Fundraising events are popular activities in many learning institutions. Besides being fun, student-led fundraising can help raise money for various worthwhile causes. The proceeds could go toward student programs and classroom resources, or they could be used to support charitable efforts. In addition, students who hold their own fundraising events gain valuable leadership experience. This sort of effort is a fantastic way of bringing communities together and giving back to society. However, planning a fundraising event can be rather daunting if you’ve never done it before. A lot of commitment, time and effort are required to pull it off. If you’re wondering how to go about the whole process, here are some helpful tips.

Set Goals

Establishing a financial goal is the first step in organizing a successful fundraising event. Defining the scope is vital, and it can help you choose reasonable and achievable objectives. Don’t set the bar too high to reach. Engage other team members in this decision. Everyone should participate if you want them to feel comfortable enough to fully take part in the plan. Once your financial objective is clear, your next goal will be figuring out ways to attain it.

Make a Record Book

Your goals, plans, strategies and expectations ought to be recorded. Organizers who don’t follow this precept generally come to regret the oversight. The lack of clear records often leads to confusion. In fact, keeping all the documentation information straight is a common fundraising problem. Remember that clear documentation is as important as planning and establishing your fundraising goals. Properly recording results can help measure the performance of your efforts and strategies. The only way to keep track of your fundraising progress is by maintaining accurate and detailed notes.

Set Times and Dates for Your Activities

Whether your fundraising program entails selling items, performing, walking or providing volunteer community services, you must decide on when to hold your activities. You don’t want them to unnecessarily conflict with your school schedule. It’s crucial to determine the best time for your fundraising and ensure you incorporate it into the school calendar so that everyone knows about it.

Fundraising programs play an essential role in many schools and produce beneficial results. Besides raising funds, such an event can help students enhance their leadership experience. It can also teach them how to relate to the world at large. However, running a successful student-led fundraiser can be challenging. Following these tips will help the process run much more smoothly.

Here’s another article you might like: 4 Tips on How to Stand Out as a Leader in High School

Do you enjoy spending time creating art, music, or simply dabbling in creative hobbies? Does time seem to pass extremely quickly when you are enjoying yourself in the process of creation? If you consider yourself the creative type, there are a few career fields that are likely to result in a lifetime of feeling passionate, fulfilled, and content with your life path after high school.

Art

If you enjoy colorful art and getting creative, consider working towards a career as an illustrator, animator, or even a graphic designer. Keep in mind that there are different steps to become a graphic designer. You will need to familiarize yourself with various art styles, the history of art, and different design programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

Graphic designers have the ability to work independently as a professional or they have the opportunity to work for a local design and marketing agency, depending on their skills and professional preferences. As a graphic designer, help small businesses, other individuals, marketing agencies, or even entrepreneurs spread their own messages, campaigns, and advertisements to the world.

Music

Going into music is also a great way to find a passion career that is not only rewarding but also enjoyable and satisfying. Working as a musician, playing in a band, creating beats and melodies, or even songwriting can all become lucrative careers with the right skills and connections. Whether you have a knack for creating songs from scratch, remixing music, or even coordinating musical events, concerts, and gatherings, there are plenty of musical careers that are perfect for individuals with a creative side.

Writing

Writing is another creative outlet that is optimal for creative and passionate individuals. Becoming a copywriter, an editor, a fiction writer, or even an investigative journalist are all career options for the individual with a writer’s spirit.

As a writer, you have the ability to work independently as a remote worker or even as an individual publisher. You can also work for local newspapers, publications, and even writing agencies that specialize in topics and content you prefer to cover. Working as a writer provides maximum freedom and flexibility, especially as you work to develop and hone in on your writing skills in any market or industry that is right for you.

Taking the time to research and compare your options when you are considering a creative career path can ultimately help you to find a career choice that is extremely rewarding, satisfying, and entirely fulfilling for years or decades to come.

While you might not have paid much attention, you might have heard something in the past couple of years about some scandal involving Facebook and a company called Cambridge Analytica. The basic problem was that Cambridge Analytica supposedly violated Facebook user’s provacy rights in order to sell political ads.

