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Are You Afraid of Bloggers and Social Media? Maybe You Should Be.

September 20, 2010 By

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Creative Commons License photo credit: M i x y

Are you or your Brand afraid of bloggers and social media? Well, maybe you should be–especially if your brand is still sitting on the side lines and not listening.  Jessica Gottlieb , a powerful voice on the Internet and a mom blogger,  recently wrote two excellent posts “Five Simple Steps to Bringing a Brand to their Virtual Knees” and  “Six Tips for Brand Managers Who Might Be Afraid of Bloggers” . Gottlieb is that “Jessica Gottlieb” that started the “#MotrinMoms” backlash on Twitter in November 2008.

Gottlieb expressed her displeasure with Motrin’s ad campaign that she and others felt wasn’t supportive of new mothers and  in a series of tweets expressed that “picking on new mothers is vile.” Her tweets set off a reaction that reverberated across Twitter and then the Internet and finally the mainstream press and it wasn’t until Monday that Motrin finally responded to the moms they were trying so hard to connect with but by then the damage was done http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/11/17/motrin-mothers-groundswell-by-the-numbers/ .In just a weekend, the mommy bloggers had mobilized and expressed their anger in their own blogs, on Twitter, on FaceBook where they created a “Boycott Motrin” Group, on YouTube where they added their own videos, as well as on Flickr. That same weekend the controversy was picked up by mainstream media including the New York Times http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/moms-and-motrin/?scp=1&sq=Motrin%20Moms%202008&st=cse

The title alone of the first post should get your attention if you still think you can sit social media out. In her first post, Gottlieb clearly lays out the steps of how anyone with a blog and or a Twitter account and a handful of followers can take aim at a corporation. Jessica’s steps consist of:

1) Timing is everything: Large corporations close up in the evenings, and many are completely checked out on weekends. If you post something critical of them on a Friday evening, you have a two to three day head start on your buzz versus theirs.

2) Ask readers to take an action and report back: When you post about the evil corporation be sure to ask your readers to do something other than just read. Ask them to call or email (letter writing campaigns have gone the way of the brontosaurus).

3) Track and share the momentum: Set up a google alert. If you’re asking people to say #xyzstinks then you will want updates as quickly as possible so that you can support people who write #xyzstinks. As people are writing be sure to share it in public forums like Twitter, Stumbleupon, Facebook and Digg.

4) Go multimedia: Really, multimedia doesn’t mean internet, TV and radio. Multimedia (in our frame of reference) means text, audio and video. Post your message to your blog, to cinch, and to YouTube.

5) Get redundant: Stay on message and repeat it ad nauseum. I recognize that after a day or so it’s unlikely that you will care any longer, but stamina is everything. Constant blog posts in every blog you contribute to are key. Repeat steps one through four tirelessly.

As a PR professional, I recommend that companies pay attention to all of these steps but also take a closer look at step 1 –“Timing is everything.” Companies still naively think that if they have bad news that they are required to release they need to drop it on Fridays after the Stock Market closes. Depending on who you are and what you have to announce that just won’t fly anymore. You may think you are  pulling a fast one on the traditional press that follows your company but you won’t be pulling a fast one on the bloggers that work 24/7.  In addition, the tradional press may also spend the weekend digging up more to include in their story. And like Motrin, you might end up with quite a mess on your hands before the weekend even wraps up.

Maybe you might be thinking that since your company is B2B you don’t need to worry about a possible “groundswell” catching up to your company. Sure you want to bet on that? Jessica’s steps can be used just as easily to target B2B companies as easily as they can be used to target B2C companies.

If her first post gave you pause, then her second post “Six Tips for Brand Managers Who Might Be Afraid of Bloggers”  can serve as a road map to get your company moving. Gottlieb recommends:

1. Build Social Capital early and often: The best way to make sure you never have a big problem with bloggers is by participating in their discussions before the drama.

2. Do not hand social media over to interns: Interns are adorable, and I recognize that businesses need them for things like answering phones and fetching coffee. However, when your intern is in charge of your facebook page you’ve just handed the keys over to someone who was probably delivering pizza last month.

3. Monitor your brand round the clock: Small businesses do it, because they have to. You need to also. It doesn’t have to be one person, but at the barest minimum a google alert with YourBrandHere and boycott, sucks, or criminal as a keyword will keep you informed of a tempest brewing.

4. Respond truthfully: One big criticism of of the Motrin fiasco is that the apology wasn’t sincere (authentic).

5. Don’t participate if you don’t have the resources: Really. I honest to goodness recommend that brands stay out of social media if they aren’t going to make it part of their business. Do not set up a facebook page and then let it sit there. If you want to protect your name online buy your URL’s, take your twitter ID’s and just park them. Don’t invite a conversation you won’t show up for.

