Norman’s daughter will be starting her Freshman year at the University of Washington in Fall 2012. He offers the following perspective, having just completing the college application process: _________________________ Applying for college is an exciting time for every family. It represents all the hopes and dreams that your student has had since he or she…
Tag: Student
Before Choosing Transfer Admissions…
The Community College Transfer option to a 4 Year College, while seeming to save money in the short term, can include other costs. Currently, community colleges in California are challenged to service their students, given the budget reductions from the state. At the same time demand is rising for space in California community colleges–300,000 students…
Eventually…May Be the Key Lesson to Learn
Learning is a combination of asking questions for clarification, quiet reflection to understand the meaning of the words spoken and action to test the lessons of what was heard. A possible re-examination may be needed to review the lessons and revise its application. Sometimes, this cycle repeats multiple times over many years. (Or as I…
UC Tuition and Fees: Up, Up and Away
Anyone involved in the University of California over the past thirty years knows one thing for sure: The tuition and fees for the UC has gone in one direction–UP.
Sidewalk Surprises
Look around every once in awhile. Other people’s good ideas can infuse your own.
You Can Dish It. Can You Take It?
Opening up to outside review of one’s work, including college essays, can create a wincing-eyes-jaw-clenching-fidgeting reaction to the surely unfounded criticism anticipated to be unleashed. While the ultimate reward of such perspective can be a sharper argument and greater understanding, the human tendency to prevent humiliation can get the best of us. (Incidentally, as humans…
Guest Post: “I Changed My Major Five Times”: Advice from a Harvard College Dean
Emelyn dela Pena, Ed. D. is the Assistant Dean of Harvard College for Student Life, where she is responsible for campus diversity programs, student leadership development and residential life training. She generously offers the following advice to Creative Marbles: As eager freshman and nervous parents arrive at college this fall, I’m sure on the minds…
Make Money from Doing Your Homework
“Hands on learning”–somehow these eduspeak words have invaded Seniors’ vocabulary to describe the classroom environment they desire in college. (Incidentally, their next sentence usually includes something to the effect, “You know, the opposite of high school.”) Well, how about taking “hands on learning” to another level and actually making money with the knowledge one gains…
“A Spoonful of Hope Makes Move In Day Go Down…”
“The last step in parental love involves the release of the beloved.” -Lewis Mumford Easy words to read; difficult words to carry out in practice. Parents all over the country are preparing for their offspring moves to colleges and residence halls. Roommate assignments are arriving. Shopping trips for new bedspreads, stacking crates, power strips, and…
21st Century Learning in a Globally Connected “Classroom”
Computer technology and the internet is just the latest tool for education and learning. The printing press and cheap, mass produced paper spread learning to the masses. The accessibility of the Bible spurred the need to be literate to read, which in turn began disbursing the Church’s power and let more people begin thinking critically…
Generation Y: Change Agent or Loafing Youth?
“More American Idle than American Idol” is how The Economist (January 3-9, 2009) described the current generation of young adults born in the 1980’s and 1990’s, known as Generation Y. Is this a fair assessment?
Rising Seniors: Talk is Cheap
Why invest many dollars, actual or borrowed, into a college that will expect students to learn, yet holds itself to another standard when it comes to expanding horizons? Rising seniors and their parents who seek a valuable degree, consistently ask us questions about the value of a degree from X college or university over another.…
Teachers Are People, Too
Students can be surprised to see teachers out in the community doing everyday, ordinary tasks–grocery shopping, flying on airplanes, having coffee at the local Peet’s. I know I felt like this as a kid, even when I became a teacher working on staff with former teachers, I had a hard time using their first names…
The Soul Connection
Too often its easy to think, “I can’t…I’m not an expert.” Collaboration, however, relies on all-comers. The energy created when everyone is sharing their talents, exposing their weaknesses and openly working together is ripe with potential, of which the consequences are unknown and possibly lasting beyond the group’s time together. “One short week, we put…
Just Because You Can, Does That Mean You Should?
Are we “solving” issues too quickly with medication, or just “kicking the can down the road” only now with more complications for a generation of today’s youth? According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reports 14% of Americans 12 years and older have been on medications…