A few days ago we punctured the top 200 (overall), getting up to 197 or so. Since then we’ve slipped out of the top 200. But hopefully we can rectify that.

We’ve been having some technical situations. There was a bug which was annoying some users. Jer whipped together an update to squash the bug. But then we realized that the update also had a big bug. So Jer spent last night squelching that one as well. Hopefully before too long the glitches will be gone.

However, when you have 47,000 persons using your app, they are bound to find errors that you and your beta testers couldn’t find. Ah, life!

At any rate, on Thursday the local Fox affiliate will come to our campus to interview users of Grades, as well as the illustrious creators thereof. Then, on Saturday we might have a shot at being interviewed on North Carolina’s News 14 channel. The following Friday we have an interview with the local NBC station slotted. Who knows what’s next!

So, thanks to all of you out there who have downloaded Grades. Next stop: terminating the bugs and optimizing Grades for countries other than the U.S.

It used to be that new year’s resolutions were as easy to stick to as Bayou beach rocks after the BP oil spill. But technology has finally caught up with your absolute lack of resolve.

Every year, losing weight and saving money top the new year’s resolution hit — and miss — list. The great news is that you can stick to these resolutions with an array of gadgets that amounts to a pile of high-tech superglue. The better news? Most of them are cheap — or free — thanks to your phone.

“We’re moving into an app-dominated world,” says Eric Schlissel, the owner and CEO of the IT tech support company GeekTek.com, based in Los Angeles. “Gadgets are integrated into what you already carry around, so why spend a lot of money on something your phone can do for the price of a $5 app?”

Here are five resolutions with apps to track ’em:

1. Bring Balance to Your Life

Photo courtesy of rememberthemilk.com

You can balance your checkbook in a way that won’t result in prosecution and make sure to keep that appointment with your defense attorney by adding a task- and time-management app to your smartphone. Schlissel recommends Remember the Milk, a free, feature-packed app that efficiently sorts, prioritizes and color-codes your to-do lists — and keeps you focused on your goals via IM, email or SMS reminders. Upgrade to a Pro account for $25, and you’ll get priority support and more features.

Platforms: iPhone, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry and Android

RememberTheMilk.com

2. Get a Little Help From Your Friends

Photo courtesy of 43things.com

Now that you’ve got your scheduling sorted, it wouldn’t hurt to have a supportive community to help you keep your resolution. “43Things is a great online goal-setting and networking app (accessible through Facebook) with millions of users,” says Schlissel. You can itemize your goals, browse through other people’s to get ideas, post questions and even track your progress as others cheer you on to the finish line … or root for you to trip over your beer muscle.

Platforms: iPhone

43Things.com

3. Move More

Photo courtesy of runkeeper.com

It’s a novel concept if you want to lose weight: Eat less … and move more! According to Schlissel, one of the most robust and accurate GPS tracking apps for athletes is RunKeeper. Ironically, the app works just as well for cyclists, hikers, skiers, etc. It analyzes your workout and tracks your distance, time and pace. One of its strengths is its interactive website on which you can sign up for the Street Team feature and connect with other users to trade progress reports, motivate each other and even participate in online fitness classes.

Platforms: iPhone and Android

RunKeeper.com

4. Burn-notice Machine

Photo courtesy of worksmartlabs.com

CardioTrainer gets equally high marks from Schlissel. It also utilizes your phone’s GPS to track your workouts and automatically uploads the results to its website. The app is easy to set up and boasts an array of features that includes an integrated calorie-calculator, auto-pause and real-time feedback. Basic CardioTrainer (free) can be upgraded with two premium features: Weight Loss Trainer ($2.99), which lets you set up and track a weight-loss plan, and Race Against Yourself ($2.99), which records your results and sets up competition against your best times.

Platforms: Android

WorkSmartLabs.com

5. Stay Above the Bottom Line

Photo courtesy of mint.com

If you’re looking to avoid writing checks from the prison library this year, it’s time to look into a good financial app. “I think Mint.com is the best financial application out there,” concludes Schlissel. “It tracks your accounts, automatically updates transactions and is easy to use. It’s incredibly useful.” Mint pulls all your financial information into one place, allowing you to see all your balances and transactions together, on the Web or your phone. Even better? Neither the Mint.com app nor access to their website will cost you a dime.

