FIND COLLEGES BY:

Freshmen come and fresh-men go every year at all universities, from the major public institutions to the small private ones. Some manage to make a connection with their professors - maybe not necessarily becoming the best of friends but establishing an in-the-classroom relationship that ultimately benefits their grade. The overwhelming majority of students, though, sit at the back of the lecture hall and disappear before the instructor has a chance to learn their names.

Since this issue of KEY Magazine is devoted to helping you survive your first year of college, our editorial staff decided to get some insights into what a college professor expects from you. We decided to go straight to the source. As a professor of journalism at a major Big 12 division school, Gerry Cain squared off with hundreds of timid college freshmen. Here are his responses to some common questions on the minds of most new college students.

Q. What are some guidelines for writing an e-mail to a professor?
A. Specific and to the point. Profs have little time and a lot of committee meetings to at-tend. However, don’t mistake brevity for informality, which should be kept to a minimum - it is a professional relationship you’re building, after all, not a friend you’re inviting over for pizza and beer!

Q. How do you get to know a professor in a large lecture class?
A. Introduce yourself … often! Stop and talk briefly after class (again, we’re probably on our way to a committee meeting). And re-introduce yourself - first name, at least - with each encounter. We’re bad with names. Repetition helps.

Q. What is the best way to get on a professor’s good side?
A. Come to class prepared to discuss the subject du jour … and engage in discussions. So few do it that we seek out those to converse with just to make class more interesting … if only to our-selves.

Q. How much do I need to interact with a teacher outside of class?
A. Again, lots. If you haven’t had at least three brief encounters and one sit-down in his/her office with each of your profs, there’s little chance we’ll remember you come time for letters of recommendation. And you will want LORs.

Q. How important is class participation?
A. Very, very important. Speak up. Be heard. Often.

Q. How much interaction do you expect from a student in class?
A. Lots. Whether you agree with us or not, we at least would like the chance to have some interaction with you in class. It’s just more fun that way.

Q. What are some ways I could stay involved in a big classroom?
A. Participate in the discussion. If you’re not prepared to talk about the subject, at least come prepared knowing what the subject of discussion will be. Then toss a re-lated question or comment out in class just to let us know you appreciate our time and efforts to educate you.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you could give to a student?
A. Find something in every class and every assignment that broadens, enlightens or excites you. That is what the college experience is (supposed to be) all about.

About 66.3 percent of American adults are overweight or obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If that trend continues, out of 100 of your friends and classmates, 66 will weigh more than doctors recommend. For many of them, this extra weight will cause serious health problems.

You don’t have to be one of those 66.

Contrary to what many think, eating healthily isn’t hard. Even as a busy student juggling class, studying, friends and a part-time job, you can still make healthy food decisions.

Take small steps
Healthy eating habits won’t happen overnight. Start slowly, eating smaller portions and swapping water for coke. Try eating healthily for one meal a day. Once you’re comfortable, increase that to two meals a day.

On the go
There are ways to eat healthily at fast food restaurants. Try a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a double cheeseburger. Ask if you can substitute fruit for the side order of french fries. Many chain restaurants offer several salads on their menus. You can even trade the soda for a bottle of water. Speaking of water …

Don’t skip the H2O
There are plenty of reasons to drink eight glasses of water every day. Water energizes and cleans out your body. It also lubricates joints and organs and helps maintain muscle tone. Water keeps skin soft. Water regulates body temperature, filters out impurities, and keeps the brain working properly.

Looks can fool
Not all the foods that look unhealthy actually are bad for you. While cheese fries may never be part of your recommended diet, potatoes alone are nothing to fear. In fact, they are full of antioxidants that are great for fighting diseases. The important thing is to know the pros and cons of what’s on your plate before you take the first bite.

Smart snacking
Keep an emergency stash of healthy snacks for those moments when you’re tempted to hit the vending machine. Breakfast bars and granola bars are easy to store in your dorm room. Low calorie pudding, apples and trail mix are also easy to eat on the way to class. And when you’re heading to class …

Stay active
Even small things, like walking to class instead of driving, or taking the stairs in place of the elevator, can help you stay healthy. Look for activities you enjoy, like biking, running or dancing, to get your heart rate up. After a few workout sessions, you’ll find you have a lot more energy.

