Going Big Red
Higher education. Research. Outreach to Nebraska. UNL is an incredible place full of interesting people doing astounding work that impacts the world.
And I get to work here.
Posts tagged college
#LNK a Top 10 City for College Grads
Go Big Red!Livability.com has listed Lincoln as one of its Top 10 Cities for College Grads.
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Y2 College in Y2011
“The central task of an educator is to ensure that students are learning how to make sense of the world and to understand their place in it.”
A quote from a nice little article titled, “The purpose of college in 2011.”
Go Big Red.
College choice, nutshell version.
The New York Times today ran a collection of essays from outside contributors on the subject of selecting a college in their Room for Debate series. Some valuable insight is peppered here and there, but above all, I think this sentence is the most important takeaway:
Students and parents must think hard about the type of educational setting that will best fit the student, and not slavishly follow the prestige rankings.
Second most important:
A summary of the findings from a long-term study of 6,335 college grads published by the National Bureau of Economic Research says that “evidently, students’ motivation, ambition and desire to learn have a much stronger effect on their subsequent success than average academic ability of their classmates.”
So, find the best fit for you. Then make the most of your time on campus.
Go Big Red.
Advice for #UNL freshmen
“College is your chance to see what you’ve been missing, both in the outside world and within yourself. Use this time to explore as much as you can.”
“You don’t need a computer to take notes — good note-taking is not transcribing.”
“Remember to take some time away from campus — from the demands of schoolwork and the trappings of the college social life.”
“Universities are places where facts are made…. A curious, competent undergraduate can always find work assisting a researcher.”
“First-years are under an unbelievable pressure not only to succeed, but to excel in college…. [B]e comfortable with the fact that you don’t know anything. Nobody does.”
It’s great to see these gems in the news. And perfect timing - UNL’s Mid-Semester Check started Monday and ends tomorrow night. It’s the best way for new - and upperclass - Huskers to keep their semester on track.
Commencement is all that and more
More than 700 #UNL dreams come true this weekend. http://go.unl.edu/8bz Earning a University of Nebraska-Lincoln degree is life-changing accomplishment. A dream, coming true. It doesn’t just happen. The degree and the dream become real because students take ownership over their experience. UNL offers the classes and the support students need to succeed. But it’s the students who make it happen. Congrats to all of the graduates. You are giving yourselves more choices for a lifetime. And that is definitely worth celebrating. Go Big Red!
I’m glad to share a recent post on the Hice School blog in response to a few recent articles, like this one in the LA Times, questioning whether or not attending college is worth the investment.
And, of course, I reiterate with a resounding affirmative.
You shape the return on investment. It may not be instant upon graduation. But that’s part of the point. Your degree isn’t a ticket to a first job. It’s an open door of expanded choices for a lifetime.
Go Big Red.
Big choices call for big thinking.
Why do students choose #UNL?
Value. Major. Scholarships. Activities. Clubs. Sports. Campus. City. The variables go on and on when considering the University of Nebraska-Lincoln or any other college. Because the choice of college is such a major life decision, it comes down to fit. Some variables will weigh heavier than others, but overall, your choice should feel right.
I think when Harvey Perlman, Tom Osborne and university leaders made the decision to join the Big Ten Conference ten days ago, fit weighed heavily on their minds.
Along with fit, their decision revealed at least two guiding principles we (and especially students selecting a college) can use when making such a big decision.
Get the right fit.
It’s not about going to the highest-ranked school. It’s about going to the school that will give you the best opportunity to grow.
“UNL alumnus Warren Buffett regards his rejection at age 19 by Harvard Business School
as pivotal. Looking back, he says, Harvard wouldn’t have been a good fit.”
UNL is just days into its Big Ten membership but already thousands of words have been written by university administrators and pundits alike describing the great fit of the university in the conference. (Here, here, here and here, for example.)
Take the long view.
The Big 12 Conference was asking for a six-year commitment. In the history of a university, six years is short-term. Nebraska was looking for more. You should too.
Yes, the first year of college is important and memorable. Try to look further down the road. What will the school’s experience offer after three years on campus? How about three years after graduation? Ten years?
College is about investing in yourself - creating more options for a lifetime. Take the long view for any decision you’ll be living with for a long time.
Talk to people you trust.
Perlman and Osborne asked the tough questions at the Big 12 Conference meetings. They also talked with key players back in Lincoln - people whose lives would be affected by their decision.
It’s easy to focus on how a decision like choosing a college will affect you. It may be more difficult to consider how the decision will affect the lives of those you love the most.
Those people want the best for you. Whatever you decide, getting their input should give you valuable perspective.
Get the right fit. Take the long view. Talk to people you trust. Oh, and take a look at UNL. It may not be the right fit for every student but I do think UNL is a great fit for students who want a major college experience that comes at a great value.
Go Big Red.
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