Author Archives: uwirepr

COLLEGE STUDENT WINNERS OF IOM-NAE HEALTH DATA CHALLENGE ANNOUNCED

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2011 – With SleepBot, an app that charts users’ sleep habits and benchmarks them against potential threats associated with sleep deprivation, a team of college students from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, New York University, and Northwestern University won the top prize in “Go Viral to Improve Health: IOM-NAE Health Data Collegiate Challenge.”SleepBot was selected as the first-prize winner from products submitted by 15 teams in response to the challenge, which was issued by the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering as part of the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge. “Go Viral to Improve Health” called on university undergraduate and graduate students to work in interdisciplinary teams to develop a Web-based or mobile product that tackles a health issue in a creative way and encourages community interaction. The developers of SleepBot are Edison Wang and Kevin Tulod, Cooper Union; Jane Zhu, NYU; and William Qiao, Northwestern. Their winning app can be explored at www.mysleepbot.com/about/.A team from Arizona State University claimed the second prize with Freebee, an app that spreads awareness within college campuses about a variety of health risks including alcoholism, smoking, unsafe sex, drug use, and campus safety issues. Freebee developers are Jennifer Burkmier, Ramya Baratam, Louis Tse, Chris Workman, and Jane Lacson. More details on their app are available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd-qKqIjCT0. Another ASU team took the third prize with IMPAct, a Web-based, interactive planner that allows individuals and families to keep track of medical appointments. IMPAct team members are Tania Lyon, Taylor Barker, Edgar Sanchez, Eric Kern, and Jennifer Jost. Their app can be expored at www.interactivemedicalplanner.com.

The first place team received a $3,000 prize and demonstrated SleepBot on June 9 during the plenary session of the Health Data Initiative Forum, a gathering of health leaders, software engineers, and IT developers to accelerate the public use of health data and spur innovation to improve individual and community health. The Freebee and IMPAct teams received $2,000 and $1,000 respectively and displayed their winning technologies in the forum’s exhibit hall. The forum, hosted by IOM and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, promoted interaction among health and data experts and explored topics related to the application of health information.  Several companies and organizations announced new challenges and other initiatives. More information on the forum is available at www.iom.edu/healthdataforum.

“We are delighted to showcase the ingenuity and talent of these future health, engineering, and IT professionals who have transformed raw health data into innovative, health-promoting products,” said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg.

“The winning teams show the power of collaboration to tackle serious health issues and promote healthy habits by harnessing new technologies,” said NAE President Charles M. Vest. “We congratulate the winners and all the teams who responded to the challenge with such enthusiastic creativity and skill.”

The Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering along with the National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council make up the National Academies. They are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter. For more information, visit www.national-academies.org. “Go Viral to Improve Health” was administered by Health 2.0, an organizer of health care technology conferences, a community of innovators, and media network.

Contacts:
Christine Stencel, Senior Media Relations Officer, Institute of Medicine
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu
Randy Atkins, Senior Media Relations Officer, National Academy of Engineering
202-334-1508; e-mail atkins@nae.edu

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Fastweb Celebrates its Sweet Sixteen by Surveying its Teenage Peers

Survey reveals average 16-year-old is most concerned with getting good grades and worries about how their online reputation will impact getting into college

MAYNARD, Mass., May 24, 2011 – Turning 16 is an important step in a teenager’s life and this month marks the milestone birthday for Fastweb, the leading website for scholarship and financial aid information owned by Monster Worldwide, Inc., parent company of Monster.com®, the leading job matching engine (NYSE: MWW). With one out of three college-bound seniors visiting its website, Fastweb has helped over 50 million* students look for ways to pay for college since its launch in 1995. To celebrate its birthday, Fastweb turns its attention to topics that teenagers are preoccupied with the most, by surveying its 16-year old users. Nothing was off-limits as the survey revealed interesting results, ranging from the celebrity teens would most want to be friends with, to what worries them most at school.

Social media is on everyone’s mind and Fastweb wanted to know how worried its users are about their online reputation/footprint. The survey found that many teenagers (49 percent) are concerned that their online image would affect their chances of getting into college. Evenly split, 23 percent of respondents were worried their online reputation would affect them getting a job while 23 percent thought online footprints are only something that adults should worry about. A mere three percent of users said they would rather look cool to their friends versus worrying about the consequences of a potentially negative online image.