The combination of a little bit of planning and some smart choices can help you stay healthy, no matter how busy you are.

Paying for College Without Going Broke 2007 - (Book)
Author: The Princeton Review
If you don’t know how you’re going to pay for college, this book could be your new best friend. It has up-to-date application forms and will help you calculate your financial aid eligibility. It also gives great advice on negotiating with financial aid offices and receiving educational tax breaks. If you’re starting to feel stressed about paying for higher education, hit your local bookstore and grab a copy of this book.

Man of the Year
Rated: PG-13
Take a break from your English homework to check out Man of the Year, a film that’s both surprisingly serious and, at times, laugh-outloud funny. Robin Williams stars as Tom Dobbs, a talk show host whose audience helps him get on the presidential ballot. A flawed voting system leads to Dobbs unexpectedly winning the election. Laura Linney, Christopher Walken and Lewis Black all co-star in this powerful drama/comedy.

Introducing Joss Stone
Artist: Joss Stone
Introducing Joss Stone, the third album by British singer/songwriter Joss Stone, is a mix of R&B and soul sounds. This album, produced by Raphael Saadiq, was influenced by early Motown artists like Aretha Franklin. Stone combines this sound with several guest singers, including Common on the track “Tell Me What We’re Gonna Do” and Lauryn Hill on “Music.”

Killer credit: wisdom for swiping plastic

For a material, plastic has gotten a lot of hype in the last decade. It’s recyclable, perfect for bottling Gatorade and making front fenders on Hondas. But seldom has plastic - in the form of credit cards, anyway - gotten a good rap.

The truth is, the cards themselves are not as much to blame for out-of-control debt as new cardholders failing to understand the concept of credit. Most college-bound high school students find themselves trudging through mountains of credit card offers, many of which can be tempting. But before getting all plastic-swiping crazy, it’s important to understand how credit cards work and when - or when not - to swipe.

Understanding credit

The good news is, there are some good uses of credit cards:

• Responsible use of a credit card will help you establish a solid credit history.
• Credit cards can be used when you don’t have enough cash in your pocket or money in your checking account to cover unexpected expenses, such as fixing your car.
• You can keep track of your spending via the monthly paper statement or by viewing your bill through other banking services such as online banking.
• If you absolutely must use a credit card for a large ticket item, many credit cards offer benefits such as purchase protection against theft or damage and an extended warranty period.

How credit works

Credit card use contributes to a credit rating that, in essence, shows how dependable a borrower is at paying money back. A credit report is generated by anyone who may potentially loan you money or expect you to pay bills, such as a car dealer or landlord. The report shows every credit card in your name, along with late payments.

Good reports encourage lenders to offer loans or lower interest rates in the future. Bad reports can lead to high interest rates and, to put it bluntly, rejection.

"It’s easy to get in the habit of using a credit card for every purchase," said Diana Fergus, credit card product manager and Vice President of KeyBank in Cleveland, Ohio. "Frivolous spending will run up the outstanding balance very quickly and ultimately you are responsible for these charges. Students must decide if the short-term enjoyment of impulse purchases is worth making the eventual credit card payments, quite possibly over a long period of time."

Fergus said a credit card should be used to cover the cost of unexpected, expensive emergencies such as a chipped tooth or a flat tire. Impulse items, on the other hand, can cost you big time.

"Students need to focus on the future," she said. "Using credit cards responsibly will help their finances and build money management skills after graduation."

For more information on credit cards and the best student-approved cards, check out: www.creditcards.com/college-students.php.

Good Uses:

• Tuition
• Textbooks and other supplies
• Automotive maintenance
• Computer problems
• Medical/dental emergencies

Bad Uses:

• Buying pizzas for the entire dorm
• Concert tickets
• New wardrobe
• High-tech gadgets (iPod or DVD players)

Important credit card terms

Annual percentage rate (APR): The one-year rate that is charged for borrowing. For example, a credit card company might charge 1 percent a month, but the APR is 1 percent x 12 months = 12 percent.

