tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17568443868502299292024-03-14T00:04:33.819-04:00Chasing CollegeA College Admissions and Lifestyle BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-15683259961900815432017-02-05T11:08:00.002-05:002017-02-05T11:08:55.200-05:00Making the Most of Admissions Phone CallsHi everyone and Happy February! I hope 2017 is continuing to prove to be a great year for you. Today I wanted to talk with you about the phone calls that you get/will get from admission offices. Depending on the college, they will most likely be once a month or so. In my experience, a lot of students don't know what to do when they get these phone calls, so I thought I would share my suggestions with you all!<br />
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First, I'll give you a little background about my phone calling experience. I have worked in an admissions office making phone calls to students for the past six years. Before then, I was on the receiving end of the phone calls. So I know all about the good, the bad, and the ugliest of phone conversations and how to help you make the most of them!<br />
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Confession, these phone calls are to answer your questions and help you make your decision and that is all. They are not meant to annoy you or turn you off from the college. They usually have a purpose behind them: congratulations on your acceptance, file your fafsa, review financial aid package, come to accepted students day, have you made a decision. Right there that is five phone calls that you could get from an admissions counselor. Plus, the conversations you will have with current students so they can answer your questions about their experiences. LOTS OF PHONE CALLS and lots of opportunities to get your questions answered, here are my suggestions:<br />
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<li>When a question comes up in your head about a school, write it down. Keep all of your questions together so that you can grab that notebook or open the Notes App in your phone to ask the counselor or the student the questions you want to know.</li>
<li>Separate those questions into those to ask students and those to ask your admissions counselor. For example, students are a lot better to talk about how often they use the library and what type of events are going on throughout the week, whereas your admissions counselor would be better to talk with about your financial aid package. </li>
<li>If they are calling too much, let them know! It is super okay to tell them, "Hey, I really like your college, but you are calling a little too much and I just need time to really weigh my options." I can't say that this will definitely work, but any self-respecting admissions counselor would lay off the calls for a few weeks. </li>
<li>Do not, do not, DO NOT hang up the phone on someone. That is incredibly rude and should in general just not be done, especially to a professional who is just trying to help you. <b>If you are not interested in a school anymore, then tell them! </b>It might take a few weeks to get out of the system, but telling them sooner rather than hanging up on them will do the trick and will help you out in the long run. </li>
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I have always loved interacting with prospective and accepted students through phone calls. It is a great way to learn more about a college and start building a connection with the people there. Use these phone calls to your advantage to help you make the best decision possible for your future! </div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-48904023344752594482017-01-29T08:02:00.000-05:002017-01-29T08:02:30.284-05:00Book Review: Grace, Not PerfectionHello all! If you recall <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2016/01/keeping-your-new-years-resolution-in.html" target="_blank">from last year, one of my New Year's Resolutions</a> was to read one book per week ... that didn't last long, but it did help me adopt the belief that if I find a book I really like, to buck up and take my time to read it.<br />
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This fall and early winter all I wanted to read was <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Not-Perfection-Simplicity-Celebrating/dp/0718085221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485305312&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+not+perfection" target="_blank">Grace, Not Perfection</a></i> by Emily Ley, and after the holidays, I bought it on e-book and finished it in a week. It is a pretty quick read, but it is just as transformational. It is all about moving past this idea of perfection, over-planning, and worrying and embracing a life of beautiful chaos and doing so with confidence and poise. Truly a great read for anyone out there, but I thought I would use Emily Ley's concepts and thoughts as inspiration for today's post.<br />
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Emily has so many great, quotable pieces in her book, but what I took from it is that we need to live in the moment and be appreciative for what season of life we are in. I think that now a lot of us in the younger generation (15-25ish) are constantly looking for that next thing or to get on to that ultimate goal at whatever cost. This means picking work over family, studying over laughing with friends, being on our phone over visiting our grandparents .. basically anything that we can do that will help elevate us in our career. (I am 100% guilty too).<br />
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But, while reading Emily's words and convictions it really reminds you that you are exactly where you need to be to get to where you are going! We don't know what the future holds or where work and family will actually take us, but because of that we need to be satisfied in knowing that this moment is what is right.<br />
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I'll be very honest with you all throughout college, I was constantly wishing I was somewhere else in life; married to my now-fiance, working full-time, living in a big city, "thirty, flirty and thriving" ... etc. and because of that I never stopped to make any true real memories with my friends, I was constantly working towards that next goal, that next A, or that next great compliment from a boss. I missed out on so much because I was so anxious about what was to come in the future, that I wanted to prepare in every way possible. Now, I do not regret anything about my college experience because it brought me to this point, however I wish I had been able to read Emily's words a little bit sooner and embrace my college years and those moments.<br />
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One of the last thoughts she shares in the book, which is highly appropriate, is:<br />
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<i>"One day we'll add up all our seasons - the Joyous ones, <br />the heart-wrenching ones, the momentous, average, and <br />peaceful ones. When we do we'll have a rich life story."</i></div>
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<i>- Emily Ley, Grace, Not Perfection</i></div>
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And I truly think that this is what sums up college in a nutshell. College can be the craziest, scariest, most fun, and most frustrating time in our lives, but when you put all of those moments together, they give you the best, most transformational years of your life. So love and enjoy this season of life you are in (or about to be in) both the breakdowns at 2am and the celebrations at 2am because you will look back on both in years to come with fondness and appreciation. </div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-50660348688169542992017-01-22T10:23:00.002-05:002017-01-22T10:23:49.574-05:00Day In the Life: College AdmissionsHi everyone! It has been a crazy week ... let me tell you! With work being busier than ever and lots of personal things going on, I am so happy it is Sunday! I hope you all had a great week of strategic goal setting and getting more in-tuned with your resolutions. Remember, they only become a habit if you let them, but let's move on to today's blog post!<br />
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Ever since I started my job as an Assistant Director of Admissions, I have wanted to do a day in the life post about what my day looks like as an Admissions Counselor. Every day is different and this past week wasn't typical by any means. We had a switch up in how we were working on students' applications and it was really an all-hands-on-deck type of week before I visited some high schools on Thursday and Friday. Nonetheless, I wanted to share with you all what a typical day in my college admissions office looks like! If you're interested ... keep reading!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in my office at the start of a great morning!</td></tr>
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<b>8:30am - Arrive and E-mails: </b>My day technically isn't supposed to start until 9:00am, but I like to get into my office 30 to 45 minutes early so that I can get a jump start with planning my day and reading e-mails. In a day I probably send out 100 e-mails and usually when I get in in the morning I have some responses from colleagues, my student workers, and the students with whom I'm working. It can be kind of daunting (especially Monday mornings), so I like to start a little bit earlier to set myself up for a successful day. I'll also use this time to look over my schedule and make a to-do list based on all of the meetings and things I want to accomplish so that I know what's important and what I need to get done!<br />
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<b>9:30am - Review Applications:</b> We review applications every day so that there is a shorter wait time for our students to learn their decisions. Because of this, I like to review right away in the morning so that if I need to contact a school counselor about a student or request current grades, there is plenty of time to do that. This usually takes up the majority of my morning because I read through EVERYTHING that is in a student's file. I like to read each letter of recommendation, essay, and any other supplemental pieces a student provides, so it takes quite a bit of time to read each file. It's great though because I'm really able to learn a lot about my students!<br />
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<b>11:30 - Interview:</b> Lately a lot of my students have been visiting for the 10:00 tour, so after their tour I will interview them and answer any questions that they or their family have. I really enjoy meeting with students when they visit because it helps me learn even more about that, but also it helps them get to know me and understand my work style.<br />
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<b>12:00pm - Lunch:</b> Typically I will stay in the office during my lunch or I will go visit my grandma for a little bit. This is just my time to catch up with my colleagues, but also de-stress and check out social media. I am on twitter and then I also have a personal Instagram that you can follow me on. All the info is above in my <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/p/contact-info.html" target="_blank">Contact Me page</a>. If I'm really busy or wasn't able to read all of my applications then I will work while I eat too.<br />
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<b>12:30pm - More E-mails:</b> I will use the time after lunch to follow up on my e-mails and voicemails from the morning so that I can call back any schools or plan on following up with the appropriate people while they are still working.<br />
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<b>1:00pm - Office Tasks:</b> So, I will use about an hour and a half working on other tasks and responsibilities within the office. So, not only do I work with students and review their applications, but I am also in charge of our Ambassador program (the tour guides) and I am also on the Events Committee. So, I may have to work on scheduling, on hiring or just troubleshooting any issues or concerns that come up throughout the week and day that need to be dealt with. Besides working with the students and their families, helping to plan out events is something that I really enjoy about my job!<br />
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<b>2:30pm - Phone Calls:</b> From about 2:30pm until I leave at about 5:30pm, I am doing phone calls and e-mailing students directly about their applications, events coming up, or exciting news. I like to call students when I have an update about the status of their application because I think it helps reduce anxiety about the college search process. I know when I went through the process, the waiting and not-knowing where I was in the stage was the hardest part, so I don't want any of my students to feel that way!<br />
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<b>5:30pm - Check-In/Review:</b> At the end of my day, I really like to check and see what all I got accomplished and what all I need to focus on for the next day. Knowing the night before what I will be walking into tomorrow helps me better prepare. For example, if I know it's not going to be too busy then I might go in at 9:00am, instead of 8:30am. This is my personal plan and it has really worked well for me and staying on track throughout the day.<br />
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So there you have it folks ... a day in my life as a college admissions counselor! All days are different and I never know what is truly waiting for me until the day unfolds, but ultimately I love what I do and I really enjoy working with the students, families, and schools that I do, which makes it all worth it!!<br />
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-67440534564639214972017-01-15T09:39:00.001-05:002017-01-15T09:39:17.309-05:00Strategic Goal SettingHi everyone!<br />
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What a week! I hope you all are feeling happy and confident that you had the best week possible in your chase for college and future opportunities! With new semesters starting and the looming thought of new year's resolutions, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about <b>strategic goal setting</b>!</div>
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Now this isn't your typical, "I want to get an A" goal setting. This is goal setting with focus and steps to help you achieve your goals and gain that feeling of accomplishment! Let's get started ...</div>
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<ol><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-2aGPaiYdbtaNMZPmphc3k7N4gmnKPMCeliE8jKrLiJtxC6NQmMVr7mcoQgVEV6G8J082BvAXFH5fC4E8e8JT6j00lSsPcMNNuAmHMTFMRH3DrEsVoLDGAMSf0tU9kJpfoIC9j45zeZ8/s1600/DSCN0507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-2aGPaiYdbtaNMZPmphc3k7N4gmnKPMCeliE8jKrLiJtxC6NQmMVr7mcoQgVEV6G8J082BvAXFH5fC4E8e8JT6j00lSsPcMNNuAmHMTFMRH3DrEsVoLDGAMSf0tU9kJpfoIC9j45zeZ8/s320/DSCN0507.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<li><b>Define your goal -</b> What is it that you want to accomplish this week, semester, or year? Is it getting an A, is it gaining more followers on Youtube, or is it loosing weight? Whether it is academic-related or more personal, you need to accurately define this goal. Be specific in your goal. You need to quantify it so that you have something to aspire to.</li>
<li><b>Quantify your goal - </b>Now that you know what you want to accomplish, it is necessary to put some numbers or some adjectives to it. So you want to get an A, great, but where do you want to get that A? In Bio? In Class Participation? Gym Class? ... etc. You want to get healthy, does that mean eating more salads or working out three times a week? I don't know about you, but I am more likely to work out everyday if my goal is to lose thirty pounds, than if my goal is to "get healthier." Think about it and structure your goal so that taking steps to do it, will be easier. That brings us to ...</li>
