College search via March Madness

The 2012 men's NCAA basketball tournament bracket has been announced and it again serves as a prime opportunity for students to take notice of a wide variety of colleges and universities from across the country, many of which they may never have heard of before.

Especially for students in the beginning stages of the college search process, March Madness serves as an excellent means by which to begin exploring potential campuses while the national spotlight is shined upon the schools.

Of course, several Missouri and Kansas universities are represented. Multiple Jesuit institutions, in the same scholastic family as Kansas City's Rockhurst University, are also included in this year's seeding.*

Will a power house team win it all? Who will be the "cinderella" team(s) that makes it further than anyone expects? 

• Baylor University (Waco, TX)
• Belmont University (Nashville, TN)
• Brigham Young University (Provo, UT)
• California State University (Long Beach, CA)
• Colorado State University (Colorado Springs, CO)
• Creighton University* (Omaha, NE)
• Davidson University (Davidson, NC)
• Duke University (Durham, NC)
• Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
• Georgetown University* (Washington, DC)
• Gonzaga University* (Spokane, WA)
• Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
• Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)
• Iona College (New Rochelle, NY)
• Iowa State University (Ames, IA)
• Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS)
• Lamar University (Beaumont, TX)
• Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA)
• Long Island University (Brookville, NY)
• Loyola University Maryland* (Baltimore, MD)
• Marquette University* (Milwaukee, WI)
• Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
• Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS)
• Murray State University (Murray, KY)
• New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM)
• Norfolk State University (Norfolk, VA)
• North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)
• Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
• Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
• Saint Louis University* (Saint Louis, MO)
• Saint Mary's College (Maroga, CA)
• San Diego State University (San Diego, CA)
• South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD)
• St. Bonaventure University (St. Bonaventure, NY)
• Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
• Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)
• University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
• University of California (Berkeley, CA)
• University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)
• University of Colorado (Boulder, CO)
• University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
• University of Detroit Mercy* (Detroit, MI)
• University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
• University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS)
• University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY)
• University of Louisville (Louisville, KY)
• University of Memphis (Memphis, TN)
• University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
• University of Missouri (Columbia, MO)
• University of Montana (Missoula, MT)
• University of Nevada (Las Vegas, NV)
• University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)
• University of North Carolina (Ashville, NC)
• University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC)
• University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN)
• University of Ohio (Athens, OH)
• University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)
• University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS)
• University of Texas (Austin, TX)
• University of Vermont (Burlington, VT)
• University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)
• University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI)
• Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
• Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)
• Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY)
• West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV)
• Wichita State University (Wichita, KS)
• Xavier University* (Cincinnati, OH)

NCAA March Madness on Facebook

NCAA March Madness on Twitter

Hospital Hill Health Science Camp for Kansas City high school students

Targeted toward minority and underrepresented populations and purposefully designed to expose high school students to health science career options, the University of Missouri Kansas City will again offer the Hospital Hill Health Science Camp.

This year-long academy provides a one week on-campus residential experience during the summer (Sunday, June 10 - Friday, June 15) and three on-campus meetings throughout the school year (October, January, and April).

Selected students will learn about professional opportunities in dentistry, nursing, and pharmacy by participating in experiential learning activities, touring health profession schools, and receiving academic enrichment.

To be eligible for the UMKC Hospital Hill Health Science Camp, applicants must:

• have an interest in learning about careers in dentistry, nursing, or pharmacy
• have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above
• be a rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior (2012-2013 academic year)

Click here to download the application. The application requires:

• completed application form
• brief essay about pursuing a career in either dentistry, nursing, or pharmacy
• official high school transcripts
• letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor, teacher, coach, etc.

There is a $25 non-refundable application fee, but for students who are accepted, there is no additional cost for participating in the program.

The deadline to apply for admission is Monday, April 2. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

For questions or to request additional information, contact Onekia Deleon at (816) 235-8838 or via email. 

UMKC Summer Scholars program for high school students

The University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine has again partnered with Truman Medical Center to offer the 32nd Annual Summer Scholars Program, providing high school students with a realistic and hands-on introduction to the field of medicine.

The 4-week Summer Scholars program will take place Monday, June 18 - Friday, July 13, each weekday from 7:50am to 4pm. Students must be available to attend all Summer Scholars sessions during this timeframe.

