"Colleges That Change Lives" - Coming to Universal City on August 3rd!

Hi CHAMPS Folks,


I just want to let you know that the "Colleges That Change Lives" program and fair will take place in Universal City on August 3rd at 7:00 pm. By now, you probably know that I tend to encourage most students to seriously consider small liberal arts colleges as they make their college application plans. The group of colleges that belong to this particular organization are often considered to be "the cream of the crop," as they are well covered in Loren Pope's seminal book "Colleges That Change Lives." They will be hosting, and the program begins with a 30-minute presentation on the student-centered college search process, followed immediately with the college fair, featuring representatives from 36 of the CTCL colleges. The programs do not charge admission or require reservation. (What a deal!)
I hope you'll try your best to attend, and here's a link to the particulars:
 http://www.ctcl.org/events/los-angeles10
Following is a paragraph about CTCL that I lifted from the group's website:

Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. (CTCL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. We support the goal of each student finding a college that develops a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college. We were founded as a result of a book of the same name—Colleges That Change Lives, researched and written by retired New York Times education editor Loren Pope. Mr. Pope passed away in September 2008 but his mission lives on through the work of CTCL.

I'll post this info on the "Siren Song" Facebook page as well. Hope to see you on August 3rd!
Thanks,
Anne C.

New Facebook Page launched for "Siren Song!"

Hi Everyone,

I'm very happy to announce that I've just launched "Siren Song," my new Facebook page that is primarily targeted at providing college-related information to CHAMPS seniors, but is also open to CHAMPS freshmen, sophomores and juniors...as well as to anyone else out in the world who is interested.  So please, please do know that you're enthusiastically invited to friend "Siren Song" on Facebook. 

Siren Song's main intention is to be a place where students can find nearly every bit of major and not-so-major information that can help them navigate through the college selection and choice processes.  Students, I realize you don't particularly enjoy reading lots of emails, so I'm trying to find a more acceptable and attractive way to communicate with you.  Know that I will always send super important information to you through emails.  But I'm thinking the Siren Song Facebook page is a great place to also store that information under the "Notes" heading, so there's a readily available source for pulling up past and present handouts and such.  Also, it's a good place to store college campus photos that all of us take, pictures of CHAMPS college-related events, questions and answers (like our own little "College Confidential" site), check ins from CHAMPS grads...you know, all of those sorts of things. 

Some of you might possibly feel funny about friending Siren Song, knowing that I'm administrating it (and I'm your college counselor at school, thus how weird is that?...etc.).  Please know that it isn't my interest or intention to use Siren Song as some sort of "Big Brother" spying device.  But if you're at all worried about it, I know that there's some sort of way to block Siren Song from seeing some of your information.  Since I'm not a Facebook expert and you probably are, I'm sure you know what to do.  So know that I invite you to make public as much or as little as you want.  I just care about Siren Song becoming very useful to you, and absolutely nothing else.

Where did Siren Song get her name?  Well, it all started with my husband Chuck, whose music publishing company is called Sirensong, Inc."  I decided that I wanted to give my Facebook page a name that isn't something as pedestrian as "CHAMPS College Corner," "Anne's College Counseling Page," etc.  After all, who'd want to read it if it's presented in that way?  So I stole Siren Song from Chuck's "Sirensong, Inc.," because not only do I like it, but I think a whole lot of the college choice, application and selection process has a great deal in common with the Greeks' Sirens, if you stop and think about it....so there you have it.

I hope you'll friend me on Facebook today!

Thanks,
Siren Song (aka Anne Cochran)