1. Overworked: One of the top complaints among today's teachers is how much they are overworked. Teachers of all grade levels find themselves stretched to the max with heavy workloads and demanding expectations by administrators. Most teachers don't have enough time to devote to lesson planning and collaborating with other teachers. The majority of their work time is spent instructing students, which leaves only a few hours to do the rest of their jobs.
2. Underappreciated: Today's teachers often feel underappreciated for their hard work and achievements. Most aren't looking to be named "Teacher of the Year," but they would like their efforts to be recognized by their bosses. Many teachers feel like they can't catch a break from the constant demands and criticisms from their higher-ups. Meanwhile, their accomplishments are often ignored.
3. Underpaid: Another major complaint among today's teachers is their salary. Many teachers feel that they are significantly underpaid for the amount of work they do. On average teachers work about 190 to 225 days per year, and their salaries vary by state, school, district, experience and education level. However, the consensus is that teachers barely earn enough money to support themselves, let alone a family. A salary increase could be the key to attracting new talent to the profession and keeping the good teachers satisfied.
4. Large Class Sizes: Teachers are up in arms over the growing size of classrooms. Large class sizes have made teachers' jobs even harder than before because they are now juggling more students, more distractions and more behavior problems. Students are also disadvantaged by larger class sizes because they don't receive as much one-on-one time with teachers, and they are more likely to get distracted by student disruptions.
5. Student Disengagement: Another complaint among today's teachers is student disengagement. More and more, students are losing interest in school and feeling disconnected to their teachers. Whether it's the growing size of classrooms, limited one-on-one help or the lack of teacher effectiveness, today's students are still struggling with student engagement. Student engagement could be improved through parental involvement, smaller student-to-teacher ratios and more interactive lessons.
6. Lack of Parental Involvement: Today's teachers are upset by the lack of parental involvement in their child's education. Parental involvement has a direct role in student engagement and success. When parents encourage their students to do well in school, assist with schoolwork, communicate with teachers and maintain an active role in their child's academic performance, students will have a better chance at succeeding in school. Parental support and involvement also helps teachers understand students on an individual basis, and makes them more accountable for their actions as well.
7. Standardized Testing Pressures: For decades, teachers have complained about standardized testing and the pressures it puts on them and students. Teachers are overwhelmed by the pressure to meet state standards with test scores, which is then passed on to students. Teachers are also unhappy with the amount of time that's spent teaching test material, which interrupts the flow of the curriculum.
8. Lack of Funding: Another big complaint among today's teachers is a lack of funding in schools. Teachers are going to be even more limited this year now that thousands of schools are facing deeper budget cuts. It's not uncommon for teachers to pay for classroom supplies on their own. A lack of funding has also taken a toll on school programs, student resources and technology that make a big difference in the learning environment and student success.
9. Layoffs: As of lately, layoffs have become one of the biggest complaints among today's teachers, and rightfully so, because most of their jobs are on the chopping block. Teachers of all grade levels and subjects are at risk of being laid off, but first-year teachers are the most vulnerable. Teachers are especially angry because many school districts are cutting jobs based on the number of years they've been teaching and not by teacher performance or student achievement. This unfair layoff system may severely undermine the quality of education in American schools because bad teachers, who just so happen to be tenured, can slip through the cracks.
10. School Schedules/Breaks: Another major complaint among today's teachers is school schedules and breaks. Some teachers want longer class periods or block schedules so they can devote more time to their specific subject, whereas, other teachers want shorter class periods so they don't lose students' attention. Teachers also have differing complaints about breaks and holidays. Some want shorter breaks that can be achieved through quarterly school years, because students won't be as disengaged as they would if they were gone for months at a time. Others want longer breaks with fewer one-day holidays throughout the year.

