Whether you’re a senior preparing to submit your last round of college applications, or a sophomore stoked for your first shot at the PSAT — late summer and early fall can be a great time to check out a few schools.

Here are a few ways to get the most out of your visits:

-Schedule your visits during the week. By looking at schools during the week, you can check out classes, chat with students who are strolling around, and get a feel for what a typical day at that school is like.  The College Board suggests to schedule your visits during high school holidays that fall on Mondays, when most colleges are still in session.

-Contact the college in advance. Many colleges have special tours and
arrangements for students who are visiting their campus.  Some schools will pick up your lunch tab or set you up with a current student who can show you more than what you see on an official tour. Since you only have a limited amount of time to wander around each school on your list, this will help you allocate that time more wisely.

-Mix up the types of schools you visit. Many high school students have a list of 10 or more schools under initial consideration.  With a demanding class load, it may be hard to visit every single school on your list. That’s why we recommend visiting at least one of every type of institution.  If you have a big list of potential schools but limited time, then perhaps a visit to an Ivy League school, a small liberal arts college, and a public university will give you a better feel for which campus best suits your needs.

What are you waiting on?  Get out there… you may find the perfect fit!

The Critical Reading section of the SAT tests your ability to, well, read critically. This includes your ability to understand the meaning of a complex sentence, your ability to understand an argument, your ability to understand assumptions implicit within a text, your ability to make inferences and deduce the logical consequences of a position, and your vocabulary. Guess which of these skills is the easiest to improve?

In olden times, vocabulary used to be a bigger part of the SAT, but it still counts for a lot. The Sentence Completions are obviously very vocabulary dependent, and they alone account for almost 30% of the section, potentially worth 150 points.

Vocabulary is important on the Passages, as well. Questions and choices may use hard words, and the right answer often hinges on a tricky word. Then there’s the passage itself, which is also made up of words, words you’ll have to know. Vocabulary is always an important part of reading-if you want to be able to read, you have to know words.

Often, the only thing that makes a question hard is its vocabulary. Compare these two questions:

- Dave was in a ——- mood; he was smiling and cheerful all day long.

(A) happy

(B) angry

(C) sad

(D) smart

(E) cold

- Dave was in a ——- mood; he was smiling and cheerful all day long.

(A) sanguine

(B) bilious

(C) disconsolate

(D) perspicacious

(E) boreal

Did you notice the difference?

Because vocabulary is so important to so many questions, we at A-List have developed a foolproof rule to help you turn the hardest Reading questions into the easiest questions:

LEARN MORE WORDS

But how?   Decades of research proves that the absolute best way to learn vocabulary is to have visual, verbal and auditory clues to connect the words with specific memories, so we created VOCAB VIDEOS.

The Vocab Videos system uses hilarious short videos to illustrate the meanings of 500 of the most frequently-tested SAT and ACT vocabulary words making them easy for students to learn and remember. Unlike flashcards and other traditional methods of learning vocabulary, the videos don’t just tell students what words mean, they show them.  With entertaining plotlines, hilarious characters, and parodies of popular TV shows like Lost, The Office, and Gossip Girl, students actually have fun studying vocabulary!

Check out some videos now http://www.vocabvideos.com/zinch-offer.html

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-William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Harvard University

The essay is an essential component of any college application helping to convey a more complete picture of the applicant. After all, a student is more than an accumulation of numbers; GPA and SAT/ACT scores don’t tell a student’s whole story. The essay offers students the opportunity to share a piece of themselves that their transcripts do not reveal, and allows admissions officers to get to know applicants on a more personal level.

19 million students enrolled in college in 2009. The college essay is one part of the application where students truly have the potential to stand out. Taking the time to write your essay well, and to really find your voice in the subject matter, could pay off-big time.

Keep in mind that you will likely have many essays to write, especially if you are applying to competitive colleges. This goes for those who use the Common App, too, since many colleges have various supplemental essays. To simplify your college essay process, saving hours of time and getting instantly organized, go to College Essay Organizer (”CEO”).

