questions & answers

Should I Take a Gap Year Before College?

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

There is a point in time in many high school students’ careers when every adult is suddenly asking them what they want to do with their lives. It is no longer the slightly endearing question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Instead, it becomes “Where are you going to college? What …

college search

5 Reasons You Should Sit in On a Class While Visiting a College

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

When school searching, it’s always a good idea to get a tour of the campus and dorms if possible. This allows you to get a feel for the place where you might spend four or five years of your life. While guided tours are informative, you should also consider sitting in on a class if …

college search

Why You Should Consider Attending a Same-Sex College

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on May 4, 2023

When you’re looking for schools, you check them out based on location, programs available, how big they are, how much it costs to attend; the list goes on. Maybe you have an idea of the experiences you think are a given in college. Like the late-night study sessions, joining organizations and clubs, finding a group …

student life

Parental Do’s and Don’ts: Visiting Your Student at College

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

College is often the first time students can make a space entirely their own. They get to set their own rules, be clean or messy, go to sleep at 3 am (not that we recommend that), etc. It is a place for young adults to figure out what type of people they are. It also …

tips tools & advice

How To Take Great Notes!

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Notes are essential to the successful college student. Good notes can be the difference between passing a test and failing. I know I took my first year or two to discover how I needed to take great notes. Here is a short list of suggestions to help new students out: Organize The biggest thing I …

scholarships

6 More Unique Scholarships

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Most scholarships can be neatly divided by specific categories. There are scholarships for the everyday student, for specific majors, for athletes, for minorities–the list goes on. But there are also some wacky, out-of-the-box scholarships available. Here are six more unique scholarships. National Potato Council Scholarship Amount: $10,000 Deadline: Mid-June, Annual (Opens Spring 2020) Are you …

scholarships

5 Scholarships for Students in South Dakota

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

South Dakota. A vast land where buffalo once wandered freely. The beauty of the Badlands and the Black Hills holds a special place for many. Though the state hosts the 5th smallest population of the United States (6th if you count Washington D.C.), it is home to one of the most memorable monuments to four presidents–Mount …

college news & trends

Small School, Big Impact: 5 Famous Athletes Who Came from Small Colleges

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Think only big schools produce star athletes? Think again. You might be surprised by the amount of pro athletes across many sports who actually come from a small school background. Those small colleges may not always attract five-star recruits, but they tend to hire coaches and staff that can turn out mature players ready for …

tips tools & advice

What I Wish My Sisters Had Told Me About College

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

There are definitely perks to having older siblings around. I graduated high school believing that I had a decent grasp on what college would be like. I was doubly blessed because I had two older sisters who went to different schools and had different experiences. However, I was going into uncharted territory. Both of them …