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5 Courses For Video Game Degrees

Monday, December 5th, 2011

If you are looking to go into the world of video games on a professional level, there are many degrees out there.  However, there are also lots of courses that can help you make your dream come true.  Below are just a few of the classes you may come across in the search for a video game degree.
1.    Video Game Software – There is a software for just about everything, including video game design.  Learning it is a must for anyone looking to go into the field.  Just a few of the more popular choices include DARKBasic, Game Editor, and Game Maker.
2.    3D – Because more and more games are being built on three dimensional models, it is crucial to know as much as you can.  3D classes can teach everything from game design to modeling and even modding.  There are also courses for 2D.
3.    Mobile Games – If your preference is creating and designing games for mobile devices, there are classes for that.  There are even courses that can teach you how to make games specifically for the iPhone or iPad.  The courses can also teach you how to use software specifically designed to design games for the Apple devices.
4.    Animation – Because video games can be sophisticated cartoons, animation is also a common class offered when getting a video game degree.  This is doubly so for those going into the design or graphics aspect of gaming.
5.    Programming – Another must for video game design is programming.  Whether it be Java or C++, programming is a necessary component of video games and often has to be taken at several levels to get a degree.

Check out online video game degree options in our search tool.

This article was submitted my Sara McDowell. She owns the site Video Game Design Degree and is an avid Gamer.

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Posted in Choosing a College, Choosing a Major, Guest post, Preparing for College | No Comments »

What You Should Wear To A College Interview?

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Choosing an outfit for your college interviews is not just about knowing what to wear, but it is also about what not to wear.  The fact is that no matter what you wear, you are conveying a message.  Either consciously or subconsciously this message will influence the opinion of the representative who is conducting the interview.

People Do Judge One Another By Clothing Choices

You might not like the fact that people of all ages judge you by your choice of clothing, but the simple fact is that they do.  Research indicates that people form their opinions quickly and a good deal of what they decide is based on how you look.  Yes, this might be unfair, but it is usually the reality of the situation.  When you walk into an admissions office, you have little to no idea about the background of the people that you will be meeting, what their view on life are, and/or what their political views may be.  Due to this factor, you might want to play it on the safe side.  For example, if you have tattoos up and down your arm, you might want to consider wearing long sleeves!

The simple fact is that when you walk into an admissions office, you could literally be meeting anyone.  You may meet someone that you think is great and you wish could be your friend or you may meet someone that you truly dislike and hope to never see again.  For this reason, it is important that you select clothing that is fairly neutral and run of the mill, even if you hate doing it.  Remember this is not the costume you will be putting on for the rest of your life, but only for the day of your interview.  This is one occasion where you are most definitely dressing for someone else and not yourself.

Are There Exceptions to the Rule?

There are perhaps a few exceptions to these clothing rules.  For example, if you are applying to an art school, a design academy or a similar program in the arts you likely have more flexibility.  The odds are that if you are interested in being a fashion designer, you don’t have to be quite as conservative for your interview.  However, with that stated, it still could be in your best interest to side with caution and try to lean towards the neutral end of the clothing spectrum.

It probably isn’t a bad idea to ask people you trust for a little advice when it comes time to determining your wardrobe choices.  They might just have some good ideas and pointers you hadn’t thought about.

Don’t Stress Too Much About Your Clothing Choices

Ultimately, your grades, SAT scores, letters of recommendation and how you present yourself will play a far greater role than how you dress.  Yet, playing it safe on interview day is likely your best bet.  You just don’t know who you will meet and where they are coming from.  You want your to tell people that you are taking getting into college seriously, and if you show up in an outfit that would generally be looked at as odd, you may actually undermine what could otherwise be a strong application.  Playing it safe with your wardrobe selection for a few hours really won’t kill you… it just maybe irritate you a bit.

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Interview, Preparing for College | 1 Comment »

How Far In Advance Should You Know Your Major?

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

You may have parents who were kind enough to tell you what your major was going to be before you were born.  Now that is a tricky situation indeed, but for those of you whose college destiny hasn’t be predetermined and prearranged, there are decisions to be made.  In this article, we will explore how far in advance you should be thinking about your major.

The costs of a college education are rising dramatically faster than inflation.  This means that being able to afford a college education is no longer as easy as it once was.  In fact, college graduation rates appear to be going down, not up, for the first time in decades.  While this is a complex topic, it is also tied into the issue of knowing your major.

