HoboStudent is aimed at giving advice, guides, and information to students who are struggling to get by, especially during these times of recession. Basically, the blog’s motto says it all: “Where the broke students go.” Getting by college life is difficult, but the difficulty level rises a few notches when you don’t have the money you need for this. HoboStudent seems to have a mission to inform and aid students how to get through college without much money. The blog has topics like Obtaining Beer with Little to No Money and The Secret to a Free Haircut.
What you’ll like about HoboStudent
HoboStudent has a web design that is very easy to use. With the categories lined horizontally along the heading of the page and other links lined along the right margin, the webpage is easy to navigate. Also, the blog posts are easy to spot and easy to access with large link buttons. Another good feature of HoboStudent is the use of pictures. Including pictures for each blog entry is important if you want to grab the attention of your visitors. The layout of the page is very organized and easy to understand as well.
What’s not so great about this blog
At first sight, it would seem as though HoboStudent has a good concept, albeit rather pessimistic. If I personally planned and conceptualized this site, I would try to have a more optimistic approach to helping less fortunate students get by in college. Instead of teaching students how to get by with no money, why not focus on helping students get out of their financial struggles? When you actually take the time to read some of the posts on this blog, it makes you wonder whether the authors are genuinely trying to help or they are just trying to get some laughs from their readers. From the site name alone, HoboStudent, it’s already hard to take the blog seriously, and the blog entries only prove my point.
Student Bloggers is a blog that has the main objective of building connections between blogs, bloggers, and blog readers. The blogger behind this site is a college student; his target audience includes college students and bloggers. Some of the typical types of blog posts that you will find on Student Bloggers are student stories and featured blogs of the day.
A rather unique perspective
The best thing that Student Blogges has is its unique perspective. Yes, there are numerous other sites out there that seek to link blogs together, but what makes Student Bloggers unique is that it takes an unbiased approach to its aim. Other sites with a similar concept normally link together blogs from a single college or university, or link together blogs about prestigious universities. Student Bloggers, on the other hand, links together practically any student blog, as long as it conforms with the three rules posted on the blog’s “About” page.
Room for improvement
Although Student Bloggers has a good concept, the execution of this concept can be improved. First, the web design and layout needs a revamp. The site looks like a typical blog, with no personality to catch the attention and interest of the visitors. Furthermore, the website lacks color. Although some of the blogs have pictures, the blog site itself doesn’t have much decoration. The layout should also be improved for more convenient navigation and to make it easier on the eyes. Looking through webpages can be a pain on the eyes–both literally and figuratively — and when you have a cluttered layout it only makes it harder for your visitors. Finally, I suggest that Student Blogger increases the number of articles on its page. Most of the blog posts are just “featured blogs of the day,” but there isn’t much original content being produced by the Student Blogger authors.
School Is Hard is a blog that originally had the objective of helping students get through the trials and tribulations of college. As the blog founder matured, however, he took on a broader perspective. Making a strong declaration of his feelings against the modern education system, School Is Hard founder Patrick promotes “knowledge, creativity, and grades.” Although the author is no longer primarily concerned with helping college students specifically, there are still many college student-help articles on the site, like
New Ways to Improve Study Skills. Today, however, the topics are more varied, including articles like why young people should get hired despite a lack of experience, as well as topics like Comedy Central’s open mic challenge.
The good
There is a lot to like about School Is Hard, including its very mantra on knowledge, creativity, and grades. With over 100 articles focused on helping students, the site makes for a good resource. The blog also tackles important issues relating to the recession and its effects, such as unemployment and debt troubles. The integration of video posts also makes for a diverse collection of content.
The bad and the ugly
The bad side of having such diversity in content is that the site also diversifies its audience. In some cases, this can be a good thing, but a relatively small blog like School Is Hard may have some trouble if it does not have a niche audience that will keep returning to the site. Another problem with the website is that it is rather sloppily designed. For example, the entire right margin is full of links that are indistinguishable from each other and from the normal font on the page. In effect, the blog looks cluttered, difficult to navigate, and painful on the eyes. If the author can set his focus and tidy up the School Is Hard design, then there’s lots of potential for growth.
Pimp Dorm is a website that was created by a group of students. The main idea of the blog is to offer ideas, information, and advice for college students who want to improve their dorm room. Whether dorm improvement has to do with decor and cleanliness or throwing parties, Pimp Dorm has loads of information for the college student. Aside from providing some advice for pimping your dorm, the blog also has articles on college life in general.
