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The Rise of the Anti-Lecture?

The Rise of the Anti-Lecture?

About a third of students begin college expecting to major in a STEM discipline – science, technology, engineering and math. Less than half of them manage to leave with a STEM degree. At some point, most students switch to an easier major. A couple of years ago UCLA released a study that broke down by [...]

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Rushing to Get a Graduate Degree

Rushing to Get a Graduate Degree

I’ve met a lot of college students who assume that they must slog their way through graduate school to enjoy a successful and lucrative career. What is troubling, however, is how little information young adults know about what is involved in earning a graduate degree that can be expensive and a huge time commitment. No [...]

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A Dilemma: Liberal Arts College vs. Journalism School

A Dilemma: Liberal Arts College vs. Journalism School

I received an email over the weekend from a mom who is stressing about whether her accomplished daughter would be better off attending a liberal arts college or a journalism school. I happen to be a graduate of the the nation’s oldest journalism school at the University of Missouri (see photo) and I’ll share some [...]

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Surprising Facts About College Freshmen

Surprising Facts About College Freshmen

During my college workshop at the University of California, San Diego, on Saturday, I asked the parents in attendance this question: What percentage of high school seniors do you think got accepted into their No. 1 college last year? One dad blurted out, “Six percent.” From the other side of the room, a mom provided [...]

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The Colleges Where PhD’s Get Their Start

The Colleges Where PhD’s Get Their Start

What schools produce the most undergraduates who end up heading off to graduate school? The subject came up yesterday because a friend of mine was telling me about a brilliant teenager who wants to eventually get a PhD in physics. The student lives in California, but the mom wants him to apply to schools in [...]

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Are Students Learning Much in College?

Are Students Learning Much in College?

With crazy amounts of psychic energy being spent on getting teenagers into college, too many students and their parents think getting admitted is the hard part of the college process.  Actually, it’s not. Squeezing as much value out of the college experience once you’re a student is far more important. Unfortunately, however,  many students are [...]

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