Balance transfer: Moving all or part of a credit card balance from one card to another. Some cards allow 0 percent interest for the first balance transfer, which means you can transfer the card balance without paying a dime.

Credit limit: The maximum amount of purchases that can be made on a credit card. If this limit is exceeded, penalty fees are charged and the credit rating is lowered.

The story was first presented to me in AP English class. It was in one of those big, short story anthologies - what some literature instructors refer to as a canon, though it seemed flatter and much less threatening than a piece of artillery to me. The piece was called Harrison Bergeron. The author was Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. And, I hated every word of it.

To start with, the language was too simple. Straightforward. Almost conversational. Second, the story line itself was borderline ridiculous: Sometime in the not-so-distant future, all Americans are finally created equal. No one is permitted to be any more talented or beautiful than anyone else, so certain handicaps are placed on those with exceptional qualities.

For instance, if you were to display a talent for dancing, the U.S. Handicapper General orders your legs to be weighted down. Or heaven forbid, if you were beautiful, you would be asked to wear a mask to hide your favorable appearance.

Even the names of the characters troubled me. Harrison Bergeron. Diana Moon Glampers, the U.S. Handicapper General. I labored through the story, faked my way through in-class discussions and forgot about it for the next three or four years.

But it’s funny how things come full-circle. I went on to study the art and craft of writing in college. I made friends with other literate people and before long, a buddy let me borrow Vonnegut’s classic novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. From the day I turned the cover, I have consumed everything Vonnegut, including Harrison Bergeron, which surprisingly ends with a climatic dance that is elegantly written, not as clumsy like this letter.

It was clumsy of me to dismiss Vonnegut so quickly. What had little or no meaning to me at all my senior year of high school is now a source of inspiration and part of what defines me as a writer today. And, tomorrow. So it goes.

A number of the articles in this issue of KEY are about more than just what’s happening in your life now. They are about setting a clear path for your future. Whether you’re reading Five Ways to Determine What College is Right for Me, Utilizing Your Financial Aid Options, or Do Test Prep Books Really Work?, our writers have faced these issues personally and want to help you make the best decisions.

In that sense, you can view our magazine as a canon of college information. Something inside these pages may be meaningful to you down the road or in the distant future, where everyone is finally created equal. And so on. To infinity.

Rating: 2 out 5 Snickts
Manufacturer: Activision
Game System: Playstation 2

If this were an X-Men comic book and not a video game, I’d probably read it once and stick it under the bed to gather dust. The main problem with this one is not so much in the story but the game play and stage design. In terms of the story, the game developers made a great decision in not having the game follow the third movie, (which was released soon after the game) but build up to it. The story arcs the mutants against the Brotherhood of Mutants and the leftover remains of Stryker’s army. Also, the locales switch to include some of Wolverine’s past and a good variety of characters from the X-men universe.

However, with a large cast of characters, it is hard to figure out why only three of the mutants are available to play. Nightcrawler, Wolverine and Iceman are the only team members you can pick from and rather than being to pick of them freely, they are dictated based on the mission. Another big part of the let down is that you are paired at different times with mutants like Colossus and Storm, yet they are wasted, weak and not very helpful at all.

Along with those issues, the stage designs look pretty good overall, but are quite basic and uninteresting. There is a ton of repetitiveness in the levels and, for the most part, there is no real strategy to winning. You just push the buttons as fast as you can and beat the enemies before your life goes out.

Overall, the game has some pretty solid potential. Like I said, the story is quite good. It just has a “rushed” feeling to it that makes it feel incomplete. The graphics and sound are actually excellent with most of the film cast lending their voices. It is just hard to believe that this came from Activision.

For a better time, check out one of the other X-Men games out right now. In terms of this one, better luck next time.

RECOMMENDED: Big Brain Academy
Rating: Four Brains
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Game System: Nintendo DS

Description: All the parents out there can stop screaming about how video games are not educational; Big Brain Academy breaks all of those rules. This game is like having a small pop quiz in your pocket. You’ll gain the ability to increase you memory, critical thinking and problem solving skills in order to analyze each problem.