<li><b>Make your procedure -</b> How ya gonna do it folks? How are you going to map out your days and your weeks so that you have no choice but to succeed in accomplishing your goal? Your goal is to raise my GPA (1.), by increasing all of my classroom grades by five points (2.), and I am going to do this by a). using my commute to school to read my notes, b). stay after school twice a week to work in the library and meet with a teacher, c). locate one classmate who I can study with the week leading up to a test. These three procedures are all small, but very doable aspects of helping this student reach their goal.<br /><br />Your goal will seem more manageable when you break it down into actionable items that can be worked into your schedule easily.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li><b>Create Check-Ins - </b>If you've ever seen The Biggest Loser on NBC or any of those weight-loss shows, you know that they do a check-in at the end of each episode to see what was lost. Make a check-in a regular part of your goal. For the student above, it could be checking on their grades in each class on Fridays, or if your goal is to increase your number of youtube followers, have a check in at the same time every two weeks. Once you know the numbers, think about what happened that week to help you reach your goal or give you a little setback. Use this as fuel to continue working towards your goal. If you fell off the wagon, then create a new procedure to counteract that until the next check-in. We are all human and we make mistakes, but what's important is to keep working hard to accomplish those goals that you have set!</li>
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Setting goals is a part of growing and improving to help us reach a better spot in life. Set yourself up for success by following those four steps so that once you are done with the semester, the year, or even this week. You know that you worked as hard as possible and did everything in your power to accomplish them!</div>
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What are the goals that you have set for yourself and how are you accomplishing them? Feel free to comment below or tag me on twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/Chasing_College" target="_blank"> @Chasing_College</a>.</div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-70119422832435712632017-01-08T09:54:00.000-05:002017-01-08T09:54:47.472-05:0031 Questions to Ask a Tour GuideHi everyone! I hope your week was great and you are on your way to the best 2017 possible! (Hint: It will be because you're chasing college. 😉) I know that when you go on visits to college campuses, you aren't exactly sure what you want to ask ... trust me, I've been there on both sides of the tour!<br />
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Here's your ticket to bring prepared! I've compiled my list of great questions to ask the tour guides and students you meet while you are on campus! Here we go ...<br />
<ol>
<li>Have you ever had a conversation with the president?</li>
<li>What has been your favorite class so far?</li>
<li>What has been your least favorite class so far?</li>
<li>Where do students spend their time between classes?</li>
<li>Does Student Activities host any day trips places?</li>
<li>What do your college friends study and do? (**This will help show you if the college is cliquey or if students grow friendships outside of just their major or their sport.)</li>
<li>Do most students go home on the weekends?</li>
<li>Do students have to pay for tickets to sporting events?</li>
<li>How often do you meet with your academic advisor?</li>
<li>For students that live off campus, what neighborhood do they typically live?</li>
<li>Is there a doctor in the Student Health Center, or do students have to go to a local Urgent Care to be seen?</li>
<li>What made you choose to go to school here, as opposed to the other colleges you applied to?</li>
<li>What's your favorite spot on campus? (**This is my favorite question - it gives you something special to look out for, especially if it's a hidden secret.)</li>
<li>How are faculty and administrators committed to student success?</li>
<li>Where do students spend their Saturday Nights?</li>
<li>Can every student use the athletics facilities or are they only reserved for team use?</li>
<li>What can a student not have in their dorm room? Microwave? Keurig? Scentsy? Twinkle Lights?</li>
<li>How do students get care packages or larger deliveries?</li>
<li>Do more Freshmen choose their roommate or have one matched to them?</li>
<li>What is the winter weather like on campus? (**Even two campuses in the same city can have different weather. It's good to know to plan for just rain boots and good rain jacket or a down winter coat and snow boots.)</li>
<li>Are the intramural sports played within teams from the college or do the intramurals only play against other colleges?</li>
<li>Would you say this is a more liberal or conservative campus? (**They will most likely answer in a politically correct way [I would tell my student workers to answer very pc], but it is something to ask that could help you find your fit at a school.)</li>
<li>Is there a full kitchen with stove and oven in each residence hall?</li>
<li>What do students do to relax during the day?</li>
<li>Do your faculty and administrators have office hours that students can drop-in for if they have a question or need help?</li>
<li>How late is the library and the dining facilities open during the week and on the weekend?</li>
<li>Is there a lot of school spirit on campus? Does everyone support student performances?</li>
<li>Can you recite the alma mater? (**If you're looking for a college committed to tradition, your tour guide should at least be able to recite a line, if not the whole song!)</li>
<li>How do students get around campus? walk? bike? bus? car?</li>
<li>How is the relationship between the college students and those who live in the town?</li>
<li>Why should I choose this college? (**Don't accept "Because it's awesome," as an answer.)</li>
</ol>
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I hope all of these questions will help you feel prepared for your next campus visit. If you won't be visiting a while, be sure to pin this or bookmark it to come back to for future college visits!</div>
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Is there another questions, that you always ask on college visits? Comment below so I can add it to my list! Have a great week!</div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-63793859000087787302017-01-01T09:30:00.000-05:002017-01-01T09:30:29.226-05:00New Year's Resolutions: Prepping for CollegeHello everyone and Happy New Year! It feels so good to be back at it with new content for Chasing College! It seems kind of perfect that I'm starting back up on New Year's Day!! I wanted to do a New Year's Resolutions post for students specific to the grade level you are at.<br />
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I've said many times throughout these posts that you can always be working towards your college goals and New Year's Resolutions are no different! Let's get started!!<br />
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<b>9th Grade</b></div>
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<b>1. Work Hard </b> - This seems really silly of a New Year's Resolution, but keep working hard in all of your classes. Set yourself goals, like improving your class participation or your homework completion so that you can set yourself up for success for the rest of the year!</div>
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<b>2. Join a Club - </b>If you haven't joined a club in your high school yet, right after Winter Break is a great time to do that. It's a great chance to find your niche in school and continue building your interests.</div>
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<b>3. Meet your School Counselor - </b>Set yourself up for success for the next 3.5 years by taking the initiative to meet and talk with your school counselor. Let them know what career path you might want to go down so that they can keep their eye out for any special programs or courses for you in the future.</div>
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<b>10th Grade</b></div>
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<b>1. Study</b> - Take your time and study for those tests. Make it a resolution that you will spend a half an hour each night reviewing your notes for all of your classes. This will not only help for tests, but it will also help you with homework and essays in the future.</div>
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<b>2. Take on a Leadership Role - </b>Whether your class or a club needs help planning an event or a fundraiser, step up and see how you can help. Even if it is as small as organizing work shifts for a school dance, it will help you spread your wings and put you in a spot for future leadership!</div>
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<b>3. Be Nice to your Family - </b>This may not be to prep for college, but I can tell you I was a BRAT when I was in 10th grade, moody, mouthy, and miserable to my family. (I've heard from friends and colleagues that this is common among 10th graders). Because of this, just try to make your life and your family's life just a little bit easier by thinking before you speak ... your parents will be a little more reluctant to have you go on vacation with your bestie this summer ... just saying (not from experience or anything ;) )!</div>
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<b>11th Grade</b></div>
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<b>1. Get those Grades Up - </b>Admissions Officers look at your 11th grade year more than anything else. Use this as a chance to make a last ditch effort to improve your grades.<b> Insider Tip: </b>If you don't have the best scores, we do like to see an upward trend in grades, so start studying, participating, and working on your homework. Even if you have to stay after school two nights a week to force yourself to get your homework done, make it your resolution so that you can get into your dream school!</div>
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<b>2. Volunteer in your School - </b>Volunteering and community service should always be on your New Year's Resolution list, but use this year as a chance to commit yourself to your school community. Take your study hall and volunteer in an elementary classroom, in the lunch room, with facilities, or in an office. This will put you in a great spot for a terrific letter of recommendation on your heart, commitment, and leadership!</div>
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<b>3. Delve into your Career - </b>Meet with your counselor to talk about job shadowing or summer camp opportunities that will look good on your college application, but also help you learn more about your career. Make it a resolution to do something that will help your future self in their career!</div>
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<b>12th Grade</b></div>
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<b>1. Take Advantage of Opportunities - </b>You are entering your last six months with the people you've been around for twelve years. Take advantage of every opportunity to go to an away game, attend a concert, be in a play, help out another grade level, work with a teacher after school. Whatever comes in front of you to cherish, take advantage of it, otherwise you will regret it.</div>
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<b>2. Challenge yourself - </b>However you define challenge, go ahead and take it. Whether it is taking an AP class, running with the Track team, or learning how to cook in Home Economics, do it! You will thank yourself for getting outside of your comfort zone and learning new things!</div>
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<b>3. Step Back and Watch - </b>Especially with your leadership roles, make it your resolution to start stepping back and letting others step up to the plate. If you are president of a club, let that 10th grader come in and help you with some of your responsibilities. It will help them learn to lead under your guidance and you can set the stage for success once you step away. </div>
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I hope that these targeted New Year's Resolutions will get you excited and motivated for 2017 and prepping your life for college! If you want some more ideas for resolutions, check out <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-years-resolutions.html" target="_blank">last year's post here</a>. If there is anything I can do to help or a post on one of the resolutions, comment below! ⇩⇩ Thanks for reading and ...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><i>P.S. Be sure to <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/p/contact-info.html" target="_blank">follow me on all of my social media channels</a> to stay up-to-date on all that is happening at Chasing College and beyond!</i></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-34555224797038220302016-12-26T19:36:00.000-05:002016-12-26T19:36:55.587-05:00Coming Back in 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Hi everyone!<br />
<br />
A few months ago, I made the decision to take a break from the Chasing College blog. Entering a new job, changes to my personal life, and trying to figure out life after grad school took time to figure out and manage. (Trust me when I say that a change from being a full-time student to working more than a typical 9-5 job will take time to adjust!)<br />
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But, I am coming back in 2017 to blog for you and all of you who are new to Chasing College because this is still a huge passion project for me and I now have the refocused excitement to continue impacting my readers!<br />
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If there is any topic you want covered in the coming months, feel free to comment below! As always....<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-52798945897256141272016-09-06T21:01:00.001-04:002016-09-06T21:01:21.122-04:00A PauseHi everyone, I hope you all have enjoyed the last few weeks.<br />
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It is with much thought and debate that I am deciding to press pause on Chasing College. I had every intention of continuing with this blog as I began my new job, however with the time and personal commitments that have come into my life, I no longer have time to devote to quality posts and content.<br />
<br />
I have truly enjoyed writing this blog over the last year and should time allow in the future, I would love to continue. If you need advice, please feel free to reach out to me through my Contact Me page above. Until the next time ....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-14042302848151432272016-08-25T07:21:00.000-04:002016-08-25T07:21:15.311-04:00Great Organization for Small SpacesHi everyone! I hope you all are having a great week! For those of you who follow me on Instagram (@skylarclapperton) you know that my fiance and I recently moved into our first apartment together. All of the organizational hacks that have pinspired (inspiration from Pinterest) me have finally come to fruition and I wanted to share them with you!<br />
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So, I've lived in many tiny dorm rooms, as well as, just a bedroom in a 4 person apartment, so I definitely understand that furniture and extra organizational items need to be functional, but also save space. I've acquired a few things over the years and I have also added some as my needs have changed. But, enough with the rambling, let's get started!<br />
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<b>Storage Ottoman</b></div>
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How I even survived during my college years without a storage ottoman, I don't know. They are a perfect extra piece of furniture, whether to put your feet on or to have guests sit on. They also play double-duty with all of the stuff they can fit inside of them! I use my ottoman to hold all of my greeting and thank you cards, as well as, some of my art supplies. I know where everything is and they aren't taking up any space on a shelf or in a desk drawer.<br />
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You can find these almost anywhere: Walmart, Target, HomeGoods ... etc. They come in so many different styles and sizes that are sure to compliment any decor in your room or apartment!<br />
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<b>Closet Tension Rod</b></div>
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When I lived in my apartment during grad school, I had to supply my own curtain rod, so when we moved into our new apartment, with an already attached shower rod, I decided to put it to another use! We let our clothes air dry most of the time, so I put this tension rod across the doorway to save space with drying our clothes. We also use it for dress clothes that are ironed for a special event.<br />
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The great thing about this is that it does not take up any space, as long as you put it up high, and it is also movable. So, if you don't like where it is or if you only need it every so often, you can take it down and store it in a closet until the next time. You can find these in the curtain section in any department store or at a Walmart or Target.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lp2Z0DMy4uPEPJzN3PxTY59ns_w8uKPrU0O5A9posX14BHjzFsfKlTc3f1ZiHLfg_3gKvJxuV0rhgrg99-ki5s9n4TBuNBeVcxccckCCyu4bVu4VbAQx0M2i3UPqUA7_zZAfUNET-P8D/s1600/DSCN0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lp2Z0DMy4uPEPJzN3PxTY59ns_w8uKPrU0O5A9posX14BHjzFsfKlTc3f1ZiHLfg_3gKvJxuV0rhgrg99-ki5s9n4TBuNBeVcxccckCCyu4bVu4VbAQx0M2i3UPqUA7_zZAfUNET-P8D/s320/DSCN0460.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Plastic Storage Shelf</b></div>
