About Mercyhurst University

Fast Facts

1. Mercyhurst is a four-year, Catholic, liberal arts university, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1926.
2. Granted university status in 2012.
3. More than 50 undergraduate majors, with 67 concentrations as well as unique adult programs and eight graduate degrees are available at the university.
4. Mercyhurst University offers 24 varsity level sports, with the Lakers fielding teams in 12 women’s sports and 12 men’s sports. Two of the programs compete at the NCAA Division I level (men’s and women’s ice hockey), while 21 teams participate on the Division II stage.
5. Mercyhurst's main 75-acre campus is set in Erie, Pa., the state's only port city; the campus is approximately 100 miles from Cleveland, OH and Buffalo, NY and 130 miles north of Pittsburgh, PA.
6. Accreditation: The Pennsylvania Department of Education; The Council on Social Work Education; The Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration; National Association of Schools of Dance; The National Athletic Trainers Association; The American Physical Therapy Association; The National Association of Schools of Music; and International Assembly of Collegiate Business Educators. 
7. Full-time Graduate Students: 300.
8. Average class size: 20 and all courses are taught by faculty, not graduate or teaching assistants.
9. Applications - 3,000.
10. Admitted - 2,260.
11. Number of Freshmen - 670 (Men-270, Women-400).
12. Average GPA - 3.41.
13. Middle 50 percent SAT - 1650.
14. Middle 50 percent ACT - 24.
15. The enrolling freshmen include 18 Valedictorians or Salutatorians, 410 Egan Scholars, and five Rotary Youth Leadership Award recipients.
16. Geographic Distribution: Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and more than 31 states and 21 countries.

 

Wash, Brush, Comb! Hygiene Habits for Kids

“Wash your hands. Brush your teeth. Did you use soap?” These are just a few of the phrases preschool parents repeat like a broken record. It's a fact: children and germs go hand in hand. Each day parents watch their children play in the sand at the park, stick fingers in their noses and mouths, pick up slimy creatures, and reach eagerly for food that's fallen on the ground.

Getting preschoolers to take over the brushing, scrubbing and rinsing themselves is an important step in the development of a preschooler's independence. Not only does it give parents a welcome break and help ditch the dirt in the short term, but teaching basic hygiene concepts to children at a young age will form the groundwork of a healthy lifestyle in the future.

Proper Hygiene

Just as you teach your child the steps to ride a bike or play a game, it's important for you to teach your child proper hygiene habits. Personal hygiene can include such skills as how to properly wash hands, take a bath, brush teeth and hair, and follow proper toilet training skills. “The most common health issues that come up is from preschoolers playing with unsanitary things and then touching their mouths and other kids before washing hands," says pediatrician Carol-Lynn Barsky. "At this age, it is primarily hand washing that will keep them healthy.”

Get in the Habit

Help train your child to get in the habit of washing his hands after certain activities such as using the bathroom, playing at the park, and being at a friend’s house. Keep a regular schedule for taking baths and help your child brush teeth and hair in the morning and before bedtime everyday. If your child gets in the habit of regular hand washing, brushing teeth, and bathing, it will become more natural and reminders from parents will be less necessary. One of the most effective ways to teach consistency in good hygiene is to set a good example as a parent by washing your hands, and brushing your teeth and hair in front of your child regularly.

What about Germs?

It's important to gently explain the idea of germs to your child, without scaring him. You want your child to feel free to make mud pies and pick up insects, without the fear of germs. “I teach the children that not all germs are bad, but that some germs can make us sick," says preschool teacher Shannon Johst. "I talk to them about how fast germs can spread, and that washing hands will keep them safe.” The key is to focus on what your child can do for his body to stay healthy rather than focusing solely on germs.