There is no doubt it can be very difficult to decide what you want your major to be at the age of 17 or 18.  In short, it is actually pretty unfair.  For many students, the cold hard truth is that deciding your major may come down to being a financial decision.

The “financial wrinkle” in deciding your major means that it is worth the time you will invest to closely decide what career path and degree program is right for you.  The odds are excellent that you will have ample advice and perhaps even considerable pressure from your parents and others.  If they are paying for your college, this could prove to be another wrinkle in your equation.  Yet, ultimately it is your life, and you will have to live with the decisions.  So, if you just know you are going to strongly dislike a given career, this is something that you must consider in advance!

Clearly, the sooner you can decide on a major, the better off you will be.  Once you are in college, you may change your mind.  But there are some ways that you can safeguard against this happening and keep from spending a fortune in the process.  Focusing on general requirements while taking one or two classes in your major is a good idea.  The chances are good that if you are destined to truly hate a given major, you will know it or at least have a strong suspicion after a couple of classes.

Picking a major is tricky… and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!  Deciding upon a major can, in many cases, be deciding upon a career.  That is a pretty serious responsibility with a lot of pressure.  Deciding that you are on the wrong path early in college can be just as important as picking the right major to begin with.

Your most important question isn’t how far in advance you should be selecting your major.  Instead, you should be figuring out how to take the steps necessary to make sure that you are selecting a major that will lead to a successful career and long term happiness.  In the end, keep this fact in mind; experts believe that in the future, people will be switching careers numerous times over the course of their lives.  So even if you do make a mistake, there may still be hope.

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Posted in Choosing a College, Choosing a Major, College Applications, College Classes, College Life | 2 Comments »

Are Extracurricular Activities Worth It?

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

One key point that must be made about extracurricular activities is that the sooner you begin doing them the better off you will be.  If admissions counselors feel that you got involved at “the last second,” your activities will be seen much differently than they would have been if you’ve been involved for years.  In this article, we will look at why extracurricular activities can be very worthwhile when it comes to getting into college.

College Admissions Can Be Quite Competitive

It can be difficult to truly understand how competitive college admissions can be without first understanding the number of students that are applying right along with you.  For example, in 2010 Harvard received more than 30,000 applications!  This amount is particularly alarming when you take into account that the school only accepts 1,600 freshmen each year.  These statistics can be a bit scary, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on getting into the school of your choice.  Instead you need to focus on finding different ways to help yourself stand out from the crowd and a great way of doing so is to take part in extracurricular activities.

What Kind of Extracurricular Activities are the Best?

Deciding what kind of extracurricular activities are the best for you can be quite tricky.  In part, the answer lies in what you feel the most like doing.  You don’t want your extracurricular activities to feel like a burden and nothing but extra work.  If you take this path, you may not get the results you ultimately want.

It is an easy trap to pick the extracurricular activities that you feel admissions counselors will want to see, but there is a problem with this approach.  For example, if you don’t like the extracurricular activities that you pick and are only becoming involved in them because you think these activities will “look good” on your application, you may not stay involved.  If you don’t stay involved for a substantial amount of time, the end result will be that your extracurricular involvement was of no real help in the long run.

The Three Ways Extracurricular Activities Help

A good aspect of extracurricular activities is that by participating, teachers will have an opportunity to get to know you better.  This factor can translate into a great letter of recommendation.  A second way that extracurricular activities can help your efforts to get into your college of choice is that those activities will give you something additional to discuss during your college interviews and on your applications.  Finally, extracurricular activities will help you demonstrate to admissions counselors that you got involved in your school community and did not just “drift through.”

Three Ways Extracurricular Involvement Scores You Points

1) Teachers get to know you better and that means better letters of recommendation
2) You will have more to discuss in interviews and on applications
3) Extracurricular activities show that you get involved

Are There Times You Should Not Participate in Extracurricular Activities?

Usually participating in extracurricular activities is a good idea, but there are exceptions.  If you think your grades will suffer as a result, you should skip the extracurricular activities.  Additionally, if you are working a part-time job after school, you likely shouldn’t stretch yourself so thin.  Ultimately, extracurricular involvement should boost your chances of getting into one of your top picks.

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How To Live With A Diabetic Roommate

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

You’re moving into your new apartment or dorm room for college and just met your new roommate. You don’t know each other, but figure that overtime, you will become great friends. One day, you notice there is a prescription left on the counter for insulin. You figure it must be your roommates, but you don’t know how to approach the subject of diabetes. What should you do?