6. Just be yourself. Social media isn’t about your brand, it’s about you.

Building social capital is critical and without it you won’t be able to build a good relationship with the community your business needs. It doesn’t mean pushing out non stop information about your company and products. It means “listening” first to the discussions in the communities you are looking for a home in. It then means offering useful information to that community or better sharing the information of the other community members first.

I also “love” that tip # 2 recommends that companies not turn over social media to interns. In the last year I have heard a number of companies –including PR companies– either talk about their plan to turn “social media” over to an intern or who have already done it and it always leaves me aghast. Just because an intern has been on FaceBook longer than anyone over 25—and that is because it was originally a college only community– doesn’t mean they have the expertise of company, customer, products or the industry you are in.  Would you really send your intern in to close a deal with a potential customer you have been chasing for years or to represent you to the technology reporter you want so badly to cover your company? Then why would you do it in social media?

One other tip I would offer is “transparency”. Gottlieb mentions in tip #4 being authentic—truthful. It is also important to remember in social media that people don’t want to talk with a logo. They want to talk with a person. If you’re tweeting say who you are right up there in your profile. If you have to talk behind a logo try to persuade management to add your name on the Twitter page so your followers can more easily engage with you.

Read the full posts. They are excellent.

Still afraid?

Filed Under: FaceBook, How to, public relations, social media, twitter, YouTube Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Parents Countdown to College Coach to Detail What High School Juniors and Sophomores Need to Do Now for College Admission Success

September 19, 2010 By

Suzanne Shaffer, founder of Parents Countdown to College Coach, (http://www.parentscountdowntocollegecoach.com/) a web site dedicated to helping parents navigate the college maze by providing the right tools for organization and success, will provide parents and teens with a list of strategies they need to deploy to help ensure success with college admissions on #CollegeChat on Twitter on September 21, 2010 at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern, Theresa Smith, principal of Pathway Communications (http://pathwaypr.com)  and moderator of #CollegeChat announced today.

According to Shaffer, author of “Parents Countdown to College Toolkit”, by planning early college bound teens can get a leg up on the college process. During the upcoming live #TwitterChat, Shaffer ( http://twitter.com/SuzanneShaffer)  will address and help prioritize high school junior and sophomore’s action items including:

  • Tips for how teens can stay organized with college information
  • How to ensure teens are taking the right college preparatory classes
  • When should students start building a resume and why is it important
  • When should students first take the SAT or ACT
  • What tests should sophomores take
  • How long should students study for test
  • Should students take AP courses
  • When should students start visiting colleges
  • How early should students be looking into scholarships; what resources are available

For over ten years Shaffer has been coaching parents on the college journey and how to find the funds to finance that education. She has counseled parents in admissions, scholarships, financial aid, and the importance of early college preparation. Having been successful in guiding her children and many others to fulfill their dreams of college educations, she is committed to equipping other parents with the right tools necessary for them to become their own “parent coach”. With these tools they will be confident and prepared to guide their college-bound teen in the pursuit of their college dreams. Shaffer is the founder of the highly regarded site Parents Countdown to College Coach.

New to Twitter?

In order to participate in the chat, attendees will need to have a Twitter account.  To sign up for a Twitter account, go to http:// twitter.com. The easiest way to follow the chat is to use TweetChat (http://tweetchat.com). Simply log in to TweetChat with your Twitter information (email or username followed by password) and then enter in CollegeChat without the “#” and you will be placed into the chat room with only those participating in #CollegeChat. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and using TweetChat can be found at http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

Filed Under: CollegeChat, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Twitter Keeps Getting Better

September 18, 2010 By

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College Admissions Expert Provides High School Seniors with 8 Action Items to Help Ease the College Admissions Process

September 13, 2010 By

With Labor Day marking the un-official end to summer,  high school seniors are now back in school gearing up for what many students consider the grueling and stressful college admissions process. But according to Mark Montgomery, PhD, a college admissions expert and president of Montgomery Educational Consulting (http://greatcollegeadvice.com/), the college admissions process doesn’t need to be so stressful. On the last #CollegeChat, a live bi- monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter, Montgomery shared his tips on what students can do to prepare for college admissions.

“Even if high school seniors are busy, it’s not too late to get started. There is plenty of time to get everything done. Seniors just need to get organized,” said Montgomery.

Montgomery recommends the following tips to ease the college admission process.

Decide if you are going to take any more standardized tests. High school seniors need to quickly determine if they want or need to take the SAT, ACT, or SAT II subject tests. Both the SAT and ACT have only two test dates left to register for in 2010. More information about test dates can be found http://sat.collegeboard.com/register and http://www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html.

In addition, Montgomery recommends that students not take any of these tests more than three times. “I usually say three times and you’re out. For some students I tell them once is enough.” According to Akil Bello, (http://twitter.com/akilbello) the vice president of Educational Development for Bell Curves, “Kids who do it right take four to eight practice tests and one to two real tests.”

