Guest blogger Vivian Kerr has been teaching and tutoring standardized tests since 2005. She has taught throughout the greater Los Angeles area and is a proud member of the Grockit team. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern California and has studied abroad in London.

Applying to college can be a daunting process, but it is also an incredibly exciting time.

Attending university is an experience that will shape the rest of your life so it’s important to put some serious thought and consideration into your application choices.

Read the rest of this entry »

After choosing a college, choosing a major will be one of the most important decisions you make in your college career. For some students, the decision is simple – they’ve wanted to be a vet or an attorney their entire lives. For other students, it’s a little more calculated, taking into consideration their interests, strengths and where there will be demand for jobs upon graduation. It’s to those people that this article is speaking to.

The economy is fairly cyclical, and for students graduating in this current economic climate, or entering college, their college major selection is more important than ever.

Some of the careers or industries that seem to be protected from the financial downturn are worth considering as a college major: Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the most celebrated entertainment icons of our time know the value of a good education. A select few Hollywood stars are in MENSA, and many have pursued higher educations at some of the country’s most prestigious institutions. It might be a knee-jerk reaction to think they all studied arts, drama or theater, but you would be sorely mistaken. Take a look at these celebrities who had no idea they were bound for Hollywood or professional sports when they selected their majors.

Eva Longoria Parker – Maybe her studies will come in handy if husband Tony Parker has an injury. Eva pursued a degree in kinesiology at Texas A&M at Kingsville.

Maggie Gyllenhaal – The roles she has chosen in Hollywood don’t seem like a stretch from her deep-thinking studies of literature and East religions at Columbia.

Mira Sorvino – We’ve yet to see this Academy Award winning actress have a need for her fluency in Mandarin Chinese, a part of her degree in Asian studies at Harvard.

Gene Simmons – Can you imagine the front-man of Kiss teaching your elementary school class? Well, for some children, it was a reality, after he graduated with a degree in education from Richmond College. Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s guest blog comes from Jillianne Hamilton, a journalism student in Charlottetown, PE, Canada and a student blogger for myUsearch.com, an unbiased college matchmaking site that helps students find a college.

Choosing a major is often times more important than choosing a college. Thankfully, it comes a little later in the process. But when the time comes to choose, it sometimes can be difficult to decide which path to take. Here are some tips to help you along the way.

1. You, your strengths, your goals. Imagine yourself (or who you’d like to be) in ten years. Where do you see yourself? Are you the type to be happy living on a modest income? Consider your passions and interests and what feels “right” to you. Be realistic. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a growing trend amongst college students – sustainability degrees. As the environment continues to be a pressing concern for all generations, Generations Y and Z are in a prime position to make their career paths greener than most.

With an increase in popularity of “green collar” jobs, colleges and universities are broadening their degree offerings to include those that focus on sustainability – including MBAs in sustainable business practices and technical training.

Demand for graduates from these degree programs continues to grow as interest in studying sustainability grows. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved – the universities, the students, and the businesses. Read the rest of this entry »

Me being the delightful optimist that I am, I decided to give you a list of what I consider to be the top 10 summer internships of 2009.  I am optimistic in the belief these positions are still up for grabs, and that you can and will get them. There is no rhyme or reason to the list, other than they would be an excellent opportunity for anyone fortunate enough to have them. These positions are in several different industries, and encompass both the goods and services industries.

The top 10 summer internships are as follows:

1. Wieden+Kennedy – Art Direction/ Copywriting. Creativity is a funny thing. When creative people get together, what else can you expect? This advertising agency is know for just that, and would be an amazing place for an aspiring advertiser to find them.  Read the rest of this entry »

According to The Princeton Review, here are the top 10 most popular majors in the United States:

1. Business Administration and Management
2. Psychology
3. Elementary Education
4. Biology
5. Nursing
6. Education
7. English
8. Communications
9. Computer Science
10. Political Science

So, is it a good idea to major in something that’s very popular? Maybe. These majors are popular for a reason–because students find them interesting and useful for their future career plans. In addition, when a major is popular, you can often find plenty of resources on campus to accommodate the large number of students in these majors, like lab space, internship programs, and a wide variety of course offerings.

However, there are some problems with majoring in one of the most popular majors on campus. One big issue can be course size, and another can be competition to get into the classes you need. If the number of students outnumbers the number of faculty members by too much, it’s possible you won’t get the classes you need before graduation. In addition, a disadvantage to a popular major is that it can make it harder for you to stand out in a pile of graduate school or job applications.

One thing to consider: choose a major that’s similar to these top choices, but less popular. Try these alternatives.

• If you like Business Administration and Management, try human resources, hospitality management, or recreation management.
• If you like Psychology, try sociology or anthropology.
• If you like Elementary Education or Education, try social work or human development.
• If you like Biology, try geology, natural resources, forestry, or animal science.
• If you like Nursing, try medical technology
• If you like English, try classics, comparative literature, technical writing, or journalism
• If you like Communications, try cultural studies, film studies, public relations, sociology, or journalism
• If you like Computer Science, try management and information science or information technology
• If you like Political Science, try history, geography, sociology, or anthropology

Remember–always choose a major that piques your interest. Otherwise, it’s going to be a miserable four (or more) years, and you’re not likely to do well in your classes.