 

Rising juniors and seniors (2012-2013 academic year) who attend high schools across the Kansas City metro (Johnson or Wyandotte counties in Kansas and Jackson, Platte, Clay, or Cass Counties in Missouri) are invited to apply. 

Summer Scholars is specifically designed to not only attract students from groups who historically have been under-represented in medicine (economically disadvantaged, minority, and rural students), but is also for dedicated students who have expressed interest in medicine or other health related careers and have taken courses and earned grades that clearly demonstrate that interest. 

 

Summer Scholars includes classroom instruction in both Chemistry and Anatomy/Physiology. The courses are not offered at an accelerated pace, but rather, are designed to strengthen the skills of students who likely need additional enrichment. If academically advanced science students plan to participate, they must be willing to engage in daily classroom review. The scholars will also learn interpersonal skills, team work, and test-taking strategies, all of which are critical to success in health careers.

 

In addition to classes, Summer Scholars students will also participate in a variety of clinical rotations, with emphasis on career exploration directly relevant to the practice of medicine and patient care. This career exposure will focus on giving students tools to determine if a health career is right for them. 

 

There is no fee to participate in Summer Scholars - it is FREE. In addition, lab coats and all educational materials will be provided at no cost to the students or to their families. 

 

Click here to download the application. Letters of recommendation from a high school guidance counselor and from a math or science teacher describing the student’s aptitude for health sciences is requested. The student's resume and an essay about his/her desire to be admitted to the program are also required.

 

The application deadline is Friday, April 20 and students selected for Summer Scholars will be notified by Friday, May 18.

 

For questions or to request additional information about Summer Scholars, contact Susan Wilson, PhD at (816) 235-1780 or Kenneth Beene at (816) 235-5434. 

Summer program scholarship for MO high school girls

Rising female high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (2012-2013 academic year) who reside in Missouri (as well as Michigan, Ohio, or Nebraska) and who have an interest in a pre-college summer academic enrichment program at one of a handful of select universities have an opportunity to apply for a scholarship to cover the costs.

The Joyce Ivy Foundation, based in Ann Arbor, MI, was "established to promote the expansion of new and broader academic experiences for young women. As a non-profit organization, the Joyce Ivy Foundation is dedicated to the academic advancement of young women in the Midwest. The Foundation seeks to provide exposure, encouragement, counsel, financial assistance, and employment support to young women who have the potential to attend or do attend Ivy League and equivalent institutions."

The Joyce Ivy Foundation scholarships support summer academic experiences at the following collegiate campuses: 

• Barnard College
• Brown University
• Cornell University
• Emory University
• Harvard University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• New York University
• Smith College
• Stanford University 

Click here to research the pre-college summer options available at each participating campus. 

The online application for scholarship consideration is now available. Applicants must submit the following documents:

• the Joyce Ivy Foundation Pre-College Scholarship application form
• an essay (no more than 500 words) on one of the topics from the Common Application
• an essay (no more than 200 words) describing expectations of the experience
• copies of all financial aid application(s) submitted to the pre-college program(s) 
• copies of letters of recommendation sent with the pre-college program application(s)
• official high school transcript(s) 
• copy of parent/guardian tax returns for prior two years (first two pages of 1040 only)
• copies of PSAT, SAT and/or ACT test score results

The application deadline to apply for a Joyce Ivy Foundation scholarship is Monday, March 19. However, prospective students must also apply for admission to the school's program, as well, many of which have submission deadlines in advance of March 19. 

For questions or to request additional information, contact the Joyce Ivy Foundation at (734) 661-0229 or via email.

Joyce Ivy Foundation on Facebook

2012-2013 Common Application essay prompts

As March approaches and spring break season nears, many high school juniors across the Kansas City metro area have not only begun their college search process, but will be traveling to visit collegiate campuses over the next few weeks and throughout the summer months.

And many juniors are already busy brainstorming college application essay topic ideas! For these students, there is good news for those intending to apply for admission to one or more of the 456 colleges and universities that utilize the Common Application. 

The Common App essay prompts for the 2012-2013 academic year/application season will remain the same:

• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
• Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
• A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
• Topic of your choice.

