Many students don’t want to date during college, and that is understandable.  But what happens with those that want to date, and what about those that are looking?  While there are so many people out there, you’re going to find that all walks of life are dating, wanting to go on dates and more.  Let’s take a look at some of stats that you may be interested in.

• From the ABQ Journal, nationally they have stated that most first dates lead to second dates 80% of the time.
• Most students say that the top 3 places to meet someone new is a bar, club, or a beach.
• More than 40% of students out there have been single for less than 3 months.
• Over 70% of students today have used an online dating service.
• Close to 40% say the first thing that they notice on a date are looks.
• On average, students think that it takes more than 2-6 months to establish a relationship.
• Close to 80% think that people lie on a date.
• The thing people lie the most about are age, followed by height and weight.
• More than 50% of men spend more than $100 on dates, while 2/3 of women spend less than $50 a month.
• Close to 50% of first dates lead to a first kiss.
• 99% of the time, men arrange a second date within 72 hours.
• The USA has more than 40 million people using online dating services.  The most popular one is eHarmony with more than 20 million users.
• The average length of an online marriage is 18 months, compared to an offline marriage, which is more than 40.
• Close to 30%+ are in a violent relationship.

To learn more about domestic violence that is not only with teens, but younger adults, be sure to read this great DomesticPeace page for more information.

Thanks go to this Mashable page, as well as Google Answers for finding most of these great dating stats.

Starting up college is a fun task, but what you’re going to find out is that there is going to be a lot involved, when it comes down to budgeting for your college experience.  When you’re ready to prepare for college, or maybe you just want to get a good idea on what you’re going to pay, let’s take a look at what your expenses are going to be, as well as what you should save up for, or use to apply for a loan.

#1 Get a ballpark estimate

If you know what college that you’re going to attend, what you can do is go straight to college website, and look in the financial section.  What you’re going to find out is that you’re going to be able to get the exact numbers nine times out of ten.  What you can do here is take that number, and apply it to your calculator.  Don’t forget that if you’re going to be staying on campus, you will want to add the room and board fees.

If you don’t have exact numbers, I would recommend using the following numbers:

• 4 year private college: $40,000
• 4 year public college (in state):  $20,000
• 4 year public college (out of state):  $30,000
• 2 year community:  $14,000

Generally, if you’re going to have living costs on top of this, experts will tell you to almost double the price to be safe.  Whether you’re going to be staying in a dorm, or an apartment, the prices will be relatively close.

#2 Know about books and more: Books are generally going to be around $100ish per class, if you want to have a great estimate.  I generally try to have a higher estimate, so when the price does come in, I’m not shocked by the sticker price.

#3 Use calculators online: With that being said, you can use some of the calculators that I like online.   What you will find out is that the following should be able to help you budget for both now, as well as the future:

• CollegeBoard.com
• CNN Money

We all know that dorm rooms are rather small, and since we need to sleep, you’re going to find that you’re going to want to consider a bed loft.  Now, if you haven’t been to your college yet, you’re going to want to make sure that you check with them, because many of them have lofts already installed.

If you’re looking for a plan, or maybe you want to purchase one, I wanted to show you a top list below of some that you may want to consider.  For a full size loft, you’re going to find that you will more than likely have to pay anywhere from a few hundred to as much as $600+  This will be a great investment, if you plan on staying here for a few years.

College bed loft reviews and some to consider:

The Coaster Full Size Work Station (around $650): This work station in particular was one of higher rated one online.  You can easily fit a computer work station underneath the bed, with a simple ladder that goes up to your twin sized bed.  Made from a durable steel frame, this work station doesn’t take up a lot of room, nor is it made from cheap material.

Canwood Whistler Junior Loft Bed (around $250): This bed is a little simpler than the one mentioned above, but has a great finsih.  While you can’t fit that much underneath, it would be better for storage, as well as to keep you off the ground.  With this particular set, you can also purchase attachments, such as a slide out desk.

