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Where to get iPad Textbooks

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:21:24 +0100

An eTextbook isn't just an eBook version of a textbook; it's an interactive educational tool. That�s what Apple is trying to achieve in their push for iPad textbooks, something they hope will disrupt the $8 billion textbook market.

Built-in video, interactive 3D objects, and the ability to highlight content (that can be automatically turned into flash cards when preparing for exams) are just a few of the features of textbooks on the iPad.

Using iPads in the classroom has brought new excitement to course material. An instructor from Notre Dame, who had his business class take part in a pilot program, noted how the ability to easily share and collaborate with the device made the class �more interesting and dynamic�.

IPads have become so useful in certain academic settings that some colleges are making them a required item. This is the case at Brown University's medical school, where incoming students were required to purchase iPads last fall.

Students as part of a eTextbook pilot program at Cal State enjoyed the cost savings, the ability to search by keyword, and the lightweight option that digital textbooks provided, however, eTextbooks did not provide the greatest user experience for many of the students. Their biggest complaint: they felt as if they were reading a textbook on the Internet.

It is apparent iPad textbooks aren�t for everyone. Three out of 4 students still prefer a print textbook over the digital version, according to a March 2011 survey of 655 college students. Current sales of eTextbooks only account for a small percentage of the $8 billion textbook industry.

Is it worth buying an iPad just for textbooks?
Based on current �savings� eTextbooks give over print textbooks, it would take about two semesters worth of textbooks to break even, after spending $500 for the iPad. Of course, buying the eTextbook version means the book can�t be resold and certain publishers even limit the time you have access to the book.

With Apple�s recent announcement of iPad textbooks available in the latest update of the iBooks app, they are taking steps toward building a catalog of textbooks available for purchase within the app. The current selection of textbooks is limited, with most of the titles being high school textbooks.

Where to get iPad Textbooks

The nice thing about textbooks on the iPad is they can be accessed immediately after purchase (no standing in lines at the bookstore or waiting for your books to ship). Here�s where you can get college textbooks for your iPad.

Kno

Kno has a huge selection of textbooks for the iPad. The Kno Course Manager application lets students organize their textbooks and other course material in a central location. With Kno textbooks you can search, zoom in on pictures, add sticky notes, highlight text, and easily share course material with fellow students via social networks. A recent edition of their app added video integration and support for interactive 3D objects to further enhance learning on the iPad.

Kno, a startup created by the founders of Chegg.com, originally developed their own oversized tablet specifically designed for digital textbooks. As soon as the iPad started taking off, the company realized the device was the backbone for the future of the industry and bailed on its own hardware efforts last April.

About eTextbooks from Kno

Available on: Ipad, Web
Purchase options: Buy or Rent (6 months).
Length of access: Lifetime access as long as you have a Kno account.
Printing limitations: No printing allowed.
Available offline: Yes, the textbook is permanently stored on your iPad.
Deals: They offer a 15-day free trial (no credit card required).

Inkling

Inkling was started in 2009 when Matt MacInnis, a former Apple employee (who worked in Apple's education division for eight years), noticed that technology and textbooks weren�t reaching their full potential.

Their goal is to make learning interactive and engaging by taking advantage of new media devices, like the iPad. They want to reinvent the textbook by looking at a digital textbook not as a book, but as software. This new technology enables learning assessment tools to be built into the textbook, like having interactive quizzes at the end of every chapter. Inkling also brings a social aspect to learning by enabling students to follow each other�s note streams, all within the application.

Inkling textbooks are generally 30%-40% cheaper than the list price of print books. Students also have the option of purchasing individual chapters for a few dollars each (which comes in handy for those classes that only cover a few chapters of the book). Their catalog has over 100 fully-enhanced, interactive titles available, including some of the most popular titles for undergrad, MBA and medical students. They have a limited number of books available because they customize every textbook specifically for the iPad to make it interactive and engaging.

About eTextbooks from Inkling

Available on: iPad only
Purchase options: Buy the full textbook or by the chapter.
Length of Access: Lifetime use.
Printing limitations: No printing allowed.
Available offline: Yes, although some multimedia content (streaming video and music) in the textbook does require an Internet connection.
Deals: Free chapter by downloading their iPad app.

CourseSmart

CourseSmart is currently the largest seller of eTextbooks. They claim to save students 60% when purchasing over printed textbooks. The textbooks at CourseSmart are sold as digital rentals that give users digital access rights to the textbook for 360 days. CourseSmart textbooks can be used on the iPad by downloading their free app.

About eTextbooks at CourseSmart

Available on: Most digital devices: iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Laptop computers and Android devices both online and off.
Purchase options: Free trial before buying. After purchase, access to the eTextbook is given for the �digital rental� period, which is 360 days.
Length of access: 360 days
Printing limitations: Up to 10 pages at a time. Total limit is 1.5 times the number of pages in the book.
Available offline: Yes, but content must be checked out via their online app.
Deals: Free eTextbook Trial (for 14 days or 50 page views, whichever comes first).

Amazon

For eTextbooks at Amazon, students can either buy the digital textbook outright (lifetime access) or rent it (cheaper option), better known as Kindle Textbook Rentals. Renters can choose their rental period (any length between 30 and 360 days), so you only need to pay for the time you actually need access to the book. After the rental period ends, students still get access to all of their notes and highlighted content in the Amazon Cloud.

Even though Amazon has eTextbooks labeled as Kindle edition books, they can still be used on the iPad. To access Kindle Textbook Rentals on your iPad you will need to download the Kindle app from the App Store (therefore, no Kindle device is required). Additionally, you always have the option of accessing the textbook from other devices (PC, Mac, Android, Blackberry, and iPhone) at any time with Amazon�s Whispersync technology.

About eTextbooks at Amazon

Available on: Even though Kindle textbooks were designed with the Kindle in mind, they are accessible on iPad, PC, Mac, Android, Blackberry, and iPhone.
Purchase options: At Amazon you can buy or rent in both print and digital form. As far as eTextbook rentals: choose any rental length between 30 and 360 days. You can extend the rental period for as little as one day or convert the order to a full purchase and keep the book permanently.
Length of access: Depends on the purchase. The textbook can be rented from 30 to 360 days.
Deals: Click here and enter the code ETXTBOOK to get a $10 credit applied to your Amazon account to use on your next eTextbook purchase. Offer expires at 11:59 p.m PST on January 23, 2012.

Chegg

Textbook renter Chegg.com just recently started offering eTextbooks that are available on the iPad. The eTextbook is web-based, therefore viewable on any device connected to the Internet. Not having the textbook available offline is a downfall, but being online lets you connect to Chegg�s 24/7 Homework Q&A service through the eReader. Ordering a print textbook from Chegg? Customers can get a 7-day access pass to the eTextbook version while they wait for their physical textbook to ship.

About eTextbooks at Chegg

Available on: Any device with an Internet connection.
Purchase options: At Chegg you can rent textbooks, buy new and used, or get eTextbooks.
Length of access: The eTextbooks have a digital rental period of 180 days.
Printing limitations: According to Chegg, copy and print limits will vary per eTextbook. Clicking on the �View Details� next to the eTextbook will show the limitations of the book you are ordering. Most of the eTextbooks seem to allow up to 50% of the book to be printed. Printing over 10% of the book will void any returns of the book for a full refund.
Available offline: No
Deals: Check current textbook coupon codes.

CengageBrain

Cengage offers textbooks in multiple formats: print, rentals, eTextbooks, and by the chapter (eChapters). The eTextbooks and eChapters are available on the iPad for both online and offline use. Being able to buy textbooks down to the individual chapter and getting free access to the eTextbook version while your print textbook ships are two big advantages of getting textbooks at CengageBrain.

About eTextbooks from CengageBrain

Available on: You can view eTextbooks and eChapters on a desktop, laptop, iPad, iPhone or Android device.
Purchase options: Buy eTextbooks by the book or by the chapter (eChapters). Also offer print textbooks for sale or rent.
Length of access: Standard length of access to digital content is one semester. Some titles that are published for courses that last multiple semesters have a longer access period. Individual chapters are only available for an access period of 6 months.
Printing limitations: Up to 10 pages at a time. Total limit is 1.5 times the number of pages in the book.
Available offline: Available both online and offline with the free eReader app for your iPad. Currently, offline access is only supported when using a desktop, laptop or iPad.
Deals: See CengageBrain Coupon Codes

Open Textbooks

There are many freely available open textbooks that can be used on the iPad. While you likely won�t find the textbook your professor assigns here, convince your instructors to start using open textbooks and the $8 billion textbook market can really be disrupted.

How to Effectively Utilize Office Hours

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:24:47 +0100

Office hours are arguably the most underused resource available to students.

