The Schools and Their Awards

Five schools won the Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. They are:

• College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University (St. Joseph, MN and Collegeville, MN)
• Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA)
• Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ)
• San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA)
• University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

The schools were recognized for placing importance on international education, which they have done by paying attention to varied cultures and global concerns.

Three other schools were given the 2012 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award due to a specific program that emphasizes international education. They are:

• Providence College (Providence, RI)
• University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
• Washington and Jefferson College (Washington, PA)

Why Is International Education Important?

NAFSA encourages colleges to pay attention to more than just domestic issues, so these awards are meant to improve the emphasis on international affairs in higher education. Advocates believe a global outlook can help with national security, business and government.

That’s why it is considered crucial for colleges to commit to teaching the value of international education. For colleges to be entered into the running for the award, students and faculty are expected to work together to nominate their school. After the nomination, NAFSA researchers take a closer look at each university’s efforts at offering an international education.

If you agree that paying attention to countries other than just the US is crucial in higher education, you might consider going to one of these schools. You can also check out the past winners of the award for international education so you have more options when choosing a school that cares about global matters.

Choosing such a college may be an especially good idea if you are planning a career in business, government or any industry that involves other countries. Of course, another way of getting an international education is by studying abroad in the country of your choice.

Who Is Paul Simon?

Throughout his lifetime, Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) was considered an advocate for international education.  He encouraged US citizens to increase their knowledge of both foreign languages and other cultures in general, which is why NAFSA named their prestigious awards after him.

In fact, he inspired the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act since he held study abroad opportunities in high regard. He believed every student should have a chance to study in a different country in order to learn more about other cultures and languages while studying college curriculum.

The goals of the Simon Act are to increase the number of countries offering study abroad opportunities, encourage students to participate and ask colleges to help make it affordable. More specifically, the act strives to send more than 1 million students per year from the US to other countries to study abroad.

Since NAFSA also desires students to become more aware of global matters, it makes sense to honor Paul Simon’s memory with awards that encourage international education.

The Discovery of Data Manipulation

According to the Chicago Tribune, administrators at some schools have changed the data submitted to US News & World Report to improve their college rankings. For example, Claremont McKenna College was rated ninth on the list of liberal arts schools, which is an appealing ranking for students interested in a small college of this type.

Unfortunately, it turns out this college ranking may not be indicative of the school’s academics. It does show, however, how badly an administrator wanted to rank well on the list, since the submitted SAT scores for incoming freshmen were inflated by up to 30 points.

That might not sound like much, but there is a reason the administrator bothered manipulating the data by so few points: it makes a big difference when it comes to college rankings. Having 30 fewer points would have likely left the school off the list, or at least out of the top ten.

Don’t assume you can avoid data manipulation like this simply by not considering one or two specific colleges. Several schools have been caught inflating scores, too, with Baylor University, Iona College, and even assorted law schools also admitting to data manipulation to score better on college rankings.

Why Be Wary of Rankings?

Even when test scores are free of embellishment, this does not mean that college rankings are always indicative of great academics. Unless you pay attention to exactly how the rankings were determined, they can be misleading.

Many schools use different methods to determine scores, or they may submit scores from completely different tests to the lists that feature college rankings. This can make it hard to directly compare colleges, yet people try to do so through rankings.

In addition, according to The Washington Post, most college rankings incorporate the opinions of college faculty in regards to peer universities. This means that college professors, provosts and other administrators are expected to grade other colleges, which will be included in the rankings.

How Should You Choose a College?

You don’t have to completely ignore college rankings, but do not rely solely on a list of numbers to choose the best school for you. If you want impressive academics, you can find a list of the colleges with the best academic rankings, and then explore each school a little further.

For example, if you are interested in sports or clubs, take a look at the extracurricular activities that are offered at each school. Some colleges have a wide range of clubs, or a lot of support for sports teams.

In addition, you should find a school that has a great program for the major you are interested in. Some colleges that consistently have high rankings may not have the best program for your major. In such cases, you are likely better off choosing a lower-ranked school with a great reputation for your major.

Of course, another way to choose the best college for you is by visiting the campus. College rankings don’t mean much if you can’t stand the weather, campus or general attitude that surrounds you each day at school. That alone is why choosing  a college based only on rankings can be a mistake!

Colleges Should Provide Helpful Equipment

Many of the schools considered beneficial for disabled college students offer various tools that help them learn. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Education, some schools offer recording devices during class. Similarly, colleges may ask volunteers to take notes for disabled college students in case their disabilities prevent them from doing so on their own.

Schools that accommodate disabled college students also frequently offer alternative formats for printed materials. For example, Arizona State University provides disabled students with Braille or large print books, though they also offer electronic text, audio text and tactile graphics.

Some colleges use adaptive technology equipment to help disabled college students easily keep up with coursework. Stanford University features a lab in the library with various types of technology for disabled students to use. The college’s equipment includes touch pads, speech recognition software, and programs that make it easier for students to read the computer screen.

Typical Procedures Should Be Adjusted for Disabled Students

Some disabled college students have no problem getting around campus, but have some trouble in class. Whether students are blind, hard-of-hearing, or dealing with a learning disability, many colleges try to adjust typical procedures to accommodate them.

Rice University offers students extra time on their tests, as long as proper documentation of the disability is given to the professor. In fact, disabled college students can hand in an outline that lets professors know what kind of accommodations are expected.

Other common adaptations for students with disabilities include priority registration for classes, and reducing the number of courses taken in a semester to keep students from becoming overwhelmed. Some colleges also let students take a different course in place of one that they cannot complete due to their disability.

In addition, students who are hard-of-hearing are typically entitled to interpreting services at many colleges.

Colleges Make Changes on Campus

Many schools offer ramps that make it easier for students in wheelchairs to get around campus. They also provide a handful of handicapped parking spaces near buildings and issue permits to disabled college students so they can always park near classrooms.

However, schools typically need to do more than this to make disabled college students feel comfortable on campus. For example, some colleges with on-campus housing feature handicap-accessible rooms in the dormitories. These are often on the first floor and feature wider doors, as well as bathrooms that have extra space and plenty of safety handrails.

Ask for the Accommodations You Need

Schools are required to accommodate disabled college students within reason, meaning that they do not have to make changes that would be rather expensive or put an undue burden on the college. This is why you are encouraged to research the schools that are known for being most accessible to disabled college students, since you cannot expect every school to be equal in this regard.

Some schools do the bare minimum to accommodate disabled college students. Others go the extra mile, even offering sports involving wheelchairs, as is the case at Arizona State University. Fortunately, most schools feature sections on their website that discuss their policies regarding disabled college students, so it should be possible to find out what you can expect before you even apply.

If you are an international student in the middle of choosing a college in the US, your search may feel overwhelming at times. This is understandable considering there are more than 2,000 four-year colleges in the US!

Visiting a college is the ideal way to find out if a campus is for you, but it’s not always possible. However, choosing a college is achievable without having to travel all over the country. Consider these ways you can strategize when choosing a college, spending as little money as possible during your search.

1. Find Resources in Your Country

Some countries try to make choosing a college easy for students, even when they want to go to school in a different nation. Check with your government or even your current school to find out if there are any resources to help, such as upcoming college fairs. This type of event usually features representatives from a range of schools, all of whom can give you the information you need when choosing a college.

One detail to note is that colleges that send representatives to different countries may be recruiting international students, which may give you an advantage in the admissions process. At the very least, you can rest assured that you would likely not be the only student from your country at the school.

2. Use the Internet When Choosing a College

You can make the process of choosing a college in the US less time-consuming than you might think when you use the Internet. Your first thought may be to visit the websites of the US schools you have in mind before choosing a college. In addition, though, consider related sites.