Playability: The controls are simple. The interactive touch screen “brain busters” will get your gears turning to perfect your test skills. Touch the stylus to the screen and pick your answer or draw lines to direct the interactive quiz’s to get the correct answer.

Challenge: Many of the questions will try and throw you a curve ball, but once you get used to the game’s thought process, you will be tearing through the questions and burning the timer while increasing brain capacity.

Graphics/Sound: Graphics don’t come any simpler than this. They are colorful which makes this game driven by its questions which will bust your brain.

Replay: You never get tired of feeling smart, which is why the replay value of this game is extremely high. You might actually feel yourself getting smarter. I did!

CLASSIC GAME REVIEW: Super Mario Brothers
Rating: Four mushrooms
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Game System: Nintendo Entertain System (NES)

Description: Back in the mid-1980s, this game came with every Nintendo system sold in North America. As the remarkably agile (especially for plumbers) Mario or Luigi, you stomp, throw fire, and warp your way through nine separate worlds to rescue the princess from the evil dragon, Koopa.

Playability: Game play doesn’t get much smoother than this. This side-scrolling classic offers a nice break from the super realistic games of today.

Challenge: The difficulty increases just enough with each level to make it fun, but so does your desire to see what obstacles faces you at the end of each level.

Graphics/Sound: The throwback look and feel was a nostalgic rush that made we want to bust out my other classic teenage titles that I still remember the ins and outs. Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, start anyone? And, admit it: 8-bit music rocks!

Replay: For some reason, this game might have the highest level of replay value in the history of video games. Maybe it’s the catchy Mario soundtrack or the rush you get from hurdling over the dragon to rescue the princess. Whatever it is, one thing’s for sure: If you do get tired of playing Super Mario, someday you’ll be overcome with the urge to play it again.

When writing for tests like the ACT and SAT, and numerous admissions essays, your key to success may lie in your own experiences. But how do you use everyday incidents to make yourself stand out from the crowd? Easy. Draw from events that helped you grow, and don’t forget the details.

KEY Magazine interviewed Hillary Carlip, known for her talents using personal experiences in her work. The author, once featured on Oprah, recently released her memoir, Queen of the Oddballs, wherein she shares the pivotal moments of her life:

“My dad and Dr. Levenson tackled my brother in the driveway, where they held him down and forcibly maneuvered him into the backseat of the doctor’s car. My mother stood motionless with her hand stuck over her open mouth, a statue of fear. I clutched the book of Zen quotes I was holding as if I could manually force the lessons of enlightenment into my horrified body.”

Hillary Carlip certainly has an extra-ordinary life, which has included delivering singing telegrams, performing on the Gong Show, and starting a rock band of “ex-cons.” A proven master of translating her experiences through writing, Hillary offers KEY readers advice on taking life’s everyday events and turning them into captivating stories.

KEY: What types of memorable events did you include in your memoir? HC: Getting suspended from the third grade for smoking on the school playground while imitating Holly Golightly from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s … Being a headline-making teen activist, professional juggler and fire eater, [among many others]!

KEY: How do you bring details of these events to life for the reader? HC: Description is crucial. Show what happened rather than tell what happened. Describe from the senses - include smells, sounds, tastes, visuals. Colors, textures, images. Take the reader there with you.

KEY: How do you decide what is most engaging for readers? HC: No matter how specific your stories are to you, it’s good to look for underlying universal themes so readers can find something of themselves in your work - something relatable.

KEY: Is it necessary to approach writing with a set goal in mind? HC: Goals are like having a map, and it’s often good to know where you’re going and when you’ve arrived. But I also think it’s very important to let writing flow without imposing anything that could stop that flow.

KEY: What inspired you to recount your own experiences?HC: My life has been full of a lot of crazy adventures and escapades . I felt like I had stories to tell that would not only be entertaining and humorous, but also hopefully moving - inspiring people to live fully and to embrace and celebrate their uniqueness.

