Finding the Right College Career Advisor

By Andrew Stratton

Choosing the right college career advisor is an important decision. Even if you choose to work with an established company, you still want to find a person that has specific insight into where you want to head and what you need to do to get there. If possible, take some time to meet with the professional in advance and bring along a few questions that will help you decide if this is the person that you want helping you plan out your future.

Experience in the Industry

There are some people that do a great job as a college career advisor. They have plenty of information on how to get into the workforce, how to create a good resume, and even how to set up a perfect interview. However, if you are looking to begin work in a specific industry, there may be things that set this job apart from some of the others. You need someone that has worked in the industry in the past or currently holds down a job in a similar field.

This college career advisor will be able to tell you exactly how the workforce is currently doing, what other applicants are doing to set themselves apart from the others, and what steps you can take to get a head start. A teacher may not understand what it takes to work in the field of engineering, for example. Your goal should be to find someone that has something specific to offer you.

A Successful Reputation

You want to learn from the best and your college career advisor should be someone that has found success in his or her current industry. This is the type of person that will be able to provide you with advice. You want to follow in the footsteps of the best. At the initial consultation, don't be afraid to ask the professional about his or herself. You need to know where the job has taken this person and consider whether or not this is the same path that you want to follow. The more information that you have about this person's professional life, the better.

Someone to Relate to

Even if a person has a lot of experience in the industry and is at the top of his or her field, if you cannot relate or communicate with this person, there is a good chance that this is not the college career advisor for you. You are going to be spending considerable time with this person learning about how to put together a resume and cover letter or discussing which types of internships and programs will best suit you and your future plans. If you cannot work with this person and keep things moving in a positive way, it may be time to look elsewhere.

A college career advisor from http://earlycareerlaunch.com can assist you in a number of ways.

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The Basics About the National Physical Therapy Exam

By Will Crane

The National Physical Therapy Exam (or NPTE) is the measuring stick by which all new physical therapy graduates are measured. To get into PT school, you had to overcome many course exams, and most schools require the GRE to even apply, but the NPTE is in a league of its own.

As of 2012, there are 24,848 students enrolled in 211 PT programs throughout the USA according to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Each of these students must graduate from a CAPTE accredited school and take and pass the NPTE in order to begin their career as an entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy.

The NPTE is an exam that is designed to not just test the basic recall memory of PT students. From personal experience, I can tell you that the questions on the NPTE really stretch your skills of clinical reasoning and putting multiple subject materials into on problem. The entire exam is comprised of multiple choice questions that can trick even the most seasoned veterans.

Who Designs the NPTE?

The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) creates and maintains the test in a fashion that is constantly updated and improved. The exam's purpose is to evaluate each potential clinician to make sure they have the basic skills required to practice effectively and safely. With an ever-growing body of evidence, it is increasingly important for the test to reflect current practices in the field of physical therapy.

How is the Test Administered?

The NPTE is administered through the chain of Prometric testing centers throughout the country. Each candidate must first obtain an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter that verifies that a student has completed the appropriate PT training. This registration can be performed at the FSBPT website.

How do I Register?

All registration must be completed through the FSBPTwebsite. The description can be a little confusing, so here goes the simplified version:

1- Obtain a licensure application from your state board of licensing. This link will take you to a page listing all the contact information of each state board. There is typically an application fee and a licensure fee (total approx. $100 depending on the state)

2- Officially register for the NPTE on the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website

a. Fees as of 11/2012 are $370 for both the PT/PTA exams

b. Some states have fees for the Jurisprudence Exam, but most are free and "open-book" as a part of the state licensure application.

c. You must provide accurate information about who you are and where you went to school.

3- The state will then approve your eligibility for the exam and submit it to the FSBPT.

4- FSBPT will then send you an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter which you will use to actually schedule a testing date with a Prometric testing center to sit for the exam.

5- The NPTE is now using FIXED-DATE testing, meaning that you can only take the test on 4 possible dates.

6- Study Hard! If all goes well, and you pass with flying colors, FSBPT will transmit the score directly to the state where you applied. If you pass, the state will then issue you a license number and send you a physical copy within a couple of weeks. To find out faster, I called my state authority directly and was given my score.

What is a Passing Score?

This is probably the hardest question to answer. The short answer is 600/800.

The long answer is this:

The exam has 250 questions on it, but only 200 are scored. They add 50 extra questions to "test" their testability to make sure they are not too hard or too easy. When you are taking the test, THERE IS NO WAY to distinguish these unscored items from the scored questions. Therefore, answer every question like it counts!

