Posts Tagged ‘college alumni’

University of Rochester Photo Friday or As Seen on Campus

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

With digital cameras and camera phones popping up everywhere, it seems as if everyone has turned shutterbug! The University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, has taken advantage of this simple fact, inviting past and present students, faculty, and more to show off their artistic side and capture the university campus as they see it. My College Guide got in touch with Lori Packer, Web Editor at the University of Rochester, for the details on Photo Friday. Get a glimpse of the campus before you make the official campus visit!

Eastman Quad at the University of Rochester.

Courtesy of the University of Rochester Photo Friday David Selby ’04

How did the University of Rochester Photo Friday begin – and how many photos have you received so far?
Photo Friday began in May 2009. The idea was to use the large photo we had introduced in a recent redesign to allow members of the campus community to show us the University as they saw it. Over the past 14 months, we’ve received over 700 photos from about 225 people — students, alumni, faculty, staff, even a few parents. The Web team choose which photos to include each week, and we do err on the side of inclusion — we’ll sometimes get verticals or out-of-focus or cell phone shots that we can’t use.

It looks like a lot of photos! How many have you got on there?
We run anywhere from six to 12 photos in the collection each week — a new photo loads each time you refresh the page. We post the photos to a Facebook gallery each week, where they always get a lot of comments, and we also invite visitors to vote for their favorites. Then we announce each week’s “winner” on Facebook on Monday morning.

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Courtesy of the University of Rochester Photo Friday Megan Saunders ’09

So – do you have a favorite Photo Friday photo?
We get a lot of beautiful shots of campus landmarks and nature, but my favorites are the ones that involve people doing cool stuff. I think my personal favorite though is the one from June 2009 of someone’s dog hanging out on the quad.

Why do you think Photo Friday could be a useful tool for a student considering the University of Rochester?
I think Photo Friday is a great feature for prospective students to see a view of the University that’s a little different from the typical “three under a tree”-style photography they may be used to seeing on college websites and publications. Of course, we have wonderful photographers at the University who shoot amazing images, but once a week I think it’s fun to let the students, alumni, and faculty take over!

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Campus, College Life, Fun Stuff, Social Media | No Comments »

Students Helping Students: K-State Proud Pays it Forward

Friday, May 7th, 2010

College doesn’t just mean trying out new career paths or dabbling in new hobbies – although those certainly are important!  Consider college to be a launch pad, a starting platform, that you can use to change your life, if not the world — and the forward thinking students at Kansas State University are doing just that: one student at a time.

Kansas State University students organized K-State Proud: Students Helping Students.

harris48439/Clark Harris

After My College Guide saw the Students Helping Students YouTube video, we interviewed Anna Zeiger and Reed Pankratz, two co-chairs of the K-State Proud campaign in the hopes that it will serve to inspire and motivate you – and give you an idea of what you can accomplish if you have the passion and drive.  This KSU student group has even been recognized on the floor of Congress by Representative Jerry Moran.

So — how and when did K-State Proud begin?
Anna Zeiger: It began 4 years ago with a small group of K-State students.  They came back from a national leadership conference with a lot of ideas and enthusiasm to start an all-student campaign on campus.  Since then, students have donated over $345,000 (through K-State Proud) to give back to their fellow students.

How do students get involved in K-State Proud?
Anna Zeiger: Anyone can donate to the campaign and they don’t just have to be K-State students; we receive significant support from family, friends, alumni, and fans.  Students who want to volunteer to help work the booth in the Union during campaign week, etc. should just be on the lookout at the end of the fall/beginning of the spring semester.

As a member and co-chair of the group, what has been your most memorable moment?
Anna Zeiger: What stood out to me the most this year was the people. We had an amazing team of leaders working on the campaign, and the sense of camaraderie that we had coming together not only as a group, but as an entire student body, was phenomenal.

Anything else we need to know?
Reed Pankratz: The K-State PROUD campaign is more than a t-shirt and more than just raising money. It is a campaign that changes the lives of people who receive awards and also those who work with the campaign. This campaign is something truly special to our campus and reflects the type of student body we have at K-State.

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Campus, College Life, Fun Stuff | No Comments »

5 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your College Interview

Friday, March 5th, 2010

The key to a great college interview?  Making sure that you come across as a bright, talented, and accomplished student worthy of attending your college of choice!  If that sounds just slightly overwhelming – that’s where we come in!  Here are tips to help you shine during your college interview!

rustman/Russ Morris

Practice makes Perfect! You might want to have some idea of what you’ll say – without sounding too rehearsed!  Go over potential questions and answers with a parent or friend. Think about your response before rushing in and rambling out an answer – your interviewer will appreciate it! Common questions include:

Why do you want to go to our school?
 What do you hope to get out of your college experience?
 What is your biggest high school accomplishment?
 What are your interests and hobbies?
 Which five famous people, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party?  Why?

