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How to Decide Which College to Attend on April 19th #CollegeChat

April 18, 2011 By


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College and graduate school admissions expert Janson Woodlee will provide tips for college bound students to consider for making their final college selection during #CollegeChat on Twitter Monday, April 4, 2011 at 9 p.m. EST. Woodlee is also one of the founders of Ivy Eyes Editing, a writing and admissions consultancy founded by Yale graduates.

During #CollegeChat, Woodlee  http://twitter.com/#!/ivyeyesediting will discuss with attendees:

  • Do wait lists benefit the students or the admissions offices? What are the chances this will be effective?
  • Can being on a waitlist affect your financial aid chances if admitted?
  • Why is it important to consider graduation rates?
  • How important should college rankings be in your final decision?
  • Should you consider being deferred for a year or two from your top pick or is it time to move on?
  • Is it ethical to give more than one school a deposit? Are you risking any consequences?
  • How much should you be willing to go into debt as an undergraduate?
  • What if you didn’t get into your dream school?  Should you go to a junior college and then reapply?
  • How do you get excited about a college that wasn’t one of your top picks?

Woodlee graduated from Yale University with a BA in music, with heavy emphasis on coursework within the cognitive science discipline. After graduation, he worked with Katzenbach Partners LLC (now part of Booz), an organizational and management consulting firm in New York City. At Katzenbach, he found ways to leverage his skills as an editor within the recruiting function and business development. After working with several premiere online editing and admissions consulting services, he launched Ivy Eyes Editing a company that prides itself on true client collaboration, authentic writing couched in admissions expertise, and intellectual challenge.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. PST/ 9 p.m. EST. 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. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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7 Things You Must Understand About Your Financial Aid Offer

April 11, 2011 By

Triton Pride
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May 1 is the deadline date for college bound high school seniors and their parents to decide which college acceptance offer to select. And according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and FastWeb.com and author of the new e-book “Secrets to Winning a Scholarship, for many families one of the most crucial deciding factors will come down to financial aid.

Kantrowitz recommends that parents and students need to carefully review their often complicated and confusing financial aid offers so they don’t make costly mistakes when deciding on which college to select. According to Kantrowitz many colleges try to purposefully complicate their financial aid offers for competitive reasons and to make their financial aid award offers appear more generous. Simply put, “It’s marketing. Partly to convince you to go to college, this college,” he explained. “I often hear from families who think they got a free ride, but the award letter includes a $10,000 PLUS loan.”

In order to understand what is being offered in the financial aid letter, Kantrowitz recommends the following steps:

  • Calculate the total out-of-pocket costs, the difference between total cost of attendance and total gift aid (grants and scholarships).

The total cost of attendance includes tuition, required fees, room and board, transportation, supplies, textbooks, health insurance, and personal expenses. The total gift aid includes grants, scholarships, tuition and or housing waivers. Essentially, gift aid is aid that does not get repaid. To arrive at the out-of-pocket cost subtract the gift aid from the total cost of attendance. The total out-of-pocket costs are the amount the family must earn, pay or borrow to cover all the costs.

In all likelihood you will need to hunt down all of the cost data since one third of colleges do not list all the costs in their award letters.

  • Contrast gift aid with loans, which have to be paid usually with interest.

According to Kantrowitz, financial aid award letters are often very confusing to decipher between what is gift aid and what are loans. Most colleges do not detail interest rates, fees, payments and total loan cost in the financial aid award letter. In addition, many colleges include non-need based loans on the award letter. You don’t need to accept these loans and can also accept a lower amount. Make sure you understand the terms of the loan and how much interest is charged.  If it is not spelled out in the award letter then you will need to contact the financial aid office and ask.

  • Contrast total out-of-pocket costs with net costs.

Net cost is the difference between total out-of-pocket costs and financial aid including loans.

  • Ignore work study awards when calculating your financial aid package.

Work study jobs can be hard to find. It is often difficult to work the full hours. Moreover, there is no guarantee that a student will be able to get a work study job even if it is in the award letter. Some colleges assume that some students will not work the work study jobs so the colleges in turn award these jobs to more students than there are jobs.

  • Find out if the college you are considering front-loads their grants and scholarships.

Front loading means higher grants and scholarships the first year, lower amounts in subsequent years. Specifically, college bound students have to ask the college if they front-load their grants and scholarships. “The goal of front-loading is to reduce the debt of students who drop out but it also makes the college look more generous,” explained Kantrowitz. “It is very important to know if the college front-loads grants since it can increase costs a lot the following years.”