Coaster Contemporary Metal Loft Bed (around $700): This is probably one of my favorite ones, when it comes to the loft bed.  It has a great color, it’s made of metal, and gives you lots of room for not only your computer, but other items as well such as your books, and more.  Made of metal, this will not only work great for a dorm room, but home as well.

Workstation Loft Bed w/ Desk (around $750): The last one on the list is this nice looking loft bed.  It comes equipped with a desk with a pull out keyboard try, as well as many other features.  It’s very similar to the other loft beds, but you will find that this one has a few additional features.

These are all loft beds to consider for your dorm room.  Be sure to look at the measurements, as well as make sure that it’s going to fit in your dorm.  You will find that most of these will make a great fit in your college dorm.

When you’re ready to apply for a college, you’re going to realize that there are a lot of factors that come into place.  Everything from your GPA, to your extra curricular activities.  What makes some students wonder is if race is truly involved.

How do I know if my college will factor in race?

While they aren’t going to come out, and tell you that they won’t accept you because you’re Asian, black, etc, you will find that if you look online, as well as look at the history of the college, it may bring up some interesting information.

Know your state’s laws: Many states today have laws against affirmative action, where colleges can’t deny you solely based on race.  What many students have found in the past is that they meet all the criteria / standards, and some even exceed them by far, but still get denied.  Many start to wonder if race was truly involved.

What you’re going to find in the long haul is that a school is going to do it to an extend.  Obviously, they won’t come forward.  A good way to distinguish if a school is doing something like this is to basically look at the demographics of your school.  If you just Google something along the lines of, “XYZ College demographics”, it should yield some great information.

If you’re finding that the college has 99% white, while having only 1% minority, then you may have to worry.  While you will find that you can’t get an answer on admissions, and race, the best thing to do is to either search online, or if you need to, do some research to figure what the school is all about.

Do you have a story to share about race, and college admissions?  Let us know!

When you’re ready to pick out a college, there’s a good chance that you’re going to visit the college campus, before you actually send out the check to apply.    Since you probably want to get a vibe on what you’re going to get yourself into, you probably will want to know what you should do.

Listed below are 10 tips that you can follow, when you want to visit some college campuses in your area.

#1 Write up your questions ahead of time: When you get to the college, there’s a good chance that you’re going to be with other people.  Since you don’t want to freeze up, you’re going to want to write your questions ahead of time.  Place the paper in your pocket, so that you can refresh yourself, when you get to the school.

#2 Look outside of the campus: Sure, you’re going to be spending time on the college campus, but what about outside of the school?  What is there to do?  You will want to explore the social life outside of the school, because the last thing that you want is to be in the middle of nothing.

#3 Be sure to walk around without a professional: Yes, you will want to schedule a tour, but you have to remember that these people are trying to sell you.  After the tour is done, or maybe before the tour, you should walk around the campus to get a vibe on what it is all about.

#4 Talk to the other students: To get a good vibe on the college, ask the other students on what they think about the college.  Ask questions, as well as learn about what they hate, as well as what they like.  This is a great way to get a good perspective on the school.

#5 Research ahead of time: You’ll be amazed at what kind of information that you can get with a quick search.  Do a quick search, read reviews and  see what they are talking about.  When you meet with them in person, you can ask about these issues.

#6 Take notes: A college tour takes up a lot of time, and they can be long.  Since you won’t remember everything, I would recommend that you bring in a journal to mark down things that you will want to remember.

#7 Schedule ahead of time: If you’re going to go during peak season, you’re going to find that many other students are going to want to schedule at the same time.  I would recommend that you plan a tour well in advanced, so that you can be assured a spot.

#8 Meet with others: A tour guide for the school is only going to know so much.  What you will want to also do is set up an appointment with an admissions counselor while you’re there to learn more about your classes, as well as the path that you should be taking.

#9 Leave evidence that you were there: Some colleges get bombarded with interest, and what you may find out is that some will look to see if you came for a tour.  It sounds silly, but fill out a card, or sign a guest book to show that you have been there.

#10 Write a thank you note: Once it is all said and done, send them a Thank You note.  This will show you that you care, as well get you noticed as well.