Briefs: Harper, COD top producers
Community College Week magazine has ranked College of DuPage and Harper College among the top 100 institutions in the nation producing associate degrees in 2007. COD in Glen Ellyn conferred 1,528 associate degrees, ranking it 58th, while Harper in Palatine was 65th on the list with 1,476 degrees awarded. Hoffman Estates-based American Intercontinental University Online, one of about 20 four-year schools on the list, ranked third with 5,126 associate degrees last year.
Merit scholarships given
A new batch of National Merit Scholarships has been awarded to several finalists who graduated from area high school this past spring. The college-sponsored awards provide $500 to $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study. The Merit Scholars and their college sponsors are: from Barrington High: Claudia Hochstein, University of Minnesota, and Robert Schramm, University of Texas at Austin; from Elgin High: Margaret Hernon of Bartlett, Vanderbilt University; from Hersey High School: Andrew Schmitz, Bradley University, and Catherine Meyer, University of Florida; from Schaumburg High: Lauren Awdziejczyk, Illinois Wesleyan University, and Adam Hasz, Washington University; and from Stevenson High: Zachary Albun, Macalester College; Barrett Wood, Bowdoin College; John Lipari, Northwestern University; Chen Chen Yen, University of Chicago; and Wanna Zhang, University of Chicago.
College testing help offered
The Des Plaines Public Library offers many free testing programs to help teens prepare for college entrance exams. "Parents don't need to spend hundreds of dollars preparing their children to take these tests," Heather Imhoff, head of public information services, said. An ACT/SAT practice test will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, an ACT vs. SAT workshop on selecting the test that is right for you will be from 7-8 p.m. July 22, a session on getting into your first choice school from 7-8 p.m. Aug. 5 and a session on writing admissions essays from 7-8 p.m. on Aug. 19. Registration is required at dppl.org or by calling (847) 376-2787. Online tools also are available either at the library or for library card holders, at the library Web site.