Platforms: iPhone and Android platforms

Mint.com

After an entire year of blood, toil, tears, and sweat Grades 2 is finally finished, approved, and downloadable off the Apple App Store. To download it for free, go here.

The full feature-set of Grades 2 includes:

1. The original functionality of Grades 1, reprogrammed to work faster and more efficiently.

2. The ability to calculate grades for a set of assignments when your teacher doesn’t say how many of the assignments you’ll get (we call it “sub-grades”). This is particularly useful for Highschool and Junior High students.

3. A GPA calculator (that should, we hope, work with both college and highschool/Junior High grading systems).

4. A system for remembering important due dates.

5. Crisp, new, high-resolution graphics.

6. A method for getting rid of ads (for now, killing ads will cost $1).

7. Oh, and did I mention that it’s free?

Grades 2 is not merely one step up from Grades 1: it’s three or four steps up. Think of it as going from Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X—it’s a revolution. Of course, there still will be features that many fans will want included in later versions. For comments, concerns, and any such suggestions, go to our refurbished website.

Let all students chant Hosannas and Alleluias, for Grades 2 is come. Check out the Grades 2 video below:

So Jer spent all of last night (literally) brandishing the digital insecticide and giving Grades 2 one final spraying over. The bad news is that we’re a bit behind schedule. But the good news is that hopefully Grades 2 should be relatively devoid of glitches.

Now it’s in Apple’s hands. We cannot know how quickly they approve it. That is the x-factor that will determine when we can release the app on the App Store.

(Sorry that I haven’t been keeping up with the blog; Grades 2 has been keeping me pretty busy. A normal rhythm will resume soon.)

Not only is Grades 2 vastly better than Grades 1; not only does it have three times the functionality; and not only does it have all new, crisp, high-resolution graphics—but it is also completely free.

Grades 1 helped students figure out what they needed on upcoming assignments and tests to get the grade they wanted in the class. Grades 2 does that too. But it also helps students figure out what grades they need in their classes in order to maintain or attain their desired GPA. And it helps you remember dates for critical tests and assignments (you’ll never have to forget a quiz again!).

Behold: the screenshot.

I will have more to say when Grades launches, so stay tuned!

“Without the coffee I would have no discernible personality whatsoever” — David Letterman

In a previous post I quoted Edison that “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Well, actually in the modern world genius is one percent perspiration and ninety-nine percent C₈H₁₀N₄O₂—known by night as caffeine. Caribou Coffee correctly notes that “life is short, so stay awake for it.” But not all coffee is created equal or endowed by its barista with undeniable excellence. If you’re going to yellow your teeth in the name of alertness, yellow them with the good stuff and stow the swill. To that end, here is one coffee addict’s partial, prejudiced, and ignorant opinions on how coffees rank, from worst to best.

Maxwell House Instant: In 1524 members of the Spanish Inquisition set aside their blades, pliers, and red-hot tongs and tortured alleged heretics by pouring Maxwell House down their throats. The results were satisfactory. In fact, it is said that on the third-and-a-half circle of hell, those who were excessively addicted to coffee are forced to drink Maxwell House for all eternity. (I’m kidding, of course; but the point is that this is the kind of coffee that nightmares are made of).

Folgers and Taster’s Choice Instant: Not quite as effective as instruments of torture, these two instant coffees are cheap and have a bearable taste. They sometimes involve, however, a sort of acidic twang that will anger your stomach. They are not to be consumed in large quantities.

Starbucks Coffee: I’m not talking about Starbucks’ mochas or lattes. I speak of their basic coffee, which is better than Folgers and Taster’s Choice, but still not particularly excellent (at least from an American perspective). Starbucks Joe tends to either be very dark, very burnt, or both. This is hardcore coffee.

Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee: Strong, pungent, with a great kick and a heavenly caffeine high, Dunkin’ probably provides the best value coffee of all those mentioned here.