For example, if you want to know more about the sports at the college you are considering, note that many teams have their own website. The same goes for clubs at the school. If you are focused on extracurricular activities when choosing a college, look for sites devoted to school clubs and teams. They may be run by either students or faculty, and they should give you a look at campus life as you continue the process of choosing a college in the US.

3. Talk to Current Students

One of the most informative ways of narrowing down your search for a school is by talking to the students. They typically have nothing to gain or lose when letting you know the pros and cons of their school as you work on choosing a college, so you can usually expect honesty.

Consider searching social websites for the schools you have in mind, as most have a page or group. Then you can write a message to the students, asking any questions you have. Choosing a college in the US is also made easier by online forums where students may congregate, as this is a free, informal way of asking questions.

4. Contact the Colleges You Are Considering

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you may decide to visit a US college campus after all. If you do, many colleges are happy to provide tours of the campus and let you sit in on classes. Some can also connect you with current students who can show you around, and even let you stay in on-campus housing for a weekend so you can get a true sense of life there prior to choosing a US college.

Consider setting up such visits only toward the end of the process of choosing a college, once you have used the other tips to narrow down your options.

Most of these methods are free and fast. Therefore, instead of spending your time and money traveling all over the US in search of a school, use these tips for choosing a college before you ever leave your country!

Whether you are eager to pursue a degree full-time in the US or simply study at a US college for a semester, there are plenty of great schools that accept international students such as yourself with open arms.

To give you an idea of what schools to consider, here is a list of the US colleges that hosted the most international students in the 2010/2011 school year, according to recent numbers released by the Institute of International Education.

Pros of attending one of these colleges:

Colleges that host a large number of international students will likely be well equipped to respond to the unique needs of international students studying in the US. Big schools such as those listed above tend to have entire offices dedicated to providing services for international students, with expert advisers on staff to assist you with things like visa issues, adapting to life in the US, finding housing and determining what classes to take.

You may also feel more comfortable and find it easier to fit in at one of the colleges above due to the large size of the international student population. With so many international students, there will be plenty of others around who understand exactly what you are going through. You may also find US college students to be more open, welcoming and receptive at these schools, as they will be more used to interacting with students of various international backgrounds.

Cons of attending one of these colleges:

The schools have large populations of both international students and US college students. It’s possible that you may not get as much personalized attention as you would like.

Classes will likely be much bigger and you may not get to know your professors as well; international student advisers might be spread a bit too thin to give you all the individual attention you might receive at a smaller school; and it may take a bit longer to find your niche. In addition, the fact that many of these schools are located in big cities may be a bit overwhelming for an international student coming to the US for the first time.

Though you may be one of the only international students at a smaller college, you will likely receive more personal attention. Also, you may find it easier to meet and make friends with students from the US.

Whether you decide to apply to one of the colleges listed above or a smaller college of your choice, studying in the US is a rewarding experience. International students who study in the US, regardless of the college, will likely come out of the experience more worldly, well-rounded individuals with a better grasp of the English language, a more complete understanding of US culture and new friends that last a lifetime.

Today’s post is by campus correspondent Allyson Vaughan, a senior at Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs, SC. Find out how you can become a campus correspondent, too!

College applications are one of many things on a senior’s neverending to-do list, and they often induce some anxiety. Though it’s a time of change (and the thought of being on your own can make you want to bite your nails until they’re nubs), it’s also a time of excitement and opportunity. The best way to ease the stress of the college application process is simple: get ahead of the game.

Look for schools that fit you.

First, ask yourself: what do you want to do with the rest of your life? If you don’t know, fear not! Most colleges have a wide range of majors.  If you do have an idea of what you want to do, try looking into colleges that have good programs for that field.