With that said, there is no reason why you shouldn�t be using what is perhaps one of the biggest tools at your disposal to understanding the material and getting a better grade. Basically, if you�re not using it, you better be getting an A on the next exam.

Office hours are your opportunity to get one-on-one instruction on course material. These are specific times that instructors (professors, TAs, etc.) set aside to make themselves available to students.

A professor will typically announce his/her office hours and location on the first day of class and in the syllabus. This information should also be available on the professor�s website.

A Valuable, Yet Often Underused Resource
Throughout the term you may find your professor complaining to the class about being lonely during their office hours. This is your sign that they want visitors. Here they are reaching out to offer a valuable service (that you are technically paying for) only to have it be neglected by the class.

Your Professor During Office Hours.

Simply put, not enough students take advantage of office hours. Either students are too busy, too lazy, or too embarrassed and afraid they will ask a stupid question or be called out about missing the class when the information was covered.

Utilizing Office Hours

With set office hours, it�s comforting to know there is a time and place you will always have access to your professor.

To make the most of an office hours visit, you�ll need to do a little preparing beforehand. This includes coming in with specific questions and other items you would like to go over with the instructor. Keep a list of questions and concerns to discuss during your visit. This ensures your meeting will run as smoothly and quickly as possible.

The best way to prepare for this meeting is to review your class notes and attempt to do some of the homework before your visit, so you can identify exactly what it is you are having trouble with. Sometimes students are so lost they don�t know where to start. This is fine and something where a few visits to office hours can get the student back on track.

Even if you don't have any questions about course material, stop by your professor�s office to say hi and introduce yourself. This way you�ll know where the office is located should you ever need to visit throughout the term and the introduction will help your professor get to know you by name. This is especially important in larger classes (but equally as important in smaller classroom settings as well). This initial introduction helps establish a connection, which could be beneficial later on. Professors are generally pretty welcoming and accommodating to students who come in for office hours.

While attending office hours is not required, if the effort isn�t made to show up, you leave yourself no excuse at the end of the term when grades are dispersed and you are left with a grade you are not satisfied with.

Benefits of Using Office Hours

Straight Up: Attending office hours puts you at an advantage over other students.

Students who utilize office hours often do better on exams and papers, are more satisfied with their classes, and feel more connected to their college, classroom and professor. It is an opportunity to show instructors your enthusiasm for the material. A place you can follow up on aspects of the class you find compelling by asking questions that go beyond what the lecture and textbook cover.

Help Preparing for Exams

Take advantage of office hours and discussion sections, especially before big tests. The week before exams and finals are times in which your professor will be in high demand. This is why sometimes a professor will schedule additional office hours the week before a 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 it will cover. 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 in exchange for the short 30min investment of time for an office hours visit. Knowing what to study (and what not to) before a test can be very beneficial when it comes time to cram for the exam.

Build a Connection

In the digital world, people are losing touch with interpersonal communication. By taking the time to go into office hours you get a face-to-face connection with your professor. Going in and personally introducing yourself helps your instructor put a name to a face, which can only be beneficial unless you plan on pulling the "Do you even know my name?" at the end of the term.

One-on-one instruction creates the prime environment to build on the student-teacher relationship. If a positive connection is established in your meetings, the professor can help with letters of recommendation, job offers/leads, and having them as an advisor for independent study.

Common Questions about Office Hours

Should I email professors ahead of time to let them know I am stopping by?
While it is a good gesture, office hours are open for you to stop by. You can call/email to make sure they are available and not already with another student, but for the most part they sit there and expect students to show up, therefore no appointment is needed. A heads up email is nice, but not necessary.

How should I approach a professor during office hours?
When dropping in unannounced, your best bet is to show up at the beginning of office hours. If you show up and your professor is already assisting another student, knock or otherwise politely announce your presence upon arrival. Don't feel like you're being a nuisance, these are hours specifically set aside for you and your classmates. If you find the office too busy, politely ask to make an appointment.

Things to Remember

Be courteous and respectful.
If you make an appointment, arrive on time.
Address the professor by his or her last name with the appropriate title unless asked otherwise.
Value their time by being prepared and staying on task.
Avoid waiting until the day before the test or the day before an assignment is due to seek assistance.
Show up early to office hours and bring your work with you. This way you can get the help you need and continue working right there in the office while the new understanding of the material is fresh on your mind. This also allows you to ask and get immediate help with any other questions that come about while advancing through your studies.
Thank them for their time.

What Professors are Saying

Here's what some top professors at University of Michigan are saying about office hours:

Students should go to office hours because�
�we're a friendly bunch; but really, some people learn best by discussing the topic and getting one-on-one attention, and with large courses, office hours are really the only way to do this. �your professor will get to know who you are and you might be more comfortable asking them to write you a letter of recommendation later.

- Brenda Gunderson, Statistics Department at University of Michigan

The most productive office hour interactions seem to begin with a student pulling out a short, focused list of specific questions. It is helpful if they are able to reference a particular lecture or reading. This makes it possible to put the answer into a relevant context. Written questions are great strategy for focusing the meeting and it gives shy students a sort of script. Often the initial discussion will generate other questions and, ideally, the student walks away with a broader understanding of the topic.

- Denise Guillot, Anthropology Department at University of Michigan

As an instructor of a large lecture course, I value office hours because it gives me an opportunity to speak directly with students from the class. In particular, it gives me the opportunity to better gauge how well students are understanding the material from lectures. If I find that students are not understanding the material, then I can respond to that in subsequent lectures.

- David Smith, History Department at University of Michigan

Why should students go to office hours? I wouldn't just say "go", I'd say "go early". I get popular just before exams, but at other times am sometimes sitting in my office waiting for students to stop by. It's an opportunity to be engaged --- to review class material, expand on what you learned in class, or just talk about the discipline more generally.

- Jan Gerson, Economics Department at University of Michigan

Dorm Room Pranks

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:09:31 +0100

Things can get pretty boring during the winter months. The restlessness, boredom, and additional time spent indoors create a prime environment for mischievous acts. Students in the dorms with too much free time on their hands can only lead to one thing: Dorm Room Pranks.

Here's a look at some of the most popular dorm room pranks pulled on fellow dorm mates.

10 Classic Dorm Room Pranks

1. The Upside Down Dorm Room Prank

2. The Foiled Dorm Room Prank

3. The Post-it Note Prank

4. Water Cups Prank

5. Multiple Alarm Clocks Prank

6. Tug of War Dorm Room Door Prank

7. Bowl of Water to the Ceiling Prank
A classic dorm prank that involves getting students to hold a bowl of water against the ceiling with a stick.

8. The Empty Dorm Room Prank
This is why you don't leave your dorm room unlocked.

9. Dorm Room Foam Prank

10. Dorm filled with Newspaper Prank

10 Up and Coming College Websites to Watch in 2012

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:10:00 +0100

America is fascinated with college startups. So much so that the college startup has almost become the new American dream. After hearing captivating stories of how websites like facebook and Google were started, it raises the entrepreneurial spirit inside of all of us.

Here is a young group of websites, nearly all founded by college students, who see a problem or a niche in the world of higher education and are dedicating countless hours to their project. Some of the founders have even decided to forgo college all together to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.

While not all of these websites may be well known yet, many of them offer useful tools and applications that make college life easier and more productive.

Here's a look at some up and coming college websites to watch in 2012:

CourseKit

Three students at the University of Pennsylvania dropped out of school to start CourseKit, a course management system with emphasis on social networking. The team raised $1 million in funding for the project, which launched in August 2011. The founders want to make course management better than the standard Blackboard, a system they say is always crashing, terribly laid out, and not very user friendly. Their main objective solves a problem that troubles large universities nationwide: They want a 300 person lecture to feel like a 20 person seminar. Getting students to communicate with each other in the classroom is the key to better learning and CourseKit makes this happen.

InClass

InClass is a free mobile app designed to be a student organizer. Students can download the application at iTunes and use it to manage schedules, notes, and assignments. Notes can be taken within the app by text, audio or video and can also be used to record class lectures. InClass is perfect for students focused on productivity and GTD. The app is used worldwide and is available in multiple languages.

Kno

Kno has been around for a few years so it's hard to call them up and coming. However, they recently launched a new business plan, ditching their dual-screen textbook reader aimed at the college crowd. They have since turned their focus to software, designing applications for viewing/managing eTextbooks on devices like the iPad, picking up an additional $30 million in funding in the process. In addition to viewing textbooks, students are able to take notes, create and take quizzes, and share materials using the Kno application.

Acceptly

Acceptly is a free college prep and application manager geared toward high school students (and their parents). Acceptly breaks down the college application process into manageable steps, using gaming and social features to keep students engaged, while offering suggestions on how to improve chances of acceptance. Acceptly is a fun, yet serious tool that guides students through one of the biggest decisions they will make in their lifetime.

