It’s reflection time. Everywhere you look, you hear about the year in review, the top somethings of 2008, the biggest winners and losers of the year. And the CollegeSurfing blog is no exception. Take a look back at our top 8 in ’08 picks…

Stop Worrying About Jobs – The rough economy might actually be a good thing for new grads. Find out why.

Before They Were Stars, They Were Students – What did your favorite celebs major in before hitting the small and big screens? This post has the answers.

Beat the Economic Crisis: 5 Safe Careers – When choosing a career path, you may as well pick from among those with the most longevity. This list is a surefire bet!

Seven Alternatives to Federal Aid – Can’t afford to go back to school? Find out seven ways to pay for it.

Gen Y: Whiners or Winners? - Think your boss doesn’t do enough to please you? Join the debate on whether or not he should be trying harder, or if making an impression is your job.

The Top Reason to Say “I Quit!” - If you’ve been on the fence about making the leap, this article may be the kick in the butt you need.

On Shaky Ground? Go on a PR Campaign – Marketing isn’t just for marketing majors. Find out how to brand yourself.

Jumpstart ’08 With a Career Diet – Read about some career resolutions you should stick to (and renew them for ’09!).

Well there you have it… happy reading, and a Happy New Year!

Readers, which of these is your favorite?

Top educators met on Capitol Hill recently to discuss increasing the percentage of young people who earn a degree from 40% to 55% by 2025. The goal was driven by the Commission on Access, Admissions and Success in Higher Education report, which documents that a college degree is vital not only to individual success and income potential, but for the growth of our nation. The group, which is sponsored by The College Board, is currently proposing recommendations and will be requesting federal funding from President-elect Barack Obama.

This is a great initiative, of course, but as we know, such campaigns take time to get off the ground. Not to mention that it’s geared toward the next generation of students, so efforts will begin at the preschool level. We can still pick up a lesson from the news, however; educating yourself at any age can not only do wonders for your own personal success, but for the country’s overall well-being. Consider it your patriotic duty to head back to the classroom!

if you’re thinking of enrolling in a program, keep in mind this first basic rule: Degree/program completion starts with making the right school choice! That’s why it’s so important for students to do their homework when it comes to college research.

Here’s how to get started…

- Finding a school that matches your academic interests, location preferences, and learning style is key to having a great experience and completing your degree.

- Be open-minded to a variety of different colleges beyond ones on those “Top 10″ lists. Many lesser-known institutions or community colleges provide top-notch educational opportunities -– you just have to seek them out.

- Be sure to consider an institution’s extras, such as free academic support, on-campus activities, and career services. Taking advantage of these offerings can help students ride out tough semesters and avoid dropping out. Connect directly with colleges and universities, so that you may ask those important questions and learn more about your choice schools before you sign your tuition checks.

- Remember, traditional colleges and universities are simply not for everyone. Despite the Commission’s efforts, some people are better suited to work in a trade. Career schools that are focused on honing skills for work in a specific industry can prepare students with specialized training for a variety of lucrative careers.

- Once you choose a couple of potential programs of study, figure out what’s standing in your way (finances, fear of returning to the classroom, time constraints, etc.), and start removing the obstacles one by one. For instance, financial aid programs are available for both traditional and nontraditional students; and online learning can make it possible for learners to find the time to “go” to class. In short, if you want to school badly enough, you can find a way.

What’s your biggest obstacle to education?

Welcome to the 6th edition of the Carnival of College Admissions, and the first one hosted here at CollegeSurfing! Thanks to Mark Montgomery, the Great College Advice guru, for passing the torch. I’m under pressure to live up to the first five installments, and so I do my best to present to you: The Six Degrees of College Admissions. I apologize in advance for a blizzard of puns, plays on words, or metaphorical musings.

Nevertheless, December is a huge month in the cool world of college for at least six reasons I can think of:

1. The most competitive colleges and universities have admissions application deadlines this month
2. The SAT — every collegebounder’s rite of passage — was this past weekend
3. Juniors are getting cracking on their research after seeing their frenzied upperclassmen scramble
4. College students are taking their semester finals and looking forward to winter break
5. The economic climate has been pretty cold as of late, too, making it primetime to get a jump on financial aid (January is Financial Aid Month!)
6. Maybe not college-related exactly, but have you noticed it’s getting to be quite nippy, at least in my neck of the woods? In fact, at times, it feels like it’s six degrees outside! Brrrr….

