Posted on Aug 2, 2010 | Tagged in: Houston , education
Houston has been ranked The Best City for New College Graduates in the newest annual Bloomberg Businessweek listings, after not making the list at all in 2009. With a low cost of living, average annual pay of $44,880 and 61 entry-level employers, Houston was able to obtain this high ranking.
The business report ranks the nation’s top 30 cities for recent grads, according to their data experts. This list is compiled by AfterCollege Data’s number of entry-level employers, as well as average annual pay, cost of living and unemployment rate statistics.
Additional cities that made the list include (in order) Washington, Dallas, Atlanta, Austin, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Denver, Columbus and Ft. Worth.
Just one more reason Houston, and many of its surrounding cities, have been sheltered from the devastating economic downturn that other parts of the country are still reeling from.
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek
Posted on Jul 27, 2010 | Tagged in: tips , education , economy
Back to school shopping can be a stressful time for parents and kids alike. And, trying to keep up with the latest trends and ever changing school supply requirements can be a little overwhelming. Just follow these simple, essential tips when you head out the door this August, and you will find yourself well equipped for the task at hand. With a little bit of planning and a sharp eye for bargains, anyone can save big bucks!
- Be patient and wait for the sales and discounts. Some of the biggest markdowns on clothing, shoes, and electronics, happen in mid to late August. Your patience will pay off with average savings of 40 to 50 percent in retail stores and 20 to 25 percent online.
- Plan to take advantage of the Texas Tax-Free weekend on August 20 – 22, 2010. During this one weekend in August, back-to-school items, like clothing, backpacks and footwear, are tax-free. (http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx98_490/tx98_490.html )
- Make sure to buy a backpack that comes with a warranty. Kids can be very hard on their book bags, so your child’s backpack should be come from a reputable company, such as L.L. Bean or the North Face, which guarantees its products will hold up. If a zipper breaks or the handle/straps come apart the company should have a no charge replacement policy.
- For high school and college students in need of software, make sure and request the “student discount” or “student rate” on software. Most Microsoft products can be purchased at a significant (as much as 80% off) discount simply by showing a valid student ID at retail stores or by send a copy via e-mail or fax to online stores.
Most importantly, avoid buying anything you don’t really need. Start with the essentials and as needs arise, you can pick them up. And, although sales begin in late August, by late September, you may find items deeply discounted by as much as 75% off. In short, plan ahead and make a list. Then watch the local ads and don’t let your kids pressure you into overspending!
Posted on Mar 30, 2010 | Tagged in: Houston , education
The University of Houston System (UHS) has strengthened its efforts to extend higher education access to one of the state's most underserved regions.
UHS signed a leasing contract with Lone Star College (LSC) that will help bring academic programs from UH and UH-Downtown to the northwest Houston metropolitan area. Through this five-year agreement, LSC will provide UHS with 41,500 sq. feet of instructional space at LSC-University Park (20414 State Highway 249).
This space will include 15 classrooms and an enrollment services center for academic advising, recruiting and instructional support. UHS will fund the initial build-out of the space, including furniture, facilities and equipment at a cost of $2.3 million. Rent for the first three years of the agreement is fixed at $674,375 annually.
Posted on Jan 13, 2010 | Tagged in: education
Mischer Development prides itself on shaping communities to enrich the lives of its residents. This goal is achieved through careful planning and execution of the master plan of each of its communities. To help Cy-Fair ISD enhance its revenue stream and in turn enhance school programs throughout the district, Mischer Development will participate in a school bus advertising program.
In a time where the state of Texas is in a education finance crisis, many school districts are developing creative ways to increase revenue so they will still be able to provide top notch educational programs and activities to its students. Cy- Fair ISD has contracted Steep Creek Media to put together ads to be placed on school buses. Steep Creek Media is a turn-key operation with no direct cost to the school district. Local businesses can take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their business at a low cost to a very targeted audience and benefit local schools at the same time.
