IQx.com – Colleges Information Online

Tag: athletics

  • College Myths (Last)

    This is fourth and final addition of the IQx college myth list.

    Myth #16 – A lot of extracurricular activities will compensate for poor grades.
    Yes, colleges do consider out-of-class activities such as athletics, student body, and drama when they review an application. However, universities first look at the academic record. The extracurricular activities generally only help after an academic transcript is looked at and it is considered to be good enough.

    Myth #17 – Liberal arts colleges don’t have good science programs.
    On the contrary, most liberal arts colleges have been emphasizing science for all students for over a hundred years. Since the best way to learn science is by doing science, small colleges with small classes and fewer students in the laboratories often have an advantage. As a result, far more physicians and Ph.D.s have earned their undergraduate degrees from small liberal arts colleges than larger universities.

    Myth #18 – A student’s college experience will be pretty much like everyone else’s.
    This is impossible and always will be. Everyone has a different life and everybody experiences many different things during their college years. When one may take five classes and only go to dances, another may take four classes and do student body leadership. A student’s experience is utterly unique in his/her own way.

    Myth #19 – The federal government provides most of the financial aid.
    A majority of the aid that is received from the government will come in the form of loans. For the last several years the amount of money made available in grants has been shrinking while the amount available in loans is increasing. Often, the amount available from various sources will depend on the kind of college you decide to attend- State schools will have most of their funding come from the government while private schools are often able to offer scholarships from their own funding and have more flexibility in creating financial aid packages.

    Myth #20 – Colleges are concerned only with my intellectual and academic development.
    Many colleges and smaller universities pride themselves on their ability to “develop the whole person”. Some of this personal development comes from requiring a broad-based general education that contributes to the understanding of the world. In some cases, personal and professional development is intentional. At these colleges, there are workshops open to students on time management, developing relationships, handling oneself at a job interview, and the responsibilities as a citizen.

  • College Myths (Second)

    This is second of the IQx college myth list.

    IQx Myth #6 – If a student hasn’t heard of a college or university, it can’t be a good one.
    A student may not hear about many of the world’s most prestigious colleges until he/she is in his/her senior year of high school. Most universities that are broadcasted nationwide are displayed through sports. However, many of the best colleges may not be amazing at athletics and don’t get the chance to get extremely well known. Look at colleges for their merits, not for their name.

    IQx Myth #7 – A student should decide on his/her career before he/she can choose a university.
    In most colleges, a student can choose his/her major in his/her sophomore year and still complete the degree in four years. A surprising number of students discover their ideal field while taking a course they didn’t expect to like. Take the time to decide.

    IQx Myth #8 – The best time to visit colleges is after the student has been admitted.
    This is absolutely vital to the student’s happiness in his/her college. Students should visit every school that they want to attend before applying. This will determine whether they enjoy the campus and general feel of the particular university. Many students have visited after they were accepted and found that none of the colleges were ones that they would fit into.

    IQx Myth #9 – Large universities have greater ethnic diversity.
    If the value of diversity is to learn to understand and appreciate other cultures and groups, then small colleges often offer greater diversity. However, the ratios of the different ethnic groups are generally within 1-2% from college to college.

    IQx Myth #10 – Only the highest achieving students receive financial aid from colleges.
    Many students are accepted to a college, but they need financial aid. Although another student may have a better transcript, financial aid is generally saved for those who need it. There are more need based scholarships than academic or athletic based scholarships.