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Blog
By Dave Tomar
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This is the spot for critical resources, helpful tips, and interesting articles to help students navigate their higher education journey.

There’s a lot more to the college experience than just classes. We’ve got tips and insights to help you survive and thrive in college, whether you’re one of countless freshmen just learning how to balance your classes with your newfound freedom or you’re curious about additional resources on campus; whether you’re preparing for your first semester of online classes or speeding toward graduation.

Our student life blog covers everything you need to know about preparing for, surviving in, and graduating from college. We also cover campus issues that matter to you like student loan debt; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), health and wellness, and much more.

Read on for helpful tips, critical resources, and all kinds of interesting articles on student life.

For aspiring college students still navigating the application process, jump right to our College Search Guide to find the best school for you.


Student Life

We admit, student life covers a lot of ground. But of course, as a college student, you also cover a lot of ground. On any given week, you may be managing half-a-dozen due dates, meeting with professors during office hours, discussing next semester’s schedule with your academic advisor, participating in campus clubs, and sharpening your real world skills with an internship. In other words, you’ve got a ton on your plate.

We’re here to help you balance it all. Read on for our look at everything from college prep to declaring your major and beyond.

College Prep

If you’re just embarking on your college education, we’ve got all the tips and advice you need. Check out these helpful checklists and resources.

You can also start with our College Planning Resource Guide.

Online College Life

More students than ever before are pursuing their college degrees online. That’s why we’re so focused on sharing our extensive knowledge of online education. For many students, online education is a big adjustment.

We offer advice on everything from taking notes in online lectures to remaining motivated in the absence of other students to learning how to communicate better with your teachers through online channels. Read on for a complete look at the college experience for online students

Get started with our Online Education Guide.


College Survival

The goal of college is to do more than just survive. You’re there to thrive. But that starts by being prepared for the many challenges college will throw your way, from dealing with odd professors to dropping classes to holding down a job while keeping your grades up. Read on for all kinds of tips to help you on the road ahead.

Naturally, a big part of your survival will depend on your ability to manage your classes. Check out our huge library of study guides, tips, and tools for more.

You can also start with our comprehensive Guide to Surviving College.

Choosing a Major

Deciding on a degree program is a major decision (pun intended). We’ve got resources designed to help you choose a major that matches both your personal area of interest and your long-term career plans. Read on for other ways of selecting your area of study.

You can begin with our list of college subjects to major in.

If you already know what you want to major in but you’re still shopping around for schools, you can start your search by looking at the best schools for your degree program.


Campus Issues

Dig into some of the most pressing issues impacting students today like the high cost of college, the financial crisis impacting small colleges, the rise of student cheating, and more.

Fun and Games

College is about a lot more than just classes. If you’re doing it right, you should also be getting a healthy dose of fun in. Whether you study abroad, participate in fun campus traditions, or attend sporting events, one of your top assignments as a college student is to have a good time. We do our best to cover this very important part of the college experience.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

We are committed to supporting the goals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by providing students and educators with resources that might help advance these causes. Read on to view our growing library of features spotlighting diversity issues in higher education.

For educators interested in learning more, start with a look at our DEI Statements Faculty Guide: How to Write a Great Diversity Statement.


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Health and Wellness

Succeeding in your education also means taking good care of yourself. From getting good sleep and managing stress to understanding the latest in community health rules for your campus, health and wellness are a major part of the college experience. Check out our tips and resources, and stay on top of your health.

College and COVID-19

Interviews

For a deeper dive on compelling topics in disciplines like economics, physics, political science, criminal justice, education and so much more, get lost in our extensive media library, featuring countless interviews with scholars, experts and legends in countless fields of education.

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Topics in Influence

At Academic Influence, we stand apart from other college ranking groups by using a metric called influence. Institutions are ranked based on the influence of the students, alumni, and professors affiliated with these schools. But our powerful proprietary algorithm can be used to measure influence in countless areas beyond higher education. Check out our Methodology to learn more about Influence Ranking.

Otherwise, check out these interesting applications for our Influence Ranking algorithm.

You can also see how we use Influence Rankings to help you find the best school for you!

Or leverage our algorithm to enhance your college search with our growing collection of school search tools.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here