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As I sit here this morning, eating a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal, sifting through the latest college news feeds…

I came across an article from CBS.com that highlites a new category in the latest edition 2009 Princeton Review of nationwide college rankings.  The Green Honor Roll.

Actually, there are 62 new categorys in all, but the Green Honor Roll seems to be getting the most media attention.

If you ever wanted to know how Princeton Review puts this list together, check out their How We Do It page.

 So, you’re probably wondering what the considerations are for making it on to this special category?

1.  The amount of money spent on local or organic food

2.  Energy consumption from renewable sources

3.  The availability and/or requirement of an environmental education.

For some reason, I can’t seem to understand why the amount of money spent on organic food would be of major significance to make this list, but obviously, Princeton did.  Anyway, here is the list!

Green Honor Roll (in alphabetical order)

Arizona State University at the Tempe campus
Bates College (Lewiston, ME)
Binghamton University (State Univ. of New York at Binghamton)
College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, ME)
Emory University (Atlanta, GA)
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
Harvard College (Cambridge, MA)
University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH)
University of Oregon (Eugene, OR)
University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
Yale University (New Haven, CT)

This book is a must have for students and/or parents considering their college options.  It’s now available at your local bookstore and online retailers.

Source:  Washington Post

A recent Washing Post article talks about how the process of applying to college can be a stressful and problematic time in a high school senior’s life.  Especially with current rejection rates at all time highs.

Side Effects of Applying to College?
Lack of sleep, headaches, stomach pain, and stress are just a few symptoms that can go along with the joys of college admissions.  Most of these may seem harmless, but doctors warn, that stress can lead to depression eating disorders and other mental health problems.

Unfortunately, extreme circumstances of stress can lead to far worse circumstances.  A recent clip from NBC’s, The Today Show discusses college suicide rates which are at an all time high.

Rejection, or Redemption?
A particular story of interest within the Washington Post article; one high school senior was devastated by rejections from Stanford and Princeton after ranking third in his class and scoring perfect SAT scores.

“I realize I didn’t found a company or discover a new insect. I feel like it’s coming to a point where you have to do something like that to get into schools like Princeton or Stanford.”

Today, he is a pre-med student at Notre Dame, says he has new outlook on being “rejected” by those Ivy League schools.

“At the time, it felt like it was the biggest deal in the world that I didn’t get into those schools, but I love it here. Looking back on it now, this is definitely the right place for me.”

How Can Students Cope?
The University of Iowa recommends different stress easing techniques such as assessing and adjusting diet, exercising regularly, and getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night.  Seeking advice from friends, family, and or those who have been through the whole process of college admissions can prove beneficial as well.

Just remember, getting into school is the easy part.  It’s the 4-7 years of hard work that follows which will be quite challenging at times.