Overview:
Mississippi State University is a comprehensive, land-grant university located in the eastern part of north-central Mississippi state, USA. Its grounds are housed on 4,200 acres of beautiful land, and the students come from all over the country and around the world. In attendance, it is the largest university in the state. The University was founded in 1878 as a land grant institution. The mascot is a Bulldog, and one of the great traditions of the University is the ringing of the cowbell, Bully, during special events and athletic games.

It offers degrees ranging from undergraduate to doctoral, and has a world-class College of Veterinary Medicine in addition to its other Colleges and Schools. The university awards more than 3000 courses and enrolls over 16,000 students every year.

Departments of Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University has eight colleges with dozens of educational departments to meet the academic interests of virtually any student. As the needs of the global economy continue to grow and change, the University creates ways to integrate the new, necessary instruction so that students will always receive the most innovate education possible. The following are the departments of MSU:
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• College of Architecture, Art, and Design
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business and Industry
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Forest Resources
• College of Veterinary Medicine

Specialized Programs in the University
• Medical and Health Professions
• Medical Assisting Studies
• Anesthesiologist Assistant
• Chiropractic Technician Degrees
• Clinical Laboratory Assistant
• EMT Ambulance Degrees
• Medical Assisting Services, Other
• Medical or Clinical Assistant
• Occupational Therapist Assistant
• Pharmacy Technician
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Respiratory Therapy Technician
• Veterinary Technician
• Domestic Animal Services Degrees
• Animal Sciences Studies

Student Life
There was never been a dull moment in Mississippi State University. There was always something delightful for everyone. Every student in the university enjoys enriching experiences through organizations, clubs, and groups. There are more than 300 student organizations representing educational majors, religious groups, Greek affiliations, and club sports. There are many amusing places to consort with the friends such as, MSU Bookstore, Food Court, and a Beauty Salon. Meet and make friends at Perry Cafeteria and the State Fountain where great food and great friends come together.

Career Center
Mississippi State University provides career Center to assist students to get in to a right track. The counselors of the university provide guidance and support for the students determining their career path. It also organizes job fairs and interviewing opportunities for students who are ready to enter their work force. Beyond these services, students can also experience the Cooperative Education Program that enables students to spend a semester at a time on the job with a company in their related field.

Financial Assistance
Mississippi State University offers various scholarship programs to assist the outstanding students who demonstrate the potential for superior academic performance at the college level. Students have to enroll for a full-time program and should complete a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester to receive scholarships. Academic scholarships will be deferred during the work phase for co-op students. Renewal of scholarships and waivers is based on full-time enrollment and maintaining a 3.00 cumulative GPA at the end of each fall semester. Academic and non-resident tuition scholarships are only offered during the fall and spring semesters. Requests to substitute a summer semester for a fall or spring semester must be made through the scholarship office.

By: anupama7

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Impel is the Global Education Consultancy that provides all the information about Study Abroad.

The University of Oklahoma is known for its academic excellence and strong sense of community. OU is in the top five of public universities in the United States in the number of Rhodes Scholars that it graduates. Even more impressive, The University of Oklahoma is first in the nation, of the number of National Merit Scholars enrolled (per capita) among public universities. These honors place OU amidst the highest rated public universities in the nation.

When it comes to student life, the University of Oklahoma doesn’t disappoint either. First year students are often the most vulnerable and OU recognized this fact. Therefore, they became one of the first public universities and among only a few in the nation to put a cap of no more than 19 students in the class room for their first-year English composition classes.

English and foreign culture are the cosmopolitan growth hallmarks of OU. The University is at the top of public campuses with international exchange student agreements. From universities in over 60 countries, more than 170 different types of exchange programs exist to ensure a diverse education and a true cultural experience.

There are a number of Student Life organizations, meant to bring together students of a particular nationality that are considered to have special needs, in order for them to find assistance and support. An example of a few are the: American Indian Student Life office(AISL), which is the designated liaison office for students, university departments, alumni, and tribes/Nations throughout the country. The African American Student Life is deemed to be the voice of the Black Community. Their aim is to promote interaction and communication among black students and to encourage participation in social, community and political activities. The Asian American Student Life office supports and assists over 1,100 Asian-American students at OU, with a goal to retain and graduate Asian-American students. Their mission is to give students positive campus life experiences, while they are at OU and to prepare them for a successful career in the future.