What’s pimpin’ at Pimp Dorm
One of the best aspects of the Pimp Dorm blog is its design. Bright and bold colors come together in a contemporary design that fits in with the whole “pimp” theme. The blog layout is rather generic, with the main navigation links running down the left margin, while the popular links and ads run down the right margin. Although the layout is generic, it works well and makes it easy for visitors to navigate the site. Another interesting thing about this blog is that it has a “Dorm Video” section where you can find videos about dorm life. There is also a “Dorm Pranks” section for some funny videos of dorm-based practical jokes. Finally, the site also promotes some products for sale, which is a good fit for its theme. These unique features are great for capturing the attention of visitors and for giving visitors a reason to come back to the site.
What needs pimpin’ at Pimp Dorm
My main concern with Pimp Dorm is the lack of articles. While the articles like “Maximizing Your Dorm Room?s Space” are quite useful and relevant to the target audience, there aren’t very many articles to go through. Even a blog with the best design and an amazing concept will be worth little without a good amount of content to keep visitors busy. In time, perhaps this blog will continue to develop, adding more content, more videos, more products, and, ultimately, more reasons to keep the traffic coming.
My U Search is a website that has two main purposes. It serves as an “honest” and “objective” college search tool for students. The tool is meant to gather information about the visiting student, then suggest a number of colleges and universities based on the given information. The second purpose of the site is to provide a blog full of articles for helping students get through college life and all of the ups and downs it presents. A typical type of topic that you can find on this blog is Top 10 Tips for Your College Move-in Day.
What My U Search is doing right
My U Search is a great website and blog. Not only does it have a specific purpose and mission, but it also provides useful content to its target audience. From topics on choosing your majors to tips on getting good grades, it’s easy to see why students would find My U Search to be helpful. The blog and the website as a whole are well-designed, with categories, recommended links, and other links lined down the left margin and ads along the right margin. The header also allows visitors to easily navigate around the website, giving links to access the forum, blog, college search and match system, and other links within the site.
What My U Search is doing wrong
Truthfully, there isn’t much to complain about this blog. If anything, I would suggest a little more eye-catching design along the header of the page. Right now, all that can be seen along the header is the MyUSearch.com logo. There is a lot of room for more pictures or some other easy design upgrade. Overall, however, My U Search is a well-designed blog with loads of articles and information for students and anyone else who wants to be in the know about college life.
As you embark another stage in your life ? entering university, you will be compelled to write and submit a college essay as part of the application requirements. You might ask what is a college essay. Actually, the college essay can be said as your ticket to entering your dream university, and that is why you need to get past the difficult stage of coming up with one. To do this, you would have to get all the reliable college essay tips that would aid you in writing.
Many students spend a lot of time in the pre-writing and writing stage, which is very important. For example, choosing a topic is part of the pre-writing stage that needs careful attention, and should not be done haphazardly. Once you have finished writing your essay though, your work is not yet done. You still have to go through one very essential process, which is essay revision. This is where you analyze and rewrite your college admission essay to make it more effective.
What to ask yourself when rewriting your essay
Any college essay should have a thesis that gives direction to the whole essay. Now that you?ve come to the rewriting phase, it would be helpful to ask yourself a few questions. Reread what you have written and ask yourself if you were able to convey what you have in mind. Are my ideas expressed clearly? Does my essay have focus and logical organization? Do I have ample evidence to support my assertions? Can I add more detail? More importantly, would the readers find this interesting?
Likewise, review your grammar, sentence, and paragraph constructions. Other questions you can ask yourself are the following: Is my grammar correct? Did I use proper punctuations and transitions? Did I spell the words correctly? Is my choice of words appropriate?
Other tips when rewriting your essay
Revising is not merely fixing the punctuation errors. Remember that rewriting and fine-tuning your essay is something you shouldn?t miss out, but don?t force yourself though. It would be helpful to take a break. Do not try to rewrite your essay right after you?ve just finished writing it. Give yourself at least a day. This way, you will have a fresher perspective.