Fastweb also wanted to know which celebrity 16 year olds would most like to befriend. Ranking high among teens were Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Emma Watson. Taylor Lautner also ranked high on the list, while Robert Pattinson was nowhere to be found, revealing that Fastweb’s 16 year olds are a Team Jacob crowd. The survey also revealed some more unusual choices such as SpongeBob, Snoopy and Beethoven.

When the Fastweb survey respondents were asked about what school related issues kept them up at night, the majority cited getting good grades (39 percent). Twenty-seven percent of teenagers also responded that they were worried about paying for college and 19 percent were worried about getting into the college they wanted. Interestingly, only three percent were most concerned with peer pressure.

Given that 39 percent of the survey respondents were looking forward to get done with classes after school was over, Fastweb was surprised to find that 78 percent of teenagers would still go to college even if they knew they would be a millionaire without higher education. Survey respondents cited being afraid of missing out on additional knowledge if they skipped college. Only five percent thought college wouldn’t be worth it if they were already successful.

“Over the past 16 years, we have seen the price of tuition skyrocket, and as a result the Student Loan Debt Clock is quickly racing to hit $1 trillion in 2012,” said Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of Fastweb. “This alarming statistic makes scholarships and other financial relief more important than ever. For 16 years Fastweb met this challenge by offering access to millions of diverse scholarships, and we continue to offer new resources to help students tackle debt, every day.”

Since its launch as the first free scholarship matching site in 1995, Fastweb has helped more than 50 million users looking for a way to pay for college*. Fastweb offers personalized scholarship matches, internship and entry-level job opportunities, and expert financial aid advice at one convenient, online location.

Additional Resources
Birthday gifts of money and scholarships are a great way of defraying the cost of school but student loans can also help with college costs. If you want to learn more about how to choose a student loan, Fastweb will be hosting a Q&A session on Twitter addressing that very issue. The Tweet chat will be run by Mark Kantrowitz, nationally recognized expert on student financial aid and author of the popular eBook titled “Secrets to Winning a Scholarship.” The live #AskKantro session will take place on Wednesday, May 25 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST. Participate by bringing your college cost questions and signing onto Twitter where Mr. Kantrowitz (@mkant) will be on hand tweeting back live responses.

About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 index. To learn more about Monster’s industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at www.about-monster.com.

About Fastweb

Fastweb is the nation’s recognized leader in helping students pay for school, by providing scholarship and financial aid information, as well as information on jobs and internships. One out of three college-bound seniors use the site, and more than 50 million* users have benefitted from Fastweb’s information and services. Fastweb lets students create a personalized profile that can be matched against its expansive databases of colleges and scholarships. As the oldest and most popular free online scholarship matching service, the database has more than 1.5 million scholarships totaling over $3.4 billion. To learn more about Fastweb visit www.fastweb.com and follow us on Twitter at @PayingForSchool.

*9 million are active users of the site

Zaarly Helps College Students Make Some Extra Dough

FACMedia contacts:
Jamie Walker
Sparkpr
415-321-1887
Jamie@sparkpr.com


Zaarly Helps College Students Make Some Extra Dough

Get rewarded for buying and selling services, goods and access to experiences

SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2011 – Zaarly, a location-based, real-time, social commerce platform that helps buyers and sellers get what they want, when they want it, is rewarding over $30,000 to college students who make the most number of transactions and largest deals through the Zaarly Launch Contest. Prizes will be awarded to the top “Zaars” and deal makers across the country each week between May 15 and July 1, 2011.

Want a cheeseburger in the middle of the night? Or a latte delivered to you during an early morning cram session? How about someone to take notes for you in your 8 am stats class? Or how about simply making a little extra cash helping others in your community or hometown? With Zaarly, you can make all your wildest dreams come true – simply post what you want, when you want it and how much you would be willing to pay – and someone in the Zaarly community can grant your wish.

“We’re so thrilled to launch Zaarly on college campuses nationwide and offer students a chance to make some easy money,” said Bo Fishback, CEO and Founder of Zaarly. “Zaarly is the perfect tool for any college student – whether craving a delivery of midnight munchies, a cleaning crew before a parent’s visit or as a way to make some extra cash – it offers college students a new way to buy and sell goods and services in an easy and safe way.”

