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Syracuse University ranks as No. 1 party school

By WTOP Staff

CAROLYN THOMPSON
Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse University has claimed the title of nation’s top party school.

The No. 1 ranking was revealed Monday by The Princeton Review based on a nationwide survey of 130,000 students.

Syracuse’s student newspaper ranked second best among the 379 colleges surveyed, and its sports scene, rated third best, likely helped the party mood.

University officials were disappointed by the private university’s showing in the 2015 edition of “The Best 379 Colleges.” The book contains 62 top-20 lists gauging student satisfaction with professors, financial aid awards, athletic facilities, food and other factors.

“We do not aspire to be a party school,” Syracuse said in a statement citing its “long-established reputation for academic excellence with programs that are recognized nationally and internationally as the best in their fields.”

Rounding out the top 5 party schools were: the University of Iowa (last year’s winner), the University of California-Santa Barbara, West Virginia University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Repeating at the top of the “stone-cold sober” schools was Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Syracuse’s central New York neighbor Colgate University topped the list of most beautiful campuses. The university of Chicago was found to have the best college library, and students voted Virginia Tech’s dining hall offerings as the best campus food.

Other No. 1 spots: Stanford University in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-friendly category; Elon University in North Carolina as best-run college; Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, for its dorms; and Yale University for best newspaper.

“Our purpose is not to crown one college ‘best’ overall or to rank these distinctive schools 1 to 379 on any single topic,” said Princeton Review senior vice president Robert Franek. “We present our 62 ranking lists to give applicants the broader base of campus feedback to choose the college that’s best for them.”

Northeastern University in Boston took the No. 1 spot on the list of best career services. Oregon’s Reed College topped the list of best professors, and the happiest students were found at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, according to the rankings.

An average of 343 students per campus were asked 80 questions about their schools and themselves during the 2013-14 and/or previous two school years. With no affiliation to Princeton University, the Natick, Massachusetts-based Princeton Review has published “The Best 379 Colleges” since 1992.

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Online: www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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