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If you’re actively considering a career as a physician, you’re well aware of the long, rigorous and demanding road ahead. With challenging coursework and fierce competition in the forecast, not everyone is up for the challenge...but that hasn’t necessarily translated into fewer students applying to medical school. According to U.S. News & World Report, medical school experts have predicted a shortage of doctors throughout the next decade but no shortage of prospective students. In 2012, total applications increased by 3.1 percent with the average number of applications at the top 10 medical schools totaling approximately 10,812. Check out the top 10 medical schools that receive the most applications for the most recent school year below:

• George Washington University – 14,700
• Drexel University College of Medicine – 12,690
• Boston University – 11,780
• Georgetown University – 11,733
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – 11,523
• Temple University – 10,329
• Jefferson Medical College – 10,018
• New York Medical College – 8,682
• New York University – 8,351
• Tufts university – 8,318

Did your top-choice medical school make the list? If so, would you consider other schools with less competition?

Despite having other important things to check off my to-do list, I’ve spent countless hours on an assortment of social media outlets. (I’m sure you’ve found yourself in a similar predicament.) Recently, I began using one form of social media that isn’t a time waster: It’s called LinkedIn and it uses social media to connect its users to employers.

A LinkedIn user will create a personal profile with a picture, a description of their work experience, the education they’ve received and the type of degree(s) they were awarded from their college(s). Many students, however, don’t take advantage of LinkedIn, which can connect them with a number of employers who have job and internship openings. While 90 percent of students use Facebook frequently or occasionally, 46 percent of students have never used LinkedIn and those students who have don’t make it a priority to use it during their job search. According to this article on readwrite.com, students searching for jobs focus their efforts, in order, on:

• Employer's website (70%)
• Contact within the company (65%)
• School career fair (61%)
• Online job listings site (58%)
• Social networking - including LinkedIn (26%)

LinkedIn is underutilized by college students because many feel they don’t have enough work experience or connections to even create a profile. Yet, students who create LinkedIn profiles have a greater chance at making connections, which can lead to jobs and internships. Do you have a LinkedIn account? If so, has it been helpful in your quest for employment?

Carly Gerber is majoring in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She loves fashion and hopes to cover the topic for a Chicago-area magazine. In her free time, she focuses on her blog, loves making jewelry and spending time on Pinterest and Pose. She hopes to use this blog to guide and relate to its followers: college students like herself!

Everyone’s computing needs are different. Whether it’s mobility or speed, getting the right PC for your degree is important. Luckily, Hewlett-Packard has the help and expertise you need and now just for registering at HP Academy you could win one of two great prizes: $3,000 or an Envy DV4!

The Hewlett-Packard & Scholarships.com Envy DV4 scholarship is open to all United States citizens who are registered users of Scholarships.com and HP Academy. All high school and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. For more information on this scholarship and other scholarship opportunities, conduct a free scholarship search today!

Summer classes are great for getting ahead or catching back up if you’ve fallen behind. They aren’t for everyone, though, so when deciding on extra courses for the summer, keep these factors in mind:

• Financial Aid: An important factor is whether or not you can financially afford to take summer classes. When I was a freshman, I was able to take two summer courses using a summer Pell grant but unfortunately, that option is no longer available. Summer financial aid is included in your fall/spring aid year so if you use your loan money in entirety during the fall and spring, then you may not have any left for summer classes. Check with your campus financial aid office to get the most current information and payment alternatives.
• Class Location: You do not have to live near your university or stay on campus to take a summer class. You could take a course at a nearby university while living at home – just go to your admissions office to fill out the necessary paperwork to complete this. Online classes are also always an option; there may be a price difference between online and traditional in-person courses so be sure to check that before signing up.
• Time Spent in Class: My university has a breakdown of three short semesters during the summer that last one month each. I took two “Maymester” classes and we were in class for almost three hours a day Monday through Thursday; I found this easy because the professors taught only the needed information without the extra projects that usually fill up a semester. Not all universities have this option so check with your advisers on the different summer class options.

The academic year is almost over so if you are interested in continuing your coursework this summer, get informed and determine if summer classes are right for you!

Chelsea Slaughter is currently a junior at Jacksonville State University majoring in communications (public relations concentration) and minoring in art. She serves as a resident assistant on campus, is the treasurer in the Public Relations Organization and is an active member in W.I.S.E., NAACP and Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Leadership Society. She aims to work in the entertainment industry post-graduation and is well on her way thanks to an internship with a digital marketer to several music artists. Chelsea strives to achieve all of her goals and motivate others along the way.