  • Understand how private scholarships affect financial aid awards.

Winning an outside scholarship will reduce a need-based financial aid package. Each college has a policy on how they handle private scholarships. Each college has the flexibility to choose to replace loans, work study or grants. The outside scholarship policy isn’t always in the award letter. You may have to call the financial aid office and ask or look on the college’s web site.

The best option for the student is for the private scholarship to reduce loans and work burden. “But in most cases, outside scholarships reduce college’s aid, not federal aid. So don’t blame the feds for the college’s policy,” said Kantrowitz.

  • Research what the projected cumulative debt will be at graduation.

Kantrowitz recommends that the total education debt at graduation should be less than the expected starting salary or difficulty repaying loans. “If there is more than $10,000 per year in projected debt, consider a less expensive college.”

The number one reason for dropping out of college is money problems. But, by understanding all of the elements that make up your financial aid package from each college and then comparing them, students and families will be in a much stronger position to select a college that they can afford.

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Transcript to Financial Aid Offer Letter #CollegeChat

April 5, 2011 By

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What is #CollegeChat

March 29, 2011 By

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. PST/ 9 p.m. EST. The chats are intended to help students navigate the college admission process; succeed in college life including course work, majors and internships; provide information and insight on graduate school; and provide expert advice on securing careers after graduation.

The first #CollegeChat was held on June 1, 2010 with Amazon bestselling author and higher-education journalist Lynn O’Shaughnessy regarding her book Shrinking the Cost of College: 152 Ways to Cut the Price of a Bachelor’s Degree. Subsequent chats have included authors, college to career experts, athletic director, graduate school admissions counselor, and admissions counselors. A full listing and description of #CollegeChat editions can be found at http://pathwaypr.com/tag/collegechat.

If you have a guest or topic suggestion or any other questions please contact Theresa Smith, the moderator of #CollegeChat on Twitter @CollegeChat , by entering questions online on the CollegeChat Facebook page, or by email. You cal also leave your suggestion in the comment setion below.

More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #CollegeChat can be found at http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .

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7 Things to Know before You Embark on Your First College Visit

March 23, 2011 By

Duke Chapel 2009 Creative Commons
Creative Commons License photo credit: Ivy Dawned

Over the next month thousands of high school students will descend upon colleges across the country for official college visits. For high school seniors it will undoubtedly be the last time they visit their top picks before making their final decision. But, for many sophomores and juniors it will be the first time they visit colleges.

To make the most of their visits, Kelly Queijo, founder of Smart College Visit, Inc. and publisher of SmartCollegeVisit.com, recommended the following tips for high school students and their parents during #CollegeChat.

1. Plan on visiting colleges in earnest by your junior year of high school. According to Queijo most high school students start visiting colleges in the fall and spring of their senior year. But Queijo recommends that families consider informal visits to colleges earlier if their students are interested.

“Many families start the visits even earlier working them into drive throughs or informal visits while on business or on family vacations,” Queijo explained.  “Walking tours of campus, formal or on your own is good exposure for younger teens but sitting though formal presentations may be too soon.”

Sharon McLaughlin, founder of McLaughlin Education Consulting, recommends that students start their formal visits even earlier. McLaughlin recommends that rising juniors have their preliminary list of colleges ready by June so they can start their visits in the summer before their junior year begins. Suzanne Shaffer, founder of ParentsCountdowntocollegecoach.com, agreed. “I say start preliminary visits sophomore year, narrowing your schools down. Then hit it hard the spring of junior year.”

2. Visit colleges when classes are in session. Ideally, students should plan their visits based on the college calendar and not on the high school calendar. While it may be most convenient to visit a school during the college’s spring break, the high school student will not get an accurate picture of the college then.

“Sign up for visits online and call the admissions office to arrange your visit,” says Jeannie Borin, founder of College Connections.  Once at the college, students should make a point to sign in at the Admissions Office recommended Angela Quitadamo. Sign in, admissions track visits.”

Parents also need to “let the students do the talking” advised Jennifer Cohen, president of Word-Nerd.com. “Parents should not dominate the information sessions and tours. I hated it when kids felt like they couldn’t get a word in.”

Queijo advised that students visit the college that they are most interested in last. “I learned of this tip from Eric Yaverbaum’s book, “Life’s Little College Admissions Insights: Top Tips from the Country’s Most Acclaimed Guidance Counselors”. It makes sense that saving the best for last will help a student better evaluate if the best really is the best college. You will have a better frame of reference then,” she said.

