Students go to college for a variety of reasons. Many students attend universities to increase their earning potential. Others go to college for personal fulfillment. Some people simply go to college to have fun - or even earn their "Mrs. Degree." However, Ronald B. Standler, a Massachusetts attorney who specializes in higher education law, believes that the primary purpose of a university education should be to teach students how to think.Unfortunately, many students go to college and do not learn how to think; rather, they learn what to think.

The Barnett Shale formation has become a household name for drilling companies in North Texas looking to open a pocket of natural gas. TCU rests atop this subterranean jackpot, and a new energy institute is in the making for the geology, engineering and business schools.With more global emphases being placed on alternative energy research and the threat of global warming, an endeavor such as this for TCU is a huge step in the right direction for preparing students in facing these issues.

The Faculty Senate will try to deal with three vacant seats from one college at their meeting next week, the Senate chairwoman said.Elizabeth Gillaspy, Faculty Senate assistant secretary, said in an e-mail there are 18 new senators for the next term but three vacancies in the College of Science and Engineering.

Chairwoman Suzy Lockwood said the online elections were April 16 and 17.

Lockwood, an assistant nursing professor, said the new senators will be introduced at their May 3 meeting and proposals to fill the vacancies will be discussed.

The system in which required nursing clinical sign-ups are being conducted is making it difficult to register for classes and plan work schedules, nursing students said.The problem with signing up for...

Step into the 214,000 square-foot warehouse and gape at the rows and rows of guitars.Classical, acoustic, electric, vintage - there more types than the average music lover could ever name. Hear about 30 different guitar melodies simultaneously; all are live. Some come from professional guitarists playing on any of the five stages dispersed throughout the hall, but most are attendees of the world's largest guitar festival experimenting on their potentially new guitars at one of the 800 exhibitors' booths.

"If you look close enough, you'll find everyone has a weak spot." This tagline for the film "Fracture" is the most elementary way to explain this thrilling two-hour ride.When meticulous structural engineer Ted Crawford is found innocent of the attempted murder of his wife, the young district attorney Willy Beachum who is prosecuting him becomes a crusader for justice. "Fracture" is packed with twists and turns that weave in and out of the courtroom as the pair try to outwit each other.

Becoming a legal adult at the age of 18 comes with many new liberties, such as the ability to purchase tobacco or play the lottery. Of these many new privileges, perhaps the most overlooked yet beneficial privilege is the ability to sign up for credit cards.While most new adults avoid credit cards on the basis that they are evil or dangerous, a credit card, combined with a little discipline and responsibility, can be a convenient tool for establishing a good credit rating and saving money.

Like foreigners in their own skin, transgendered people suffer from massive confusion, verbal and physical abuse, and struggles with acceptance. Many know about gay people, lesbians and bisexual people, but little is known about people who identify themselves as transgendered. "Transgender" is a term used to encompass people who do not identify well with the genders they were born as. Since not much is known about transgendered people, they lack certain rights and are often discriminated against.

Finals. With each passing moment we get closer to the sleep-deprived, coffee-chugging gauntlet that seems to pack an entire semester's worth of homework into a week. Welcome back, stress.Finals can be tough. GPAs are on the line, scholarships can be in jeopardy and the idea of failing a class that you paid $2,000 to take doesn't exactly lend itself to a carefree environment.

So, how can Joe T. College Student reduce his stress to a reasonable level while avoiding an "F" on his geology exam? Let's take a look.

WebMD.com gives some great suggestions.