Each question is then scaled into the perfect 800 score. The FSBPT then tweaks the passing score of 600 up or down to give some leeway for a test that is "too easy," or "too hard."

The bottom line is that you have no way of knowing if your test is "easy" or "hard," so I would recommend not worrying about the details. Just do your best and study all of the available material. Check for the current pass rates published by FSPBT.

Study Options-- go to physicaltherapyexamprep.com/study-options

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Tips for Taking the National Physical Therapy Exam

By Will Crane

Nothing is more important at this stage of your career than preparing for the National Physical Therapy Exam. After all, you've been a physical therapy student for 3 long years, and you're ready to move on to the next step of your life. It's just a little exam-how bad could it be?

Format of the Exam

The NPTE is a 5 hour exam that attempts to test every facet of your clinical reasoning skills. It has 250 multiple choice questions that will tax every ounce of critical thinking you have. The passing score is 600/800, or 75%, but there is some variability to this score. The Federation for State Boards of Physical Therapy (who administers the test) will adjust the passing score slightly to account for exams that are generally harder or easier than normal.

The questions for the exam are constantly changing to reflect current best practice in physical therapy. Of the 250 questions, 50 will not be scored and are "pilot questions" that will be judged on their difficulty and may be included as scored items on future exams. There is no way of distinguishing between the 200 scored items and the 50 "test" questions. This means that you could miss 50 questions and still receive a perfect score! Don't count on it, though.

Preparing for the Exam

If you're reading this during the last semester of your third year of PT school, you're probably going to wish that you had started studying a little sooner. If you're in your second year, you're probably going to ace the thing because you've started studying early. Really, the most important part of your preparation is starting early. The test gives you 5 hours to test your knowledge of 3 years' worth of classwork. In fact, I realized when I was preparing for it that there were some things that we had only had very brief exposure to, such as patient safety details and ethical dilemmas. While we had some experience and knowledge to draw from, we hadn't really been exposed to a test that integrated things like that into the anatomy and physiology of physical therapy. Thus, gaining exposure to these sorts of questions and exam formats is critical.

Now, if you search the internet for the best PT exam study guides, you'll come up with about 6-10 solid programs that do their best to train you for the test in a variety of ways. The hard part is trying to figure out which one is the best fit for you. Some use just a textbook with sample questions and review guides, while others integrate a weekend review course into the study material. It's a big decision trying to figure out whom to go with, but if you don't want to have to buy all of them on your slim student budget, go to this review guide to compare all of the systems.

If you learn nothing else from reading this, just remember- Study Early and Often!

http://www.physicaltherapyexamprep.com/study-options/scorebuilders/

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Even More Entertainment Careers in Toronto

By Valeria Stephens

This look into entertainment careers in Toronto looks into events, festivals and street level occasions, as well as marketing. We'll take a look at careers that keep you running around and how they apply to the capital of Ontario, with its bustling, booming lifestyle, whether you want to become and event planner, promote products, events and ideas or be an audio expert.

Event Planner

People looking to become an event planner need excellent organization and confidence even under pressure. Your job will be to select locations and manage the logistics for occasions varying from annual festivals to private parties and functions. You'll need to be good with budgets and spreadsheets, and spend countless hours in contact with everyone from municipal agencies, for permits, to catering companies and entertainers, as well as being able to confidently reassure clients everything is still according to plan.

In Toronto, the multitude of festivals keeps an army or event planners busy. Even outside the warm summer months, from arts festival NXNE to Toronto's spectacular Canada day and Pride parade showings, if big events are your dream, Toronto will keep you more than busy. Meanwhile Toronto houses the head offices of many national companies, and the Canada head office of international corporations, drawn by the economy and Toronto's stability.

Audio Technician

You'll be the person running cable and doing sound checks all around a multitude of locations in Toronto, a master of speaker positioning and electrical safety. Expect a physically demanding career after you graduate from your audio engineering college that can occur indoors and out in all sorts of weather. In Toronto, you could end up attached to the aforementioned festivals, or setting up for concerts in the Toronto Centre for the Arts, or even part of the team for the CBC's Toronto office on 250 Front Street in Downtown Toronto, helping report on national news events.

