College Resources

If your top-choice college is a large public school, it could be part of a university system, meaning it has a flagship or main campus as well as several regional, branch, or satellite campuses. Before you start clicking the send button on your applications, you might want to ask yourself if you’re clear on this important question: What’s the difference between the main campus and a satellite campus? Our handy guide to the advantages and challenges of both campus types can help you decide on the right choice for you.

Tuition, textbooks, groceries, laundry, transportation – the list of college expenses can sometimes seem longer than the Great Wall of China. It’s easy for students managing money on their own for the first time to become overwhelmed by the responsibility of it all, or worse yet, to overspend. Creating a solid college student budget can help keep the stress, and your finances, in check.

A psychotherapist was kind enough to give Business Insider three common reasons your New Year’s resolutions often fail: You aren’t being specific enough. You aren’t framing them positively. They aren’t about you. Got that? Now check out our New Year’s resolution ideas for college students, and pick a few to adapt to your needs. When you make them yours, remember to be specific, focus on the positive aspects of your goals, and be sure they are things you really want.

If you’re a high school senior, winter break offers a wonderfully structure-free, stress-free window of time. But how does a college-bound high school student turn two solid weeks into anything but an extended nap punctuated by cookies and some couch time with the grandparents? We have useful suggestions for making the most of your time off, no matter where you are in the college application process: If you’re a senior already accepted by your college of choice, or you’re a senior nervously awaiting an answer from a college (any college!), or you’re a senior procrastinating until the last minute to get that application submitted, we know how to make winter break productive, with plenty of time left over for marathon meet-ups with the holiday cookie jar.

Your college journey is going to be a blast. As an out-of-state student, you’ll experience new adventures far from your hometown — an idea that probably excites and overwhelms you. How do you get ready for life in another state? Start with our five tips on how to prepare for an out-of-state college.

If you’re considering the benefits of accelerated college programs, it’s a good bet you’re familiar with success, know what you want from academia, have been working to get it, and want to get it done as soon as possible, to the best possible effect.

It can feel monumental, or even tragic, to consider switching your intended or actual major, especially if you are deeply vested in the idea of yourself with a particular degree. But take comfort in this: Changing majors is really common. According to the U.S. Department of Education, one-third of college students change their minds at least once, and a solid 10 percent switch their major two times or more. If you do it thoughtfully, selecting a more suitable field of study can be the best thing you ever did, no matter if you are an entering freshman, a transfer student, or an almost upperclassman who needs to seal the deal on all the credits you’ve been accruing. A new major can lead you to a more meaningful career and work aligned with your truest self. So, if you’ve decided to change your college major, consider this the perfect time to get focused, select a fantastic new major, and keep yourself on track to graduate on time.

“Elections belong to the people,” Abraham Lincoln said. Sure, you say, but you’re not going to bother with elections because you don’t know how to vote while you’re in college. If that’s the case, consider the rest of Lincoln’s quote: “If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

When you’re a college student, some experiences will be a given. Eating in the dining hall and screaming from the stands at a big game are standard rites of passage. Ditto for the dorm party and the all-night study session. But did you know you could be missing out on fantastic events, opportunities, and services because you just didn’t know they were available? We can’t let that happen. So, we invite you to explore campus resources students like you should start using right away to make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime college experience.

From global positioning systems and magnetic resonance imaging to the nicotine patch and antibiotics, research universities are responsible for some of mankind’s greatest discoveries. But beyond its power as an engine of innovation, what is a research university, and can it provide an ideal environment for an undergraduate student like you?