Queen of the Oddballs is an American Bookseller’s Association Book Sense Pick, chosen by independent bookstores throughout the country.
Hillary’s Tips!

How to Use Personal Experiences Effectively:

• Figure out what’s unique and different about you.
• Find a new, interesting way to tell your story.
• Every effective piece has an underlying universal theme: Find your universal theme!
• Dig deep and let yourself bare all.
• Be honest.
• Let the story tell itself; be open, and it will come to you. Go back to fix it up later.
• Start in one place and end elsewhere with a personal revelation – take the readers on a journey with you.
• Be sure to convey the lesson learned without saying, “This is what I’ve learned.”

Hillary also ofers some advice for blossoming writers. Here are some of her easy, everyday ways to improve your writing skills:

• Don’t judge what you write at first. Turn off your inner critic.
• Make writing a habit. Try to write at the same time and place daily.
• No matter what comes out, just write for at least 15 minutes a day.
• Include a beginning, middle and end to your piece.
• Write for pleasure. Keep it separate from writing for school or work.
• Write as if no one else will ever read what you’re writing.
• Read a lot! Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t, and try to figure out why.
• Try different styles on. As an exercise, write like your favorite authors.

For more info on Hillary Carlip, please visit www.queenoftheoddballs.com.

Fuzzy bunny slippers. Check. Comfy PJs. Check. Ice-cold refreshing beverage. Check. Now you’ve got everything you need to take a tour of your favorite college campuses - a virtual tour, that is.

Guiding the journey for millions of potential college students are the experts at Campustours.com, the worldwide leader in the virtual campus tour industry. According to its web site, Campustours.com offers a database of more than 600 virtual tours of post-secondary learning institutions.

Virtual campus tours have come a long way from the simple picture and text tours of the 90s. The advent of broadband Internet access has turned web-based tours into a multimedia experience as opposed to a simple online campus viewbook. These cutting-edge presentations contain video and soundtracks rivaling feature films.

There is not a “typical” campus tour. Each one is customized to an individual college. Essentially, a campus tour is a way to walk the halls of your top college picks from the freedom of your bedroom; no tour guides, no schedules, and no getting lost.

Content varies from site to site, but what you should expect from a top notch tour? Fully guided video tours, virtual maps of the campus and the community, video of faculty in classroom settings, audio commentary and quotes from current students, 360 degree views of important areas of the campus and information.lots of information.

“This generation of prospective college students are the most technically savvy we have ever experienced,” said Chris Carson, President of Campustours.com. “They demand an experience that allows them to view themselves as a student of that school.”

You should also expect to answer some key questions. Are the class sizes small or large? Is the school community suited to your tastes? Is the school in an environment where you feel comfortable? But be cautious about your online experience.

The editors of KEY took a variety of virtual tours on the Campustours.com. The Julliard School in New York City was among the most captivating, containing insightful looks at almost every program and campus locale along with text and student commentary. A tour of New York City was also included.

While virtual campus tours are one in-depth way for students to “try it before you buy it,” be cautious.

“A virtual tour by no means replaces a physical campus tour,” Carson said. “There is only so much information you can gather through a computer.”

But before you trek to your No. 1 college pick for an in-person visit, be sure to lose the bunny slippers and the PJs . unless, of course, you’re a law major.

• Just 41 percent of graduates in 2005 scored a 22 or higher on the ACT Math Test, indicating they are likely to earn a C or better in college algebra.
• Only 26 percent scored a 24 or higher on the ACT Science Test, indicating the likelihood of earning a C or better in college biology.
• Only 51 percent scored a 21 on the ACT Reading Test, indicating they are likely to earn a C or better in college-level social science courses.
• 68 percent of graduates achieved a score of 18 or higher on the ACT English Test, indicating they are well prepared for a freshman English composition class.

Get on track for college

If you’ve taken the right courses in high school, you’re on the right track for college. Students who take the recommended core courses in high school are better prepared for college than those who don’t. ACT score results consistently show this.

What are the minimum recommended core courses?

