stay true to your morals.
Stay positive. Think positive. Keep in control. Be friendly. Be a good person.

Quotes for Inspiration

�Playing to win is one of the finest things you can do. It enables you to fulfill your potential. It enables you to improve the world and, conveniently, develop high expectations for everyone else too. And what if you lose? Just make sure you lose while trying something grand. The unexamined life may not be worth living, but the unlived life is not worth examining. Make sure your life is worth examining.�
- Guy Kawasaki

"Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that's the one that is going to require the most from you."
- Caroline Myss

�We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.�
- Vince Lombardi

�The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours � it is an amazing journey � and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.�
- Bob Moawad

"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."
- Teddy Roosevelt

�It is never too late to be what you might have been.� - George Eliot

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right." - Napoleon Hill

"Before success comes in any man's life, he's sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and the most logical thing to do is to quit. That's exactly what the majority of men do."
- Napoleon Hill

�Whether you think you can or you can�t, you are right.� - Henry Ford

�Everything you want should be yours: the type of work you want; the relationships you need; the social, mental, and aesthetic stimulation that will make you happy and fulfilled; the money you require for the lifestyle that is appropriate to you; and any requirement that you may (or may not) have for achievement or service to others. If you don�t aim for it all, you�ll never get it all. To aim for it requires that you know what you want.�
- Richard Koch

Quotes from Steve Jobs� 2005 commencement speech

Full transcript here

�You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something � your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.�

�You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.�

�When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.�

�Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.� - Steve Jobs