Koofers Blog

Dream Colleges

In high school you were overwhelmed with getting passing grades, studying for the SATs or the ACTs, and joining as many sports and clubs possible, all so you may get accepted to your dream college.  But what influenced your decision and made you determine what a “dream” college was? And then, how did you decide what college(s) fell into your category of “dream school”?

According to a 2008 survey by University of California, L.A., the following categories were ranked as most important in why students chose a particular school. Some of the top reasons were:

• High academic reputation
• Cost of tuition
• School size
• The social scene
• The location
• The religious affiliation/orientation of the school

Other categories that are important to consider, but were not evaluated in the UCLA study are:

• The reputation and collegiate division of the sports programs
• International programs and opportunities (studying abroad)
• Programs of study (majors)
• The facilities (the library, classroom technology, building conditions, gyms)
• Quality of faculty and staff size (ratio of professors to students)

And we must not forget family and peer pressure. Do we continue the family legacy, follow our friends, or rebel against both groups?

There is, without a doubt, a lot to consider when picking your college. This enormous decision gives weight to why 1 in 3 students will transfer at some point in their college career.*

Before picking your school be sure you research your options in detail. Check out the studies and rankings done by organizations such as the US News and World Report and the Princeton Review.  Visit the colleges and meet with faculty and staff. Also visit friends and family at various colleges to get a taste of the social and academic environments. 

College should be the best years of your life. Plan ahead by knowing what you want in a school, consider the three major areas: academics, social environment and finances. Give your school a reasonable chance and if you find you aren’t happy determine why. Can you change it by joining clubs or moving to a different section of campus? If your decision is to transfer schools re-evaluate what is important to you and what you need in a college. Make a check-list, research other schools, visit those new choices and apply as a transfer student.

Share with us how happy you are with your college pick.  If you wish you had chosen a different school, what would you have instead given more weight to in your decision? 

*According to an April 2010 report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Do What’s Write

As a social learning company we cannot stress, enough, the importance of the rudiments of education: reading, writing and mathematics. So, in this post I am going to address the need to practice writing. 

For many people writing, just like reading or math, is a chore. And to those people I offer the same response teachers and parents provide when you are disinterested, “you just need to find a topic and style that interests you.” So this summer I suggest you explore the world of composition. Because the truth is, writing is a skill that you will always need to be strong at, even if the only writing you will ever do is on the occasional thank you card.  

There are numerous ways you can practice writing: keep a journal, draft pieces of fiction, poetry, short stories, etc., or create a blog. Decide what type of writing you want to practice and identify how you will benefit from it. Set immediate or long-term goals. For example:

• Are you going to practice writing and review old (graded) materials to prepare for your classes this fall?
• Do you want to get a leg-up on corporate competition by refining your skills and adding materials to your portfolio?
• Is your motivation for personal enjoyment and relaxation?

If you still wonder how writing could help you in your personal and professional development consider these reasons:

Personal:

• It allows you to get creative and personal. You may indulge in and practice a different style of writing than you are usually asked to do in school.
• You may also focus on topics that you are truly passionate about, not ones assigned to you. 
• Have fun with it. Length is not a barrier, so write as little or as much as you wish. 
• Writing is just another form of communicating, it allows you to express yourself and offer your opinion.

Professional:

• Employers will see that you are a motivated and innovative person.  
• Your portfolio will be enriched with materials that were not only assigned in college. 
• It forces you to write regularly so your writing stays strong and you won’t forget the grammar and composition styles you learned in school.

If being a strong writer will help you land a job or if you simply enjoy writing, then consider giving yourself a project this summer. Use your free time to practice and learn something new about yourself.

Calling All Coffee Addicts! Starbucks is Brewing Something New!

I am a huge Starbucks fan and I love to work in their coffeehouses while enjoying my morning, afternoon, or evening caffeine jolt. I find, as I’m sure many of you do, that I can focus better and be more efficient when I’m in a café instead of my room, office cube, or a way-too quiet library.  But, despite my love for Starbucks drinks I find myself changing venues depending on the nature of my work because I do not want to pay for Internet access.