Hence why it’s the perfect time to get warm and fuzzy. First, by thanking all of the wonderful participants featured below, both regulars and newcomers — welcome! And next, by encouraging you, my dear readers, to learn from these great posts as your college admissions process, campus life, or post-graduate world of work heats up. Get clickin’…

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** Admissions ** The Long Road to a Degree

Mark Montgomery presents Elements of a Good College Fit, Part One: Academics posted at Great College Advice. “Finding the right college is like finding a good pair of shoes,” he says. “You have to know what you need. You have to know what you like. And you have to take the time to shop around.”

Genevieve Blaber ponders college admissions testing abroad in If Only the SATs Were Held in South Korea, posted at College – U. Got It?. Talk about serious degrees of exam pressure!

While the weather outside might be frightful, the winter holiday can be productive for boarding school students looking ahead to college. Peter Baron’s Holidays Are A Good Time to Work On Private School Applications at AdmissionsQuest explains why.

Wondering how college football is like college admissions? Adam Epstein throws a blog touchdown with this cold-weather sport analogy. Check out College Admissions and the BCS posted at Adamissions.

Get some cold, hard advice when it comes to friends and your college decision from Robin Levinson’s Campus Compare: Dear Babs Q&A blog: Should I make my college selection based on my friends?

Mark Truman won’t leave you out in the cold, confusing world of “too good to be true” college application officers. His post Northern Arizona University’s Personal Advantage Application Is NOT a Scam at Omniac Attack! clears the air and teaches a lesson in how colleges are marketing to you.

To what degree should colleges try to recruit students in the future? Brad J. Ward poses the question, “”Do you need a social media strategy?” in his post Social Media Strategy in Higher Ed at SquaredPeg.com.

Ernest Koe presents another degree of discussion — a great breakdown of Web 2.0 tidbits — on the topic of Social media and school Admissions at edSocialMedia.

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** College Life ** Fun and Survival Beyond the Degree

Want to stand out from your college peers in this frozen economy? Dan Schawbel offers expert insight on how to promote yourself online and beyond. Consider this required reading: College Students Require Personal Branding Classes at the Personal Branding Blog.

Don’t hibernate this winter semester or fall victim to the Freshman 15. Instead, feel the burn, says Tom Tessin. Check out his post Exercise and College Students at the FCC Student Blog.

Can you feel the credit crunch chill in the air? College students should warm up to good credit habits now, says Raymond. Click into Why College Students Should Apply For Student Credit Cards posted at Money Blue Book.

“You know that internal alarm that we all too often ignore?” asks Brett J. Callahan. Before you break into a cold sweat, it’s called intuition, and guest blogger Laura Kowalski discusses why every college student needs it here: Intu-what? at 2East: The College Living Blog.

Working toward your degree should include some actual work on campus, says TJ Hanson. You’ll get even more from your college experience, according to his post, On-Campus Jobs for College Students – It’s Not All About Money at The Digital Student Blog.

Six feet under? Khan asks Is the Internship Dead? at the Higher Education and Career Blog. “Despite a small school of naysayers, most career counselors and workplace consultants believe internships are alive and well.”

Craving a game of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? Or actually, just some bacon? Hungry college students listen up: Shae‘s offering a big college Cookbook Contest at The Collegiate Gourmet.

Especially for education or psychology majors interested in the cold, hard facts on learning styles, Daniel Willingham presents Education Reporting of Research: Buyer Beware posted at Britannica Blog. “While most teachers progress from easier topics to more advanced ones, that may not always be the best approach, according to a new study.”

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** Financial Aid ** Fight the Frigid Pay-for-your-degree Forecast

Christopher Penn, Financial Aid Podcast crunches some chilly numbers for you, and offers lots of smart advice in his post The Coming Financial Aid Crisis, Part 2 in a Series posted at Financial Aid Podcast Free MP3 Internet Radio.

You’ve been accepted, now what? Brandon Mendelson answers the chill-down-your-spine question of how to afford college in Planning For The Financial Aid Crisis posted at The Graduate Student Survival Blog.

Wondering to what degree colleges are feeling the recession? O. Daille Nation-Ashley breaks it down in Credit Crunch – College Challenge posted at CEOmum. Read through for some encouraging news, too!

