This week was pretty eh. I mean, between finals, grad school applications, and the 25 feet of snow outside, we’ve all had a rough few days. Luckily we’ve been writing feverishly (what else are we supposed to do when we’re cooped up inside?) so you have plenty to read while you’re procrastinating that 10-page research paper. Here are some of the most entertaining:

Is it just us or do holidays other than Christmas just not get enough attention? But at CollegeCandy, we shed a light on some of our other favorite things about the holidays: like food. You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy these delish Hanukkah treats.

Speaking of the holidays, there’s one more coming our way and coming our way quick: New Years Eve. Soon we’ll be embarking on a new year, but first, there are a few things we’d like to leave behind.

I spent the better part of this week slathering Vaseline on my perpetually dry, flaking forehead. I probably should have just checked out this post, which divulges some awesome beauty secrets that withstand the cold weather.

One celeb who doesn’t need fashion or beauty tips is Emma Watson. Trying to cop her look without selling your organs? Check out our guide to copying the look on a college girl budget.

If you plan on having some fun over Winter Break, you’ll need some help navigating the world of watchful parents and frilly pink bedding. Our girls got you covered with a guide to getting it on in your childhood bedroom. Read More »

These days, it seems like everyone is doing whatever they can to get into the best possible school, from loading up on volunteer hours, to shelling out cash for SAT prep classes, to hiring expensive college counselors. And for good reason; with all the competition out there, we all want to do whatever we can to get that edge when our school days (finally!) come to an end.

But does all that matter? Does it make a difference?
As our friends at Lemondrop recently asked: does it matter where we went to college?

At first thought, I’m not sure where I stand on this issue. On the one hand, people who attend great schools (i.e. the ones U.S. News World and Report rank highly, or those esteemed Ivy Leagues) are obviously qualified, and the amount of work prestigious schools put into giving their students the best possible education is remarkable. On the other hand, there are so many people at “average” schools who have extraordinary promise in their fields and work just as hard, if not harder, than those who attend an Ivy League institution. Maybe they couldn’t attend a more prestigious school because of financial reasons, or because they didn’t truly learn their potential until college started, or because their test taking skills weren’t the best, leaving them with less than stellar SAT scores.

Yet all of that considered, Ivy Leaguers with those cushy names atop their diplomas certainly have an easier time navigating the “real world.” Hiring managers and grad school admissions counselors are naturally awed by their  education and where they received it, and Harvard grads have a much easier time landing coveted positions than their state school counterparts.

But is this the right way to go about things? Who is ultimately a better candidate – the brilliant student who aced his SATs and went on to attend a top school where he simply coasted, or the girl who struggled to make it into a state school, where she worked hard and learned a lot, earned a good GPA, participated in as many activities as possible, and held a few internships? Read More »

7 tasty fall beers

Angelina Jolie was once a child

Dress up like a Real Housewife for Halloween

How to sneak into an ivy league

Tips for better relationships

Talk about Halloween regrests

Vote for the most obnoxious kid

Beyonce’s mom puts the pregnancy rumors to rest

A brief history of your favorite vitamins

Students teach Hijab 101

We’ve seen our share of interesting reality show topics over the years (to say the least) but this time, TV producers may have finally taken it too far. Directors are looking to create the first “Ivy League Reality Show,” at PRINCETON of all places! They have already started casting and will seek approval from the university for the show soon.

Is it just me or does this sound like an absolutely terrible idea in the making?

One freshman Princeton student commented that, “The show is a wonderful idea, because I’ve found that a lot of outsiders think [Princeton students] are something we’re not.”

Now what is it these outsiders think you are? Intelligent? Studious? Fortunate?—And what would you like them to believe after watching the show? That Princeton students can underage binge drink just as hard as the public university next door? Or that they can have just as much emotionally-detached, unprotected sex? Read More »

10 sports terms that sound a little naughty.

Babies dressed as animals – is there anything cuter?

Shia LaBeouf, he’s just like me.

Fun ways to rock the florals this spring.

Check out Miley’s new pad!

What are the hardest schools to get into?

It’s not something they’re proud of, but Cornell University has long been known for their high rate of student suicide. They experienced a bit of reprieve from the tragic trend between 2005 and 2008, but this school year hasn’t been quite as positive.

Since the beginning of the year, Cornell has reported six suicides, with three in the last month.  It’s gotten so dire that, as a temporary measure, they have even placed fencing on campus bridges.  The University is aware that the issue is much larger than physical blockades, and that a long-term solution needs to be implemented.  For the time being, security guards will be posted along the bridges as well.

Reading this tragic news disturbs me greatly and raises an array of questions on several tangents.  Read More »

Ivy leaguers aren’t gettin’ any….

Justin Timberlake has a diva moment at NYFW.

Duke lacrosse accuser assaults boyfriend.

Did J.K. Rowling plagiarize Harry Potter?!

7 pieces of technology we can’t live without.

Are Kellan Lutz and AnnaLynne back on?

Welcome back to The Rival Rundown! If you’ve always wanted to give props to your school on CC, now’s your chance! Shoot us an email explaining what’s awesome and unique about your school (or what stinks about Rival U) at rivalrundown@collegecandy.com!

This week begins the World Series, the premier sporting championship in the nation (at least in my opinion–why have one night of the Superbowl when you can have at least four nights of nail-biting, crowd-rousing suspense?). While the world obsesses over the current New York-Philadelphia rivalry, let’s take a look at another – between Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.  The only two Ivy League schools with truly urban campuses, Columbia and UPenn are champion institutions themselves. But who will come out on top? Best of five wins…

1. Mascot Matchup

Columbia- Don some baby-blue and white to cheer on the Lions, so named for the university’s heritage as King’s College (referring to the King of England, whose coat of arms portrays a lion).
UPenn- The Penn Quakers pay homage to the Society of Friends (aka the Quakers), the religious affiliation of the settlers of Pennsylvania. The largest Quaker-fest occurs each spring at Penn Relays, a prestigious and historic track-and-field event attracting students from high schools and colleges across the country.

Three credits to: UPenn. How could you not love a team named the Quakers? Who doesn’t love oatmeal? Read More »

Adam Lambert is bigger than the Beatles?

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are dunzo!

Germans stink in bed. Literally.

Privilege and the Ivy League.

What’s wrong with Tori Spelling?

Lip gloss that curbs your appetite? Hollerrrr.

If you’ve read any news blogs or even watched a televised newscast in the last week and a half, chances are that you’ve heard the tragic story of Annie Le, the Yale grad student who disappeared ten days ago. Her body was found hidden inside a wall at the building where she worked last Sunday—which was to have been her wedding day. Now a lab technician named Raymond Clark has been charged with Annie’s murder.

This whole saga has been unbelievably upsetting and awful, and our hearts go out to Annie’s family and her fiancé. It’s also spurred a lot of interesting discussion about safety on college campuses—and why the media is curiously fascinated by crimes that occur on Ivy League campuses.

Slate editor Jack Shafer observes that the New York Times has written five stories about Annie’s case so far, while the Boston Globe has run at least six. A quick search shows that CNN.com has a whopping 14 stories about the murder. The media frenzy has been so… well, frenzied that an NBC producer was trampled when journalists and camera-people rushed to speak to a New Haven police spokesman on Tuesday. Read More »