Which is why, it gives me pleasure to announce that starting July 1^st Starbucks is offering free, unlimited, Wi-Fi access to all customers in all their (US) coffeehouses. No longer will you have to be an AT&T DSL customer, or have an AT&T Wi-Fi enabled phone, or pay $3.99 for two hours of Wi-Fi.  

If you don’t know it already, you may want to start scouting out the Starbucks(es) on your campus. You may find it to be another great place for doing your schoolwork at this fall.

Give Your Brain a Fun and Easy Workout This Summer

If the human brain is a muscle then we must exercise it just like any other muscle. But during the summer we want to do anything except engage in activity that involves giving our brain a workout. Well, what if we told you that one highly beneficial workout, involving very little stress, is reading?   

 A little reading each day can help keep your mind young, active, even relaxed.  So why not do some light, fun, maybe even educational reading. You may already read the daily news or select magazines, or perhaps you prefer to catch up with your favorite blogs or tabloids. But, have you thought about dedicating more time to long-stories? They don’t have to be heavy, think of the classics you love or never got a chance to read.  Century old literature doesn’t suit your fancy? Maybe you prefer the current bestsellers. Regardless of your interests we have put together our own reading list to help motivate you into this summer’s “workout.”   

The Great Classics:

• A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
• The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger
• The Complete Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
• Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
• Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte 
• Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
• Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
• Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin
• The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane
• Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe
• The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte   

For a more complete selection check out this list.   

 Current Bestsellers:

• The Associate, by John Grisham
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
• The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
• Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, by Mark Levin
• The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown
• Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell
• Shit My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern
• Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace … One School At a Time, by Greg Mortenson
• The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger

 Other Popular Picks:

• Cross Country, by James Patterson
• Dear John, by Nicolas Sparks
• Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
• I, Alex Cross, by James Patterson
• I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, by Tucker Max
• The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer

 Want to ramp-up your reading “workout”? Create your own discussion group with friends and delve more deeply into the plot, characters, symbolism and hidden meanings. Many of these books include recommended book club discussion questions. Search for these online or in the back of the book.

Will AT&T’s New Data Plan Hurt Your College Budget?

Excited for the new iPhone? Most AT&T users are. And many non-users are considering changing their current phone for it.  Well, before you do, here is some exciting news for those considering buying the iPhone (or any of AT&T’s smartphones): AT&T has eliminated its $30 a month unlimited data plan! I know that doesn’t sound like good news. But, after taking a closer look, it just might be a blessing after all. 

This week, AT&T abandoned its unlimited pricing plans (affecting only new smartphone users) and will instead offer these two options:

1. $15 a month for 200 MB of data, or
2. $25 a month for 2 GB.

*Keep in mind this is in addition to the cell phone service plan you purchase.

 Side Note: Current smartphone users can keep their plan of $30 of unlimited data usage.  But you should continue reading because you may decide you want to change your data plan anyways.

So, let’s take a deeper look at the cost-to-service ratio. 

First, the price for 2 GB of data use has decreased by $5 a month. Win! Second, according to AT&T, 98% of their customers using smartphones use less than 2 GB a month. Therefore, many users may be able to find the 200 MB of service sufficient. Using that plan would save users $15 a month. Win, win! That’s a big money save for poor college students.

And it looks like AT&T had more than users’ wallets in mind.  By incentivizing smartphone customers to select the plan that offers the least amount of data, customers will be less inclined to mindlessly stream endless videos or run other programs that use high consumption of data. This will reduce the backlog on the network thereby making the service faster for everyone.  

Join the dialogue: We think this provides more options, flexibility and money that STAYS in the bank, making AT&T’s decision a win for their customers. But as a new or existing iPhone, iPad or other smartphone user, tell us what you think.

