In - Your Guide to College Admissions from The Princeton Review

Why Study Time Has Declined

Survey data shows that, over the last 50 years, the average undergrad's out-of-class study time has dropped from about 24 to 15 hours per week.

A recent Washington Post article explores several possible reasons for this decline. These include the increased prevalence of off-campus jobs and the advent of technologies (e.g., the Internet) that make study time more efficient. Additionally, it addresses the possibility that college has simply become easier over the years.

Click here to check out the full article.

How Much Will College Cost in 18 Years?

By the time today’s toddlers graduate from high school, the total cost of a private college education might be over $100,000 a year, says Kal Chany, author of the book Paying for College Without Going Broke. Chany estimates that the price tag at in-state public institutions will be about $50,000 a year. Click here to read more on CNBC.

Medical Marijuana: Still Illegal on Campus

In recent years, several U.S. states have legalized the medicinal use of marijuana. However, colleges in these states still prohibit it on their campuses.

Why? Marijuana for any use remains illegal under federal law. Because all colleges receive federal funding (even private ones), they do not want to jeopardize this money by allowing their students to use marijuana.

Click here to read more from NPR.

Five Trends in College Admissions

Peter at the College Planning Blog recently sat in on a meeting of college admissions pros. He reports on five themes that repeatedly arose . . .

• Applicants to highly selective colleges need a “hook.”
• It’s important for applicants to demonstrate their interest in a college before they apply.
• At some colleges, a “gap year” might soon require a binding agreement.
• Colleges are viewing applicants as potential investments.
• Athletic departments are recruiting without the knowledge of admissions offices.

Click here to read more about each one.

How to Nail the Common Application

It’s time for rising seniors to start thinking about college applications.

Those who plan to apply to selective colleges know that the Common Application is pretty much unavoidable these days. As such, College Admissions Partners recently posted five tips for rocking the Common App. These include the following:

• Keep the personal statement personal.
• Write the activity essay about something that is important to you.
• List your important activities in order of importance.

Click here for more on these and other tips from College Admissions Partners.

Higher Education Linked with Civic Engagement

The more education you have, the more likely you are to vote and do volunteer work.

This is the main finding of a new report from ETS, the company that administers the SAT and AP exams.

Click here to read more on the Chronicle of Higher Education.

How Facebook Has Changed the College Experience

A recent post from onlinecollegecourses.com describes the ways in which Facebook has changed the entire college experience, from admissions to academics to student life. Its major effects include the following:

• Admissions officers are getting to know applicants more personally.
• Facebook is often a part of courses.
• Students can arrive on campus already knowing scores of people.
• Students can stay in touch easily.

Click here to check out the full post.

(Thanks to MyCollegeCalendar for the great find.)

A “Fair and Balanced” Take on College Costs

News outlets tend to favor a negative spin on current events, and this is certainly the case when it comes to college costs.

Obviously, college costs and student debt have increased dramatically in recent years. Both schools and students need to be more fiscally responsible.

Unfortunately, many media outlets have opted for negatively charged speculations when covering this issue. If taken to heart, statements such as “students borrow way too much” and “student loans are the next mortgage bubble,” can discourage students from investing in their education.

A recent article from University Business addresses some of these speculations and aims for a more rational viewpoint. Click here to check it out.

A Student’s View: Still Fighting Senioritis

Jennifer Angelo is a high school senior and a contributor to The Princeton Review’s IN blog.

I am one of the many still suffering from senioritis.

Not that I’m alone. At the moment, everyone I know at school seems to have a case of it. In class, we spend only half of our time learning because it is too hard for the teacher to keep everyone’s attention.

I’m most affected by senioritis during the school day, when all anyone wants to do is take pictures and talk about how high school will soon be over forever. No one wants to look at a physics review packet or a macroeconomics essay prompt.

My strategy for dealing with senioritis is twofold. In each class, I try to stay focused for as long as I possibly can. Then, to make up for the work I don't do in school, I work at home. I prefer to get homework and studying done in a quiet place rather than among the chaos of collective senioritis.

Even though I’ve already gotten into a great college, I still want to do well on my finals. It’s just my personality to want to get an “A.” However, it’s good to know that the stakes are considerably lower now; a “B” won't derail my future.

I only have three weeks left of school. That’s three weeks to deal with senioritis and give my best effort!

How to Land a Summer Job

StateUniversity.com recently posted some great tips for high school students seeking a summer job. Click here to check them out.