Scenarios such as this one occur to college students every year, and it is important to learn how to approach the subject of diabetes. The number of people living with diabetes has increased drastically over the years, so the likelihood that this could happen to you is greater than ever. Matt Tutelman has had a similar experience. Having been a diabetic in college, Tutelman has great advice for someone who may want to approach the subject with their roommate.

First, your instinct may be to want to ask your roommate if they have diabetes; however, it is important to let your roommate tell you in their own time and in their own way. People differ and the subject may be more delicate to one person than another. They will tell you as soon as they feel comfortable enough to approach the subject.

Once your roommate is comfortable enough to tell you, be open to learning about how to test for blood sugar and how insulin shots are administered. In college, Tutelman taught his roommate how to administer a shot and check for blood sugar in case there was an emergency. Tutelman recalled there was even a time where his roommate checked for his blood sugar, while he was sick and sleeping, because his roommate was concerned.

You may want to get them a medical ID bracelet, assuming they don’t already have one. Tutelman said the best benefit of one is peace of mind. It will ensure your roommate that if a medical emergency were to occur, others would know of their condition. You don’t have to settle for something clunky that looks like a hospital bracelet. Companies today provide stylish types that don’t even look like they contain medical information, like these fashionable medical ID bracelets from Hope Paige. With the holidays approaching, these would also be a great, inexpensive present.

Another issue for a diabetic college student may be dealing with their diet. Tutelman was diagnosed before he came to college, so he already had a healthy-based diet. But for someone who has been newly diagnosed, you may want to keep-in-mind that maintaining a healthy diet is important for them, especially if they struggle with getting into the routine of eating healthy and remembering to take their insulin. If they seem to be feeling ill, don’t be afraid to ask them if they have remember to taken their insulin. It is best to be alert and supportive at the same time. The American Diabetes Association has some great tips on eating healthy for diabetics that you or your roommate can reference.

About the Author
Becky Bennett is a freelance writer who writes for 352 Media Group, a digital marketing and Web design company.

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5 Tips for Creating A Glowing Admissions Letter and Statement

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

The odds are you are concerned about getting into one of the colleges or universities of your choice.  There are many areas to focus your attention upon, ranging from SAT preparation to grades to applications.  Let’s take a look at a few of the factors you need to consider when writing your admissions letter and statement.  As you will see, some of the considerations are less obvious than others, but all of the factors we will cover can have a major impact on your final product.

Tip One – Begin Your Work Well In Advance

Just as you should begin your work on college and university applications early, the same is true for working on your admissions letter and statement.  Rushing rarely yields good results.  Plus, it almost always ensures a sense of panic.  Avoid all of this by starting your work in advance; you will be very glad you did!

Tip Two – Create an Outline

By beginning to work on your admissions letter and statement early, you will have time to do things like create an outline.  In this part of the process, you will be forced to think about what you want to convey in very clear terms.  Take your time to create your outline, and don’t be afraid to revise your outline at a later date after you’ve had time to think about it.

Tip Three – Don’t Be a Mind-Reader

When it comes to your admission letter and statement, don’t try to read the mind of a stranger.  Instead create a letter and statement that is a reflection of you.  If you want to be believable and sincere in your admissions letter and statement, then you shouldn’t try to figure out what others want to hear.  After all, admissions officials see thousands of statements and letters over their careers, and they can sniff out a phony better than you might think. They’re older than you, but not necessarily brain dead!

Tip Four – Have Several Trusted People Read Over Your Work

You may be pretty confident that you have a great letter and statement, and you may be correct in your assessment.  But you should have several different people, preferably of different ages and backgrounds, read your materials.  By getting a wide range of viewpoints, you will gain perspectives and insights that may help you with your final draft.

Tip Five – Rewrite, Rework and Rethink

The time that you spend rewriting, reworking and rethinking your admissions letter and statement is likely to be time very well spent.  Having time to gather input and feedback from other people is a valuable part of the process, as is sitting on your letter and statement aside for a few months, so that you can look at it with fresh eyes later.  Of course, all of the tips that we’ve listed here can be done in a rush, but you will likely not achieve optimal results if you handle them in this fashion.

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Applications, College Interview, Personal Statement, Preparing for College | 1 Comment »

4 Ways To Reduce Stress When Applying to College

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

There are many important steps to applying for college.  Getting into the college or university of your choice can be a complex process.  This is especially true when you are applying to numerous schools.  As a result, you may at times feel overwhelmed and stressed by the process as a whole.  This is why it is extremely important to keep your focus.