Make Teaching Hygiene Fun

Learning to take care of his body should be fun for your child and not a chore. Here are some ideas to be creative:

• Pretend to be a “germ detective” and use a magnifying glass to examine your child’s hands and teeth. Give him a “secret mission” to wash his hands or brush his teeth.
• Give your child a "buddy" to wash while he washes his hands, such as a rubber ducky, plastic figure or toy car. Ask if his buddy used soap, rather than asking your child about his own hands.
• Let your child pick out a special soap and toothpaste at the store that he'll use to wash his hands and body and to brush his teeth. There are many "cool" soaps out there, such as soaps in the shapes of animals and scented foam soaps. When your child is involved in the selection of products to use, he will feel that he has ownership of the hygiene process.
• Use a “puppet helper.” Have your child choose a puppet that will be a washing buddy in the bath or remind him to wash hands when he gets home. Talk in a funny voice with the puppet to differentiate the puppet from the parent. Being "helped" by a puppet and being nagged by a parent will get different results from your child.
• Teach your child how to bathe different body parts by using a favorite doll as an example in the bathtub.
• Keep a laminated “body check” chart in the bathroom to have your child check off what parts of the body he has taken care of that day; teeth, hair, arms, legs, hands.

Establishing good hygiene habits with your preschooler is the best defense against the germs that live everywhere in your child’s environment. Enjoy being creative with your child and setting good examples, and you'll be left with a clean, happy and healthy child!

Shared from http://www.education.com

US College Tour Summer Program

US College Tour Summer Program

TS College Tours provides tours of US colleges for international students. It is the only college tour program that is exclusively focused on the backgrounds, needs and interests of international school students. Their programs offer students a unique opportunity to visit colleges and to help them focus on their college search!Each tour is led experienced international school counselors who, as well as organizing all tour details, share their knowledge with students through nightly seminars and daily conversations on various admissions- related topics. For summer 2014, TS College Tours is offering programs that visit colleges in the Northeast and California as well as one that visits some of the top art colleges in the US. To find out more about the 2014 tours, please visit www.tscollegetours.com. Their programs normally fill up quite early so we encourage you to apply soon if interested.

                                                                

Augustana College

Quick Facts

Our Location
The College is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a city with a population of more than 162,000 in a metropolitan area of approximately 235,000.

Our Campus
Augustana’s beautifully maintained, tree-lined campus is situated on 100 acres in a residential area.

View the "Fast Facts" pamphlet that provides an overview about the state of the College. It includes a snapshot of our student population and cites many of the attractions of Sioux Falls.

Our Students
Approximately 1,765 full- and part-time students, primarily of traditional age, come from 30 states and 44 foreign countries. More than 100 international students are enrolled.  Students typically enter the College with an average ACT of 26 and a high school grade point average of 3.69. Of students whose schools report class rank, 63% ranked in the top quarter of their graduating class.

Our Faculty
Nearly 82 percent of our 129 full-time and tenure-track faculty possess the highest degree in their disciplines. The student to faculty ratio is 12:1 with an average class size of 20 students.

Co-Curricular Activities
Beyond the classroom, we provide opportunities for involvement in more than 100 student organizations and activities, including special interest groups, 18 NCAA Division II athletic teams and 20 performing arts ensembles in music and theatre.

Our Traditions
Major College traditions include Opening Convocation, Viking Days, Viking Varieties, Christmas Tree-lighting, Augustana Vespers, Community Service Day, Semester Shutdown, the Augustana Symposium, Senior Celebration, Family Weekend and the Faculty Gauntlet at Commencement. Ole, the Viking statue in the center of the Quadrangle, is often decorated for special seasonal events. The Green is the large expanse of green space used for frisbee, bonfires and all kinds of student activities. An age-old college tradition — college football — returned to campus after 52 years with the inaugural season in Kirkeby-Over Stadium in 2009.

Residential Life
Living opportunities include six residence halls, 16 theme houses and five apartment complexes.

Comprehensive Costs for 2013-2014

Tuition                                                                                                                                       $28,200

Student Activity Fee (Supports campus events, concerts and student activities)            $430

Room and Board (Does not include S.D. sales tax of $250)                                           $6,920

Total                                                                                                                                           $35,500

Rowe Fund

The Rowe Fund is an educational loan program of the Organization of American States (OAS) that helps citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies or research in accredited universities across the United States by awardinginterest-free loans of up to $15,000 dollars.