1. Pick a No. 12 seed to upset a No. 5 seed: As you're about to find out, it's crucial that you familiarize yourself with the yearly trends. A notable one is the frequency at which the No. 12 seed upsets the No. 5 seed. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the No. 5 seed has won 66.35 percent of the time. Think about it — there are four five-versus-twelve matchups, and historically, 33.65 percent of No. 5 seeds win. So it makes sense to pick at least one No. 12 seed to survive and advance. Picking the right one depends on the matchup, injuries and the teams' recent performances.
2. Pick a No. 11 seed to upset a No. 6 seed : Here's another upset that happens quite often. During last season's opening round, it happened twice (Old Dominion knocked off Notre Dame and Washington eliminated Marquette). San Diego State, a top-10 team in 2011, almost made it three out of four, but lost to Tennessee by three points. Interestingly, the No. 6 seed has slightly more success against the No. 11 seed than the No. 5 seed has against the No. 12 seed, winning 68.27 percent of the time.
3. Don't bother picking a No. 15 or No. 16 seed to advance: It's a daring and somewhat trendy thing to do, but it's a fool's errand. A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed. There have been some close calls — the No. 16 seed has lost by four points or fewer on six different occasions, last in 1996 — but the talent disparity between the two teams is always too much for the little guys to overcome. In two-versus-15 matchups, an upset has occurred on just four occasions (Richmond over Syracuse in 1991, Santa Clara over Arizona in 1993, Coppin State over South Carolina in 1997 and Hampton over Iowa State in 2001). Take the easy points and select the heavy favorites to advance.
4. When picking upsets, identify vulnerable high seeds and potent low seeds: Even if you're not a huge basketball fan, this one isn't as hard as it seems. Pick a team that's known to be inconsistent and over-seeded — you can do that by skimming the typical post-Selection Sunday articles bemoaning the issue — and determine if its playing an experienced smaller conference team that had lots of regular season success, like Northern Iowa last year, which entered the tournament with a 28-4 record (15-3 in its conference). But only select a small handful of upsets — you don't want to get too cute.
5. Avoid picking unlikely second round upsets: So you've avoided advancing unworthy teams in the first round, but now you're chomping at the bit to knock out some high seeds in the second round. Think again. You can eliminate those No. 1 seeds in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight — mostly the latter — where they usually fall. Consider these trends: the No. 1 seed has defeated the No. 9 seed in 92.86 percent of their matchups and No. 8 seed in 81.25 of their matchups. Additionally, the No. 2 seed has defeated the No. 7 seed in 72.13 percent of their matchups. The No. 3 seed has defeated the No. 6 seed in 84.62 of their matchups and No. 11 seed in 70 percent of their matchups. The No. 5 seed has defeated the No. 13 seed in 78.57 of their matchups. Here are some more likely second round "upsets" — again, loose term in some cases — to consider: the No. 2 seed has won just 58.97 percent of their matchups against the No. 10 seed, and the No. 4 seed has won just 59.26 of their matchups against the No. 12 seed. Now take a breather.
6. Keep in mind that top-ranked teams rarely win the tournament: The No. 1 overall seed entering the tournament, often the favorite to win it, rarely meets expectations. Since 1995, only Duke in 2001 has won the national championship as the top-ranked team in the AP or USA Today polls — in the Blue Devils' case, they ranked first in both. The immense pressure that comes with essentially being declared "the best team in the tournament" before it has even started can sabotage a team's postseason dreams.
7. Don't pick too many No. 1 seeds to reach the Final Four: Only once since 1979, when tournament seeding began, have all four No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four — that occurred in 2008, when Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina and UCLA each won their respective regions. Don't expect to see it again anytime soon, though. Your best bet is to pick two, at most, to advance that far. You can make the determination based on the difficulty of their regions and by judging how well they've played lately. Also, don't be tempted to select two No. 1 seeds to meet in the national championship game — that has occurred just six times.
8. When in doubt, pick the higher seed: In other words, don't pick too many upsets. Remember, Cinderellas are Cinderellas because they've beaten the odds to advance. Here's how some lower seeds have fared through the years: a No. 14 seed has advanced to the Sweet Sixteen just twice (Cleveland State in 1986 and Chattanooga in 1997), a No. 12 seed has advanced to the Elite Eight only once (Missouri in 2002), a No. 11 seed has advanced to the Final Four just twice (LSU in 1986 and George Mason in 2006) and a No. 8 seed has advanced to the national championship game only once (Villanova in 1985).
9. Remember that home cooking can help: This is not to say you should select a team to advance merely because it's playing in its home town or state. But it's a factor that should be taken into consideration when you're evaluating an even matchup in the first two rounds, regional semifinals and regional finals. The "home" team benefits from facing fewer unfamiliar distractions and typically plays before more fans than its opponent. Nice advantages to have when you're in a hypercompetitive environment.
10. Do not — DO NOT — allow emotion to influence your picks: You may feel like an awesome fan for picking your favorite team, a No. 9 seed, to coast through the tournament en route to its first ever national championship, but you'll feel like a dummy when the final standings of your bracket pool are released. Put emotion aside and make your selections based on past trends and current performances. Yes, you will have to formulate your own opinions, just leave your allegiances out of it.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama — $6,087,349: Nobody takes their football more seriously than Alabamans, as evidenced by the dollar amounts tossed around during the last several months involving Auburn, its coaching staff, Cam Newton, and Saban. Amid his rival's controversial national championship run, Saban quietly became the first coach in college sports to receive a yearly salary in excess $6 million, making him the fourth highest paid football coach on any level — behind the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick, Washington Redskins' Mike Shanahan and Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll. The only other coach outside of football who definitely earns more than Saban is Phil Jackson of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, who has won more championships, 11, than any other coach in professional sports history.