Students also should assess whether the SAT or ACT is best for them. Bello commented that the best way to choose between the SAT and ACT is to take a free practice test of each. For students that don’t test well no need to panic. Sharon McLaughlin (http://twitter.com/shashmc) , founder of McLaughlin Education  Consulting, pointed out that an increasing number of colleges are  test optional. A list of these schools can be found at http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional.

Don’t drop your challenging course work and keep up your grades. Senior year matters and students need to be careful about both keeping their grades up as well as not pulling any senior pranks that might negate their college acceptance letters.  “Seniors need to keep going all the way to the finish line. Don’t let up senior year and beware of senioritis. It can be detrimental to your future,” advised Montgomery.

Many colleges review the first semester of senior year transcripts before making their admission decision.  In addition, McLaughlin said, “Colleges will ask for the final high school transcript and have been known to revoke offer if student’s grades slipped.”

Matt Impink (http://twitter.com/goal2025) of the Lumina Foundation for Education,  remarked that keeping up challenging course work senior year is very important because “it’s about preparing for the rigor of college.”

Determine your EFC. EFC is expected family contribution. It is what the government says a family and student should pay based on family income and assets. The EFC is determined by the information a family reports on the FAFSA application http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm. FAFSA stands for free application for federal student aid. In order to be considered for any financial aid—even institution based scholarships—families must fill out this form.

There are two ways of calculating EFC: the government’s way via the FAFSA and the “institutional” way. According to Montgomery, the institutional way is basically how colleges tell students their price. No two institutions are exactly the same. “Colleges use the EFC as a starting point , then they decide how much they want you by lowering the price,” explained Montgomery.

“I think every family, once their child is in high school should obtain their preliminary EFC,” said Lynn O’Shaughnessy (http://twitter.com/collegeblogs), award winning college author and blogger.

CollegeBoard.com offers a free online EFC calculator at http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp?noload=Y and FinAid.com provides both a federal and instiutitonal calculator at http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml.

“It’s important to understand that EFC is only a starting point for schools. They can give money to whom they want,” said Russell Golowin, (http://twitter.com/Russell_Golowin), estate planning lawyer and financial aid adviser.

Go after schools where you are in the top quarter academically. If cost in an important factor “students should choose ones where you are at the top of the academic heap,” said Montgomery. “A reach college is rarely the best financial choice unless it’s one of the most wealthy and selective colleges.” Reach schools are schools that are probably out of reach for a student to be accepted to based on SAT scores and a student’s high school resume including their GPA and course work.

Janson Woodlee,( http://twitter.com/IvyEyesEditing) founder of  Ivy Eyes Editing, a writing and admissions consultancy,  added that  “Collegeresults.org is a great place to start by comparing graduation rates and other good data.” Students can also gather good information about colleges at http://www.collegeboard.com/.  At CollegeBoard.com students can search for colleges based on a number of factors including cost, location, and majors.

“I like to tell my students to think like Cinderella, let the suitors bring you gifts to attract you to their kingdoms,” said Montgomery.  And the most effective way of attracting colleges, is to be in the top quarter of admitted students reported SAT  and ACT scores as well as GPA. This information is readily available on college websites.

In an online post  “Ten College Planning Tips for Tough Economic Times” http://greatcollegeadvice.com/ten-college-planning-tips-for-tough-economic-times/ Montgomery wrote, “So if  Elmer Fudd College reports the middle 50% ACT range of 22 to 26, this means 25% of students scored lower than 22, and another 25% scored 27 or higher.   An applicant to Elmer Fudd College with an ACT of 29 has a much better chance of receiving a solid financial aid package than the applicant with a 22.”

Fine tune your college wish list and don’t eliminate schools with a high sticker price. Don’t eliminate expensive colleges from your list. Montgomery recommended that students keep in mind that the price of college is “like airline fares. Everyone is going the same place, but everyone on the plane is paying a different price.

O’Shaughnessy  recommends students use the Federal College Navigator website http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ and research a college’s Common Data Set to research the real price of a school. Recently, O’Shaughnessy wrote about how to research Common Data Set at http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/2010/09/02/common-data-set-101/. She also recommends Collegeboard.com for some quick stats such as average financial aid package and the ratio of loans to grants.

Understand what makes up financial aid.  Talk to your family about the college fund. Financial  aid includes grants, scholarships, loans and work study. “But I can’t really think of loans as financial aid. Loans are really just you paying the same amount later,” said Montgomery. “Colleges will brag about how much money they offer in “aid” but a big chunk of that “aid” is really loans.”  Obviously the most desirable forms of financial aid are grants, scholarships, discounts and work study—aid that does not need to be paid back.