CEO’s revolutionary technology will:

- Deliver ALL of your essay questions in a single document

- Map out a clear plan for writing the fewest essays that work for all your questions

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- Ensure that you don’t overlook any questions, especially for specific programs or departments, or for short and optional questions

- Provide hard-to-find scholarship questions

- Get the essay requirements for each of your selected colleges as soon as they are posted, with CEO’s e-mail notification system for members

Don’t think you’ll have that many essays to write?

Even if you use the Common App, you’ll likely have many supplemental essays. Go to CEO’s homepage and click on the FREE button on the right. You’ll see how many essays your colleges require and how CEO will make this a much more manageable process for you.

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Are you interested in attending a Christian college, but would like to know more first?  To help prospective students learn more, we’ll answer 5 frequently asked questions about Christian schools:

1. “What are academics like?”

Christian colleges offer a menu of degree programs just as any other school.  In fact, they often compare favorably to public and other private universities.  Already know your major?  Chances are good that a Christian institution offers an excellent program in that field.  They also tend to offer smaller classes and one-on-one contact with professors — real advantages in any learning environment.

2. “Isn’t it really expensive?”

While they can be more pricey than cheap State schools — the availability of loans, grants, work-study programs, and scholarships more than make up for it.  Admissions representatives work alongside you to create a sensible financial aid package.  From our experience, these reps are always willing to help find a solution for you and your family.

3. “Do I have to participate in mandatory religious activities?”

Unless it’s for class, specific Christian activities are almost never required.  But they are an excellent way to become more involved on campus and develop a network of friends supportive of your spiritual development.

4. “So how are Christian schools different?”

In many ways, they aren’t.  Academics are just as emphasized, and the juggle of studies and social life exists as it does for any other college student.  The biggest difference we see, is the greater opportunity to flourish spiritually amidst like-minded peers.  This support system can ease some of the inevitable challenges you’ll confront in college life.  For example, it’s nice to know academic obligations won’t conflict with your day of worship.

5. “How do I find the right school for me?”

With your personal convictions in mind, determine the college experience you’re looking for.   Do your research, visit campuses, and speak to professors and current students while there.  Consider the school’s academic reputation, your financial aid package, location, and student life — as part of the standard vetting process.  Don’t forget to take some time to pray about it, discuss with your family, religious leaders, and others who’ve helped guide your life.

In addition to funding scholarships, the grant also supports the Strengthening Undergraduate Curriculum and Community to Engage Science Students (SUCCESS) program, specifically targeted to increase retention, graduation, and the readiness of chemistry, biochemistry, and biology graduates to enter the workforce or graduate school.

“To have this stamp of approval of the National Science Foundation on our science program at JBU is gratifying,” said Dr. Carla Swearingen, assistant professor of chemistry and SUCCESS program director.

“More importantly, talented future scientists are going to have access to the wonderful education we have at John Brown University.”

“We’re pleased that the NSF grant committee recognized the academic excellence of the JBU natural science program with these scholarship awards,” said Dr. April Moreton, director of foundations and corporate relations for JBU. “These funds will help students who show great promise in the field of science attend JBU when they might not have been able to for financial reasons.”

U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor announced the grants in a statement on Friday. “These funds will help ensure that students at John Brown University can pursue their passion for science regardless of their financial situation,” Pryor said.

The goals of the program are to encourage more low-income students and those from underrepresented groups to study science programs at John Brown University. In addition, the program aims to increase graduation rates for science majors. The program will start awarding scholarships in the 2011-2012 academic year.

John Brown University is a private Christian university, ranked second by “U.S.News & World Report” in the Southern Region for baccalaureate colleges for 2010. JBU enrolls more than 2,000 students from 42 states and 45 countries. JBU is a member of Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Learn more at: www.jbu.edu.