2. Mack Brown, Texas — $5,161,500: The second highest paid coach in college football guided his team to 5-7 record in 2010, an abysmal result for a program with an abundance of inherent advantages. Brown isn't considered a masterful gameday tactician like Saban, and his salary is more of a reflection of his contributions to the University of Texas. For example, when he inked his latest deal in 2009, UT President William Powers Jr. defended it by claiming that the athletic program Brown has provided $6.6 million for the university's academic programs. His presence has also helped bring forth the creation of the Longhorn Network, which will be developed and operated by ESPN and pay UT $300 million over 20 years. Brown is truly a "CEO coach."
3. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma — $4,767,500: After winning the Fiesta Bowl and finishing in the top 10, Stoops received a nice incentive-based $192,500 raise to go along with his automatic raise of $200,000 that took effect on the first of the year. The University of Oklahoma athletic department, which claims to be completely self-sustaining, defended the contract by highlighting the publicity and fundraising dollars he has added during his time as the head coach. The immense revenue that comes from football has enabled the athletic department to contribute to the school's academic programs.
4. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke — $4,095,909: Coach K is a living legend who certainly deserves to be the highest paid coach in college basketball. In 2010, he won his 12th ACC championship, appeared in his 11th Final Four and won his fourth national championship. Even though his teams were viewed as underperforming during the few seasons prior to last, his salary has almost tripled in the time period. Duke, a private university ranked among the nation's best, views Krzyzewski as not only the face of its basketball program, but a main spokesperson for the university.
5. Rick Pitino, Louisville — $4,073,093: Prior to signing a contract extension through the 2016-17 season in 2010, rumors were swirling that Pitino was planning to leave the program. As was the case during his stints as the head coach at Providence and Kentucky, multiple NBA teams were soliciting his services. Pitino was also embroiled in a scandal in which he was accused of rape by a woman with whom he had an affair. Supported by the University of Louisville, he issued an apology for the affair, and the woman was eventually found guilty of extortion. With the overtures and drama mostly gone, he has resettled into his position and the Cards are preparing to enter their eighth NCAA tournament appearance in 10 seasons under Pitino.
6. John Calipari, Kentucky — $3,960,000: Coach Cal was lured away from Memphis in 2009 when he was given a Saban-like offer he couldn't refuse. In addition to the $31.65 million he's receiving over eight years that doesn't include incentives (he can shoot up this list after a great season), he was given a $2.5 million signing bonus. According to Forbes, Calipari earns roughly 10 percent of the $35 million to $40 million generated by the University of Kentucky basketball program. That's a ton of money for a coach who has never won a national title and left his previous two college jobs — Memphis and Massachusetts — when they were being scrutinized by the NCAA. His best season at Memphis, in 2008 when the Tigers tallied a national-best 38-2 record and lost the national championship game in overtime, was vacated due to the ineligibility of star guard Derrick Rose. Despite his faults, Calipari is regarded as an expert recruiter, and talent itself produces more wins in basketball than any other sport.
7. Les Miles, LSU — $3,905,000: Miles, too, has been a beneficiary of his own recruiting prowess. Like Mack Brown, he's considered a "CEO coach" who stockpiles talent and, for the most part, allows his coordinators to coach it as they see fit. Depending on who you talk to, he's seen as either an idiot or genius — during the middle of the 2010 season, half of LSU's fanbase swore he was the former. In the case of Bill Martin and Dave Brandon, Michigan's previous and current athletic directors respectively, they seemed to believe he's closer to the latter. Martin unsuccessfully pursued Miles in 2007 during LSU's national championship run and Brandon struck out in January after the firing of Rich Rodriguez. Accordingly, Miles was given a contract extension from LSU that included additional performance-based bonuses. Perceptions aside, his 62-17 record (.785 winning percentage) with the Tigers speaks for itself.
8. Jim Tressel, Ohio State — $3,888,389: During Tressel's successful decade-long run at Ohio State, his contract has been amended on numerous occasions, reflecting his ever-increasing collection of accomplishments. Bob Stoops is the only active coach to have as many conference championships, seven, as Tressel. The Vest has also coached the Buckeyes to three national championships games, the first of which they won. Such feats have earned all kinds of perks, including 20 hours of private jet use per year, membership at a fine golf course in the Columbus area, and upon his retirement from the position of head coach, a $150,000 per year position as the associate athletics director. It's safe to say that Tressel has life outside of football covered.
9. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa — $3,781,000: When comparing Ferentz's resume to those of other so-called elite college football coaches, you may notice that it's not quite as eye-popping. He hasn't benefited from the inherent advantage enjoyed by coaches at programs such as Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and LSU, yet he has led Iowa to two Big 10 titles and two BCS bowl appearances, one of which the Hawkeyes won. Because of his ability to get the most out of his talent, numerous NFL teams have shown interest in Ferentz over the years, driving up his value. His stock in 2010, however, depreciated slightly after a disappointing season in which Iowa finished 8-5, the athletic department's drug testing procedures came under scrutiny, and 13 players were hospitalized after strenuous offseason workouts — issues that indicate Ferentz needs to reassert control over the program in order to rightly earn his salary.
10. Bill Self, Kansas — $3,675,656: A 10-year, $30 million contract was Self's reward for guiding the Jayhawks to their first national championship in 20 years in 2008. Of course, the pursuit of him by his alma mater, Oklahoma State, helped Kansas realize his true value, and caused KU's administration to take measures to ensure Self remains in Lawrence long-term. In the seasons since he agreed to the new deal, his performance hasn't tapered off — he's overseen 27-and 33-win seasons, and in 2011, the Jayhawks are again one of the favorites to win the national title. His overall record at Kansas is an impressive 227-45 (.835 winning percentage) , easily on par with KU greats such as Phog Allen and Roy Williams.