Did you know, however, that this is very commonplace? Anywhere you share your data, such as social media, and even most websites you visit, can track your activity — and then this information can be sold to third parties who want to know more about you. Even colleges use this data!

We interviewed Joe Korfmacher, Director of Collegewise, to find out exactly how colleges track students and what this can mean for students when they apply to these schools for admission.

How are colleges tracking students?

It’s important to know that colleges have long tracked potential applicants. Whether by having families complete paper registration forms at college campus tours, or taking note of email correspondence between admissions counselor and applicant, tracking applicants has been happening for a long time in college admissions. Also, the two testing agencies for college admissions, College Board (SAT) and the ACT have long sold student data to colleges.

However, as technology improves, so does the way in which many colleges use this technology to track students. While the ‘older’ forms of tracking still exist, many colleges now also use various CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems to track student data and communicate with students throughout the admissions process. For example, the school’s website might utilize ‘cookies’ to gather and store information from the IP address of the person browsing the site, and add that information to the student’s name and email they receive when the student completes an ‘applicant registration’ form to sign-up for information or college tours. With the student’s name, email address, and IP address, the college has all they need to track and communicate with the student.

Is there any specific piece of technology they are using which you can name?

While there are many CRM’s that colleges use, some of the most common are: UCapture, Slate, Salesforce, and Ruffalo Noel Kevitz. Also, as mentioned before, College Board and ACT charge colleges nearly 50 cents per student for contact information from PSAT or pre-ACT exams, so colleges can begin reaching out to them as early as sophomore year.

What are they doing with this information?

Colleges want this information for two main reasons: to engage with students and to track their interest in the school. Student data is very valuable, as it allows colleges to connect with students who may not have heard of them, and it gives them the opportunity to pitch their school. Also, an important metric in college admissions and rankings is what is called the ‘yield rate’. This is the percent of students who attend a given college out of the total number accepted. While a school like Harvard has a yield rate in the mid to upper 80th percentile, the national yield average is 26%. Schools have the ability to track how often and for how long a student visits their website, opens their emails, follow them on social media, etc. This will help colleges determine how much interest an applicant has in their school.

Which schools are doing this?

While most colleges will track students in one way or another, a recent study showed that only about 50 colleges utilize the ‘cookies’ function on their website to track students and collect student data.

What can students do to prevent being tracked?

If a student truly does not want to be tracked by colleges, they would need to avoid online communication with the schools and admissions counselors. They may want to use a school computer or one at their local library so colleges don’t have access to their personal IP address. However, in many ways, if a student is very interested in a college,  and the college can track that interest, it can help a student in admissions.

How does this affect students and their chances for an education?

It varies from college to college. Schools that are the most selective tend to have enough applicants and a large enough endowment where they do not need to track student interest or ability to pay. However, colleges that are less selective or have to work to meet their enrollment goals from year to year will absolutely closely track student interest, and can potentially track them or their parents to find out how much they can afford.

Tuition-driven colleges will want to ensure they are accepting enough students that can pay the full amount or a good portion of it. If this is the case, students who do not interact enough with colleges online or who may rely on financial aid to fund their education, potentially could be negatively affected in this process.

Do you feel this is a fair system or unfair and why?

Unfortunately, college is a business, and part of an admissions counselor’s job is to promote their school and make sure they bring in enough students from year to year. In an ideal world, all colleges would admit or deny students based solely on merits and personal attributes alone (not their ability to demonstrate interest or to pay for college), but for the foreseeable future, this is how the process works.

I don’t think it is fair, especially to students from disadvantaged communities or lower social economic status, but it’s the reality of the current state of college admissions.

Do you know of any stories or personal anecdotes of affected students we can share with our readers?

A few years ago, I counseled a student who applied to only four colleges: Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Michigan. He was very bright and well qualified for all of these universities, but he knew his chances of getting into more than one or two was very slim. The admit rates for each school are as follows: Stanford (4%), Harvard (5%), MIT (8%), and Michigan (29%). Eventually, he was admitted into three schools and denied from one. The one he was denied from was Michigan–the one with the far higher admit rate. When I contacted the school to find out why my student was denied, they said he never showed interest. He never visited, attended an info session in his area, or contacted admissions, and they didn’t want to ‘waste’ an acceptance on a student who likely had other options.

