Posts Tagged ‘colleges and twitter’

One Book, One Twitter: World Summer Reading Twitter Project

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Do you have that summer reading list in your hands already?  What if you could expand your critical thinking skills in a different way, like sharing your thoughts about a classic novel — with the WORLD.  With the “One Book, One Twitter” project started by Jeff Howe of Crowdsourcing – it’s possible!

One Book, One Twitter Project: One Book to Rule Them AllIn what will hopefully turn out to be an annual Twitter summer international reading book club, the One Book, One Twitter project could prove to be an awesome way for you to hone a few skills pre-college, like critical thinking, listening, and contributing something of value to a conversation — and ward off summer boredom in the process!

The 140 character limitations could help you learn how to organize and focus your thoughts, stop the rambling, and get to the point (crucial skills for college – and beyond)!

With the One Book, One Twitter project, the goal is to aim for a book with universal appeal, a book that not only has been translated into many languages but one that is also available for free, so you can participate without spending a dime!  You know colleges will check out your online profiles anyway – why not give them something good to discover: a college bound student showing a definite interest in the written word.

Books currently topping the voting chart? Classics like American Gods by Neil Gaiman, 1984 by George Orwell, and Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to name a small sample of the contenders!  You can head on over and vote for your favorite before voting ends next week.  Our only question is: Will the One Book, One Twitter project hashtag, #1b1t, serve to beat out Justin Beiber as a trending topicWe’ll be watching – and reading, of course!  And, just think: if you enter (and win) our Apple iPad contest – you could be reading and participating using an iPad of your very own!

Special thanks to the Ruth A. Myers Library/ Ojibwe Archives Overview of the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College for bringing the One Book, One Twitter Project to our attention!

Terrific Twitter List: Our Big List of Colleges Who Tweet Part 5

Friday, April 2nd, 2010
We know.  We're excited too! You know our obsession with Twitter – and possibly even share in it!  Can you believe we are at Part 5 of our Big Twitter list already – and have over 200 different colleges listed?  Now – we’ve gone even bigger and added 75 more colleges and universities.  You can thank us later…after you’ve found, followed, and chatted up your faves!

As always, feel free to add any school that we’ve missed!  Seriously, we mean any: trade schools or beauty schools, four years or two – drop a link to their Twitter account below.  Happy Tweeting!
American University Oregon State University
Arcadia University Pratt Institute
California Institute of the Arts Presbyterian College
Carlow University Robert Morris University
Charter Oak State College Roosevelt University
Coker College Rutgers University
College of Charleston Sacred Heart University
Colorado State University St. Joseph’s College New York
Concordia University St Paul Saint Mary’s College of California
Daemen College Salem College
Dickinson College Shepherd University
Fitchburg State College State University of New York Old Westbury
Flagler College Stetson University
Georgia State University Sweet Briar College
Grand Valley State University Texas State University
Gustavus Adolphus College Thiel College
Hollins University Toccoa Falls College
Houghton College Trine University
Illinois Institute of Technology Union University
Illinois Wesleyan University University at Albany
Indiana University East University of Central Florida
Indiana University Northwest University of Colorado at Boulder
John Brown University University of Dallas
Lees McRae College University of Glamorgan
Lindsay Wilson College University of Iowa
Lower Columbia College University of Mary Washington
Marshall University University of Massachusetts Lowell
Mercer University University of Minnesota
Mississippi State University University of Northern Colorado
New College of Florida University of Richmond
New Mexico State University University of Scranton
Nichols College University of South Carolina
Northwestern Oklahoma State University US Coast Guard Academy
Northwestern University Viterbo University
Northwood University Washington University St Louis
Oklahoma City University Wentworth Institute of Technology
Old Dominion University Western Michigan University
West Point

Had Enough Yet? The Big List Part 4: Colleges and Universities Who Twitter

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Don't Forget to Follow My College Guide on Twitter!Private universities or public colleges, trade schools or community colleges – we are all about education We love to bring you the latest news about everything higher ed – from college blogs to Facebook Groups, we’re on it!  We know that your college-bound life just wouldn’t be complete without Part 4 of our Big Twitter List: 50 More Colleges and Universities who Twitter!

Colleges and universities are tweeting about the things you care about: campus events, the college admissions process, student issues, college scholarships, even new classes and majors.  Sure, some are more willing to engage directly with you than others – but what a great way to stay up on all the current happenings at your favorite colleges and universities!   There’s a lot to choose from – so make it easy!  Follow My College Guide’s List of Colleges Who Twitter.

Did we miss your favorite college or university? Two years or four – we love them all! Feel free to add your colleges of choice to the comments section for inclusion in our next Big List edition!