Salary information provided, in part, by the USA Today football and basketball coaches salary databases, which combine both guaranteed and non-guaranteed incomes.

1. James Marshall: There's no debate to be had on this one. Harrison Ford's unstoppable badassery is enough to make Air Force One's President James Marshall one of the best ever. The 1997 action flick is an enjoyable throwback to the films of a decade earlier — the bad guys are even hard-core Soviet nationalists — and it builds to a killer climax in which the president beats up the villain and then throws him off the plane! (Um, 14-year-old spoiler alert.) Ford hasn't had many action roles since, and this one's definitely worth revisiting. If Marshall were real, he'd be one of the most commanding execs ever to take the oath of office.
2. Thomas Whitmore: Independence Day is, to be fair, not that great. It's not even that good. But it does have the adorably confused-looking Bill Pullman as President Thomas Whitmore, a former fighter pilot who finds himself leading the charge against alien invaders. He even gets to give his own version of the St. Crispin's Day speech, complete with Midwestern stammering. If he were an actual president, or even a candidate, it's a coin toss that he'd be able to stand up and be counted, but his low-key demeanor totally works in the movie.
3. Andrew Shepherd: Presidents created by Aaron Sorkin show up twice on this list, because he's just that good. The American President is a sweet romantic-comedy in which Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) tries to re-ignite his love life while also fending off the opposition party and planning for the State of the Union. The movie's a trip, in part because there's no real foreign policy crisis facing the Shepherd administration, and it's surreal these days to see a story set in the White House that isn't about war, death, or cover-ups. He also gets a typically killer speech in which he shuts down his opponents and reasserts his leadership in the nick of time.
4. Josiah Bartlet: The West Wing wasn't without its flaws, but President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Martin Sheen) was a fascinating character. He was typically liberal on many issues, though not an extremist, and he was a family man who tried to keep his wife and daughters happy while also running the country. Even as he lied to the public about a major illness (a kind of revisionist take on Clinton's deceptions), he never stopped working for what he believed to be the good of the country. That's a model that would be welcome from either party in real life.
5. Dave Kovic: Technically, Dave (Kevin Kline) took over for President Bill Mitchell, but Mitchell was an adulterous cad and corner-shaving cheat, while Dave was a stand-up guy who actually wanted to do good with the office once he found his way into it. He's funny and warm, and he's refreshingly honest about using common sense to balance the budget; that alone makes him better than just about anyone who ever walked through the White House. Plus he can sing, so, bonus.
6. David Palmer: President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) usually found himself in the middle of danger on 24, and though the show never quite explained why their bad guys tried to get everything done in a day, the fictional president was a good and respected leader. He even won polls as one of the fictional presidents people would most like to see jump off the screen and into the Oval Office. Not bad for a guy who now sells Allstate.
7. Tom Beck: Released the same summer as Armageddon, Deep Impact was a better movie with (slightly) more scientific credibility. On one hand, yes, nothing can measure up to Michael Bay's cautionary tale of space dementia. But Deep Impact dealt realistically with what might happen if a giant meteor were headed to Earth. President Tom Beck (Morgan Freeman) runs the country with skill and grim determination, making tough choices about who will survive and how the world might be saved. Morgan Freeman can make even dying in a fiery apocalypse sound noble.
   Let Us Begin Deep Impact at MOVIECLIPS.com
8. President Lindberg: One of the great things about The Fifth Element is the sheer incongruity between what we think of when we imagine the president and what director Luc Besson made him with the help of actor Tommy "Tiny" Lister. True to his ironic nickname, the guy is huge, and he's easily the most imposing fictional president on the list. He looks like a bouncer, for crying out loud, but he's also whip-smart and tough on crime. It sounds crazy, but he could really make a run at the ticket. We've already had bodybuilders as governors; why not the commander-in-chief?
9. Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho: This is admittedly a wild card choice; if President Camacho were real, odds are good that he'd disband Congress and set up mud wrestling on the White House lawn. Yet the Idiocracy president is an enjoyable character, and his honesty about just wanting to have a good time is pretty respectable, even if he did kill all the crops by feeding them sports drinks. At the very least, he'd make an awesome third party candidate. He's way more lively than Ralph Nader.
10. Tug Benson: No one's ever going to mistake the Hot Shots! films for Citizen Kane, but you're not supposed to. They're goofy parodies from writer-director Jim Abrahams, part of the team that did Airplane! and others. Tug Benson (Lloyd Bridges), an admiral in the first film, is elevated to president for Hot Shots! Part Deux, and he's just as empty-headed and likable as ever. He'd make a great candidate if only for the constant barrage of bloopers and misstatements that would tank his chances for election.
11. Laura Roslin: SyFy's re-imagined Battlestar Galactica was a compelling look at society, politics, and war, especially when it explored those issues through the work of President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell). She starts out as a reluctant leader, and only takes the job because she's the Secretary of Education and the only surviving member of the Cabinet after the human race is almost entirely demolished by evil Cylon robots. Over time, though, she becomes a competent and forthright leader who sticks to her guns and fights for the survival of her people. She's an example for politicians and civilians alike.

Christian Sites

These websites are specifically for Christian students searching for scholarships from a Christian college or university.

1. Christian Connector.com - This site allows you to search through various categories of grants and scholarships suited to your interests. All of these scholarships from this newer search are offered from accredited Christian colleges.
2. Christian College Guide – If you are trying to weigh out the options between colleges, this is a great guide for you. Scholarship and grant info is distinctly separated to keep you focused. There is also a total cost search option providing a list of Christian colleges within your budget.
3. Christian College Mentor – A conventional scholarship search but with specific matching qualities. The two options allow you to search by a keyword or by contributing some personal information.

Scholarship Searches

You can also find various Christian scholarship options by searching these sites by keyword or category.