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This is literally one of the simplest, ugliest storage options, but it is also one of the most functional. It has been used to hold food, supplies, cooking equipment, and now its being used as a pantry. We don't have a lot of storage space in our kitchen, so we are using this to store our bigger drink bottles, extra paper products, and even my toolbox.<br />
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We placed it behind the door to save even more space. It has really come in handy for those 10/$10 deals at the grocery store. Any storage shelf will be so useful when you like stocking up on extra stuff each week!<br />
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<b>Magnetic Message Board</b></div>
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Before I started grad school, I was graciously gifted an old, grungy cookie pan to use to cook. I'm kind of a spazz when it comes to clean/unused cooking supplies, so I thought I would just refurbish the old cookie pan to act as a magnetic message board. </div>
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All I did was spray paint it black (you can pick any color that would match your decor), let it dry, and then started sticking papers and magnets to its front. I secured it to the wall using Command Strips (a lifesaver no matter if you live in an apartment or a dorm room)!</div>
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<b>DIY Clothespin Holder</b></div>
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I had one request to my fiance before we moved in together and that was to build me a holder for all of our drink koozies. We both collect them and I wanted a cool way to display them. To do this, he took an old window frame, nailed wire across the sections and then painted it white. So simple, yet so cute!<br />
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What's great is that if you would rather hang some pictures on it or use it to display recipes in your kitchen, you can do that! All you need to do is find the size window that you want and get started. You can also hang this up using Command Velcro Strips. Its cute, functional, and its perfect for organizing whatever it is that you need!<br />
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I hope you all enjoyed today's blog post and found some inspiration for creating some great organization options for yourself in your apartment or your dorm room. This is a great time to see how small of an area you can live in and what organization hacks are most important. If you have some other suggestions on finding some great organizational pieces, be sure to comment below!</div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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skylar </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-20959355862821452942016-08-22T07:22:00.000-04:002016-08-22T07:22:21.695-04:0010 Quotes to Help you Through College OrientationHi everyone! Since a lot of you are going to be starting college orientation in the coming week or two (if you haven't already), I thought I would share some of my favorite inspirational quotes to help you get through Orientation. It can be a long few days of being in information session after information session without any real time to do what you really want: organize and decorate your room. So, while you're sitting in that session on Alcohol or Registering for classes, check back to this post to keep you inspired!!<br />
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<i>"Isn't it fascinating how long a few minutes seem when you are completely alone with not a familiar face in sight?"</i></div>
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<i>~ Kirby Lawson ~</i></div>
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<i>"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time."</i></div>
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<i>~ Anna Freud ~ </i></div>
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<i>"Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go much further than people with vastly superior talent."</i></div>
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<i>"The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning."</i></div>
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<i>~ Oprah Winfrey ~ </i></div>
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<i>"Books ... are like lobster shells, we surround ourselves withe them, then we grow out of them and leave them behind, as evidence of our earlier stages of development."</i></div>
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<i>"If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves."</i></div>
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<i>"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."</i></div>
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<i>"Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do."</i></div>
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<i>"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you."</i></div>
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<i>"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle."</i></div>
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<i>~ Christian D. Larsen ~</i></div>
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Especially this last one, you will think in the coming days that you are not meant to be at college, whether it's your particular school, the program you joined, the distance from home, or other things in the past that make you question. This is your destiny and you are certainly strong enough to live it. Don't forget that as you overcome your fears and face new challenges in the coming weeks. </div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-44683978529939489602016-08-19T07:15:00.000-04:002016-08-19T07:15:02.581-04:005 Things that Decrease your Productivity and How to Fix them!Hi everyone and Happy Friday! With school starting and work going into full gear, I thought I would dedicate a post to all of the things that we do that only decrease our productivity. I am a self-described Maximizer (maximizer of time, energy, and resources) so anything that decreases my productivity needs to be lost to the world (or at least mine).<br />
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It took my a few years to perfect my productivity abilities, but after some time I finally realized all of the things that were keeping me down, so I wanted to share them with you all!<br />
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<b>1. Staying Logged In to Facebook - </b>This is the worst thing for you when you are trying to get things accomplished. The amount of time that I wasted on Facebook in my first year at college (it also didn't help that I was homesick) could probably span 8 weeks. By staying automatically logged in to any social media, all I had to do was go to the page and I was sucked into it for easily thirty minutes. This not only sets you back those thirty minutes, but also the amount of time that it takes for you to find again what you were working on and reorganize your thoughts. To combat this, my first tip is to click the 'log out' button on your social media settings. Then the next time you log in, make sure that you don't have "Automatically Log In" checked or just log out each time you go on. This will make it less automatic of a thing to go onto your accounts and you also have to consciously choose to log in. It's like another barrier of protection from decreased productivity.<br />
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<b>2. Keeping your Phone on Your Lap - </b>It's almost the same thing as staying logged into your social media accounts. If you keep your cell phone right next to you at all time, you will be twice as likely to grab it right when it dings with a notification. Whether a text message, instagram like, or retweet, it will only keep you from getting what you need to do done. Especially when it dings every few minutes. My suggestion is to keep it in your backpack, at the end of your bed, or in another room while you are working on things. You could also turn text messages and notifications to silent, while keeping your phone calls loud so that if someone is really trying to reach you, you'll be able to answer it!<br />
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<b>3. Working with friends - </b>Your study habits are different from your roommate's, your best friend's, and your sister's, so studying with them might actually distract you more than it will help you. With everyone else's phones going off, and notifications dinging every few seconds, the likelihood of distractions intensifies. While studying with people in your class can help you with the material, you definitely all need to be committed to getting work done in order for it to work. To fix your friends decreasing your productivity, it may be necessary to curtail studying with friends and just spending your free time with them. I know when I worked in the library alongside friends, I had to be working on a project that was okay to be distracted by: PowerPoints, outlines, highlighting ... etc. anything that wasn't too brain-intensive but something that still needed to be done. Set guidelines for yourself so that you know when it is appropriate for friend distractions and when you really need to hunker down and work by yourself.<br />
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<b>4. Your Study Habits - </b>It takes a while to get into a rhythm for your studying and homework patterns, but you need to make sure the ones that you are continuing are the ones that help you out the most. You may find that working in your dorm room is distracting or working in the library makes you break your concentration. Every person is different, so if you consistently find yourself looking up from your laptop or your eye wandering around the room while you are reading, you may need to think of a better habit. My tip is to try new methods and get feedback from people in your life. Learn how they study and what works best for them. It may not work for you, but it could spark a new idea to help your stay on task and focused to finish!<br />
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<b>5. Food and Drink - </b>To this day, nothing is more distracting to me than drinking a Frappucinno and eating popcorn. I'm so focused on enjoying those items that it distracts me from what I should really be working on. You may think you're saving time by combining eating with school work, but it honestly just distracts you more (especially when you drop some chili on your laptop). To combat this, use your eating time to focus solely on that or to browse your social media accounts. This could definitely kill two birds with one stone, but make sure you're combining something that is mindless with your eating so not to decrease your productivity even more.<br />
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As we enter the new school year, it is really important that you start making your productivity a priority. Doing that at the start of the semester before papers and tests start happening, is only going to keep you organized and focused as the school year progresses. Are there any tips that you have for increasing productivity or something you cut out of your schedule that used to decrease your productivity. Share below so we can all learn! Have a great weekend!<br />
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-14620687786573775932016-08-16T07:36:00.000-04:002016-08-16T07:36:33.371-04:00Large Campus ... Large PicturesHi everyone! So, one of the major reasons I started this blog and am obsessed with college is because of the beauty of college campuses. Their beautifully manicured lawns, towering ivy covered buildings, great stadiums and gymnasiums ... so many things that are fantastic to shoot through a camera lens!<br />
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While en route to vacation last month, we stopped at the University of Richmond to take some pictures. This campus was probably the biggest I've ever been on, so I wanted to share with you all some of the pictures I took!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The campus was so large, it had its own lake!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">College provides you with opportunities to see the globe!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If it weren't located in Richmond, VA, you'd think a Grecian play performed here.</td></tr>
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It was a hot, humid, and hazy day when we visited, but the campus was still gorgeous! Share your recommendations below on what campuses I should plan to visit in the future! I'd love to hear! Have a great day!!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-72062683373659076732016-08-13T16:41:00.001-04:002016-08-13T16:41:31.861-04:00College Packing Must HavesHi everyone! I hope you all are having a great weekend so far! For those of you headed out to college in the next few weeks, I wanted to do a post for you all about my college packing must haves! There are TONS of lists out there on what you should pack for your college dorm room. You could peruse Pinterest for years and still not find the exact items that I think you need! Let's get started!<br />
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<b>Surge Protectors</b></div>
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When you're sharing a room with a roommate, your access to electrical outlets can be limited, especially if there are only two or three in the room to begin with. Because of this, my suggestion is to bring two different surge protectors with multiple outlets on them. Buy one with a shorter cord and one with a longer cord to make sure you will be able to reach all of your lights and appliances! </div>
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<b>Rain boots</b></div>
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In terms of clothes, rain boots are definitely the number one item I recommend students bring with them to college. Classes are outside, so you will need to walk through even the most torrential of downpours to get to a lecture. Rain boots are not only functional, but you can also find some really cute ones too. Another great thing is that they come in every price point and are available at a ton of stores, so the options are endless!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCc0uxaqSqCqCkTHxWDqs0NgH-9ZwLJFL6egrCPMIa_pD92Tg72cfdtDw7ES6LLOFrOwgxie4p54M3e45r-9GRyJz0UmjL2Gmu1rJpZQ7U99yCRtgTjr4hL3j1MYq_Pe94x5gXS7Fb5AtO/s1600/DSCN0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCc0uxaqSqCqCkTHxWDqs0NgH-9ZwLJFL6egrCPMIa_pD92Tg72cfdtDw7ES6LLOFrOwgxie4p54M3e45r-9GRyJz0UmjL2Gmu1rJpZQ7U99yCRtgTjr4hL3j1MYq_Pe94x5gXS7Fb5AtO/s320/DSCN0440.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Professional Outfit</b></div>
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Another outfit item I recommend is bringing a few professional outfits with you. Especially if you think you might get a job on campus or you plan to interview for different opportunities throughout the year, it will come in handy. For those guys out there, definitely use your graduation party money (if you have any left) to buy a nice suit. This will come in handy for all four years in college and for internship and job interviews after graduation!</div>
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<b>Stuffed Animal</b></div>
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If you are the sentimental type and have never slept the night without one of your stuffed animals, bring it with you! It will cause you less anxiety and overall make you calmer as you complete this transition. If you're worried about public opinion, then put it in your pillowcase. As a Resident Assistant, I saw so many of my residents bring their stuffed animals with them to college, while it can get excessive, don't feel weird if you bring your favorite!</div>
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<b>Personal Contacts and Information</b></div>
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Any information that you are going to need while you are away at college you will want to bring with you. Contact numbers for your parents and other important people, your doctor's offices, and any other agencies that you use often (on paper also, you never know when you could lose your contacts in your phone). You will also want to have a copy of your parents' insurance cards if you do not use the student insurance offered at your college. Any paperwork that will be useful should an emergency arise, I would definitely bring with you!</div>