Promotions Marketer

The same skills that allow you to become an event planner apply here, but you'll also be helped along by good charisma and an ability to learn multiple skills. While you might be purely on the logistics side, but if you have a background in other creative skills, such as a degree from a film school in Toronto, you could end up a one stop shop for advertising, managing both an online viral video campaign and the street side promotions. Because of the nature of business in Toronto, you could be taking advantage of the slightly more than two and a half million population to introduce a new product to Canadians, or as a part of the music scene, putting up posters on walls and lamp posts and giving out fliers for the hottest new sounds and nightclubs. Of course in the latter case you'll also need a good understanding of municipal laws on littering and advertising to avoid a profit devouring fine.

Visit Trebas Institute for more information on how to become an event planner.

Valeria Stephens is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other web marketing services and tools.

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The Upside of Urban Education

By Valeria Stephens

While the cost of living may be more expensive than in rural areas, choosing to taken on business courses or accounting training in the city can make a lot of sense for a number of reasons.

The convenience of proximity

First of all, it's easier to find a job in a city if you are already a resident. Interviews can be a multi-stage process that would otherwise require repeated travel and hotel stays. Even if you find cheap tuition outside the city, the decision to enroll in business courses in the city can save you money as you end up in the work force faster.

Power in numbers

Large and dense population have a naturally positive effect on the quality of instruction. With more residents, the statistical odds of finding people who are experts in their fields are higher. This is not to say you are doomed to mediocrity if you decide to study accounting training in a non-urban setting. That's ridiculous! However, with so many head offices and successful businesses located in urban Canada, your instructor is more likely to be an industry leader.

The sheer population of cities also works in your favour because you will be able to find hobbies and clubs for every single interest imaginable. You may be dedicating your days to accounting training, but you will also need a little fun time outside of school. If you're an immigrant or an international student, just about every country, big and small, has representation in the form of consulates, which is extremely helpful for streamlining your visas. Also, urban sprawls are filled with bustling immigrant communities where you can find the food, traditions and language of your heritage, which will be especially great if you become homesick.

Urban amenities

And of course the cost of living in urban areas is also defrayed by things like their excellent public transportation. Depending on which city you live in, Canada's urban public transit systems will typically include standard buses, trains, and an underground subway. Some cities even provide street-cars, which helps alleviate the traffic on other transit modes. Most transit systems will usually offer reduced fares to students.

Another crucial resource that distinguishes urban and rural areas is libraries. Now, rural schools most definitely house magnificent libraries, but the sheer level of national and provincial funding, as well as the number of visitor that pass through the doors, allow urban libraries to stand on a larger scale. For example, The National Library and Archives of Quebec in Montreal and The National Library of Canada in Ottawa are two extremely distinguished libraries, both holding reputable and expanding collections. It is true that the internet has equalized urban and rural areas insofar as entire library collections are accessible from the comfort of your dorm room, so you don't have to live in Montreal to reap the benefits of their libraries.

Still, taking cost defrayment and amenities into account, the decision to base your studies in a city is surprisingly sensible.

Visit the Academy of Learning College Toronto for more information on business courses.

Valeria Stephens is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other web marketing services and tools.

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A Mountaineer Answers

By Mayra Ugaz

A debt life sentence--that is what college means in the eyes of many college undergraduates. Interesting enough a college student will in fact spend most of their lives in this prison of debt, where they will endlessly continue aiming to pay back all money borrowed for their college education. This can last up to 35 years or more. Truthfully, this is unjustifiable; how can students only work to pay off loans for an education that should be free or at least less expensive? Undergraduate students are burdened and troubled with the expenses presented while attending college. The high tuition cost, housing, and the price of books are all expenditures but yet, huge essentials that dig an even deeper hole into the pockets of college students. Nonetheless, these expenses can be decreased if the college student approaches wiser decisions both financially and personal. There are solutions; the root of the problem purely lies on the lack of awareness.

When it comes to looking for a college, pretty much everything we think we know and quite a lot of what we do --is just wrong. So wrong that most students end up paying far more than what they have to, and graduate nearly smothered in a swamp of debt. I was intrigued to find just how much this burden is currently affecting my fellow West Virginia University undergrads.

This interest of mines leads me to conduct a survey on 100 undergraduates. The survey contained questions related to college expenses, present financial status, and career/major. What are the true factors causing financial distress to undergrads? The thought of attending college education is becoming far out of reach for many students and their families. Likewise, the cost of going to college severely impacts the students' earning potential once out on the real world. Consequently, most students along with their families seek the alternative of outside assistance. They must rely on additional resources to supplement the high cost of college education.

Not all government grants cover all the demand for the price of college alone, which leads them to create one tremendous debt burden with a goal to obtain a very much cherished degree. Charles Pope, editor for the Department of Education says, "Today's generation will start their lives soon after graduating with a $100,000 in debt before they get married and/or own a house." The main root to this alarming issue is the little knowledge on grants, loans, etc. and the lack of financial planning college students' bear.

The information is there, in fact there are numerous books and updated software available on the subject. However, the time is not always there. There lies the answer- implementation, but most people simply choose to not spend their time sorting through books of endless repeated material.

It is important to note that the cost of college has risen almost immediately, at twice the rate of inflation for the past 20 years. Since then, many undergraduates have become victims to this drastic growth on tuition cost. Universities individually provide current students with reliable information on the subject of financial aid. These advisors can help guide students and place them on the right path to avoid all unfavorable positions revolving debt.

West Virginia University offers financial counseling to its students Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.; these times are all open for students and they are always more than welcome to just visit on a walk-in basis. Also, the University has one specifically assigned site for all and any financial aid related concerns, the site it's the following: financialaid. This site has links to several useful websites that might be quite helpful to students. One of the links I would recommend to West Virginia University undergraduates would be the "Financial Planning", which is found on the Home page of the actual site. The following ten questions may be a good start to a successful discussion with your financial ad advisor.

1. What types of financial aid do you offer?
2. What are the requirements for need-based aid and for merit-based aid?
3. If I get a work-study job, how many hours will I be required to work per week?
4. Do you offer a tuition payment plan that lets me pay the college bills in monthly installments over the academic year?
5. If I don't apply for financial aid this year, will that affect my eligibility for financial aid in subsequent years?
6. If I win a scholarship, do you reduce my financial aid package?
7. Which application forms are required to apply for financial aid?
8. What are the deadlines for applying for financial aid?
9. Where can I find information about other sources of financial aid, such as state grant programs and scholarships?
10. When will I receive my financial aid award letter?

Conversely, the government assumes that most students should know these two rules of thumbs in order to gain advantage of financial assistance. If a family's income is above $75,000, they are unlikely to qualify for financial aid at most public universities. Secondly, if a family's income is above $120,000, they are unlikely to qualify for financial aid at most private colleges. However, this piece of information is not well-known or in most cases not properly shared with college students.

Although, the government does lend a hand with the cost of college education, most students and their families still will struggle to meet and pay all the balance left that is owed to the college. Lisa Chedekel, writer of, "States seek to Help", lays out a number of strategies that can enhance financial cash flow to provide funds for college expenses. Unfortunately, students cannot physically change the high prices of tuition; this is all under the dictation of our government. However, students are skilled enough to perhaps allow themselves to change their financial management ways currently practiced. Chedekel affirms that the cost of college can include a variety of items including some you might not expect. By understanding college costs, you can compare schools and explore options for how to lower your costs. Evidently, there will be other schools less expensive than West Virginia University; but ask yourselves this question- Will you ever find a place like Morgantown? For any true Mountaineer the answer is simply, no. And so exploring other options to lower expenditures becomes a must.

The key to solving any problem rests on signaling out the causes. For this particular issue: tuition, housing and cost of books are all expenditures that trigger and raise the total cost of college. Tuition covers the cost of taking courses and those course costs vary by school. As WVU students the university is our home; maybe the smartest approach would be to take a combination of three credit courses and fewer per semester. Although, this will push-back your graduation date; in the short-term, you are saving some amount of money for expenses that may present to you on that current year. This approach will decrease your overall tuition cost applied to you for that semester attended. If this does not seem adequately fitting for you individually; than possibly accepting bigger loans can be of great help. Loans normally are accompanied with large interest rates; nevertheless, students can in effect take action to decrease these rates or adjust their repayment plans.

When repayment begins on federal student loans, there are in fact several options you can choose from depending on your own personal financial situation. The standard repayment plan allows you to pay off your loans in a 10 year period. This is the quickest option that costs you the least amount of interest over the life of the loan. On the contrary, the extended plan allows you to pay off your loan in equal payment over a period of time up to 30 years. This will cost you more in interest, but could make your payments more affordable. Again, these two plans are routes to take given only your precise circumstance economically.

Another option to consider is the graduated plan. Charles says, "This repayment option again allows the borrower to make payments over a period up to 30 years; however, the payments start out low and gradually increase over the life of the loan." This last option is merely based on the assumption that the borrower's income will gradually increase during the life of the loan.

Furthermore, West Virginia University strives to give its students an exceptional learning experience. The school makes an effort to provide all mountaineers with any additional financial aid they may need. Scholarships are a great way to reward yourself by getting the most for your money. WVU has four scholarships available to its students: The Freshman Scholarship at West Virginia University, PROMISE Scholarship, Transfer Scholarship and Diversity Scholarship.

