Posts Tagged ‘penn state university’

51 Colleges and Universities on Twitter Part 6

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

yellow-bird-twitter-iconMy College Guide can’t think of a more fun way to connect with prospective colleges while easily gaining short and sweet updates. Why not keep up with the colleges or universities that you are interested in? You can keep up with everything college admissions while scoping out the events and activities available at a given college.

Due to popular demand, My College Guide has created yet another list of colleges and universities on Twitter! Feel free to follow colleges individually by clicking on their Twitter link below or follow our master Twitter list. As always, when interacting with anyone online (especially college admissions) be respectful, be polite, and don’t SPAM their Twitter page with 200 different questions!

Anderson University Lipscomb University
Azusa Pacific University North Central University
Berea University North Park University
Biola University Nyack College
Bloomsburg University Oakland University
Bowie State University Peirce College
Brandman University Penn State University
Centre College Radford University
Chapman University Southeastern University
Clarion University Southern Nazarene University
Colgate University Trinity International University
College of William and Mary Troy University
Concordia University Tuskegee University
Covenant Christian College UMass Amherst
Culinary Institute of America University of Michigan-Flint
Denison University University of Mississippi
Eastern Kentucky University University of New Haven
Evangel University University of North Carolina Wilmington
Fairfield University University of Oregon
Florida A&M University University of Rhode Island
Genesee Community College University of San Diego
Hampton University University of St. Thomas
High Point University University of Tulsa
Judson University Utah State  University
Kettering University Winthrop University
 

Wofford College

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Starcraft and Beyond: How the (College) Gaming Experience Hopes to Change the World

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

My College Guide has unearthed it’s fair share of unusual college classes. We recently discovered a few that, well, let’s just say that if the thought of leaving behind your clan breaks your heart, classes at both the University of Florida and the University of California Berkeley have offered or are offering a course about StarCraft, a hugely popular RTS (that’s Real Time Strategy for those not in the know).

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monkeyworks illustration / Dave Mott

While the unusual class at UC Berkeley about StarCraft was student taught, it’s still worth noting, as even a DeCal class needs professor approval. To get DeCal approval, the proposed class in question has to prove that it’s not only meaty enough to fill a semester but that it provides some sort of value. And you thought StarCraft  was mindless entertainment!

If you are wondering how in the world someone could hold a lecture around StarCraft, well, you only have to go so far as YouTube to watch the UC Berkeley StarCraft Class Lecture series.

The fact is, StarCraft and many other online games have long been thought to be a great skill-building educational platform in the areas of leadership, teamwork, and organization. In some cases, they can be used to study societal behavior and things like supply and demand. Games in general are thought to be one way in which we can change the world (watch Game Designer Jane Mcgonigal’s TED lecture for more behind that theory) so harnessing that do-good notion by enrolling in a game-oriented class might not be such a bad thing.

The recent course offering at the University of Florida takes it a little further. This unique college class also offers college credit in return for successful completion of the online college course and is professor led. Right now, colleges, universities, and beyond are toying with ways to create gaming experiences that get people to learn more about the world in general.

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jerine / Jerine Lay

For example, Penn State University’s Amazing Race game hopes to promote global awareness by quizzing your geographic knowledge because, as stated on the site, “Without knowing national and international locations, you will not be able to effectively understand the critical context for world events.” Using Google Earth, this Faculty Fellows project is real-time and really effective (and don’t forget fun!).

Outside the college classroom, games are being used to tackle real world issues, like Superstruct, where players organize society and prepare for problems (just like in real life) to World Without Oil, which simulates a global oil crisis and tries to get players to figure out how to save energy. Another game, Fold It involves science and protein — and hopefully includes a cure for cancer and other diseases in there.

The bottom-line is that games can change the way people think and behave for the better — and provide a useful tool for studying human behavior. We chalk it up to one more wonderful reason why college is different from high school.

Legacy Student Status and College Admissions: Where Do You Fit In?

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Does your family have a history of attending the same college? Maybe you’ve been wondering how this so-called “legacy status” affects your college admission status! Grandpa or grandma, mom or dad, bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, if members of your family graduated from your dream school, see what kind of impact (if any) that could make on helping you get “in!”

Dartmouth College hopeful? They might just take a peek at your legacy status.

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What is a Legacy Student?
A legacy student is a college bound student with parents or even grandparents that are college alumni of the very same college where a prospective student submits an admissions application. Some colleges also have grants or scholarships just for legacy students!

College Admissions and Legacy Status
Some colleges may have different legacy student policies regarding the type of degree an alumnus earned, like if the degree is an undergraduate degree or a graduate degree. They may favor an undergraduate degree and not count a graduate degree towards legacy status.

Other colleges will count any children or grandchildren as legacy students if the degree was earned at their institution – no matter if it was earned as an undergraduate or a graduate. Depending on your family history, that could be very good news for you!

Resources for Legacy Students
You can often easily judge if legacy status has any weight based on information found on the college  website. Many will let students know if legacy status is something that they even consider as a positive factor towards college admission. A simple search on the college website should provide the information you are looking for!

