Each year more than 17 million students enroll in college -- 5 million for the first time. For many, the difference between success and failure depends on what their parents do -- and don’t do. Here are our ten best tips for parents of new, and returning, college students (and if your kid isn’t yet in college, here’s a glimpse ahead ...

They perform in front of thousands of screaming fans. Their images appear on t-shirts. No, not the latest American Idol, it’s your college mascot. But do you know the story behind your favorite mascot? What’s a banana slug and why does it cheer for the University of California, Santa Cruz? Why is the University of Texas’ Longhorn named Bevo? Peek behind ...

Sure, championships are nice. But, when you earn your college's first title in more than 60 years in any sport, you become somewhat of a hero. On May 22, 2005, the Northwestern University women's lacrosse team beat the University of Virginia, 13 to 10, giving Northwestern their first national title since the 1941 men's fencing team. They also earned another distinction ...

Maybe you can hit a running jump shot, sink a 50-foot putt, or lay down a perfect bunt. But do you have the grades to continue showing off your skills in college? Academic requirements for prospective and current college athletes have gotten more demanding over the years. So it's important to know the requirements set by both the NCAA and ...

Writing an essay often seems to be a dreaded task among students. Whether the essay is for a scholarship, a class, or maybe even a contest, many students often find the task overwhelming. While an essay is a large project, there are many steps a student can take that will help break down the task into manageable parts. Following this process ...

In March 2009, the Senate approved a bill to broadly expand AmeriCorps — increasing the number of positions to 250,000 from 75,000. What’s more, the bill would raise the education stipend that goes to volunteers to $5,350 — the same as a Pell Grant. So what does this mean for the average college student? If the bill is passed and you ...

So, you have three papers to write and they’re all due in two weeks. Stay calm! Writing a research paper does not have to be a stressful exercise. Just follow the tips below and those papers will practically write themselves! Choose a TopicOften, the most difficult part of writing a paper is choosing a topic. Here are some ideas if you ...

It seems like the sophomore year is one that you don’t remember. It’s not like your freshman year when everything is new and exciting. It’s not like your junior year when you start the college search process. It’s not like your senior year that is fast-paced, application-crazed, and meaningful yet fun. It’s the often-overlooked sophomore year that isn’t given nearly enough ...

Learning how to deal with college professors and instructors is one of the many adjustments you'll make when you hit campus. They are different than most high school teachers and understanding them will make a difference. Your relationship with your professors is one of give and take. There are things that you want from them (knowledge and an "A"), but there ...

Let’s face it—the things required these days to raise a child are expensive. There are school fees, fashionable clothes, sports activities and more. The way to control some or all of these costs is to train and teach your son or daughter to see things from your point of view and help them understand. Teach them about budgeting and having a ...

College can be tough. But it also makes for some of the best years of your life. Debating going to the party or doing your paper? Not getting along with your roommate? Fighting the freshman 15? Been there. Done that. And we can help. We’ve been around the block a few times and we’re offering up all the helpful tips and ...

Are you ready to take your learning out of the classroom? Do you want to follow your own interests and work on related projects? Maybe it's time to consider doing research. Whether your field of study is neuroscience or the social sciences, undergraduate research can be an enriching and valuable experience. Benefits Undergraduate research can help motivate students to further ...

You totally don’t want to think about it right now, but finals are just around the corner. That means you can add studying for them to your already vast to-do list. Here are some helpful hints on how to prepare for your exams and get everything else done. Tip 1: Start early Preparation for exams should begin earlier than the day ...

"Failure paves the way to success!" is the last thing you want to hear when you fail a class. A bad grade isn’t life or death, and maybe you can improve the situation. Remember, every school has their own policies, so check with your college to find out its policy for failed classes and withdrawals. Situation 1: I feel an F ...

These days, one in eight students win scholarships. Not bad odds. But these students increased those odds by using FastWeb to find the awards they could get. Here’s the word, straight from students who scored: At first, I was skeptical of using a massive scholarship search engine. Then I realized, what the heck, I’ll give it a try. I decided that ...

Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday and a relaxing break, and that if you returned home, my advice from the previous post was useful. Of course the buzz in the first month of the year always includes the same subject: What is your New Year's resolution? I usually don't believe in making resolutions, but ...

Beware of studying in bed – always better to sit up (otherwise it is too easy to fall asleep while reading or studying). Eat healthy and exercise, even and especially during preparation for exams or papers. Eat breakfast. Watch your sleep – get enough. Value friendships. Attempt to develop at least one ongoing dialogue with a professor, assistant professor, instructor ...

After more than a year of campus touring, application editing and financial aid wrangling, you'd think dropping your child off at college would be the easy part. But move-in day on college campuses is a high-stress, emotionally-charged event. There are cars to unload, orientations to attend, roommates to meet and goodbyes to say. FastWeb consulted Christine Schelhas-Miller, the author of Don't ...

By the time this blog posts, I will officially be a college graduate! The event I've been talking about forever will have finally happened -- and it's starting to hit me. The reality will be even harsher when I wake up that fateful August move-in day later this year, only to remember I'm no longer at Hofstra... I'm getting sad just ...

Did you spend your spring break in Mexico? If so, you may have brought home an unwanted guest: swine flu. At least eight students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York have been infected with the flu, all of whom spent their spring breaks in Cancun, Mexico. Swine flu is a respiratory disease commonly found in pigs. The Center ...