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Welcome to the student section of The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition Web site!

Visit the In the Classroom section for information related to articles you read in The Classroom Edition newspaper. Visit College & Careers and Tools and Resources sections for help in your college search. You can also read articles from other students around the country and submit your own on the Student Voices page.

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WHAT'S NEWS
College & Careers | Business & Economics | Personal Finance | Technology | Media & Marketing | Life & Style

COLLEGE & CAREERS
The Error-Free College Application
As the deadline period for college applications draws close, high school seniors are busy filling out financial aid applications. But some simple-to-avoid mistakes could jeopardize both college entry and aid. Article

Study Abroad -- Pricey and Priceless
Students who study abroad and immerse themselves in another country's culture come back with a more wide-eyed view of the world. Article

Inside the Admissions Office
Watch video excerpts from “Inside the Admissions Office,” an online forum featuring admissions deans from eight of America’s most selective colleges and universities. They tackle such topics as: How involved should your parents be in the admissions process? And what makes a good college essay?
Watch

The Best and Worst Jobs
From actuary to roustabout, a look at some of the best and worst jobs for the coming year, ranked based on factors such as income, stress and employment outlook. Article arrow

+ More COLLEGE & CAREERS

Why We're Failing Math and Science
The U.S. lags behind other developed countries at the K-12 level in math and science performance. What can be done to change that? Article arrow

Schools Cancel Trips
As schools across the country confront massive budget cuts and parents face their own financial shortfalls, many field trips are getting canceled. Article arrow

In With the New Franchisees
Usually, franchisers don’t want to gamble on young entrepreneurs, preferring those with enough capital to invest in the business. But now a host of companies are rethinking that logic. Article arrow

Hard-Hat Path Gets Harder
In recent years, men without college degrees who found it difficult to get factory jobs have turned to construction work to climb into the American middle class. Now they are falling out of it. Article arrow

Student Debt Grows Dramatically
Students are borrowing dramatically more to pay for college, and the ripple effects are becoming palpable, as tough loan payments may mean putting off a number of traditional milestones. Article arrow

SAT Scores Fall as Gap Widens
SAT scores fell slightly last year, and the score gap widened between low-performing minority groups and white
and Asian-American students.
Article arrow

Texas Law Helps High-School Athletes
A Texas law could double the academic credit high-school athletes receive, stoking a debate about whether athletics should count the same as schoolwork.
Article arrow

Too Soon to Think About a Career?
With his first college semester set to begin, Isaac wonders how his course selections might affect his ability to get a job after graduation, while Steve questions his own fatherly guidance. Article arrow

Teenage Unemployment Remains High
The unemployment rate among people ages 16 to 19 was a seasonally adjusted 23.8% in July. Traditional teenage jobs now draw competition, for example, from “stay-at-home moms looking to boost the family income to retirees seeking to supplement their pensions,” says John Challenger, CEO of Challenger Gray & Christmas, an employment firm. Article arrow

Uphill Fight for Gun Rights on Campus
Even on an issue as divisive as gun control, states may be nearing something resembling a national consensus: Guns don’t belong in a college classroom. Article arrow

Scoring College Applicants on Personality
Using recently developed evaluation systems, some colleges are aiming to quantify so-called noncognitive traits such as leadership, resilience and creativity. Article arrow

They Know What She Wore Last Night
WhoWhatWear's Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power build a brand based off the power of celebrities as trend-setters and the growing power of the Web in high fashion. Article

College-Entrance Test Scores Flagging
Only about a quarter of the 2009 high school graduates taking the ACT admissions tests have the skills to succeed in college, a report found. Article

Teens Turn to Summer Start-Ups
Faced with the darkest summer-job market in decades, teens are turning to entrepreneurship. Here are a few tips for teens considering start-ups.
Article

Fewer Openings in Nursing Field
The U.S. health industry is experiencing a departure from years past when the industry's rapid growth outpaced the number of nurses entering the field. Article