The application process for the Freshman Scholarship is actually quite easy. Students complete the admission application along with ACT/SAT scores sent to the school. These two steps get the process started fairly quickly. The deadline for most scholarships is February 1, of your senior year in high school. Then there is the Promise of Greatness at WVU; only sponsored by the state of West Virginia. It pays an amount of $4,705 to most colleges in the state. By March 1, the Promise application must be submitted. Also, students must file a FAFSA form before this date. The Promise Scholarship is a reward for your outstanding work and achievement. Interesting enough, up to 40 percent of all Promise scholarship recipients choose to attend WVU. On the other hand, the Transfer Scholarship is awarded to those students who have submitted their transfer application by July 1, 2013. All transfer students who maintain or currently have a 3.00 GPA with a minimum of 15 credit hours to WVU are eligible for this scholarship. The amount of money awarded will range from $500-$2000 per year. If the student meets these prerequisites then a letter will be sent in mid-June prior to attending the school. West Virginia University also has one last scholarship available to minorities. The school offers incoming freshmen the chance to apply for the Diversity Scholarship. This program was designed to attract talented minority students who are or have been misrepresented on college campuses.

What stops you from applying now? Re-think and consider these reasons: College costs a lot more than it used to, the state support for students have decreased substantially, and in fact most parents have no money to cover the cost. Scholarships are essential to ensure that you won't struggle to make huge student loan payments upon graduation. They are no longer just a bonus.

Secondly, the cost of housing is another expense that influences college debt. Based on the survey roughly 50% of undergraduates live off-campus and this surprisingly enough appears to be the best option weighted against on-campus housing. The cost of dorms at West Virginia University ranges from $729-$1,555 in the Honor Halls. For any student attending a college near home, then the smartest decision becomes evident- live at home. Others who are available to live off-campus do so. Definitely consider sharing a house or apartment with multiple roommates, this will for sure cut down the cost of rent and, even carpooling will save you money on gas. Joe Cline, writer for the College 101 website, says, "College students lack enthusiasm, they are plain lazy". Although many can find this somewhat offensive, Cline implies that most students possibly do not conduct an in depth adequate research when it comes down to comparing what is best for them. This turns out to in fact be true.

Personally, I live about 15 minutes from the school and I pay less than most undergrads surveyed. I chose to look into housing "far" from campus for two reasons; one being that I wanted to separate myself from downtown Morgantown (High Street) primarily -- WVU is the number one party school. Second reason was the fact that the price of housing does decrease according to distance. Moreover, West Virginia University sponsors upperclassmen to live on-campus as resident advisor to upcoming freshman. This option reduces the total cost of room and board. Keep in mind also, the idea to work part-time, but be sure to set your priorities first.

Likewise, the cost of books is also hurting the wallet of most college students. The survey conducted astonishingly showed that all 100 undergraduates believe the cost charged for books is unacceptable. C. Susan; writer for the Department of Education, understands the discontentment of students regarding the cost of books. She states, "The national average cost of books and supplies hovers around $1,100 per year." This figure can clearly alarm anyone, especially college students. What is the solution? Well, one must become more frugal when the season to purchase books comes around. There are actually several options to choose from that will able students to save a bit of cash in their pockets. One option would be to buy used books; both online and from the school itself.

Textbooks represent one of the largest expenses in any school's budget. The only real difference between new and pre-owned textbooks is the huge savings off publisher net prices. Students will receive high-quality textbooks and achieve the same performance. On some occasions visiting bookstores near the school will offer you the best deal. For example: The Book Exchange, Barnes and Nobles, Bookholders. All these stores are in fact in walking distance from the school. The amount of money saved with the purchase of a used book approximately is 30% off the actual cost. Second; this is an option quite hidden to many students-- the ability to simply deal with monthly renewals from the library. Yes, you are allowed to rent books at a much lower price. Thirdly, ask friends or others students whom have previously taken your course and make white-and-black copies on only chapters discussed in class.

There is really no reason to breakdown under the overwhelming stress of college. You have options and your West Virginia University degree awaits you. More than ever, attending college provides opportunities for graduates. Yes, it is outrageously expensive--but then again nothing is ever handed to you at zero charge. Today's economy is becoming increasingly competitive, and in order to give yourself the best chance for a well-paying job, you must first understand the importance of a college degree no matter its price tag.

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Can Fashion Be Your Career?