By financing a portion of their studies in the United States, the Rowe Fund helps students complete their education while at the same time fostering cultural diversity, friendship, and communication among the people of the Americas. Rowe Fund loans include:

• Deferred repayment while in school
• No application or processing fees
• Applications are accepted and reviewed year-round and at any time during the studies in the U.S.
• Funding is sent directly to the student after approval
• Easy access to loan application forms and instructions

For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective Applicants or, if you have already been awarded a Rowe Fund loan, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions for Current Beneficiaries.   

The Rowe Fund was endowed through a bequest from Dr. Leo Stanton Rowe, who served as Director General of the Pan American Union (the precursor of the OAS), from 1920 until his death in 1946.  Dr. Rowe devoted his life to furthering understanding and integration among the countries of the Americas, particularly through higher education.

Visit http://www.oas.org/en/rowefund/ for more information.

Internet Safety Tips for Elementary School Kids

Keep your kids safe online

When your kids start to interact on the Internet -- playing games, watching YouTube videos, socializing in virtual worlds, getting homework help, and searching on Google -- you may feel that you're losing control over your kids' world.

The best way to wrap your arms around your kids' online activities is to spend some time with them while they're visiting their favorite sites. Talk with them about what they like and what they don't.

Why Internet safety matters

Kids today can go online from so many different sources, including video game consoles, iPhones and smart phones, and even handheld gaming devices. Young people are increasingly living their lives online, and their digital devices are some of their favorite toys and tools.

Shouldn’t this new playground be a safe and nice place? With your guidance, it can be. Teaching Internet safety in the elementary years will have lasting rewards for you and your kids.

Internet Safety Basics

Help your kids understand that they should:

• Never share their names, schools, ages, phone numbers, or addresses;
• Never send pictures to strangers;
• Keep passwords private (except to parents);
• Never open email from strangers – it may contain viruses that can harm a computer; and
• Immediately tell an adult if something mean or creepy happens.

Strategies for a responsible -- and safer -- online life

• Visit only age-appropriate sites. Check out the site before your kids visit it. Know what features and what content exist and make sure they’re good for your kids.
• Search safely. Use safe search settings for young kids or think about applying filtering software to limit inappropriate exposure.
• Avoid strangers. Tell your kids that people aren’t always who they say they are in cyberspace. Explain that if someone they don’t know talks to them, they shouldn’t respond but should let you know.
• Be a good cyber citizen! Remind kids that an Internet playground is still a playground and they need to play nicely. A good rule of thumb: If they wouldn’t do something in real life, they shouldn’t do it online. Find out how your children can report mean behavior or unkind content on their favorite sites and teach them how to do it.
• Online cheating? It’s still cheating and it’s a no-no – pure and simple.
• Keep the computer in a central place. So you can see what’s going on.
• Establish expectations and limits about the amount of time your children spend online and what they do. Check out our family media agreement for a helpful place to start.
• View your own habits carefully. You are their role models.
• But, mostly, be involved and have fun with them! Keeping kids safe and teaching them how to use digital technology responsibly is all about staying involved. Start by showing interest in the sites they visit and the games they play and your job will be a lot easier when they start exploring these technologies more independently.

Shared from www.commonsensemedia.org

Update on Eckerd College

Application:

1. SAT is not required for students who do not hold US passports.
2. TOEFL/IELTS is not required for students who have spent all of their high school experience in an English language high school. Students are asked to submit a copy of a graded paper instead.
3. Financial documents are no longer requested at the point of application. Students will be reviewed for admission and offered academic scholarships prior to providing proof of financial responsibility. 
Scholarships:

Last year, our scholarships ranged from $5,000-$12,000. I'm very pleased to announce that our new awards range from $10,000-$18,000. Scholarships are awarded at the point of admission based on academic achievement