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Deep South College Road Trip: University of Mississippi

By U.S. News & World Report

A walk through the 990-acre campus of the University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss , and its surroundings offers a peek into the history of the South and the civil rights movement. Several stately antebellum buildings served as hospitals during the Civil War, and William Faulkner’s home is a university museum nearby, south of the town square.

At the heart of the first and largest university in Mississippi stand both a monument to Confederate soldiers and a statue of James Meredith, the first African-American student admitted to the segregated school in 1962 after he sued for the right to enroll. Bullet marks from the rioting that followed can still be seen on the Greek columns of the Lyceum, the university’s first building.

Despite this history and the size of the school — the undergraduate population sits at just under 17,400 — students say that today the environment feels open and welcoming. Black students now account for about 13 percent of the student body; a little over three-quarters are white. Over the last couple of years, students and the NAACP have called to have the Confederate monument and Mississippi state flag — which depicts a Confederate flag — removed; the state flag is gone, and a plaque adding historical context is being added to the monument.

[Discover other colleges and universities in Mississippi.]

“I have seen in my time here just such an inclusive style about the campus,” says Cole Putman, a senior social work major from Brandon, Mississippi. He points to programs put on by the university’s inclusion and cross-cultural engagement center on such topics as Native American and LGBT history and Black Lives Matter, for example.

Administrators keep an open-door policy so students can feel comfortable reaching out. Faculty, too, make themselves accessible. The result is the culture and feel of a smaller institution, students say. “They’ve told me since day one, ‘We’re here for you.’ Ole Miss does a really good job at letting students know that they’re not alone,” Putman says. And it’s only “about a 10-minute walk from anywhere across campus,” says Ryley Blomberg, a junior majoring in math education from Belleville, Illinois.

Students can choose from over 100 degree options. One multidisciplinary opportunity can be found in the Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence, which brings business, accountancy and engineering students together to learn the ins and outs of manufacturing. They get hands-on experience in a space that resembles a modern factory and learn the communication, management and marketing skills needed to run a successful manufacturing business. The center accepts 50 students each year.

[Get tips from current students on choosing a college major.]

Ole Miss is home to one of the country’s 12 Chinese Language Flagship programs, part of the Department of Defense’s effort to foster education in critical languages. Students who complete the five-year undergrad program become proficient in Mandarin while completing a major of their choice. They spend two summers in China as well as a final capstone year studying in the country that includes four months of an internship.

Athletics are a big part of the culture; the recently expanded football stadium seats 64,000. Tailgating on the Grove, a grassy area filled with trees, is a major attraction. Other than football, sports events are free for students.

Off campus, the city of Oxford, with a population of about 22,000, has lots to offer history buffs interested in Civil War-era sites and music lovers. The square downtown is a hub of boutiques, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

Nine bus lines run through the campus and throughout the city, and students ride for free. They can also rent a bike, helmet and lock for the semester for just $25.

Deep South College Road Trip:

— Xavier University of Louisiana
— Tulane University
— Millsaps College

This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Colleges 2017” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.

More from U.S. News

Deep South College Road Trip: Millsaps College

Deep South College Road Trip: Xavier University of Louisiana

Deep South College Road Trip: Tulane University

Deep South College Road Trip: University of Mississippi originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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