Make a list of all the colleges you are interested in. Make arrangements to visit those schools, beginning in your sophomore or junior year. You’ll never know if it’s the right school for you until you test the atmosphere for yourself. Going on tours can help you get a feel of the place, and you can find out about financial aid and scholarships the school offers. While you are visiting, they may tell you deadlines for early application. If they don’t, ask!

Don’t procrastinate!

Applying early is the key thing in getting ahead in this process. Some schools offer a first-choice scholarship just for applying early, provided you meet their required criteria. First choice scholarships open up a lot of opportunities for students — you can get not only extra scholarship money, but also the satisfaction of knowing where you are going. Preparing for college is stressful enough. Knowing where you’ll be the next year and having everything situated will allow you to relax and truly enjoy your senior year.

Look for funding.

Since you’ll be free of that stress, you can use your time wisely and apply for outside scholarships. There are a ton of scholarship websites that are definitely worth a shot. You never know what you might stumble upon — there are scholarships out there for everyone. I even found a scholarship for people who are allergic to mayonnaise. You’ll be able to find many you qualify to apply for.

Make your own decision.

Once you’ve visited your list of colleges and narrowed it down to two or three schools, this is when you need to decide what is going to work best for you. Not your friends, not your parents, just you. College is your time, and you must be sure that your school is going to provide you with the things you need to achieve your goals and set you on the right path for life.

Does the school offer all the academic courses you want? Do you like the size and location of the school?  Do you want a large school or would you rather go to a small one? Is the school’s financial aid enough for you? Are you willing to take out a student loan to go there?  These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself about your chosen schools.

Finding the right college isn’t always love at first sight; you may need to prioritize things. But also keep in mind that if the school really is “the one” and you just can’t imagine spending the next four years of your life anywhere else, you’ll find a way to make it happen.

The college process can make you anxious, but the best way to make sure you enjoy your senior year and the next four years of your life is to work hard, keep your grades up, and get ahead of the game! Good luck with finding the college that’s right for you.

Allyson Vaughan is a senior at Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs, SC.  She will attend Anderson University in the fall of 2012 and will major in creative writing and minor in communications.  She aspires to be a writer and/or journalist.  She enjoys her involvement in working on the staff of the Literary Magazine and being president of the Psychology and Book clubs at her school.

Since we recently published a blog post on the advantages of riding bikes in college, we thought it only fair to let you know where you can find some of the most bike-friendly campuses in America.

According to The League of American Bicyclists, which publishes a list of colleges in the US with the most bicycle-friendly campuses, the following schools are your best bets if you are looking for a campus that’s conducive to cycling.

The schools were evaluated on the basis of a number of criteria, including what they have actually built or designed on campus to make it accessible to bikes, the extent of education provided by the school on safe bike-riding habits, the ways in which the school actively promotes bike riding, how local law enforcement is involved in creating a safe environment for bike riders, and the systems the school has in place to evaluate current programs and plan for the future.

Awards were then given to colleges in four levels, ranging from Bronze to Platinum.

Here are some of the top-placing campuses:

Regardless of your motives for bike riding — whether you want to preserve the environment, try to get yourself in shape or simply enjoy the feeling of the wind in your face as you cycle down the street — there are plenty of colleges out there with campuses designed to accommodate your affinity for biking. These are just a few of the best ones out there, which might be worth paying a visit or even submitting an application to.

(On a side note, did anyone else notice that the vast majority of these schools are on the West Coast? Looks like we East-Coasters have some catching up to do!)

How does your college campus measure up when it comes to being bicycle-friendly? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below!

While the look of a college campus may not be the most important factor in choosing which school to attend, it is an important consideration, as you will be calling this campus home for the next four years or so.  But not to worry. Whether big or small, rural or urban, modern or reminiscent of Hogwarts, there are beautiful college campuses to suit the tastes of all, and they can be found in every region of the country.

To give you a taste, in no particular order, here are a few of the prettiest college campuses our country has to offer:

Image by Hustvedt.