3. Go beyond the official college tour to get the real picture. Queijo recommends that high school students “talk with current students for the inside track. Ask them “What don’t you like about your school?”

“Official tours are good, but remember these students love the school. You may not hear legitimate criticism,” said Cohen. Jonathan Hoster, from the Admissions Office of Syracuse University, concurred adding that after getting credit for visiting, students should “venture out on their own after the formal tour. Sneak into the back of a class.”

“Find the center of campus, sit down and observe for at least 30 minutes,” advised Borin. “See who walks by and whether you can relate.” Borin suggested that students take a camera and notebook to their visit. She noted that many students forget where they saw what when visiting many colleges over a period of time. She also recommended that students visit departments of interest if possible.

Kelly Rivard, a college student majoring in interactive media studies, went on two college visits at the college she is attending.  “I made two trips to my school. One an individual tour and one on a group tour. The individual tour made the difference.”

4.     Remember to apply the 2-2-2 rule. According to Queijo, the 2-2-2 rule comes from Dr. Richard E. Bavaria, senior vice president for education outreach at Sylvan Learning. The rule means visit no more than 2 schools in 1 day, ask 2 questions, and make sure to talk with 2 students or 2 professors. The 2-2-2 rule keeps the college visit process simple, consistent, and engaging with each school.

5.     Search online for travel deals in advance of your visit. One of the first online sites to check for travel deals is the web site of the college you are interested in visiting. Many times the college itself will be able point visitors to discount on travel. SmartCollegeVisit.com provides travel deals through the web sites travel planning tools.

6.     Try to schedule an overnight campus visit. One of the best ways to see and experience a college is through an overnight visit in the dorm. These visits vary from school to school and the best way to arrange them is directly through the Admissions Office reported Queijo. Generally, most schools recommend students contact the Admissions Office two weeks before a student would like to visit.

7.     Go online if you can’t go in person. Thanks to technology including video tours, virtual tours and fairs like CollegeWeekLive, students now have a multitude of options to explore campuses even if they can’t go in person Queijo explained. CollegeWeekLive is the world’s largest college fair and is supported by the US Department of Education.  CollegeWeekLive Spring is from March 23-24, 2011 with other events planned for the rest of the year.

“Visit colleges nearby if you can’t travel far,” advised Borin. “It’s good for students to see what they like and what they don’t like.” By visiting a college of a similar size students can get an appreciation of what that size of school feels like to them.

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Next #CollegeChat: How to Plan an Effective and Economical College Visit

March 11, 2011 By

Memorial Union
Creative Commons License photo credit: Vironevaeh

Z. Kelly Queijo, founder of Smart College Visit, Inc. and  publisher of SmartCollegeVisit.com, will discuss how to plan an effective and economical college visit for college bound high school students on  the March 15, 2011 #CollegeChat on Twitter  at 9 p.m. Eastern.

During #CollegeChat, Queijo (http://twitter.com/#!/collegevisit) will discuss with attendees:

  • When should high school students ideally begin their college visits
  • When is the best time to visit a college
  • Where can parents find the best deals on travel for college visits
  • How do you go beyond the official college tour
  • What is the 2-2-2 rule and why is it important
  • Are overnight visits on campus just for accepted students and how do you arrange
  • If the school you want to visit is too expensive to travel to what other options do you have to “visit”
  • How much credibility should you give the “official college led tour”

Queijo is a working-writer-turned-entrepreneur, recovering helicopter parent, and higher-ed marketing and public relations professional. She has taken her 16 years of experience working in, or with, college and universities and focused her attention on helping families navigate the fascinating journey of the college-bound. Queijo is also the host of #CampusChat, a Twitter chat on all things college: campus visits, college admissions and college life.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Pacific/ 9 p.m. Eastern. 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. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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8 Steps to Land Your Dream Internship

March 7, 2011 By

the red door
Creative Commons License photo credit: marfis75

In less than three months college students across the country will begin their summer internships which will likely be a boon for their future employment opportunities.  According to National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 70 % of those who intern are offered full time employment either by the company or through their network.

If you haven’t started looking for your summer internship, now is the time to get cracking according to Emily Bennington, founder of Professional Studio 365 and author of  “Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job”.  During a recent #Collegechat, Bennington recommended the following steps to students to land their dream internships.

Start early. Students should start their search for an internship at least two to three months before they would like to begin. So, if you are interested in having an internship beginning in June, you need to start looking by March.

Make a list. Students should start with their dream companies and expand from there. Bennington recommends students have at least 25 companies on their initial list. Mark Babbit, CEO of Youtern,  added, “Once you have a list of dream companies, check out their competitors. Their competitors may be more dynamic and welcoming.”