Internships – How to make a good impression

Summer internship season is upon us and many of you may have already started working and getting into a routine, while others are preparing for their impending internships. When you are in your role as an intern ask yourself: “Do I like my internship?”, “Do I think I want to continue with it as a career?”, “Do I only care about gaining a good reference?”, or, “Do I just need to put in the hours to get school credit?” 

Whatever your reason for wanting to perform well at the job here are a few tips to ensure that you make a positive impression with your manager and fellow coworkers.

• Overdress for the first few days – Or at least until you get a feel for the environment and culture. And even afterwards it’s best to lean towards on the more formal side. Remember the saying, “dress for the job you want to have.” As an intern you don’t have the entry-level position yet so it’s best to out-dress your officemates. 
• Show up on time – Always arrive at work on time. If you aren’t punctual you are hurting the office structure and workflow with your teammates that do come in on time. You are also showing that you do not take the job seriously, that you cannot be depended on, or that you are not organized.
• Always be willing to help and learn – This is your time to gain as much corporate experience as possible. Don’t let opportunities pass you by.  Each project, no matter how small, can teach you about the job as well as about yourself. 
• Accept any projects given to you – You won’t get anywhere by being a wallflower. If you see each project (even those that sound terrible) as a learning experience you will gain more knowledge that you can use in the future. These assignments will also help you learn more about the type of person you are in the office in contrast to who you are as a student. 
• Ask for opportunities – If there are activities that you are interested in getting your hands into don’t be scared to ask. Most employers love people that take initiative and are willing to expose motivated employees in some capacity. 
• Relax, but not too much – If the office environment is fun and laidback it’s good to join in. But, don’t overdo it. Always demonstrate a little more restraint than your coworkers. Remember they have the college degree and fulltime job, you don’t … yet. 
• Don’t be too arrogant or too modest – It’s important to believe in yourself. You got the internship so obviously you impressed someone, but remember you are there to learn. If you think you are above the role they have you in, you will likely start rubbing your officemates the wrong way and they may be less inclined to offer a positive reference.  
• Last but not least – This is your internship, your learning experience. Make it what you want and have fun with it. If you do that you will undoubtedly learn a lot and better prepare yourself for your post college endeavors.

Should Governments Restrict Distractions to Promote Studying?

Should governments be able to restrict public services that distract from studying during country administered, standardized testing periods?  In central China this is the case.

Millions of high school seniors are studying for their national college entrance exams next week. To free students from distractions and foster an educational environment the government of Linchuan, China (a province of Jiangxi) has temporarily closed the town’s Internet cafes. Since there is, allegedly, not much else in the town the government has, in-essence, shut down the one source of fun. 

This exam is very similar to the SATs and ACTs in the United States. In China, millions of students take a two-day exam at the end of their senior year of high school to test into college. The exam, which tests on a wide range of subjects, is the sole determinate of their entry into university. If they do not get a passing grade, which most will not (only about 25% usually do), they will head straight into the work force.

So, for a government that wants to have more students attend universities, it is no wonder officials want to help students prepare for this rigorous test.  But to close the only venues for leisure is taking supportive measures to an extreme. 

In the US our standardized testing works for numerous reasons, some of which being that we focus on a limited number of topics, provide prep-courses, and allow students to indulge in study breaks. The breaks – as students in college find out – are critical to releasing stress and relaxing the brain, which are an important piece to the puzzle.

How would you feel if your Internet access was blocked to force you to study with limited distractions?

Want to read more? Check out The Huffington Post’s article. 

How to Keep Your Parents Off Your Back This Summer

Are your parents overprotective or overbearing? Have they forgotten that you just successfully lived through a year on your own? Do they still try to run your social calendar and put you to bed at 9pm?  Or maybe your parents just live by the motto: “my house, my rules.”  If so, you are probably dreading returning home and bunking with your rents for the next 2-3 months.  Well, here are a few steps you can take to show your parents that you are a responsible adult so you can enjoy some of that college freedom while under their roof.