In the event a student is not happy with their financial aid package it is possible to try to have it reviewed. However, Montgomery said, “Renegotiating aid can work, but only in some circumstances. The college has to really want you.”  O’Shaughnessy agreed, “Colleges will negotiate for the kids they want bad.  Those who barely got in will not get more generous aid.  And most elite colleges often don’t negotiate because their financial aid packages are generous to being with.”

However, in the event a family’s situation has changed financially due to a job loss or other reasons, a student should appeal to the financial aid office for a review recommended McLaughlin.

Montgomery also stresses the importance of a family sitting down and talking about how much money is in the family budget for college. “In tough economic times, students and parents need to think about their financial future.”

Make sure you understand the difference between Early Action versus Early Decision. If you apply to a college early decision it means if accepted you are “bound” to attend that college provided that the college provides an “adequate” financial aid package. A student can only apply to one college “early action” but may apply to other colleges through the regular admission process. If the student is accepted “early decision” all other college applications must be withdrawn. This means that a high school may only send the final transcript to the “early decision” school.

Montgomery explained that early decision means, “If you accept me, I promise to attend. The problem with early decision for financial aid is that it’s harder to get the lowest price when you promise to get married if he asks.”

Early action plans, while similar to early decision, are not binding. Students can also apply to more than one school early action. “Consider early decision or early action if you really don’t worry about financial aid and if you are positively in love with that school,” said Montgomery.

Finish by Halloween. Last but not least, Montgomery recommends to the students he advises to finish all their college applications by Halloween. Then, in order to meet this deadline, they just back up the timetable to accommodate this deadline. That means if you haven’t started your college essays and applications  you need to get started now.  Hopefully, you have already asked for your teacher recommendations. If not, politely request them now. After all, it’s six weeks to Halloween.

Filed Under: CollegeChat, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Graduate School Admission Expert to Share What College Students and Graduates Need to Know About Graduate School Admissions on #CollegeChat

August 31, 2010 By

Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School.
Creative Commons License photo credit: cliff1066™

Linda Abraham, a graduate school admissions expert and president of Accepted.com (http://www.accepted.com/ ), will provide college students and graduates with an overview of what they need to know about applying for and preparing for graduate school during #CollegeChat on Twitter on September 7, 2010 at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern, Theresa Smith, principal of Pathway Communications and moderator of #CollegeChat announced today.

Attending graduate school is a goal of many college graduates especially in a turbulent job market. Long term statistics show that this strategy may pay off. According to the Census Bureau, in 2008 college graduates between 25 and 29 with a master’s degree made on average $7,954 more annually than those with only a bachelor’s degree.

During the upcoming live #TwitterChat, Abraham  (http://twitter.com/accepted) will address questions on  how college students and graduates can best prepare including:

  • Does going to graduate school make sense financially
  • What are the differences between the graduate school admission process and the undergraduate admissions process
  • Should college students go directly to graduate school
  • What is a personal statement and why is it critical
  • Where are good places to start researching graduate programs, especially MBA, Law and Medical School
  • What steps should college students take during college to prepare for graduate school
  • How to finance graduate school, how much can be borrowed

Linda Abraham has been a leader in the admissions consulting field since 1994. Today her consultancy, Accepted.com, serves thousands of applicants each year through its web resources, information products, and premier advising and editing services. Abraham is also is a co-founder and first president of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC), the only organization dedicated exclusively to the field of private graduate admissions advising. Abraham has also written or co-authored 13 ebooks on the admissions process.

New to Twitter?

In order to participate in the chat, attendees will need to have a Twitter account.  To sign up for a Twitter account, go to http:// twitter.com. The easiest way to follow the chat is to use TweetChat (http://tweetchat.com). Simply log in to TweetChat with your Twitter information (email or username followed by password) and then enter in CollegeChat without the “#” and you will be placed into the chat room with only those participating in #CollegeChat. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and using TweetChat can be found at http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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HOMEBOY Industries Founder Father Gregory Boyle is Hoping for a Miracle

August 27, 2010 By

My daughter and I were 10 minutes late to Father Gregory Boyle’s book signing Tuesday night and were surprised to find a standing room only auditorium on a day that reached over 105 degrees outside. Fr. Boyle spent the next hour regaling the audience with stories about the “homeboys” he has been helping for the last 22 years in downtown Los Angeles.  Particularly moving was his recounting of his trip to Washington D.C. with three of his “homeboys” at the bequest of First Lady Laura Bush.

After visiting HOMEBOYS in LA, Mrs. Bush asked Fr. Boyle to speak at a conference in the nation’s capital and then to come with the invited homeboys to a White House dinner. Fr. Boyle described in great detail the difficulties of getting security checks through the Secret Service since all three homeboys were ex felons, he spoke of the difficulties of getting permission from the probation department, he described the pride the men showed when they were being fitted for suits, and he described amidst audience laughter the White House menu that included potatoes stuffed with caviar that one of the men found “nasty.” But perhaps most movingly, he spoke of the trip back home and how one of the homeboys brought a stewardess to tears when he told her of his adventure in Washington D.C. and she was able to see how far he had come as a man and not as a tattooed felon.