Peet’s Coffee: Milder and smoother than Dunkin’ or Starbucks, Peet’s is better for those with sensitive stomachs. It tastes less acidic and is more gently brewed than its more intense competitors.

Starbucks Grounds: Although their store-coffee is too strong and their latte drinks can cost you nothing less than everything, Starbucks coffee is much better by the bag. Their coffees are high quality. And if you buy their grinds and brew them yourself you avoid the overburn that their coffee has when Starbucks brews it.

Beans: It may be true that “The problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans.” But when it comes to coffee, a hill of beans means a lot. Although it is the most expensive and time-consuming way to consume coffee, grinding the beans yourself and brewing them results in the freshest and best cup of Joe.

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine perspiration” — Thomas Edison

Contrary to the conventional wisdom, your IQ is not fixed and you can increase your intelligence. Thomas Edison’s teachers threw him out of school and told him that he was “addled” and that there was nothing rattling around in his head except a couple of flies. So he went out, started reading The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and invented the electric light, the motion picture camera, and several hundred other things. So much for the conventional wisdom.

As I have said before, intelligence is not so much an attribute as it is a skill. You can develop it if you want to. So here are a few ways.

1. Learn Languages. Learn a couple Romance languages, at least one Germanic language, one East Asian language, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit. Actually, on second thought, you’d better learn them all. Kidding. But in all seriousness, learning language does several things. First, it develops and strengthens your left brain (where the Broca and Wernicke language areas are located). Second, it alerts you to different ways of thinking about the world (a language is a philosophy, a system of describing the world according to a certain perspective). And third, it frees your mind from your mind from mindlessly accepting the philosophy found in your native language.

2. Study broadly. People like to cubby-hole everything into neat little categories: art, history, science, philosophy, etc. But in reality, everything is connected. For instance, you can’t really understand art unless you understand science, history, and philosophy; this is because artists are heavily influenced by the zeitgeist and events of their time. Only by understanding the connections between subjects can you really attain a serious understanding of them.

3. Exercise both sides of your brain. Some people are left-brainers and some are right-brainers. The left brainers do math problems for fun; they are the rubik’s cube people, the would-be engineers and scientists. The right-brainers like art and the humanities. But I have observed that the most intelligent people are those who exercise both sides of their brain. For instance, Albert Einstein was a great physicist and a whiz at math; but he also played the violin and said that “imagination is more important than knowledge.” When you are an extreme left-brainer the right-brainers call you a nerd; and when you’re an extreme right-brainer the lefties call you an aesthete and a weirdo. But if both sides are strong there is a synergy and a balance.

4. Be artistic. Almost all of us exercise our left-brain much more than our right. Being highly intelligent requires that both sides be strong. To that end, choose your favorite art-form and start creating. It could be painting, drawing, sculpture, dance, music, poetry, or whatever. Ideally, you would choose two artforms: one literary (poetry or creative writing) and one of the visual or performing arts. Literary art strengthens your ability to analogize and to see (or see through) analogy. The performing and visual arts enhance your creativity.

5. “Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.” I know I’ve brought up this Christopher Morley quote before, but it deserves repeating.

It’s no urban legend: Free stuff is doled out on college campuses all the time. But it’s up to you to scout out where to find these complementary goods. From pizza to plane tickets to straight-up cash, we show you what you can get and how to score it … so keep reading.

Free Entertainement: Get tickets to concerts, sporting events, art exhibits, theater openings, forums and lectures.

How to score: Use your student ID card as an all-access pass. Every campus has a student union building, and if you’re unfamiliar with it, we suggest you become acquainted, since it’s plastered with bulletin boards announcing free upcoming events for students.

Free Food: Get free pizza, soda, snacks or breakfast, depending on the time of day.

How to score: Attend club meetings. “If you look in your student building and sign up for all the listservs, you will know when clubs and residence halls are giving away free food,” says New York University sophomore Doreen Naor. “With breakfast, you can basically always get muffins and coffee, and for real meals, most clubs give out pizza.” Join three clubs that meet weekly, and you’re looking at three regularly scheduled meals.

