College application essays can be nerve-wracking affairs, but some schools (particularly the University of Chicago) try to ease the tension with lighthearted, creative and just plain odd questions. Depending on your personality, though, this sort of essay might make you even more stressed. Try practicing on these past examples, the oddest of the odd college application essay questions.

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Gift Ideas for Students Taking Online Classes

Online education is designed to be more convenient than in-person classes, but it has its share of hassles that can be eased with a healthy dose of technology. And I think we all agree that the best type of technology is free technology! So consider giving these cutting-edge gadgets to that special online student in your life; they might prove to be a real life saver (as opposed to a light saber, which would be a pretty cool gadget too). (more…)

If you’re like most people, you don’t associate your MySpace or Facebook profile with your schoolwork or your pursuit of a career. Maybe you should, though, because schools and employers are increasingly doing so. As one woman pursuing her teaching degree found out, a school can even strip you of your diploma if it finds the content posted on your page to be sufficiently offensive. (more…)

Passing an online class can be as challenging as passing a kidney stone. Thankfully, it’s more rewarding in the long run. With these 10 marginally holy tips, you can plan for the unique challenges of distance learning and ensure that your online education is as painless a process as possible. (more…)

Here are some of the latest cool stuff from some our favorite blogs:

• Lifehacker reports on a neat Firefox extension, WiseStamp, that lets you build HTML signatures for your favorite Webmail accounts. Great news if you’re one of the many Gmail users who have waiting forever to add prettier signatures to your emails. WiseStamp even lets you link to your social network profiles via cute little icons.
• StudentHacks.org lists seven things you can do on your commute to school to be more productive. Personally, I always learned my Spanish vocabulary words on the way to class.
• Gizmodo rounds up sites to watch TV online for free, including a critique of how the networks have addressed this growing trend.
• Lindsey Pollack, Alexandra Levit, & Christine Hassler talk about the do’s & don’t’s of social networking on the latest 30/20 Vision Podcast.
• Alexandra Levit’s Water Cooler Wisdom notes Richard Bottner’s Intern Bridge, a site which tries to close the gap between employers & students through internship-focused research projects. Good to see steps being taken to improve programs.
• Stepcase Lifehack talks about preparing now for life after college. I really like these tips. They’re very relevant, particular the one about creating a employer-viewer-friendly online persona.
• Wise Bread gives helpful tips for making your clothes last longer. Long live the Tide-to-Go pen!