OneSchool

OneSchool is a mobile application for iPhones, Androids, and Windows Mobile Phones that helps students connect to people, places and things around their campus. Founded in February 2011 at Penn State, the application is currently available at 50 colleges. Some of the features in the app include real-time bus tracking, an interactive map of classroom locations and local eateries, a student and staff directory, and campus news. OneSchool is the one app that every first-year college student should have for getting around and staying informed.

Citelighter

Citelighter is your tool for writing papers more efficiently and keeping research thoroughly organized. Citelighter is a downloaded as a toolbar for your web browser to assist with gathering research and citing sources. You can highlight any text on a webpage relevant to your research and �capture� it. The application will automatically grab the necessary bibliographic info from the source. Capture, organize, and create is the simple three step process to gathering sources and outputting them in multiple bibliographic formats (APA, MLA, Chicago) with Citelighter doing most of the work for you.

Swaapr

Three UCSB students created Swaapr in an effort to help college students get the textbook they need without having to pay for it by swapping with other students on campus. The campus-based marketplace is organized onto a map so you are able to see where the person you want to swap with is located. Students can post the books they have and the books they want and connect through Swaapr. Last spring their business idea took first place at Bay Area Startup Weekend, a competition for tech startups. The startup is yet another example of college kids taking time off of college to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams (like CourseKit above).

Internmatch

Equipped with a beautifully designed website and an additional half million in funding, Internmatch allows both internship seekers and employers to search for a perfect match. The website offers searchable internship listings with tools and guides to help with the internship process. On the employer side, the service focuses on helping startups, small businesses, and non-profits find and connect with highly skilled interns and guarantees to match companies with interns in 60 days or their money back.

Piazza

Piazza is an online Q&A platform designed to connect students, TAs, and professors so students in the class can get questions answered quickly anytime and anywhere. The recent release of their mobile app helps keep classrooms even more connected and engaged. Both students and professors can set up Piazza hubs for their classes. Financing from prominent investors and word of mouth have helped the service quickly expand to many colleges across the nation, with a large user base at Stanford and MIT.

Binksty

Binksty is your one-stop shop for managing student loans. Users can access all of their federal and private loans in one spot making the process and organization of paying back loans simpler. With student debt spiraling out of control, Binksty arrives at a much needed time where (sadly) a tool is needed to manage a burdensome debt that needs to be taken seriously.

A Look at Expensive Schools and their Net Price

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Curious to see how much the ranking would change, we took our list of the 100 most expensive schools and found the average need-based grant given at each school as listed at the College Board. This data was then applied to the total cost of each school in an effort to find the net price: the cost after scholarships and grants are deducted.

Just because a college is listed among the most expensive colleges, doesn�t mean a student will be paying that amount. As mentioned in the ranking, they are sticker prices. As you will see below, many colleges provide substantial grants that greatly reduce the cost of attending. (Though, about one-third of full-time students do pay the full published tuition price with no grant assistance. Source: College Board)

Back in June, the Department of Education released a ranking of sorts highlighting colleges with the highest overall net price. (See: collegecost.ed.gov/catc) While the effort in trying to make college costs more transparent was praised, many noticed the data was from the 2008-2009 school year, making the �ranking� somewhat outdated. Being that we�ve already released tuition numbers for the 2011-2012 school year, we thought we�d take a look at how the rankings would mix up based on their net price.

To find the net price we apply the average need-based grant. Remember, the amount each student receives will vary per student. Use net price calculators, required on every college website as of October 29th, to best determine what you will actually be paying.

The main idea here is some colleges aren't as expensive as you would think. Take Harvard for example. While it sounds expensive, the net price at the school is very reasonable: the average grant covers 79% of the total cost, putting Harvard at a more affordable cost of just over $11,000 per year. Not bad for a college regarded as one of the nation's best.

Harvard: More affordable than you think.

Sarah Lawrence College, the nation's most expensive (by sticker price), barely makes the top 25 when adjusting the ranking by net price.
While Columbia University is depicted as an expensive school being listed at #3 on the most recent ranking, the average grant drops the net price considerably (85 spots in the ranking, the biggest downward move on the list).

Campus Grotto would like to highlight the following colleges, who, while being portrayed as being expensive by sticker price, provide grants that amount to more than two-thirds the total cost of attendance.

College	% of cost covered by grant
Harvard College	79%
Amherst College	74%
Williams College	74%
Yale University	72%
Stanford University	72%
Colgate University	69%
Vassar College	69%
MIT	69%
Wellesley College	69%
Columbia University	68%
Pomona College	68%
Vanderbilt University	68%
Washington and Lee University	67%
Trinity College (CT)	67%

Most Expensive by Net Price

Here are the 10 most expensive colleges by net price for 2011-2012.

College	Net Price
1. Drexel University	$40,491
2. American University	$36,271
3. Bard College at Simon's Rock	$36,195
4. Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$35,738
5. Fordham University - Rose Hill	$35,659
6. New York University	$35,439
7. Stevens Institute of Technology	$34,682
8. Loyola University Maryland	$34,430
9. Olin College of Engineering	$33,890
10. The New School	$33,540

How the Top 100 Fare in Net Price

Net price for each school after the average grant is applied to the total cost of attendance for the 2011-2012 school year.