If financing college is a struggle, why not head to the chilly North? Todd Johnson explores college savings in Canada in A Great Way to Save on the Cost of College posted at College Admissions Counseling.

Winter holidays and gift giving go hand in hand, so don’t miss this unique idea with a college twist. Save Up For College With FreshmanFund’s 529 College Savings Plan Gift Registry posted at Savings Toolbox tells you how to get Aunt Edna and Grandpa Harry to help pay for college.

If you thought financing college was fun, look ahead to Student Loan Options For Graduate Students posted by Don at Student Loan Guru. “With student loan lenders become more strict with their lending requirements, some graduate students are finding their options dwindling.” Chilling, indeed, but this list offers hope.

Like a warm winter coat, government protection for private student loans may be on the way, says the Student Loan Guru in his post, Support for Private Student Loans coming from the US Treasury at Student Loans 101.

When traditional loans don’t cut it, don’t give up on the degree. As Eric says, Try Borrowing from an Innovative Loan Program. Learn more at Dream Strategy.

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** The Post-College Grind ** Life and Work After the Degree

Don’t put a freeze on your job hunt just yet. Hiring trends for college grads are still quite toasty, hence my recent CollegeSurfing Insider post, Stop Worrying About Jobs, Young Whippersnappers.

Jessica Daniels from The Fletcher School at Tufts, A Graduate School of International Affairs, delves into the cool-as-ice gigs of former alumni, and how their kids are growing up globally in her post, Second Generation Internationalists. Read closely for a mention of the Carnival’s very own Mark Montgomery!

“Have you graduated from, or will soon graduate from, a degree program? Do you know what you’re going to say in response to job interviewer’s questions?” Put your worries on ice at the Degree Talk Blog with these tips on what NOT to share with your prospective employer: Got your Online Degree? Ready for a Job Interview?

Did you ever sit with a cold stare at your professor, wondering if anything you’re learning is relevant? Dr. Delaney Kirk thinks the answer may surprise you. See why in You’re Really Going To Have To Know This Stuff! posted at Ask-Dr-Kirk.

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** Other Cool Stuff ** Not counting the wind chill factor!

How cool are iPhone apps, especially when they have an educational component? Heather Johnson presents Top 50 iPhone Apps for Educators posted at OEDb: Online Education Database.

Which gender do you think is more cool and calculating? Get to the (square) root of the issue in Are Boys Really More Hard-Wired for Math than Girls? posted at Brain Blogger.

If you want to avoid brain freeze, you need to eat brain food. Brigid helps map out a nutritional plan with her post Brain Fitness at New York Public Library. She says: “After attending a recent staff training session offered by the library’s Office of Staff Development, I decided to return to a habit of my childhood — eating sardines.”

Alvaro Fernandez explains “why attention is a critical component of learning” in his post Torkel Klingberg helps with Overflowing Brain & Information Overload posted at SharpBrains. Pretty cool stuff!

“If you’re talented at art, you might want to consider going to an art college,” says A. Lee. Learn how to select a cool art school in the post Why Bother With Art Colleges? posted at eArtFair.com.

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Hope you enjoyed the Six Degrees of College Admissions Carnival! Have fun clicking around, and please, share the love: Stumble it, Digg it, Blog it, Tweet it, Share it and help us grow! After all, ’tis the season of giving!

Bloggers, don’t forget to submit a post to the December 24th Carnival of College Admissions, hosted by Mark Truman, using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Warmest regards,
Dawn Papandrea

With all of the unemployment statistics out there, there’s a good possibility that you’re reading this in fear of losing your job, or not being able to find one once you finish school. There’s an even greater possibility that one of your parents or older relatives was laid off or took a buyout. What you don’t often hear about, though, is that for the younger workforce, the climate isn’t necessarily as bad as news reports would have you believe, as recently pointed out by fellow blogger, the Brazen Careerist herself, Penelope Trunk:

What I’m saying is that young people shouldn’t be thrown by the bad news that old people are pushing. Things are not that bad if you’re beginning your career. Think big, ask a lot of the world, demand respect and fun and a high learning curve.

