College Students

“Binge-drinking college students are happier than their non-binge-drinking peers,” reports a study presented this week at a meeting of the American Sociological Assn. in Denver. And the reason? “It may be because, at these schools, binge drinking is associated with high status and binge drinkers are happier with their college social experience than their non-binge-drinking peers,” the authors go out on a limb in explaining. Young people like drinking -- news flash! Underage drinking was epidemic when I was a teen growing up in England: We'd buy hard cider to drink by the ruined castle walls until we were old enough to sneak our way into the pub. All this illicit boozing certainly made Friday nights more fun, but it led to some pretty risky and idiotic behaviors.

Since my column on spanking last weekend I've been mocked by old-school advocates of spare the rod, spoil the child. And I've been lectured by parents and therapists who blame spanking for crime and social ills. The only thing the two sides seem to have in common is absolute certainty that their way is the only right way to raise children. I wrote about a study in the journal Pediatrics that concluded that children who are physically punished by their parents — hit, slapped, grabbed or shoved — are more likely to suffer from mental and personality disorders as adults.

Here is a roundup of alleged cons, frauds and schemes to watch out for. Financial aid — The Better Business Bureau is warning college students and their families to use caution when dealing with companies that promise to help secure scholarships or financial assistance for school. Of particular concern, the BBB said in a recent bulletin, are firms that ask for an upfront fee for help in securing financial assistance. In one recent scam, students were notified that they were finalists for a scholarship but needed to pay a fee to be considered.

Apple's annual back-to-school academic discount is back for the summer, giving students, parents and school faculty and staff members something back when they purchase a Mac or iPad. Those who qualify for the deal will get a $100 gift card when they buy Mac and a $50 card for buying an iPad. The gift cards can be used in the iOS App Store, iBookstore and iTunes store as well as the Mac App Store. Students in college or heading to college, parents buying for college students, and faculty and academic staff members at any grade level can partake in the offer.

Johnnica Hababag planned to take two classes this summer so she could transfer from Los Angeles Valley College to a four-year school. But those plans were upended when she learned that the community college had all but canceled its summer session because of budget cuts. Hababag, an anthropology major, now will have to return to the two-year school in the fall. "This is definitely going to delay my goals," said Hababag, 21. "For me, living in the Valley, it's hard to get to other campuses, and even if I could, they're not offering the classes I need either.

WASHINGTON - Setting the stage for another showdown with the Obama administration, Republicans in the House on Friday narrowly passed legislation to prevent a rate hike on student loans - to be paid for with funds from the nation's new healthcare law. Democrats objected to raiding a public health and disease prevention fund to pay for keeping loan interest rates low, calling it an attack on women and children who benefit from the health programs....

While her classmates agonize over which college to attend, high school senior Samantha Morgan is passing up offers from Cal State campuses in Long Beach and San Jose. She is heading out of California to avoid overcrowded classes and other state budget problems. And she can afford it thanks to a little-known program that offers discounts at public colleges and universities to students from 15 states, most of them in the West. Morgan is taking advantage of the Western Undergraduate Exchange to enroll at Northern Arizona University this fall.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- A former president of the University of Arizona pleaded with Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Friday to support some version of the Dream Act to give "a glimmer of hope" to college students who are not in the United States legally. "They're bright, they can help carry this country forward," Manuel Pacheco told Romney during a roundtable discussion with Latino business leaders in Tempe. "I think it would be a shame to lose that particular talent that they bring.

TEMPE, Ariz. - A former president of the University of Arizona pleaded with Mitt Romney on Friday to support some version of the Dream Act to give "a glimmer of hope" to college students who are not in the United States legally. "They're bright. They can help carry this country forward," Manuel Pacheco told the Republican presidential candidate during a round-table discussion with Latino business leaders in Tempe. "I think it would be a shame to lose that particular talent that they bring.

About 100 students protesting a plan to offer high-priced courses at Santa Monica College this summer tried to storm into a meeting of the college's Board of Trustees on Tuesday evening. A handful of protesters suffered minor injuries as campus police tried to prevent dozens of chanting students from disrupting the meeting during a public comment period. Several were overcome when pepper spray was released just outside the meeting room as officers tried to break up the crowd. Two people were taken to a hospital.