It’s official: After 18 months of intense analysis and serious opposition (we’re looking at you, students who barricaded themselves in the college last December), Cooper Union will begin charging undergraduate tuition for the first time.

Faced with a $12 million annual budget deficit, the Board of Trustees voted last week to reduce the full-tuition scholarship to 50-percent for all undergraduates admitted to the institution beginning with the class entering in the fall of 2014. “The time has come to set our institution on a path that will enable it to survive and thrive well into the future,” said board chairman Mark Epstein in an announcement to students and faculty members in the college’s Great Hall. “Under the new policy, the Cooper Union will continue to adhere to the vision of Peter Cooper, who founded the institution specifically to provide a quality education to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.” None of the 900 current undergraduates would be affected but those considering enrolling in the fall of 2014 and beyond could pay $19,275 a semester.

After the speech, opponents of the decision gathered outside the Great Hall and staged what they called a walkout, arguing that any tuition would alter the essential character of the prestigious school. What do you think of the announcement and the corresponding criticism? Let us know in the comments section.

In terms of employment in college, on-campus jobs are the way to go. They get you that spending money you need while keeping you up to date with campus activities. In a way, they make you feel like a great contributor to the campus and its events.

Take me, for example: I work for Terrier Vision, the crew that films the sporting events at Wofford College and streams them online. It’s weird since I’m not too much of a sporty guy but filming these events gives me a sense of involvement and with that, a legitimate interest in the sports (or at least the games I’m filming). The same goes for other on-campus jobs: They connect you with slices of your campus and community you wouldn’t otherwise get to be a part of. And the money isn’t half bad, considering many jobs on campus will pay more than those off simply because the colleges/universities have more funds at their disposal. I meet new people and honestly have fun with my job. Plus, it’s much more convenient to get to work. (Yes, WoCo is small but the principle still applies to larger schools.)

You don’t have to work for sports, either (it’s not my thing but the job is rad): You could just as easily work for your school’s theater department in set construction or with your school’s alumni foundation phoning for donations to specific programs. Many of my friends are TAs and that sounds like a rewarding experience to be able to help others on your campus in an academic setting. Jobs are available almost everywhere – you’ve just got to seek them out!

On-campus jobs push you to explore all aspects of your school, meet new people, engage in networking with a new set of professionals and get that extra bit of money. This kind of goes back to my previous article on keeping with your passions because a) you can help pay for your passion and b) you could get paid FOR your passion! (My incredibly talented photographer friend gets paid to photograph almost every WoCo event.) Do you work on campus? If so, where and how did you land your position?

Mike Sheffey is a junior at Wofford College double majoring in computer science and Spanish. He loves all things music and has recently taken up photography. Mike works for an on-campus sports broadcasting company as well as the music news blog PropertyOfZack.com. He hopes to use this blogging position to inform and assist others who are seeking the right college or those currently enrolled in college by providing advice on college life, both in general and specific to Wofford.

Being away from home at college can make you feel liberated and independent. Nevertheless, summer break comes and moving back in with your parents is a reminder that you are not as close to independence as you thought: All of a sudden, you’re hit with rules, obligations and expectations that you lived without during the academic year!

Moving back in with your parents doesn’t have to be the end of the world. In fact, deciding to leave school and come home for a semester unintentionally helped me build a better relationship with my parents. Here are a few simple guidelines that will help you have a drama-free relationship with your parents over the summer:

• Follow the house rules. Washing the dishes right after a meal or making your bed every morning may not make sense to you but when your parents ask you to do a simple chore, don’t fight them on it. Completing small tasks around the house is a lot better than having your mom scream at you for 30 minutes. Eventually, you’ll have zero fights with your parents and you’ll be the golden child, which can come with its own perks.
• Remember where you are. A midnight Slurpee run on a weekday may be routine for you at school but certain behaviors should stay at college. Your parents may view staying out late on weekdays as irresponsible, especially if you have a summer job or internship. The weekend is the time for you to stay out late and relax, not during the work week.
• Bond with you parents. Your parents may think your music is a bunch of noise but that doesn’t mean you can’t find other things you have in common. Ask your parents out to movie, to dinner, on a walk to a park or for ice cream. Take time during the summer to hang out with your parents as if they were your friends. They may surprise you with what cool and interesting people they can be as well as great roommates!

Carly Gerber is majoring in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She loves fashion and hopes to cover the topic for a Chicago-area magazine. In her free time, she focuses on her blog, loves making jewelry and spending time on Pinterest and Pose. She hopes to use this blog to guide and relate to its followers: college students like herself!

