5 Things NOT to Consider During Your College Search

The search for a college can be stressful, terrifying, and confusing—but most of life's truly rewarding events are. The biggest mistake you can make while searching for a college is to become overwhelmed and give up. Neither of us wants to run into each other at a drive-thru, right?

So, above all, remember to persevere and keep the following "don'ts" in mind:

Bulldozer Exhaust and Napalm Are Both Best Smelled In The Morning

If Ironman were to fly over our campus right now on his way to battle Loki's otherworldly army, he might assume that we had been the victim of an attack by The Langoliers.

(If there were any more nerdy references in that sentence, someone would find me and shove me into a locker.) 

Seriously, though, our campus looks like Clifford the Big Red Dog went on a search for the thigh bone of a Brachiosaur after we were hit by a direct blast from the spaceship in Independence Day. 

(It's dark in here. Let me out.)

The real reason, however, that our campus currently resembles where Harrison Ford could discover the glass skulls of an ancient alien race... 

(Seriously, guys. This isn't funny anymore...)

...is that we are in the process of adding more parking, upgraded infrastructure, an athletic field, and I suspect a bunker for the upcoming zombie apocalypse.

Great infographic from our friends at OnlineCollegeCourses.com

I'm a sucker for infographics, and this one from OnlineCollegeCourses.com does a great job of listing what we really look for from an admission standpoint. You can check out other great content on their blog here.

From: OnlineCollegeCourses.com

Email Etiquette is as Neglected as Sun Block on the Jersey Shore

Photo of Nikki's awfulsome attire from Sodahead.com

In Pt. 1, "The Problem," I detailed the decay of electronic communication, which is nearly as advanced as the decay of Nikki Menaj's fashion sense. If you read that post, you may have gleaned that while reclaiming the electronically-written word is a personal crusade of mine, it's also a pretty big deal when it comes to college admission (and, subsequently, the rest of your life).


Never let it be said that I was the type to present a problem without offering a solution. In fact, I offer 10. 


So, without further ado I present Pt. 2, "The Solution."

Call Me a Curmudgeon, But Email Etiquette Is Suffering From Stage Four Neglect

Part 1: The Problem

Appreciation of the power of the written (or texted, "tweeted," updated, emailed, or "Skyped") word, and also of the permanency of electronic communication is vital to one's social survival in the 21st century. 


It is also vital to your college admission prospects.


I have received so many egregious abuses of email correspondence from prospective students that I felt compelled to offer some friendly advice. Hopefully it will save you from some embarrassment (and me from developing an ulcer).


Some choice examples can be found at the bottom of this post (or you can skip to "Pt. 2: The Solution" if you already recognize your faults and don't care to read my diatribe).

Introducing Michaelanne(gelo), Our Newest Student Blogger

• Quintessentially Quirky
• A red-head in denial
• Emphatically Anti-Skin Cancer (or pro-sunscreen, depending on how you want to spin it)
• Curious (and also Collegiate)
• Coffee Aficionado
• Believer in Carpe[ing] Diems
• Student of the Globe (and Money)
• Generally Awesome

The preceding list is but a scanty preview of our witty and well-red student blogger Michaelanne. She's "attempting, as many have before her, to chronicle the curious life of a college student." She's doing a pretty darn good job.


A little about her: she's from Arizona, though she moved to California in high school. I don't blame her, because she has ruddy hair and most likely the sun-tolerance of a (non-glittering-type) vampire. She's petite, smart as a whip, and has a dry and understated sense of humor that often evokes delayed laughter when one finally catches up to the joke. 


Her blog, The Curious Collegiate, is about her experience here at Marymount, and is definitely worth a read. Check it out here. 

Admitted Student Day On March 31st Is Better Than Flying Space Dolphins

If you have zero artistic taste, you can buy this awesome poster here. 

The feeling you get when you open your first college acceptance letter should be bottled. It's kind of like winning the lottery while riding a flying dolphin into a pastel sky of cotton candy clouds. At least, that was what it was like for me.


Sadly, we were unable to bottle the experience of pure joy (apparently Apple already owns the patent and is attempting to make it a standard feature on the iPhone9S), but we were able to channel its essence into our planning for Admitted Student Day this year.


ASD (appearing in shortened form to save me from developing carpal tunnel) is our celebration of your accomplishment. You're proud, we're proud of you, and we're proud to welcome you into our fall class. To reflect all that pride, we've planned an awesome day for you.


Read on for the schedule: