COLLEGE ADMISSIONS & PLANNING

A Tale of Two Students
In middle school, Ivan and Laura shared a brief romance and a knack for trouble. Then they parted ways. Now he is college-bound and she isn't. How different schools shaped their paths. Article

Financial Aid: How to Get More
Many well-off families are too affluent to qualify for significant financial aid, but not wealthy enough to afford to pay out of pocket. But that doesn't mean they can't game the system to their advantage. Article

10 Things Campus Security Won't Tell You
Article

WSJ ON CAMPUS PRESENTS
Paying for College: What You Need to Know
Webcast from New York University, featuring: Martha Holler – Vice President, Sallie Mae; Mark Kantrowitz, Publisher, Fastweb.com; James Boyle, President, College Parents of America; Melissa Kunes, Pennsylvania State University, Senior Director, Office of Student Aid; Randy Deike, New York University, Vice President of Enrollment Management; and Jennifer Garratt Lawton, Wesleyan University, Director of Financial Aid. Watch it

The New Rules of College Credit
A law that took effect this year cracks down on high-interest credit cards and aggressive marketing tactics used by card issuers to sign up college students. But it won’t stop banks from trying to win students as customers.Article

WSJ ON CAMPUS PRESENTS
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 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

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

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

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

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

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

ON CAMPUS BY ABBY MCCARTNEY

Seize the Years
A guide for anyone starting college, no matter what school. Think of it as a few tips from someone who’s been here for three and three-quarters years, and loved every minute. Article

My Real Education
in many ways, college is the ideal time to serve. Those of us lucky enough to be full-time students have flexible schedules and plenty of unstructured time, an advantage that few working adults can manage. And we also have something even more important: our youth. Article

The Ultimate Field Trip
Abby McCartney writes about study-abroad programs, those unique learning opportunities and invaluable life experiences that help many college students broaden their views of the world and grow into themselves. On Campus

Summer Vocations
The months between school years are a perfect time to try out something new, maybe something you’ve always wondered about, without a lengthy commitment. There’s nothing wrong with lifeguarding or waiting tables for a summer or two. But summers are also a good opportunity to try out future careers. On Campus

Study Guide
College courses are structured very differently from classes in high school. The good news is that many of the same study skills you develop in high school work just as well for college. On Campus

Choosing Classes
After seven semesters, choosing a handful of courses from a catalog of over 2,000 options hasn’t gotten any easier. Still, I do have a few tried-and-true strategies that have found me more wonderful classes than duds, at least so far. On Campus

Facebook Grows Up
For a Web site launched only five years ago, Facebook has altered the daily lives of college students in remarkable ways. Abby McCartney explains how to make Facebook your friend in college. On Campus

EDUCATION

A Tale of Two Students
In middle school, Ivan and Laura shared a brief romance and a knack for trouble. Then they parted ways. Now he is college-bound and she isn't. How different schools shaped their paths. Article

The Case for Saturday School
Kids in China attend school 41 days a year more than students in the U.S. Now, schools across the country are cutting back to four-day weeks. Chester E. Finn Jr. on how to build a smarter education system. Article

Devaluing a College Degree
The idea that a college grad earns $800,000 or more than a high school grad is based on fuzzy math. The real number is much lower. Article

Bill Limits Restraint of Unruly Schoolchildren
Physically restraining unruly schoolchildren or locking them in isolated spaces would be subject to federal restrictions under legislation passed by the House. Article

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

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

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

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

CAREERS

History Lesson
More and more employers are conducting credit background checks on applicants for some positions, figuring that the financial information can offer insight into a candidate’s level of responsibility. Article

No Pay, No Problem
The value of an unpaid internship. Article

Devaluing a College Degree
The idea that a college grad earns $800,000 or more than a high school grad is based on fuzzy math. The real number is much lower. Article

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

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

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

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

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

FRESHMAN JOURNAL

Shhh ... It's Time to Study
(Chris Peters, University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

My Second Home
Anissa Richmond, Ithaca College

No Worries
Kaitlin Schroeder, Miami University