Oops. Did you receive poor grades during sophomore year because you were dealing with major life events like a serious illness or parents’ divorce?  This is the perfect opportunity to explain why your test scores or GPA aren’t as high as they might otherwise be. If any extenuating circumstances have negatively affected your high school performance, explain them! Keep it brief and professional – you don’t need to go into great detail.

Dress for Success. Most college students don’t exactly dress up for class—but you’re not there yet! Dress a cut above so that you can make an excellent first impression. You can probably skip the business suit, but for guys – you may want to break out the khakis and a button-down shirt and girls: think nice top and slacks or a skirt.  Stay away from jeans, shorts, baggy or torn pants, and anything too tight or revealing.

Phony Baloney! Students sometimes get so worked up and nervous over college admission interviews that they stick to pre-rehearsed responses to questions – and way too many “yes” and “no” type answers!  That makes for a boring interview – for both of you! It’s awesome to be prepared but the admissions officer wants to see who you are. Don’t be afraid to tell an entertaining (and true!) story that reveals your personality and interests. Just, please, don’t share anything you wouldn’t be comfortable telling your grandparents.

How about a little Q & A? Psst!  This interview isn’t just for the admissions officer! Shocking, we know.  But an interview works both ways.  Sure, your interviewer will have questions for you but it’s okay for you to have questions, too. In fact – it’s a wonderful way to show your interest in the school – and learn a little something in the process!

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Posted in College Admissions, College Interview | No Comments »

It’s a Trap! No, Just Ole Miss Students Voting

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

lukeamotion/Luke Pickard

Colleges sometimes have really unusual college mascots – or, possibly even more unusual — no mascot at all!  That’s the  case with the University of Mississippi.  Ole Miss retired Colonel Rebel, their controversial southern gentleman mascot, back in 2003 — and haven’t had one since!

But a mascot is in the future for Ole Miss students.  Tuesday, February 23, 2010, University of Mississippi students voted online as to whether or not they wanted a voice in choosing the new mascot – or if they wanted to leave it in the hands of college officials.  The result? UM students voted yes — well, 2,510 students voted yes with only 856 voting no.

Students selected to serve on the Student Mascot Advisory Committee will begin developing a new mascot, keeping the school colors (red and blue), and the name “Ole Miss Rebels” which only leaves the question – what (or who) should be the next University of Mississippi mascot?

Students, alumni, and the Twittersphere in general have been tweeting all sorts of hilarious mascot suggestions but the favorite by far is currently none other than Admiral Ackbar – yes, you read that right: the Admiral Ackbar of Star Wars fame!  The Mon Calamari and his catch-phrase “it’s a trap” has been appearing everywhere: on his website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and is suddenly one of the high ranking search terms on Google!

What do you think?  Will Lucas Arts permit Admiral Ackbar to become the new Old Miss Mascot or do you think that Ole Miss students should move on?  Do you have a better idea?  Share it in the comments section below!

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Posted in College Life, Fun Stuff | No Comments »

To be or Not to Be: The College Interview

Friday, February 19th, 2010
The College Interview

madabandon

Considering ditching your college interview? DON’T!  Your grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations tell admissions a lot about who you are – but many colleges want to know more!

The college interview process, though often optional,  is a great way for you to get your questions answered, put a face to a name, and explain any bumps in your high school record face to face.  We’ve mentioned before that students who vocalize their desire to attend a particular college increase their college admittance odds – what better way than during a college interview?  Show college admissions how much you want that letter of acceptance and it could help you get in!

Not every college or university has the staff (or the time) to conduct college interviews but for those that do (or if you happen to snag one)  – it can be a great way to get a little one on one with someone whom the college trusts, especially if you aren’t sure yet which college would suit you the best.  Some colleges ask you to hit up the campus (not a bad way to make a second campus visit), interview by phone, or, at some schools – they come to you.

Many colleges and universities (think Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Connecticut College, and Vassar College) utilize their college alumni, reaching out to students who live far from the college.  There may be just one – or a panel.

Colleges do value what these volunteers have to say so they should still be treated with the same respect you would show the admissions counselors themselves – and they can still give you the information you are looking for – and from the point of view of a student which could prove invaluable!

While colleges and universities like to say that the college interview isn’t a major deciding factor (the rates for college acceptance are roughly the same with or without the interview) – it’s still not something to be taken lightly and, if at all possible – go for it!  Standing out from the crowd (in a good way), can only help you get in!

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Posted in College Admissions, College Interview | 5 Comments »