When you get stressed out, you stop thinking clearly.  The end result could be that you begin making mistakes.  Whether its studying for your SAT, trying to ace as many classes as possible, or filling out your college applications, you need to keep your stress levels at a minimum.  Let’s take a look at a few of the ways that you can keep your stress levels low and increase your chances of getting into the college of your choice in the process.

#1 Realize that the World Will Not End

One basic step that you can take to keep your stress levels low is to realize that it is not the end of the world if you don’t get into your “top pick.”  Lots of pressure can be put on your shoulders, as older people just assume that you can “take it.”  Yet, if you feel totally stressed out it may impact your performance.  Now this isn’t an excuse to fail or not try, but you should keep in mind that life will go on even if you get into your fifth choice instead of your first college of choice.  No matter how others may act the world will not end, and you will not be destined to a future of poverty and failure.

#2 Walk Away and Take a Break

If all you do is study and deal with SAT preparation, you may actually be increasing your odds of failure both in the short term and in the long term.  Some students may ace the SAT, but they end up so exhausted and overwhelmed that they avoid studying all freshmen year.  This route isn’t a good plan for long term success!

#3 Short Breaks, Meditation and Stress Reduction

Stress can actually kill you.  Prolonged exposure to stress hormones, such as cortisol, can result in a decrease in the strength of your immune system.  If your immune system is weakened, your odds of getting sick, of course, go up.  If you’re sick, you won’t be studying for your classes or the SAT.  Part of staying healthy is keeping your immune system strong.

Meditation is a relaxation technique that serves to reduce stress hormone levels.  Recent medical studies have actually shown that meditation has a variety of medical benefits including the reduction of stress.  So if you are feeling upset and anxious, meditation stands as a great way to deal with this stress.

#4 Find a College Admissions Counselor

Believe it or not, utilizing a College Admissions Counselor can take a real load off your mind. Why run around worried about what you’re forgetting, or what opportunities you are missing? Start smart with a college admissions counselor who can sit down with you and your family to figure out your wants and needs and outline a plan for you to follow. Why go it alone, when you can have a partner?

Remember that any edge you can give yourself is one you should take.  However, at the same time, you should never allow yourself to become so stressed out and worried about what colleges you get into that you become miserable.

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Should You Go to A College Near Home?

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Deciding where you should go to college is clearly not an easy decision.  Of course, sometimes this decision will be made for you in terms of what colleges and universities accept your application. However, the odds are good that you will have a variety of options, especially if you applied to numerous schools, (and this is something you should do!)

Once you know what colleges and universities have accepted you, choosing your final pick can be tough.  One of the factors that can impact this decision is trying to decide whether or not you will pick a college near home or one that is farther away.  You might feel that it’s an easy choice.  In fact, maybe you have been dying to get as far away as you can from your parents for as long as you can remember.  But before you make a final decision, take a look at the pros and cons.

The Emotional Factor

One factor to consider is whether or not you are emotionally ready to move very far away from home.  Often people believe that they are ready, only to discover that they wished they were closer to home once it’s too late.  Even if you are happy to be away from your parents, you may feel that you are too far away from your friends.  One way to check out how you truly feel about moving away from your friends and family is to do a “dry run” where you visit your prospective new campus for a few days alone.  If you stay at the campus and still feel great about the idea of attending school away from home, this will help you make your decision.

Reputation and Quality of Education

A second factor to consider is where you feel you can get the best education.  If you get into two colleges but one is clearly better for you or has a better reputation, then this is something to consider.  The college with the better reputation may open up better job opportunities down the road.

Money, Money and Yes More Money

A third factor is cost.  Many students choose to live at home while in college to keep costs low.  You may be ready to strike out on your own, and that is understandable. But take into account the soaring costs of a 4-year college degree; you will want to at least consider how much you could save by staying at home.  Now on the flip side, there is no denying that your college experience will be drastically different if you don’t move away to go to college.  Ultimately, this can be a tough decision.  On one hand you have saving lots of money and on the other hand you have the freedom that comes along with moving away from home.

Apply Early and Apply Often!

In the end, having multiple schools to choose from is a very good situation to be in.  If you do want to have the luxury of picking between a college near home and one that is farther away, you should apply to many different colleges and universities so that your options will be open.