Related links:
Good Impression – Tips on how to make a good essay
Controversial Topic – More tips on essay topics
Sample Essay – Tips on writing an essay
Guide to Writing – All about sample essays and writing tips
Rewriting – Why rewriting and proofreading is important to avoid flaws
More tips – About the importance of a good application essay
College Essay – Tips for college application essays
Essay Grading – How rewriting helps and writing tips
Writing Tips – Advice on writing essays and tips
College Application Essay – All about rewriting college essays
With too much pressure put on writing a well crafted personal statement, you tend focus only on your achievements and what an excellent student you must be. In truth, however, the panel has probably grown tired of applicants who claim that they can “change the world” or make the “best contributions to the community.” Some even admit that these statements are nearly impossible or “too good to be true.”
When reading an application essay, the admissions panel would want to take a peek into your own personal life. Common questions they have in mind are–What interests him or her? Does he or she have the potential for leadership? Your experiences will probably offer clues to these questions.
To get them hooked on reading your essay from beginning to end, you need to make a good impression right from the start. It should take 500 words or less to do that. If not, then it’s a clear sign that your admission essay is ineffective or poorly written. Here are some tips:
Represent the real YOU and not the ideal candidate
Don’t overestimate yourself, in hopes of exceeeding the qualifications of other applicants. Instead, why don’t you focus on what you have to share–your thoughts on certain topics, how you view life, and experiences that made you who you are right now. Treat your admission essay as a way to tell personal stories. And when you do, make sure that you’re staying true to yourself.
Do the SWOT (strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats) analysis first. This will help you make an honest assessment of who you are. Though you must focus on your strengths, you must not put yourself on such a high pedestal. Always leave room for further learning and exploration. After all, isn’t that why you’re going to college?
Be sincere and creative
Work on having a great start or a very interesting intro. This will earn you more points from the admissions panel and even persuade readers to get to the bottom of the page. Many essay writers think that the only way to do this is to discuss tragic happenings or life-altering events. However, you don’t need to discuss the divorce of your parents or any deep dark secret of yours. Even a ride on the bus or an uneventful rainy day can be used as a starting point or reference when writing your essay.
The key here is to infuse creativity to your storytelling. Of course, you need to discuss this in relation to what you learned from that experience, your views about the topic, and how you react to certain situations. Make your essay personal and revealing. Also make it a fun read.
Connect the dots for better conclusions
Never forget to pull together all those experiences or ideas into one effetive conclusion. Make sure that they’re relevant and connected. Don’t just add random thoughts, no matter how engaging they sound. Stress important points, be straightforward, and have a clear conclusion or thesis statement.
Take a look at a sample essay about myself. Keep ideas flowing, edit, and revise.
Writing a sample essay about myself can be quite difficult. Not only do you have to think of topics to write about, but you also have to think of a creative and interesting way to present yourself and your personality through the essay. The personal statement, or sample essay about myself, can spell the difference between whether or not you get into college, so it can be quite nerve-racking to put together an impressive essay for the admissions board. If you want to succeed in your sample essay about myself, then you should try to avoid making some of the following mistakes:
1. Writing about politics
Some students, especially those applying for courses related to politics, think that writing about politics can increase their chances of getting into college. The truth is, politics can be quite a touchy topic and, even if you know the political leanings of the school you are applying to, it is advisable to stay away from such topics. Besides, talking about politics doesn’t say much about your personality; it just reveals your opinions on politics.
2. Rambling about any topic
No matter what topics you decide to write about in your essay, it’s important to avoid rambling. Some people tend to get carried away writing about certain topics, leading to incoherence and a lack of poignancy. It would be best to try and be straight-to-the-point to avoid rambling of any sort. Also, make sure that you thoroughly edit your essay to remove any parts that are irrelevant to your goal in the essay, which is to introduce yourself and tell the admissions committee about your personality and characteristics.
3. Errors of any sort
Perhaps the most important thing to leave out of your sample essay about myself is error. Errors of any sort, including spelling, grammar, or syntax errors, are looked down upon by admissions committees. You are expected to have college-level writing skills, which means little to no errors. Another type of error that you may commit in your essay is to write erroneous information about yourself. Whether you are deliberately or inadvertently lying or exaggerating, erroneous information is not tolerated. Remember, you may have to go through an interview wherein the interviewer will ask you questions about your essay and the information that you have provided in your application package. If the interviewer finds out that the information you have provided isn’t true, it will greatly hurt your chances of getting into college.
