Sophomore

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Don’t be a Thanksgiving Turkey: 5 Tips for College Parents this Thanksgiving

Although we serve all college parents at all stages, many of our most devout readers are parents of freshman in college and, you may be picking up your son or daughter at the airport, train station or appointed car-pooling spot as he or she returns from school for the Thanksgiving holiday.  You probably will be […]
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A College Degree and a Dollar Will Get You Four Quarters

A Texas prison inmate wrote me recently asking for a free copy of my book after reading about it in a newspaper column on the importance of soft skills in the job hunt. He justified the request with a claim that he achieved a 3.7 GPA in getting his associate's degree and "acquired a lot of academic knowledge" but was not ready for the workforce when he completes his prison term soon. I hear this comment frequently from college graduates and current students everywhere from community college to the Ivies, and none of them are in jail.
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The Sophomore Slump Is Not A Myth

According to a recent article on Inside Higher Ed, Duke University just launched their first-ever sophomore convocation, where the universit
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Student Health Plan is an Affordable Alternative

At least 1.7 million college students are uninsured for health care, according to a March 2008 study by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). As a result, it’s natural for these students to turn to plans put in front of them by the schools they attend. However, these “school-sponsored” plans are uneven in their coverage, often provide limited benefits and many times contain exclusions and high cost-sharing amounts.
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Reaching the Goal in Four: A Partnership Between Parent and Student

Traditionally, college education was assumed to reach completion in four years. However, studies indicate that recently more students are enrolled for five years to earn a bachelor's degree and, indeed, some college programs are requiring a five-year period for matriculation. For instance, with more and more educational opportunities available through colleges and universities, many students are eligible for work study programs, study abroad, internships and volunteer programs.
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Empty Nest

Don't worry if you're feeling a little sad about your student leaving home for the first time – it's perfectly normal, assures Dr. Bill Pfohl, a professor of psychology at Western Kentucky University. (And yes, it will get easier!) If it hasn't started already, you and your children will experience normal separation pangs.As parents, you go from having a lot of control over your children's lives to having less control. That doesn't mean you're no longer necessary in their lives.
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A Parent’s Guide to Insurance for College Students

Students heading off to college, especially for the first time, face many insurance issues that they or you may not have considered. Here's a quick look at four of those issues.
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College Parents of America Surveys College Parent Programs

In its continuing efforts to assist college parent programs, College Parents of America recently conducted a survey of parent programs on campuses around the country to identify the most significant challenges they are facing. The survey also requested college and university administrators to share any perceived trends among their parent constituency that may impact future directions for parent programs.
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MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY-INSPIRED EDUCATION REFLECTIONS

While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is probably most remembered for his "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered in Washington, DC in 1963, his stirring orations began much earlier in his life, going back to when he was an undergraduate student at Morehouse College in Atlanta in the late 1940s.It was at Morehouse in 1948 that Mr. King (he wasn't a "Dr." yet) delivered a short, but insightful, address entitled "The Purpose of Education."
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Parents, Teens and Money: Where Should You Begin?

"How do I pick the right credit card?""What happens if I don't pay my bills on time?""Why do I always run out of money before the end of the month?"These are only a few of the many financial questions your teenagers probably have. And as they prepare for college or get ready to enter the workforce, that number is bound to increase.