Q: “I get so nervous before a test. What can I do?” A: “The first time I took the SAT, I was so nervous, I couldn’t even remember what year it was,” says Lindy Robinson, who graduated in 2005 from the Detroit Country Day School in Michigan. “I’m not kidding! My hands began to shake right before time was called, and ...

A professional wrestler runs for governor of Minnesota and wins. The owner and pastry chef of my neighborhood bakery is a former investment banker. A friend from college who was a computer scientist for seven years now makes her living as a sailboat captain in Seattle. How did these people get where they are today? Through a combination of luck, confidence ...

Earning a graduate degree can further your career and raise your salary. In fact, master’s degree holders earned an average of $10,000 more a year that those with only a bachelor’s degree, according to the US Census Bureau. It also demands a lot of hard work, a significant time commitment and substantial financial support. For some professions, like medicine and the ...

They can take you to the heights of the scientific revolution in Europe and the depths of slavery in America. You may choose to examine regression analyses and derivatives. You may learn the intricate differences between the subjunctive and future perfect tenses. But that's not why most people take Advanced Placement (AP)* courses, and although I'd like to say I'm just ...

When it comes to selecting and getting into a college, guidance counselors are invaluable. But they can't help you unless they know what you're looking for. Help them give the guidance you need by following these tips from counselors across the country. Visit early and often. Get to know your counselor during your freshman year. Check back with them at least ...

College tours provide a great opportunity for you to visit campus and learn more about what a college has to offer. However, tour guides are told to stick with talking points and established routes to pass through the nicest parts of campus. To become an astute prospective student, you’re going to have to investigate off the beaten path. Here are ...

*Learn about your schools* The best applicants know their top choices-the name of the library, where students hang out for coffee after class, a star professor they'd love to take a class with. Go beyond the basics of class size and location and find out what makes your school special. The extra effort will shine through in your application. *Make friends ...

May 1, National Decision Day, has finally arrived meaning the next four or five years of your life have to be figured out. At this point, you probably have a lot of questions tumbling around your head, along with calculus equations, scholarship essay answers and graduation plans. Where will you attend? What will you major in? Will you fit in? Will ...

You’ve read the books, you’ve heard the advice, and you think you have a fair enough handle on what to expect when you get to college. Sure, you may have heard all the advice about hectic schedules and immense freedom, but there are some things that the experts just can’t tell you. Like how, now that you’re responsible for your own ...

Need a bigger challenge from your high school classes? Ready to delve more deeply into your favorite subject? Want to save money and advance more quickly once you enter college? It's time to check into AP classes. AP stands for "Advanced Placement," a series of 37 college-level courses available to high school students looking for a head start. AP courses cover ...

I'm a college student in my second semester and I still can't decide what I want to major in. My major is currently "undecided." I want to choose a major that I will enjoy years later, and in which there will be job openings by the time I graduate. Answer: You aren't alone in not knowing what to major in. In ...

When I was little, my parents would never allow me to make decisions. At restaurants, I had to eat the vegetable medley instead of those delectable french fries. When we went shopping, we had to buy life’s necessities instead of going to the toy store. At the movie theater, I couldn’t see those PG-13 movies which looked so cool. Eventually, I ...

Studying abroad can be a fun experience and many students dream of leaving the country, but there’s more to it than getting on an airplane. Here are a few things you should think about before you pack your bags. Visas, passports and other official documentation. Whether you’re studying abroad through a school-sponsored exchange program, or enrolling abroad on your own, you ...

Many colleges offer study abroad programs and many students are able to take advantage of them. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them. At the time, shelling out $2,000 for program fees and another $4,000 for credit costs didn't seem too appealing. I did manage to go to London with a friend on spring break last year, and the overall cost of ...

So you are halfway through freshman year or maybe you’re even a sophomore and you’re thinking, “Hmm, I really don’t like it here- should I transfer?” Maybe your ‘dream’ school is not as dreamy as you first thought, maybe your grades slipped senior year and you ended up at your 10th choice, maybe you realized you don’t want to be an ...

Ever wonder about those schools that advertise on daytime TV? Can you compare traditional American colleges to schools that say they will prepare you for a career in just a few months? As it turns out, you can. Francis Giglio, former director of Enhancement for the (ACICS), the accrediting body for many of these schools, offers some insights into the nature ...

While not as attention-getting as academic quality or price tag, the size and location of a college have a big impact on your college experience. Take time to evaluate the pros and cons. Large Schools vs. Small Schools One size doesn’t fit all. Don’t expect college life at a school of 50,000 to be the same as life at a campus ...

It’s like the professors and university are torturing you. December means holiday celebrations, a break from school and time at home with your family. But December also means two of the most grueling weeks at school. You can handle finals season though with these helpful tips: Sleep. It may seem counterproductive to cramming, especially when all of your classmates are pulling ...

I've been attending a community college and trying to transfer to the state university. However, they keep changing their transfer requirements. Now I have to finish my general requirements as well as a couple other prerequisites. This will take me another year, and there is no guarantee that they will accept my application. I've also looked at schools like Devry, which ...

Your students may have already begun to approach you in a panic. They’ve looked all over the Internet and in local newspapers for summer internship and job opportunities, but the economy has left little to no choices for high school students. How will this look on their college applications? While they may not have work for the summer, there are plenty ...