Some colleges possess more legacy resources than others. The University of Pennsylvania, for example, possesses Legacy Advising Sessions so legacy students and their parents can find out more about their selective status with regards to UPenn admissions procedures.

Another UPenn program, Linking Legacies, is something that prospective legacy students should take advantage of! Linking Legacies connects current legacy students with prospective legacy students so they can ask their questions and get actual legacy student responses via mail.

Saint Joseph’s College and Michigan State University have a legacy program for current, prospective, and past graduates to easily network and keep in touch. Bucknell University is another college that lets not only children and grandchildren of college alumni claim legacy status, but also stepchildren, great grandchildren, and even great grandchildren — with special programs for prospective legacy students and then some!

Hintz Family Alumni Center at  Penn State University.

akrobat77

Some colleges prefer to make their take on legacy status a bit more secret. Yale University is one college thought to put a bit of emphasis on legacy status – and have often admitted more legacy students than not! Dartmouth College, on the other hand, openly shares its legacy admission rates.

If you discover a high rate of legacy students then it’s probably safe to assume that it might just have a bit to do with a student’s offer of college admission!

Final Thought
If your school puts particular emphasis on legacy status, it doesn’t mean that you should stop studying and start slacking! Legacy student or not, any college is still going to prefer a hard-working, valuable member of society to one that doesn’t even meet the standard admission requirements.

On the other hand, should you get accepted into your dream school, your legacy status should never make you feel as though you didn’t make it “in” because of your hard work! Your legacy status is only part of the (rather large) college admissions puzzle: your GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, community service, letters of recommendation, college interview, and then some, make up the remaining pieces.

Zombies Overtake College Campus

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

College isn’t all fun and games…except when it is!  The arrival of Spring on many college campuses isn’t just about the dreaded final exam and Spring Break – it also means Zombies!  Yes, we mean zombies: brain eating, fast moving, zombies – and Nerf gun carrying, bandana-wearing human counterparts.

Zombies are watching you!

Urban Gaming Club

Humans versus Zombies or Zombies versus Humans, has one simple goal – outlast your opponent!  Zombies have a specified pre-determined life span – it could be an hour, 48 hours, or an entire week, depending on your college.  They can be as simple – infect as many human players as possible – or as complex, (plots, missions, scavenger hunts) as game organizers decide!

Zombies turn humans into zombies by tagging them – humans, however, can defend themselves: marshmallow guns, balled up socks, or Nerf guns, which stun a zombie for an agreed upon length of time (usually 15 minutes) before it’s back to the chase!  If Zombies don’t tag a player within the agreed upon time…they die (again).  Whichever side ends up with the most players…wins!

Does that sound fun or what?  It all started at Goucher College in 2005 and now – it’s everywhereIthaca College plays twice a semester, Purdue University, Penn State University also play a great game.  There’s also Dakota State University and Bowling Green State University…seriously, this game is played across the country!  Check out this SUNY Geneseo article from the student newspaper, The Lamron, or the University of Missouri’s Maneater about previous Zombies versus Humans games!

When Zombies Attack!

PrincessFroglips/Jane Dominguez

Thanks to Facebook and Twitter – it’s easier than ever to find and discover a game!  A University of Florida student set up a Gators Humans versus Zombies Facebook Page, there’s also the Zombie Defense Corp at the University of Central Florida and the University of Georgia Facebook Page.  The University of Washington had over 550 people who confirmed their attendance to yesterday’s game via Facebook.  Or you could get your zombie fill by checking out Gus on Twitter, a man trapped in the middle of a Zombie Apocalypse (really, now we’ve seen everything!).

When all else fails – keep tabs on the bulletin board at your college for upcoming events.  There might be a gaming or social club at your college of choice that is responsible for organizing large scale events – so be on the lookout and find out how you can get involved.  Spring or Fall – colleges are playing and, thanks to social media, you might be able to find out easier than ever.

Have you played Zombies versus Humans?  Do you know of other colleges or universities who play or are getting ready to begin a new game?  Do you have any tips for new players?  Share them in the comments section below!

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5 Unique College Majors (and the Cool Jobs They Can Land You)

Monday, December 7th, 2009

800px-Golf_player_Hawaii_2002If you’re planning to attend college in the next couple of years, you’re probably still wondering about what to major in. There’s nothing wrong with that—you have two years at college before you need to make a final decision. A major in biology could set you up for further studies at medical school, and a pre-law degree will help you master the basics of tort and criminal law if you’d like to become an attorney one day, but if you’re not sure where your path will take you, why not consider some of the more unique majors available? Here are some fascinating college majors from American universities that you’ve probably never heard of—and the cool jobs they can lead to.