To sign up, simply go to launch.zaarly.com to register and get notified when deals are in your area.

About Zaarly:
Zaarly is a location-based, real-time social commerce platform that makes the buying and selling of goods, services and experiences easy, safe and secure. With Zaarly, people can post what they want, when they want it and at what price they are willing to pay and someone in the Zaarly community can fulfill it. Zaarly is based in San Francisco, CA and is backed by investors including Ashton Kutcher, Felicis Ventures, Bill Lee, Naval Ravikant, Light Bank, SV Angel, and Thrive Capital. Visit www.zaarly.com for more information.

Fastweb Lists Celebrity Scholarships for Star-Struck Teens

Celebrity scholarships with big dollar amounts offered by prestigious names

MAYNARD, Mass., May 3, 2011 – For students looking to pay for college while also dreaming of the red carpet, Fastweb, a Monster Worldwide, Inc. company, has compiled a list of celebrity sponsored scholarships that are a few among 1.5 million diverse scholarships available on its website.Celebrities often make it a mission to give back to their communities with projects they feel passionate about, and Fastweb has identified high-profile entertainers who have made education a priority. These scholarships come at a crucial time with the Student Loan Debt Clock, which reports an estimate of current student loan debt outstanding, on course to hit $1 trillion in 2012. Some of the most popular celebrity scholarships offered through Fastweb include:

The Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship: Alec Baldwin graduated from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU in 1994, and in 2009 he donated $1 million to start the Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is open to students who not only possess talent, but also an outstanding work ethic, leadership skills, willingness to collaborate, and ability to take risk as well as constructive criticism. More information about the annual scholarship can be found here.

Scholarship Seinfeld Program: Jerry Seinfeld isn’t joking around about the Scholarship Seinfeld Program. The aim of this program is to give back specifically to the students of New York City. The Scholarship Seinfeld Program covers up to $10,000 of any unmet need; including tuition, room and board, books, etc. Applications are available each year in December and more information can be found here.

Michael Jackson Scholarship: Michael Jackson wasn’t just a music legend, he was also known for his donations to scholarship funds, particularly to the United Negro College Fund. The Michael Jackson Scholarship, available through UNCF, is open to undergraduate and graduate students focusing in the arts and communications. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA. Awards amounts for the Michael Jackson Scholarship are available for up to $5,000 and the deadline typically occurs in February. Check here for more information.

The Christopher Reeve Award: Christopher Reeve was more than just Superman; he was super at giving back. In order to qualify for the Christopher Reeve Award, students should be nominated by a non-relative who must detail the student’s community service efforts in the application. The Christopher Reeve Award is worth $1,000 and nominations are accepted between September 1 and October 31 each year. Check here for more information.

Since its launch as the first free scholarship matching site in 1995, Fastweb has helped more than 50 million users looking for a way to pay for college*. Fastweb offers personalized scholarship matches, internship and entry-level job opportunities, and expert financial aid advice at one convenient, online location.

About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 index. To learn more about Monster’s industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at www.about-monster.com.

About Fastweb

Fastweb is the nation’s recognized leader in helping students pay for school, by providing scholarship and financial aid information, as well as information on jobs and internships. One out of three college-bound seniors use the site, and more than 50 million* users have benefitted from Fastweb’s information and services. Fastweb lets students create a personalized profile that can be matched against its expansive databases of colleges and scholarships. As the oldest and most popular free online scholarship matching service, the database has more than 1.5 million scholarships totaling over $3.4 billion. To learn more about Fastweb visit www.fastweb.com and follow us on Twitter at @PayingForSchool.

*9 million are active users of the site

More Than 600 Colleges Nationwide Ask “How Do You Score?”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kathryn M. Quirk
Screening for Mental Health
Kquirk@mentalhealthscreening.org
781-591-5247 or 617-875-6003

How Do You Score? Screenings Expose Risky Drinking on Campuses

Take a Screening Online or Find an Event at www.HowDoYouScore.org

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass., April 4, 2011 – Wasted, trashed, drunk, sloshed: typical college lingo heard on campuses nationwide. For many students, it can be hard to draw the line between use and abuse when playing games like beer pong, quarters and flip cup, or when mixing alcohol with energy drinks. April is Alcohol Awareness Month and college students nationwide are encouraged to find out their drinking score at www.HowDoYouScore.org.