University President, David L. Boren said it well in describing the positive life experiences on campus at OU as “…a true sense of family on the OU campus. Serving as a model for other public universities…”

By: Whitney Alen

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The University of Oklahoma also offers its employees great benefits, including savings on a variety of services. For information about great benefits on home security, satellite TV and internet service, visit the human resources site.

While owning a home has long been considered part of the “American Dream,” getting a college education for free has quickly become the “American Fantasy.” Students across the country search eagerly (and sometimes frantically) each year for merit and grant aid to help pay their college bills. Many daydream of a “free ride,” and while it may be hard to find, it does indeed exist—and it’s not just for superstar students.

Check out these schools for a shot at turning your “American Fantasy” into reality.

Work for Your Degree

The seven member schools of the Work Colleges Consortium (WCC) put their students to work in exchange for their education, trading on-campus jobs for tuition.

If you live in the Appalachian region, check out Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, or Berea College in Berea, Kentucky—these schools specifically serve students in your backyard. College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, calls itself “Hard Work U” because all of its students work 15 hours per week, including jobs at the computer center, child development center, dairy barn, and museum.

The other WCC members are Blackburn College, Ecclesia College, Sterling College, and Warren Wilson College.

Free Tuition…if You’re in the Right Field

Want to be a teacher? The City University of New York’s Teacher Academy offers free tuition for future science and mathematics teachers. Academy graduates receive teaching positions at New York City’s public middle and high schools.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City focuses on the areas of engineering, art, and architecture. The college admits students based on merit and provides all students with a full-tuition scholarship.

Are you a musician at heart? Check out Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Competition for admission is tough, as the institute enrolls only about 160 students. But if you make the cut, your tuition (valued at $33,500) is paid for each year by a full scholarship.

Calling all engineers: The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Massachusetts, offers an outstanding education for its select student body of just over 300 students. You’ll need to have a strong background in math and science, but the college is looking for students with interests and passions beyond these areas as well to create a well-rounded student body.

Take to the seas at Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York, where the focus is on naval architecture and marine engineering. Rigorous academics and loads of real-world experience help Webb graduates prepare for rewarding careers.

Follow Your Faith

Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, funds the tuition of its students ($17,500 annually) through donations. Students are only responsible for room, board, medical insurance, and a few additional fees.

For Men Only

Deep Springs College in California enrolls a small all-male student body. Students here take thought-provoking classes and work at least 20 hours per week on the college’s alfalfa farm and cattle ranch. Students attend Deep Springs for two years on a full scholarship (valued at $50,000 per year) and go on to complete their degrees at four-year institutions across the nation.

By: CollegeView

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Collegeview is a great resource to help students and their parents as they begin their college search. The website provides information about free scholarships, www.collegeview.com/financialaid/index.html”> financial aid , career information and more. Collegeview offers profiles of thousands of universities that can be searched by area of study, name, and location.

If you are currently enrolled in a United States or Canadian college or university and are feeling in a rut over the course of your educational studies, you might want to consider a study abroad in England program. The participating universities in England offer unique and exciting study opportunities for students who want to expand their educational horizons.

A great benefit to a study abroad in England program is that all courses are taught in English. Students can choose to study for a short school break, or they can stay for a semester or an entire academic year. The courses you take through study abroad programs in England will be aligned with your degree requirements, so that you can graduate on time, but with the added benefit of the cultural exchange and study at an English university. This type of extra education is very impressive on your resume, and can put you ahead of other applicants because you bring more global awareness and understanding through your studies abroad.

The types of classes you can take in a study abroad in England program will vary depending on the university at which you study. You might find courses in Art, Design, Architecture, the Arts and Social Sciences, Business and Law, Computing, Information Systems, Mathematics, Engineering and Science all offered. Some universities offer intensive study in certain areas, such as business; you can find this type of information out on a study abroad in England program website in order to narrow your selection of an appropriate university for you.

The most successful study abroad programs in England also offer cultural classes for their students. You might expect to have lectures given about British culture and history, for example, and then have the opportunity to visit historical and cultural sites such as Stonehenge and Parliament. These types of experiences are unique to each county in which you study, and allow you to understand the people and places of Great Britain and other countries as you cannot by simply reading about it.

In addition to cultural and academic classes, there will also be some down time. This will allow you to explore Britain with fellow classmates, as well as get to know other students in the study abroad in England program. These kinds of friendships last long after the semester of study abroad in England is over. You can find out more about study abroad programs in England as well as study programs in Europe and Asian countries by looking online.