Current juniors are invited to not only begin preparing their application essay, but to explore the Common App website. However, students should note that although they may create a username and password while investigating the site options, all accounts will be cleared on July 15, 2012. Applicants will then need to create a new user account for the 2012-2013 application cycle.

Common Application on Facebook

Common Application on Twitter

Common Application on You Tube

Colleges & universities prove pride via Pinterest

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on February 7, 2012)

It's a phenomenon for sure!

Millions are utilizing Pinterest to create visual dream boards for weddings (even if not already engaged), for children's nurseries and clothing (even when not yet pregnant), dream vacations to exotic destinations (they'll likely never afford to take), fashion (their body types may not support), recipes, home design, and more.  Users describe the site as "addictive" and for many, "pinning" dreams has taken their interest away from daily Facebook use.

Kansas City's 41 Action News anchor, Christa Dubill, is an admitted Pinterest addict and often shows her completed projects on both her personal and professional Facebook pages. She openly invites viewers to follow her Pinterest boards and, on several occasions, has held drawings to give away items she has made (key chains and tissue packet covers so far) to her Facebook friends.

Like many business entities across the globe, college and university staff often includes a social media professional. Most schools have a multitude of Facebook pages and Twitter accounts to share information about almost every facet of the campus and to engage their constituents in dialogue. And some of those schools that have historically been highly active in social media are quick to involve themselves in the Pinterest obsession.The corporate and small business communities have also begun to cash in on the Pinterest craze. The Kansas City Business Journal even recently featured an article about Pinterest and business. Etsy, with nearly 50,000 followers on Pinterest, is a classic and natural example of how a brand can capitalize on this social medium's usership. Locally, Gail Keller, aKansas City area solopreneuer (Gail's Scoop and Macaroni Kid JoCo) is on Pinterest with boards that include saving money on children's clothing, family friendly healthy meals, and Valentine's crafts for kids. 

Here are a few colleges and universities that are utilizing Pinterest, as well as samples of the boards they are posting to connect with their followers: 

Drake University on Pinterest

• "Adorbs Bulldogs"
• "Explore Des Moines"
• "Wear Blue"

Marquette University on Pinterest

• "Famous Marquette Alumni"
• "Milwaukee"
• "Vintage Marquette"

Oberlin College

• "Co-Operative Friendly"
• "Oberenthusiasm"
• "Obie Creations"
• "Our Town"

St. Norbert University

• "Campus Beauty"

Texas A&M University

• "Aggie Traditions"
• "Maroon Your Room"
• "Our Campus"
• "Tailgating"

 Sororities have also found their place on Pinterest. Here are some examples:

• Alpha Gamma Delta
• Alpha Sigma Alpha
• Alpha Sigma Tau
• Phi Mu
• Pi Beta Phi
• Sigma Sigma Sigma

Pinterest; one more way for colleges and universities to interact with prospective applicants, current students, alumni, athletic fans, and donor supporters!

Information session for students pursuing a service academy appointment

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on February 3, 2012)

Receiving an appointment to a military academy is a lengthy journey that begins well prior to the student's senior year...and requires a Congressional nomination. Although the process can be intimidating, students receiving appointments earn scholarships valued in excess of $250,000, including all tuition, room, and board at the government-sponsored military academies. Upon graduation, students must fulfill their active duty military commitment.

Lee’s Summit High School annually hosts US Service Academy Night, an informational evening for students interested in the military academies, and will do so again this year.

• Tuesday, February 28
• 7pm to 9:30pm
• Lee's Summit High School (400 SE Blue Parkway)
• Lecture Hall (west side of building, next to fieldhouse)

Academy Night is for open to all 8th through 11th grade students and their parents from across the Kansas City metro area. Guidance counselors and other educators are also invited to attend. 

Families will hear presentations, as well as be able to speak individually with representatives both before and after the meeting: 

• New Mexico Military Institute
• United States Air Force Academy
• United States Coast Guard
• United States Merchant Marine Academy
• United States Military Academy at West Point
• United States Naval Academy
• Virginia Military Institute

A special session with a focus on the application process will be held for interested juniors and their parents.

For further information, call Lee's Summit High School at (816) 986-2000.