Identify target internships. According to Bennington, the Internet is a great place for students to research internships. Bennington recommends students check out Intern Queen,  an online internship destination that helps students find and apply for internships while also educating them on how to make the most of their experiences. Bennington also recommends that students check out Internships.com, which describes itself as the world’s largest marketplace for internships. Interested in a social media internship? Internships.com lists 3651 available internships in social media alone including one with Charlie Sheen. Youtern is another resource that according to Babbitt, ”Focuses on mentor-based internships where those entering the workforce contribute right away.”

Twitter is another great social media source for looking for both jobs and internships according to Bennington. She recommends students check k out the tweets of http://twitter.com/#!/jobhuntorg.  Job-hunt.org maintains a list of the “Top 50 Employers Recruiting on Twitter” at http://www.job-hunt.org/job-search-news/2009/06/09/top-50-employers-recruiting-on-twitter/.  MonsterCollege –http://twitter.com/#!/monstercollege – is another great resource on Twitter and at http://college.monster.com/education for both college students looking for internships as well as graduates looking for jobs.

Students should also look for internships through their own personal networks including family, friends, and social media contacts including those on LinkedIn. And last but not least, don’t forget to utilize your college’s Alumni network in your search. After all, they have been there and done that.

Take an internship predictor test. For students not sure what kind of internship to look for, check out the free internship predictor application at http://www.internships.com/predictor. Students should also be able to take a career assessment test at their college’s career services office.

Make sure internship is legitimate. Try to find other students who have done the internship before you and ask them about their experience. Also, look up the company that you are interested in with the Better Business Bureau. According to Bennington, a legitimate internship should have learning objectives and be part of a formal program.  InternshipRatings.com and InternshipKing.com both offer ratings of internships.

Beware of “premium” And “u-pay internships.” Students should be very careful about “u-pay” and “premium” internships Bennington warned. “It’s best if the internships comes through the school.”

Some of these all-inclusive oversea internships, according to Babbit, CEO  of YouTern, cost $5000 to $10,000, and although many parents may be willing to pay for them,  are not necessary.

Open a LinkedIn account. Ideally, college students should have a LinkedIn account long before they start looking for an internship explained Bennington. “High school isn’t too early for a LinkedIn profile either,” said Bennington. “Fill it up with volunteer work and get a head start.”

Outshine the other applicants. The first step to outshine other applicants and to get your foot in the door for an interview, is to have a well thought  out and well written resume. “The best resumes showcase accomplishments and not just responsibilities,” said Bennington.

The next step is to do the research on the company you are interviewing with. Go to LinkedIn and learn as much as you can about the person interviewing you as well as the company. “Company research is so important,” said Bennington. “I am always surprised at how many candidates don’t know the basics.”

The final step actually begins after the student starts the internship. Bennington recommends that interns email their bosses weekly with a list of accomplishments, areas for input, and goals for the week ahead.  This final step will not only help you stand out during your internship, but will help position you for your next internship or job after graduation.

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

Social Media Scholar to Discuss Using Twitter to Improve College Student Engagement and Grades

February 26, 2011 By

Twitter escultura de arena
Creative Commons License photo credit: Rosaura Ochoa

Dr. Rey Junco, a social media scholar and associate professor at Lock Haven University, will discuss how to use Twitter to improve college student engagement and grades during  #CollegeChat on Twitter on March 1,  2011 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

During #CollegeChat, Junco (http://twitter.com/reyjunco) will discuss findings from a recent study he co-authored “The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades” with attendees including:

  • Does Twitter encourage cooperation among students
  • Does  Twitter improve contact between students and faculty
  • Whether Twitter promotes active learning and why is this important
  • Can Twitter help build a strong learning community
  • How does using Twitter show a respect for diversity

Junco investigates the impact of emerging technologies on college students. His investigations concentrate on how social media affect student psychosocial development, engagement, and success. His research has focused on informing best practices in technology use with students in the areas of advising, student affairs, and teaching. Through research findings, Rey has shown that technology, especially social media like Facebook and Twitter, can be repurposed in order to improve educational outcomes. He is especially interested in examining the digital divide– differences in the ownership and use of technology by members of underrepresented groups.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Pacific/ 9 p.m. Eastern. 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. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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

College-to-Career Expert to Discuss on #CollegeChat: How to Find and Get the Right Internships

February 10, 2011 By

Emily Bennington, Founder of Professional Studio 365 and author of  Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job, will discuss what college students need to do to find the right internships and stand out during #CollegeChat on Twitter on February 15,  2011 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