The mission of HOMEBOY Industries is to assist at-risk and formerly gang-involved youth to become positive and contributing members of society through job placement, training and education.  According to NPR, Homeboys is the largest gang intervention program in the country. But sadly in May, Fr. Boyle announced that the organization was another victim of the Great Recession and he had laid off his staff of 300 ex gang members and the organization was now struggling to survive.

Soon after the layoff announcement Boyle spoke with NPR.

“We hope that someone will rescue us,” Boyle said. “But maybe it won’t happen. Is there another place in the county of L.A. where people with records and with a gang past can go and jump-start their life? No, there isn’t.”

Boyle says the program’s successful Homeboy bakery, silk-screening and the Homegirl Cafe remain open for business. But with very little government funding and no major donations, there’s simply no money for services. After Boyle announced the layoffs, many of his workers vowed to stay on as volunteers.

“I couldn’t get from my car to here without people hugging me and [saying] we’re staying, we’re not going anywhere, you don’t have to pay us,” Boyle said. “But they can’t do this forever. … We’re probably in denial a little bit, but we’re hoping … the fat lady hasn’t sung yet.”

At the end of Tuesday’s talk it didn’t appear that many in the audience wanted to leave including us. Attendees stood in a long line that wrapped around the room for a chance to say hello to Boyle and have him sign a copy of his  book “Tattoos on the Heart”.

Tonight Fr. Boyle will be at another book signing at Our Lady of Malibu at 7:30 pm.  If you can’t make it, you can view a schedule of his appearances at the HOMEBOY Industries website. My daughter and I are going to try to be early this time so we don’t miss the first minutes of his address.

Filed Under: books, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

7 Practical Tips on How College Students Can Save Thousands on College

August 13, 2010 By

As college students head back to college, many families are struggling with how they are going to meet their college education costs. During a recent session on #CollegeChat on Twitter, Kathy Kristof, (http://twitter.com/kathykristof ) a nationally syndicated personal financial columnist and author of  “Investing 101”, shared a number of tips that can help college students  shave thousands of dollars  off their education expenses.

Check the graduation rate. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you know what the school’s graduation rate is recommends Kristoff.  “Tuition money is wasted if you don’t graduate and some schools graduate only a few of those who start,” said Kristof. “Private trade schools are notorious for this and they charge as much as prestigious private schools.”

Go to College Navigator, a site operated by the Department of Education, at http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ and look up graduation rates by school.

Make sure to claim your AP credits. Many students neglect to check to see if their Advanced Placement (AP) classes will transfer. Some colleges set deadlines on how long students have to claim these credits. Remember, the $86 students paid to take an AP test can save you thousands in college tuition. As Sharon McLaughlin (http://twitter.com/shashmc) , founder of McLaughlin Education  Consulting, pointed out, “Any course you can be exempt from via AP credit or CLEP will save you the tuition for the course.”

In addition, students who received scores of 3 or higher on at least three AP exams should check with their college to see if they have sophomore standing. If you have sophomore standing and attend a public university you may have saved yourself at least $6,585, the average tuition and fees at a four year public university according to 2008 Trends in College Pricing from the College Board. Students can check out www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy to see if your AP score may have earned you college credit.

Consider attending Junior College—even for just summer school.  “Junior colleges are the best bargain in education,” Kristof explained. “One year at Pasadena City College costs $600 versus $30,000 at a private four year college. In addition, a kid who can’t get into the school he wants straight out of high school can go to a junior college, get a B average and go almost anywhere in two years.”

Grayson Page ( http://twitter.com/g_page ) recommends that students “look at transfer agreements outlined by four year colleges, check the amount charge per credit hour, check College Navigator for completion rates, and register early.”

If enrolled at a four year college, students should consider attending a junior college for summer school. By attending summer school, students can potentially save hundreds if not thousands off their college expenses. Just make sure to take the description of the course(s) you are considering to your college advisor to make sure they will accept the credits.

Look for textbooks online. By buying books online, students can potentially save up to 75% of the list price of new textbook, and with textbooks on average approaching $1000 per year for students that can be quite a savings. The best deals are on used textbooks. Comparison shopping sites like http://bigwords.com/ and http://BestBookBuys.com can compare prices at multiple online stores instantly including on the cost of renting textbooks. Kristof also recommends that students look into borrowing their textbooks at the college library or even the local public library as well as swapping books with friends.

Sign up for Skype. By having Skype, students can have an online video chat for free, even internationally, if both people on the “call” are online. Most dorms do not have land lines anymore.  If Skype isn’t for you, there are a number of other video chat options. Akil Bello, (http://twitter.com/akilbello) the vice president of Educational Development for Bell Curves, commented that all the “IM programs now have some form of video chat.”