Alfred State College Loyola University Chicago
Arizona State University Michigan State University
Augsburg College Middlebury College
Aurora University Milwaukee School of Engineering
Baylor University Ohio State
Bowling Green State University Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City
Bryant University Ottawa University
Butler County Community College Remington College
Cal State San Bernardino Rhode Island School of Design
Colby College Saint Michael’s College
College of DuPage School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Coppin State University Southern Polytechnic State University
Dekalb Technical College Stony Brook University
Delaware College of Art and Design State University of New York
Emmanuel College State University of New York Cobleskill
Empire Beauty School Tacoma Community College
Essex County College Texas Tech University
Evergreen State College Trocaire College
George Washington University Tufts University
Harrington College of Design Unity College
Indiana Tech University of Delaware
Indiana University Purdue University University of Denver
Judson College University of Notre Dame
Kansas State University Western Governors University
Lake Superior College Duluth Western Illinois University

College Applications Video? Tufts University Tunes In

Friday, February 26th, 2010

ImNotQuiteJack/Jon Collier

You’ve heard about the College Admissions video – well, Tufts University Admissions is giving students the option to post a one minute video supplemental essay about themselves on YouTube!  It’s just another way for Tufts University to put a face to a name, and if video is your thing (ahem future filmmakers) — it could be your way in!

What did creative Tufts University applicants dream up?  There’s a Tufts hopeful on a unicycle with a ukulele, the rubber duck stop animation video supplement, the what’s currently on my iPod video, Inside the Actor’s Studio spoof, and the pink, blue, or red haired lover of questions…to name a very small, really fun assortment of what’s out there.

There are plenty of videos on YouTube – and a few more still trickling in!  It definitely looks as though the College Class of 2014 has played a key role in many new social media trends and innovations in the college applications process – so what’s next?

Marquette University on Twitter had My College Guide wondering when they jokingly tweeted, “What would you say if you had to write a college application essay in 140 characters or less?”   At least, we think they were only kidding.

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!

The Big List Part Three: 50 More Colleges and Universities Who Twitter

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Even with all the Google Buzz to-do, Twitter seems to be hanging in there just fine, thank you very much.  To celebrate, we bring you the ever-anticipated Twitter list: 50 MORE Colleges and Universities who Twitter!

Click on the name of your favorite college or university to land directly on their Twitter page!  Can’t decide?  Follow them all using My College Guide’s Complete List of Colleges Who Tweet right on Twitter.  It doesn’t get any easier!

Don’t forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the Big List to find your favorite tweeting colleges and universities!  Feel free to retweet our list to your followers – and add anyone we may have missed to the comments section below — to be included in Part 4!

Agnes Scott College Oklahoma City Community College
Butler University Pacific Lutheran University
Canisius College Park University
Colorado College Rockhurst University
Columbus State University Roger Williams University
Delaware Tech Terry Seattle University
Delta College St Mary’s University
Ferris State St Norbert College
Florida International University Texas Christian University
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College/R.A. Meyers Library Trinity University
Henderson Community College Utah State University
Kalamazoo College University of Alabama
Linfield College University of Alaska Southeast
Maryville College University of Arizona
Millsaps College University of California Irvine
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities University of Chicago
Montana State University University of Florida
Morehead State University University of Hawaii Manoa
New School University of Missouri Columbia
Northampton Community College University of Missouri Kansas City
North Carolina State University University of Oklahoma
North Central College University of Texas-Pan America
North Dakota State University University of Wisconsin Madison
Ocean County College Wichita State University
Ohio Northern University Wisconsin Tech College

Going away to College? Google Buzz Could Keep You Connected

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

clintonjeff/Clinton Jeff

College life: the studying, the papers, the finals (eek!),  make it tough to find the time to keep up with old friends (let alone new ones!) across the oh-so many social networks.  Even before you ever get to college, those campus visits, financial aid forms, and college applications are enough to keep you busy!

Google Buzz, very recently unveiled by Google (we’re talking February 9, 2010),  wants to be your one stop shop: upload your photos, videos, and your status all from one place.  We’ve all got friends who use Facebook or MySpace but don’t Twitter, who favor Flickr over Photobucket  – and vice versa.  Instead of signing into all these separate social accounts Google Buzz aims to replace them all, so you have one place to keep track of everything – and that’s the big difference.

Instead of logging in to a bunch of different sites, you simply log in to your Gmail account, hit up Google Buzz, and tweet, upload, and comment away – after carefully setting privacy settings, of course.  When a friend responds, instant update alerts are sent straight to your inbox, where all of your Gmail contacts have been automatically imported.  You can spend less time finding “friends” and more time hitting the books!  While many social networking sites connect: Facebook doesn’t.

You’ve probably seen your Facebook friends grumbling over recent layout changes, but — do you really think they’d ditch their FarmVille or Mafia Wars gaming apps for Google Buzz (especially with rumors of Facebook email in the future)?  Facebook was made for college students by college students.

We’ve played around with it and, oh yeah — it’s fun!  But, then again, new toys are always fun.  We’ll see if it actually sticks.  Google Buzz might have potential: it’s all in one place (even on the iPhone and Android) with a familiar layout (um, hello Facebook!).  But, after the failure of Google Wavewe’ll just have to wait and see.

What do you think?  Does Google Buzz have everything you need in order  to keep in touch when you head off to college?  Does it entice you to make the Gmail switch (if you haven’t already)?