	College	Total Cost		Average Grant		Net Price	Change in Ranking
1.	Drexel University	$55,335	-	$14,844	=	$40,491	+13
2.	American University	$51,719	-	$15,448	=	$36,271	+95
3.	Bard College at Simon's Rock	$55,110	-	$18,915	=	$36,195	+15
4.	Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$54,972	-	$19,234	=	$35,738	+17
5.	Fordham University - Rose Hill	$54,893	-	$19,234	=	$35,659	+23
6.	New York University	$56,787	-	$21,348	=	$35,439	-4
7.	Stevens Institute of Technology	$54,682	-	$20,000	=	$34,682	+26
8.	Loyola University Maryland	$52,320	-	$17,890	=	$34,430	+83
9.	Olin College of Engineering	$53,450	-	$19,560	=	$33,890	+56
10.	The New School	$55,890	-	$22,350	=	$33,540	-5
11.	Providence College	$53,115	-	$20,138	=	$32,977	+59
12.	Southern Methodist University	$52,646	-	$20,003	=	$32,643	+72
13.	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$51,964	-	$20,776	=	$31,188	+81
14.	Bucknell University	$54,240	-	$23,500	=	$30,740	+29
15.	Boston University	$54,130	-	$23,413	=	$30,717	+30
16.	Tulane University	$54,284	-	$23,690	=	$30,594	+25
17.	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$54,679	-	$24,428	=	$30,251	+17
18.	Carnegie Mellon University	$54,922	-	$24,680	=	$30,242	+7
19.	University of Southern California	$55,384	-	$25,434	=	$29,950	-7
20.	Fairfield University	$52,790	-	$22,916	=	$29,874	+58
21.	Dominican University of California	$51,250	-	$22,100	=	$29,150	+78
22.	Sarah Lawrence College	$59,170	-	$31,012	=	$28,158	-21
23.	Northwestern University	$54,763	-	$26,817	=	$27,946	+7
24.	St. John's College	$53,990	-	$26,388	=	$27,602	+25
25.	Georgetown University	$54,443	-	$26,966	=	$27,477	+15
26.	Oberlin College	$54,760	-	$27,516	=	$27,244	+5
27.	Claremont McKenna College	$55,865	-	$28,627	=	$27,238	-21
28.	Drew University	$52,160	-	$24,969	=	$27,191	+64
29.	Villanova University	$52,070	-	$24,921	=	$27,149	+64
30.	Boston College	$54,528	-	$27,621	=	$26,907	+7
31.	Occidental College	$54,950	-	$28,046	=	$26,904	-7
32.	University of Miami	$51,182	-	$24,521	=	$26,661	+68
33.	Hobart and William Smith College	$54,072	-	$27,412	=	$26,660	+14
34.	Harvey Mudd College	$55,998	-	$29,370	=	$26,628	-30
35.	Chapman University	$52,521	-	$26,497	=	$26,024	+53
36.	Washington University in St. Louis	$54,666	-	$28,814	=	$25,852	-1
37.	The George Washington University	$54,473	-	$28,704	=	$25,769	+2
38.	Babson College	$53,730	-	$28,454	=	$25,276	+20
39.	Johns Hopkins University	$55,242	-	$30,791	=	$24,451	-23
40.	Lafayette College	$53,020	-	$28,606	=	$24,414	+33
41.	Tufts University	$54,474	-	$30,074	=	$24,400	-3
42.	Gettysburg College	$52,790	-	$28,444	=	$24,346	+36
43.	St. Lawrence University	$53,740	-	$29,506	=	$24,234	+14
44.	Dickinson College	$53,860	-	$29,628	=	$24,232	+9
45.	Carleton College	$54,180	-	$30,179	=	$24,001	-1
46.	Bryn Mawr College	$53,714	-	$29,807	=	$23,907	+13
47.	University of Notre Dame	$52,805	-	$28,953	=	$23,852	+29
48.	Bennington College	$54,960	-	$31,113	=	$23,847	-25
49.	Wake Forest University	$52,986	-	$29,236	=	$23,750	+25
50.	University of Rochester	$53,922	-	$30,430	=	$23,492	+1
51.	Brandeis University	$53,916	-	$30,543	=	$23,373	+1
52.	Wheaton College (MA)	$52,564	-	$29,205	=	$23,359	+35
53.	Union College (NY)	$54,273	-	$30,943	=	$23,330	-11
54.	College of the Holy Cross	$52,758	-	$29,590	=	$23,168	+26
55.	Franklin & Marshall College	$54,060	-	$31,296	=	$22,764	-7
56.	Connecticut College	$54,970	-	$32,366	=	$22,604	-34
57.	Kenyon College	$52,650	-	$30,256	=	$22,394	+26
58.	Ursinus College	$51,950	-	$29,579	=	$22,371	+37
59.	Bard College	$55,617	-	$33,329	=	$22,288	-51
60.	Hampshire College	$53,080	-	$31,140	=	$21,940	+12
61.	Lehigh University	$51,800	-	$29,873	=	$21,927	+35
62.	Scripps College	$54,900	-	$33,362	=	$21,538	-36
63.	Bates College	$55,300	-	$33,878	=	$21,422	-48
64.	Macalester College	$51,417	-	$30,021	=	$21,396	+34
65.	Cornell University	$54,695	-	$33,653	=	$21,042	-33
66.	Wesleyan University	$55,706	-	$34,728	=	$20,978	-59
67.	Skidmore College	$53,684	-	$32,822	=	$20,862	-7
68.	Pepperdine University	$52,596	-	$31,826	=	$20,770	+18
69.	Smith College	$53,460	-	$32,713	=	$20,747	-5
70.	Mount Holyoke College	$53,596	-	$32,903	=	$20,693	-9
71.	Penn	$53,976	-	$33,460	=	$20,516	-21
72.	Middlebury College	$53,420	-	$32,934	=	$20,486	-6
73.	Haverford College	$55,050	-	$34,673	=	$20,377	-54
74.	Emory University	$52,792	-	$32,425	=	$20,367	+3
75.	Bowdoin College	$54,900	-	$35,007	=	$19,893	-49
76.	University of Chicago	$55,416	-	$35,540	=	$19,876	-65
77.	Pitzer College	$54,988	-	$35,378	=	$19,610	-57
78.	Colby College	$53,800	-	$34,449	=	$19,351	-23
79.	Reed College	$53,850	-	$34,939	=	$18,911	-25
80.	University of Richmond	$52,420	-	$33,515	=	$18,905	+10
81.	Barnard College	$55,566	-	$36,670	=	$18,896	-72
82.	Hamilton College	$53,470	-	$34,682	=	$18,788	-19
83.	Dartmouth College	$55,365	-	$36,791	=	$18,574	-70
84.	Brown University	$53,136	-	$34,611	=	$18,525	-15
85.	Duke University	$53,760	-	$35,394	=	$18,366	-29
86.	Trinity College (CT)	$55,450	-	$37,288	=	$18,162	-76
87.	Swarthmore College	$53,250	-	$35,279	=	$17,971	-20
88.	Columbia University	$56,310	-	$38,544	=	$17,766	-85
89.	Vanderbilt University	$54,892	-	$37,174	=	$17,718	-60
90.	Vassar College	$55,135	-	$37,892	=	$17,243	-73
91.	Washington and Lee University	$52,614	-	$35,470	=	$17,144	-6
92.	Pomona College	$53,110	-	$36,005	=	$17,105	-21
93.	Wellesley College	$53,250	-	$36,508	=	$16,742	-26
94.	MIT	$52,507	-	$36,084	=	$16,423	-5
95.	Colgate University	$53,570	-	$37,204	=	$16,366	-33
96.	Stanford University	$52,860	-	$37,804	=	$15,056	-21
97.	Yale University	$52,700	-	$38,090	=	$14,610	-16
98.	Williams College	$54,560	-	$40,146	=	$14,414	-62
99.	Amherst College	$54,098	-	$39,962	=	$14,136	-53
100.	Harvard College	$52,652	-	$41,341	=	$11,311	-18

Remember, this is just looking at the top 100 schools from our ranking of most expensive colleges by total price. There are a few notable schools not included in this data set that would rank fairly high according to net price. After a quick analysis, the following schools would place among the top 25 (in the 14-25 range) in net price: Catholic University, University of Hartford, Lynn University, Quinnipiac University, Santa Clara University, and St. Joseph's University. Perhaps in the following years we will look at a larger sample of colleges when determining which colleges have the highest overall net price.

The Biggest Movers

Moved Down: Schools that are portrayed as expensive when ranking by sticker price, but drop considerably when ranking the same 100 by net price.

College	Rank by Sticker Price	Rank by Net Price	Change
Columbia University	#3	#88	-85
Trinity College (CT)	#10	#86	-76
Vassar College	#17	#90	-73
Barnard College	#9	#81	-72
Dartmouth College	#13	#83	-70
University of Chicago	#11	#76	-65
Williams College	#36	#98	-62
Vanderbilt University	#29	#89	-60
Wesleyan University	#7	#66	-59
Pitzer College	#20	#77	-57

Moved Up: Schools that moved noticeably further up the ranking when adjusted by net price.

College	Rank by Sticker Price	Rank by Net Price	Change
American University	#97	#2	+95
Loyola University Maryland	#91	#8	+83
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	#94	#13	+81
Dominican University of California	#99	#21	+78
Southern Methodist University	#84	#12	+72
University of Miami	#100	#32	+68
Drew University	#92	#28	+64
Villanova University	#93	#29	+64
Providence College	#70	#11	+59
Fairfield University	#78	#20	+58

Financial Aid: Colleges with the largest need-based grants

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:47:34 +0100

Out of curiosity to see how the rankings would change, we took our list of 100 most expensive colleges and found the average need-based grant given at each school as listed on the College Board website.

The average need-based grant given by each school is listed below, from largest to smallest. As expected, schools that are known to provide great financial assistance (Harvard, Yale, etc.) are listed toward the top, with Harvard taking the top spot.

Next, we will be applying this grant data to the total cost of each school in an effort to find the net price roughly paid for need-based students. We will then re-rank this new list and highlight any major changes between the two rankings (sticker price vs. net price).

According to the College Board:
For the 2011-2012 school year, full-time undergraduates received an estimated average of about $5,750 in grant aid from all sources and federal tax benefits at public four-year institutions. The average grant aid given at private nonprofit four-year institutions was $15,530.

