Washington Monthly's Listing of Worst US colleges

Food for Thought

The Washington Monthly has compiled a list of colleges it regards as the worst US colleges.  The colleges on the list  have been ranked according to net price, average student debt, graduation rate  and default rate.





See full article at  http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/septemberoctober_2014/features/americas_worst_colleges051752.php?page=all

Cornell University

Located in the heart of Ithaca, surrounded by gorgeous gorges, Cornell University, a private institution, stands as one of the premier universities in upstate New York. Set on 745 sprawling acres of picturesque land, the university is home to 14 colleges and schools. The two largest undergraduate colleges are the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

·         119 foreign countries represented at the university

·         International student enrollment – 19.13 % as of 2012

Cornell offers nearly 80 formal major fields, as well as challenging dual-degree programs and a score of interdisciplinary majors that cross traditional departmental boundaries.

Cornell Undergraduate Colleges and Schools are all autonomous in their programs, though students will graduate with a ‘Cornell degree’. Students are advised to be mindful of the fact that they are applying to a specific faculty/school within the university, and as such, their applications should reflect this, especially with some degree of sensitivity in their personal essays. They will be expected to demonstrate that their program of choice is not only best suited for them, but also that they would be a worthwhile addition to the student body. It is key then for students to be aware of what faculties offer and if their academic goals are in alignment with the faculty offerings.

FOR IB students: The University offers course exemption (depending on the school/college of choice) for grades 6 and 7 in the IDBP.

 Scholarships to Cornell are strictly need-based. No merit or athletic scholarships are awarded.

“With more than 1,000 student organizations on campus, there's a community for every interest. And what doesn't exist is easy to create.”

There is an expansive range of student activities at Cornell, providing a way for all to get involved in ‘campus life’. From sporting activities, (Cornell is home of  The Big Red- the name given to sports teams and other competitive teams) to film festivals, to hiking on the Cornell Plantations nature trails, there are many ways to integrate as a new student, and broaden the scope of the university experience beyond academics.

Housing- traditional Greek fraternity and sorority houses, of which there are approximately 70 chapters.

 

Dining- there are  ten All You Care To Eat dining rooms  where students can choose from hundreds of menu options, sampling and enjoying extra helpings at no extra cost. Additionally there are cafés, food courts, and coffee houses which offer an a la carte dining experience, with options as diverse as Trillium's six specialty food stations to the Cornell Dairy Bar's selection of ice cream, yogurt, pudding, and Big Red Cheddar, produced at Cornell's very own dairy processing plant.

Cornell Fun – SLOPE DAY - During the spring, a well-known celebrated day at Cornell is Slope Day. What started off ‘Spring Day’ as a gathering on the slope to celebrate the end of winter in 1901, has evolved to Slope Day when students, staff, faculty and guests enjoy a day of liberal activities. This year, guest artiste Ludacris headlined Slope Day with performances by Matt and Kim. 

Syracuse University

Syracuse University (SU) was founded in 1870 and is located in the heart of central New York in the city of Syracuse, home to over 650,000 people.  The University draws on world-class cities and offers special programmes in New York, Washington, DC and Los Angeles.  SU offers learning opportunities in over 30 countries. Students prepare for the world through research, study abroad, internships and community service.

The city of Syracuse has a population of over 700,000.  There are a wide range of activities available in Syracuse, including the Syracuse Symphony, Syracuse Film Festival, Syracuse Stage, and Syracuse Opera.

The total enrollment at SU is 18,200.
Total undergraduate enrollment is 13,400.
Total undergraduate international enrollment is 1,395.

SU has one of the first Schools of Journalism and fourth oldest architecture schools.

SU has 11 colleges: 9 undergraduate, 2 graduate.  They are:

School of Architecture
Colleges of Arts and Sciences
School of Education
David B Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
School of Information Studies
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
College of Engineering and Computer Science
College of Visual and Performing Arts -
Martin J. Whitman School of Management (ranked #4 for entrepreneurship)
College of Law
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (recognized as one of the world's best graduate school of public affairs)

Most popular majors: management, communications, architecture, engineering, social sciences  

SU's Discovery program
The aim of the Discovery program is to set the tone for a student's college career with an inaugural semester in Florence, Italy, Madrid, Spain or Strasbourg, France. It is designed for select first-semester students who have an interest in arts, humanities, languages, international studies or social sciences.  The SU's Discovery programs provide an international foundation that expands the student's:
academic and professional options
foreign language proficiency
comprehension of global politics and issues

For more information, visit the SU website for webinars on the Discovery programs

SU is a world partner with 30 institutions which allow students to study abroad for a semester and receive credit.