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<b>Duffle Bag or Suitcase</b></div>
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You may be thinking to yourself, 'Well, duh, how else am I going to get my clothes to school.' But, you want to keep a small suitcase or a duffle bag at college with you so that you have it to pack clothes for a short weekend home or if you and your friends plan a trip out of town for Midterm Break. You can store it in your closet/wardrobe or if your residence hall has a storage area in the basement, you might be able to store it there too. </div>
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Is there something you are definitely not leaving at home when you move into your dorm room in a few weeks? Be sure to share below in the comments! Good Luck with your packing and enjoy the last few days at home this summer!!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-14479261391991240812016-08-09T07:14:00.003-04:002016-08-09T07:14:16.106-04:00College As Told By Big Bang TheoryHi everyone! I hope you all are having a great start to your week and are prepping to go back to school (high school or college). Today, I thought I would do a fun post for you about the lighter side of college.<br />
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College students are truly a paradox because they have so many weird aspects of their lifestyle and of the make-up of their ideals ... simply because they are full-time students. One thing you will find in college is that you will have a favorite tv show and you will binge-watch it all four years in college. Big Bang Theory was and still is my favorite binge-worthy tv show (I have all of the seasons on DVD!) Because of that, I wanted to share with you "College As Told By Big Bang Theory"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZucNePNbBbKVvXh_nHEJZdq05P1onulmfXC0ZYXKKz71CVcJqm1BdtAh9fi7CeZCmorp5b4r5elUG95O8yZBWUt0BQKHir_u8IZARfFXT-pCegHhrNr6Tj8RgmENC4x7Hqq4zw-VXrwqw/s1600/bbt+crazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZucNePNbBbKVvXh_nHEJZdq05P1onulmfXC0ZYXKKz71CVcJqm1BdtAh9fi7CeZCmorp5b4r5elUG95O8yZBWUt0BQKHir_u8IZARfFXT-pCegHhrNr6Tj8RgmENC4x7Hqq4zw-VXrwqw/s1600/bbt+crazy.jpg" /></a></div>
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You will say this over and over again as you sit on your bed with your glasses on, blanket over your head, a hoard of Starbucks coffee cups surrounding the garbage can, and your laptop propped open after an all-nighter. This will also be a night that you will never forget ... no matter how hard you try!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8aBDx9e161ACA3uCQOu4TUJhyphenhyphenLw6VUEPQ1Pi1rIcCMKrpteSUgTLb3k4Eb3D7gcUxpHbAU5TPeHAOCZn48mU8d8nYmRgxoyPPwLVwF0dDqI-eNbQqJRgKHt0i3PZUzf2n9XCYUP9XVDE/s1600/bbt+spot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8aBDx9e161ACA3uCQOu4TUJhyphenhyphenLw6VUEPQ1Pi1rIcCMKrpteSUgTLb3k4Eb3D7gcUxpHbAU5TPeHAOCZn48mU8d8nYmRgxoyPPwLVwF0dDqI-eNbQqJRgKHt0i3PZUzf2n9XCYUP9XVDE/s1600/bbt+spot.jpg" /></a></div>
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When you find your spot in the library ... this is exactly how you will feel. Whether you find a cubicle or a corner table, your spot will be as coveted as Sheldon's spot on the couch!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6oPs-ISVYOadQxTCj5UWyyVqjS2ujcU9et51v3E5rkROXI7IWvbRRZ2vNuXp22yKOtKpYytfRcT60_28pbgjLu3XcWKeQzYtz4ZFV-bxvf3KYadFv1iN-prtLrpnyuA-wcB8elFJxSnh/s1600/bbt+stupid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6oPs-ISVYOadQxTCj5UWyyVqjS2ujcU9et51v3E5rkROXI7IWvbRRZ2vNuXp22yKOtKpYytfRcT60_28pbgjLu3XcWKeQzYtz4ZFV-bxvf3KYadFv1iN-prtLrpnyuA-wcB8elFJxSnh/s640/bbt+stupid.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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You will have plenty of these moments in college ... where you want to cry from someone else's stupidity. Whether it be people in your residence hall trying to wash their soccer cleats or by Freshmen throwing their phones and wallets away because they forgot to take them off the tray in the Dining Hall, you will find funny moments where you shake your head and question future generations. (It's okay, we've all done it.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz92hlT4Zc7KLvW_8IpPWUge4NgW9VY01R6F2UioyLk0t9SMbQfaSKuUbOWCodC81JzrZc0oGGDZE5D6Y-5KHOie1gorweIKkKaUm5btcG1HtG-dgXPHfnA6CR9cCx6_rZ3FUm0voUf2wn/s1600/bbt+cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz92hlT4Zc7KLvW_8IpPWUge4NgW9VY01R6F2UioyLk0t9SMbQfaSKuUbOWCodC81JzrZc0oGGDZE5D6Y-5KHOie1gorweIKkKaUm5btcG1HtG-dgXPHfnA6CR9cCx6_rZ3FUm0voUf2wn/s640/bbt+cap.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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One comparison between BBT and College is that loving the Harry Potter Series is completely acceptable. It's actually sometimes frowned upon if you don't love the Series. Television HP movie marathons will insight floor bonding in any residence hall!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUZYr4RY3Bs5gavGqKKVx7cV0BsZ9RJ9KPte0K94eCA5tNU7-1Kt2udavJaMsPfRVdkNBJgeGkkgDxhNM4WqT6Xpi273fL1Xi1GDIRxAnMm6d3x_6HUpy_cMVg3_5tDJwAfwtvPhwWMiM/s1600/bbt+opinion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUZYr4RY3Bs5gavGqKKVx7cV0BsZ9RJ9KPte0K94eCA5tNU7-1Kt2udavJaMsPfRVdkNBJgeGkkgDxhNM4WqT6Xpi273fL1Xi1GDIRxAnMm6d3x_6HUpy_cMVg3_5tDJwAfwtvPhwWMiM/s1600/bbt+opinion.jpg" /></a></div>
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There will be times, man do I tell you there will be time,s when this comes across your mind - event planning meeting, class discussions, Senate Sessions, sports debates ... etc. The good thing about college though, is that you will be surrounded by different opinions, ideals, beliefs, and customs which will help increase your tolerance for all of those differences you will meet in the world!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcY1Vu7QRXfH6fGYnyu5Bx_TDlIaU9ZrXPjQwCraVSGM1YEAxLtEO29X3FK55RvdiRAItZ0KHp4LCFxSJfA5AqqxQXrkm8YCCVhDqCMVtEPSt9lg6uKlw0ZWNWCSEk2KOO_-lJSCXCV5Z/s1600/bbt+blueberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcY1Vu7QRXfH6fGYnyu5Bx_TDlIaU9ZrXPjQwCraVSGM1YEAxLtEO29X3FK55RvdiRAItZ0KHp4LCFxSJfA5AqqxQXrkm8YCCVhDqCMVtEPSt9lg6uKlw0ZWNWCSEk2KOO_-lJSCXCV5Z/s1600/bbt+blueberry.jpg" /></a></div>
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There will be plenty of moments for pie eating contests, from the start of the Basketball season, to staff bonding as a Resident Advisor, and free gift card nights at the Dining Hall. It will all be worth it though to gain some bragging rights!!<br />
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While simple and silly, I hope that this post gave you a smile and good laugh. I highly suggest finding a tv show that is going to make you laugh no matter what time of day or what episode you are watching. College is incredibly stressful and having a tv show to watch for a few minutes to help de-stress, can do wonders for your mental health!<br />
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I hope you all have a great week ahead!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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<i>P.S. All images from Pinterest</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-55257862294151561492016-08-05T06:21:00.000-04:002016-08-05T06:21:02.591-04:00Tips for the Admissions InterviewHi everyone! Today I want to talk to you all about the Admissions Interview ... a vital part of your college visit and your plans to apply to college. Most often these happen on the college campus that you are visiting in the Admissions Office, but sometimes when Admissions Counselors are traveling they may do them at a coffee shop. Since I feel that there's a HUGE mystery behind the Admissions Interview, I wanted to give you some tips to ease the anxiety going into one!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_rGf7bUa927EfUPtZmZTarGL7jWDrYpTvvrunkjVAFTG4-Q2CjB9_wYoJUQCiHkd6Ma4GIAmd_BiFdLBrfpfzcBhflvSruVMmZLnpsTuRBocQo_uFf3LYpyusrw69E5AaePfELPNSdPV/s1600/DSC00020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_rGf7bUa927EfUPtZmZTarGL7jWDrYpTvvrunkjVAFTG4-Q2CjB9_wYoJUQCiHkd6Ma4GIAmd_BiFdLBrfpfzcBhflvSruVMmZLnpsTuRBocQo_uFf3LYpyusrw69E5AaePfELPNSdPV/s400/DSC00020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Don't be nervous!</b> If you're interviewing for a prestigious scholarship, I get it, but in all honesty the Admissions Interview is really just a chance for you and your Admissions Counselor to connect and for them to answer your questions about the college. A big part of it is to see if the college is going to be the right fit for you, rather than if you meet the standards.<br />
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<b>Talk! </b>This may seem silly, but there are students who go into interviews and don't want to talk at all. Admissions Interviews are rarely ever mandatory, so if you feel that you are not ready for it, that is perfectly fine - don't request one, just go on your campus tour. But, if you do choose to do one, you will genuinely want to do your best to talk and answer questions.<br />
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<b>Ask for an Off-Campus Interview! </b>If you know that you are not going to make it to campus this fall, then talk with your Admissions Counselor about setting up an Off-Campus Interview. Oftentimes (unless you're across the country from the institution) they will be travelling in your area to visit high schools, so the chances of being able to meet for an Interview are pretty high. If you're normally shy, this may help you more since you will be in an area where you feel comfortable.<br />
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<b>Be Honest! </b>If you want to major in something, tell them. If you want to play a sport, tell them. No matter what, do not lie about the activities you are involved in or that you want to pursue in college just to make the Admissions Counselor happy. We want more than anything for you to see yourself at our institution, but it isn't meant for everyone and we recognize that. If football is a mandatory thing, then tell us that; don't just stop responding to e-mails or hang up on phone calls in the future. It will save everyone involved, including yourself, a lot of time.<br />
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<b>Admissions Counselors are people too! </b>Truly and honestly, our words don't always come out the way we want, we can't always think of the name of that club you'd be perfect for, and we can't always answer your questions. Please know though, the Admissions Counselor does care about your Admissions Interview and wants you to get as much out of it as you need to help make your decisions come a little easier.<br />
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<b>Ask any Questions you have!</b> Whether they seem silly or redundant, ask those questions that you have. It opens up the conversation and you let your interests and background show through. Ask about students leaving campus on the weekend or about accepting AP scores. These are all good things to ask and Admissions Counselor want to know where you need more information. Even if they don't know, they will always do their best to find the answer for you or point you in the direction of where to find it.<br />
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As summer is winding down and you are planning your last few college visits before school starts, make sure you plan on doing an Admissions Interview to learn more about the college and how it will fit your needs and expectations for college. I hope these tips help you plan your day and ease you into that Interview just a little bit better!!<br />
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-8878483542062077932016-08-02T06:48:00.000-04:002016-08-02T06:48:14.907-04:003 DIY School SuppliesHappy August everyone and you know what that means .... school supplies time! This is literally my favorite time of year. Funny story ... this weekend I moved into an apartment with my fiance (sorry for the absence) and my mom and I were going through all of my school supplies ... literally two and half boxes filled with notebooks, post-it notes, folders, paper, pens, and so much more! Nonetheless, I am not-so low-key obsessed with school supplies and saving those pieces that have not quite lived their full life. Because of this, I wanted to dedicate a post into DIY-ing some cute school supplies before you head back to high school or college.<br />
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All of these items are things that I used everyday when I was in school and college, so I figured that they would be incredibly universal and customizable to whatever you like or what your color style is! Let's get started!!<br />
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<b><u>FOLDERS</u></b></div>
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How can we even have a conversation about school supplies without recognizing the almighty importance of pocket folders. If I can recall my school lists over the past years, at least 4 folders have been on that list each year. As these can get pretty bland for the older kids (unless you love Hello Kitty and the Avengers ... no shame), I thought we could snazz them up a little bit! </div>
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This first one is just a painted monogram that I created. What's great about the type of folder I bought (less than $1.00 at Walmart) is that you can make imprints on it if you press hard enough, so I drew the monogram I wanted, you can print yours too if you would rather, and then just traced it right onto the folder.</div>
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After that I got the paint color I wanted, which was regular craft paint that my mom had in her cabinet, you could also use paint pens if you prefer. Then I just started painting over the indents from the tracing. </div>
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Because my gold paint was on the thinner side, I did three coats on it to have it stand out a little bit more. Once that dried, I added some dots around the rest of the folder to give it more decoration! </div>
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This next folder design was a no fuss one which is great for those of you who want to be creative, but don't have the time or the mess to put into painting a folder. All of the stripes are made of Washi tape (also from Walmart - about $3.50) and you can put them into any design you want. </div>
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The one thing I like about washi tape is that it sticks, but not so much that it's hard to get off if you make a mistake or if your line isn't straight ... it took me three tries! </div>
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<b><u>NOTEBOOKS</u></b></div>
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I love a good sparkle, so when I saw this Washi tape, I knew I had to get it to decorate my new notebook. </div>
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So, another great thing about using tape or paint for decorating your notebooks or school supplies is that you can have it be functional, as well as, cute. I always had to label my notebooks when I was in high school, especially with only two minutes at my locker between class, which was really only 30 seconds because of the treks down the hallway and the stops to talk to friends! </div>
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For this one I just layered the tape to cover over the hideous "70 sheets, college-ruled" that is printed on it, and also on the top to make it symmetrical. It actually did take a steady hand to make sure everything was even, but again, luckily it can come off and be re-taped to fix any mistake. </div>
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To add some extra snazz, I added a "MATH" label using the Washi tape cut into the letters. It is a really simple way to add that label that you need without having to write it out in Sharpie. If you have to put your name on it, you could also do that! This would also work with other folders as decoration too!</div>
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<b><u>BINDERS</u></b></div>
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So, this one was definitely a "let's see how this goes" design. I love the look of watercolor designs, especially as backdrops for quotes, so I wanted to recreate that on this binder. I have to say...I'm quite proud of how it came out.</div>
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First, I put painter's tape around all of the edges so that paint wouldn't get on the inside or on the binding (basically everywhere I didn't want it to end up). This actually made it a lot easier when I was painting so that I could easily go off the edges without the fear of getting it everywhere. </div>
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Next, I put a base of white craft paint all over the binder using a foam paint brush. To help with the blending on the paint later on in the process, I put a decent amount of white paint on a small paper plate so that I could add pink to it to slowly pigment it. </div>
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Each time I added a drop or two of pink into the white on the paper plate, I started about an inch from the top of the newest shade and painted the rest of the way down. Then, add another two drops of pink to made the shade a little bit darker, and paint about an inch below the start of the next lightest pink. </div>
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This is to create that gradient effect that water color does. Once I had it all painted and was pleased with the outcome. I put a small coating of polyurethane over top of the binder to smooth it out. (Craft paint can be pretty chalky and can even rub off if it isn't treated.) So, this binder was I think $1.00, but it definitely looks a lot better than just a plain 'ole black binder! If you don't like pink, try blue or green! </div>
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The great thing about DIY-ing your school supplies is that you can completely make it your own, if you hate the color pink, get blue sparkly Washi tape, or purple paint for your monogram. If you hate monograms but love a good emoji, trace and paint that onto your folder. It is all about you so make it something awesome to keep you motivated throughout the school year!! </div>
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If you plan on DIY-ing some of your school supplies, feel free to tag me on Twitter (@chasing_college) or on Instagram (@skylarclapperton). I'd love to see them, you may just inspire my next project!! </div>
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
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<i>skylar</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-64299702202462044892016-07-26T06:35:00.000-04:002016-07-26T06:35:23.838-04:00BLOG-IVERSARY: Letter to MyselfHi everyone and Happy July 26th! <b>Today, Chasing College is celebrating it's first birthday!!</b> While my plans for this blog developed over months, <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2015/07/summer-before-senior-year.html" target="_blank">my first post</a> was published on <i>this </i>day last year! Thank you all for following along and for being my inspiration for this blog.<br />
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To celebrate, I thought I'd get personal with you all and write a letter to myself; specifically a letter to the 17-year-old me about to embark on her college journey! While I hope this is entertaining and insightful into why I post the things I do, for those of you struggling with your transition from high school to college or even from college to adult life, just remember you aren't alone!<br />
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Dear Me:<br />
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First things first, choosing to attend Elmira was the best decision (and will be up to this point) you ever made. While I know that you are terrified of many different things, please know that you will survive and thrive through it all! You will laugh and cry more than you ever have, but you will spend weeks smiling because of the life you have created there for yourself. Take advantage of this opportunity to grow and become the independent self that you know you want to be.<br />
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When the opportunities come to get involved on campus, take them! It is perfectly acceptable for you to spend your first semester getting used to your classes and navigating campus. But by Winter, start attending those club meetings that you've always wanted to and for heaven's sake go to the dance studio once in a while. Just because one of your friends doesn't want to go, that doesn't mean you shouldn't pursue something you know you'd enjoy! This will not only help you take a break from studying and reading for that horrid Freshmen Writing Class, but it will help establish friendships that will span your four years and beyond!<br />
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Unfortunately Skylar, you will see who your true friends are while you're away at college. College is about learning who you are and what you want out of life, so don't let anyone make you feel like you can't do that. While it will be difficult when friendships end, don't be bitter towards them ... they have their own issues to work on for themselves, as do you. Use this freedom to become introspective on what you want out of your college experience and on what you want out of life in general. The newly found independence in your sophomore year will work wonders for your future career!<br />
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I know you don't want to teach and you want to do something more than stand in a classroom all day and talk to kids, but your student teachings and all of those sample lesson plans you write will be worth it. Each experience will connect you home in its own weird way and give you the background you need to be successful at the next level, so take advantage of that! These and the leadership opportunities you gain as an upperclassmen set the stage for something that you will love doing every day. (I won't tell you what it is because I don't want to spoil your "ah-ha" moment.)<br />
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Now, for the part I know you want to know ... the boy. While you two just started dating - you two are the only ones you will ever have to explain your relationship to. Hands down, the hardest part about your college experience will be nurturing and supporting this relationship, but Skylar, it will be worth it. Your feelings are your feelings and they will never change, but remember you have to stick up for yourself too! There will be heartbreak at times as you both attempt to grow and experience college, but follow your heart because it will lead you right where you want to be ... and yes, you will get the ring!<br />
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Finally, if there is one thing I, your 23-year-old self, wants you to know, it is this: Stay true to who you are and what you believe. Your faith and your personal convictions will be both tested and strengthened during college and even grad school (yes, you will get in to grad school so don't worry about that B in <i>History of Recent America). </i>Take the time to make decisions, friendships, interviews, jobs, memories, and everything else in life exactly how you want them to be. These next six years will be a crazy ride, but your parents, sister, and the boy, as well as, all of the amazing friends you have yet to meet will help make it every ounce of the perfection you always strive for! Much love!<br />
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-42552333473602437092016-07-21T06:38:00.000-04:002016-07-21T06:38:14.642-04:00Life Update: I HAVE A JOB!Hi everyone! I hope you all are having a great week - whether you're planning for college or grad school visits, preparing for entrance exams, or even just relaxing! For those of you who follow me on Instagram (@skylarclapperton) you know that I recently started a new job and for the rest of you who didn't know ... today I am going to talk about it!<br />
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So, anyone who has gone through the job search process knows how horribly time consuming and frustrating it can be. You have to continuously fill out applications, update your resume and cover letters, and hopefully travel for interviews. I am a goal setter ... I always haven been (examples <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-years-resolutions.html" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2015/09/setting-goals.html" target="_blank">here</a>) and my reachable goal was to start a job by July 1st and thanks to Independence Day, I wasn't able to start until July 6th, but in my mind I kind of reached my goal!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtgTpwAIph_JO2QQww04rNVL00atz40GA1ZTmLbxunQClE03-HpQKfIm6W005L_lgLJe8ozQ9trJB-4X_iFf_zdbe1kCyD-Rw5-s-9waV34YRZidhz6goveXU-MkCEfoZq2MvLWpf3b07/s1600/image3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtgTpwAIph_JO2QQww04rNVL00atz40GA1ZTmLbxunQClE03-HpQKfIm6W005L_lgLJe8ozQ9trJB-4X_iFf_zdbe1kCyD-Rw5-s-9waV34YRZidhz6goveXU-MkCEfoZq2MvLWpf3b07/s320/image3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view every day at work ... incredible!</td></tr>
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Nonetheless, I am very excited to announce that I accepted a position as an Assistant Director of Admissions with Hartwick College (<a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2016/07/college-road-trip-series-northeast.html" target="_blank">yes, the same Hartwick College from the Northeast Road Trip</a>)! A lot of times in my posts I will mention how important it is to find a college that fits your needs ... finding a place to work is no different. You want to be in a supportive environment where you are able to do what you love and still grow as a person. This is exactly what I believe I have found in this position at Hartwick.<br />
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What will I be doing you ask? Great question ... I will be traveling across the state recruiting fine students to attend Hartwick College, as well as, meeting with school counselors to talk to them about a Hartwick College education. I also meet with students when I am working in the office to do their Admissions Interview. Once the application season starts in the Fall, I will also be reviewing students' applications. There's also a lot of other day-to-day tasks like managing student workers and planning events with my colleagues. The position requires a lot of responsibility, but I am very excited for it and can't wait to see what the future brings!<br />
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One thing that I do want to mention to you all as my readers is that I purposely don't promote any university or college on this blog specifically because I have a day job. I never want this blog or my career to clash or be a conflict of interest in any way, so that is why (other than the Road Trip Series which promoted many various universities (with another disclaimer)) I don't like to talk about colleges and universities by name.<br />
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Please let me know if you all have any questions about my new job, I would love to answer them and I'd love to hear any of your job search stories too, so please share below! Have a great weekend everyone!!<br />
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-76051496951333398522016-07-16T09:43:00.001-04:002016-07-16T09:43:55.180-04:00Perks of a Small CollegeHi everyone and Happy Saturday!! This was my first full week at my new job and I have been loving every second of it! I will be sharing a life update soon, but I first wanted to share something else I have a passion for ... small colleges!!<br />
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You may be thinking to yourself, that's a random passion to have ... but its something that I truly do believe in! Attending a small college or university can give you a ton of great opportunities that you may not think they'd offer .... but don't worry they do. Today I am sharing all of those wonderful aspects of life at a small college that may help you decide to visit or even enroll at one!<br />
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First things, something I hear A LOT is this, "well, I go to a large high school now and I just don't think I would do well at a small college," or this, "my school is so small, the last thing I want is to be in high school again." While these may be accurate, you need to think about the scales and ranges of these places. A large high school (in my opinion) is like 300+ students within a grade level. A small college is usually 350-700 students within a year level. So, think, if you're perfect for your environment of 400 students, you would probably be just as perfect for that university with 500 Freshmen.<br />
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You may also be thinking, "I want a lot of opportunities for courses and clubs." Believe it or not, the size of college does not impact the number of opportunities for courses or clubs, it is the environment and culture that does that. Do your research because oftentimes smaller colleges will allow you to create a club (and get funding for field trips) if you and your friends can prove that people would want to join it. Your freedom to do this at a large university may be stifled by the number of organizations already present. As for the courses, one thing about liberal arts colleges (which are usually on the smaller size), they have to offer a bunch of varied courses because students need to fulfill distribution requirements that don't overlap, ie: the psychology of dreams, the history of quilting, or the art of fermentation and distillation.<br />
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Another perk of attending a small college is that you really get to know your professors because they are the ones who teach. In larger universities, it is oftentimes graduate students or teaching assistants that will teach classes and then the full professor may just pop in every few classes to make sure its going okay. At smaller universities, your professor is who will teach every class for a majority of your courses in that subject matter. Depending on the size and the breadth of the programs offered, this may vary, but you can most certainly be sure that it will be a full professor or an adjunct professor teaching you, not a fellow student. (Students may tutor you, but they won't be up front lecturing about 18th Century France or Osmosis).<br />
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You're able to create friend groups that overlap. So with the multitude of opportunities that you get at a small college, also comes the chance to make friends within all of those opportunities. At larger schools, you may feel like you need to stick with your team or your sorority/fraternity in terms of making friends, but at smaller universities you are involved in so many things that you create friendships that way. When I was in college, I had my friends from my French major, from my Admissions jobs, from my Orientation position, and then the random people I met and loved along the way. It is truly amazing to know that you have people you get to spend time with, but don't necessarily have to be around 24/7. Something to think about ...<br />
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Some small colleges offer three semesters, as opposed to two, which gives students and faculty the chance to travel for a shorter semester. Now this will differ depending on the college, but that shorter semester gives you the chance to take a class off campus and experience a new culture, without you having to miss a ton of classes for your major! Also, because you've already paid all of your tuition leading up to the travel trip, you will only have a smaller fee to actually go on the trip, rather than take a class on campus. The $2,000-3,000 price tag is a lot cheaper for traveling for three to five weeks than if you were to do that by yourself!<br />
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You become familiar with college administrators and all of the resources that you are able to use on campus. At a small campus, word about great student jobs, that administrator who is a perfect club advisor, and the secret stash of popsicles the Health Center gives out during Finals Week gets around rather quickly. So, when you really need a helping hand or have a specific question about your major or how you can access the Library Archives, you will know exactly who you need to see to make it happen! Plus, you will create amazing relationships with administrators who will mentor you for longer than just your four years in college!<br />
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So, I hope that today's post shows you just how much you can get from a college experience at a small college! Don't let the size fool you to think that a small size means small opportunities, because that is definitly not the case. I had the time of my life in college because I was at a smaller college and I know that my experience would have been very very different if I attended a larger university.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-37130323097405417812016-07-12T06:44:00.000-04:002016-07-12T06:44:24.477-04:00Marketing Your Summer JobHi everyone! I hope you all liked the College Road Trip Series from last week. I would appreciate any feedback about it or about future blog posts that you would like to see, so please contact me through the options on my <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/p/contact-info.html" target="_blank">Contact Page</a> or comment below!<br />