By: Anne Harvester

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Anne is director, student services and study abroad programs in England, for EuroLearn. Their study abroad in England and Ireland study abroad program led to her experience growing in these studies.

Many parents begin worrying about sending their children to college as soon as they are born. Their kids, on the other hand, find their own time to begin considering their options. And, those options are plentiful, with private, public, in-state, out-of- state, liberal arts and technical schools all among the mix. It is not surprising that some teenagers would rather visit their Facebook page than begin thinking about life after high school.

But choosing a college does not have to be painful. It can actually be exciting. Approaching the matter openly will make the process rewarding and successful. A visit to a school guidance counselor early in their high school career can help students begin to plan for the future. The sooner students start looking ahead, the better their options will be when they start making choices.

“The minute you walk in the door, what you do matters,” says Heather Case, guidance counselor at North Side High School. “A lot of freshman just think ‘Whatever’ when you say that to them, but colleges are looking at everything from high school, not just grades. If a student received a detention for participating in a food fight his or her freshman year, when a college or university representative asks if a student received any detentions, then we have to say yes. If it’s a competitive school and it comes down to a choice between someone who didn’t get into any trouble and someone who did, it can determine whether or not the student is accepted.”

“It is never too early to start looking for a college to attend,” says Lora McGuire, senior counselor at Bishop Dwenger. “The sooner a student becomes familiar with a particular college of interest, the better. Students need to fully understand the expectations of a college and its level of competitiveness for admission. This knowledge will help the students set goals for their achievements in high school, including academic, extracurricular involvement and volunteer work. I highly recommend that students consult the Internet to start the college search process. I recommend starting with www.collegeboard.com. Students and parents can search for colleges in a variety of ways, including location, size, fields of study, cost and religious affiliation. One can gather vast amounts of information from the Internet without leaving the house.”

Dennis Eller of Canterbury School agrees that the first step is for students to start considering their options.

“Parents start thinking about it a lot sooner than students do. The discussion starts in earnest in their junior year, but the process can start a lot earlier than that. You can begin visiting colleges in the ninth or tenth grade, and I recommend you visit different types of schools – technical schools, larger and smaller schools. Start considering what you’re looking for. Is distance a factor? Is what I call ‘rah’ a big factor? Do you want to get a job? Go to graduate school? What criteria are you looking for?”

Choosing a school based on programs may be less important than those factors, and counselors agree.

“Seventy percent of students change their mind about what to major in anyway, so I try not to make a big deal out of that when we’re talking about colleges,” says Eller. “Unless students are looking to get into something specific like pharmacy or physical therapy, then students will often be able to find what they need at many different universities.”

A visit to the counselor can also help students discover what may be realistic academically.

“When I talk to a student, I’ll look at their transcripts, because certain schools may be out of reach because of their G.P.A. or test scores,” says Case. “We’ll also look at what they want to do when they graduate, because different schools have different focuses. And we’ll see if a school makes sense for the career they want to pursue. If a student wants to be a social worker, for example, that position typically doesn’t pay well, so if a student wants to go to Harvard, it might not be a good return on investment.”

Cost is certainly a major concern for parents, one which students might not completely grasp as they sort out possibilities. But area counselors say parents may be pleasantly surprised to discover there are new ways to finance education, which can make those high-end dream schools obtainable for middle-class families. Recent valedictorians and salutatorians from North Side have gone on to attend schools like Stanford, Harvard and the University of Southern California without facing a lifetime of debt.

“Some of the upper-tier schools, the Ivy League schools, have made it affordable for students to attend,” says Case. “Parents who make $60-70,000 a year can send their children to an Ivy League school for less than $5,000 a year. In the last couple of years, at least one of our students has gone to an upper-tier school – it just takes a lot of preparation.”

While the decision about college is an important one, remember, no decision is binding – so the choice need not be regarded as final. Remembering that may make the process a bit less daunting for everyone concerned.

“I tell the students to go with their strongest urge and to not be afraid of making a mistake,” says McGuire.

“There are no guarantees. Make the best decision you can at the time.

If it turns out not to be the right one, you can always transfer to a different school. It’s not a life-long, permanent decision.”

