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Ben Kaplan

Don't Rely on College Prestige Rankings

Posted June 19, 2008 - 1:24pm by Ben Kaplan

Students who rely too heavily on U.S. News & World Report college rankings often come away disappointed with their eventual college choice.  Just because one college is ranked, say, 17 places higher than another in a subjective national poll doesn’t necessarily mean that the first school is any better than the second one, nor does it mean that the first school is a better "fit" for you.

Choosing a college based solely on such rankings is like deciding what to eat for dinner based on a survey of restaurant owners.  Sure, you might get some ideas, but there is no guarantee that any particular dish will truly fit your tastes.

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Ben Kaplan

Need a "Clocky" to Wake Up in the Morning?

Posted June 18, 2008 - 4:34pm by Ben Kaplan

Does your favorite student hit the “snooze” button a few too many times each morning?  If so, consider getting him or her a "Clocky" runaway alarm clock. 

Designed by a MIT grad student as part of an industrial design class, Clocky ($50 at www.nandahome.com) sports two oversized wheels and instructions to jump from the bedside nightstand, move in random directions, nest in a hiding spot and beep all the while. 

To turn Clocky off, the student will first have to get out of bed and find the plucky device.  The subsequent adrenaline-fueled search might just be enough to get him or her awake for the day.

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Ben Kaplan

Presidential Diaries and the Benefits of Journal Writing

Posted May 23, 2008 - 2:05pm by Ben Kaplan

When Ronald Reagan was elected the 40th President of the United States, he adopted a remarkable daily ritual:  Despite the intense demands on his time and the extreme pressure of his work, he decided to keep a daily handwritten diary.

In this journal, Reagan dutifully recorded his innermost thoughts and observations—a highly personal account of key moments in American history and the small joys of White House life from the perspective of someone with a front row seat.

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Ben Kaplan

Using Online Tools to Take Notes and Manage Your Courses

Posted May 23, 2008 - 10:36am by Ben Kaplan

For those students whose organization skills aren’t the greatest—most students I know probably fit the bill—two helpful websites, mynoteIT (www.mynoteIT.com) and  Notely (www.notely.net), offer “digital backpack” solutions. 

Using these free online tools, students can maintain a calendar of assignments, automatically remind themselves about upcoming due dates, take notes and share them with study group members, manage to-do lists and even keep a running tally of quiz grades.  And since this data is stored online, any student can access all of this from friends’ computers, too.

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Ben Kaplan

A College Essay Mistake: The Multi-Topic Combo Meal

Posted May 20, 2008 - 6:39pm by Ben Kaplan

I've been reading a lot of college admissions essays lately and I feel compelled to mention one common mistake I've noticed.  I call it the "multi-topic combo meal."

When you are trying to show your thoughtfulness, creativity, and eloquence all in one essay, choosing a primary topic on which to focus can be difficult. As a result, many applicants don’t make this decision at all; they just lump together all of their thoughts on the topic like a stew made from incompatible leftovers.

The result is usually a fragmented essay of incomplete, incoherent arguments--in other words, a confusing jumble of unpalatable ideas.

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Ben Kaplan

Sports Scholarships Are Awarded a Year At a Time

Posted May 20, 2008 - 5:55pm by Ben Kaplan

I'd like to take this opportunity to clear up a common misconception:  Contrary to popular belief, athletic scholarships awarded by college coaches are not guaranteed for a student's entire college career.

On the contrary, athletic scholarships actually cover a one-year period and are renewable for up to five years.  Most are renewed annually, but some are cancelled or renegotiated.  That’s not the same as a guaranteed scholarship.

The most common reason scholarships are not renewed is dismissal from the team.  Whether the cause is bad grades, substance abuse, or violation of team rules, any athlete who is kicked off a team has his or her scholarship revoked. The same goes for athletes who voluntarily quit.

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Ben Kaplan

Where Do U.S. Students Go to Study Abroad?

Posted May 20, 2008 - 5:31pm by Ben Kaplan

Are you a student who might be interested in studying abroad?  If so, you might be interested to know the 20 most popular countries for U.S. students:

1.  United Kingdom
2.  Italy
3.  Spain
4.  France
5.  Australia
6.  Mexico
7.  China
8.  Germany
9.  Costa Rica
10.  Ireland
11. Japan
12. Greece
13.  Argentina
14.  Czech Republic
15.  Austria
16.  Chile
17.  New Zealand
18.  South Africa
19.  Brazil
20.  Ecuador

And what is the most popular year to study abroad?  About 34 percent those heading overseas choose to do so during their junior year of college.

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Ben Kaplan

Understanding State Tax Benefits for College Savings

Posted May 20, 2008 - 4:51pm by Ben Kaplan

Here's the good news:  Currently, 31 states plus the District of Columbia offer an upfront tax break for participating in a 529 savings plan. 

In most cases, you must enroll in one of your home state’s 529 plans in order to claim this state income tax benefit.  But in Pennsylvania, Kansas, Maine, and Arizona, residents can qualify for a tax break even when they invest in another state’s plan.

The form this tax break takes can vary:  Many states offer savings plan participants a tax deduction—a reduction in your total income subject to taxes—but Indiana, Vermont and Utah offer tax credits that reduces dollar-for-dollar the total amount of taxes due.

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Ben Kaplan

A Scholarship Check (Mate)

Posted May 20, 2008 - 4:41pm by Ben Kaplan

Do you have some winning moves? The New York Times featured an interesting article on colleges that offer chess scholarships. Because of the perceived link between chess and academic skills--as well as the desire to have a competitive chess team--10 or so colleges nationwide offer such scholarships.

Notable institutions offering chess scholarships include Texas Tech University, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of Connecticut's engineering school. Chess scholarships are part of a larger trend: The majority of colleges in the U.S. offer some type of special scholarship awards for students who excel in art, music, drama, debate, dance, and other talent areas.

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Ben Kaplan

A Little (Loan) Forgiveness Goes a Long Way

Posted May 20, 2008 - 4:29pm by Ben Kaplan

Wouldn’t it be nice to graduate from college, go to work in a career field you love, and have some assistance in repaying your loans? Well, such programs do exist, and their purpose is to encourage students in specific career fields, volunteer and service programs, and geographic regions to contribute their time and expertise in exchange for loan repayment or cancellation.

About the Mayor

Ben Kaplan is one of the nation’s leading experts on college admissions, scholarships, financial aid, educational savings and investing, student success, and youth personal empowerment issues.

He serves as the "mayor" of the City of College Dreams and has authored 12 best-selling books and CDs, including How to Go to College Almost for Free (HarperCollins Publishers), the leading book in the genre with more than 350,000 copies in print.

Kaplan also writes the popular Live ‘n’ Learn newspaper column—a weekly education column that shows readers of every age how to maximize both traditional and unexpected learning opportunities at school, home, work, and in everyday life.  Ben’s column is syndicated to leading newspapers and magazines nationwide.

Now age 30 and an acclaimed public speaker, Kaplan delivers live presentations to audiences of more than 30,000 each year at high schools, colleges, corporations, and community venues worldwide. 

A regular guest expert for leading media outlets, he has been featured on more than 2,000 TV and radio programs, including appearances on Oprah, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Fox News Channel, NPR, and the BBC.