4. Collegetoolkit.com – An all in one scholarship authority for Christian students. They have been featured on such sites as CNN.com and the Christian Science Monitor.
5. FinAid.org – While some may just be looking for scholarships, FinAid.org also helps students find loans and military aid. Look into a number of ways to find money for college.
6. Scholarships.com – Scholarships.com has scholarships from over 3,000 sources. The site helps match scholarships to you based on grade average, hobbies, and more.
7. CollegeNET – Provides a database of scholarships and grants available, including scholarships that focus on religious affiliation. The discussion boards give students a place to communicate with one another about school, faith, and other important issues.
8. ScholarshipExperts.com – College and grad school scholarships are updated frequently on this site since 2001. Their goal is to always supply true prompt scholarship materials.
9. Free -4U.com – A nationally acclaimed free scholarship collection. Search through a wide selection of Christian scholarships as well as many others.
10. Scholarship Central – Get free access to a huge undergraduate scholarship database. Peterson’s Scholarship Search connects you with more than 1 1/2 million scholarships, grants, and awards worth almost $8 billion.
11. MyFreeDegree – In as little as a couple minutes this search will have you matched up to unique scholarships. Responses are listed with tailored information based on your answers to a couple of questions.
12. StudentScholarshipSearch.com – Started in 2003, this website seeks to aid students with free scholarship info with a large differentiation of requirements. Find scholarships nationally, by state, and level of education.
13. Studentawards.com Find the money for school without the hassle. This site is devoted to helping high school seniors and college students find much needed info on scholarships, bursaries, grants and other financial assistance from the private sector and nonprofit organizations.
14. SchoolSoup – Insert Said to have one of the largest scholarship database in the world. Our search engine will find scholarships that match your interests and profile by searching through $32 Billion worth of scholarships. Scholarships with the best matches are listed first. Many scholarships can be used at any school you wish to attend.
15. Nextstudent.com – One of the biggest scholarship databases available today. It’s even updated daily with no cost to you. This site is free of advertisements and completely confidential.

16. BrokeScholar – Use this free service to apply for billions of scholarship and grant dollars. Tell them a little about yourself and receive matches detailed directly towards you.
17. College Answer – Get access to a scholarship database containing an abundance of scholarships worth over 16 billion dollars. Sponsored by Sallie Mae, this search combines technology with highly accurate scholarship information.
18. College Board Online – A fair database of around 3000 supporters. The only bad thing is there is no memory for personal information. Every time you search for scholarships, you must reenter your data.
19. SuperCollege.com – Besides just searching for grants and scholarships, learn everything there is to know. Experts and leaders in scholarships and financial aid offer helpful tips on applying for scholarships.
20. ScholarshipMonkey – This site declares a data base of one million scholarships that total over 3.5 billion. There are plenty of Christian scholarships and advice to help you make the right decision.
21. Guaranteed Scholarships – Find a number of unique scholarships by searching through this site. All of these grants are unlimited in number and require no additional requirements such as an interview, essay, or portfolio.
22. Fresch – This site will provide Christian students with answers to many of the questions they face regarding paying for college. Search through various scholarships and grants to find just what you are looking for.
23. Scholar Site.com – Rapidly search for scholastic aid with many having a Christian emphasis. Another good thing is that you don’t have to enter any personal info to start your search.
24. Fair Scholarships – On this site, you can search for scholarships and apply for them all at one time. There are many possibilities for Christian students to fund their education.
25. FindTuition.com – Get fast membership to an awesome collaboration of scholarship money and resources. This is a great way for Christian students to find money for college.
26. Scholarships 101 – A listing of over 800,000 individual scholarship awards valued at more than $2.8 billion.

Government Funding

Check out these government sponsored sites to find information on grants and scholarships.

27. CareerOneStop.net – Organized by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site has a searchable data base with over 5,000 fellowships, loans, scholarships , and other financial aid opportunities.
28. Student Aid on the Web – A U.S. Department of Education sponsored free online scholarship search. There are many Christian opportunities that are posted.
29. U.S. Department of Energy -Scholarships & Internships – Find out about scholarships, internships, and competitions from the U.S. Dept of Energy, plus information on careers and educational resources, including the latest scientific research.
30. Aviation Education Scholarships & Grants – Christian students headed for a career in aviation won’t want to miss this page from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that lists a variety of government and private scholarships for aviation students.
31. Scholarships – National Health Service Corps (U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services) – Learn more about NHSC scholarships, which help finance education for future primary care providers. In return, graduates serve those communities where the need for primary health care is greatest.
32. Financial Aid Resources – A site from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) that provides information and links to help you find scholarships, grants, and other resources available to military dependents.
33. FedMoney.org – FedMoney.org is a free online resource on all U.S. government grants and student financial aid programs. Here you will find current info about who can apply, how to apply, and full contact information for more than 130 government grants and scholarships related to education.

State and Local Searches

See what your state or local community might be offering by way of scholarships on these sites.

34. Arkansas Scholarship Connection – The Arkansas Scholarship Connection is a statewide project of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Their data base contains scholarships for which Arkansas students are eligible.
35. California Governor’s Scholarship Programs – California Christian students who demonstrate high academic achievement in math and sciences can earn scholarships for college from the state. Get more information on how to qualify on this site.
36. Finance Authority of Maine – State of Maine sponsors this online scholarship search. Start your scholarship search with FAME’s online scholarship search. This search allows you to look for Maine-based scholarships that match your selected criteria.
37. Pacific Northwest Scholarship Guide – A free online scholarship match program maintained by the nonprofit College Planning Network, serving students of the Pacific Northwest.
38. GoHigherKY.org – The State of Kentucky sponsors this free scholarship search
39. Maryland Higher Education Commission – Although sponsored by the State of Maryland, this search may be helpful to Christian students as well as others.

Studying Abroad

Read these sites that offer details about scholarships for oversees study.

