You're IN

Found an interesting tool online at the University of North Dakota web page.

They have an admissions estimator that is actually just a very simple matrix of whether or not you'd get in based on SAT or ACT score and HS GPA.

Take a look: Admissions Estimator.

How to Save Money on College

Boy, this sounds like a weighty topic, but it's not, really. Not totally. All you have to do is stumble upon some deals...for instance:

University of West Florida. It's in Pensacola and they offer a semi-reciprocal agreement with residents of Alabama.

New Mexico State University has a similar arrangement with a few counties in Texas: those surrounding El Paso, which is one of the largest cities in the USA.

Louisiana-Lafayette happens to discount its tuition rather deeply for high-performers from virtually any state in the country.

And then there's our friends from SAGE Scholars, whose program is geared more for private colleges, but is still worth taking advantage of (if you're a parent, or if you've got a few years before college).

Native Studies at U Alberta

We bumped into this program and it looks extremely interesting -- especially if you are Native American/American Indian or, as it would be in Canada, either "Native" or "First Nations."

U Alberta is rapidly gaining in the "reputation" category, and this particular program has extended its application deadline to July 1.

Read on: U Alberta.

Why My Brother's Alma Mater is Changing its Name

Money.

Does that make it a bad thing?

Oh, if you want to know what I'm talking about, check out Inside Higher Ed today -- where they talk about Tri-State University and a large donation from the Trine family.

(BTW, great little school in Northeastern Indiana.)

Like the NFL Draft, but different...

Cincinnati Enquirer has a note today about "Academic Signing Day" -- clever idea to borrow off the National Letter of Intent Day that college-bound athletes use. Read more here: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/EDIT01/705030313/1090/EDIT

I like it, I like it, I like it...

Nothing against athletes, but I actually talked to a guy who said that his son would have had colleges falling all over him -- if he were a mediocre pitcher. But, since he's not -- he just manages to conquer just about every other subject with ease, writes music, papers, etc., well he's out of luck.