1. University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO

Nestled among the Rocky Mountains, the University of Colorado at Boulder secured its place on our list of some of the most beautiful college campuses with its unique blend of beautiful architecture and surrounding natural splendor. Founded in 1877, this public ivy boasts a unique style of architecture that juxtaposes buildings in the traditional gothic style of older East-coast schools with rustic buildings of sandstone and red-tiled roofs reminiscent of the Tuscan countryside. The surreally blue sky and snow-capped mountains looming over the campus complete the picture of this incomparably beautiful college.

Image by Dan Smith.

2. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Situated just outside of Chicago, Northwestern University has the best of both worlds. With a sprawling campus along the shores of Lake Michigan, and a picturesque lagoon known as the “lakefill,” where students come to lie out and study or play (when the wintry winds are not wreaking their havoc), Northwestern has all the charm of a small-town college. But city-slickers need not despair, as this beautiful campus is just a hop, skip and a short L ride away from the bustling metropolis of the Windy City.

3. Rollins College, Winter Park, FL

Founded in 1885, this small liberal arts school lies along Lake Virginia, just outside of Orlando, Florida. Apart from its proximity to Disney (something which the school actually encourages students to take advantage of each year), Rollins College ranks among the prettiest college campuses in the US because of its unique Floridian charm. The Spanish-influenced architecture, spacious courtyards and quintessential palm trees are not things typically associated with US college campuses, and that’s what makes Rollins College so attractive. The sunny weather doesn’t hurt either.

Image by Matthiasb.

4. Columbia University, New York, NY

While going to college in a big city usually means giving up the traditional campus lifestyle, with dorms and school buildings scattered throughout the city, Columbia is an exception. This Ivy League school is located in Manhattan and still manages to maintain one of the prettiest campuses out there. Columbia’s beautiful campus, sprawled out over 6 city blocks with neoclassical buildings and a big communal field flanked by “The Steps” (an iconic spot perfect for meeting friends or basking in the sun and people watching), almost makes you forget that you are in one of the world’s most lively, populous, bustling cities.

5. Duke University, Durham, NC

This university’s massive campus is often referred to as “the Gothic Wonderland.” The towering cathedrals that seem to have popped out of the pages of a Harry Potter book are not the only reason this school ranks among the most beautiful college campuses in the US though. The beautifully manicured lawns, Georgian-style brick buildings with pillars reminiscent of colonial times, and the lush gardens and forests give Duke a real sense of Southern charm.

Image by Chris Palmer.

6. University of San Diego, San Diego, CA

By far the youngest school on our list, the University of San Diego has been in business only since 1952. But what USD lacks in age, it makes up for in beauty. Situated at the edge of Mission Bay, this college campus certainly lives up to its founders’ convictions that students perform better academically when learning amongst beautiful surroundings. The architecture, inspired by the 16^th century Spanish Renaissance, plays off of the natural beauty and truly transports you to another time and place. Who needs to study abroad in Spain when this college campus is right here in your own country?

7. Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA

The last, though certainly not least, college to make our list of the US’s prettiest campuses, Bryn Mawr is an all-girls school situated amongst beautiful rolling hills on the outskirts of Philadelphia. The traditional gothic architecture, modeled after the UK’s Cambridge University, gives the campus a very distinguished, collegiate feel. The wondrous landscaping and lush vegetation surrounding the school add to the college’s entrancing appeal and have merited the campus being designated an arboretum. The sense of serene solitude that Bryn Mawr exudes may have you forgetting that you are only a stone’s throw away from one of the country’s most vibrant, historic metropoles.

These are just a few of the most beautiful college campuses the US has to offer. Feel free to comment and tell us which colleges you think have the prettiest campuses!

With languages from countries all over the globe being included in the foreign language curricula of colleges across the country, students can now study foreign languages from Mandarin to Creole without ever going abroad.