40. International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search – The ultimate guide for financial aid, college scholarship and grant information for U.S. and international students wishing to study abroad. You can find detailed college scholarship searches, grant listings, and more.
41. Study Abroad funding – A beneficial e funding source allows you to search by country or subject to find the study abroad funding information that you need. Their comprehensive database offers study abroad scholarships, Christian fellowships, and grants.

Specific Fields of Interest

If you are interested in studying a specific field or industry, then do some scholarship and grant research on these sites.

42. Theology Degree Scholarships – This site delivers scholarship information for theology students. Students can access scholarship information for free.
43. Military.com – Find millions of dollars in scholarships and grants exclusively for the military community. Select your search criteria below. You and your dependents have great military education benefits. Learn about great schools and programs that can help you reach your goals.
44. The Engineering Scholarship Page – Started by a Harvard student in 1997, this site primarily features engineering related scholarships, but has grown to include some others like Christian scholarships as well.
45. Masters in Teaching Scholarships – Focusing specifically on masters in teaching students, you can find specific scholarships only offered to teaching students. You can limit results to narrow in on the criteria tailored to you.

Searching through the above sites hopefully will help you find great value in the resources you come upon. Just keep in mind that there is no fault in applying for as many different scholarships as possible. Even if you’re unsure about qualifying, the worst thing that can happen is they can say no.

Physically active students tend to perform better academically, according to a 2008 study by the American College of Sports Medicine. This is likely due to the fact that physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, increases endorphins, and improves mood. When you feel as if you are mentally exhausted, exercising your body rather than your mind can actually give it the rest it needs so that it can reenergize itself. It’s important for college students to find time in between classes to get their bodies moving through exercise machines, aerobics classes, or recreational sports. To boost your brain power, try to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on at least three days of the week.

If you are under the impression that pulling all-nighters during finals week will help your grades, you are wrong. In a Fall 2009 study by the American College Health Association, 20 percent of students reported that sleep difficulties within the last 12 months had interfered with their academic performance and caused them to receive a lower grade on an exam or project, receive a lower grade in a course, caused them to receive an incomplete or drop the course completely, or experienced a significant disruption in a thesis, dissertation, research, or practicum work. The brain processes information at night by relocating information that is absorbed during the day to permanent storage areas. During each stage of sleep, information is processed differently, so it’s important that you get from six to eight hours of sleep each night so you can go through each one.

• Health services: If you’re normally pretty healthy or are from a city close enough to school that you can visit your regular doctor if you get sick, you might never visit health services. But the usually-free clinic is a great place to learn about everyday health habits, STDs and sexual health, eating well, and the certain health risks college students face. The nurses and doctor are already familiar with the common problems that ail people your age, and can probably give you an answer and some suggestions to any question you have within a few minutes. Health services is also a good place to turn to if you want a flu vaccination.
• Study abroad office: Some students know in high school that they want to study abroad, while others haven’t ever really considered it. No matter what your major is, studying abroad can enrich your college experience tremendously, at the academic level and in terms of personal development. Drop in one day when you have a little extra time to pick up some brochures or talk with a counselor about what options could fit in with your schedule and long-term goals.
• Alumni relations: Unless you want your alumni connection to the school to consist of annual calls for donations, visit the alumni relations office when you’re a senior to ask about programs or networks that you can join to stay involved. You don’t have to sell your soul to fundraising, but keeping in contact with alumni groups makes professional networking easier, especially if you’re moving to a new city.
• The departmental office of a subject you’ve always been curious about: College is practically the one time in your life when you have a free pass to campus offices and an unquestionable excuse to drop in to random departments, just because you’re curious. If you’ve always known that you wanted to be an architect, but have a secret interest in religious studies, visit the religion department office. You can schedule a meeting with a professor to learn more about the classes they offer, and also pick up magazines, journals or literature they have in the waiting area. Even if you don’t drop your primary field of study, taking a class or two could satisfy your curiosity or lead to a new academic pursuit.

Students can either positively or negatively affect a school’s reputation, so colleges want to accept those they know will be positive influences. The admissions department will take a careful look at your academic performance in order to predict what type of college student you might be. This means looking at your academic record for all four years of high school and taking into consideration your individual class grades, GPA, and SAT and ACT scores. It is important that you are able to demonstrate that you were able to consistently make good grades or that you have the ability to improve them. If you made a few bad grades during your sophomore year but have been able to steadily make better ones since then, admissions officers are likely to notice your efforts.

Colleges also want well-rounded students who will not only contribute to their school academically, but socially as well. They will look at your involvement in extracurricular activities and consider how they have allowed you to develop your skills and talents. Students who have invested their time and efforts and demonstrated commitment to organizations will look a lot better than those who spent their free time watching TV. After school activities also allow you to have the opportunity to accomplish things that set you apart from other applicants, like earning special recognitions or awards.

Finally, more significant than being able to show that you were involved in extracurricular activities is proving that you were able to make significant contributions through leadership roles. Students who held leadership roles in high school are more likely to pursue those same roles in college and contribute on campus. Admissions departments not only want to see that you held a title, but that you also were able to accomplish something with that title. To stand out from students whose only title was “member,” be sure to mention that you were the president of a new club or served as class officer senior year.

1. Tweet about upcoming due dates or assignments.

One of the simplest ways that teachers can use Twitter in their classroom involves setting up a feed dedicated exclusively to due dates, tests or quizzes.