Highest Average Need-Based Grant

	College	Avg. Grant	Avg. % of need met
1.	Harvard College	$41,341	100%
2.	Williams College	$40,146	100%
3.	Amherst College	$39,962	100%
4.	Columbia University	$38,544	100%
5.	Yale University	$38,090	100%
6.	Vassar College	$37,892	100%
7.	Stanford University	$37,804	100%
8.	Trinity College (CT)	$37,288	100%
9.	Colgate University	$37,204	100%
10.	Vanderbilt University	$37,174	100%
11.	Dartmouth College	$36,791	100%
12.	Barnard College	$36,670	100%
13.	Wellesley College	$36,508	100%
14.	MIT	$36,084	100%
15.	Pomona College	$36,005	100%
16.	University of Chicago	$35,540	100%
17.	Washington and Lee University	$35,470	100%
18.	Duke University	$35,394	100%
19.	Pitzer College	$35,378	100%
20.	Swarthmore College	$35,279	100%
21.	Bowdoin College	$35,007	100%
22.	Reed College	$34,939	100%
23.	Wesleyan University	$34,728	100%
24.	Hamilton College	$34,682	100%
25.	Haverford College	$34,673	100%
26.	Brown University	$34,611	100%
27.	Colby College	$34,449	100%
28.	Bates College	$33,878	100%
29.	Cornell University	$33,653	100%
30.	University of Richmond	$33,515	100%
31.	Penn	$33,460	100%
32.	Scripps College	$33,362	100%
33.	Bard College	$33,329	91%
34.	Middlebury College	$32,934	100%
35.	Mount Holyoke College	$32,903	100%
36.	Skidmore College	$32,822	100%
37.	Smith College	$32,713	100%
38.	Emory University	$32,425	100%
39.	Connecticut College	$32,366	100%
40.	Pepperdine University	$31,826	79%
41.	Franklin & Marshall College	$31,296	100%
42.	Hampshire College	$31,140	91%
43.	Bennington College	$31,113	81%
44.	Sarah Lawrence College	$31,012	91%
45.	Union College (NY)	$30,943	100%
46.	Johns Hopkins University	$30,791	99%
47.	Brandeis University	$30,543	94%
48.	University of Rochester	$30,430	100%
49.	Kenyon College	$30,256	98%
50.	Carleton College	$30,179	100%
51.	Tufts University	$30,074	100%
52.	Macalester College	$30,021	100%
53.	Lehigh University	$29,873	96%
54.	Bryn Mawr College	$29,807	100%
55.	Dickinson College	$29,628	99%
56.	College of the Holy Cross	$29,590	100%
57.	Ursinus College	$29,579	83%
58.	St. Lawrence University	$29,506	91%
59.	Harvey Mudd College	$29,370	100%
60.	Wake Forest University	$29,236	100%
61.	Wheaton College (MA)	$29,205	96%
62.	University of Notre Dame	$28,953	99%
63.	Washington University in St. Louis	$28,814	100%
64.	The George Washington University	$28,704	95%
65.	Claremont McKenna College	$28,627	100%
66.	Lafayette College	$28,606	97%
67.	Babson College	$28,454	92%
68.	Gettysburg College	$28,444	100%
69.	Occidental College	$28,046	100%
70.	Boston College	$27,621	100%
71.	Oberlin College	$27,516	100%
72.	Hobart and William Smith College	$27,412	97%
73.	Georgetown University	$26,966	100%
74.	Northwestern University	$26,817	100%
75.	Chapman University	$26,497	100%
76.	St. John's College	$26,388	98%
77.	University of Southern California	$25,434	100%
78.	Drew University	$24,969	77%
79.	Villanova University	$24,921	80%
80.	Carnegie Mellon University	$24,680	82%
81.	University of Miami	$24,521	83%
82.	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$24,428	87%
83.	Tulane University	$23,690	92%
84.	Bucknell University	$23,500	95%
85.	Boston University	$23,413	90%
86.	Fairfield University	$22,916	88%
87.	The New School	$22,350	78%
88.	Dominican University of California	$22,100	64%
89.	New York University	$21,348	69%
90.	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$20,776	74%
91.	Providence College	$20,138	87%
92.	Southern Methodist University	$20,003	90%
93.	Stevens Institute of Technology	$20,000	N/A
94.	Olin College of Engineering	$19,560	100%
95.	Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$19,234	78%
95.	Fordham University - Rose Hill	$19,234	78%
97.	Bard College at Simon's Rock	$18,915	65%
98.	Loyola University Maryland	$17,890	100%
99.	American University	$15,448	85%
100.	Drexel University	$14,844	61%

Harvard Closes Gates to Outsiders, now even more exclusive

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:00:58 +0100

Being one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Harvard gets a lot of visitors. This became apparent last Sunday aboard a standing-room-only bus to Harvard Square. Immediately a conversation struck up between two visitors to the US. The tourists, who didn't know each other, shared their enthusiasm about getting to visit the Harvard campus for the first time.

Or so they thought.

Little did they know, they would soon be let down.

Harvard: Now even harder to get into.

Harvard University has closed its gates to outsiders at the disappointment of many tourists and prospective students hoping to visit the campus. On a recent trip to the college we witnessed several hundred visitors, alumni, families, and prospective students turned away.

Gate entrances were either closed and chained shut or were guarded by hired security and Harvard Police ensuring only Harvard students were allowed access to the yard. Only current students and staff were allowed through the gates upon showing their Harvard ID.

Students and Staff Only: A Harvard Police Officer checks for Harvard IDs

We all knew Harvard was hard to get into, but to even step foot in Harvard Yard? Harvard has been denying access to visitors since November 9th in response to the supposed protest going on.

All because of this "protest":

On Wednesday night, November 9th, the university shut down access to Harvard Yard because of the supposed danger several hundred demonstrators posed as part of the Occupy Colleges movement. Students, who had gathered outside the Harvard Law School that night, planned to march into the historic quad.

Harvard executive vice president Katie Lapp and University provost Alan Garber said that even though the administration respects the right of community members to protest, the lockdown would continue as long as the student occupation remains.

Many students and teachers alike have opposed the closing of the gates. �I think it�s absurd. Do we really need eight guards per gate?� questioned Nicandro Iannacci, Class of 2013.

Some Harvard Professors find the lockdown a bit over the top. "It seems to me an overreaction to have closed the Yard to outsiders" says Duncan Kennedy, a professor at the Law School.

I am sure visitors denied access feel the same way:

Some question why access to the yard is not allowed.

WTF: A visitor expresses frustration over Harvard lock down.

Michael Cera settles for a cell phone pic of Harvard from the locked gates.

Over the weekend, Occupy Harvard released a statement on their website condemning the heightened security in the Yard. �The ongoing ID checks and partial gate closures are as unnecessary as they are inconvenient,� the statement read. �Furthermore, the decision to only grant entry to Harvard ID holders has reinforced the institutional exclusivity and elitism that Occupy Harvard seeks to change.�

On Monday, November 21, the protesters announced the success of a petition signed by 110 Harvard professors that condemns the administration locking down Harvard Yard in response to students setting up tents in front of the John Harvard statue.

After witnessing the disappointment of many tourists and prospective students who had traveled great distances to visit the campus only to be turned away, we hope the Harvard administration opens its gates immediately to the public.

CG Tip:
Unbeknownst to most visitors, if you really need to get on the Harvard campus you can put in a request ahead of time with the Campus Service Center who may or may not grant you access.

Most Expensive College Dorms for 2011-2012

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:00:00 +0100

While rising tuition numbers get all the rage, room and board costs at some colleges are so high they surpass the tuition prices of many public universities. Students at the popular UCLA campus pay just under $13K in resident tuition. Meanwhile, students at private universities in New York are paying thousands more just for their college housing. With prices this high, it's clear room and board is a big (and often underlooked) cost of going to college.

Is the cost worth it?

While students living in high-rise dorms in New York may enjoy the views, city life, and amenities they have access to now, most will spend years paying off the loans needed to pay for the luxury and will never again have the privilege to live with such a view.

The most expensive college housing is found at The New School in New York where freshmen who live in the 13th Street Residence, a traditional corridor-style dorm, pay $18,080 with mandatory meal plan. When you consider dorm residents move out in the middle of May, and aren�t allowed to stay over winter break, the cost per day for cramped rooms comes out to be a pretty penny.

This double room can be yours for about $75 per day. (Photo: 13th Street Residence at The New School)

The priciest dorms are found in (not surprisingly) the urban areas of New York, Boston, and the California coast. With the exception of the UC schools, all of the colleges on this list are private, with eight of the top 10 being located in the New York area. Only four of the top 20 are located outside the states of California and New York: two in the Boston area (Suffolk University and Olin College), one in Washington D.C. (American University), and one (unexpectedly) in Nashville, Tennessee (Vanderbilt University).

For the first time, the average room and board at private colleges has eclipsed the $10K mark. For the 2011-2012 school year, room and board prices increased 4.0% at public and 3.9% at private colleges with average costs of $8,887 and $10,089, respectively.

Most Expensive College Dorms for 2011-2012

These are prices a typical freshman will pay for room and board for the 2011-2012 school year. Prices are based on a double room with meal plan.

1. The New School - New York, NY

At the 13th Street Residence, a traditional freshman dorm, a double room and required meal plan will run you $18,080. Want to live in a single? Be prepared to pay $21,220.

The Stuyvesant Park Residence is another popular freshman dorm at The New School.

2. New York University - New York, NY

Home to one of the largest university housing systems in the US, 21 buildings comprise NYU's undergraduate housing system, with many residence halls being converted apartment complexes or old hotels. Third Avenue North is the largest all-freshman residence hall at NYU, housing over 950 students.

Third Avenue North Residence Hall at NYU

3. Fordham University - Lincoln Center - New York, NY

Resident students live in McMahon Hall, a 20-story residence building that houses over 740 Undergraduate and 140 Law students. The residence hall adjoins the world-renowned Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and is just minutes from Central Park. The building is equipped with multiple study lounges, a social lounge, tennis and basketball courts and a fitness center. A controversial expansion project is in the works that will bring more dorm units to the college.

McMahon Residence Hall at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus.
Photo credit: Craig Califate - One time use only, only authorized for this story.

