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Agent Jade written by Absolut College Girl is a blog by a college student who is currently taking up Geography. The blog has a wide variety of topics that are all brought together by the common theme of a college girl seeking the “Ultimate College Experience.” For example, you can find college-related topics like “Cautionary Notes from a Disgruntled Senior to the Freshman” or more random topics like “Five Reasons Why You Should See Slumdog Millionaire.”

Things to like

What makes this blog is the personality and attitude that shines through in each of the blog entries. The website exudes personality, from the large, bright pink and yellow opening page down to the snappy article titles and the overall perspective of the articles. A quick visit to the “About Me” page and you’ll find out where all of that personality comes from as the author describers herself, her interests, and the purpose of her blog.

Things to improve on

On the good side, AgentJade excels in the one thing that most blogs fail at: having a personality that the audience can relate to. On the bad side, AgentJade has some problems with her overall blog design. First, it is difficult to navigate. Personally, I hate having to scroll all the way down the webpage just to find the site’s navigation links. Perhaps some navigation buttons along the top of the page or on the left margin would make it easier for us visitors. Second, hardly any of the blog entries have pictures. Pictures play a big role in capturing and keeping the interest of the readers. There’s just no excuse not to put some good pictures up there, especially considering the fact that the author enjoys sharing her experiences, feelings, and interests. Finally, there is nothing on the front page of the blog that tells the reader what it is all about. Even though “written by Absolut College Girl” gives readers a hint, there should be some other indication of what people can find on the blog.

College Freshman Survival is a blog that has articles on various topics that are related to college freshmen. Behind the website is a successful television news reporter named John Spiropoulos. Basically, his main goal is to provide a blog with advice, tips, tricks, guides, and information to help freshmen succeed in college. The blog was inspired by a DVD video entitled “College: The Big Change,” which is a “guide for first year students.” Some of the types of topics you can find on College Freshman Survival include up-to-date articles, like “Health Insurance Alert”, or freshman survival tips, such as “College Online Etiquette 101.”

What’s keeping College Freshman Survival afloat?

What I enjoy the most about College Freshman Survival is the design of the website. Unlike many of the other blogs out there, this site has a relatively unique design. Pencil icons, leather hide background, ripped-notebook header, and a good font selection all help to make College Freshman Survival a great looking website that is easy to use and navigate. Another great thing about this website and its program is the fact that it was planned and produced through the combined efforts of professors, all of whom are doctorate degree-holders. Furthermore, the blog has a solid inspiration, “The Big Change” DVD, which can help to spread word about the blog and its purpose. Finally, the blog entries are well-written, providing a great deal of accurate and precise information that fits in perfectly with the theme of the site.

What’s threatening the survival of College Freshman Survival?

The biggest downside of the College Freshman Survival blog is that it lacks articles. As of the beginning of September, the site only has around 14 articles. Although the articles are packed with great information that is relevant, helpful, and well-presented, the lack of articles is a huge threat to the success of the blog.

Living in a dorm with roommates you hardly know can be quite difficult and, at times, downright frustrating. For many people though, college life is practically synonymous with dorm life. For all of those college students who are having a hard time with dorm life,
Dorm Delicious may be right up their alley. Dorm Delicious is a blog that discusses practically anything that has to do with dorm life, including decor ideas and decoration advice. Aside from dorm-related topics, the blog also features college-related topics, like how to meet people in college.

Tasty treats of Dorm Delicious

What’s delicious about Dorm Delicious is that the blog is doing almost everything right. The blog has a specific target audience, content that speaks to that audience, and a solid web layout. The color scheme, article pictures, link arrangement, and general layout all give the page a distinct style and feel that is unique and easily recognizable. The blog articles themselves are well-written and relevant.

Not so delicious nuggets

Despite all of the positive features of Dorm Delicious, there is one big factor that it failed at. The DormDelicious blog has the motto: “making the world more delicious one room at a time.” My gripe with this is that the website itself doesn’t look delicious, so how can you get your audience to believe and buy-into what you are trying to present. If Dorm Delicious can turn its web design into something that is more attractive, appealing, and tasty, then visitors would truly understand and see the mission and vision of Dorm Delicious to “make the world more delicious.” Although the design is unique (as mentioned above), it lacks that professional-quality web design that would put it over the top. Still, the blog is doing well with its large pool of content and its solid user base.

College Jolt is a blog with the main purpose of “keeping students awake.” Basically, the website focuses on various topics on up-to-date issues, college life, and practically anything that has to do with college. Some of the categories on the site include college life, college prep, buzz, food and fitness, guys and girls, style, and wired. A good example of some of the topics that are commonly blogged about on College Jolt is the article on “How to Survive the SATs”.

Positive jolt

College Jolt has a recognizable icon that is easy to spot and easy to like. The black, white, green, and blue theme is easy on the eyes. The website has a web app that flashes some of the popular topics on the site. Not only does the applet look good, but it functions well also. Not all blogs have such features and it helps to set College Jolt apart from the other student-help sites. The site is also well-designed in that it doesn’t bombard the eyes of the visitors with loads of links, tags, categories, and other website-cluttering things. Another great aspect of College Jolt is that it has some great topics. College life isn’t all about academics and College Jolt understands this concept, which is why the blog has various categories that all relate to college life. Also, the fact that College Jolt is looking to hire more college writers and photographers is a sign that the site is dedicated to having authentic content created by students for students.

Negative jolt

On the other side of the spectrum, College Jolt has some areas in which it can further improve. Although the design is rather simple and useful, it can be made more convenient by adding extra links under the category drop-down tabs. An “About Us” page would also be a great help, especially for visitors who want to learn more about College Jolt and its mission.

