Acknowledgments |
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xiii | |
Introduction |
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1 | (4) |
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Section I. Application and Selection Decisions |
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5 | (80) |
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7 | (5) |
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The Million-Dollar Decision |
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8 | (3) |
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11 | (1) |
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11 | (1) |
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Oh, the Places You can Go |
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12 | (17) |
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Prepare to Spend Some Time |
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14 | (1) |
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There is a College for You |
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14 | (1) |
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Five Steps, Five Categories Get you Started |
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15 | (13) |
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16 | (3) |
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19 | (3) |
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22 | (2) |
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24 | (2) |
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26 | (2) |
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28 | (1) |
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29 | (13) |
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Key Considerations for Admission |
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30 | (4) |
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34 | (1) |
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Secondary Academic Factors |
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35 | (1) |
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36 | (2) |
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38 | (1) |
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39 | (1) |
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40 | (1) |
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41 | (1) |
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42 | (20) |
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Look Long Term, Not Just Short Term |
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43 | (14) |
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Determine Your Decision Categories and Criteria |
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44 | (2) |
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Assign Each Decision Criterion a Weight |
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46 | (4) |
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Assess Your Selected Colleges |
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50 | (6) |
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56 | (1) |
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57 | (2) |
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Collaboration Goes a Long Way |
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59 | (1) |
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60 | (2) |
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62 | (11) |
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Play Fair When It Comes to the Gap |
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64 | (1) |
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Giving Back During the Gap |
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64 | (1) |
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65 | (2) |
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Think Through the Options |
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67 | (2) |
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Make Sure the Options Meet the Goals |
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69 | (1) |
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70 | (1) |
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71 | (1) |
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72 | (1) |
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Does the Early Bird Get the Worm? |
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73 | (7) |
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74 | (2) |
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Double-Check Your Commitment |
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76 | (1) |
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76 | (2) |
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78 | (2) |
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80 | (5) |
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Do Something, Not Nothing |
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82 | (1) |
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There's Always That Chance |
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83 | (1) |
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No May Not Always Mean No |
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83 | (1) |
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84 | (1) |
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Section II. Academic Decisions |
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85 | (82) |
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88 | (12) |
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89 | (1) |
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Deciding How to Allocate Your Time (Four-Step Process) |
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90 | (8) |
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Rough Top-Down Allocation |
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91 | (1) |
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92 | (3) |
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95 | (1) |
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Distribute Your Time and Manage Your Semester |
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96 | (2) |
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98 | (2) |
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100 | (11) |
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101 | (1) |
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The Cost of More Than Four |
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102 | (1) |
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Reasons for More Than Four |
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103 | (3) |
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Decide on Your Priorities |
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106 | (1) |
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106 | (2) |
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108 | (2) |
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110 | (1) |
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111 | (17) |
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113 | (1) |
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When to Declare Your Major |
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113 | (1) |
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114 | (1) |
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115 | (4) |
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Your Major Is a Major, Long-Lasting Decision An Alternative Approach: Follow Your |
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119 | (1) |
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120 | (1) |
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Using the Resources Available to You |
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121 | (2) |
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123 | (1) |
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Don't Forget the Minor Decisions |
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124 | (1) |
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125 | (2) |
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127 | (1) |
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I Know What You Did Last Summer |
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128 | (10) |
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Don't Squander Summertime |
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129 | (1) |
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130 | (7) |
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Determine Your Objectives and Priorities |
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130 | (2) |
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Consider All of Your Options |
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132 | (1) |
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Determine How Well the Step 2 Options Meet Your Step 1 Goals |
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133 | (2) |
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Pursue Each of Your Options |
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135 | (1) |
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136 | (1) |
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137 | (1) |
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138 | (15) |
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Deciding Whether (and When) to Study Abroad |
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140 | (1) |
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Benefits of Studying Abroad |
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141 | (2) |
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But There's No Way I Can Afford It |
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143 | (1) |
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144 | (3) |
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Know Yourself and Your Goals |
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147 | (1) |
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Choosing the Right Option |
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148 | (4) |
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152 | (1) |
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153 | (14) |
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Good Reasons to Decide to Transfer |
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154 | (3) |
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Not So Good Reasons for Deciding to Transfer |
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157 | (2) |
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159 | (2) |
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161 | (1) |
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162 | (2) |
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Make Your Final Decision Final |
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164 | (2) |
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166 | (1) |
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Section III. Social Decisions |
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167 | (40) |
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169 | (7) |
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171 | (1) |