Photo Credit : lowjumpingfrog
Using a Sample Essay About Myself in Writing an Essay on Being Technologically Updated
In this day and age, the Internet, computers, and other technologies are more accessible than ever before. With cell phones, laptops, computer software, and all the other gizmos and gadgets being developed and released practically every day, it’s easy to get left behind by the fast-paced advancement of technology. Still, people recognize the great benefits of these technological developments, especially when it comes to productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. For this reason, people who are up-to-date with technology often have a competitive edge over others in the job market and in other aspects of life. Did you know that being technologically updated can also help you get accepted into college?
How cane being tech-savvy help you get into college?
While being tech-savvy won’t necessarily score you points when it comes to your transcripts, it can help when composing your resume and admission essays. This is especially the case if you plan on taking up a course that is heavy on technology and computer software, such as Computer Sciences, Information Technologies, Architecture, or Engineering. Colleges and universities that specialize in such courses often expect students to be technologically updated with the latest software and hardware. Being up-to-date with technology is about knowing, understanding, and being able to manipulate the latest technologies to your advantage. For this reason, many colleges and universities consider it a bonus when applicants are knowledgeable on the latest technologies.
What makes you technologically updated?
Now that you know what being tech-savvy is all about, it’s time to learn about what gives you a technological edge over other applicants. First, you should start by making a list of all of the types of software and hardware that you are familiar with. You don’t have to be too specific, but be sure to note the types of operating systems, relevant software, and computer systems you are comfortable with using. Next, try to think of what drives you to stay updated with the latest technologies. Are you truly interested in technology? Do you plan on applying to a technology-heavy course? Is your dream job technology related? All of these questions and their answers will help you when writing your admissions essay.
How to write an admissions essay focused on being technologically update?
One of the first steps to writing an excellent admission essay is to get a sample essay about myself or other examples of personal statements. A sample essay about myself can help you tackle issues like how to write about being tech-savvy, how to relate your skills and your personality developments, and how to write an effective essay. It’s essential to keep you main goal in mind when writing your essay, and this goal is to introduce yourself to the admissions committee. Your ultimate goal with the admissions essay to tell the admissions committee why you belong in their college and why you have what it takes to succeed in their institution and beyond. Avoid writing a long list of the software and hardware that you know how to use and, instead, focus on how being technologically updated has changed you for the better.
Photo Credit : tnarik
Using a Sample Essay About Myself in Writing an Essay Focusing on Your Experiences as a Teaching Assistant
Being a teaching assistant has lots of benefits and advantages. Not only do you get to build close relationship with your teacher, but you can also learn valuable lessons in and out of the classroom from the experience. The benefits of being a teaching assistant go well beyond the boundaries of your high school, though. When you apply to a college or university, you experience as a teaching assistant can be an invaluable asset that will help you get into the college of your choice. Read on to learn how.
Reflecting on your experiences
The first step to making use of your experience as a teaching assistant to get into college is to reflect on your life and your role as an assistant. Think back to the times that really challenged you and pushed you to the limits as a student, assistant, and person. Realizing the hardships that you have been through is the first step to realizing just how much you have developed as a person. Reflect on the relationships that you formed with the faculty members and the student body. Taking the time to think about your experiences will greatly help when the time comes to write your own admission essay.
Reflect on your personality and character
Upon reflecting about your experiences as a teaching assistant, you will probably come to a number of realizations about yourself and how you have developed as a person throughout the years. Teaching assistants are often chosen for being responsible, diligent, and helpful – all of which are admirable traits. Aside from thinking about why you were chosen to be an assistant, you should focus on how being a teaching assistant has helped you grow into an even more reliable and hard-working person. Ask yourself the following questions:
* What are the virtues and values that I have learned from being a teaching assistant?
* How has my experience as a teaching assistant prepared me for college?
* Why am I a better person as a result of the challenges that I faced as a teaching assistant?
Using a sample essay about myself to write your own essay
Now that you have taken the time and effort to think about your past experiences and your current situation, it’s time to put into action the realizations that you have come to through your thinking processes. If you are having a difficult time getting started on your essay, it would be best to get a sample essay about myself to familiarize yourself with how admissions essays are written and how you should go about writing your own. It’s important to avoid plagiarism of any sort as plagiarism offenses are a sure-fire red flag for admissions committees. Instead, use the sample essay about myself to get inspiration and guidance. Remember, although you are discussing your experience as a teaching assistant, the main focus of your essay should still be you as a person and not just as a teaching assistant. Focus on your personality, character, and other facets that make you unique so you can charm the committee with your individuality.
Photo Credit : aresauburn