Student health insurance packages and policies exist to protect students’ health and largely to help them cope with the expenses they might incur if they get sick. If you think being in school makes you safer and less prone to diseases, think again. Every year, many students get sick and fatigued from the workload and demands of college and grad school life. In the US, some states even require full-time students to have student health insurance, which students can get either from the school or university itself or from private insurance companies.

Why student health insurance is important

Having health insurance while in school is beneficial to students because most of them are no longer covered by their parents’ insurance policies. Student health insurance packages are also useful because a lot of students are prone to getting sick while in school due to pressure and fatigue. To be eligible for student health insurance, the student must be between the age of 17 to 29. As for other eligibility requirements, these may differ depending on the guidelines specified by the university or graduate school. If you’re interested in getting a student health insurance policy, you have two options: you can arrange for your own insurance policy from a private insurance company, or get one of those student health insurance packages offered at most universities and grad schools. Those offered by schools and universities are generally cheaper than those offered by private companies.

The student health insurance packages offered at universities and schools are more affordable and come either in group or individual packages. Before you sign up for anything, it’s best that you take a closer look at the insurance policy to make sure that the basic expenses and bases are covered by the policy. Group student health insurance packages tend to be fixed to certain services they cover, so if you have specific medical needs and conditions, you might want to opt for the individual insurance policy.

Asian students may have a hard time trying to apply for student loans because federal loans are typically for United States citizens only. If you’re Asian and want to pursue higher education but don’t have enough funds to do so, then you should know about the various organizations offering financial aid for Asians and other minority groups. Below are just some institutions offering financial aid options for Asian students.

International organizations offering financial aid programs

There are various organizations offering financial aid to students from all over the world, and one of them is The Gates Millennium Scholars program, which is a program established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This program offers financial aid options for high school seniors, college students, and graduate school students enrolling in specializations such as science, mathematics, and computer science.

School-specific financial aid options for Asian students

There are a number of universities and schools that offer financial aid options for Asians and other students belonging to minority groups. One such university is the Northwestern University, which offers financial aid solutions for permanent US residents and even other eligible students that are non-US citizens. You might want to consider inquiring at various schools to see if they have programs offering financial aid to Asian students.

Other financial aid options for Asian students

You can also look for other financial aid options offered to Asian students by searching on the Internet. It’s also advisable for you to see if you can get financial aid from organizations from your country of origin. Various countries offer financial support to students studying in the United States and it’s certainly worth a try to seek out these organizations and see if you’re eligible for financial help. Before getting just any financial aid, you should learn as much as you can about the organization and the financial aid programs they offer. Apply for several of these so that you have a back-up plan in case a certain organization doesn’t grant your application.

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Going to college can open up many doors of opportunities for you, but it can also drain your bank account. If you’re a female who wants to go to college but don’t have enough money to fund your education, then you should know that there are many organizations offering financial aid to female students. These financial aid options include grants, scholarships, fellowships, and awards. Below are some institutions that offer these kinds of financial aid for female students.

American Association of University Women (AAUW)

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is an institution seeking to help women by promoting equity and education for females. For several years now, the AAUW Educational Foundation has been allotting $3.5 to $4 million for women in need of financial aid. Financial aid offered by this organization include awards for community projects, grants, and fellowships.

HORIZONS Scholarship Foundation

Established by Women In Defense, the HORIZONS Scholarship Foundation aims to help women who plan to go into national security. There are many different financial aid options available, starting with amounts of just $500. Those who wish to apply for these scholarships must have a GPA of at least 3.25 and be American citizens. Other specializations that HORIZONS Scholarship Foundation supports are mathematics, law, and international relations.

Other forms of financial aid for women

The two organizations mentioned above are not the only ones offering financial aid programs for women. Other institutions seeking to help women pursue higher education despite financial constraints are the AEI Scholarship Fund, P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund, Talbots Women’s Scholarship Fund, and Business and Professional Women’s Foundation.

What you have to consider before applying for financial aid

Before you apply for a scholarship or financial aid program, do your own research first. Get some background information about the organization and take note of the requirements needed for application. Assess various financial aid programs that you are eligible for and apply for several of them so that you still have some options in case your application gets rejected by a particular organization. With a little research and perseverance in sending out applications, you can get the help you need so that you can go to school and broaden your intellectual and social horizons.

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If you’re Hispanic and don’t have enough money to fund your education, then you can take advantage of financial aid options provided to Hispanic students. Some financial aid programs for Hispanics also cater to students that are considered as minorities, but there are also programs that provide financial aid to Hispanics only. Below are some organizations and programs offering financial aid specifically for Hispanic students.

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

One of the largest and oldest Hispanic organizations in the United States, the LULAC offers financial aid options of varying amounts to deserving students. Some financial aid options offered by this institution only cater to students who go into a particular field of study. It’s advisable for you to inquire about these options to learn how to apply and if you are eligible.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund not only provides financial aid to Hispanic college students, but also to high school students as well. It is affiliated with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute (HSFI) and offers a wide variety of financial aid options to Hispanic students who yearn to go to school but are experiencing financial difficulties.

Other options

Aside from the organizations mentioned above, there are also other institutions offering financial help to Hispanic students. These include The Hispanic National Bar Association (for Hispanic law students), The National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and The Hispanic College Fund.

You can also apply for in-house financial aid programs offered by your school or see if you are eligible for state-based scholarships. In case you’re already working, you should inquire at your company to see if they offer any tuition reimbursement programs. Before getting any financial aid, it’s important for you to read the contract first and make sure that you know all the terms and conditions.

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