• four years of English
• three years each of mathematics (algebra and higher), natural sciences, and social sciences
  1. Take more college prep core courses — Performance on the ACT mostly depends on the classes you take in high school. The ACT measures what you have learned in English, math, reading and science. The more college prep, or core, classes you can take in these areas, the more likely you are to earn higher ACT scores. One ACT study showed that students who took calculus scored an average of 3 ½ points higher on the ACT Math Test and 2 points higher on the Science Test. They also earned a Composite score 2 ½ points higher than the students who didn’t take calculus.
  2. Take practice tests — A simple and effective way to become familiar with ACT format and content is to take practice tests. ACT offers a variety of inexpensive ways to take practice tests. Visit actstudent.org for test prep options.
  3. Answer every question — There is no penalty for guessing on the ACT. Your correct answers are counted toward your score. So answer every question, even if you’re not sure of the answer. Eliminate the answers you think aren’t possible. After narrowing down your list of answers, try to make the best guess you can and move on.
  4. Review additional test taking strategies — These strategies include reading each question thoroughly and making sure that you’ve only marked one answer for each question. You can find more strategies at actstudent.org.
  5. Take the ACT again — If you aren’t satisfied with your performance on the ACT, you can take it again. This is a good idea especially if you have taken additional college prep classes since you last took the ACT. Researchers at ACT have studied test performance of students who took the test more than once and found that 55 percent earned a higher Composite score, 23 percent had a lower score and 22 percent stayed the same. Students who take it a second time increase their Composite scores, on average, by one point. Some students may have bigger gains and some may score lower. If you plan to take the ACT again, look at your current test scores and identify weak areas for additional study and review.
     Think ahead to relieve test-taking stress
  1. One student bought a new calculator the night before the test. He didn’t use it before entering the test room, only to find out it didn’t work when he sat down to take the test.
  2. One student didn’t look at her test admission ticket until the day before the test, only to find out that she wasn’t taking the test at her school but at a test center an hour away. She had to rethink how her test day would go and factor in time to drive to the test.
  3. One student arrived at the test center without a photo ID card. He had to run home before the test started to get his driver’s license.
  4. One student left the lights on in a borrowed car he drove to the test. He worried throughout the test and found a dead battery when the test was over.
  1. Find something that interests you and that you enjoy reading, such as a book series, a magazine or a section of the newspaper. Read often.
  2. Create a reading spot. It’s much easier to read if you’re comfortable.
  3. Establish a daily reading time — lunch, before sports practice or bedtime — whatever works best for you. You might even begin to look forward to that reading time.
  4. Visit bookstores or the library and explore all the types of reading materials available. The choices are endless — sports magazines, graphic novels, how-to manuals, teen fiction and newspapers, just to name a few.
  5. Read a book that’s coming out as a movie. Compare the two and think about what version you liked best and why.
  6. Follow your interests and do some research on the Internet. Read about a new band, a new car or your favorite actor.
  7. Try reading something new. Don’t just stick with your favorites. Check out a daily newspaper, a classic novel or a news magazine. You might be surprised by what you read.

The ideal is to take Biology, Chemistry and Physics, plus Algebra II, Trigonometry and/or Calculus.

Some colleges require other classes as prerequisites for admission, such as two or more years of the same foreign language or courses in the visual arts, music, theater, drama, dance, computer science, etc.
The ACT — It’s your choice

Choice is good. And with the ACT® test, you have some choices to make. The first is whether to take the ACT or the ACT Plus Writing. ACT made the Writing Test optional, so colleges can decide whether or not to require scores from a writing test. If the colleges you’re planning to apply to don’t require a writing test, you won’t need to take one. Go to the test prep section at actstudent.org. to find out what colleges have to say about requiring a writing test.

Another important choice ACT provides is score choice. You can choose to see your scores before deciding to send them to colleges. And if you take the test more than once, you can choose to send only your best score. It costs $7 to send a score report to each college you’re interested in, but if waiting to see your score first is important to you, it might be worth it. It’s your decision.
Improving your ACT scores

It’s no surprise that students want high ACT scores to submit when they apply to college or apply for scholarships. There are no secret tips to ensure high scores, but you can do a few things to improve your performance on the ACT.