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Avoid Impulsive Dicisions |
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171 | (1) |
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172 | (2) |
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174 | (2) |
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176 | (7) |
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Consider Unintended Consequences |
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177 | (1) |
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Scary Statistics Show Unintended Consequences |
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178 | (1) |
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Can You Risk Binge Drinking? |
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178 | (2) |
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180 | (1) |
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Booze, Cars, and Consequences |
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181 | (1) |
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182 | (1) |
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Accessorize Your Academic Life |
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183 | (8) |
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Finding That Critical Balance |
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184 | (1) |
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Pare Down the Multitude of Choices |
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185 | (2) |
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Practice This Selection Process |
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187 | (2) |
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189 | (1) |
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190 | (1) |
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191 | (7) |
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Party or Philanthropy---Greek Choices |
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192 | (1) |
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First Decision---Affiliate or Not |
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192 | (2) |
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Second Decision---Time for Housework |
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194 | (1) |
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A Walk Through Sorority Rush |
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195 | (1) |
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196 | (1) |
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197 | (1) |
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Location, Location, Location |
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198 | (9) |
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Who, What, Where, When, Why, How, Wow! |
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199 | (1) |
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200 | (2) |
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202 | (1) |
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203 | (1) |
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Overlooking finances Is Costly |
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204 | (2) |
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206 | (1) |
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Section IV. Relationship Decisions |
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207 | (30) |
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210 | (11) |
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Preparation for the Match Game |
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211 | (2) |
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Friend Mates---Wow or Woe |
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213 | (2) |
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Personalities and Decisions |
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215 | (2) |
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From Conflict to Friendship |
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217 | (1) |
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Make Some Common Decisions |
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218 | (1) |
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219 | (2) |
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221 | (8) |
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222 | (1) |
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Are Relationship for You Right Now? |
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223 | (1) |
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224 | (2) |
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226 | (1) |
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Making Time for Each Other |
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227 | (1) |
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228 | (1) |
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229 | (8) |
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230 | (2) |
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232 | (1) |
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233 | (1) |
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234 | (3) |
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Section V. Financial Decisions |
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237 | (32) |
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Robbing the Piggy Bank 101 |
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239 | (20) |
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Making a Conscious Decision |
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240 | (1) |
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241 | (1) |
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The College's Decision Process |
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242 | (2) |
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244 | (3) |
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247 | (6) |
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247 | (1) |
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Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans |
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248 | (1) |
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249 | (1) |
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250 | (1) |
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Get Creative---Work at School |
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251 | (1) |
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251 | (1) |
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Other Government Programs |
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252 | (1) |
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Military or Community Service |
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252 | (1) |
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Financial Aid Packages and Financial Aid Officers |
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253 | (2) |
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Reducing the Cost of College |
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255 | (3) |
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255 | (1) |
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256 | (1) |
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257 | (1) |
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Reduce Your Lesser Expenses |
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257 | (1) |
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258 | (1) |
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259 | (10) |
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The College Credit Card Scheme (or Scam?) |
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260 | (1) |
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260 | (1) |
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Personal Finance Basics---Sticking to a Budget |
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261 | (2) |
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It's Your Credit, Not Theirs |
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263 | (2) |
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Making Decisions in Advance |
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265 | (1) |
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266 | (3) |
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Section VI. Postgraduation Decisions |
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269 | (27) |
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Choose Your Own Adventure |
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272 | (10) |
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Narrowing Down Your Options |
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272 | (1) |
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Keeping Your Options Open (Or, How to Win at Chess) |
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273 | (1) |
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274 | (5) |
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Identify Your Long-Term Goals |
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275 | (1) |
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Identify Your Short-Term Goals |
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276 | (1) |
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Identify and Evaluate Your Options |
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277 | (1) |
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278 | (1) |
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279 | (1) |
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280 | (1) |
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281 | (1) |
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Conclusion: A Lifetime of Decisions |
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282 | (14) |
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282 | (1) |
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283 | (1) |
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Make International Decisions |
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284 | (1) |
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Structured Approach to Decision Making |
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285 | (2) |
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287 | (1) |
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Personal Financial Responsibility |
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288 | (1) |
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289 | (1) |
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Deciding Among Alternative |
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290 | (1) |
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291 | (2) |
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293 | (1) |
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294 | (2) |
About the DecideBetter.com Web Site and Community |
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296 | (2) |
About Christopher K. McGrath |
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298 | (1) |
About Michael E. McGrath |
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299 | |