Top things we learned:

1. Very competitive nursing program

2. Study Abroad programs – all majors have a global focus, a lot of scholarship money is available for these programs

3. Limited housing – put down a housing deposit as soon as you are accepted

4. Football team in 2012

5. The Commons Dining Hall – state-of-the art dining facility

6. Online application available in September

If you would like to have access to your child’s medical information
or grades while they are off at college, make sure your child has gone
through the authorization process with his or her college. They can
check with the college to get the appropriate documentation.  Otherwise, you will not be able to have access to their
records, even though you may be paying the bill. 

In an attempt to make students get to the point quickly and to improve their social media skills, universities and businesses are asking for essays in 140 characters or less.

At the University of Iowa, a good tweet is worth $37,000.  That’s the price of a full scholarship, and that’s exactly what a student hopeful can win in a contest the university has dreamed up that takes electronic communication to a new level. The university is asking prospective students to submit a 140-character tweet in place of a second essay.

In addition, Kentucky Fried Chicken offers a Colonel’s Scholars Twitter scholarship for $20,000 over four years based on a tweet responding to “tell us in 140 characters why you deserve a $20,000 scholarship.” The competition received 2,800 applications last year, says Rick Maynard, KFC spokesman.

Excerpts from an article by Nicholas Kamm, AFP/Getty Images

posted 7/13/11