The Huffington Post released an article recently discussing the importance of the ever growing number of Latino students in America. In the article they touch on many things, including why it is important that more Latinos start earning their degree. I have included an excerpt of the article below and you can follow the provided link below to read the whole article.
Perez sees the dilemma his family faced as one confronting many Latino families. Especially during a rough economic times, the short-term gains of an immediate paycheck can often outweigh the longer-term benefits associated with a college degree. While unemployment rates for college graduates remain lower and starting salaries are higher than for those with only a high school diploma, rising amounts of student debt, combined with low graduation rates for many Hispanic students enrolled in college, are of concern to many weighing whether or not to make the investment.
The current statistics for young Latinos are particularly grim: Almost one in four school-aged American children is Latino, but a report released earlier this year by the White House showed those children achieve "the lowest education attainment levels" in the country. One out of every three will finish high school, and one out of every eight will graduate from college.
A recent Pew report found not only do Latinos have a significant high school dropout rate -- 18 percent -- they are also least likely to opt for the GED, which is a vital "second chance" credential when it comes to increasing college-going numbers. Only one in nine Latino dropouts will go on to earn a GED.Continue reading...
With the rise of video games in today’s culture it was just a matter of time before they started showing up in classrooms. The New York Times recently published an article talking about this very subject. Learning by Playing: Video Games in the Classroom follows a journalist who visits a non-charter middle school in New York City that is on the forefront of this burgeoning frontier. This particular school would probably remind you of any other middle school if it weren’t for the fact that video games play a role in their everyday curriculum.
“It is a radical proposition, sure. But during an era in which just about everything is downloadable and remixable, when children are frequently more digitally savvy than the adults around them, it’s perhaps not so crazy to think that schools — or at least one school, anyway — might try to remix our assumptions about how to reach and educate those children.”
The article raises a lot of good points and concerns. It seems that this could be a powerful learning tool moving forward, but it has some evolving to do. Definitely worth checking out if you have the time. Once you have read it swing back by AnyCollege and leave your thoughts.
Higher education is one of the biggest expenses a person incurs during a lifetime. Many people attend college thanks to scholarships for college freshmen and student loans. If you're fortunate enough to be attending school on a scholarship or with a lot of help from parents or family, then you may not be considering your financial situation carefully enough. In fact, many freshmen waste their college scholarship.
Those who pay for their own college, work their way through college or make big sacrifices to get there often do better financially because they are already well-trained in money management and time management. College preparation isn't just about taking entrance exams and attending parties, after all. Money management and budgeting will help make your freshman year less stressful.
First of all, if you don't already have your college textbooks, be prepared for the high cost of them. Depending on the classes you take and the required books, it's not unusual to spend $300 on textbooks for just one semester. The cost can actually be much higher than that. Look into buying used books through various places online that offer them, eBay and through the college library. There also may be a rental program that allows you to pay a fraction of the cost of the book and allows you to return it when the semester is over.
If you worked a job during high school then you already have some money management skills. Perhaps you've been saving for years through odd jobs or an allowance. But if you're not familiar with handling a budget and juggling money to make ends meet, your year as a college freshman could be an eye-opener. Just as you're now living independently in a dorm and essentially learning to be an adult, you're also now in charge of a budget. If you have a meal card with a set number of dollars loaded on it and that has to last to the end of the week or month, you'll very quickly find that making wise food choices means that you won't be forced to grab something out of a vending machine and call it a meal when you're food allotment runs out.
If you want to make your food dollars and your general budget stretch and still have some money to go with friends to a movie or to get a pizza on whim, sit down at the beginning of every week or month and write out a tentative budget. It doesn’t have to be too detailed or complicated, but make yourself aware of how much you can safely spend on different things instead of just guessing as you go along and then finding that you're running short. Financial maturity is part of being adult, and as a freshman year college student, it's one of the things that you'll learn that's at least as valuable as any class credit.
Visit AnyCollege where you can compare colleges and universities and find college tips on how to handle financial independence.
As a freshman year college student, give yourself time to adjust to the college transition. You need some time to digest all of the new things around you before you go home for a visit. It's very common to become homesick when you first move into a dorm. Especially if you're within driving distance of home, you may be tempted to go back within your first few weeks because of that feeling. Try to avoid doing so and instead give yourself time to experience your new surroundings. Look into college programs on campus that can help keep you engaged in the campus social life. Be sure to check out our College Freshman Survival Guide for tips on making this adjustment easier.
Dorm living
Leaving your family to move into a dorm and become a college freshman is something that you might be looking forward to or you might be dreading. For most undergrad students, adjusting to college life is a combination of both. The idea of going away and being independent is exciting but there is some worry about being alone, possibly for the first time and some people have trouble adjusting to college. Below you will find some tips or adjusting to college.
Many college freshman tips talk about how to adjust to dorm life, how to budget your time and your money and how to handle living with a roommate that you don't know. They will also talk about moving out checklists, dorm checklists, dorm stuff and the dreaded freshman 15. Not as much college preparation seems to be spent preparing you for how you'll feel when you leave your family. This could be one of the toughest things to do. But you have to consider your family and your place within it, as well. It's often just as much an adjustment for parents and family members as it is for you when you leave home. Though they know you'll be coming back for visits (and maybe even bringing your laundry with you!) it may be the first time you've been away from home for weeks at a time.
College Activities
Going home early or often in the beginning can actually make you more homesick. Do your best to stay on campus as much as you can and get involved in social activities around your campus to help distract you from those feelings until you adjust. Ask your RA if there is a college activity list or if they have any ideas on what you can do. Some colleges also have a college activities board that can help place you in the right group. Call home, write, e-mail or talk via web cam when you feel home sick, and express your feelings. Your parents or family members are bound understand because they're going to be missing you, and they may remember what it was like for them when they went away to college.
College Freshman Tips
There are a lot of sites that have college freshman tips and advice for students that are having some problems. Here is an idea that could help, revive the somewhat forgotten art of letter writing and actually mail them home. Your parents will probably be thrilled to hear from you in this way and the act of manually writing down how you feel and writing to them about your college freshman adventures can help you feel less homesick and make the adjustment easier. This is also a lot more personable and only takes a few more minutes to complete than sending an email.
College Depression
If you're a freshman year college student and you're having some homesickness, don't forget that your family may be having a harder time than you. Call home and contact your family on a regular basis to help ease their transition to your college life. Staying in touch with your family and friends can help keep your spirits high. And don't hesitate to contact a school counselor if your feelings of homesickness persist, or you start to feel lonely or depressed, because counselors have great college freshman tips to share. Those tips listed above will help you avoid college depression, college anxiety, or feelings of being home sick or bipolar. There are a lot of college depression facts that show a correlation of college success vs. college drop outs. So be sure to seek help if you feel you are starting to struggle with any of these feelings.
Comparing Colleges
One way to make sure you find the right college that’s not too far from home, is to use AnyCollege. You can compare college and universities though our online search engine. We also have a great resource center with stats, charts and worksheets on colleges in your area.
Ick... what a situation to be in. You want one thing for your child, and your child (who is fast becoming an adult) wants something completely different. Only this time it's not just a shirt or a pair of shoes... it's college and not only will say what becomes of their next four years but the rest of their lives!