College Championship on Jeopardy!

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on January 31, 2012)

February 1 not only welcomes a new month, one in which we gain a day for Leap Year, but tomorrow is also the beginning of the 24th College Championship on the Jeopardy! game show.

This is one of many fun ways for college-bound students, especially those who are younger or who are in the early stages of their college search, to learn about campuses that may not receive as much media coverage, athletic accolades, local exposure, or name recognition.

More than 12,000 undergraduates began the competition, but only fifteen students from colleges and universities across the country have earned the chance to win the $100,000 grand prize. 

Three of the campuses are being represented on Jeopardy! for the first time: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Eastern Illinois University, and Goucher College. Appearing for the 14th time, Harvard has been in the competition more often than any other college or university. 

While no campuses or students from Kansas City will be represented, there are current students and alumni in the metro area from many of those schools that will be featured in the tournament. Here is a list of the competitor institutions:

• California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo, CA)
• College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, VA)
• Columbia University (New York, NY)
• Duke University (Durham, NC)
• Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, IL)
• George Washington University (Washington, DC)
• Goucher College (Baltimore, MD)
• Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
• Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)
• Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
• Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
• University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
• University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
• Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)

Jeopardy! airs weekdays at 4pm on KSHB. 

Summer Pre-College ArtLab at Kansas City Art Institute

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on January 26, 2012)

The Kansas City Art Institute's School for Continuing and Professional Studies is offering Pre-College ArtLab (PCAL) this summer. The three-week studio residency for high school students will be offered from Sunday, July 8 through Friday, July 27. Through the program, designed to help students discover exactly what it takes to be an artist, approximately 65 students from across the country will create art...five days a week, nine hours a day for three weeks. 

PCAL faculty artists will both inspire and motivate participants to achieve their artistic goals by providing curriculum that will expose them to numerous new techniques and media, using well-equipped studios with specialized equipment.

The program schedule will keep the budding artists busy with six hours of studio major work, three hours of life drawing, 15 hours of liberal arts studies, field trips, workshops, planned weekend activities, and some free time for participants to use as they wish. Students will have the opportunity to focus on one studio major, with options including animation, kiln-fired glass, photography, printmaking, or painting. Click here to view full descriptions of these studio choices.

Admitted students must pay a $2699 course fee, as well as a $300 non-refundable deposit. That cost includes tuition, room and board (in the Student Living Center on the KCAI campus), three college credits, art supplies, as well as excursions and weekend activities throughout Kansas City.

In addition, participants will also receive a portfolio review, the opportunity to show their work in a final public exhibition, a CD of life drawing and major studio work, and extensive professional practice and critique. For those who may later enroll full-time at KCAI, a one semester Living Center grant will also be provided.

Competitive scholarships are available for select applicants, based upon artistic merit, academic achievement, and demonstrated financial need. 

The PCAL application deadline is Friday, March 23. Required components include a brief essay expressing the student's desire to participate in PCAL, a CD with six images of original art work, a letter of recommendation regarding artistic talent and aspiration, official high school transcripts, and most recent IRS tax return (if applying for a scholarship). Click here to apply online.

For additional information, contact Ruth Kartman at (816) 802-3505 or by email. 

Kansas City Art Institute on Facebook

Kansas City Art Institute on Twitter

Kansas City Art Institute on You Tube

KCAI School of Continuing and Professional Studies on Facebook

Enjoy campus communities by staying at bed & breakfasts

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on January 25, 2012)

Most college-bound students recognize that there is more to a college or university than simply the acreage upon which the school sits. The community surrounding a campus can have great impact on a prospective student's view of the institution, as well as the experience of enrolled students.

Inn keepers often have a devotion to the community and its history and, in smaller locales, the college is typically an integral aspect of the town's past. Discovering the impressions of a school from an "outsider" who is still "in the know" can prove invaluable in learning about an institution's relationship and impact on its surroundings over time. 

Many bed and breakfast homes offer the charm of their historical pasts with the conveniences of modern life, especially those inns that cater to the business traveler. This might include in-room wireless internet access, flat screen televisions with DVD hook-up and cable channels, and even jacuzzi bathtubs.