(c) 2008 Business People. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Remember how you used to tell your parents that you couldn’t wait to graduate from high school so that you could move away and go to college. It was more about gaining freedom and independence than driving your parents crazy. They would always say that once you leave home, you will be wishing that you could come back. Well that was not the case for me.

You see I led a very sheltered life at home. I basically went to school, church, and home. I did my homework and read my church lessons. Outside of those activities, I had no social life. I talked for a couple of hours a week to friends that I had, but I never hung out with them outside of school. So when I said that I couldn’t wait to graduate and go to college never to look back, I was serious.

After graduating from high school and attending college, my life changed in a great way. I had the freedom to make my own decisions and do whatever I wanted to do. My parents were not there leading and guiding my every step, which was fantastic.

In college, I was out partying and having fun. I met many people in college in my classes and at various campus events, including sporting events, concerts, and parties. In college I had no time to just sit around my dorm room, because there was always something going on. From going to mixers to volunteering around campus and attending club meetings, I was never bored. Outside of my social life, I still had to attend classes, study, and make good grades to stay in college, which was not hard to do. In the beginning, I decided that my school work would come first before my social life, and neither my grades nor my social life ever failed because of that decision.

I was able to enjoy everything that college had to offer and I took it all in with joy and enthusiasm. I never turned down an opportunity to enjoy being in college, because college is not all about just hitting the books, but it is about enjoying your freedom and having fun before having to enter into the workforce full-time. College is your chance to have fun and become the person that you always wanted to be but could not be because of high school restrictions. College ended up being the best days of my life, because I made it fun and interesting. You will get out of your college experience what you put into it. If you want to have a great time in college, then make it great and get out there, attend campus activities, socialize, and meet new people.

Selecting a major, let alone a college can be mind boggling to any high school student. But for an over achiever, it can be overwhelming. So how an over achiever selects a college beings with finding out what makes your heart skip beats. Where does your passion lie? The last thing an over achiever wants to become an uninspired graduate and joining others in a work force who have no love for their studies or work. It is equally important to find a college that is both a good fit academically and offers challenges and opportunities.

Talking with teachers in your chosen field of study is helpful and so are working professionals in the field. To pursue art or music, it is important to recommendations for colleges from working artists or musicians. Their experiences can help select or eliminate choices.

More student friendly campuses welcome prospective students to visit, attend classes in their field of study, personally meet with professors, and stay overnight in a resident hall as the guest of another student.

Small private colleges have high academic and admission standards resulting in classmates who are equals in terms of academic caliber. The smaller class sizes offer personalization. Faculty members know the students individually. Students have a better chance to know each other. Additionally, they offer a wide range of opportunities to participate in extracurricular and other activities. Class sizes are smaller.

A small private college is a great place for an overachiever to flourish because it is possible to pursue new activities and interests, such as student politics, or theater, or sports. These activities can be added to a student regimen in addition to maintaining a full academic class load. These extra pursuits offer advantages that compliment classroom studies. As such, an over achiever can undertake a variety of new challenges which can be both invigorating and intimidating. A business major can participate in a theater class and production, thereby learning and enhancing public speaking skills. Gaining additional confidence in front of crowds and audiences is important to success after graduation in business.

Students can also maintain other skills and interests, such as playing a musical instrument, by participating in college orchestras. For example, a student may audition for and be successfully accepted into a college wind ensemble, which may also count for academic credit.

Although many state universities can offer competition in the form of numbers of students against whom to compete, the overachiever may find a small private college more satisfying.

College is expensive. Many are questioning the need and worth of going to school beyond high school. Is the debt, the time, the benefits of full-time employment worth it?

This is a discussion of the information regarding the value of higher education and the rates of return to the student and society.

The Economics of a College degree
On average, those who have a college degree, earn more than high school graduates. Statistics from the Census Bureau says that high school graduates earn about $1.2 million while an associate degree holder will earn about $1.6 million. Those who hold a bachelor’s degree will earn about $2.1 million in their adult working life. (Day and Newburger, 2002).
So, statistics prove that although a college degree is expensive, the return is worth the cost of obtaining a college degree.

The Advantages of College degree holders

According to a 1998 report of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, degree holders enjoy the advantages of being able to travel both in a chosen profession as well as for personal reasons. In addition, college degree holders have the ability to give their children a higher quality of life. Those who hold a degree also make better financial choices and have more recreational time.