4. Fordham University - Rose Hill - New York, NY

Situated on 85 acres in North Bronx, the Rose Hill campus is among the largest privately owned green spaces in New York City. The Collegiate Gothic architecture, expansive lawns, ivy-covered buildings, and cobblestone streets make it one of the most beautiful campus settings in the nation. There are 10 residence halls on campus, including four residential colleges and six Integrated Learning Communities for such disciplines as science, business, and leadership.

Martyrs' Court at Fordham's Rose Hill campus

5. St John's University (Queens) - New York, NY

St John's has some of the newest and most modern student residence halls on the East Coast. Each Hall Council receives funds to provide students with free or discounted tickets to major NYC events, such as Yankee games, museums and Broadway shows.

O'Conner Hall at St. John's University - Queens campus

6. Suffolk University - Boston, MA

The majority of incoming students get assigned to the Suffolk University Residence Hall at 150 Tremont Street. Students residing in the newer Miller Hall, another popular dorm for freshmen, enjoy magnificent views of Boston.

150 Tremont Street Dorm at Suffolk University.

The Common Room at Miller Residence Hall with sweeping views of Boston.

7. Manhattanville College - Purchase, NY

Generally occupied by first-year students, Spellman is the largest of Manhattanville's four residence halls with 211 rooms and 434 students. The building is co-ed by room, meaning that female students might live next door to male students.

Spellman Hall at Manhattanville College.

8. Pace University - New York, NY

The majority of incoming students in a standard double are placed in Maria's Tower at One Pace Plaza. Located in the same building where Pace students take most of their classes, dorm rooms are on floors 5-17, making it just a short elevator ride away from classes, the library, and the cafeteria. Theme floor options include film, wellness, green, honors, and world cultures. A typical student here can expect to pay $14,230 for room and board.

Freshmen who live in a double at the John Street Residence, where rooms come equipped with a flatscreen TV and private bath, pay $16,700 with the bronze meal plan (the minimum required meal plan for freshmen). Pair a double room at the John Street Residence with a platinum meal plan and you'll be looking at room and board costs of $17,790.

Dorms are floors 5-17 in Maria's Tower at One Pace Plaza.

9. University of California - Berkeley - Berkeley, CA

At Cal there are many housing environments to choose from: traditional high-rise residence halls, suites, and theme programs with each having its own unique style and amenities. Students living in the residence halls have access to academic services centers, live-in health workers, computing centers, security monitoring programs, tutoring, and advising. Out of all the living options at Cal, the Unit 1 and Unit 2 complex hold the most freshmen (over 1400+ each).

The Unit 1 complex at Cal consists of six halls with approximately 230 students in each hall.

10. Marymount Manhattan College - New York, NY

Marymount Manhattan College's 55th Street Residence Hall is one of the tallest college dorms in America. Student rooms are in the first 32 stories of a 46-story skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, offering great views of NYC. The dorm has seven themed floors: Academic Achievement, Early Risers, Green, Leadership, Creative and Performing Arts, Vegetarian, and Substance Free.

55th Street Residence: Dorms are floors 1-32.
The top stories are private luxury apartments.

The Top 20

College	Room/Board
1. The New School	$18,080
2. New York University	$15,181
3. Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$15,000
4. Fordham University - Rose Hill	$14,925
5. St. John's University (Queens)	$14,700
6. Suffolk University	$14,624
7. Manhattanville College	$14,520
8. Pace University	$14,230
9. University of California - Berkeley	$14,046
10. Marymount Manhattan College	$14,030
11. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering	$14,000
12. Sarah Lawrence College	$13,958
13. Dominican University of California	$13,900
14. University of California - Santa Cruz	$13,869
15. Harvey Mudd College	$13,858
16. Cooper Union for Advancement of Science	$13,700
17. University of California - Santa Barbara	$13,694
18. American University	$13,684
19. Claremont McKenna College	$13,625
20. Vanderbilt University	$13,560

Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:26:10 +0100

Dressing up and going out for Halloween this year? If you don�t have a costume yet, you�re running out of time. BuyCostumes.com has some last second costume deals going on for you last minute shoppers.

Use the following coupon code to score deals at BuyCostumes.com.

Use code "Save-15" for 15% OFF orders $75 or more. Expires 12/31/2011.

10 Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

Mrs. Oktoberfest / Bavarian Girl

A cute costume that can also be paired with a Bavarian Guy costume if going as a couple.

Holly Golightly

Pull off the classy and sexy style of Audrey Hepburn; a costume that isn't too revealing, but will still be a hit with the boys.

Stewardess

The classic stewardess look is a symbol of what flying used to be like when it was enjoyable, a time before we got ran through x-ray machines, were forced to remove our shoes, and could get on a plane with nail clippers and 4oz of hair gel. Should be a hit with the new TV show Pan Am now playing and it's one of those costumes that can be flirty, yet respectable.

Princess Leia

You see all the attention females get when getting in costume at Comic-Con, now you can fulfill any nerds fantasy. The costume also works well when paired with costumes of other Star Wars characters.

Beer Keg / Keg Cup

The beer keg is typically the center of attention at parties, so with this costume you should do well. If you�re looking for a group costume, the keg cup makes for a good combo as you and your friends can get together to form a beer pong rack.

The Joker

If you want to go all out and paint your face...this is your costume.

Ace and Gary from SNL

Have two friends that just seem inseparable? Suggest this costume to them that is sure to get a good laugh whether or not you have seen the skit on Saturday Night Live.

Pee-Wee Herman

If you can pull of his laugh, even better. A truly vintage and underrated costume.

Where�s Waldo

The Waldo outfit is a good costume for football games because you'll be in a crowd (fitting for this costume), it'll keep you somewhat warm and comfortable, and it won't block the view of the person behind you.

Keith Stone

You probably have to have a certain look to pull this off (must be smooth) but you could almost put together this costume yourself and spend less than $10.

Of course there are many other costume options for both guys and girls, with some female versions being so revealing they probably shouldn�t be posted on this blog.

CampusGrotto now on Facebook

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:00:15 +0100

At the request of our readers we�ve created a CampusGrotto fan page on facebook. If you�re on facebook, please head on over and give us a quick like.

This week CampusGrotto.com enters into its 6th year of existence. We want to send out a big thanks to all of our readers and over 5 million visitors we've had over the years. We love our readers, so please show us a little love and 'like' us on our new facebook page.

Or just do it here:

If you act quick enough, you can be one of the first 100 fans. While we currently don�t have any cool prizes to give away to the first 100, you�ll have the satisfaction of knowing you were one of the first 100 in (and we�ll hold it dearly in our hearts).

Occupy Colleges could become largest student protest in 40 years

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:49:22 +0100

Student Protest in Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street
When: Thursday 10/13/2011 4:30 EST

Thursday could see the biggest student protest on US soil since 1970.

Occupy Colleges has announced their next plan of action. A national student day of protest has been set for Thursday, October 13, as part of a nationwide walkout and student solidarity protest in support of Occupy Wall Street. Students at over 100 colleges are planning on participating.

Some are taking action sooner. Student protesters at UMASS have intentions of occupying a building on campus as we speak (at time of publishing: 2pm EST on Wednesday).

Similar events have been taking place over the last week. On Monday, students from multiple colleges in Boston gathered in the Boston Common for a protest and march to join the Occupy Boston camp in Dewey Square.

Photos from the protest at Occupy Boston:

Images: CampusGrotto CC Licensed

The movement continues to grow as more students join in the cause. These initial protests look to be a �beginning, not an end,� according to Angus Johnston of Student Activism.

Not since the student strike of 1970 have so many students from so many colleges come together to protest in unity.

Occupy Colleges � How it started

Students staged a campus walkout in support of Occupy Wall Street on October 5th. Students from 100+ college campuses nationwide walked out of class in a show of solidarity and support for the movement.

Why Occupy Colleges?

As one student from Northeastern University put it:
�We pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to an education industry that continues to mimic the irresponsible, unaccountable, and unethical financial practices of Wall Street. University presidents make $500,000 or more for doing so, campus workers are paid poverty wages and students graduate with outrageous amounts of student debt, in a hostile economic climate, with few job opportunities.�

A big reason for the protest: the rising cost of higher education. Schools that were once considered affordable, like UCLA and Cal Berkeley, are now nearly making the top 100 list of most expensive colleges. Add to that the frustration over the economic downturn (lack of jobs), rising student loan debt and the fact that the big banks were bailed out where the majority feel the government was looking out for bankers rather than taxpayers.

Largest Student Protest

The largest student protest in American history occurred after the Kent State shootings in May of 1970. Over four million students protested and over 850 US colleges and universities shut down during the student strike. The impact of Kent State and the national student strike that followed soon after had a huge impact on American history. Perhaps the Occupy Colleges movement will as well.