Extra Savings For Extra College Classes
Taking college-level courses in high school can save students time - and money - once on campus. Article

Families Appeal to Colleges for Extra  Aid
Colleges have stepped up fund-raising appeals, and dug deeper into their endowments and budgets, amid an acute demand for financial aid. Article

Weighing the Two-Year Option
Rising unemployment and a slumping economy are sending more students to community colleges -- just as budget cuts are making the influx hard to handle. Article

How I Got Into College: 6 Stories
College admissions are expected to be as competitive as ever. We've asked a range of students to share what they've learned from the application frenzy. Article

Budget Woes Force Colleges to Cut Back
As public colleges grapple with reductions in state funding, the prospect of reduced access to higher education is looking more likely. Article

Can a Test Steer You to the Ideal Career?
Vendors of career tests, which assess one's interests and abilities and link them with potential occupations, see a rising demand for them. But they're only a starting point for the tough self-exploration needed to find or revitalize one's livelihood. Article arrow

High School's Worst Year?
The increasing competitiveness of college admissions—fueled by a demographic surge in the number of teenagers—has made junior year a crucible of academic pressure for many students aiming for elite colleges. How 11th grade became such a grind. Article arrow


BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
In '10, Economy Crowds Domestic Stage
If the big domestic story of 2009 was an economic crisis and its ripple effects in the real world, 2010 will be about cleaning up after the crisis and the political toll it will take. Article arrow

Unrest, Finance Shape Global Agenda
The renewed fight against terrorism, the surge in Afghanistan, trade with China and mounting debt are among the issues to watch in 2010. Article arrow

Coaxing Auto Makers to Go Electric
Thanks to generous federal incentives, the next two to three years could see the arrival in force of a new generation of electrified vehicles. Article arrow

Young Adults Back Health Proposal
In the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, half of 18- to 34-year-olds said they support a public insurance option. At the same time, the poll suggested many young adults didn’t know what was in the legislation, with 48% saying they didn’t understand or understood only somewhat what was being debated. Article arrow

Making Sense Of the Debate On Health Care
Three major reform bills in Congress offer different blends of penalties and perks. Here's how the various measures could affect you.
Article arrow

Fed More Upbeat On Recovery
The Fed highlighted signs of recovery as it left rates steady. The central bank said it will slow purchases of mortgage-backed securities. Article arrow

 

+ More BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

Bernanke: Recession Likely Over
Bernanke made his most emphatic declaration yet that the recession has ended, as a separate data release showed a rebound in retail sales. But the Fed chief warned of a continued soft labor market. Article arrow

Economic Confidence Rebounds
Economists and consumers are feeling better about the economy a year after the most frightening moments of the financial crisis. Forecasters surveyed by The Wall Street Journal, giving the government generally good marks for its handling of the financial crisis, now see employers slowly adding jobs over the next 12 months. Article arrow

Trial and Error Helped Stem Panic
A year after world economy was enveloped in a financial panic, government and business leaders believe an economic catastrophe was averted. But debate continues on which of dozens of extraordinary interventions made the biggest difference. Article arrow

Obama's Agenda: A Mid-Year Briefing
The president’s first three months were marked by a string of successes. The next three were stormier. At this point, says Republican pollster Bill McInturff, “There’s really strong partisan support and really strong partisan opposition.” Article arrow

Report: Protectionist Measures Rise
This weekend's U.S.-China trade skirmish is just the tip of a coming protectionist iceberg, according to a new report. Article arrow

 

 

PERSONAL FINANCE

Safe, Low-Cost Cars for Teenagers
Finding the right car for a newly licensed teenage driver can be a difficult process. Here are five cars, both used and new, that feature strong safety components and are under $14,000. Article arrow

You Pay for Other Drivers' Mistakes
Auto insurance costs are important to consider even if you are willing to pay extra to drive a car you like. Article arrow