When you head off to take the ACT, don’t let forgetfulness or inattention surprise you with something unexpected that can affect your test-taking abilities. Here are some true stories of unexpected events:

Obviously, unexpected events happen in our lives over which we have no control. But if you take a few steps to prepare for test day, you’ll be comfortable knowing you’re prepared and may even avoid an unwelcome surprise or two. Read your testing information from ACT early and visit actstudent.org to get familiar with test day procedures and what is allowed in the testing room. And don’t forget to try out that new calculator before heading to the test.
Tips for building your reading skills

College will require you to read a lot of material, much of it challenging, and usually in a short amount of time. Before heading to college, there’s also the ACT, which includes a Reading Test and three other tests that require reading comprehension to complete.

Following are some tips to increase your reading time and help build your reading skills:

When it comes to high school . you have enough things to worry about, yes? Peer pressure, grades, popularity, teachers, etcetera. What you should REALLY be worried about is college! Face it . from the nanosecond you set foot in your respective high school, it’s possible to feel overwhelmed about the who/what/when/where/why of choosing COLLEGE X.

If the college search process seems overwhelming, you’re right .. it is. Some students manage to make it next to impossible by letting the research, applications forms and deadlines boggle the mind. But in the end, the objective of your search is to find the school that is right for you. You get to choose. And, you also get to choose how you GO ABOUT finding a school, so why freak out?

Before things start to spiral out of control, remembering the following four principles will make your search process a lot easier.

1) BUDGET SCHMUDGET

The four ugliest words any college advisor can hear is: “I can’t afford college.” But in this day and age . you can’t afford NOT to go to college. Do you really want to work in a job you hate for 40 years? Uh, no. Start researching your budget NOW! Just because you can’t AFFORD Harvard doesn’t mean you can’t ATTEND Harvard. Apply for any and all applicable scholarships. There’s a reason why scholarships were created . use ‘em! And while I’m not sure who created student loans - they are there if you need them. Always see which college can give you the most bang for your buck.

2) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Throw a dart at any map and, chances are, there’s a college nearby. But ask yourself this . do I want to 1) be close to Mommy & Daddy, 2) be as far away from Mommy & Daddy as possible, 3) like where I’m going to live for the next four years or 4) find a school that has the curricula I want AND cool surroundings? These are important things to consider! Keep in mind, homesickness usually subsides. (And thanks to your cell phone, computer or the US postal service - you can always call, click or carrier pigeon the mother ship.) If you choose to tour a campus . take the time to TOUR THE CITY, TOO. Figure out what’s best for you and then settle in. It’s called progress and it’s usually a good thing.

3) HELP ME HELP YOU!

Once you get to college, your little part of the world will suddenly go SUPERNOVA! You now have crazy-stupid freedom to do what you want . when you want. Uh, not so fast! Why set yourself up for potential failure? Maybe it’s best to find out your strengths and weaknesses now! Who better to point that out than your good friends? Do you have time management issues? Poor study-habits? Teen angst? These are things that need to be considered ahead of time. Is COLLEGE X going to help you or hinder you? And don’t come crying to me when you have a 4.0 G.P.A., but you’ve put on the dreaded Freshman 15!

4) ABC’s and WWW’s

The internet has been around for more than a decade! And, while you may have been in diapers when it started, you’ve probably learned a thing or two since then. When checking out colleges, USE THE INTERNET TO YOUR ADVANTAGE! Why rely on word of mouth from your sister’s friend’s boss’ nephew who went there to COLLEGE X in 1981? Now you can easily surf through class schedules, visit campuses via virtual tours, and get the dirt on your college of choice. And thanks to the web, you can check out endless lists of lists about which college boasts the best placement rate or has the most sororities. True story — I typed in “College Rankings” in my search engine and it came up with 58 million hits.

58 million.

It would seem a lot more high school students are doing a lot more research when it comes to picking colleges. So do your homework, so to speak. And start early. And keep researching. It’s kind of like the lottery . because you can’t win, if you don’t play.