Further Reading:
StudentActivism.net
OccupyColleges.org
Colleges Occupy Boston

Most Expensive Colleges for 2011-2012

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:30:00 +0100

Welcome to the 5th annual ranking of most expensive colleges compiled by Campus Grotto. While the names on this list haven�t changed much over the years, the numbers sure have. When we first started ranking colleges by cost back in 2007, only one school (GWU) had a total cost of over $50K, now 111 do. Back then, not a single school had tuition over $40K, now 80 have passed that mark. There are now nineteen universities charging over $55,000 (just one last year), and that�s not even including the cost of textbooks.

Sarah Lawrence College is once again named the most expensive college by total cost for the 2011-2012 school year, marking the 4th year in a row the school has topped the ranking. Is it worth the money? Who knows, but the college does boast one of the lowest student-teacher ratios in the country and all students receive one-on-one weekly guidance from faculty.

Sarah Lawrence: Home of the nation's most expensive college.

It's important to note that these numbers are the �sticker prices� for each institution for the 2011-2012 school year. 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 great financial aid packages. To get a better idea of what you will actually be paying at each school, be sure to use the net price calculator that every college is required to have on their website starting October 29th (Thanks to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008). Hopefully these calculators will give students (and their parents) a better idea of what they will actually be paying before applying.

Knowing colleges provide great financial aid packages, we hope to take these total cost numbers and apply the average grant each school gives to figure the typical out-of-pocket expense for these schools. The Department of Education recently 'ranked' a list of expensive schools by net price. While interesting, the tuition figures were a bit outdated as they were taken from the 2009-2010 school year. By us being able to provide the net price for the 2011-2012 school year, we will have this data out nearly two years ahead of the Dept. of Ed. Look for this in the coming weeks. Check back or sign up to receive our latest articles by email to be notified when this is available.

You will see all of the schools on this list are private colleges. Public schools are more affordable, but it should be noted they are rising in price faster than private schools. For the first time schools once considered affordable, like Cal Berkeley and UCLA, are nearly making the top 100 most expensive list with their nonresident tuition (listed at 115 and 120, respectively). (No wonder they are protesting over tuition increases.)

We start by taking a look at tuition.

Highest Tuition 2011-2012

College	Tuition
1. Middlebury College	$45,935
2. Sarah Lawrence College	$44,220
3. The George Washington University	$44,103
4. Vassar College	$44,050
5. Connecticut College	$43,990
6. Bucknell University	$43,628
7. Wesleyan University	$43,404
8. St. John's College	$43,256
9. University of Richmond	$43,170
10. Carnegie Mellon University	$43,160

More: See the Top 100

When required fees are added onto tuition, the rankings change slightly, mainly because some schools (Columbia, Penn, Harvard) have fees that total a couple thousand dollars.

Highest Tuition and Fees 2011-2012

College	Tuition + Fees
1. Middlebury College	$46,315
2. Columbia University	$45,290
3. Sarah Lawrence College	$45,212
4. Vassar College	$44,705
5. The George Washington University	$44,148
6. Trinity College (CT)	$44,070
7. Connecticut College	$43,990
8. Bucknell University	$43,866
9. Carnegie Mellon University	$43,812
10. Wesleyan University	$43,674

More: See the Top 100

Room and board is another cost that is often overlooked. Many colleges in the urban areas of New York, Boston, and the California coast have room and board expenses that run $13,000-$14,000 per year. Our favorite example is with NYU, who ranks 91st in tuition, but when factoring in room and board they become the 2nd most expensive college. Here we add the cost of a typical double room plus meal plan charged by each college to get the total cost to attend the college.

Most Expensive Colleges 2011-2012

College	Total Cost
1. Sarah Lawrence College	$59,170
2. New York University	$56,787
3. Columbia University	$56,310
4. Harvey Mudd College	$55,998
5. Eugene Lang College (The New School)	$55,890
6. Claremont McKenna College	$55,865
7. Wesleyan University	$55,706
8. Bard College	$55,617
9. Barnard College	$55,566
10. Trinity College (CT)	$55,450
11. University of Chicago	$55,416
12. University of Southern California	$55,384
13. Dartmouth College	$55,365
14. Drexel University	$55,335
15. Bates College	$55,300
16. Johns Hopkins University	$55,242
17. Vassar College	$55,135
18. Bard College at Simon's Rock	$55,110
19. Haverford College	$55,050
20. Pitzer College	$54,988
21. Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$54,972
22. Connecticut College	$54,970
23. Bennington College	$54,960
24. Occidental College	$54,950
25. Carnegie Mellon University	$54,922

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

Data compiled by CampusGrotto.com

Other Notable Colleges:

While Harvard is 82nd in total cost, it ranks 146 in tuition.
Princeton ranks 114th total cost and 125th in Tuition.
UC Berkeley ranks 115th in total cost.
UCLA ranks 120th in total cost.

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 of September of 2011.

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.

Also See:
Most Expensive Dorm Rooms for 2011-2012.

Press
The Washington Post
The Huffington Post
Fox News
National Review
Consumerist
LAist
Yale Daily News: 1, 2
The Dartmouth: 1, 2
The College Fix
TBD.com
GOOD.is
All Over Albany
CollegeView
The Middletown Press
City Town Info
ABC5 WCVB-TV Boston
ABC7 KABC-TV Los Angeles

Corrections:

We originally announced there were twenty colleges charging over $55K. A $198 orientation fee was included in the total cost of Carnegie Mellon. Since this list only includes fees that are required of all undergraduates, we adjusted the total cost of CMU (which dropped them below the $55K mark). There are nineteen colleges charging over $55K for 2011-2012 when totaling tuition, room/board, and fees required of all undergrads.
Harvey Mudd notified us that the published student body fee on their website was overstated by $270. The total cost for Harvey Mudd College is $55,998, not $56,268 as previously published. They are still the 4th most expensive.

Highest College Tuition 2011-2012

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Here are the top 100 most expensive colleges by tuition for the 2011-2012 school year. There are now 80 colleges that charge over $40,000/year for tuition, nearly double the amount that did last year.

College	Tuition
1. Middlebury College	$45,935
2. Sarah Lawrence College	$44,220
3. The George Washington University	$44,103
4. Vassar College	$44,050
5. Connecticut College	$43,990
6. Bucknell University	$43,628
7. Wesleyan University	$43,404
8. St. John's College	$43,256
9. University of Richmond	$43,170
10. Carnegie Mellon University	$43,160
11. Union College (NY)	$43,131
12. Columbia University	$43,088
13. Bard College at Simon's Rock	$43,000
14. Williams College	$42,938
15. Oberlin College	$42,842
16. Bowdoin College	$42,816
17. Carleton College	$42,690
18. Colgate University	$42,625
19. Dickinson College	$42,610
19. Gettysburg College	$42,610
21. Bates College	$42,550
22. Reed College	$42,540
23. Franklin & Marshall College	$42,510
24. Bard College	$42,476
25. St. Lawrence University	$42,420
26. Johns Hopkins University	$42,280
27. Hamilton College	$42,220
28. Amherst College	$42,170
29. University of Southern California	$42,162
30. Hobart and William Smith College	$42,014
31. Tufts University	$41,998
32. Claremont McKenna College	$41,995
33. Trinity College (CT)	$41,980
34. Hampshire College	$41,900
35. Harvey Mudd College	$41,870
36. Occidental College	$41,860
37. University of Chicago	$41,853
38. Haverford College	$41,830
39. Macalester College	$41,800
40. Scripps College	$41,736
40. Dartmouth College	$41,736
42. Bennington College	$41,690
43. Ursinus College	$41,650
44. Wheaton College (MA)	$41,600
44. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$41,600
46. Northwestern University	$41,592
47. Skidmore College	$41,520
48. Boston College	$41,480
49. Brown University	$41,328
50. Cornell University	$41,325
51. Mount Holyoke College	$41,270
52. Wake Forest University	$41,100
53. Kenyon College	$41,090
54. University of Rochester	$41,040
55. Colby College	$41,020
56. Washington and Lee University	$40,990
57. Washington University in St. Louis	$40,950
58. Georgetown University	$40,920
59. University of Notre Dame	$40,910
59. College of the Holy Cross	$40,910
61. Boston University	$40,848
62. Swarthmore College	$40,816
63. Duke University	$40,670
64. Lehigh University	$40,660
65. Emory University	$40,600
66. Villanova University	$40,530
67. Brandeis University	$40,514
68. Pepperdine University	$40,500
68. Yale University	$40,500
70. MIT	$40,460
71. Barnard College	$40,422
72. Wellesley College	$40,410
73. Babson College	$40,400
74. Lafayette College	$40,340
75. Vanderbilt University	$40,320
76. Stevens Institute of Technology	$40,300
77. Whitman College	$40,180
78. Providence College	$40,150
79. Drew University	$40,128
80. Stanford University	$40,050
81. Fairfield University	$39,990
82. Bryn Mawr College	$39,860
83. Tulane University	$39,850
84. Smith College	$39,800
85. Drexel University	$39,700
86. Muhlenberg College	$39,630
87. Pomona College	$39,572
88. Colorado College	$39,550
89. Loyola University Maryland	$39,470
90. Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$39,450
91. New York University	$39,344
92. Denison University	$39,330
93. Grinnell College	$39,250
94. Fordham University	$39,235
95. Furman University	$39,200
95. Chapman University	$39,200
97. Santa Clara University	$39,048
98. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering	$39,000
99. Pitzer College	$38,832
100. Willamette University	$38,800

Back to the original article: Most Expensive Colleges for 2011-2012

Highest Cost: Tuition and Fees 2011-2012

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Here are the top 100 most expensive colleges by tuition and required fees for the 2011-2012 school year.

