Iowa College Tours

Navigatio traveled to the heartland this month discovering two colleges in Iowa worth talking about!

Cornell College (1200 students) is located in the Mayberry-esque town of Mount Vernon, Iowa. Quaintly perched on a hill, Cornell is tidy with uniform brick buildings and trees and grass dotting the landscape.  A student designed Frisbee golf course wends its way throughout the campus. 

One great aspect of Cornell is their relationship with Mount Vernon.  Their library, containing a charming children’s area serves as the Mount Vernon public library.  Locals, young & old attend sporting and cultural events on campus.

Cornell’s big draw and what sets it apart is its “One Class At a Time” curriculum, known as OCAT.   Courses run for 31/2 weeks with 4 days off in between, and require students to be motivated learners.     OCAT is not just a curriculum choice - it defines the campus culture.  Classes are from 9-11a.m. or 1-3 p.m., and after three, the campus is abuzz with students doing what they love, with over 120 student organizations on campus.  The amount of flexibility through this type of curriculum is notable. It’s certainly not for everyone, but works for those who enjoy a deep look at one subject at a time.     Cornell is intrinsically friendly and active, a good place for inquisitive minds. (A Colleges That Change Lives school: http://www.ctcl.org/)

Another interesting Iowa find is Grinnell College (1600 students), located in residential Grinnell, a typical Iowa town with a nice historical area.

Grinnell is highly selective, drawing from across the country and the world. 12% of their students are international and the unifying themes for Grinnell students are global peace & justice issues. Grinnell offers numerous language study options, complete with housing.

 

Known for their large endowment, Grinnell boasts generous financial aid packages. Grinnell alumni are a successful and benevolent group as evidenced by the number of new buildings funded by them.

 Activities abound at Grinnell with weekly cinema nights, comedy events and big name bands routinely appearing on campus.

Like Cornell, Grinnell is closely tied to their community.  The “Neverland Club” goes into  local schools helping students write stories,  turning them into one act plays.  The football team visits local schools for “read and recess” in which they read to the kids and then go out to recess with them. 

These Iowa jewels weave everyday student life into the community around them, providing solid academics and social stimulation, and both Grinnell and Cornell are worth a good look!

http://www.grinnell.edu/
http://www.cornellcollege.edu/

Contact us directly for more specific information: http://www.navcc.net/

Summer Enrichment: Spanish Immersion Opportunity

                Full language immersion pushes a student’s brain far beyond classroom learning, and the language mecca of Antigua, Guatemala is a perfect place to dive into Spanish.  Students travel from all corners of the globe to learn to speak, read, write and LIVE the Spanish language, making Antigua a truly international destination.   With more than 70 language schools, featuring “host family” opportunities, classes happen in lush garden settings with one-on-one instruction.  Many students also get professional internships in Antigua, making the trek to Central America twice as meaningful!

                Antigua was once the capital of Guatemala, and the rich history of this charming, cobblestone laden colonial town seeps into every aspect of life.  Exploring the ruins of Antigua fires the imagination with thoughts of a world that existed 500 years ago, one of the seeds of our own culture,  making Antigua a fascinating backdrop for Spanish immersion.

 The people are friendly and welcoming, and the town is known to be a safe environment.  Guatemalans are tickled when people come to their country to learn their language and share their culture, and show their appreciation readily.  Fireworks can be heard at dawn on a daily basis because the people of Guatemala celebrate the beginning of each new day as a blessing, and that attitude is abundantly clear to anyone who visits. 

                Navigatio College Consulting recently traveled to Antigua, for a close-up look at the language immersion programs where we saw students touring ruins, noshing in restaurants, haggling in the marketplace, doing what students do, all while chattering away in Spanish.  One student we met was learning to cook Guatemalan food from his host mother.  These are just a few reasons why Antigua is a perfect destination for high school and college students (and  beyond!) eager to learn Spanish. 

A couple of schools we like: Spanish Academy Sevilla (http://www.sevillantigua.com/)
                                              La Union Spanish School (http://www.launion.edu/)

Contact us for more info: Navigatio@navcc.net

College Search Tips

A College Fairy Tale

Once upon a time in California, high school students could confidently apply exclusively to state schools knowing they would get a solid education at a good price.  Unfortunately, as the all too frequent news stories report, that time is gone… lost in an unwieldy, overburdened system.  Tuitions are rising, classes and courses of study are being cut, and campuses are restricting enrollment.  Sadly, California’s master plan for public higher education has been deeply compromised. 

This means many students need to cast a wider net in their college search, looking beyond the state schools for more choices.  The good news is there are thousands of options out there that are both rich with opportunity and financially accessible. 

How does one go about finding those choices? 

Thankfully, there are a lot of resources at your disposal.  Online, there are numerous sites such as CollegeBoard.com, Cappex.com, and CollegeProwler.com. Published guides abound, including the Fiske Guide to Colleges, and College Board’s Book of Majors and Meeting College Costs.  And there are professional college consultants who are able to help you navigate the selection, application, and financial aid process.

What are some criteria to consider?

The most important thing is to find a school that is a good “fit.”  That includes the following:

·       Academics – Is the college strong in the areas of study that interest you?  How do your grades and test scores compare with other students applying?

·       Location – Do you want to be in a city, suburban, small town, or rural environment?  What about weather?  Are there regions of the country that appeal to you more than others?  How far away from home do you want to be?

·       Size – Part of the personality of a school is determined by its size.  Large schools offer greater course selection, increased diversity of students, and big ticket sporting and entertainment events.  Small schools offer smaller class sizes, better opportunities to interface with professors, and a strong sense of connection to the school as a whole. 

Of course one of the most important factors in the selection process is the financial fit.  Therefore, consider the following:

·       Determine your family’s expected financial contribution (EFC).  All college and university websites should offer an on-line calculator to help you do this, or you can go to Aidcalc.com.

·       If your EFC is low, search for schools that meet 100% of need.

·       If your EFC is high, concentrate on schools that offer merit scholarships that your student is likely to receive.

·       Ideally, find schools that offer both!

·       In addition, look at universities that participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange program.  Tuition for CA students is 150% of their in-state tuition for qualified students.  For more information go to wiche.edu/wue.

Moral of this story: There are still wonderful choices out there that will fit your academic, social, geographic, and financial needs… helping put your student on the road to happily ever after.

Written by: Marian Motz & Anne Morris Vogel
                   Navigatio College Consulting, www.navcc.net