There are many reasons to consider taking an online college course prior to graduating high school. It is a great way to get a jumpstart on earning college credit. Online courses can also prepare you for what you will encounter in a typical college class. However, you should be aware of the differences between taking a class online and taking one on campus. It pays to familiarize yourself with the features of the virtual classroom.

Online Communication

Learning how to navigate the course is key to success in the virtual classroom. Instructors will expect you not just to log in but also to engage with others. Participation requires that you communicate with other students in the course message board or chat room. Instructors will often post a question and expect a response from every student. Likewise, you may be expected to communicate with the instructor directly throughout the course via email or its internal message system.

Course Materials Platform

Online courses typically come with tools that guide you through the course material. These resources often include navigation areas, such as those found on some websites. When you dig deeper into the course, you may find that its information is organized into modules. These modules resemble units in a textbook, each with its own course objectives. Sometimes, the only way to progress to the next module is to successfully complete the requirements of the preceding one. Be sure to keep pace.

Webinars

Some online classes include opportunities to interact in real time with your instructor and peers. These webinars often require the use of a headset or webcam. Some students prefer live webinars as they feel as if they are in a physical classroom. These students find that they learn best in a live environment, while others prefer to review video and audio lectures after the fact. You should decide what is most conducive to your particular learning style.

A myth persists that online courses are easy. This is not so. Universities require most online classes to duplicate the work requirements found in their brick-and-mortar counterparts. You will be reading, taking quizzes and tests, and interacting with your peers. Online classes also require a slight learning curve the first time you take one. Many students report that enrolling in an online college course is a great way to get a feel for what college is like—while avoiding commuting and lines at the dining hall.

If you’re thinking of continuing your education more after high school, read these tips: Why You Should Continue Your Education After High School

Tests are hard, stressful, and often vitally important to your success as a student. Everyone has his or her own learning style, so it’s important to find the right study methods that work for you. Thankfully, there are lots of resources and strategies available to help people with any kind of test. Here are some strategies to consider as you prepare to get through your next test.

Study Groups

Study groups can be very useful. Working with friends or colleagues, you can prepare review questions, quiz each other, and have an outside party give you advice. Of course, when it comes to these groups, it is very important that you identify people who will contribute to the group as much as they receive. That’s why it is best to only form a study group with people who you know and respect. This will make your study group much more effective and will prevent resentful feelings from forming between group members.

Practice Tests

If possible, take practice tests. The benefit here is twofold. First, they give you another chance to practice your skills and see what areas of content you need to study more. Second, if the practice test is made by the same teacher or company who is giving you a real test, you will get a feel for the types of questions that will be on the exam you’re taking. Practice tests may be available online for bigger, more commonly taken tests. For example, older AP exams are often available on the internet or in a variety of study materials. This will give you a great idea of what sort of questions you can expect on testing day.

YouTube Videos

YouTube videos can be a great help, particularly if you learn best from materials with good visuals or audio. If this is your preferred learning style, see what information you can find about the subject you are taking a test in. Additionally, you may find it helpful to look up information about different learning styles and strategies. A good YouTube video can give you extensive knowledge about how to study.

When it comes to studying, there is some good news: There are lots of resources available to you. Finding these resources and determining what works best for you is just a matter of putting in a little time and effort. If you take advantage of the steps above, you are very likely to improve your ultimate test performance.

If you’re unsure about what to do after graduating high school but know you want to find some type of meaningful work, you should look into online degrees. As long as you find the right institution, these can be as valid as any degree with a traditional institution. In fact, many esteemed universities also have online degree programs. Plus, the flexibility of scheduling makes it far easier to hold down a job while going to school. These are four examples of online degrees worth pursuing.

Computer Science

Computer science degrees can lead you to the greatest financial opportunities. However, studying computer science can be very taxing on your mind. Some of the terminologies might be familiar, but you need to work continuously to find the link between the concepts. Even when you receive your degree, you’ll need to stay up-to-date on terms and new trends in the industry. By studying computer science, you can unravel some of the mysteries of technology and see how what might’ve previously seemed to be magic are actually just the result of concentration and ingenuity.