Tauhid Chappell (http://twitter.com/TauhidChappell), a junior at Virginia Tech, also recommends that students get an unlimited text plan for their cell phone service.

Limit Meal Plans. Meal plans can be very expensive and many students won’t use a full meal plan. Suzanne Shaffer (http://twitter.com/SuzanneShaffer) founder of Parents Countdown to College, advised that families “never buy the full meal plan. They won’t use it.”

Kristof recommends that students invest in a fridge for their rooms and stock it with healthy foods. With a fridge, students can forego trips to the cafeteria for some of their meals and get by on a less expensive meal plan. Students may also be able to “work for food” either in the cafeteria or possibly as “hashers” for sororities. Kristof also mentioned that students check out http://groupon.com/ for the best dining deals.

Chandra Robrock ( http://twitter.com/FSUfashiongirl) , a full time college student and part time fashion blogger, suggested  that college students sign up for Twitter and look for deals from their favorite eateries. She also recommended that students know what restaurants offer discounts or specials to college students. “The best way to find out about deals is to check their website directly and sometimes there is a coupon you can print out,” said Robrock.

Be careful with borrowing.  If you need to take out a loan to pay for college, Kristof recommends that students take out federal loans and only up to the point where the federal loans max out. According to Kristof, “Private loans should be used sparingly if at all. To check them out go to http://www.finaid.org/. Borrowing—particularly private borrowing—should be a last resort.”

However, if you have run out of options and still need to consider a private loan, McLaughlin recommends that undergraduates check with http://www.studentchoice.org/ , a provider of private student lending services to credit unions.

Kathy Kristof is an award winning syndicated financial columnist and author of three books “Investing 101”, “Taming the Tuition Tiger: Getting the Money to Graduate”, and “Kathy Kristof’s Complete Book of Dollar and Sense”.  She writes about an array of financial issues, ranging from the impact of legislation to taxes to credit card and financial planning. Nearly 40 million people in more than 50 major newspapers nationwide read her columns, including the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune. Kristof also writes the “Devil in the Details” column for CBS MoneyWatch. In addition to writing, Kristof is a frequent lecturer at investment conferences and has also appeared on a variety of radio and television news broadcasts.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi- monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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8 Facts About College Athletics and Scholarships: What Every High School Athlete Needs to Know

August 9, 2010 By

Over the next few weeks, 400,000 US college athletes will head back to their campuses to begin another year of college sports. But what most parents and high school athletes don’t realize, according to Karen Weaver, EdD, director of Athletics for Penn State University-Abington and a TV color analyst for CBS College Sports and Big Ten Network, is that there is 22 times more academic aid available than athletic scholarships and Olympic sports scholarships usually are in the $3,000-$5,000 per year range. Only two percent of high school athletes receive an athletic scholarship and only one third of college athletes have an athletic scholarship.

During the latest edition of #CollegeChat via Twitter, Weaver (http://twitter.com//collegeathlete ) and other college professionals and students discussed facts about college athletics. “I’m afraid that most club coaches are selling parents a bill of goods in chasing after an athletic scholarship,” Weaver said. “There can be a lot more availability of academic aid for college athletes at Division III schools which tend to be small private colleges. Aspiring college athletes need to ask themselves what are their priorities?”

Weaver outlined the following facts about college athletics and recruiting during #CollegeChat (http://twitter.com/collegechat):

Fact 1: Four Year Full Ride Athletic Scholarships are a Myth

Contrary to what parents and high school athletes believe, guaranteed four year full ride scholarships are a myth. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) stipulates that athletic scholarships are good for one year at a time and are potentially renewable at the coach’s discretion. Coaches that promise full ride 4 year scholarships are not telling the truth. In addition, if an athlete is injured the athlete may lose their scholarship.

Fact 2: Forget Studying Abroad or Participating in Internships in Most DI Programs

According to Weaver, in most DI programs it is very unlikely that athletes will be able to participate in studying abroad or working in internships. However, in DII and DIII it is more likely that athletes can participate in studying abroad and internships as well as other campus extracurricular activities.

Fact 3: College Sports May Leave Little Time to Study

Generally, when college athletes are “in season” they may spend 15 to 30 hours per week training and playing in games. In addition, they will also be spending a significant amount of time traveling to games. Therefore, when high school athletes are comparing different colleges, it is extremely important that they find out from other players how much time is required to devote to their sport. Make sure to ask about practice time, weight training time, and travel schedule as well as off season training.