Foursquare Makes The College Leap

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Courtesy of Mari Sheibley

Courtesy of Mari Sheibley

Colleges are evolving to keep up with current technology: they are using Facebook and Twitter, even YouTube, in an effort to keep your attention!  The new kid on the block, Foursquare, has been picked up by the University of North Carolina Charlotte, Columbia University, and Harvard University as a fun new way to keep college students involved.

Foursquare is the latest social networking application.  The twist?  It’s location based.  Foursquaresters gain points by checking in at their current location, discovering new places, sharing tips and then some, earning badges and maybe a shot at “mayor.”  Mayors can receive sweet discounts at the participating places where they reign supreme.

How are colleges using this to their advantage?  UNC Charlotte was the first university in the country to take advantage of Foursquare’s usability, offering promotions and dining info across campus.  Columbia University offers a discount through the on-campus movie theater and Harvard University was the first to create a special badge just for frequent Harvard visitors.

Think about it: new students can easily find campus hot spots and potentially save a couple bucks as well (if they happen to be “mayor,” that is).  Instantly see where your friends are – maybe cut down on the texting a bit?  We’re only kidding.

Just the same, we’re excited by the awesome potential here for colleges and universities who use Foursquare.  It could just be a match made in higher education heaven.

What do you think?  Is Foursquare another social media fad or do you think it’s the next big thing?

The BIG List: 50 Colleges and Universities who Twitter: Part Two

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

You’ve waited for it, you’ve added to it, you’ve “tweeted” about it, and now it’s here: Part Two of The Big Twitter List!  Follow your schools of choice individually or simply follow My College Guide’s complete list on Twitter.

Psst! Don’t forget to add your favorites (or yourself) to the comments section below so we can include them in the next version.

Allegheny College Newman University
Auburn University Ohio University
Baruch College Purdue University
Brookhaven College Rasmussen College
Bucknell University Rhodes College
Calvin College Ringling College
Centenary College Rogers State University
Clemson University Simmons College
College of the Holy Cross Stephens College
Connecticut College St Olaf College
Davenport University Suffolk University
Dickinson College Texas A&M Kingsville
Edmonds Community College University of California Davis
Foothill College University of California Los Angeles
Georgia Institute of Technology University of Chicago Pritzker Admissions
Hamilton College University of Oregon
Hope College University of Pennsylvania
Ivy Tech Northwest University of Rochester
Kendall College Vassar College
La Roche College Walsh College
Louisiana State University Wayne State University
Lynchburg College Westminster College
Macalester College Wheaton College
Marquette University Williams College
Mira Costa College Xavier University of Louisiana

Early Decision: Is it the Right Decision for You?

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Twitter, Facebook, really, the whole internet is buzzing with two words: early decision. Who got in, who didn’t get in, and who is still waiting to hear from their school of choice is all anyone can talk about – even our Admissions Guru has been bombarded with questions. Early decision confusion?  That’s what we’re here for!

It's a LOT to think about!

katrinalopez

You can only choose one school in which to apply for early decision because it is a binding contract (not to be confused with early action which is non-binding).  Apply by the November early decision deadline (which can vary slightly between schools) to receive “the answer” somewhere between December and January.

Even if you don’t receive early decision acceptance, most colleges and universities will defer your application, giving you a chance to gain regular decision admittance.  Simply put, this deferment means that, while you still have a shot at getting into that school, you are no longer bound by the early decision contract.  You should definitely apply to multiple colleges, just know that you will have to withdraw the applications to those schools if you’re accepted early decision

When considering whether or not to send in an early decision college app for a particular school, try to imagine paying for that school without any financial help.  If that thought makes you uncomfortable (or just downright nervous), you should check to make sure that your application is subject to your receiving the minimum amount of financial aid you’ll need. Otherwise, you might end up getting bound to attend that school regardless of the amount of financial aid offered!

Again, this is a binding contract.  Colleges and universities mean business so read that contract carefully!  If you do try to walk away, you will most likely be black-listed not only at that school, but at other schools as well, which can severely hamper your future plans.  Also, if you then decide to attend a different school, that school might just revoke their acceptance of you if they find out that you broke your early decision contract.  Colleges value personal integrity – do you really want to take a chance at severely damaging yours?

But, if you have done the campus visit, taken the college tour, have completely fallen in love with a particular school, and know that it’s your top pick, you might want to consider early decision.  Why draw out the agony of waiting if you can receive your acceptance (or not) early?

Decisions, decisions.

ambrown

Better yet — Class of 2014 Facebook Pages are popping up daily so new students can get acquainted, network, and form friendships with one another before ever setting foot on campus (keep watch for our Class of 2014 Facebook list, coming soon!). That would go a long way in helping to calm first day jitters!

Early decision = fewer applicants.  However, even with a smaller pool of college applications to wade through, the applicants tend to be pretty strong (we’re talking top of their class and super involved) so  it doesn’t mean you’ll have a better chance of getting in.   Early decision is a huge responsibility.  It’s definitely not something to walk into blindly.

So, would you/have you/are you considering applying for early decision?  Why or why not?  Share you thoughts in the comments section below.