How to Save the Right Way
Think of your various savings needs as something like your bedroom dresser. How well you fill that chest of drawers will determine how much financial flexibility you will have later in life. Article arrow

Credit Scores: What You Need to Know Now
For all the attention that credit scores generate, they are largely misunderstood. Here are some common myths about credit scores. Article arrow

+ More PERSONAL FINANCE

Man vs. Mutt
Who gets the better treatment, and what does this means for U.S. health-care reform? Article arrow

Extra Savings For Extra College Classes
Taking college-level courses in high school can save students time - and money - once on campus. Article arrow

Avoiding College's Plastic Hangover
The immediate gratification of using plastic to buy an iMac, tickets to a Coldplay concert and nights of bar hopping has a way of coming back to haunt college students after graduation. Article arrow

Card Issuers Get Personal To Check Credit
Lenders have long relied on credit scores to decide whether to approve card applications and how much credit to extend and at what interest rate. Now, some big card issuers are digging deeper into their customers' personal lives. Article arrow

A Car for $1? It's Hard to Refuse
After a generous offer from a family friend, Isaac needs to reconsider a decision that he thought he'd already made about bringing a car to college. Article

Teenage Unemployment Remains High
The unemployment rate among people ages 16 to 19 was a seasonally adjusted 23.8% in July. Traditional teenage jobs now draw competition, for example, from “stay-at-home moms looking to boost the family income to retirees seeking to supplement their pensions,” says John Challenger, CEO of Challenger Gray & Christmas, an employment firm. Article arrow


MEDIA & MARKETING

Girl-Next-Door Look Is Back in Fashion
The recession has meant hard times for high fashion, and magazine publishers and advertisers alike are
playing it safe, favoring softer, simpler faces.
Article arrow

Marvel Heroes To Join Disney
Disney will acquire Marvel in a $4 billion deal, bringing the Hulk, Spider-Man and a slew of popular comic-book characters into the Disney fold. It marks Disney's biggest move since its Pixar deal in 2006. Article arrow

CBS Ad Puts Video in a Magazine
A CBS print advertising insert will appear in Entertainment Weekly, that will play about 40 minutes of clips from new and old CBS shows. Article arrow

Fashion Magazines Get Thinner

Fashion magazines are looking thinner this fall as ad pages drop. Many September issues are almost a third smaller than last year's. Article arrow

+ MORE MEDIA & MARKETING

Jackson Had 'Lethal Levels' of Propofol
Preliminary toxicology results indicate that Michael Jackson's death on June 25 was due to "lethal levels" of the anesthetic propofol in his body. Article

Coconut Water Bubble
As the bottled water business loses steam, drink makers are pouring money into campaigns for what they hope will be the next hottest drink: coconut water. Article




TECHNOLOGY

Greatest Generation (of Networkers)
How much work can "hyper-socializing" students or employees really accomplish if they are holding multiple conversations with friends via text-messaging, or are obsessively checking Facebook? Article arrow

The Email Reign Is Over
Email has had a good run as king of communications, but its reign is over. In its place, a new generation of services is starting to take hold—Twitter, Facebook and countless others. And just as email did, this shift promises to profoundly rewrite the way we communicate—in ways we can only begin to imagine. Article arrow

The New Must-Have Accessory
Amid a recession that’s clobbering sales, fashion designers are embracing mobile-device technology in hopes of winning younger consumers. Article arrow

Coaxing Auto Makers to Go Electric
Thanks to generous federal incentives, the next two to three years could see the arrival in force of a new generation of electrified vehicles. Article arrow

 

+ More TECHNOLOGY

Americans Renew Love for Cars—Online
Scores of new automotive Web sites are being launched that cater to car enthusiasts, demonstrating that Americans’ love affair with cars is alive and well.
Article arrow

Zune Revamped
The new Zune HD offers a rich screen and a wealth of artist information, but it can't compete with iPod Touch's app offerings. Article arrow