A report by the Carnegie Foundation states there is a higher probability for those college degree holders to be more cultured, more accepting of others, more disciplined, more consistent and open-minded. (Rowley and Hurtado, 2002)

Going to college has been known to give graduates a better knowledge of the world and it’s affairs. At the same time, there is a better job and economic security for those who attend college. (Ibid.)

There has been some research which proves that those who attend college have better health than those who do not. Children of degree holders are also more healthy. (Cohn and Geske, 1992)

Value of a college degree to a society

Research has shown that there is a relationship between higher education and the society. Women who graduated from college often spent more time with their children, giving them values and characteristics to help them in their future. (Elchanan Cohn and Terry Geske, 1992)

The society benefits by having increased tax revenue, better efficiency in the workplace, better income thus less reliance on the financial support of the government (Institute for Higher Education Policy, 1998).

Completion or taking a few courses

In a report called, College for All? Is There Too Much Emphasis on Getting a 4-Year College Degree?, Boesel and Fredland state that in a year approximately six hundred thousand students do not complete their degree and leave the college. According to the study, those who did not complete earned less than or about the same as those who completed a two-year degree. Those who attended college for two years showed the same cognitive abilities as those who went to school for four years. The authors advised that those who left college would be better off attending a two year college.

Conclusion

Although college is costly, the advantages to the society and the student surpasses the cost of a college education.

Are you looking to better yourself with a degree? Then what is stopping you? Maybe you want more information on the process and choosing the right school?

The minimum entry requirements will vary per school, campus and degree you want to earn. Here are some basic rules to help you with the decision process. The absolute bare minimum requirement to get into any program is to have 12 years of high school behind you in one form or another. Don’t let the fact that you have a GED instead of a diploma stop you from going to get your degree. There are ways around those little requirements. These ways will vary depending on where you want to attend and what you want to study.
What is required for entry into a program? Universities rely on the cut off method. The cut off method can be based on whatever the university has deemed necessary. They can use your GPA, past attendance, SAT scores, ACT scores or the deadline for applications. If any of these fall below there minimum you will not be selected to attend. Schools also use the prerequisites as a method for admittance. They can also use one or more of the following, interviews in person on phone, auditions by essay or video, or test scores for their entrance exams.

Adults, the mature age students looking to enroll, the universities will have a different way of looking at you for entrance. You will not have the attendance, the past GPA, recent SAT or ACT score to go by. The college will usually give you a more broad aspect of entrance. They may look at your past employment. They may look to see if you are working in the particular field you are wanting to study. They will want some kind of special testing to see where your academic abilities lie. The test can be the STAT, the Compass, or the ACT. Most schools offer this test free to adult students looking for entrance. Check your school to see what they have in the way of placement exams.

Private education schools will have a much higher focus than cut offs. They will be addressing your interview, expect more than one. They will be looking at your audition and portfolios as necessary. These will need to be outstanding since you are not the only one up for placement in to the private school.

Some courses are very challenging to get accepted. Courses like medicine, law, veterinary science, and some art classes are the general rule for higher expectations. Other courses such as nursing, environmental, and some art are easier to enroll. On the contrary, these courses maybe easier to get into, but the school you are looking to get into may be difficult itself. You will have to weigh all the options, the school and the course.

You will have several options around these problems if they do arise for you.

1. Make sure you are serious about the courses you want, and base your applications around some specialized schools as well as some easier schools. This will allow you the edge to know if you don’t go to the specialized school then at least you will be studying what you want at another school.

2. If you want a specific school but find you may be lacking some in the field you want to study, first apply to the school with a less challenging course. Then after your first year when you have proved yourself with a high GPA and attendance change your course of study the second year. It might take a year longer to take your course based on the first year of study, but you are in the school you want. Be sure to check the school for their requirements on transferring course in the second year, this may not be possible at all. Always check first.

3. Always check on the alternative selection method. You may qualify for enrollment based on other criteria. They can look at your financial situation or your social situation. They will also look and see if you have had and academic disadvantage. If you think you qualify for one or more of these let the school know there may be another enrollment process for you.

4. When you are an adult student you may be subject to different enrollment processes. These processes can be less harsh and in your favor. You can have your work experience taken into account or you can have some vocational education used for enrollment purposes.

5. You can always start off with a vocational education. This will then show the school you are interested in that you are serious about your education. It will also help you better you academic records for enrollment in the college and will provide you will the confidence you may need.