1. Swahili

Swahili is an important African language, but it can’t be found on every college campus. Universities and colleges with well-established African studies programs are more likely to offer Swahili coursework. American University and Northwestern University are two schools where Swahili is taught. Michigan State University also offers Swahili instruction – as well as an intensive summer immersion program abroad in Tanzania, where Swahili is a major language.

2. Catalan

Catalan is definitely not one of the most common foreign languages offered by colleges, but even this off-the-beaten-path choice can be learned at North American institutions of higher education. Columbia University and Stanford University are two schools that offer Catalan language and culture studies.

3. Serbo-Croatian

Serbo-Croatian is one of the foreign languages you’ll find at a college with a good Slavic studies department. Columbia University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Indiana University Bloomington are all worth looking into if learning Serbo-Croatian is your goal. Bloomington also offers intensive summer workshops in a variety of Slavic, East European and Central Asian languages, with language courses that run the gamut from Yiddish to Georgian, Azerbaijani, Turkmen and more!

4. Hindi

Hindi is one of the foreign languages that, like Mandarin and Arabic, is likely to become increasingly significant in the future, as India increases its importance on the global stage. If you want to learn Hindi, colleges like North Carolina’s Duke University, Syracuse University, New York University and Johns Hopkins University are colleges to consider applying to.

5. Macedonian

If you want to learn Macedonian, you don’t have to travel all the way to Macedonia – though there are study abroad programs available that provide full immersion in the country’s language and culture. One notable college with Macedonian language offerings within North American borders is Canada’s University of Toronto.

6. Creole

Haitian Creole might not seem like one of the most pressingly urgent foreign languages to learn, but you’d be surprised to find how many colleges offer courses in it! Indiana University, the University of Massachusetts in Boston and the University of Florida all offer Haitian Creole among their foreign language classes. Beware of the differences in Creole when searching for a program: York University in Canada, for instance, offers Jamaican Creole!

7. Icelandic

Reykjavik might seem like a world away, but there is no need to fly across the Atlantic to learn Icelandic — you can study this foreign language in college right here in North America. Then you can finally learn how to pronounce the name of the Icelandic volcano — Eyjafjallajökull — that caused all of that air travel chaos! If you want to make learning Icelandic your goal, the University of Manitoba should be on your list.

Other Languages, Other Schools

No matter what foreign languages you are interested in learning, odds are that you can find a college that offers coursework in them. If you can’t find anything in your area, distance learning is another option. Learning a foreign language was, for me, one of the most fun parts of college. If there are foreign languages you want to learn, you should definitely pursue that goal.

For students who want to get a higher education without the burden of insurmountable debt accumulated from student loans, it’s nice to know that there are some more affordable options out there. If you are looking for colleges in the US that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, here are some of the cheapest schools that will give you a real bang for your buck, according to the US Department of Education’s online database:

Top 10 Cheapest Public Colleges in the US:

Top 10 Cheapest Private Colleges in the US:

Some argue that tuition is not the best way to measure the cheapest colleges in the US, as it does not reflect other factors that may come into play, such as financial aid and various costs of living (room and board, books, etc.). As such, the Department of Education also ranks the cheapest colleges in terms of net costs. However, this form of measurement may not be entirely accurate or representative of actual costs either, as it only takes into account first-year students who receive financial aid.

All of the schools listed may not be the perfect fit for you, as many of them are religious colleges or religiously affiliated. Also, the cheapest college on the list, Webb Institute, is specifically for students interested in naval architecture and marine engineering, so don’t get too excited about the free tuition if you’re looking to major in English or anthropology.

Even if you can’t find the perfect fit among the cheapest colleges in the US though, it’s nice to know that there are some cheaper options to the high-tuition colleges outlined in our post about the most expensive colleges in the US. Plus, there are many other ways to save money in college other than attending one of the top 10 cheapest schools.

For instance, some colleges meet 100% of financial need, so filling out a FAFSA may be your ticket to attending a top school at about the same cost as the cheapest colleges in the US.