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Because we are ripe in the middle of Summer and you are most likely counting down the days that you have left in your summer job at the office, factory, or at that sleep-away camp, I wanted to talk with you all about how you can market your summer job for jobs on campus or even for applying to your first 'adult job.'<br />
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In 2014, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/11/12/the-10-skills-employers-most-want-in-2015-graduates/#4f5a1ee919f6" target="_blank">Forbes released a list</a> of ten attributes/skills that employers believe make a college graduate a successful job candidate. Here is the synopsis<br />
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<li style="text-align: left;">Team Work</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Decision-making and problem solving</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Ability to communicate with people in and out of the organization</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Information processing and synthesizing</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Ability to analyze data (quantitative and qualitative) </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Specific knowledge related to the position</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Understanding of computer software programs</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Written communication skills for writing reports</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Ability to sell and influence others (Customer Service)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Organization and planning </li>
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You may have read that list and thought to yourself ... 'ummm no, I did not analyze data nor did I use any software this summer.' Which could be true, but you can try really hard to make the valuable experiences you did get from your job this summer fit into those criteria. Let's try!<br />
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1. Any job nowadays requires you to work cooperatively with other employees. You can highlight this in a number of ways on your resume! Did you have to work on the same project as someone and divide the responsibilities. While you were life-guarding, was there another lifeguard too who you depending on to watch the shallow end? There are so may examples of team work in your summer job, so make sure you highlight that when you talk about your experience!<br />
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2. and 9. These too are pretty similar in that they both deal with customer service and how you are interacting with your constituents (swimmers, shoppers, followers ... etc.) At any point if you had to track someone or something down to make someone's experience better, that is quick decision making and problem solving. Your experience should be written within your resume so that future employers can see how you handle issues that can arise while on the job. If there was an especially defining moment within your summer job where you pulled more than your fair-share, I would highlight that as a great growing opportunity in your Cover Letter!<br />
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3. Employers want to know that you are able to talk with your colleagues and talk with customers or other people outside of your job efficiently. This goes along well with Number 1, but it also works if you've ever done fundraising, had to contact fellow employees in another office, or worked with visitors. If you've ever needed to act professionally among other people, this is where you apply that knowledge. **Also, if you've ever had to present a research poster, this could be applied to this attribute as well!<br />
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4. and 5. Processing data isn't always being an accountant or working with a budget. It could be deciding how many tour groups need to go out or even managing the time of the kids in your cabin at Summer Camp. All they want for your experience is that you've looked at data, read it, understood, and then used that to come to a specific conclusion that helps the group you are working for.<br />
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6. and 7. So these two may be a little bit more difficult to apply if you were a Camp Counselor and you are applying for a research position, but see if you can find someway to apply it. Did you have to survey all of your campers about the food, activities, or their overall experience and then report it back to your director? That's a great way to show knowledge related to the position. If you are applying to a position in business or education, you can usually use your customer service experience as that specific knowledge. **If you aren't getting anything remotely close to specific knowledge, you may want to ask your director for an extra project or something to better help you grow your experience and resume! Something to also remember, as long as you show that you are flexible and willing to learn, that can replace the knowledge of a specific software system since most companies use different systems!<br />
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8. Written communication can be applied from almost any position. Did you write e-mails? Did you write reports? Did you write notes to your students or their parents? Did you proofread manuals for your boss? You would be surprised how much written communication is used consistently throughout any job, just think back on your days at work and locate that experience!<br />
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10. Finally, organization is something you need in every job, whether you are hauling lumber into the back of a truck or teaching small children the ABC's. You need to be able to coordinate and keep your thoughts and actions together. How this could work in your summer job is as simple as organizing the tasks that you needed to do during the day, scheduling appointments, categorizing moving materials, or scheduling when you are going to clean or see different customers. There is organization in everything you do, so think real hard and add that to your resume!!!<br />
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So, it may take some highly intense thinking on what you've accomplished so far, but you should be able to find specific experiences throughout your summer job that can apply directly to those ten items Forbes lists in their article. Make sure though that you are making your summer job exactly what it needs to be for you so that you can grow from it in the future!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-19903165983023262792016-07-09T11:02:00.000-04:002016-07-09T11:02:17.950-04:00College Road Trip Series: THE SOUTHWESTHey everyone and Welcome to the last day of the Chasing College Road Trip Series!! I hope you all had a great time learning about new schools and can start planning your own college road trip this summer! Out last stop is the Southwestern United States, where the air is dry and the weather is warm!! Let's get started on the final leg of our chase!<br />
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<b><u>CLAREMONT McKENNA COLLEGE</u></b><br />
Located within an hour of Los Angeles, the beach, and the mountains, Claremont McKenna College is a great spot for students who have a wide variety of interests. This Claremont, California liberal arts college provides students the opportunities to define their own education through various academic programs, leadership opportunities, and community service outreach. They offer your typical 'liberal arts' majors, but some unique ones include: American Studies, Environmental Analysis Program, Middle Eastern Studies, and Science Management. On your road trip, you will definitely want to check them out so that you can see first hand what their student experience is like!<br />
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CMC not only offers hour-long tours twice a day, but they also offer a really detailed information session for visitors before the tour. They cover information about the academic programs, the student experience, the admissions process, and financial aid! You can also schedule an interview with an Admission Counselor while you are visiting to help improve your student profile and so that they can learn more about you before you apply! You can find out all of this information and how to register on their website <a href="https://www.cmc.edu/admission/visit#session" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE</u></b><br />
If you're looking for a community college in the middle of the desert, look no further than Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Arizona! They were the first community college in Arizona and are the only one to have a marching band!! They award Associate's Degrees in a variety of programs including: Automotive, Cosmetology, Graphic Design, and Welding. EAC also offers students a close-nit community with their athletics teams and their campus living options being right on campus. You are not only able to succeed in the classroom, but you are also able to make lasting memories as a contributing member of the student body!<br />
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If attending one of their great Preview Days isn't an option (you get a tour, talk to an admission counselor, see the performance groups, eat on campus, and attend a football or basketball game), then you will want to give the Office of Admissions a call or e-mail to see if you can schedule a one-on-one tour with their office. You can find their contact information and the registration for the Preview Days <a href="http://www.eac.edu/Admissions/PreviewDays/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>SOUTHWEST UNIVERSITY OF VISUAL ARTS</u></b><br />
This art school, located in Tuscon, Arizona, is a great visit for students who are interested in the anthropological and historical side of art and can be inspired by the clay earth and great history of the Tuscon region! They offer many different programs like Landscape Architecture and Interior Design. They also offer a Master's of Fine Arts Degree for those students who wish to continue on to their terminal degree! Students are also able to get involved in the many career-related organizations, as well as, Army ROTC.<br />
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To schedule a visit to campus, you will need to do it <a href="http://suva.edu/requesttour" target="_blank">here</a> on their website. You fill out a form which is sent back to the Admissions Office and then they will plan your day and tour for you! Taking a tour of SUVA is a great way to see how the students interact and what the facilities look like. If you are travelling far away from home to attend a Southwestern university, it is always important to visit a campus so that you can see how you will be supported in the absence of your family.<br />
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<b><u>UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO</u></b><br />
As the largest institution of higher education in New Mexico, the University of New Mexico provides its students with great opportunities for research, career growth, and leadership! Its location in Albuquerque, New Mexico (the state's largest city) allows students to reach out into the community to apply the knowledge of the classroom into internships to help the community and its businesses. They have sixteen different colleges (over 220 different majors) within the university that cover subject areas like the Fine Arts, The Library Sciences, Public Administration, and Nursing. With tons of performance groups, athletics teams, and organization events, there is always something to do on campus and someway to get involved!<br />
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UNM offers many different opportunities to visit campus. You can attend an event like Open House or you can schedule a personal tour. The personal visit includes an hour-long tour and a 30-minute information session where an Admission Counselor will talk about the application and admission process, as well as, student life, and financial aid! Reservations are required, so to find out more information you can stop by <a href="http://admissions.unm.edu/Pages/visit-us.html" target="_blank">here</a> and sign up for a visit!<br />
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<b><u>WEST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY</u></b><br />
West Texas A&M University is located in the panhandle of Texas, just south of the city of Amarillo. Their medium size and renowned faculty make this a great destination for you or your friends who want a bigger university, but also want to get to know the professors and administrators well! Some of their comprehensive undergraduate programs include: Equine Industry and Business, Wildlife Biology, Emergency Management Administration, and Broadcast Journalism. The Buffaloes at WTAMU play in Division II for athletic contests and their women's softball team won a National Championship in 2014!<br />
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They call it a "WT Test Drive," when you're visiting WTAMU for the first time! The Admissions Office staff wants you to look at their campus just like you would look at buying a new car - making sure it fits you and your needs! (It's actually a great analogy!) Test Drives are offered twice a day in the morning and in the afternoon and include a tour of campus, an admissions presentation, and an opportunity to meet a faculty member if you would like. You can request a tour right on their website <a href="http://www.wtamu.edu/admissions/visit.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY</u></b><br />
Southern Methodist University is one of those schools that now, I really wish I had looked at during my college search process. It is located in Dallas, Texas and offers a community feel with many research opportunities and chances to be involved in clubs and organizations. SMU is highly ranked and regarded for their art programs as well as, focuses on sustaining resources within the Lyle School of Engineering. Students are also able to get involved in athletics teams, fraternities and sororities, and through research within their majors. As a mustang, you get to 'Pony Up' to your potential!<br />
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To visit SMU, you have a few options. You can do a Daily Visit where you attend an Admissions Information Session, a Campus Tour, and an Information Session for your academic department, or you can wait for an Open House event like Mustang Days. Whichever fits your road trip schedule best, you will want to check out all of the options on their website <a href="http://www.smu.edu/Admission/Visit" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I hope you all had a great road trip across the United States visiting and learning more about a bunch of different options for you and your friends. I really do suggest you and a group of your friends take a couple day road trip to visit some of the schools you all are interested in to see if they really are the right fit for you!! Please let me know if you have any other colleges or universities that you would add to the road trip lists! I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy planning your road trips! As always ...<br />
<i><br /></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-40786142446707524342016-07-08T06:24:00.000-04:002016-07-08T06:24:21.646-04:00College Road Trip Series: THE NORTHWESTHi everyone! We are moving on to the great Northwest today on our College Road Trip Series! What's great about the northwest is that it has its own distinct culture and is definitely something you should experience once in your lifetime, even if it is just on a road trip to see some colleges! Let's get started!!<br />
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<b><u>OLYMPIC COLLEGE</u></b><br />