Social Work

An online social work degree can help prepare you for a career of advocating for others. In this field, you can help people dealing with problems related to things like mental health and substance abuse. Though you can get this degree online, you should find ways to get in-person experience working with people. This is a field that requires a strong spirit and a desire to help others. The rewards of social work might not immediately strike you, but as long as you’re able to show you care through words and actions, you’ll be a star example of who to emulate.

Healthcare Degrees

Working in healthcare doesn’t mean you have to go to medical school and become a doctor. The demand for jobs in healthcare-related industries is always growing, which means you have a high chance of immediately getting hired in related field after acquiring a healthcare degree. Some of the online degrees you can get in this field include medical coding, pharmacy technology, and medical case management. All of these and more can be part of saving people’s lives and leading to the overall betterment of our society

Accounting

An accounting degree is an ideal thing to pursue an online degree, as it doesn’t require having an in-person instructor in order to get points across. If you’re mathematically minded and have a good sense of focus, you’d be a great accountant. Accuracy is one of the most important skills of an accountant, as losing track of one calculation could put an entire process in jeopardy. Your thinking cap will always need to be on as an accountant, no matter what route of accounting you take, it should stay tightly on throughout your career. 

The online setting changes the educational structure somewhat, but it does not it with something insufficient. You’ll have to put the same amount of effort into your studies whether you’re attending lectures in an auditorium or following along from your home computer. When you’re serious about your degree, you can come out with the skills to gain a career that gives you passion. 

Read more in 5 Habits You Can Begin Now to Give You a Head Start in College.

Are you wondering if pursuing a law degree is worth it? The rise of college tuition and lower demand in the market is only magnifying the importance of this question. Some of the most important things you should know while considering a career in law are listed below.

Majors

Before you can get into law school, you must first go through an undergraduate program. Often, people make the mistake of thinking that because they aren’t yet in law school, any major they choose will be okay. Technically most majors will allow you to complete this requirement, but you must also keep in mind your grade point average. Law school acceptance rates are well below 20 percent, which means even students with 3.8 GPA will often be denied admission. 

So, what major should you choose for the best chance of admission? History is considered to be the best major to pursue; data on College Consensus shows that history majors have an 85 percent rate of acceptance into a law school.

The LSAT

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the nationally accepted entrance exam for all the law schools in the United States and Canada. The exam is separated into two parts, which consist of a multiple-choice section and an essay section. The LSAT is not a test to determine your knowledge of the law; instead, it tests how you analyze it. As you may know, practicing law requires a lot of reading, code-breaking and explaining. Therefore, according to the University of Massachusetts, law schools want to know if you have strengths in those skill areas. The best way to prepare for this type of exam is to go over practice tests and seek additional information regarding the exam’s structure.

Law School

When it comes to choosing the right law school, there are a few things to keep in mind. One of the most common issues that students face is the distance of the school from their home. The fact is that the farther you are from home, the more expensive it is and distant you’ll be from your family and friends. When it comes to choosing the right place to learn, you should also consider its track record. According to Gomez Trial Attorneys, law school is an intense study of the law that applies to certain situations. A deep understanding of the law prepares law students to represent clients who need legal help. Although most schools will provide you with the basics, you might want to look for one that goes above and beyond with their teaching styles.

Careers

Contrary to what television shows tend to portray, not all attorneys are constantly in the courtroom battling it out. Fortunately, this means there are a variety of legal careers to choose from. Some of those include being a private consultant to businesses, a professor of law, law firm administrator and banker. With today’s innovations in technology, most of these jobs can be performed and applied for via the internet.Are you considering a career in law? Practicing law is one of the most revered career paths, and rightfully so. However, before you take the big leap and invest your time and money, it is highly recommended to consider the actions you’ll need to take to accomplish this dream.

A degree is not simply something to do for a period of time after completing high school studies. Whether it is a four-year college or even another degree program, additional education is becoming more and more of a necessity in today’s world. Here are some reasons why you should consider continuing your education after you graduate from high school.