We also like CampusFood.com, where you can play online games that earn coupons for your next restaurant visit. A few clicks at a mindless computer game, and you can have yourself a free meal. Not too shabby!

Free Cash: Earn hard cash (typically from $5 to $10 for about an hour of your time — could be up to $100). No taxes taken out, no checks.

How to score: Participate in a focus group or study, which typically requires very little effort, such as filling out an easy survey. Head over to the campus psychology building, where you’ll find volunteer recruitment flyers.

Focus group companies pay more for your input. If your school is in a metropolitan area, check out focus group centers in need of college student participants. Go to FindFocusgroups.com to scope out opportunities near you.

Free Swag: Pick up product samples, coupons, gift certificates and other giveaway items, including iTunes cards, DVD players and even airline tickets.

How to score: “All you have to do is open your eyes and pay attention,” says NYU junior Annie Baer. “There are always people giving away free things [on campus].” Marketing companies often hire student reps to hold major promotions that often include giveaways and contests on college campuses. Next time you see a student rep giving out samples, ask if the campaign offers any other giveaways.

Note: You can get updates about sponsored events and contests directly from the source. By becoming a Facebook fan of brands or products you like, you can get automatic updates about big promotions and giveaways, and be the first to know about any contests they might be hosting.

Also see my post over at Campus Byte in which I review Dormzy, a service that delivers college foodstuffs and provisions straight to your dorm.

I also recently posted my first article at the Uloop blog (where I will be a regular contributor): this post gives various ways to beat the economic doldrums. If you have any interest in drop-kicking the Great Recession and eating at Claim Jumper instead of the soup kitchen, you should check this one out. (Incidentally, Uloop is a sort of a “Craigslist” of college.)

And, in the spirit of drop-kicking the Great Recession, try my guest-post on Studenomics on how to start a small business in college.

Yes. You heard me: start a small business in college. Yes, it is as difficult as it sounds. But unfortunately it may be the only way you can avoid becoming part of that 10% unemployment statistic.

So just keep calm and carry on.

Some students think that (1) that they can write like this guy and (2) by writing like this guy they can cover up their lack of preparation for the essay exam

“I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about” — Oscar Wilde

The main problem students have when faced with an essay exam is that they have nothing to talk about. Nevertheless, many students get very good at talking about nothing—or so they think. They develop the art of talking about nothing well, in the hopes that the professor won’t notice, being blown away by their Shakespearian eloquence. In reality, only two things are needed for an essay exam: a supported thesis and specific bits of evidence. That’s it.

Here are a few things to bear in mind when thinking about that up-coming essay mid-term.

1. Professors can tell when you don’t know the material. Here’s the bottom line: there are specific, concrete facts related to the material. And if the professor doesn’t come across any of these facts in your essay, no amount of elegant verbiage will save you. You don’t have to remember every fact; just commit a set of facts to memory as ammunition for the test.

2. You have to have a thesis and the thesis has to be clearly presented. A thesis, a point, an argument, a unique idea. This idea must not be obscured in the mists of muddled writing: it has to hit the professor over the head. And it has to come first.

3. You have to provide arguments to support your thesis. Ideally, each paragraph after the introduction would contain a supporting argument.

4. You can eliminate stress by memorizing an outline. If you know the topic for the essays ahead of time you might consider committing outlines for said topics to memory.

5. Think, then write. Some students write as they think, producing such gems as:

“During the Middle Ages, everybody was middle aged. Church and state were co-operatic. Middle Evil society was made up of monks, lords, and surfs. It is unfortunate that we do not have a medievel European laid out on a table before us, ready for dissection. After a revival of infantile commerce slowly creeped into Europe, merchants appeared. Some were sitters and some were drifters. They roamed from town to town exposing themselves and organized big fairies in the countryside. Mideval people were violent. Murder during this period was nothing. Everybody killed someone. England fought numerously for land in France and ended up winning and losing. The Crusades were a series of military expaditions made by Christians seeking to free the holy land (the “Home Town” of Christ) from the Islams.”

(The source for the above quote can be found here.) All of the hilarity above stems from writing hastily without thinking hard. So think before you write.