EduInReview.com, guest blogger Kristin Davie is a recent Marist College graduate.  She maintains her own blog, Cap And Gown Countdown, where she offers job search tips and tricks for college students and unemployed professionals.

In high school, students are encouraged to become well-rounded individuals in the hope of securing that coveted college acceptance letter. It’s a lesson that everyone should be sure to pack along with those photos from prom and Bob Marley poster. After all, college is a new chapter filled with blank pages, and future employers will want to know what you choose to fill them with (and no, your favorite shot glass doesn’t count). 

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The economy grew at a 3.5 percent pace in the third quarter, the best showing in two years, fueled by government-supported spending on cars and homes. It’s the strongest signal yet that the economy has entered a new, though fragile, phase of recovery and that the worst recession since the 1930s has ended, according to the Associated Press.

While the economy still has a very rocky and upward hill to climb before it reaches a more solid footing, these new statistics just released by the Commerce Department offer a beacon of hope for Americans, but for graduating college students, they may have to be a bit more patient as they begin their real-world job search in the next few months.

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He’s probably the most beloved member of the class of 2009. And rather than celebrate with the toss of a cap, he tweeted.

“I’m happy to announce I have graduated! Class of ‘09! Congrats to everyone else who has also graduated this year! -Mr. President (Nick).”

Nick might also be one of the youngest members of this year’s graduating class. He’s just 16, also making him the youngest member of his band, the Jonas Brothers, in which he sings alongside older brothers Kevin and Joe. Read the rest of this entry »

Graduation day should be a celebration. Four years of hard work rewarded by a single piece of paper – the diploma. Unfortunately, a Bonny Eagle high school student had an unexpected surprise after he blew his family a kiss on his way to accept his certificate of accomplishments. One of the school’s administrators, who was apparently not in a sentimental mood, sent the student back to his seat – without his diploma.

Post graduation, all sorts of web media channels were chiming in with opinions on whether or not the administration overreacted. The student’s mother is quite upset – and rightfully so – at her son’s treatment. According to an article from Fox News the outraged mother said, “A bow, a kiss to your mom is not misbehavior.” Read the rest of this entry »

After a week of no school and having some time to catch up on lost sleep and lost time with friends, graduation is tomorrow! It’s weird to think that after four years of high school, the class of 2009 will finally be moving on to a new part in their lives.

Looking back to my freshman year, it’s funny yet great how much I’ve grown and learned over the past four years. Although, I heard that in the first six months of college you change more than you did all through high school. That makes for a rather interesting concept to think about. While tomorrow will be one of the most exciting times and something I will always remember, it also marks a passing. A passing into a new part of my life that will hold even more surprises and experiences than before. While some experiences may be bad, all of them will be learning experiences and something can be taken from anything you experience. Read the rest of this entry »

The Class of 2009 has just graduated college in many states. They have worked hard for about four or five years, spending countless hours in libraries, classes, and review sessions. And now, all of their hard work should start to pay off, in the form of a new career. Unfortunately, for more than 80 percent of recent college graduates, there is not a job offer waiting for them after they walk across that graduation stage.

A recent survey of employers on CareerBuilder.com showed that only 43 percent intended to hire new college graduates this year, compared to 79 percent in 2007. With hundreds of thousands of others graduating this year, it is no wonder that 60 percent of college students polled said they started actively looking for a job during their senior year of college. Read the rest of this entry »

After school is out, and graduation approaches, the main event that begins to take up a lot of time are the grad parties. Attending grad parties, in my opinion, are important to attend. Although there may be a number of them and you may be attempting to squeeze many into one day, I think making as many as you can should be a priority.

Yesterday a friend and myself managed to make one recital and then made it to five grad parties. Although the amount of driving may be ridiculous and you may not get to spend much time at each party, people appreciate it even when you take time to stop by and even just say hello and talk for a couple of minutes. Read the rest of this entry »

In stadiums and auditoriums across the country, graduates are joining for the pomp and circumstance that grants them their hard-earned degrees.

President Obama at the Naval Academy commencement. via Chicago Tribune

Much like the hours spent in lecture halls, graduates must wait through just a couple more speeches before their caps are tossed to the air and their diplomas rightly earned. Every graduation has a guest speaker, some more memorable than others. For the class of 2009 at many notable colleges and universities, these famous commencement speakers are certain to be a memorable closing to their college careers.

President Barack Obama
The President spoke at Notre Dame, U.S. Naval Academy, and Arizona State University, where he implored the graduates to see our troubled economy as an opportunity, not a hurdle. “I know starting your career in troubled times is a challenge. But it is also a privilege. Because it is moments like these that force us to try harder, dig deeper, to discover gifts we never knew we had – to find the greatness that lies within each of us.”

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I woke up Tuesday morning, knowing that it was a particularly exciting day. Not only because I was IB test free that day, but also because it was senior’s last day! I put on my white (but not all white! all white wouldn’t work well with me….) dress and blue cardigan and headed to school.

That day was probably my favorite day throughout all of high school. We took pictures, said goodbye to teachers and younger students, and gave a few speeches about what is to come. My English teacher, Mr. Maack, wrote us a poem and read it aloud to us. It made the analogy of us, the students, being tigers who had dealt with the rules and regulations of our ring master (teachers, parents, authority figures) and this time marked a new beginning for us. Read the rest of this entry »

Notre Dame senior Greer Hannan plans to protest President Obama's attendance at her graduation Sunday because of his support of abortion rights. Via USA Today.

I don’t know about you, but I think the speaker at any graduation ceremony is very important. That person will hopefully give the graduates and their families some new, deep, thought-provoking words to contemplate on their special day. And, seriously, how cool would it be to have the President of the United States of America speak at your graduation? The most powerful man in the free world, telling you what he thinks you should know before you enter the “grown-up” world. Pretty sweet in my opinion! This year, Obama will be speaking at three universities during the commencement ceremonies. And at two of those three universities, the students are not too happy about it.

Greer Hannan, a senior at Notre Dame, plans to have a cross and a pair of baby feet printed on her mortar board. She is doing this to protest Obama’s pro-choice stance on abortion. Read the rest of this entry »