Fact 4: Hiring an Athletic Recruiter Can Be a Waste of Money

According to Weaver, “I am not a fan of most recruiting services. Most coaches do not like the interference.” Instead, Weaver recommends that parents and aspiring college athletes do the work themselves. One place to start is Weaver’s website at http: http://www.intelligentrecruiting.org/ . On the “Resource” link page http://www.intelligentrecruiting.org/resources.html parent and athletes will find an exhaustive list of resources they can utilize to learn more about the recruiting process. High School athletes and parents should also download and read through the NCAA’s “2010-2011 Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete” available at http://www.ncaapublications.com/p-3950-2010-2011-guide-for-the-college-bound-student-athlete.aspx

Weaver recommends that parents or high school students make the first contact with a coach via email explaining why the student athlete is interested in that college. The email could also include a link to the student athlete’s highlight footage on YouTube. Coaches are also interested in a student athlete’s scholastic record including GPA, SAT or ACT scores, AP classes and any academic and athletic awards.

Fact 5: College Coaches start building files on 9th graders and on 7th graders for basketball

If a budding athlete is interested in playing Division I especially, they or their parents need to make contact with college programs they are interested in as early as 7th grade for basketball or by the end of 9th grade. Weaver recommends that parents take the helm of the initial phone contact between coach and athlete but need to turn this over to the high school athlete by the time they become a junior. After all, it is very important for the coach to get to know an athlete and the one thing all coaches don’t want is a helicopter parent.

Truth 6: You Don’t Need to Hire a Professional Videographer to Capture Your Highlights

Save your money and upload your athletic highlights to YouTube recommends Weaver. Coaches don’t want to search through DVDs of recruits when they can simply go online and see the latest clips of an athlete on YouTube.

Fact 7: High School Athletes Must take the SAT or ACT and Meet All Academic Eligibility Requirements

The NCAA spells out in detail the academic requirements for DI and DII athletes at http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/student-athlete+experience/becoming+a+student-athlete/division+i+toolkit

But these guidelines should be used only as a starting point for athletes. Athletes that are interested in competing at more academically rigorous colleges, or at colleges that demand higher academic achievement by athletes for admission, need to make sure they are satisfying the academic requirements of those colleges and not just the NCAA. After all, the NCAA and the coach don’t admit an athlete to a college, the Admissions Department does.

Fact 8: College Coaches Send Out Hundreds of Recruiting Letters

Although getting a letter from a college coach can be very exciting and encouraging, aspiring athletes need to keep in mind that coaches send out hundreds of letters like this every year. If a student doesn’t have the necessary grades, they will be dropped from the coach’s list.  In addition, if your athlete is interested in a particular college that has seen them play either in person or via YouTube, they should ask the coach for an honest assessment of the athlete’s chances of making their team. “If you don’t get a straight answer, that should tell you something,” Weaver said.

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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2010 College Graduates: How to Land your First Job via CollegeChat

July 1, 2010 By

While the job market for the 2.4 million college graduates of the class of 2010 remains torturous, there are a number of strategies graduates can utilize to increase their chances of landing their first job according to Kathryn Marion, a columnist covering the college-to-career transition and author of  “Grads: Take Charge of your First Year after College”.  During the June 29, 2010 edition of #CollegeChat via Twitter, Marion (http://twitter.com/tips4grads ) and other college professionals discussed tips for graduates to help secure their first job.

“The first thing any job seeker should do to begin their job hunt is to know thy self,” said Marion. “When thinking about where you want to go in your career, start at the end, the long term. Work backward and figure out what will get you there. Part of knowing thy self is to truly understand what your values and priorities are.”

Marion recommends the following tips for college graduates:

  • Don’t limit your job search. Cast a wide net and use a number of resources including alumni networks, your alma mater’s career services center, on-campus networks, online job boards, and professors. Megan Wilson, (http://twitter.com/megs0124 ) an Admission counselor at Western Carolina University added, “Students should also make use of their college Career Services office. They can help with leads or even resume and interview tips.”
  • Make sure your online reputation is fiercely protected. One of the first things potential employers will do when you apply for a job is to search for more information about you online. Search your name on Google and see what comes up. Clean up your Facebook posts and photos and register your name (as well as different variations and misspellings of it) as domains. Consider setting up a simple website for free where you can create a main hub of information about yourself.  A good resource to use for protecting your online reputation online and for improving important career skills is http://betterthanaresume.com/ .

“I really started the blog to share the frustrations that all of us graduates face when beginning the grueling search for not only the “perfect” job but just a job in general,” said Corcoran. “I have toyed with the idea of simply attempting to get a waitressing job just to hold me over financially until a job in the real world comes along. This process is a complete and utter emotional roller coaster. The point of the blog is not for employers to sympathize with me or offer me a job, but its purpose is to relay elements of my story, and eventually others’ stories, to let grads know we are all in the same boat here.”