Posted on Dec 5, 2009 | Tagged in: education
A significant consideration for parents in any region arises when it's time to send the kids off to college or a university. With the economic situation as it is and more and more people concerned about commutes and efficiency, parents and students are opting for local schools, something of which Houston has plenty to offer.
There is an abundance of local, highly rated universities, colleges and academic certifications and programs.
University of Houston (link: www.uh.edu)
-Percent of applicants admitted: 79%
-Student to faculty ratio: 22 to 1
-SAT range: 920-1170
-109 majors and minors
-128 master's
-50 doctoral
-Best Entrepreneurship Program in the nation
-UH Law Center is one of the top 100 law schools in the country
-Third in the nation for Health Law
-In the top ten for Intellectual Property Law
-Offers the Space Architecture graduate program, the only program of its kind in the world
-The most diverse university in the nation
Houston Baptist University (link: www.hbu.edu)
-Over 2,500 students
-Student to faculty ratio: 13:1
-Over 79% of full-time professors hold terminal degrees
Houston Community College (www.hccs.edu)
-Regions covered: Central, Coleman, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Distance Education
-Tons of inexpensive, transferable courses
University of St. Thomas (www.stthom.edu)
-3,234 total enrollment
-An Hispanic serving institution
-Student to Faculty ratio: 11:1
-67% student population is Catholic
-92% of faculty hold a terminal degree
-1138 average SAT score
-31 undergraduate and 10 graduate degree programs
-65 student organizations
-Tuition: $717 per credit hour undergraduate; $802 per credit hour graduate
Rice University (www.rice.edu)
-Copywritten material may be viewed at http://www.professor.rice.edu/professor/Students4.asp?SnID=25694481
Texas Southern University (www.tsu.edu)
-80+ student organizations
-Over 9,500 students
-9 schools and colleges
-Thurgood Marshall Law School named the most diverse law school in the nation three consecutive years in a row
-College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has historically produced over 27% of all African American pharmacists in the nation.
-The majority of African-American teachers in HISD and African-American lawyers in Houston are Texas Southern graduates
Posted on Aug 27, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston I.S.D. , education
Not one to miss out on the Twitter craze, Houston Independant School District (HISD) educators are using Twitter for updates. Back to school Twitter updates began with Houston ISD members such as Jared Berry, theater director at Pin Oak Middle School, with “It's 4:44 a.m. on 8/24/09 — 1st day of school for 2009-10 term. Can't wait to start the day.”
Many schools are utilizing Twitter's update abilities for a range of things from school news updates to parents, students, and staff members. While it doesn't replace more conventional means such as HISD's mass-calling system, the plus side to using Twitter is that it is a fast, instantaneous way to provide updates to those involved in the Houston education community.
The Twitter updates can be a great way for parents to keep tabs on what is going on in their children's schools. Most school children are very familiar with other social media sites such as Myspace and Facebook, but very few know about Twitter. HISD school teachers hope to educate them about Twitter and use it for scholastic means, so parents and teachers can monitor their progress. The best part is that Twitter is much safer than Myspace and Facebook whereas less personal information is presented, and most interactions on the site come in the form of "tweets", or short update blurbs.
Particularly excited about the momentum in which social media is taking root in Houston schools is Stephanie Sandifer, curriculum specialist for adolescent literacy in HISD. According to her, "There are definitely more educators who are beginning to understand the potential of these tools for communication, as well as for learning." Schools everywhere in Houston are taking advantage of Twitter, are you tweeting as well?
Image courtesy ofchron.com
Posted on May 8, 2009 | Tagged in: Lone Star College , education
Lone Star College System has purchased a large portion of the Hewlett-Packard campus in northwest Harris County to expand its higher education programs and bring university-level courses to this part of the Houston area.
The acquisition included eight buildings totaling 1.2 million square feet of space near Texas 249 and Louetta. That's equivalent to a downtown skyscraper and more than double the size of Lone Star's newest and largest college, LSC-CyFair, which has more than 12,000 students. More than a year ago, HP put over 2 million square feet of building space and about 20 acres of land up for sale as part of a cost cutting and consolidation plan.