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Avoid These 5 Costly College Interview Mistakes

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

There are many parts to getting into your top college or university.  Since there are many opportunities for something to go wrong, you may be feeling a great deal of pressure.  However, this doesn’t mean that you need to panic.  Smart advance preparation can do a great deal to increase your odds of getting into the college or university of your choice.  Acing your college interview is a major part of getting accepted to one of your top picks.  In this article, we will focus on some of the major mistakes you might make on your college interview.

Mistake #1-A Bad Night’s Sleep

No matter how well prepared you may be for your college interview, a bad night of sleep can kill your chances of getting into one of your top college picks.  So this means you shouldn’t cram the night before your college interview.  You also shouldn’t go out with your friends and stay out late.  On the contrary, be sure to stay home, relax, and go to sleep at a reasonable hour.  Of course, don’t forget to set your alarm either!  It is very important to show up on time.

Mistake #2- Stressing Out Due to Parental Pressure

Some parents undo the chances of their children achieving success by putting them under too much pressure.  Remember that even if you do in fact “blow” your college interview, the world does in fact keep spinning.  Just do your best and try to ignore any pressure that your parents or anyone else has thrown your way.  Otherwise, you may be so nervous during the interview that you stumble through the questions or forget what you wanted to say.

Mistake #3-Not Knowing Anything About the College or University

Imagine going into a job interview and not knowing the first thing about the company where you want a job.  Does that make sense?  The same thing applies when it is time for your college interview.  This doesn’t mean you need to know who the college president was in 1948, but you should have some answer prepared for the question, “Why did you want to be a student at XYZ University?”

Mistake #4-Forgetting Key Documents

If you are planning on bringing everything with you, make sure you have all your documents and materials ready to go.  This will safeguard against rushing at the last second and showing up looking unprepared.

Mistake #5- Being Rude

It is a good idea to be polite during any interview, and college interviews are no different.  Be certain to introduce yourself, and if your parents are in the waiting room, be sure to introduce them as well.  Also shake hands and look the interviewer in the eye.

If you can manage to avoid making these five major mistakes your odds of success will go up!  Preparing ahead of time, staying calm and making sure that you are ready for your interview are things that will all go a long way.  Finally, don’t panic if your interviewer asks you a question that you can’t answer.  Just try to be open and honest.  The odds are that he or she doesn’t expect you to have all the answers.  However, the way you respond when you don’t have an immediate answer ready will tell your interviewer a great deal about you.

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When is it OK to Ignore Your High School Guidance Counselor?

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

It is important not to assume that your high school guidance counselor is some sort of all knowing oracle.  Even the best high school counselor will never understand your particular situation the way that you do.  Now with that said, of course, your high school guidance counselor is a great potential source of information and, of course, can offer you topnotch guidance on many occasions.  Let’s take a look at some occasions where it is probably all right to ignore your high school guidance counselor’s advice.

#1-What Do Your Parents Do?

The second your high school guidance counselor asks you this question; you should put up your guard.  Who cares what your parents do for a living?  Your guidance counselor shouldn’t be concerned with your parents, but with you and what you want to achieve.

#2-You Can’t Get Into That School

If your high school guidance counselor tries to decide what colleges and universities you can and cannot get into, you may need to ignore this advice.  This situation is especially true if you are planning far in advance.  If you need to improve your grades or test scores, then focus on that goal.  Don’t just give up on your dream schools because your guidance counselor recommends that you do so.  After all, you could potentially transfer to your dream school after your freshman or sophomore year of college.

#3-Is College Really for You?

Don’t let your high school guidance counselor decide whether or not you should go to college.  It is your decision whether or not you should go to college.  Be very wary of any counselor that is attempting to make this key decision for you.

#4-This is the Major for You!

Just as you should ignore your high school guidance counselor’s advice on whether or not you should attend college, the same holds true for allowing your counselor to pick your major.  You have to live with whatever major you pick, and this decision could influence your career path, your success in college and the how happy you are with your college experience.  Even if you don’t know what you to do in the future, the odds are you are better waiting to make your decision than letting someone else decide for you, and this includes your parents as well.

#5-Follow Your Gut, If Advice Sounds Bad, Then Maybe It Is Bad!

You should listen to what your guidance counselor has to say on every topic, but there is a difference between listening, and following the advice given.  Remember the advice you receive from your guidance counselor is advice; it’s not an order.  Often students overlook this key point because the high school guidance counselor is giving advice within a school.  Of course, students are taught at a very young age to listen to teachers.  However, if you hear what you think is questionable advice from your guidance counselor, then just follow your gut.

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