There has been a great deal of talk about the United States falling behind other countries in higher education, especially when it comes to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. While it is true that the U.S. needs to step it up in these areas, a new report by the American Council on Education (ACE) suggests that the situation may not be so bad.

ACE released a booklet entitled “Apples and Oranges in the Flat World,” which warns that when comparing international higher education systems, certain things must be taken into consideration. The first consideration to make is the fact that educational terms can mean different things in different countries. Another element to keep in mind is how new the higher education systems of some countries are–some countries may appear to have made great advances in higher ed because of the low level at which they began.

In addition, Duke University has done research that resulted in questions about he quality of Chinese engineering programs. While there may be many new Chinese engineering programs available, they are not of the quality of American engineering programs.

The bottom line is that while the U.S. may not be so very far behind other countries in higher education and the STEM fields, that does not mean that U.S. higher education should not be enhanced.

- Sara Elizabeth Savage

Future college students take note: “high school grades are consistently the strongest predictor of any factor of success through four years in college.”

That’s a statement made by Scott Jaschik, editor-in-chief of InsideHigherEd.  He also said, “the same study suggests that the SAT adds little predictive value to admissions decisions and is hindered by a high link between SAT scores and socioeconomic status — a link not present for high school grades.”

You hear that?  Grades really do matter.  And not only that, but, “the study finds that all of the information admissions officers currently have is of limited value, and accounts for only 30 percent of the grade variance in colleges — leaving 70 percent of the variance unexplained.”

How can you get around this?  Consider creating a free profile right here on StudentProspector.  That will give admissions officers the information they need to recruit you.

Are you considering attending community college and then transferring to a four-year university?  Consider what the Chronicle of Higher Education has to say:

“Community-college students who take courses designed solely to improve their academic and planning skills are not only more likely to stay in college than other students, but, five years later, are more likely to have earned a degree or transferred to a four-year institution, according to a new report.”

Read the full story here.

Come on, guys, we gotta step it up!

According to InsideHigherEd, only 43 percent of all college students are men, and that number is declining.

College leaders are getting together to discuss how to change this, but I have a better idea:

GUYS, GO TO COLLEGE!!!

What are you doing?  Don’t you know that an undergrad degree is becoming mandatory for almost all jobs?  Tell your friends to start applying to schools.  Let’s reverse this trend.  Let’s make sure guy’s have equal footing in the future.

Yesterday, we announced that Kirsten Dunst was returning to school.  Today, we are going to reveal how you, yes you, could earn as much money as she does.

Okay, maybe not that much, but close.

What’s the secret?  Earning an advanced degree.

According to a Census Bureau study titled “Educational Attainment in the United States: 2006,” those who earned advanced degrees made four times as much money as those with just a high school diploma.

So, should you do if you want more money?  Start going back for more schooling!

Next time you’re walking around campus, you may run across Spiderman actress Kirsten Dunst.

She told US Weekly that she plans on attending some college classes, although she did not tell them what school.

Come on, people.  If the little girl from Interview with a Vampire can do it, so can you!

Did you enjoy the recent comedy Accepted, but were frightened by the main plot: that the characters are unable to get into any college?

Do want to learn more about how the college admission process works?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may want to consider picking up a new book from author Susan Coll.

Acceptance is a satirical look at three high schools students applying to college.  Based on her experiences touring 27 colleges (some more than once), with three of her own children, Acceptance skewers the process while also explaining it, and potentially, helping students prepare for it.

So, want a nice, easy read that will prepare you to face the agony of applying to college?  Check out this book and see if it helps ease the worry.

“The skin, in my opinion, is a mirror to what is going in our minds.”  That is a quote from Dr. Gil Yosipovitch, a professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

What does it mean?  That stressed students are pimply students.

No lie.  Research was conducted in Indonesia (where the climate is mild, and therefore lets the scientists rule out weather) that determined that stress is more likely to cause acne than dirt or grease.

How did they come to that conclusion?  Because the test subjects broke out during a particularly stressful exam period.

Have you noticed more unwelcome pimples cropping up when you are stressed the most?  It may be time to dump the acne medication and start taking more relaxing baths and walks.

-Information garnered from CNN.com-

How would you feel if one of your professors lived in a dorm with you?

What if once he week he or she served buffet dinners with such dishes as duck, lamb and Sri Lankin curry?

Still don’t want a professor anywhere near your dorm life, or bring on the free food?

Professor John Richards of American University is a 68-year-old dorm mate of others living in Anderson Hall.  He is also the host of a weekly buffet dinner, and serves as the subject of a recent article found on our old staple, CNN.com.

According to the article, it is not rare for professors and students to share a floor.  Again, I ask, what do you think of that?  How would you feel if it was occurring in your dorm?

What is your view of college admission people?  Do you see them, as the Chronicle of Higher Education puts it, as “people in a room with a big ‘Reject’ stamp?”

If you do, those same admissions people have a way to make you, “realize we’re real, we’re accessible, we’re not scary,” (Jeannine C. Lalonde, an assistant dean of admission at the University of Virginia).

They have started writing blogs to show students what their process is really like.  If you are considering attending a school, check to see if there is an admissions blog.