  • Network effectively and play often. In order to network effectively, graduates need to join groups which align with your field of work or passions and give as much as possible. Graduates need to have professional profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Graduates should also invest in some business cards with your personal contact information and links to your professional domain. Marion recommends graduates use http://www.meetup.com to find local groups of people who share your passions and career interests. Another good place for networking, according to Sharon McLaughlin, (http://twitter.com/shashmc ) founder of McLaughlin Education Consulting, “is your local Chamber of Commerce. You can attend events without joining the group.”
  • Dress for success. Invest in your professional wardrobe. According to Marion, it is more important now than ever to invest in a professional wardrobe in order to be taken seriously in the job market. Marion recommends job seekers read the book, “Inspired Style!”  http://dld.bz/jdC9 . Fuji Fulguras, (http://twitter.com/campusbound ) a college counselor with Campus Bound, added, “Why is it important to invest in a professional wardrobe? You do not get a second chance to make a good first impression.”
  • Build a personal board of directors. Mentors can be temporary or longer-term; they can help with one task, such as reviewing your resume, or they can be a sounding board for your ideas and concerns. Don’t limit yourself to just one mentor, but create a valuable support group that will help you through all the phases of your job search and career development.
  • Consider an internship. Internships are not just for undergraduate students anymore “Don’t wait for a listing to pop up somewhere. Check the employers directly that you are interested in working for,” said McLaughlin.

“The more internships a student does can help define things the student does not want to do as well as would like to do professionally,” said Fulguras.

Hopefully, the graduate already has an internship under his or her belt before graduation. According to Akil Bello, (http://twitter.com/akilbello) the vice president of Educational Development for Bell Curves, “College students should do internships every summer.”

  • Write down your goals. According to Marion, studies have shown that those people who take the time to think about what they want to accomplish in their lives, write them down, and put that list in a visible place so it’s always foremost in their mind, are the ones who are exponentially more likely to reach their desired goals.
  • Remember that first jobs don’t dictate your entire career path. After you get your first job, remember to continue to network, to interview people for information about what they do, job shadow, and discover a way to align your paid work with what excites you.

Kathryn Marion is the award-winning author of the career and life skills book, “GRADS: TAKE CHARGE of Your First Year After College!”, and a columnist on Examiner.com covering the college-to-career transition and life after college in general. She coaches college students and young professionals on career planning, job search, and life skill concerns, and helps people in all walks and stages of life get published. Kathryn is also the editor of the book series, “The Smartest Thing I ever Did…” The print edition of GRADS: TAKE CHARGE of Your First Year After College! Is available through major online retailers and discounters; the e-book edition is available through www.QwikSmarts.com.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition should be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat either via http://Twitter.com/collegechat or by entering questions online at the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat.

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Award-Winning Career Author to Provide New College Graduates with Tips on How to Take Charge of their Careers on Twitter #CollegeChat

June 22, 2010 By

Kathryn Marion, an award-winning career author and columnist covering the college-to-career transition, will discuss tips for college students and new graduates from her book “Grads: Take Charge of your First Year after College” during the next edition of  #CollegeChat on Twitter on June 29, 2010 at 6 pm Pacific/ 9 pm Eastern, Theresa Smith, principal of Pathway Communications and moderator of #CollegeChat announced today.

With college graduates facing a tough job market for the foreseeable future, Kathryn will discuss during the live Twitter #CollegeChat how both college graduates and students can better their chances of landing their first job post graduation.  Kathryn will also respond to attendees’ questions during the chat. Kathryn’s tips for college graduates to increase their odds of securing their first job include:

  • Fiercely protect your good name and reputation. Clean up your online presence.
  • Improve your writing and speaking skills. Start a blog.
  • Play the networking game properly. To play properly, build profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
  • Learn how to manage your time.
  • Build a personal board of directors. Create a valuable support group who will help you through all the phases of your job search and career development.
  • Remember first jobs don’t dictate your entire career path. Continue to network, to interview people for information, and to job shadow.

Kathryn Marion is the award-winning author of the career and life skills book, “GRADS: TAKE CHARGE of Your First Year After College!”, and a columnist on Examiner.com covering the college-to-career transition and life after college in general. She coaches college students and young professionals on career planning, job search, and life skill concerns, and helps people in all walks and stages of life get published. Kathryn is also the editor of the book series, “The Smartest Thing I ever Did…” The print edition of GRADS: TAKE CHARGE of Your First Year After College! Is available through major online retailers and discounters; the e-book edition is available through www.QwikSmarts.com.

New to Twitter?

In order to participate in the chat, attendees will need to have a Twitter account.  To sign up for a Twitter account, go to http:// twitter.com. The easiest way to follow the chat is to use TweetChat (http://tweetchat.com). Simply log in to TweetChat with your Twitter information (email or username followed by password) and then enter in CollegeChat without the “#” and you will be placed into the chat room with only those participating in #CollegeChat. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and using TweetChat can be found at http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .

#CollegeChat is a live monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. Questions for each #CollegeChat edition can be sent to Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat via http://Twitter.com/collegechat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page at http://ht.ly/1XIqV , or by email. CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

Filed Under: CollegeChat, How to, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,
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