Monday, July 23, 2007

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.)

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Sunday, July 01, 2007

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)

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