2. Provide the class with a running news feed.

Subscribe to different mainstream and independent news feeds with different biases as a way to compare and contrast how different perspectives interpret current events and issues.

3. Create a career list.

Set up an interesting assignment requesting that students set up Twitter lists following feeds relevant to their career goals and keep a daily journal on any trends that crop up along the way.

4. Track memes.

As inane as Justin Bieber’s popularity is, at least an educational opportunity lurks around the corner. Instructors concerned with communication and sociology issues can easily find a number of different lessons on how ideas and fads spread throughout different media sources.

5. Coordinate assignments.

Rather than keeping up with an e-mail train, students can use Twitter to collaborate on different projects and keep a quick reference on any changes.

6. Track a hash tag.

More ambitious educators may want to incorporate Twitter in lessons that track hash tags for another interesting lesson in how trends spread and the various ways in which people use social media to communicate ideas.

7. Connect with the community.

Partner up with local government or charitable organizations and use Twitter to reach a broad audience discussing the latest cultural or educational events in the area and encourage others in the community to attend.

8. Follow the issues.

Bring a little technology into debates by asking the class which issues they would like to follow. Subscribe to relevant hash tags and accounts from all perspectives and compile an updated resource cobbling together as much research as possible.

9. Write a story or poem.

Many writers and poets have experimented with Twitter’s 140-character format to bring new, serialized works in small chunks to attention-divided audiences. Some educators may like the idea of asking their students to apply their creative writing skills to a restrictive social media outlet.

10. Live tweet field trips.

Sick kids or paranoid parents may like the idea of following along with class field trips on Twitter, and smart phone-enabled teachers can keep them engaged with pictures and descriptions of the lessons learned.

11. Ask questions.

Monica Rankin at University of Texas-Dallas uses Twitter as a way for her students to keep a running stream of questions going during lectures – an application that works in any computer-enabled K-12 classroom.

12. Set up a foreign language news stream.

Keep foreign language students informed of current events from relevant nations while simultaneously challenging them to use their translation skills by keeping a specific news feed.

13. Role play.

Computer-savvy teachers can keep history lessons engaging for children by asking them to tweet ideas and quotes from their favorite figures. Alternately, they can also pretend to be famous fictional characters as well.

14. Take and share notes.

Classrooms with enough resources can allow students to tweet their own notes during lessons and share with their peers – perhaps even printing them out for home use if they do not have internet access.

15. Sync with a blog.

WordPress and other free blogging websites sync with Twitter, posting notices of new entries. Educators who require students to keep their own blogs may want to follow updates using Twitter rather than having to click through bookmarks for each one.

16. Chat with industry professionals.

Older high school students who need to explore their career options before spiriting away to college benefit from real-world discussions with professionals in paths they’re considering. Twitter helps them connect with primary sources and facilitates educational communication.

17. Connect classrooms.

Teachers and students from around the world can collaborate on projects using Twitter as a communication tool that simultaneously educates students in different classroom and cultural protocols.

18. Facilitate research.

Typing keywords into Twitter’s search engine wields every microblog entry on the subject, providing an excellent way for students to research ideas, opinions and movements as they happen.

19. Engage parents.

Parents of K-12 students interested in daily classroom activities can follow teacher tweets discussing some of the lessons learned and any progress on projects with one quick and handy trip to a dedicated Twitter feed.

20. Become politically active.

Any teachers responsible for educating kids in politics or government may like the idea of encouraging their students to use Twitter as a forum to make society aware of issues that affect them by retweeting relevant events, news stories, blog posts and other media revolving around a chosen theme.

21. Track the government.

Numerous local and national government organizations maintain their own Twitter feeds, and educators working within any of their related subjects may like the idea of compiling them all into 1 convenient space for a quick reference.

22. Write reviews.

Any media studies classes – including literature – can use the Twitter format to write microreviews of the different movies, books and music devoured.

23. Post sample questions.

Save paper by using Twitter to post up sample questions for upcoming exams for students to research and consider without ever having to put down their computers.

24. Post supplementary materials.

Retweet articles, news stories, opinions and other interesting tidbits relevant to a specific class as an excellent, convenient supplement to classroom lectures.

25. Facilitate discussions.

Take supplementary material postings one step further by requiring students to post their own succinct responses to the main theses and open up intelligent discussions with one another.

26. Play the stock market game.

High school economics teachers frequently use stock market games as a real-world project involving the fundamentals of investing. Students can use Twitter to follow the businesses, markets and analysts that help them make wise choices with their (fake) money.

27. Live tweet a book or a movie.

Ask students to use the microblog format to record their initial reactions and responses to movies and books as they indulge in them for class. It certainly makes for an excellent lesson in how perceptions change over time as more information and perspectives become available.

28. Make recommendations.

Benefitting both students and their parents, teachers may like the idea of using Twitter to discuss films and documentaries or books to check out at home – preferably as a family. Doing so especially benefits younger students, as they typically perform better in high school and college if their parents are involved in their lives and educations.

29. Plan field trips.

Encourage parental engagement by asking them to voice their opinions on where to go and where to avoid when it comes to planning field trips. While it is impossible to please everyone, moms and dads will appreciate the transparency and ability to connect more with what their children are doing and learning in school.

30. Design a background.

Art teachers curious about how Twitter can benefit their classes may like the idea of asking students to design their own creative backgrounds for friends and family – either digitally or using traditional media scanned into a computer.