“While many believe alcohol is a normal part of college life, social drinking can quickly develop into at-risk drinking,” says Andrea Zelinko, director of alcohol abuse and impaired driving prevention initiatives for The BACCHUS Network. “Often students think that because they don’t drink everyday or feel like they need to drink, their alcohol use is safe.”

In an effort to raise awareness, more than 600 colleges across the country will participate in National Alcohol Screening Day® (NASD) on April 7, 2011. NASD is an education and screening program designed to help individuals evaluate their drinking and provide resources for those who score positive for symptoms of harmful alcohol use. As part of the screening event, students can take an anonymous self-assessment, pick up educational materials and talk one-on-one with a health professional. If appropriate, students will be directed to support services on campus.

NASD targets students who are risky drinkers. Since 2005, students have taken more than 80,000 screenings. Of those screened, 43% scored in the range of “harmful or hazardous drinking” and 19% scored in the “alcohol dependence” range.

“We’ve held the screenings for several years and each year when we do it, we receive a handful of referrals from the counselors,” says Meagen Wentz, wellness programs administrator at the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education at Central Connecticut State University. “I do hear students talk about it at the event—saying things like, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize this or that.’ I feel like our students appreciate learning about [risky drinking] in a way that isn’t threatening just by taking the screening. We screened 202 students last year and we’re hoping to beat that number this year.”

Unfortunately, the consequences of risky drinking can be more than a nagging hangover:

  • 19.2% of males and 16.1% of females reported having unprotected sex because of their drinking (American College Health Association, 2010).
  • Frequent binge drinkers are 21 times more likely than non-binge drinkers to miss classes, fall behind in schoolwork, get in trouble with campus police or drive a car after drinking (Harvard School of Public Health).
  • 28.6% of males and 12% of females report consuming seven or more alcoholic drinks the last time they “partied” or socialized (American College Health Association, 2010).

National Alcohol Screening Day, held in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, is a program of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health®. Visit www.HowDoYouScore.org to find participating schools or to take the screening online. To learn more about NASD, visit www.nationalalcoholscreeningday.org.

For More Information, please go to www.YouTube.com/HYSHOTV and www.facebook.com/HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/HYSHO.

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43% of Graduate Students Experience Stress Beyond Ability to Handle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DALLAS – (April 4-8, 2011, National Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week) – A recent nationwide survey of graduate students at 26 major universities across America revealed key concerns that negatively affect the pursuit of advanced degrees. Grad Resources is taking this week to create awareness of stressors and resources for graduate students.

In an effort to identify resources that aid graduate students in dealing with pressures and completing their degree, Grad Resources commissioned a survey of students currently pursuing a Master’s or Ph.D. degree. 

According to the majority of survey respondents, primary areas of concern for graduate students include: maintaining balance between school and life, career success and financial pressures, followed closely by stress and burnout.

Of potential interest to campus health professionals, 43% of all graduate students reported experiencing more stress than they could handle. The percentage was significantly higher in particular areas of academic specialization – Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences. Nearly half of graduate students in these specialties reported more stress than they could handle. 45% of Ph.D. students also reported more stress than they could handle, versus 41% of Master’s level students. 

When faced with stress and other problems, relationships provided the greatest support with 90% of married graduate students finding help from their spouse, followed by 78% of students who sought support from peers and parents. More than two thirds of graduate students frequently turn inward when in need of insight or support. One third of graduate students turn to God or a higher power.

National Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week is April 4-8. There will be a variety of events and activities on various campuses across the country to bring attention to the influence of graduate students and the issues they face. It was begun by The National Association of Graduate and Professional Students. “What better time to talk about grad stresses than during Grad Week,” says Nick Repak, President of Grad Resources.

Grad Resources is a faith-based service organization based in Dallas, Texas that serves the overall needs of graduate students across the United States and around the world. Grad Resources offers students a wide variety of resources and support to manage the unique pressures of academia. For additional resources or for information about support communities on your campus for graduate students, contact your graduate council, your graduate Dean’s office or see: www.GradResources.org, www.NAGPS.org, www.HopeLine.com, and the National Grad Student Crisis-Line 800-GRAD-HLP (800-472-3457).