By David Dee

Do you enjoy wearing the latest clothing styles? Do you like spending hours browsing through some of the trendiest boutiques and shops, trying on the newest style?

If you do, perhaps you can turn your love of fashion and style into a fun, interesting career by starting and completing a fashion degree. A fashion degree can lead to an exciting and sometimes even glamorous career with the possibility of good money and long-term job security.

Where Does Someone Earn a Fashion Degree?

Fashion is not one of the most available education options. Most schools do not offer a degree program in it. But there are some two- and four-year degree programs available at a few schools, and you may even be able to enroll in online classes in order to work around your busy schedule. Typical training programs in fashion may include courses such as:

• Fashion history

• Sewing and tailoring

• Fabrics and textiles

• Colors

• Patterns

Most students find that taking courses in business, merchandising and marketing will also help with a career in this area, especially if you expect to work in the business side or management in the future. And if you are attracted to one particular field within fashion, such as menswear or athletic wear, you may have the opportunity to enroll in additional classes that focus on that area. And it always helps to work in an apprentice program with a fashion designer or a design house while attending school because it will greatly improve your employment possibilities after graduation.

Fashion Careers

Many graduates find jobs in big cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Miami, but you can find job opportunities all around the country. If you like the retail side of the business, you might want to work at a regional or national clothing company or you might want to get started at a small, independent clothing boutique. Getting an entry-level position at a large clothing manufacturer may lead to becoming involved with the design or production of clothing that is sold in their stores. Large retailers often run their own in-house design departments with fashion designers employed on their staffs.

Fashion graduates may enjoy working for theater groups or movie companies where clothing with historical accuracy needs to be designed and produced. And many students consider the ultimate positions to be in the exclusive, high-end design house that work in the great capital cities of the world, playing a part in designing new fashions for celebrities and high society. Having a fashion degree doesn't qualify you to do this, but it can help you get started.

Fashion Careers and Opportunities

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for fashion designers should remain steady during the next decade, and there could be a growing demand for designers of customers of major mid-level retailers. Job opportunities are also expected to be strong in the design departments of major retailers that market their products to a wide range of shoppers. Careers and positions in the fashion industry are often seen as being very desirable and jobs can be competitive, but candidates with formal training and job experience may find they have the most opportunities.

Earnings in the broader fashion field continues to be good. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average salary for a fashion designer in May 2009 was $74,410, while the top 10% working in this field averaged over $130,900.

The author enjoys writing about education and careers for publications and websites such as www.FashionDesignSchoolsOnline.com.

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Creating a College Search Spreadsheet

By Wendy L Nelson

As soon as you start thinking of schools you may be interested in researching during your college search, you should start keeping track of them. A spreadsheet is a useful tool to keep track of colleges and narrow down to the list of those you want to seriously consider.

You will want to include the following basic information on your spreadsheet:

1. School Name

2. School Location - city and state

3. Number of students

4. Cost to attend

You will also want to add additional information that is important to you. Some examples are:

• How many miles is the school from home or what is the estimated driving time?

• What types of scholarships might you be eligible for?

• Does the school have a major you think might be your first choice?

• When are visit days available?

• What special programs does the school have that you are interested in - honors program, study abroad, leadership program, etc.

• What athletic division is the school?

• Does the school have a varsity sport you are interested in?

• How selective is the school in its admissions?

One benefit of using a spreadsheet for this information is that it gives you the ability to easily sort by any column you create. For example, you could sort the schools by distance from home, by cost, or by size. You can also filter by any of the columns you create, like maybe you want to only see a list of schools that have your intended major or have Division 1 athletics. Another benefit of using a spreadsheet is the ability to add columns as you decide to track additional information.

At the start of your college search process, it is helpful to add any school you think of to your spreadsheet. Record the details and explore the school further. Once you start visiting schools, you can start eliminating some of the schools on your list according to your likes and dislikes. For example, maybe you realized that your ideal school size is less than 2,000 students. In that case, you can eliminate any schools on the list that exceed that number. Maybe you have decided you want to stay within two hours of home - eliminate any schools that are farther away.

As you start narrowing down your original list, you can add detail to gauge your interest level in each school. A color-coding process can be helpful for this. Use a color to signify all schools you plan to visit. Use another color for the schools you visited and liked. Add a column to record your overall impressions of each school.

A college search spreadsheet is a great tool to keep you organized throughout your college search and help you in making your ultimate college choice.

You don't have to create your own college search spreadsheet. I have created one for you. Just visit the following link to download my college search spreadsheet for free. You can customize the columns to fit your needs.

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