In other words, stay positive — your future looks bright! That’s because, as the boomers are offered packages to opt out, or simply asked to leave, many companies are turning to new grads to fill those slots at a cheaper salary than they were paying their longtime loyal employees. Of course, it seems an unfair way to land a job, but it’s the inevitable circle of life these days, so you might as well take advantage of it. Some things to keep in mind…

Companies are still hiring, it’s true: Employers say they will hire about as many new college graduates from the Class of 2009 as they did from the Class of 2008, but plan to keep a watchful eye on those hiring needs, so they can shift gears if necessary, according to the Job Outlook 2009 survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). In such an environment, says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director, “students need to use all the resources available to them to conduct a successful job search, starting with the campus career center.”

Think inside and outside the box. In this case, the box is referring to your computer. You need to diversify the way you market yourself, whether it’s online at job boards, or at social network sites like Twitter (follow us: @collegesurfing), or LinkedIn; or offline at campus recruitment opportunities, job fairs, networking events in your field, or spreading the word to friends. The more you get the word out, the more potential jobs you’ll hear about.

Big opportunities have less to do with salary than you think. I haven’t heard much about students landing six figures and signing bonuses out of college, have you? In other words, keep your expectations down to Earth, and the job offers will come. The most important thing to think about is what a prospective job can do for you beyond your paycheck. Will it get you close to a mentor in the field that you can learn from? Does it serve as a jumping off point to something else you’d like to do down the line? Is it your dream company, and you don’t care how low on the totem pole you start?

Consider both short- and long-term. Despite the last point, money does of course count — let’s be real. The idea is not to think so much about the starting salary offered, that you overlook what that salary has the potential to become over the course of time. Would you rather start off making $35K knowing that the next level up makes $40K and takes a couple of years to reach, or will you take $30K with the promise of a performance review every six months and a better benefits/vacation package? The point is, listen carefully to all offers and then make your decision based on the big picture.

Feeling a little better? I hope you do.

What are your biggest fears about the job market?

The scene was set in the colors of the season, using rich purples and magentas to decorate the penthouse. It was a chic holiday party with Celebrations.com experts lined up and ready to show us all of the tricks of the trade. It was especially great talking to these experts. Not only did they give me some great holiday decorating and cooking ideas, but they also enlightened me on how they got involved in party planning!

From Business to Mixology
LeAnne Shear and Tracey Toomey greeted me as I walked into the penthouse. They were excited to show me their latest drink concoctions, which included a yummy spicy margarita – perfect for the Fall holidays.

I spoke to Shear who told me that she didn’t actually begin in event planning. In fact, she started out in business, decided that she hated it, quit her job, and went on to tend bar full-time. Her parents, she says, of course freaked out. But Shear says it was worth it because she was able to find her true passion this way – not to mention a business partner in Toomey. The two met “behind the bar” and went on to write two books, with the latest being Cocktail Therapy where they advise a different cocktail for every life’s event. These are Celebrations.com’s cocktail therapists.

A Different Kind of Help
Julie Mulligan had a multitude of suggestions to use throughout the house in the holidays. And like Shear, she didn’t exactly start out on the event planning route either. Mulligan completed her undergraduate studies in social work, but after a while realized that she was much more suited for a creative career in flowers and decorating. It seems this gene was in the family, as her brother started 1-800-Flowers. She now works alongside her brother and serves as the floral lifestyle expert on Celebrations.com.

While at the party, she showed me how to make a beautiful arrangement with asparagus and used an actual apple as a candle holder for tealights. Her ideas were so creative and lots of fun for the holidays! Who knew that a social worker would turn her passion and creativity into a great career?!

Catering Creativity
Who else can say they have such a fun job like event planning for the stars as Andrea Correale? She started her full-service catering company, Elegant Affairs, as a teenager more than 15 years ago and has never looked back. Correale says that she always knew that she wanted to do this kind of work and was able to work very hard to achieve her goals. She has worked with celebrities and her work has appeared on television and in newspapers and magazines. I loved her star-shaped beets with goat cheese and balsamic glaze, as well as her pear-shaped mashed potatoes. They were so adorable!

All these ladies are certainly experts in their fields and have demonstrated great drive and determination to get where they are today. The lessons I could take away were not only great event planning strategies, which can definitely be found on their website, but also that it’s OK to be a career switcher or to really go after what you want. And when you do you can sit back, relax, and maybe even become an event planner!

-Amanda Fornecker