What the Democratic Primaries Tell Us About Sending Kids to College

Is there a connection? I mean, beyond the "where did the candidates go to school" or the "who's got the better plan for student loans" stuff?

Yes. The future will not be televised: it's online.

Barack Obama scored what some are calling a huge upset -- in fact, I'd put it up there with the most recent Super Bowl. (18-1 has become an iconic set of numbers.) Not supposed to be on the same field with the presumptive nominee, young, inexperienced. Overmatched.

It's what Senator Obama did online to organize, recruit, keep people engaged, and stay on message -- that's where the upset really wasn't an upset.

The Democratic Nominee's camp knows what some colleges and universities know too well: it's never over, this recruiting cycle. He got the youth mobilized online and kept them energized online. Their "CRM" was constant, personalized and, above all, relevant.

Sen. Obama's strategy was ignored by all other Dems. In fact, dare I say it was ignored by all other candidates -- save for Ron Paul, a subject for another day.

And, as of today, there are close to 1 Million Fans of Obama on Facebook.

Ignore the Internet at your own peril, o college bound student, parent, and administrator.

We're getting close to 100,000...

Wow. What a response from the U Sphere community to our contest with Brickfish and the JMC Academy in Australia.

We are inching closer and closer to 100,000. This is just from digital artists and those who want to study in Australia -- so those who are entering represent just a small slice of the U Sphere populace (SAT word). For instance, in the US alone, 2 million students will start college for the first time this fall.

So obviously we have just scratched the surface of those who want colleges to compete over them.

Anyway, you're probably wondering what's next. Ahoy, people, this is just the first of lots in store. It is only September after all.

And if you're NOT an art person, don't do photography, not an animator...well, there are schools out there as part of the U Sphere universe that are looking for you.

Which Comes First: The College Application OR The College Visit?

Great question from the peanut gallery -- specifically, the parent of a high schooler in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Or Obamaville to some.)

Jill F. of Chicago asks: "What's your view on visiting colleges before you apply vs. after you've been accepted?"

Pluses on visiting before you apply:

1. Many schools consider that "first contact" and track your interest when you visit. So you can be on their radar screen early.
2. Some schools will throw you a bone if you visit first -- Florida Institute of Technology drops about 3000 bucks off tuition if you have visited the school. (Goofy, I know, but true.)
3. Good to winnow down your list before you apply...a Saturday spent touring a school that you thought you'd like might yield a big fat "NO" from the student -- before you have to waste time on the application.

Pluses on waiting til after you accepted:

1. The first contact thing above is becoming less of a factor -- one school (a selective private one in Indiana, name withheld) reported that 30% of their applicants' first contact with the school was the application itself.
2. Leverage. Your interest in the school is hereby confirmed if you walk into their Financial Aid office with the acceptance letter in tow.
3. If you wait til afterwards, it becomes MORE about "fit." I think that's a big plus -- instead of thinking "could I get in here?," the pressure is off and the visit becomes all about "will I fit in here?"

GREAT question (thanks Jill).

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.)