Dinner – Don’t skip family dinners. Your parents haven’t seen you for the last 8 or more months. Let them enjoy having your company and getting to ask you about your day. Showing that you still value being a part of the family will give them reason to let you have time out with your friends.

Communicate – I know you haven’t had to clue your parents in on your outings when at school, but now that you’re back under their roof they are going to worry.  That’s what parents do. Give them peace-of-mind by telling them what you’re up to. The better you are at offering it unprompted the more likely they won’t nag you for details.

Show that you think through your plans, so your parents don’t have too.

• I’m staying at <insert: friend’s name> house tonight.
• We are going to a bar at <insert: location> but <insert: friend’s name> is our designated driver.
• Our movie is a late showing so don’t expect me before <insert: specific time>.

Get a job – If you are working a regular schedule your parents will be less likely to make you do household chores than if you are sitting around all day.

Help them when they need it – By doing some chores when they ask, you will gain leverage with them when they’re trying to prevent you from attending certain events. 

Do your own laundry – If you want the freedom associated with being an adult, don’t come home and let your mom keep treating you like a child.

Proving you can take care of yourself will go a long way with your parents. You will earn their respect and ease their natural tendency to worry.  Follow these few simple steps and you should have no problem cohabitating with your parents over the summer.

Koofers’ TweetChat with SmartCollegeVisit

If you missed yesterday’s TweetChat with SmartCollegeVisit and our CSO and co-founder, Michael Rihani, you can get the major highlights here.  We had a lot of great questions and feedback that sparked strong discussions among students, parents and industry representatives. In today’s post I have captured some of the topics that generated a great deal of interest by the participants and I am sure are shared by many of you.

Questions:

Probably one of the first questions we get when we meet people is “why the name Koofers?” so it’s no surprise that the first question posed was this:

Q: What prompted the name Koofers?
A: The word ‘koofers’ dates back to saved course materials that were stored in coffers for future students to study from. We have taken this term and expanded on the concept.

The discussion then delved into the principles of our business, the ethics and advancing services.

Q: Where and how do you acquire these past exams and study guides?
A: Students provide them (either to us to upload or they upload the documents themselves). They are permanently returned materials – returned by the professor to the student. So it is theirs to share.  We have taken the traditional, off-line practices of passing on knowledge (think: study groups where you get together to share your old quizzes, lab worksheets, notes, etc) and put it online.

Q: Could using Koofers be considered cheating in the eyes of some professors?
A: Many honor codes call for equal access to these materials and even urge professors to “level the playing field.”  Learn more here about our academic integrity.

Q: Textbooks are so expensive. I was intrigued by your textbook pricing center tool. Do you offer eBook options too?
A: We currently do not, but we are expanding the service to include eBooks and local bookstores.

So students, we want to know from you:

Q: Does anyone use an eReader? If so, what are the pros and cons? Especially when studying…
Submit your answers in our comments section.

Feedback:

We appreciate the questions and enthusiastic support participants were sharing with us.  Here is a snippet of some of the conversations that took place:

SkiManilow: “If Koofers is available to some, I agree it should be available to all.”
Chelsmerget: “Exactly! …if you ask me, it’s basically tutoring or having a study group.”  … Chelsmerget: “Sometimes just having alternative study materials provides a world of help to stumped students.”

Collegevisit: “Can college-bound high school students sign up and review professor ratings?”
Koofers: “High school students and parents are interested in our platform. We’re working on opening up the service.”
SuzanneShaffer: “This service would also provide high school students a window into college curriculum I assume.” … SuzanneShaffer: “I could see this being used as another tool to facilitate the college decision process.”

One of our fundamental objectives is to level the playing field among college students by making study materials open and free to all.  However, we are noticing a great deal of interest among high school students (and their parents) and it’s really getting us excited about the prospect of expanding our platform.  But don’t get too excited, no details on how or when just yet.

To learn more about our service check us out online: http://www.koofers.com/, if you’re a student or professor login – it’s free. 

Got a question for us? Post it in our comments and we’ll reply, so everyone can see it too.