High school students looking for a sneak peek at college life can catch a glimpse at different summer camps offered by universities across the nation.

TCU offers many different summer programs for high schoolers in subjects such as journalism, band and business.

Ann Nordin, a sophomore at SMU, attended TCU’s Schieffer Summer Journalism Camp  prior to her senior year in high school.

 Nordin, who is a pre-business major, recommends every high school student should attend a summer camp.

“It helped me realize what I wanted to do in college, but it also gives you the college experience,” said Nordin.

Dr. Barbara Wood, a finance professor, leads the Neeley School of Business High School Investor Challenge. High school students spend a week living on campus taking finance classes and managing a $100,000 virtual portfolio.

Wood’s goal is to teach students to “learn how to make stock investments, evaluate the economy and evaluate a company’s performance.”

Wood added that she also wants students to “experience TCU, and the Neeley school… so that this [TCU] becomes a college choice for them.”

But attending a camp isn’t an automatic entry into college.

Admissions will often look to see if there’s evidence of growth from the camp, said Beatriz Gutiérrez, an assistant director of Admissions at TCU. For example, Gutiérrez said, she wants a student involved in organizations, like yearbook or newspaper, to show the student was “truly engaged and wanted to do something more.”

Some incoming Horned Frogs are are looking forward to fall with a combination of excitement and trepidation.

Although they aren’t sure their expectations will be met, but they’re willing to take on the experience.

“I expect a tight knit of people open to new ideas,” said Laura Fuentes.

Others worry about being accepted and fitting in. Kimberly Sancen, who attended a predominantly Hispanic high school, said campus diversity is a concern.

“Having a lack of minorities is a concern for me,” said Kimberly Sancen. “I need somewhere that is diverse that brings together a collection of people.”

Rising junior Jared Williams said students should be patient and remember it takes some time for students to get adjusted.

“Getting used to college was rough the first week, but eventually you get used to it,” Williams said.  

Landing that first job out of college can be as demanding and nerve-wracking as getting into college.

The Career Center at TCU encourages students to start working toward their first professional job as early as possible. The Career Center gives students professional development tools, such as resume building workshops. The center’s Frog Jobs program assists students in with workplace prerequisites such as the interview process, internships and connecting with prospective employers.

“Internships are so important because that’s the only time in life when you really get to test an industry and see if you like it or not,” said Jill Whitfield, a career consultant at TCU.

Networking also holds great importance and is a large part of getting a job after graduating.

“Lots of students think that the hard part is getting all of the paperwork and applications filled out and just hoping for that phone call,” said Whitfield.

But she said students shouldn’t overlook networking.

“Networking is crucial now more so than ever because it’s so competitive in the workplace,” Whitfield said. “It’s not enough to just apply for the job.”

Unemployment is not a large issue among recent college graduates, but underemployment can be.

The Economic Policy Institute noted that the unemployment rate for the class of 2016 was about five percent, compared to an underemployment rate of about 12 percent.

This fall, the first phase of TCU’s new Greek housing is expected to debut as women move into the new sorority houses in Worth Hills.

TCU Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council Greek organizations will all have new housing when construction is completed in 2018.

Director of Fraternity and Sorority life Brooke Scogin said she “wants the houses to be functional yet beautiful because students want them to be a great space but look good too.”

TCU began Greek construction two years ago as it completed dorm expansions and renovation projects. Student input was sought during the planning stages of the new Greek.  Students were given choices on paint colors, cabinets, wood floors and countertops.

The new Greek will consist of 11 buildings for 25 different sororities and fraternities. The new houses are four stories high with the fourth floor bedrooms nestled right under the roof.

The houses include two kitchens, private bedrooms and bathrooms, study areas, lounges, offices as well as a separate floor for those in leadership positions.

The upper two floors, for those not in leadership positions, include single and double style rooms with shared bathrooms.

All of the houses match TCU’s architectural style with Ludowici clay tile roofs and “TCU brick.” There’s also plenty of green space for outdoor activities. Each fraternity house will have an area in the back for grilling and entertainment.

Scogin said the new housing might not boost Greek recruitment, but it could encourage more people to live in the housing.

Greek life “tends to have large recruitment classes no matter what even if they were in their old facilities [Greek life] would have a high number going through our recruitment,” Scogin said. “But I think people will want to live in our facilities more than years past.”

SAMANTHA from TCU Student Media on Vimeo.

Study habits are essential to a successful college career.

It’s vital for incoming first-year students to develop proper study habits, said  Ashley Edwards, a TCU academic adviser.

Transitioning from high school to college is a big deal, because it’s many students’ first time without a parent holding them accountable for their actions, she said.

Austin Myers, a TCU sophomore, said students can’t afford to be unprepared in college.

“The biggest difference between high school and college is that you have to study because when you are unprepared in high school and barely study before a test you can get an A, but in college you’ll end up with an F,” he said.

Edwards said students must remember to study regularly and not cram before a test. She said cramming can have a negative effect on the mind.

She said students should always plan ahead, schedule studying weeks in advance and even create a daily routine depending on the subject.

Sophomore Ke Shawn Somerville said he needs to study at least 15 hours a week to master a subject and its content. “Studying is very important in college due to TCU being very prestigious and rigorous, and having to put in the work to get great grades,” Somerville said.

Junior Jeffrey Williams said he typically studies 10 hours a week, depending on the class.

Even students who aren’t athletes can be attracted to a university because of its sports programs.

Harvard marketing professor Doug Chung calls this the “Flutie Effect,” noting that Boston College saw a rise in applications after then-quarterback Doug Flutie threw a last-minute “Hail Mary” pass to defeat the University of Miami in a nationally televised game.

Chung’s research found that a successful football program can boost applications by 19 percent.

TCU has mirrored this since finishing a perfect season by defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2011 Rose Bowl. That fall, TCU received 7,215 more applications than in 2009, according to the TCU Fact Book. Since 2009 transfer applications have nearly doubled.

Collin Peterson, a junior at TCU, said Horned Frog athletics influenced his college decision.

“I knew I wanted to go to school where athletics are a big thing,” Peterson said.

He said he attended football games at TCU in high school and continues to enjoy the opportunity to spend time with fellow students outside of the classroom.

Duke University is recognized for its academics and its athletics, in particular basketball and the “Cameron Crazies,” the fans who cheer on the Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Rising sophomore Noelle Cassier said many factors played into her decision to attend Duke, including the athletic atmosphere.

“I definitely knew about the success of the team and was so excited to be part of the Crazies,” Cassier said.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics about a third of U.S. adults age 20 and older are obese, but some people question the science behind the numbers.

Obesity is linked to the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale, which sets the range for  “healthy” weight based on height.

“I don’t believe that the BMI scale is factual but I believe that it is a guideline for people to follow,” said Jennifer Collins, a TCU parent.

TCU students and parents explain why they believe the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale is factual or fictional.

The BMI scale is a ratio that suggests what the “healthy” weight size is for someone of a certain height. Some people believe that the BMI scale isn’t factual but a lifestyle that you should follow.

“I don’t believe that the BMI scale is factual but I believe that it is a guideline for people to follow,” Jennifer Collins said.

People who are overweight, but otherwise considered healthy are still at greater risk for stroke and heart failure, than those who weight is within the ideal range.