Viticulture. You may be too young to drink wine, but that doesn’t mean you’re too young to make it! Cal Poly, in San Luis Obispo, California, offers a hands-on Wine and Viticulture major, where students will learn all the basics about growing grapes and turning them into high-quality wine, using the school’s own 100-acre vineyard as a testing ground. Once you’ve finished the program, you’ll finally be old enough to try out your own wine—and will be prepared to launch your very own winery. Check out the program details here. http://cafes.calpoly.edu/departmentsAndMajors/majors/wineAndViticulture.asp

Professional Golf Management. If you’re a golf nut, but aren’t quite qualified to go pro, maybe you should consider running your own golf course. A degree in Professional Golf Management from Penn State University will teach you how to do just that, with courses in subjects like Turf Grass Management, Analysis of the Swing, and Golf Car Fleet Management. And perfecting your swing is part of the program: students must pass a golfing proficiency test out on the green before being awarded with a diploma and a membership to the PGA. Sounds like a good excuse to spend plenty of time out on the course (as scholarly research).

Food Science. Have you always loved both chemistry and cooking? A degree in Food Science from Cornell University provides a chance to combine these two passions, teaching you about engineering, microbiology, chemistry and other scientific fields as applied to everything that ends up on your plate. This is definitely not a lightweight major—you’ll need to take a series of courses in calculus, organic chemistry, and microbiology to even begin the program—but it’s a fascinating and rewarding field. If you think coming up with Ben and Jerry’s next flavor would be a dream job, this is your way in.

Bagpipes. In tribute to founder Andrew Carnegie’s Scottish roots, Carnegie Mellon University offers America’s only bagpipes major, complete with its very own scholarship. The program focuses on both the history of bagpiping and the performance itself—though bagpipes students are given a separate building to practice their craft in, as the instrument is incredibly loud. The university has only graduated a handful of bagpipes scholars so far, but if you’re a fan of the infamous instrument, this might be just the trick for you to score a scholarship to a great school—and receive plenty of high-paid invitations to perform at weddings after graduation. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09127/968364-298.stm

Criminology. If you’re addicted to TV shows like America’s Most Wanted and Criminal Minds, a degree in criminology (available at many colleges, including the University of Southern Maine) might be the best way to get into the fascinating and high-paying field of criminal profiling. Criminology courses in an undergraduate program typically include a mix of psychology and sociology classes focusing on the American criminal justice system, as well as an internship with a police department or government agency. Though you’ll need to complete a master’s degree in criminology to become eligible for most jobs in the field, a B.A. in this fascinating field is your first step on the way to a high-level profiling career with a police department, the FBI, or even the CIA.

7 of the Most Bizarre Mascots at American Colleges

Friday, December 4th, 2009

UC Berkeley’s got Oski the Bear, Penn State has the Nittany Lion—and UC Santa Cruz has the fierce and powerful… Sammy the Banana Slug?

Strange, but true.  UC Santa Cruz isn’t a sports-focused school, so students unofficially adopted the slow-moving slug as a humorous commentary on the school’s lack of athletic prowess. At one point, college officials tried to switch the mascot to a sea lion, but the protest from students was so great that the slimy yellow slug was reinstated, and you’ll find countless odes to Sammy in toy, t-shirt, and shot glass form at the school’s campus bookstore.  UCSC isn’t the only school with a not-so-normal mascot. Here are just a few other quirky mascots representing colleges around the United States:

Randy Son Of Robert/Randy

The Anteater. California students have a quirky sense of humor, it seems: the Anteater is the official mascot of the UC Irvine sports teams. During school sports games, students often chant, “Zot, zot, zot!” — supposedly, this is the noise that the anteater’s tongue makes as it laps up ants.

John the Poet. Poets aren’t normally thought of as sports stars, but at Whittier College, which is named for poet John Whittier, the school decided to pay tribute to its literary star on the playing field. Richard Nixon is the school’s most famous grad, but we’ve got a feeling Whittier won’t be swapping the Poet costume for a Nixon mask any time soon.

Speedy the Geoduck. Ever heard of a geoduck? You might be surprised to know that it’s not a duck at all, but a type of mollusk, probably not too far removed from Santa Cruz’s Banana Slug, Sammy. Speedy is the face of Evergreen State College in Washington, which boasts The Simpsons creator Matt Groening among its alums. Maybe one day, a life-sized Bart will join Speedy on the courts for a little pre-game fun.

Artie the Fighting Artichoke. In the 1970s, Scottsdale Community College asked students to vote on a mascot for the school’s sports teams. However, most students were annoyed that the administration was devoting much of the school’s funds to sports rather than academic programs, and came up with a few ridiculous options to choose from: The Artichokes, the Rutabagas, or the Scoundrels. The Artichokes won the vote, and the giant green veggie has been raising school spirit ever since.

alvarezperea/Alberto Alvarez-Perea

The Billiken. St. Louis University’s Billiken looks a bit like E.T., with giant pointed ears, but apparently, the odd-looking creature bears a striking resemblance to one of SLU’s early coaches. Billikens were all the rage for a six-month period in the early 1900s, and are intended to be used as good luck charms. For a sports team, that sure sounds like a good omen.

The Fighting Okra. Okra is a Southern staple on the dinner table—and the ferocious Fighting Okra is a staple at Mississippi’s Delta State University . Although the school’s athletic department has chosen the more appropriate Statesmen and Lady Statesmen as monikers for its teams, the Fighting Okra has long served as an unofficial mascot and student favorite.

Who did we miss? Share your favorite bizarre mascots in the comment section below!