Rocking the New Guitar Hero
At home and with friends, reporter Lauren Goode strums her way through the new Guitar Hero 5 video game.  Article arrow

Numbers Don't Add Up for TI Calculator
Texas Instruments is trying to inject some new life into its popular line of graphing calculators, amid growing competition from iPhones and other devices. Article arrow

Apple Changes Leopard's Spots
Apple's Snow Leopard operating system improves upon its predecessor, writes Walt Mossberg. But it isn't a big breakthrough. Article arrow

How Facebook Ruins Friendships
If we're not careful, our online interactions can hurt our real-life relationships, writes Elizabeth Bernstein. Article arrow

Lost Cellphone? Carriers Have Backup
Cellphone carriers now offer services that make it easy to back up your contacts -- but details can be a little dicey. Article arrow

New Sites Make It Easier to Spy on Friends
Armed with new and established Web sites, people are uncovering surprising details about others that often don't turn up in a simple Internet search. Though none of these sites can reveal anything that isn't already available publicly, they can make it much easier to find. Article

Mom Called and Said, 'Slow Down!'
New tech products are easing parental concerns by allowing adults to see every minute of what their kids are up to in the car – complete with GPS systems, video cameras, and weekly reports that rate driving skills. Article

How Technology Can Help Trim  Auto Insurance
For years, drivers paid less for auto insurance if they reported low mileage. Now, insurers are using high-tech devices to track customers' habits, and offering deep discounts to those who not only drive less, but also cautiously. Article arrow


LIFE & STYLE

The New Must-Have Accessory
Amid a recession that’s clobbering sales, fashion designers are embracing mobile-device technology in hopes of winning younger consumers. Article arrow

This Teenager Has Got It
With her new CD, 19-year-old saxophone phenomenon Hailey Niswanger answers the question, "Can jazz be saved?" Article arrow

SPORTS
The NBA: Where Frugal Happens
The economic downturn is forcing the NBA to pinch and scrimp. Beyond administrative cuts—cellphone text messaging and holiday parties—some teams are curtailing scouting and paring their rosters. Article arrow

The Big Ten: Down and Out?
Formed in 1896, the Big Ten is college’s biggest and richest major conference. But with top talent increasingly coming from the South and West, the conference
has suffered. Article arrow

 

Pogoers Bounce to New Heights
Innovation helped transform pogo sticks into a daredevil's ride. Now "extreme" pogoers can bounce more than six feet and perform flips. Article

+ More LIFE & STYLE

The Sports Mortgage
For the price of a three-bedroom home with a pool in a leafy suburb, you can now buy something really and truly invaluable: Your own stadium seat. Article arrow

Cowboys Try Big-Screen Play
The massive scoreboard at the new Dallas stadium has raised a new bar for opulence -- as well as the ire of fans and kickers. Article arrow

Is This Basketball Marriage Doomed?
As Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James prepare to team up in Cleveland, there are some signs of turbulence ahead. Article arrow

Cities Target Teens With Daytime Curfews | Cities across the country are imposing criminal penalties on kids who skip school to hang out at the mall or on local street corners. Article arrow

Does Everything Change at 18? | As Isaac turns 18, he and his father discuss what it means to be considered an adult. Article arrow

Young Drivers on the Radar
Insurers have traditionally tried to avoid teenage and young-adult drivers, but now many are targeting young drivers, hoping that it will help them retain their parents' business and gain future customers. Article arrow

They Know What She Wore Last Night
WhoWhatWear's Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power build a brand based off the power of celebrities as trend-setters and the growing power of the Web in high fashion. Article

Mom Called and Said, 'Slow Down!'
New tech products are easing parental concerns by allowing adults to see every minute of what their kids are up to in the car – complete with GPS systems, video cameras, and weekly reports that rate driving skills. Article

How to Steer Teen Drivers to Safety Q&A