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Health & Fitness

Unique College Programs You May Want to Know About (Part I of a Three Part Series)

Attention rising high school juniors and seniors! Soon you will embark on the college search process (the earlier the better if you wish to be pro-active) and knowing about some very cool programs is something you may wish to take advantage of. You may begin the college search process by talking with others to discover what colleges they know about in order to begin crafting your own college list. You may also visit the College Board web site or engage in some college information searches.  Of course, you could also visit The Collegeologist (that’s me!) to learn how you can learn about even more programs in the fields you are interested in.  There are over 4,000 colleges in the US alone. Likely, there is a ‘best-fit’ college for everyone.  Of course, it is important to explore your interests and match them to your skills and abilities.  While no one can predict the job outlook in the future, taking a peak at what future careers may be prosperous and gravitating towards college programs which support your future passion can help guide your decisions.  
The Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York offers incredible opportunity to those who decide that  medicine is the career path for them.  Students as early as in high school can submit their intent to join the program and provide the necessary materials for consideration.  There are three broad categories:  Computational Science and Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences and Biomedical Science.  Specific courses need to be completed during one’s undergraduate program and after graduation matriculation into the Ichan School of Medicine begins.  This flex-med program is designed to encourage students with an early passion for medicine to commit early and in return, if a grade point of 3.5 or higher is maintained and a combined SAT score of 1350 or above or ACT range of 31-35 is achieved, the MCAT’s are waived.The student then can pursue the post undergraduate studies along the path to earning a medical degree.
The Cornell School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York  boasts having the first collegiate program in Hospitality Management, which also is regarded as the best program in the world.  This four year program covers all topics relevant not only relevant to the hotel industry but to cruise lines, restaurants, casinos, real estate, theme parks, finance, spas, travel and tourism.  With a degree in hospitality management, one could access multiple career options such as restaurant manager, cruise ship accountant, or CEO of a travel company.  In the program, experiential learning affords one the opportunity to learn not only within the classroom setting, but also in the on-campus hotel as well. The classes are business related and the twenty-two core classes range from organizational leadership to marketing and tourism 
The University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology in Madison, Wisconsin.  Curious about the subject matter? If you did not know, human ecology is the study of how human beings interact and relate to their environment.  According to the university, it is an interdisciplinary field that “encompasses social, cultural, economic, and design issues and it supports discoveries related to improving the quality of human life.” There are many diverse majors such as textile and apparel design, interior design, retailing, human development, family studies, and  non-profit leadership which are unique specializations not often found in other four year institutions.
The University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut is one of only two schools in the country to not only offer an undergraduate degree in puppetry, but also a master’s degree as well. The caveat is that the program is limited to 22 students!  Graduates design and perform for theaters throughout the world,  direct notable schools and museums, and  build and manage for recognized television productions.      Stay tuned for more…

The Collegeologist is an independent college consultation practice which simplifies the college process for students and parents in the Farmington Valley area. Located at 395 West Avon Road in Avon (Across from All-Star Driver). Tel. 860-673-1500 Call for a complimentary consultation. Office visits, email & Skype are available. Like the Collegeologist on FB and follow us on twitter @thecollegeologist.
©The Collegeologist 2013. 

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