Fall Take the most challenging academic schedule you can. It shows admissions officers that you're ready for a competitive college environment. Research prospective colleges. Sign up for FastWeb's College Search to find the right school for you. Attend college fairs and speak to on-campus college representatives. Register, prepare for and take the PSAT/NMSQT. Begin studying for the SAT or ACT. Register ...

My friends and I all lived on campus during my first year of college. It was great! I loved having what felt like my own little village of my favorite people. Dinner? Let's meet at the clock tower at 7 p.m.! Who wants pizza at 2 a.m.? Make the call to Papa John's! During my sophomore year, a few people moved ...

Before you hop online to update your status, find Fastweb on Facebook and become a fan of us today! Over 5,000 people already have! Our wall and posts have links to the most up to date articles and happenings on Fastweb. We'll also answer your posted questions about scholarships and contests. By becoming a fan today, you’ll be the first to ...

Graduation day is approaching quickly and I still don't have a job or a place to live. I figure both need to happen-- and happen quickly. So as I'm tying up the loose ends on my classes and internship, I'm also combing through Craigslist.org. Craigslist is great if you live in a major metropolitan area like New York City, which ...

Financial expert Suze Orman shocked parents nationwide on Oprah when she told the audience parents should share the details of their finances with their kids. Oprah found most kids were shocked when they learned the details of their parents’ finances and exactly how much they make. Some kids only found out the actual details when submitting their family’s data to the ...

FastWeb asked upperclassmen to email us the most embarrassing and awkward moments from their freshman year of college. We also asked what they wished someone would've told them before they started college. These cautionary tales and insights might help incoming freshman avoid follies of their own. Roommates No topic inspired more emails than roommates. Just how do you successfully share a ...

It’s no secret that students are held to an almost-impossible standard of perfection. This comes from many areas: parents, teachers and, mostly society. The pressure to succeed can become unbearable because, after all, nobody’s perfect. If you don’t think it’s a trend, you may want to open your eyes. Even in researching this article, it was amazing how many students commented ...

Clutching a white rose and an unlit white candle in my hand, I followed a procession of 35 inductees into the small auditorium. The audience stood up as we entered the room and I could see my husband, in-laws and five children craning their necks to find me in line. A violinist played classical music on the podium until we took ...

Heading back to school? Looking for gear to trick out your dorm room or off-campus apartment? Look no further. At the FastWeb Shop you'll find electronics, text books, bed and bath essentials, as well as the school supplies you'll use to, you know, go to class. Everything you need to start the year off right. Not sure what to bring to ...

While Nicolas Cage may be able to escape from Alcatraz, the once most impenetrable prison in the U.S., or steal the Declaration of Independence (ok…at least the characters he plays in movies can), he can’t actually get you a job. Vanessa Hodja learned that in the most humbling way possible. Hodja, a 20-year-old student from Toronto, sent what she thought was ...

We asked Fastweb users to share their advice on college life, based on their personal experiences. Here's what they said: "Try not to hold on to what is familiar to you. You have a chance to be anything you want. Let the world around you influence you and teach you. College prepares you for the future, but everything else helps you ...

There is nothing that so cements in the mind how amazing an experience college is as one's first steps onto a college campus. As brochures and scheduled tours would have us believe, the university is at all times a dynamic place, and in a lot of ways that’s very true. But viewing a college entirely through the lens the university represents ...

It’s been less than a decade since the last revamp but, the SAT is getting another face-lift, according to David Coleman, the new president of the College Board. The exam, which has been around since it was first administered in 1926, is the most commonly used entrance exam among prospective college students, at least, until recently. [gate] 2011 marked the first ...

It’s an issue that has a large scope – so much so that it’s difficult to comprehend. It’s alarming to learn that one in five college women will become a victim of attempted sexual assault or actual sexual assault during their college years, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report. It’s even more alarming to learn that around 80 percent ...

To survive college, it’s crucial to learn two things quickly: the first is to stop procrastinating. Putting off your work will only ever make your life more difficult and more stressful when it comes down to crunch time. It’s a lot easier to do a little bit at a time than it is to fit it in all at once. That ...

Like she has for years, my mom recently surprised me by telling me something I had never heard before. Like mothers and daughters do, we were sitting on the couch, watching TV and discussing my feelings for people at school. These are the people who seem to have it all: the straight A’s, the college scholarships, the popularity. All without really ...

Perhaps one of the worst questions a student can be asked is, “What are you doing after graduation?” It’s dreaded - perhaps the equivalent to the single adult’s, “Are you dating anyone yet?” Questions like these almost never have the answer you wish you could give and, therefore, shoot at you like arrows you wish you could avoid. But, what if ...

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 ...

Trying not to outwardly tremble, I briefly looked up from my manuscript to adjust the microphone and smile at the small group gathered to hear me read from my recently published essay, “Wonder Mold Mother.” In the audience were several of my English professors and classmates from my writing classes. Seeking further reassurance, I glanced at my husband who was sitting ...

Ever look at successful people and wonder how they got there? Next Step asked five celebs their advice on how to have a successful college experience. Here’s what they want you to know. "I went to Indiana University at Bloomington. I wasn’t the first one in my family to go there—actually, my parents met there! Grades are so important, but if ...