Olympic College is located in Bremerton, WA and is right across the water from Seattle, so it has a very prime location for any type of student! OC primarily grants Associate's Degrees, however the Bremerton campus does offer a Bachelor's Degree in the following programs: Nursing, Information Systems, and Mechanical Engineering. If you are hoping to attend a higher profile university in Washington like Gonzaga University or the University of Washington, you may want to start here to earn credits and then transfer those classes very easily into the university of your choice. Some of their articulation agreements are listed on the Olympic College website <a href="http://www.olympic.edu/programs-classes/transfer-oc-0" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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While the OC website does not offer any information on visiting campus, you can find the Admissions Office's contact information <a href="http://www.olympic.edu/current-students/getting-started/admissions" target="_blank">here</a> in order to discuss a tour of campus with an employee! If you are just spending a couple of days in Seattle and want to look around by yourself, you can do that as well by printing out the campus map <a href="http://www.olympic.edu/sites/default/files/files/OCBremertonPrintMap_v1%209_050515.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> and taking it with you while walking around!<br />
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<u><b>PACIFIC NORTHWEST COLLEGE OF ART</b></u><br />
The Pacific Northwest College of Art is situated in an art-centered city, Portland, Oregon. This creative city not only provides students with tons of inspiration, but it also lets their business and internship opportunities expand beyond the college's campus. The academic programs that students can pursue include: Animated Arts, Printmaking, and Communication Design. The college also provides students with amazing opportunities to showcase their work in 11 galleries and an acclaimed art museum! If you or a friend within your road trip really wants to experience a creative place and have their artwork shown, you should definitely plan to stop at PNCA.<br />
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To schedule a tour, you will need to contact the PNCA Office of Admissions. They are offered Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10:00am and 2:00pm. You can also meet with an admissions counselor and have you art portfolio reviewed. They also have a virtual tour on their website, so if you want to check out the campus before planning to tour it, you can do that also!! You can check out all of this information <a href="http://www.pnca.edu/admissions/c/visit" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<u><b>WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY </b></u><br />
Located in Salem, Oregon and about an hour away from Portland, Willamette University is a private, liberal arts college that offers a variety of academic programs, but also houses a law school and an MBA program for graduate students. Their undergraduate programs include: American Ethnic Studies, Civic Communication and Media, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and Russian. While their liberal arts curriculum leads students to a long career in academics, the student life aspect of campus also allows students to also focus on their community service and volunteer philosophies. All of these things should be important in choosing a school, so visiting the campus allows you to see them first-hand.<br />
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When you check out their website <a href="http://willamette.edu/admission/visit/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>, you will see why visiting this gorgeous campus should certainly be on the top of your Northwest Road Trip list! The Admissions Office staff will help you plan your visit whether you want to go on a campus tour, sit in on a class, or just talk with current students. It is a really great opportunity to understand what all Willamette University has to offer students so definitely take advantage of visiting campus!<br />
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<b><u>BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY</u></b><br />
Boise State University is situated in the southwestern corner of Idaho State. This large, research university offers a small college feel with all of the amazing opportunities that a larger university offers. You can study one of their many programs like: Addiction Studies, Entrepreneurship Studies, Respiratory Care, or Internal Auditing, while taking advantage of their esteemed athletics teams and on-campus organizations! With their prime location in Boise, students are immersed in city life and are able to expand their internship experiences into the civic and private sector for businesses - perfect for building your resume!<br />
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BSU offers a ton of great opportunities to visit campus. They have the normal weekday and Saturday tours when you can meet with an Admissions Counselor and take a tour of campus and they have special Open Houses and Department Information Sessions throughout the school year. Something really cool that they are doing on Fridays in the summer is a Bike Tour of campus. You definitely have to register for it because it gets capped at 15 riders, but it is a really neat way to see the campus and tour downtown Boise! You can find out how to sign up for all of this on their website <a href="https://admissions.boisestate.edu/visitus/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY</u></b><br />
Northwestern Polytechnic University is located just north of San Jose, California and just east of San Francisco, California. NPU, its faculty, and its students are committed to scholastic success within the School of Engineering and the School of Business. Their curriculum emphasizes software development and understanding because of the campus' location in Silicon Valley and the expectations on students upon graduation. If creating software and understanding its impact on the business and technology world interests you, a stop at NPU can prove to be very beneficial!<br />
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NPU does not include information on how to visit the university, but it will be beneficial to contact the Admissions Office to establish a connection with them and potentially set up a meeting and a campus tour. All of their information is on the website <a href="http://www.npu.edu/admissions" target="_blank">here</a> and can help you decide your next step before visiting on the NorthWest Road Trip!<br />
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<b><u>UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS</u></b><br />
A huge school with huge programs in a larger-than-life city ... what more could you need from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas! Its 332-acre campus is home to many different academic programs and award winning athletics teams. The mascot a few years ago was even featured on the Hulu show <i>Behind the Mask.</i> Some of their unique academic programs include: Dance Production and Management, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Athletic Training, and Urban Studies. Not only are there plenty of opportunities for entertainment off campus, but the on campus activities and athletic events will make it easy to want to stay on campus and get involved!<br />
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Whether you are on this road trip or if you are travelling to Las Vegas with your family, you will want to stop and check out UNLV and all that it has to offer prospective students! You can register for a campus tour on their website <a href="https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/visits" target="_blank">here</a> and you can even meet with a "Rebel Recruiter" (their term for Admissions Counselors) to talk about the application process!<br />
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The Northwestern corner of the United States has a ton of cultural opportunities both on their college campuses and within their popular cities. Take advantage of that on your college road trip and be sure to see not only the college campuses, but also the cities they live in!!<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-67053648186618151322016-07-07T06:32:00.000-04:002016-07-07T06:32:26.072-04:00College Road Trip Series: THE MIDWESTHappy Thursday everyone!!! I hope you all are enjoying the College Road Trip so far and getting to know a lot of great, different universities around the country. Today we are travelling through the Midwest, visiting many different sizes of schools in various locations and city-scapes. Keep reading to get a taste of the universities in the Midwest!!<br />
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<b><u>LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO</u></b><br />
Loyola University Chicago is one of the most highly recognized Catholic universities in the country for its academics! (Don't worry if you're not Catholic,it usually isn't an issue!) They offer so many academic programs like: Bioinformatics, Dance, Forensic Science, and Software Engineering. Not only are there tons of opportunities to get involved on campus and within your academic program, but its prime location in the city of Chicago make it a great destination for those craving a city life like no other!<br />
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The Lake Shore Campus (which is gorgeous, by the way) allows visitors each weekday to take a tour of campus. They also offer campus tours and information sessions on the weekends in the Fall. If you want to visit both the Lake Shore Campus and the Water Tower Campus, which the university suggests, they have a day schedule that allows students who would take classes on both campuses the opportunity to see both sides of Loyola. You can get more information about these tours on their website <a href="http://www.luc.edu/undergrad/getmore/comevisit/prospectivehighschoolstudent/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON</u></b><br />
Funny Story: When I was in the 7th grade, all I wanted in the world was to be a Badger at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and study Meteorology and attend every hockey game! Truly that was what I wanted, but life happened and I changed my mind a couple thousand times, but the interest stuck and the <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/2016/06/creating-college-culture-in-your-home.html" target="_blank">college culture</a> in my family let me examine every crazy college idea I had! Anyways, I digress ....<br />
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a large, public, research university that admits about 50% of applicants and awards approximately 7.000 Bachelor's degree a year! They offer so many different programs that it would be hard to find someone who was interested in studying something UMW doesn't have. If you and your friends want a confident college experience filled with large lectures, tons of clubs to join, and an amazing network of alumni (33 of which have won the Pulitzer Prize), why not check out the University of Wisconsin-Madison on your Midwest Road Trip!<br />
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UMW offers information sessions and a walking tour every weekday for visitors. Something that is really interesting that they do is offer a seperate tour of all of the university housing options. So, you can do both tours in your day there, you will just need to register for both of those <a href="https://www.admissions.wisc.edu/visitbucky/" target="_blank">here</a>. Now remember, it is a large campus, so be prepared to walk a lot on your tours, but focus and enjoy every second!<br />
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<b><u>CARLETON COLLEGE</u></b><br />
As a liberal arts college in Minnesota where 70% of its students study abroad, Carleton College is a great college visit destination for any prospective student looking to create their own college experience and get the most for their investment! Its country location allows students the chance to reconnect with the outdoors and embrace nature, while the hour-long drive to Minneapolis gives you that big city getaway when you need some more excitement! They also offer majors in Women's and Gender Studies, Environmental and Technology Studies, and Linguistics.<br />
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You will want to schedule your visit two weeks in advance to Carleton College, but your tour of campus could also include an interview, an overnight stay, or attending a class. Because of these opportunities, it may be wise to dedicate a whole day to Carleton before heading on to our next university in the road trip! You can find out more visit information <a href="https://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/visit/planning_visit/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN</u></b><br />
For the artists in your group or those who love the art world, a trip to the Minneapolis College of Art & Design should definitely be on your list for a college road trip! They offer a lot of the more expected art school majors, but a great initiative they have is a hiring program for students. So, they have a specific<a href="http://mcad.edu/about-mcad/hire-mcad-talent" target="_blank"> part of their website</a> where businesses can request interns or artists to help their company with specific projects. How great is that? Attending a university that not only supports your professional growth but also does everything in their power to help you get experience .. that's a place where you want to get an education!!<br />
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In order to visit MCAD, you will need to e-mail or call their Admissions Office to set up an appointment. They also allow prospective students to tour the facilities without an admissions counselor or student tour guide, so if you are just stopping by, that may be a good opportunity for you to see what the campus has to offer, while still keeping on schedule for your road trip. Check out their visit website <a href="http://mcad.edu/visit" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>IOWA LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE</u></b><br />
Iowa Lakes Community College offers many different Associate's Degrees both on-campus and online. Some of their online programs include: Accounting Specialist, Human Services/Disability Studies, and Business Administration & Management. While the term 'community college' may suggest that their on-campus resources are limited, they actually offer many different offices to students at ILCC. They even offer on-campus housing for students who wish to live in the dormitories while achieving their two year degree!<br />
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A great thing about visiting Iowa Lakes is that all you do is complete an Individual Visit form on their website <a href="http://www.iowalakes.edu/admissions/visit_us/individual-visit/" target="_blank">here </a>and the great staff in the Admissions Office will plan a visit that is specific to your interests and needs! If there is something more specific that you want to know about college visits or about setting up a group tour, you can call the Office of Admissions to speak with an Admissions Counselor about it!<br />
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<b><u>SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES & TECHNOLOGY </u></b><br />
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology offers great programs for those students who are wildly specific about the STEM major they wish to pursue. Students can study Meteorology, Geology, Mining Engineering, and several different Engineering programs here, while pursuing an active life on campus in clubs and organizations. To get even more career experience, Miners can start research while an undergraduate student and can then present that information at a Student Research Symposium!!<br />
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Personalized visits on the SDSM&T campus in Rapid City, South Dakota allows you to meet with an admissions officer while going over the admissions process, financial aid information, academic programs, and touring campus. They also offer large visit opportunities at Open Houses throughout the Fall where you can get more information <a href="http://www.sdsmt.edu/Visit/" target="_blank">here</a>. If you or one of your friends is really interested in engineering or any of the STEM programs, you will want to make SDSM&T a mandatory stop on your college road trip!!<br />
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Is there any place I forgot or you think is worth visiting? Add it in the comments below or tweet me on Twitter for everyone to see!!<br />
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<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-5040314587132320082016-07-06T06:14:00.000-04:002016-07-06T06:14:10.284-04:00College Road Trip Series: THE SOUTHEASTWelcome Back to Day 2 of the Chasing College Road Trip Series! I hope you liked yesterday's post, but if you are more interested in travelling to the Southeast, then read on!! Again, I am not supporting these universities or saying these are the only ones you can visit. If there is another that has caught your eye, add that school into your campus visits!!<br />