SU Gap year program
International students living in Madrid or London and how decide to take a gap year can make the best of their gap year, while gaining college credit, traveling, working/interning and volunteering. Gap year students can take up to 3 courses (9 credits).

Admissions
Selective - Acceptance rate is 51%
Mean GPA: 3.69
Mean SAT 1162 (Critical reading and Mathematics)
The SAT/ACT is not required for international students studying outside USA, but it is highly encouraged. Possible Division athletes need to take the SAT/ACT to meet NCAA Eligibility.

Several schools are highly selective:
School of Architecture
College of Engineering and Computer Science
College of Visual and Performing Arts
S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Faculty to student ratio is 16:1
Average class size is 25

Studies
The SU student is able to customize his/her studies from a wide range of majors and minors.

Famous SU alumni
Joseph Biden, United States of America Vice President
Dick Clark
Bob Costas
Vanessa Williams, famous actress

Employment
95% of the SU 2012 seniors were employed after graduation 

Financial Aid
Merit scholarships up $15,000 are available to international students but there are limited merit based scholarships for international students. Need based aid is available to American citizens





       

10 Colleges That Award International Students the Most Financial Aid

Taken from US News Education website

Yale University (CT)
Amherst College (MA)
Williams College (MA)
Wesleyan University (CT)
University of Chicago
Skidmore College (NY)
Stanford University (CA)
Bates College (ME)
Trinity College (CT)
Harvard University (MA)

Please see link to read the full article

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2014/09/23/10-colleges-that-award-international-students-the-most-financial-aid?int=ae4109

Ithaca College

Ithaca College (IC) is a private, residential college of 6700 students and has a 11:1 student faculty ratio.  Offerings include a blend of liberal arts education and professional preparation in over 100 majors in 5 distinct schools. IC is located in the college town of Ithaca, New York in the center of the Finger Lakes region. Ithaca, the town, has been ranked best college destination by the American Institute of Economic Research.  This is due to several factors:

Ithaca is Gorges - there are beautiful gorges and waterfalls in the area
Students make up half of the population as it is home to Ithaca College and Cornell University
It has an awesome local music scene
It has a huge range of great food
It is easy to get around
It has a unique and endearing local culture


Cornell and Ithaca are the 2 biggest employers in the town.

Total international enrollment is 170.  International students represent 2.5% of the student body.

The five schools at Ithaca are:
School of Business
Roy H. Park School of Communications
School of Humanities and Sciences
School of Health Sciences and Human Performance
School of Music

There are 100 undergraduate majors and 73 minors.  The most popular majors are:
Communications
Performing Arts
Business
Health Related Professions
Sciences

First year Profile -Fall 2013
Acceptance rate 65%
Mean GPA 3.27
Mean SAT 1779

Ithaca College is test optional

Integrated Core Curriculum
IC takes pride  in having an Integrated Core Curriculum (ICC). ICC is focused on a relevant real world theme of the student's choice, which he or she will examine from many different perspectives.  It incorporates courses in diversity, quantitative literacy and writing.

IC has a strong performing arts programme.  While on the tour, a group from the tour participated in a performance arts workshop where we learned the art of "hitting" a fellow performer. The students receive hands on learning with respect to theatre productions as they are responsible for all aspects of the production.   There is a strong network of theatre alumni and students who are referred to as the Ithaca Mafia.  Famous alumni include Jeremy Jordan from the the Broadway production, Newsies, Ben Feldman from Mad Men, Amanda Setton from Gossip Girls and the Mindy Project.

IC students are able to take courses at the nearby Cornell university if the course is not offered at IC.

There is a hallway which connects several buildings so students do not have to go outside to get to classes and activities, especially during the winter months.

October 5, 2014

It is important for students to be independent and ready for university/college life



October 5, 2014

What you should know before prepping for the ACT or SAT tests

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/2014/10/06/what-to-know-before-starting-sat-act-prep?int=95a608

Zits October 6, 2014

I am sure many students can relate



October 6, 2014