Contact:
Nick Repak, President
nick@gradresources.org
(972)-867-0188

Top Concerns of Graduate Students 

Percent of Graduate Students Reporting Issue as a “Major Concern” 

Issue %
Reaching an acceptable balance between school and life outside of school 59
Not being successful in your career 56
The financial pressures of being in graduate school 54
Stress or burnout 53
Your health 47
Failing to meet the expectations others have of you 43
Choosing the wrong career path 38
Not completing your degree 37
Your relationships with your professors 32
Your relationship with your peers 27
Feeling like an outsider, or that you do not belong 24
Growing your relationship with God or a higher power 24

Percent of Graduate Students Reporting Resources for Dealing with Stress “Somewhat Helpful” or “Very Helpful”

Resource %
Your spouse 90
Your peers 78
Your parents or other family members 78
Listening to or playing music 78
Entertainment media like TV or movies 73
Visiting a special place that renews you 69
Social events 68
Participating in sports 61
Praying 57
Eating 50
Your professors 43
Reading holy or sacred literature 40
Counselors 33
Drinking alcohol 33
Chaplains or ministers 28
Recreational drugs 14

Source: Grad Resources, ©2010

Free Pillows for College Students – for Scientific Study

A SleepBetter.org Study Aims to Find out What Gross Stuff Lives Inside The Old Pillows and Mattress Pads of College-Bound Pillows

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 28, 2011 – Dust mites, fungus and skin cells .. oh my! SleepBetter.org is conducting an ambitious scientific study of pillows and mattress pads belonging to enrolled college students, and they’re going to give away FREE bedding in the process.

The sleep tips, news, and information website is collecting 100 sample pillows and 20 mattress pads, all from students attending a U.S. college or university in the fall of 2011. The goal is to find out what’s inside the items on which these students would have been sleeping. A third-party testing lab will measure the amount of bacteria, molds, yeasts, fungi and dust-mites in the items, but will not test for any specific or personal human residues.

The individual results of the study will remain anonymous, unless the study participant agrees to share their info.

In order to conduct the study, SleepBetter needs bedding and they’re asking for help. Any college student with a pillow or mattress pad they want to donate to the cause should visit www.sleepbetter.org/home/back-to-college-pillowcollectform/ and sign up. Each individual whose pillow or mattress pad is chosen for the research will receive a brand new replacement, at no cost, from Carpenter Co. and will receive their individual results.

The deadline to sign up for the study is noon (EST) April 1st, 2011.

About Carpenter Co. / www.sleepbetter.org

SleepBetter.org is dedicated to helping people sleep better. Designed as an online resource, the Web site creates a forum for visitors to define, discuss, and discover solutions to their particular sleep needs. SleepBetter.org’s quest is to continually gather pertinent sleep information, then share this knowledge with the general public. The site also shares tips on the best sleep-related products, both in stores and online. SleepBetter.org has created the Sleep Better seal as a way to easily identify products recommended for their superior quality or scientifically based design. Created by Carpenter Co., the world’s largest producer of comfort cushioning products, SleepBetter.org provides information and advice that visitors can use to sleep better. For more information, please visit www.SleepBetter.org You can also connect to SleepBetter on Twitter and Facebook.

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QTRAX LAUNCHES ITS FREE AND LEGAL MUSIC DOWNLOAD SERVICE

BRINGING MUSIC FANS ACCESS TO A VAST CATALOGUE OF HIGH QUALITY VIRUS-FREE MUSIC

NEW YORK – Mar. 23, 2011 – How do college students get accessibility to the music they love for free while on campus? With the restrictions and punishments that most American Universities have in place for those who attempt to visit illegal sites to download free music and share files its an unappealing option. Many students have taken to using free streaming music services but that could also soon present a major problem. Just last week Oxford University in the UK decided to ban the popular European streaming service Spotify because of the amount of bandwidth the service swallowed up. Thankfully there is now an option for students to be able to download and play as much free music as they like.

QTRAX has successfully launched its revolutionary, free and legal music download service in the United States, Canada and eight other countries and will continue to rollout all over the world.

