MOO. It can help U. (Or, another way to keep your name in front of colleges)

One of my personal favorite startups is a company called MOO.

The Moo Minicards were the belles of the ball at the OACAC conference. (Or maybe it's just that I have cute kids.)

But here's why I'm telling you about it: their Minicards would REALLY be cool if used at college fairs. BY STUDENTS.

Here's how it works:

(1) Upload a picture of you doing something that shows what makes you tick. Or put a clever image that you've designed. Or do something else -- heck, they're your cards, people. Try this:











(2) Then, on the back, write something clever about yourself:

"Here's me, with three friends, and we've just left a service project in Appalachia. Oh and I have a 4.0 at my school, and I'm on the basketball team, and I really want to be a research scientist."

(3) Put contact info that's just this simple:

"I'm David V., visit me at www.usphere.com/davidv." You'd of course use your U Sphere username.

That last part will give them access to your profile -- but only if they're either a college admissions person or YOUR high school counselor.

You're all set. Order a bunch of these just in time for the college fair circuit, where you can wow the admissions folks, show that you're cutting edge, and use environmentally sound principles in the process. (As only MOO would.)

(And just when I get done singing their praises in Vancouver -- where U Sphere handed out a few hundred cute little cards, with my kids' pics on the back and our contact info on the front -- they change the game again. With stickers. We'll cross that bridge later.)

Digital Natives Going to College

More notes from Vancouver's session with the International folk:

Shaun McElroy, a counselor in Shanghai (and blogger about all things relevant to the international student here), was co-presenting a session on Web 2.0 in college admissions. One implication for BOTH sides of the audience (college/university personnel AND the counselors on the high school side): the realization that "digital natives" are by and large taking over the college-bound set.

If you're new to the terms "digital native" and "digital immigrant" -- well, they are as they sound. Digital natives have always grown up with stuff that's electronic. Digital immigrants remember putting film into cameras. Things like that.

Leading us to another possible extension of this term: "facebook natives" and "facebook immigrants."

The natives were the early adopters who HAD to have a "dot-edu" email address to use facebook (so that, ironically, they could stop reading email and JUST use facebook to communicate). The immigrants -- I'm one of them, I'll admit -- are the ones who have just recently been allowed into the facebook universe.

AND then there's those who make up fake names for themselves (more popular on mySpace than facebook)...would those be "facebook aliens?"

This college-bound set would include, then, digital natives who are, theoretically, facebook immigrants. They're trying to connect most efficiently with digital natives (who recruit for colleges) who might work for a digital immigrant.

txt me if this doesn't make sense.

Who Was Simon Fraser, Anyway?

More from British Columbia...

Yesterday's session here with the Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling was at Simon Fraser University. Great place with a post-modern/60s architecture that was used as the backdrop for the FBI on the TV Show "The X Files."

Simon Fraser himself was an explorer who emigrated from Scotland to America and ended up in Canada. There's a wonderful Scottish connection to the whole place...the University has a number of Study Abroad program options with Universities in Scotland.

BTW, want more info on Scotland's push to get more students from everywhere -- all continents, especially Africa and Asia, but they're not ignoring North America -- you can see about a unique post-study work programme here: Scotland Is The Place.

And, as they say just about everywhere here, and there, "cheers."

Greetings from Vancouver - Where Education Is Global

Hi from Vancouver, on the campus of the University of British Columbia. We're here, stumping for the U Sphere cause, talking to the college admissions community from throughout the world. Some notes:

1. UBC is gorgeous, and there's a ton being done to make it even more gorgeous. Worthy of the title "Canadian Ivy."
2. It's becoming a global village. UBC's President, Dr. Stephen Toope, spoke today about becoming global without cramming globalism down everyone's throats. Great talk, pretty brilliant guy.
3. Keep in mind this fact - the right school is out there for everyone. For instance, there are schools that you may have never heard of that are here to make sure they get the right students from countries you have never been to.

More to come from here over the next few days.

News for those who are trying too hard

Ah yes, in this YouTube era it's really possible for everyone to have their moment in the sun. But it's possible to try TOO hard.

I have stumbled upon too many videos - I won't name names - that were created to look like they WEREN'T put together by professionals.

And too many pseudo-creations from corporate entities that take anthropomorphism to an odd level - creating mascots that look like they're real people (or animals or whatever) and hope to spread their virus like a, well, virus.

What's the lesson here? Don't try too hard to appear that you aren't trying. If you don't look the part, you can't pretend to look the part.

Absent a real story to tell, your story will not look or sound authentic. Trust me.

Colleges with Block Scheduling Becoming More Popular

Here's an update for students who are looking for a different college or university experience:

Block scheduling became popular several years ago, with Colorado College leading the pioneering idea of students taking only one class for a 3 1/2 week period, then taking the next class, and so on...so you still get your ten courses, just one at a time.

Thanks to NY-based educational consultant Allen Tinkler for this list of schools in North America that have block schedules:

Colorado College (Colorado)
Cornell College (Iowa)
Maharishi University (Iowa)
Tusculum College (Tennessee)
University of Montana Western (a U Sphere Fave)
Prescott College (Arizona)
Quest University Canada (British Columbia)

Evergreen State College (Washington State)
(One Interdisciplinary Program each quarter)

Hofstra University (NY)
(First year only for New College division)