Not every student goes the four-year route when it comes to getting a college education and instead explores non-traditional options that include for-profit institutions. And while proprietary institutions may not have the best track record, not all for-profit schools are alike. To help you differentiate between the good and the bad, experts at U.S. News & World Report have compiled a few tips on how to vet an online program. Check out their suggestions below:

• Investigate the true cost of the program. Draft a budget reflecting the actual cost of the program, including the price per credit hour and the cost of books, support, technology and other necessities. Next, explore scholarship options. Scholarships are a great way to cover part or sometimes even all of the cost of a college education. Creating a Scholarships.com profile is a great place to start!
• Explore your options. Before committing to a for-profit online program, be sure to do your homework. When looking at different schools, be sure to compare career services departments and their ties to the industry in which you hope to eventually work.
• Check for accreditation. To help ensure that the for-profit school you are considering is reputable, check to see whether it is regionally accredited. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of the accreditation agency, make sure it is recognized by one of two authorities on the matter – the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the Department of Education.

Do you attend a for-profit institution? If so, how did you decide on your school?

With the frenzy and excitement surrounding finals and end-of-the-year activities, it’s easy to forget that you still need to register for next semester’s classes! You may have received confusing emails telling you how to select your fall courses but before you start stressing, check out these tips for a quick and easy registration process.

• Review a course catalog or program evaluation. This method could help you with finding out what classes to take for your major as well as general classes you must complete in order to graduate. At Campbell, there is a program evaluation where students can review their progress thus far and determine any courses they still need.
• Select a variety. Be sure to include classes you need to take and WANT to take. You do not want to put too much on your plate, though, so choose a course load you know you will be able to manage.
• Check with your adviser. Call, email or go to your adviser’s office to figure out your schedule. They know more than you do so utilize that knowledge to your advantage: I have an adviser who has bent over backward to make sure I get the classes I need.
• Have a back-up plan. So there is that one class you really need and it is full – what do you do now? Find out who the professor is and talk to them; they could allow you to overenroll or may offer another suggestion of a class to take instead.
• Coordinate with others. Talk with your friends or roommates about courses you all need and enroll together, if possible. This will make studying easy...and fun!

Good luck with registering for classes but hurry up – you don’t want to miss out on the ones you need most!

Katlyn Clark is a freshman at Campbell University majoring in journalism and minoring in marketing. She hopes to become a broadcast journalist for entertainment or write for a magazine such as People or Seventeen. In her spare time, Katlyn loves to hang out with friends and family and watch sports; she is a Christian who is so thankful for God’s many blessings in her life. Katlyn is from Elizabeth City, North Carolina and loves Tim Tebow, Pinterest, the WWE and cats.

With the final weeks of the semester winding down, it’s easy to get caught up in the madness. Things slip your mind and time passes you by. Did you get your FASFA in? Did you register for your fall classes? When is that final paper due? These are all questions we ask ourselves but sometimes, we ask them too late. Don’t worry – it happens to the best of us so set up a system so that this won’t happen again! Here are a couple of tips for keep up with important school deadlines:

• Check your school’s app. Most universities have taken advantage of students’ obsessions with social media and technology and have created apps that contain the latest information from the website in an accessible organized app. If it contains an in-app calendar, more than likely you can sync it with your phone’s calendar. This way, all deadlines will be inserted on your phone automatically and you will see alerts with upcoming deadlines.
• Set phone alerts. If the sync option is not available for you, pull up your school’s academic calendar and pair it with your class syllabi. Look at all the important dates and insert them right onto your phone's calendar. Set up alerts for high priority deadlines.
• Use a wall calendar. You can find huge wall calendars at Walmart for about $5. I hung it on the back of the door of my room and wrote all my assignments on there as soon as I got them. Seeing the upcoming deadlines in all caps and bright red (my tactic) kept me on the right track and focused to meet my goals.

Though it is the end of the year, carry these methods over to the fall and prepare yourself for the full semester. It you write all deadlines down at the beginning or as they are assigned, you will not have to worry about missing another one. I wish all readers success and good luck on finals!

Chelsea Slaughter is currently a junior at Jacksonville State University majoring in communications (public relations concentration) and minoring in art. She serves as a resident assistant on campus, is the treasurer in the Public Relations Organization and is an active member in W.I.S.E., NAACP and Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Leadership Society. She aims to work in the entertainment industry post-graduation and is well on her way thanks to an internship with a digital marketer to several music artists. Chelsea strives to achieve all of her goals and motivate others along the way.