QTRAX showcases an ad-supported delivery model that easily and accurately directs revenue back to artists and rights holders. Users who download and install the QTRAX player will be able to use it to search for, discover and download as much music as they like from a diverse catalog of high-quality digital music files. The QTRAX player can be used on either Mac or PC and portability will follow shortly.

About QTRAX (www.QTRAX.com)
QTRAX is a free and legal music downloading service with a revenue focused business model that directs money back to artists and rights holders. QTRAX has successfully signed a number of significant licensing deals and provides fans with access to a vast and diverse catalog of high-quality digital music files. QTRAX is currently live in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Fiji, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Portability will follow shortly. Based in New York City, QTRAX is a subsidiary of Brilliant Technologies Corporation (OTC: BLLN. PK), a publicly traded technology holding company.

Both Founder and Co President Allan Klepfisz and Co President Lance Ford are available for interviews and comments.

In order to schedule please contact: Shamin Abas
shamin@shaminabaspr.com Office: 561.366.1226, Cell: 917.494.9288

Shannon Felder
Shannon@shaminabaspr.com or 561.366.1226

Survey Shows Students Growing Savvier About College Costs ROI

Maguire Associates/Fastweb Survey Reveals 91 Percent Consider Post-Graduation Employment Opportunities Important; Students Using Net Price Calculators, Social Media to Assess Affordability and Value

CONCORD, Mass. – Mar. 22, 2011 – With concerns about the economy remaining high despite the recovery, the Class of 2015 is choosing prospective colleges based on their “real” costs, as well as the return that they will provide after graduation, according to the latest research from Maguire Associates and Fastweb.com. The organizations surveyed over 21,000 high school seniors for insights into their college search and application behaviors, exploring everything from how they assess the affordability and value of a particular college to how they rely on social media when narrowing down their college options.

Families Focus on “Real” Costs and Return on Investment
“This is the third year in a row we’ve seen students’ concerns about the economy at an elevated level. As the fallout from the recession continues, institutions that want to attract quality students and engage their families need to be experts at communicating the lifetime return on an investment in their school,” said Tara Scholder, Senior Vice President, Maguire Associates. “That means focusing on the unique value proposition that they offer.”

This year, 68 percent of aspiring college freshmen surveyed report that the economy has “greatly” or “somewhat” influenced their college application choices, higher than in 2009 (60 percent), during the midst of the recession, and on a par with 2010 (64 percent). The characteristics students consider most important when choosing schools for their short lists reflect both what an investment in higher education means to them, as well as financial variables. They include:

  • Quality of major (94 percent)
  • “Value” of education (quality and cost) (92 percent)
  • Employment opportunities after graduation (91 percent)
  • Availability of need- or merit-based aid (87 percent)
  • Total costs (87 percent)

More than half of graduating seniors (57 percent) polled are interested in using net price calculators (NPCs) even though they haven’t already. NPCs are designed to help estimate the cost of attending individual schools, based on their financial situations and aid opportunities. Congress mandated that all colleges provide net price calculators on their websites by October 2011.

“The data show that providing an accurate, easy to use NPC will give colleges and universities a strategic advantage, especially as these tools drive home the concept of net cost,” added Ms. Scholder.

“With 68 percent of aspiring college freshman respondents reporting that the economy has ‘greatly’ or ‘somewhat’ influenced their college application choices, the ability for them to secure financial aid and scholarships has become more important than ever,” said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Fastweb and a nationally recognized expert on student financial aid. “Fortunately, there are opportunities to help make college more affordable for them through scholarships that match a variety of student interests and aspirations.”

Growing Impact of Social Media
The findings also indicate that, for colleges and universities seeking to reach students “where they live and breathe,” a compelling social media presence is a necessity. Not surprisingly, Facebook is the social networking site where they’re most likely to gather; nearly half (45 percent) say they visit several times each day. YouTube is the next most popular site for respondents.

Most of the students are also using these sites to research and evaluate schools, or find out about financial aid opportunities. More than half report that they have:

- Watched a YouTube video created by a school (57 percent)
- Searched for scholarships using social media or networking sites (56 percent)
- Read posts about a school on a social networking site (53 percent)

Interestingly, only 15 percent would be inclined to contact an admission counselor through a social network.