Sterling College may be exactly that place… That place where you make life-long friendships. That place where you not only get a degree, but a Christ-centered education…That place that not only helps you discover your passion but shows you how that translates into your life’s calling. Sterling College is that place you grow to call home.

“Sterling College has become my home over the last three years. It was at Sterling that I was introduced to professors who not only taught my classes but also became invested in my life, my goals and my potential. At Sterling I realized the importance of community. Professors, fellow students and staff have all helped me in more ways than one. I can’t express how grateful I am or begin to describe the impact that Sterling and its Christ-centered focus has done for me. Sterling is full of people ready to give and I don’t know another place like it.”

- Alyson Dardzinski, Milan, Ohio, Communications major

During your time at Sterling College you will not only find a place where you belong, but you will find that place that allows you to grow into the person God wants you to become. From the classroom to the athletic field, our Christ-centered approach can be found in all areas.

At Sterling you will discover family of people who love one another; a community of hard working people who genuinely care about others more than themselves. Even more valuable is the sense of spiritual peace I have experienced in this college community. God has given me such a confidence that Sterling is “home” to me for this season of my life. There is more than enough room to grow, dream and develop into the man God has destined me to become. That’s why I love Sterling.

- Sam Downe, Tennessee Colony, Texas, Business major

If you are looking for that place where you will be challenged to learn and to grow, Sterling College is the answer. For more information, contact our Admissions office at 800.364.1017 or visit us at sterling.edu. You can even find us on facebook at facebook.com/sterlingcollegefuturestudents.

What did you think of their animation style?  Do you think Apple should recall the iPhone4?

Share your thoughts below.

First came the comic book superheroes — Batman, Superman, and Spiderman rising like pop-culture phoenixes from the pages of comic books. Then came the video games.  The next inevitable step was casting comic book superheroes as stars of those video games.

So went the evolution of the video-game culture, catapulting the gaming category into the No. 1 spot of the children entertainment industry, where it’s expected to stay for a long time.

John Kuraica, director of the Game Art & Design and Media Arts & Animation programs at The Art Institute of California - Sacramento, says he sees a trend toward companies releasing comic books and graphic novels in tandem with their related video games.

“They’re crossing boundaries and genres,” says Kuraica, who worked on the game Dead Space for Electronic Arts.  ”In the past, people who would purchase comics didn’t necessarily play games. Now the marketers are trying to cross-promote novels with games. I believe that we are just seeing the beginning of this trend.”

There’s often a common storytelling thread between the graphical art of comic books and the interactive element of video games.  The main technical distinction is the difference of 2D and 3D art.

Dave Bogan, an art director at Telltale Games, works with a concept artist to help translate a 2D comic into a 3D game.  ”You’ve got to solve certain problems and make certain sacrifices to translate it into 3D,” Bogan says.

Comic artists attempt to draw characters from the most appealing angles, meaning that certain angles that need to exist in a 3D game are never created.

For example, the company’s Sam & Max video game characters are truly 3D and viewable from any angle.  But when translating the characters into the video game Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People, the art department at Telltale Games decided to keep most of the characters 2D.  Because when translated into 3D, Bogan says, the characters “fell apart” when viewed from certain angles.

Think game design and animation may be your thing? Learn more about programs offered at The Art Institutes schools, available in many parts of the country.

A student creates a scouting profile on NCSA’s website and college coaches can access these profiles depending on what they’re looking for. Find out more about the company and what they’re all about by checking out this video below.

Research has shown that the average student loses up to one month of school instruction over the summer… it’s often referred to as the “summer slide.” These learning losses can accumulate over the years and have devastating effects on the outcome of your school career.

In addition to preventing summer setbacks, reading over the summer also promotes and maintains good study habits and good grades. Studies also show that for every one million words you read, you will add another one thousand words to your vocabulary.

There are many reasons to enjoy a good book over the summer. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!