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<b><u>COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY</u></b><br />
Columbus State University is located in the western, central portion of Georgia and is right close to the border of Alabama! CSU offers a wide-variety of undergraduate programs including: Earth and Space Science, Information Technology, and Theatre Education. They also have several Computer Science degrees and were just awarded a grant to fund cyber-security research! If any of your road-trippers are interested in computer science or even focusing on cyber-security, you'll want this to be a definite stop on your college search!!<br />
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To visit CSU, you will have to register online <a href="https://admissions.columbusstate.edu/tours/index.php" target="_blank">here </a>for a campus tour. They are offered with an Information Session most Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:30am, but you will want to check the calendar for the university's availability! If you visit before July 28th, you may even be able to see a Summer Class in session!!<br />
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<b><u>CALHOUN COMMUNITY COLLEGE</u></b><br />
As the largest community college in Alabama, Calhoun Community College boasts a diverse set of traditional and non-traditional students within a variety of Associate's Degrees and Certifications. They are located in the Northern part of Alabama and educate students who transfer to the University of Alabama and Auburn University -- if you or one of your friends is looking to gain some credits before transferring to a large research university, this may be a great stop for you all to visit!<br />
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Because of CCC's size, you will have to call the campus' Admissions Office to schedule a student or staff guided tour of campus. If you decide to take a student-led campus tour (which I suggest), I would still try to meet with an Admissions Representative to talk more about your needs and questions. You can find that contact information <a href="http://www.calhoun.edu/student-resources/campus-tours" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE </u></b><br />
If you love the color orange and what that large school (27, 00 students), sports arena (23 National Championships), Southern scene offers, then you should certainly visit the University of Tennessee's Knoxville campus! They boast 560 acres, containing over 230 buildings, 26 of which have been built or renovated in the past five years. In terms of their academics, they offer many options for students to study anything that interests them, including: Agricultural Leadership; Disasters, Displacement, and Human Rights; and Forestry.<br />
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The University of Tennessee offers a pretty comprehensive visit opportunity in their Campus Visit Program. You start with an Information Session, then go on a campus tour led by a current student. From there, you can request additional appointments with other administrators and faculty. You can find out more details and register for a visit <a href="http://admissions.utk.edu/visit/our-campus/cvp/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>COKER COLLEGE</u></b><br />
Because I believe in liberal arts colleges, I will share one for each road trip!! Coker College is just that, a small, liberal arts college in Hartsville South Carolina. It is located in a small town in the middle of two big cities (Columbia, SC and Florence, SC), but still has great opportunity! They have an average class size of 12, which allows you to get to know your professors and create a lasting connection with your fellow students. If you or any of your friends are interested in playing a sport in college, Coker is a Division II college that offers Golf, Wrestling, and Track and Field, among the 'normal' sports teams.<br />
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Coker offers visit opportunities Monday-Friday at 10:00am and 2:00pm which consist of a meeting with an Admissions Counselor, a student-led tour, and then the option to attend a class, or meet with a coach! Something cool that they do for the summer is a Sunset Tour on Tuesday evenings where you tour the campus at dusk. Be sure to spend some time downtown touring as well; they are in the process of introducing new boutiques and restaurants into the area!<br />
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<b><u>SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN</u></b><br />
This private art university has campuses all around the world, but the Savannah campus provides Southern culture, amazing architecture, and a downtown center that will help jumpstart any student's creativity. The Savannah College of Art & Design offers programs in Accessory Design, Cinema Studies, Historic Preservation, and Sequential Art (among others), while students pursue a social life which includes clubs like Colleges Against Cancer and the Philosophy Club.<br />
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The Savannah College of Art & Design conducts campus tours daily Monday-Saturday at 9:30am and 2:00pm. To register for a tour of the Savannah location, you can visit their website <a href="https://admission.scad.edu/forms/workshopDay?eventType=dailytour&campus=M" target="_blank">here</a>. Their location in Atlanta also offers campus tours, if that better fits your college road trip, and you can find that <a href="https://admission.scad.edu/forms/workshopDay?eventType=dailytour&campus=A" target="_blank">here</a>! You may want to spend a few days in Savannah just so that you can get a true grasp of the city's creative culture!<br />
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<b><u>FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY</u></b><br />
The Florida Institute of Technology is located in Melbourne, Florida and was originally founded to provide advanced education to those working at Kennedy Space Center! (Perfect for those Aerospace Lovers in your group!) Their academic programs emphasize Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, however they also have a research field at the local airport for graduate students who study Aviation. If you are also interested in expanding your reach outside of the research world, the university takes advantage of many opportunities for civic and on-campus leadership engagement.<br />
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If you plan on visiting Orlando or Daytona Beach this summer, be sure to take a trip to visit Florida Tech's campus. They provide campus tours almost every day where you can also speak with professors or take tours of the laboratories. They also offer an Exploration Day event on July 22nd where you can take a tour of campus, but also attend information sessions on the admissions and financial aid processes, and attend meetings with the different academic departments. You can sign up for either of these on their website <a href="http://admission.fit.edu/visit.php" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Be sure to add <a href="http://chasingcollege.blogspot.com/">chasingcollege.blogspot.com</a> into your Favorites so that you can check in each day this week for the rest of the Chasing College Road Trip Series!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756844386850229929.post-25498473731184123032016-07-05T07:47:00.001-04:002016-07-05T07:47:28.546-04:00College Road Trip Series: THE NORTHEASTHi everyone and Welcome to the first day of the Chasing College Road Trip Series! This week my blog posts will take us on a chase and journey throughout the country to look at some great colleges and universities! I chose the specific universities that I did because of their uniqueness and because of their appeal to a wide variety of majors and programs, or because they were really specific.<br />
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If you plan on travelling with a bunch of your friends, I wanted to include schools that would fit everyone's needs, both the wildly specific and the super low-key! Today's road trip takes us through the Northeast region of the United States. As I am a native to the northeast and pretty familiar with colleges and universities in this area, I wanted to share those with you first. Please Note: in no way am I endorsing these institutions as the only options for a college visit to the Northeast. If there are specific types of universities you want to visit and need some advice, comment below or send me an e-mail! You can visit these from top-to-bottom or from bottom-to-top depending on where you live and how you want your trip to look. Let's get started!!!<br />
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<b><u>HARTWICK COLLEGE</u></b><br />
Hartwick College is located in the upper Catskill Mountains of New York State and they offer a comprehensive liberal arts education in a variety of academic programs offered to undergraduate students. Their small class sizes and unique academic opportunities like, J-Term and beginning internships early, will excite even the most unexcitable in your road trip group! Their location in Oneonta, NY is great for those students seeking a college town with activities going on downtown and on campus!<br />
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Hartwick Colleges offers many opportunities to visit campus this summer with Visit Days offered each Friday in July and on Friday, August 5th where you can take a tour of campus, attend an information session, as well as, eat in the Dining Hall! If a Friday visit doesn't work for your visit, you can try a weekday too with opportunities to take a tour of campus Monday-Friday! You can learn more about their visit days at their website <a href="http://www.hartwick.edu/admissions/ways-to-visit/" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<b><u>SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY</u></b><br />
Syracuse University is also located in Central New York and offers both undergraduate and graduate programs across 14 schools within the university. Not only do they offer the 'normal' majors, but they also offer these interesting academic programs: Aerospace Engineering. Creative Leadership, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, and Supply Chain Management. SU is sure to meet everyone on the road trip's needs, while still offering something for the artists and the athletes!<br />
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Syracuse University's Admissions Office offers tours and information sessions Monday-Friday, several times throughout the day. They also have three planned Preview Days for this summer: July 29th, August 5th, and August 12th where you can take a tour of campus and attend information sessions. For more information, you can check out more about Syracuse's visit opportunities and how to schedule your appointment at their website <a href="http://admissions.syr.edu/visit/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT</u></b><br />
The University of Vermont is located in Birlington, VT, directly across Lake Champlain from New York State. UVM is a large, public research university which attracts students from across the country and the world to the #1 Ranked College Town in America. It offers 100+ majors in the health sciences, engineering, and arts and sciences fields, as well as, many others. If you or your friends are looking for that big lecture hall and college town environment, UVM would be a great place to check out and take a tour of!<br />
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The University of Vermont provides Information Sessions and tours to prospective students most weekdays and Saturdays during the summer. They also offer major-specific information sessions to students who want to learn more about their intended program. You can make a reservation and learn about the dates for Information Sessions on their website <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/admissions/undergraduate/visit_us" target="_blank">here.</a> The campus is huge, so you'll want to bring your walking shoes!!<br />
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<b><u>SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE</u></b><br />
Another great small, liberal arts college to visit on your tour of the Northeast is Springfield College in Springfield, MA. If you're looking for a small community where you can contribute academically and as a campus leader, you won't want to miss Springfield. They have many campus traditions and offer many different academic programs including: Athletic Training (one of my friends from HS graduated from this program and loved every minute of her time at SC), Emergency Medical Services Management, and Pre-Physician Assistant.<br />
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Springfield College offers campus tours three times a day during the week and on some Saturdays as well. They also present Information Sessions at 11:00am on weekdays to visitors regarding the admissions and financial aid process, student life experience, and their academic programs. You can learn more about scheduling a visit and you can view their Events Calendar on their website <a href="http://springfield.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/visit-springfield-college" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<b><u>WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE</u></b><br />
If you have a science lover in your car for this road trip, a great place to stop for them is Worcestor Polytechnic Institute. WPI is located in Worcester, MA and is a university that focuses on the science, technology, mathematics and engineering field. They do offer other majors in the arts and sciences, however they are highly recognized and regarded as a leader in STEM research. If you're looking to be a student-athlete, WPI offers various athletics teams that boast many past All-American and Scholar Athletes!<br />
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Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers a two-hour visit opportunity at 9:00am, 11:00am, and 1:00pm, depending on availability, where they do an Information Session and a campus tour. The Admissions Office has a really nifty calendar <a href="https://wpi.edu.185r.net/Event/page2.php?e=3" target="_blank">here </a>where you can see what time slots are available for which days to help better plan your campus visit. You do need to register in order to take part in the Information Sessions and campus tour. All of their visit opportunities are listed on their website <a href="http://www.wpi.edu/admissions/undergraduate/visit.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN</u></b><br />
For the artsy members of your social circle, the Massachusetts College of Art & Design will definitely be an interest to them to visit. MassArt is located in Boston, MA and is close to many of the other universities that call Beantown home. They offer majors in Art History, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Sculpture. Here you will earn a B.F.A. (Bachelor's of Fine Arts) and be able to take part in the many exhibits and lecture series offered by renowned artists and alums!<br />
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Massachusetts College of Art & Design offers campus tours most weekdays at 12:00PM. If you're really interested in going to an Art School, it could prove beneficial to set up an appointment with an Admissions Counselor to talk about admissions and also to do an informal portfolio review. They can help provide pointers on strengthening your application for admission. You can find the calendar for campus tours <a href="http://www.trumba.com/calendars/MassArt-Admissions" target="_blank">here</a> and then you can find all other information for visiting campus and scheduling a visit <a href="http://www.massart.edu/Admissions/Visit_Campus.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Again everyone, these are my suggestions to make your road trip well-rounded and inclusive of anyone's interests. If there is another university you want to substitute another for, by all means go right ahead. Just make sure that your road trip is filled with fun and exciting moments of chasing college!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>enjoy the chase,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>skylar</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<i>P.S. Be sure to tag me or the Chasing College blog on social media of all of your college road trip fun!</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670386428424217271noreply@blogger.com0