College	Tuition + Fees
1. Middlebury College	$46,315
2. Columbia University	$45,290
3. Sarah Lawrence College	$45,212
4. Vassar College	$44,705
5. The George Washington University	$44,148
6. Trinity College (CT)	$44,070
7. Connecticut College	$43,990
8. Bucknell University	$43,866
9. Carnegie Mellon University	$43,812
10. Wesleyan University	$43,674
11. St. John's College	$43,656
12. Union College (NY)	$43,602
13. Tulane University	$43,434
14. Bard College	$43,331
15. University of Southern California	$43,306
16. Bowdoin College	$43,246
17. Hobart and William Smith College	$43,220
18. Oberlin College	$43,210
19. Williams College	$43,190
20. University of Richmond	$43,170
21. Bard College at Simon's Rock	$43,150
22. Dickinson College	$43,060
23. Dartmouth College	$42,996
24. Tufts University	$42,962
25. Occidental College	$42,960
26. Carleton College	$42,942
27. Colgate University	$42,920
28. Amherst College	$42,898
29. Reed College	$42,800
29. Bennington College	$42,800
31. University of Chicago	$42,783
32. St. Lawrence University	$42,735
33. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$42,704
34. Hamilton College	$42,640
35. Kenyon College	$42,630
36. Gettysburg College	$42,610
37. Franklin & Marshall College	$42,560
38. Pitzer College	$42,550
38. Bates College	$42,550
40. Duke University	$42,410
41. Skidmore College	$42,380
42. Johns Hopkins University	$42,280
43. Claremont McKenna College	$42,240
44. Brown University	$42,230
45. Haverford College	$42,208
46. Boston College	$42,204
47. Barnard College	$42,184
48. Harvey Mudd College	$42,140
49. Penn	$42,098
50. Macalester College	$42,021
51. Washington University in St. Louis	$41,992
52. Northwestern University	$41,983
53. Scripps College	$41,950
54. Drexel University	$41,940
55. Washington and Lee University	$41,927
56. Hampshire College	$41,900
57. Wheaton College (MA)	$41,894
58. Brandeis University	$41,860
59. University of Rochester	$41,802
60. Stevens Institute of Technology	$41,782
61. Ursinus College	$41,650
62. New York University	$41,606
63. Wake Forest University	$41,576
64. Cornell University	$41,541
65. College of the Holy Cross	$41,488
66. Mount Holyoke College	$41,456
67. Boston University	$41,420
68. University of Notre Dame	$41,417
69. Georgetown University	$41,393
70. Vanderbilt University	$41,332
71. Emory University	$41,164
72. Swarthmore College	$41,150
73. Villanova University	$41,110
74. Colby College	$41,020
75. Drew University	$41,010
76. Providence College	$40,975
77. Lehigh University	$40,960
78. Loyola University Maryland	$40,870
79. Bryn Mawr College	$40,824
80. Pepperdine University	$40,752
81. MIT	$40,732
82. Wellesley College	$40,660
83. Lafayette College	$40,658
84. Fairfield University	$40,580
85. Stanford University	$40,569
86. Yale University	$40,500
87. Whitman College	$40,496
88. Babson College	$40,400
89. Denison University	$40,210
90. Smith College	$40,070
91. Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$40,030
92. Fordham University	$39,967
93. Muhlenberg College	$39,915
94. Colorado College	$39,900
95. Pomona College	$39,883
96. Harvard College	$39,851
97. Grinnell College	$39,810
98. University of Miami	$39,654
99. Chapman University	$39,564
100. Furman University	$39,560

Back to the original article: Most Expensive Colleges for 2011-2012

Notes:

The fees included in these numbers 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.

Tuition numbers were taken directly from each college's website during the last week of September of 2011.

Top 100: Colleges with the Highest Total Cost 2011-2012

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Total Cost = Tuition + Room and Board + Required Fees

College	Total Cost
1. Sarah Lawrence College	$59,170
2. New York University	$56,787
3. Columbia University	$56,310
4. Harvey Mudd College	$55,998
5. Eugene Lang College (The New School)	$55,890
6. Claremont McKenna College	$55,865
7. Wesleyan University	$55,706
8. Bard College	$55,617
9. Barnard College	$55,566
10. Trinity College (CT)	$55,450
11. University of Chicago	$55,416
12. University of Southern California	$55,384
13. Dartmouth College	$55,365
14. Drexel University	$55,335
15. Bates College	$55,300
16. Johns Hopkins University	$55,242
17. Vassar College	$55,135
18. Bard College at Simon's Rock	$55,110
19. Haverford College	$55,050
20. Pitzer College	$54,988
21. Fordham University - Lincoln Center	$54,972
22. Connecticut College	$54,970
23. Bennington College	$54,960
24. Occidental College	$54,950
25. Carnegie Mellon University	$54,922
26. Bowdoin College	$54,900
26. Scripps College	$54,900
28. Fordham University - Rose Hill	$54,893
29. Vanderbilt University	$54,892
30. Northwestern University	$54,763
31. Oberlin College	$54,760
32. Cornell University	$54,695
33. Stevens Institute of Technology	$54,682
34. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$54,679
35. Washington University in St. Louis	$54,666
36. Williams College	$54,560
37. Boston College	$54,528
38. Tufts University	$54,474
39. The George Washington University	$54,473
40. Georgetown University	$54,443
41. Tulane University	$54,284
42. Union College (NY)	$54,273
43. Bucknell University	$54,240
44. Carleton College	$54,180
45. Boston University	$54,130
46. Amherst College	$54,098
47. Hobart and William Smith College	$54,072
48. Franklin & Marshall College	$54,060
49. St. John's College	$53,990
50. Penn	$53,976
51. University of Rochester	$53,922
52. Brandeis University	$53,916
53. Dickinson College	$53,860
54. Reed College	$53,850
55. Colby College	$53,800
56. Duke University	$53,760
57. St. Lawrence University	$53,740
58. Babson College	$53,730
59. Bryn Mawr College	$53,714
60. Skidmore College	$53,684
61. Mount Holyoke College	$53,596
62. Colgate University	$53,570
63. Hamilton College	$53,470
64. Smith College	$53,460
65. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering	$53,450
66. Middlebury College	$53,420
67. Wellesley College	$53,250
67. Swarthmore College	$53,250
69. Brown University	$53,136
70. Providence College	$53,115
71. Pomona College	$53,110
72. Hampshire College	$53,080
73. Lafayette College	$53,020
74. Wake Forest University	$52,986
75. Stanford University	$52,860
76. University of Notre Dame	$52,805
77. Emory University	$52,792
78. Gettysburg College	$52,790
78. Fairfield University	$52,790
80. College of the Holy Cross	$52,758
81. Yale University	$52,700
82. Harvard College	$52,652
83. Kenyon College	$52,650
84. Southern Methodist University	$52,646
85. Washington and Lee University	$52,614
86. Pepperdine University	$52,596
87. Wheaton College (MA)	$52,564
88. Chapman University	$52,521
89. MIT	$52,507
90. University of Richmond	$52,420
91. Loyola University Maryland	$52,320
92. Drew University	$52,160
93. Villanova University	$52,070
94. Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$51,964
95. Ursinus College	$51,950
96. Lehigh University	$51,800
97. American University	$51,719
98. Macalester College	$51,417
99. Dominican University of California	$51,250
100. University of Miami	$51,182

Back to the original article: Most Expensive Colleges for 2011-2012

Notes:
Total Cost = Tuition + Room and Board + Required Fees

Tuition numbers were taken directly from each college's website during the last week of September of 2011.