Among additional findings:

  • Health professions (22 percent), business (9 percent), biological and biomedical sciences (9 percent), engineering (8 percent), performing and visual arts (7 percent) and education (7 percent) are the majors respondents are most interested in pursuing.
  • Students generally prefer in-person instruction for their college classes (84 percent). Online instruction is preferred by only 2 percent of students, and a combination of online and classroom by 12 percent.

Data collection for the 2011 College Decision Impact Survey took place in January 2011, and all participants were Fastweb members at the time of the survey.

About Maguire Associates
Maguire Associates is a research-based consulting firm that exclusively serves educational clients – close to 400 of them – from colleges and universities to independent and public schools, consortia and government organizations focused on education. For 25 years, the firm has applied innovations in market research, analysis, and predictive modeling to help clients understand the dynamics of past performance, apply insightful knowledge to sound decision-making, and attain desired outcomes. For more information, visit www.maguireassoc.com.

About Fastweb
Fastweb is the nation’s recognized leader in helping students pay for school, by providing scholarship and financial aid information, as well as jobs and internships. One out of three college-bound seniors use the site, and more than 50 million* members have benefited from Fastweb’s information and services. Fastweb lets students create a personalized profile that can be matched against its expansive databases of colleges and scholarships. As the oldest and most popular free online scholarship matching service, the database has more than 1.5 million scholarships totaling over $3.4 billion. (*9 million are active users of the site.) For more information, visit www.fastweb.com.

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For media inquiries and to learn more about the survey please contact:
Zora Falkowski, Porter Novelli for Fastweb
617-897-8247 or zora.falkowski@porternovelli.com

Northwestern Mutual to Add 2500 Interns from Colleges and Universities

College Students Find Success in Nationally Acclaimed “Top 10 Internship”

MILWAUKEE – Mar. 18, 2011 – Due to increased demand from Americans who seek financial guidance, Northwestern Mutual – a leading financial security company – aims to add 2,500 financial representative interns from colleges and universities nationwide in 2011.

“This generation witnessed the impact of unprecedented financial turmoil and as a result, they appreciate the importance of financial planning and they’re taking action,” said Michael Van Grinsven, Northwestern Mutual field internship director. “Instead of waiting, more young adults are addressing their long-term financial futures — they picture themselves getting married, buying a home and starting a family or a business, and they want to be prepared.”

Northwestern Mutual offers one of the top 10 internships in the country, according to the 2011 Vault Guide to Internships. The annual Vault study measures mentorship and career advancement opportunities, number of active interns, compensation, intern feedback and unique appeal. For 15 straight years, Northwestern Mutual’s program has been recognized by Vault for providing interns with opportunities for personal and professional growth, valuable training and real-world experiences with a respected financial security company. More than 31,000 students across the country have participated in Northwestern Mutual’s internship program since its inception in 1967.

“Our internship program is one of the best nationwide, because our trained and licensed interns are able to test drive the same career as our full-time representatives,” said Van Grinsven. “In addition, they receive professional coaching and mentoring to help ensure success.”

Andres Baltazar, a 2007 DePaul University graduate and former Northwestern Mutual intern, now manages a successful financial practice in Skokie, Ill., helping hundreds of clients each year.

“When I attended DePaul, I wanted an internship where I could make an impact on people’s lives,” said Baltazar. “You don’t get people coffee; you help people achieve financial security, and that kind of opportunity to make a difference is so rare for students today.”

Interested applicants can visit Northwestern Mutual’s website or contact a nearby Northwestern Mutual office. To find a Northwestern Mutual office, visit: www.northwesternmutual.com/find-an-office.aspx

Watch Videos About Northwestern Mutual Careers on YouTube

1) MTV-U + Northwestern Mutual – The Financial Representative Career www.youtube.com/northwesternmutual#p/u/14/0BRrcHezrec

2) A Day in the Life – A Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative Intern: www.youtube.com/northwesternmutual#p/u/12/1RlQ4V3CV0Y

3) A Day in the Life – A Recent College Graduate Joining Northwestern Mutual
About Northwestern Mutual: www.youtube.com/northwesternmutual#p/u/11/SSH9wkDqKDI

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual) has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 150 years. As a mutual company with $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual shares, where possible, its gains with policyowners and delivers consistent and dependable value to clients over time. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

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