Rates are typically in line with those of chain hotels, and sometimes, may be more affordable. Home cooked dinners and/or breakfasts, coffee on the porch, and cozy fireplaces are perks often found at bed and breakfasts that are more difficult to enjoy at traditional motel or hotel locations.

Tiffany Miller, the Inn Keeper at Parkville's Main Street Inn, provides guests with an additional queen sized inflatable mattress, making it even more economical for families traveling together to visit Park University or other area campuses. 

SAMPLING OF BED & BREAKFAST INNS NEAR KANSAS CITY AREA CAMPUSES

Baker University (Baldwin City, KS)

• Three Sisters Inn

Park University (Parkville, MO)

• Main Street Inn

Rockhurst University and University of Missouri Kansas City (Kansas City, MO)

• Southmoreland on the Plaza

University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO)

• Cottage on the Knoll at Cedarcroft Farm
• Gelbach Manor

William Jewell College (Liberty, MO)

• Stone-Yancey House
• Terrace Avenue Inn

When planning your next campus visit, no matter where in the country, consider staying at a bed and breakfast within the local community.

And parents, once your child has selected a collegiate abode, choose a bed and breakfast to take advantage of pampering away from home each time you visit for Parent's Weekend or other special occasions with your college student.

Bed & Breakfast Inns of Missouri

Kansas Bed & Breakfast Association

Colleges/universities use You Tube to engage prospective students

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on January 24, 2012)

Most colleges and universities have become well versed in using social media to communicate with prospective students. It is not uncommon to find a "Class of 20xx" page on Facebook or to see campus news announcements sent through the so called Twitter-verse. And now, many campuses, including several in the Kansas City area, are turning to You Tubeas another means to engage prospects...long before they even submit an application for admission.

Schools have created channels on You Tube and now have the additional capability of broadcasting video showing various events and people on campus. Some institutions have kept their content more on the serious side, while others have taken the opportunity to have fun with interested students and their parents with a more humorous approach to their campus highlights.

Many schools are showcasing their faculty members with personal interviews. Some academic departments have included partial or full classroom lectures. Prospective students and their parents might want to watch these videos to gain insight regarding an academic subject that may be a potential college major or minor. Video campus tours are a regular find on college and university You Tube channels. This is a great tool for students who may live at a distance from the school(s) that interest them, and is a bonus option for "seeing" the campus outside of still photographs on a website or printed viewbook. (Note, while the video tour is a great introduction to a campus, it should never replace an in-person visit to the college or university.)

This past November and December, many schools posted You Tube greeting card videos wishing prospective students, current students, and alumni a joyful holiday season. 

Of course, athletic celebrations are an easy and popular posting to these college and university You Tube channels. Exciting wins bring out the cheerleader in every person rooting for a particular campus. But action-packed content is not always the most viewed. Michigan State University quarterback, Kirk Cousins, spoke at the 2011 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon, and it has been viewed nearly 300,000 times on the Big Ten Network You Tube channel.

Another popular video collection on the You Tube channels from across the country is the commencement speech, especially if someone famous is providing the address. Some of the most viewed graduation videos from 2011 include:

• Conan O'Brien at Dartmouth College (nearly 1.1 million views)
• Amy Poehler at Harvard University (565,000+ views)
• Denzel Washington at University of Pennsylvania (408,000+ views)
• Stephen Colbert at Northwestern University (314,000+ views)
• Tom Hanks at Yale University (204,000+ views)
• Compilation of 2011 Commencement Speeches (CBS News)
• Compilation of 2011 Commencement Speeches (ABC News)

SAMPLING OF KANSAS CITY AREA/REGIONAL SCHOOLS WITH YOU TUBE CHANNELS (not intended to be comprehensive):

Avila University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/avilauniversity

Baker University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/BakerUniversity

Kansas State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/KState

Missouri State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/MissouriState

Missouri Western State University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/mwsugriffons

Northwest Missouri State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/NorthwestVideo

Park University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/parkuniversityvideos

Pittsburg State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/pittsburgstate

Rockhurst University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/RockhurstHawk

Truman State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/trumanuniversity

University of Central Missouri:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/UCMLive

University of Kansas:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/KU

University of Missouri Columbia:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMizzouTube

University of Missouri Kansas City:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/UMKC