During #CollegeChat, Bennington (http://twitter.com/emilybennington) will discuss with attendees:

  • How to land your dream internship
  • Are internships for college students only
  • How to identify target internships
  • What resources are available
  • How to tell if internship is “legitimate”
  • Should you take a paid or unpaid internship
  • How to outshine other applicants
  • How to stand out as an intern

Emily is a frequent speaker to students on the topic of career success and provides professionalism and onboard training to new grads and their employers.She has been featured on CNN and ABC News, and has been quoted in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, US News and World Report, Yahoo Jobs, and the Washington Post Express. She is also a contributing writer for Monster.com and a featured blogger for The Huffington Post. Emily is dedicated to giving young professionals the resources needed to achieve their highest potential, and she is particularly passionate about volunteerism as a means of leadership development and advancing the skills of young women in the workplace.

About #CollegeChat

#CollegeChat is a live bi-monthly conversation intended for teens, college students, parents, and higher education experts on Twitter. #CollegeChat takes place on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Pacific/ 9 p.m. Eastern. 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. More detailed information about signing up for Twitter and participating in #Collegechat  can be found at  http://pathwaypr.com/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat .CollegeChat can also be found on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/collegechat .

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

Next #CollegeChat: Tiger Mom, Obama, and US Students Losing Education Race

January 30, 2011 By

On the February 1, 2010 edition of #CollegeChat at 9 pm Eastern and 6 pm Pacific we will be discussing:

Is Amy Chua right? What lessons can we learn from Amy Chua about preparing our children for success in school?

As many of us know, Amy Chua, a Yale professor but perhaps better known today as the “Tiger Mom”, set off a firestorm of debate with her article for the Wall Street Journal “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior.” As of this writing, there have been 7674 comments logged to date and countless other newspaper, blog posts and television reports.

In the Wall Street Journal piece, which is an excerpt from Chua’s new book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” , Chua writes:

Here are some things my daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to do:

• attend a sleepover

• have a playdate

• be in a school play

• complain about not being in a school play

• watch TV or play computer games

• choose their own extracurricular activities

• get any grade less than an A

• not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama

• play any instrument other than the piano or violin

• not play the piano or violin.

Furthermore, Chua explains:

Despite our squeamishness about cultural stereotypes, there are tons of studies out there showing marked and quantifiable differences between Chinese and Westerners when it comes to parenting. In one study of 50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers, almost 70% of the Western mothers said either that “stressing academic success is not good for children” or that “parents need to foster the idea that learning is fun.” By contrast, roughly 0% of the Chinese mothers felt the same way. Instead, the vast majority of the Chinese mothers said that they believe their children can be “the best” students, that “academic achievement reflects successful parenting,” and that if children did not excel at school then there was “a problem” and parents “were not doing their job.” Other studies indicate that compared to Western parents, Chinese parents spend approximately 10 times as long every day drilling academic activities with their children. By contrast, Western kids are more likely to participate in sports teams.

Can our children wait for Obama’s Education Reform? What can we do today?

In President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night he challenged his audience  “To win the future … we also have to win the race to educate our kids.”   According to Amanda Paulson’s reporting for the Christian Science Monitor,   Obama detailed specific proposals in his speech:

  • Prepare 100,000 more science, technology, engineering, and math teachers by the end of the decade.
  • Make permanent the tuition tax credit – worth $10,000 for four years of college – and expand the Pell Grant program.
  • Replace No Child Left Behind with a new, more flexible law, that he said should be modeled after his competitive Race to the Top grant program.

During his speech Obama argued that there needed to be a partnership between parents, citizens and the educators themselves to focus on “what’s best for our kids.” “If we take these steps – if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they’re born until the last job they take – we will reach the goal I set two years ago: by the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world,” Obama said.

Background Reading for Chat

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/opinion/18brooks.html?src=tp

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/01/13/is-extreme-parenting-effective?ref=opinion

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html

http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2011/01/18/the-tiger-cub-roars/

http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2011/01/13/the-tiger-mother-responds-to-readers/

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_17200074

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/26/3351794/tiger-mother-adds-to-stereotype.html

http://hechingerreport.org/content/why-are-other-countries-doing-better-in-science-than-the-u-s_5056/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-roth/investing-in-educated-inn_b_815125.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2011/0126/State-of-the-Union-mystery-What-do-Obama-s-Race-to-the-Top-plans-mean

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-catholic-schools-20110128,0,7799875.story?track=rss

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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