Do You Want a Larger Income?

There are numerous studies that have compared the earnings of those who have college degrees with those who do not. The results of these studies are always unanimous. According to Cornerstone University, those who have college degrees almost always earn larger paychecks than others. Your skills are more marketable, and employers are willing to pay for it. Of course, being able to earn a living no matter what is always a good thing. Your potential to make a living will be even better with advanced education.

Do You Want Better Financial Security?

Once you have an education, it becomes an asset that you own. It is something that will always be yours no matter what happens. This will mean that you will always have something to offer a potential employer. If your current job does not work out for whatever reason, you have something on which you can fall back. Your education will provide a base that you can build on in the future, either in another position or by getting more education. While education is not a guarantee of a future position, it is always a strong factor in your favor when you apply for a position.

Do You Have a Dream?

Many people appreciate education not just for what it can do for their career and earnings, but also for the sake of learning itself. Your learning can become your passion if you find something that truly interests and enchants you. Not only can learning change your life, but it can also help you to fulfill your dreams. You may have a professional aspiration that you will need a degree in order to be able to fulfill. The truth is that education can have any one of a number of benefits for you. 

How Can I Continue My Education?

The good news is that continuing your education is much easier than you ordinarily would have thought. Not only can you attend a four-year college at a traditional campus, but you can also receive an education online at your own pace and leisure. You can take a class every now and then or become a full-time student. Independence University points out that online universities are accredited, offer flexible course schedules, a wide range of programs, and financial aid. It has never been more convenient to receive an education, and you can even take night classes. Additionally, you will find that the amount of offerings has dramatically expanded, meaning that all you have to do is just learn what is out there.

You have every incentive in the world to further your education after high school. Pursuing further education opens you up to a better quality of life, unique life opportunities, and the ability to chase your dreams. The hard part, then, is choosing from all of your options.

Writing papers is a rite of passage for high school and college students throughout the United States. While you may not be a great writer or particularly like to write, learning to do so at an elevated level will make you a better communicator. Here are some serious mistakes to avoid when creating your next composition — your grades will thank you!

Spelling and Grammar Errors

There is no excuse for misspelling a word these days, because in most cases the program that you’re using to write your paper will underline words that are not spelled properly. These programs are also likely point out glaring grammar errors or questionable sentence structures in your prose. It is critical that you don’t make too many spelling or grammar errors as it can undermine your credibility. Your teacher or professor may also take points off for each error that you make, which can have negative consequences on your final grade. 

Plagiarizing

While it is acceptable to quote other people in your paper, it is important that you acknowledge your source with a citation. Copying the work of another author is generally seen as intellectually and academically lazy. Plagiarizing has even more serious consequences if discovered in college essays, such as getting kicked out of your program or being expelled. Even if you aren’t a great writer, it is better to turn in mediocre work that you created as opposed to stealing content that the original author worked hard to create. 

Repeating Yourself Over and Over Again

Every word that you write should add something to the narrative that you are creating. At best, your teacher or professor will catch on to the fact that you’re making the same point in a variety of different ways as a lazy method of reaching your required word or page count, and you’ll get a note about it. At worst, you will be asked to write the paper over again or get a failing grade. If you’re not sure whether your paper is too repetitive, ask a friend or family member to read the paper before you turn it in.

Failing to Stay on Topic

In many cases, you will be assigned a specific paper topic. For instance, you may be asked to analyze the root causes of the Civil War or the works of Mark Twain. It is important that you stay on topic if you hope to get a good grade as your teacher is likely looking to see how well you understand the material. Going off-topic is a good way to show your instructor that you either don’t understand the assignment or that you simply don’t care to follow instructions. Either way, not sticking to the assignment at hand is a quick way to get a poor grade on your paper.

Those who learn how to write well generally have an advantage both in school and in life afterward. Therefore, it is important that you do your best when writing a paper and that you ask for help if you are struggling to create a quality text.
For more helpful writing tips, read this post next: Practical Writing Tips: Ways To Get Higher Grades on Your Papers