31. Compare religions.

Because so many religious figures and institutions use Twitter to discuss their beliefs and teachings, it stands as an awesome resource for liberal arts educators to compare and contrast the various faiths that have shaped humanity since its inception.

32. Post syllabus changes.

E-mail inboxes often filter out important messages as junk and students lose papers or miss class for various reasons, meaning that some of them may miss out on important announcements regarding any changes to the syllabus. Twitter keeps a permanent record of any new bits of information so nobody has any excuse for missing out.

33. Take a poll.

Teachers who enjoy polling their students on what activities to do or their opinions on current events may want to keep a running tab of results they find when working in conjunction with SurveyMonkey or another similar site.

34. Hook up with Google Earth.

Numerous educators have found creative ways to blend Twitter and Google Earth together for human and physical geography lessons where they use the former’s “location” feature to learn all about new places on the globe.

35. Teach probability.

One immensely creative teacher discovered a way to introduce his students to the basics of probability by asking a broad question and charting the answers he received through @ replies.

36. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Narrow the old, reliable internet scavenger hunt to cover only Twitter, varying the degree of difficulty depending on the age range of the students. Much older kids may appreciate the added challenge of deciphering riddles that pull from their lessons.

37. Get a little bit postmodern.

Another way English teachers can stimulate their students with Twitter involves having them compile and edit coherent stories based on pre-existing tweets by other people.

38. Channel that inner Lois Lane.

Send journalism students out into the world of microblogging and assign them to poll fellow students or ask questions of experts for use in assignments on trends, opinions and current events and research.

39. Track weather patterns.

Set up a class Twitter feed that discusses the weather in different areas, charting the findings on Google Maps or Google Earth and making note of the patterns that crop up along the way.

40. Create a character.

Creative writing or English students of all ages can participate in making up a story character of their very own, with each individual contributing a sentence or 2 towards a personality or back story. Teachers can then ask them to write their own stories based on this collectively created literary figure.

41. Create a progressive poem.

Similar to the collaborative character mentioned above, students can also compile their own poetry where everyone contributes one line that flows with the one written before.

42. Play word games.

Post a daily challenge asking kids to unscramble anagrams, contribute synonyms or antonyms or give a definition for any vocabulary or spelling words as another way of getting them more involved in their language lessons.

43. Post math puzzles.

Math, chemistry or physics teachers need not feel left out from playing games and posting teasers on Twitter. Like their literate contemporaries, they can microblog a daily problem for students to solve and tweet back the answer.

44. Post videos.

Educators with access to digital video cameras may like the idea of using Twiddeo to post in-class skits, walkthroughs of field trips, clips of their travel exploits and anything else relevant to their students’ lessons.

45. Create an online art gallery.

Kids studying art and the humanities can curate their own shows based around creators, movements, regions, time periods or thematic elements that they enjoy, using Twitter as a way to show the world what they think belongs in a specific exhibit.

46. Play with TweetStats.

TweetStats allows users to input a specific account name and look at a bar graph of the microblog’s activity. Students can search for tweeps in their school or town and gather data on how and when their neighbors use Twitter.

47. Network with other educators.

Beyond using it for lessons, teachers who Twitter have at their disposal a vast network of like-minded professionals with whom they can trade ideas and insights regarding social networking in the classroom and other topics.

48. Direct message students and parents.

Because e-mail filtering frequently ships important messages off to the trash can, some educators may prefer talking privately with kids and their parents via the direct message feature on Twitter instead.

49. Join #educhat.

One of the best ways to connect with other teachers and keep up with the latest trends and philosophies regarding education by subscribing to the #educhat hash tag and participating in the community.

50. Summarize.

At the conclusion of each lecture, ask students to type a 140-character or less summary of what they have learned and perhaps pose any questions to be considered in the next class.

Twitter’s classroom capabilities are limited only by an educator’s imagination. Though many believe its limitations prevent valuable applications to an academic setting, teachers in the know realize the microblog’s potential to establish a nurturing classroom for students of all ages.

A roommate can either make your college experience more enjoyable, or make your life a living hell. When you live with someone, there are countless things that can cause problems, but it’s important not to let these problems get out of hand. If there is a problem, the first thing you need to do is talk it out. Go directly to your roommate and honestly let them know what has been bothering you. Approach the situation respectfully and be open to hearing your roommate’s side of the story as well. Once things are all out in the open, it will be easier to compromise and come up with a solution that will be beneficial to everyone.

Next, when you have too much to do and too little time to do it, you can start to feel out of control rather quickly. It’s important that you learn how to manage your time early on so you don’t find yourself pulling an all nighter right before that midterm. In college, most of your work is done outside of class, which means your free time shouldn’t all be spent watching TV. At the beginning of each week, take the time to organize your schedule and figure out what you need to accomplish each day. Make note of upcoming assignments and tests and set aside times that you can work on or study for them. Managing your time wisely can be as simple as making a plan and sticking to it.

Finally, college is demanding, and if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to meet those demands. Chances are that Snickers bar you grabbed between classes isn’t exactly going to give you the energy you need to make it through the day. To avoid crashing later, try to make healthy food choices now. This may mean replacing candy with fruit or putting some vegetables on your plate at dinner instead of macaroni and cheese. Also, now that you are no longer on the soccer team, you might find that it is a little harder to be as active as you were in high school. Take the time to check out your college’s recreational center or see if there are any intramural teams you can sign up for. Exercising regularly will help you stay healthy and improve your mood, concentration, and energy levels.