If I want to make College Checker a brand, I should use Brand Yourself. I need to make my site SEO (search engine optimization) so that if students are looking for class reviews or college reviews, College Checker will be the first site to appear. The Web and Social Media has a huge presence today. I am hoping that through the use of social media, I can get my brand College Checker out there. I want people to treat this as a reliable site; so College Checker needs to have a good reputation.
My site has evolved from having data to organizing data with Excel and Access. My site has also incorporate Input/Output, a little Audio, videos, and more features that I will think of when it comes to me. College Checker has evolved from an idea to a project that can be completed and put online. I haven't done so yet because I do not have all the appropriate skills to do so or help.
Overall the entrepreneurial project is a great project to get students to think. I'm not sure how I would make money through my site but it is a service that will be helpful to future students. We don't get into the expenses of maintaining sites which is something I wished we had done. We could basically figure out whether or not our sites are worth maintaining.
Here are the blogs that I commented on:
http://noamer23.blogspot.com/ - Noah
http://jochoo91.blogspot.com/ - Choo
http://kaitlyncochran.blogspot.com/ - Kaitlyn Cochran
Monday, March 28, 2011
Week 7 Database Management
In order for College Checker to be efficient, a database management is absolutely necessary. There should be drop boxes for "select your college," and "select your class." Then users should be able to easily scroll and find the correct class that they are looking for.
Since Microsoft Access is one of the free software on the computers, I can use Access to create my lists for the drop boxes as well as organizing all the information College Checker has. I will have to find an efficient way to organize the more data I get and how to do so.
I am hoping to organize the data I have so far and input it in Access. I plan on researching different softwares that make this type of organization easier than Access will. I was really excited to do a lab on Access because I knew this is something that I will definitely be using for College Checker.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Week 6 Review Blogger
A very well known blog in technology is TechCrunch (http://techcrunch.com/). TechCrunch offers several reviews on technology products. TechCrunch has tabs dedicated to some of the hottest sites and technology companies. These include Android, Apple, Facebook, Google, Groupon, Microsoft and etc.
Recently I read "Search Is Google's Castle, Everything else is a Moat" by Erick Schonfeld on the TechCrunch website (http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/25/search-googles-castle-moat/). I had originally seen this post on twitter and that's where I had read it first.
The author says that all the products that Google offers leads back to its search engine. The search engine is the heart of Google. I do agree with him on that. The author uses Android and Chrome as two examples to illustrate how Google Search is the default search engine for both products.
Although I do agree with some parts of the author's article, I would have to say that SEO (search engine optimization) and ads are Google's Castle. Google makes soo much money from ads that they offer users several ways to make money or advertise through them. Users pay to have their product be SEO. So without Google search, Google would be nothing.
Recently I read "Search Is Google's Castle, Everything else is a Moat" by Erick Schonfeld on the TechCrunch website (http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/25/search-googles-castle-moat/). I had originally seen this post on twitter and that's where I had read it first.
The author says that all the products that Google offers leads back to its search engine. The search engine is the heart of Google. I do agree with him on that. The author uses Android and Chrome as two examples to illustrate how Google Search is the default search engine for both products.
Although I do agree with some parts of the author's article, I would have to say that SEO (search engine optimization) and ads are Google's Castle. Google makes soo much money from ads that they offer users several ways to make money or advertise through them. Users pay to have their product be SEO. So without Google search, Google would be nothing.
Week 5 Photoshop
Photoshop is a toss up. Photoshop can either improve a picture or completely ruin it. I am hoping that if there are unclear pictures on College Checker of college campuses that Photoshop will help make the pictures look better. As of now, I will probably be the one doing all of this hard work.
However if people submit horrible Photoshop pictures, then I will have to remove them from College Checker because it will not be an accurate portrayal of the different colleges. Sometimes it is hard to spot a Photoshop picture if the picture is done well enough. I am hoping that people will not upload bad pictures that do not represent the different colleges.
I am hoping to use Photoshop to make the College Checker logo and background. I already have an idea for the logo so I just have to think about what I want for the background. I also have to figure out what colors and theme I want to use for the site. I am hoping that experimenting with Photoshop will help me figure this out.
However if people submit horrible Photoshop pictures, then I will have to remove them from College Checker because it will not be an accurate portrayal of the different colleges. Sometimes it is hard to spot a Photoshop picture if the picture is done well enough. I am hoping that people will not upload bad pictures that do not represent the different colleges.
I am hoping to use Photoshop to make the College Checker logo and background. I already have an idea for the logo so I just have to think about what I want for the background. I also have to figure out what colors and theme I want to use for the site. I am hoping that experimenting with Photoshop will help me figure this out.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Week 4- Input/Output
For College Checker, input devices that can be used are digital cameras and cell phones. Digital cameras would take pictures of each different college campus. Cell phone can be used to connect users to the site online. Digital cameras and cell phone are handy tools that most people have on them everyday.
College Checker is going to focus on Syracuse University first before it can expand to several other campuses. Since I am a student, I have access to several parts of the University. I will go around taking pics that I think accurately portray SU.
I will then organize the pictures according to dorm, buildings, events, and miscellaneous. Pictures help students and parents decide what college they will or will not apply to. Therefore I want to give the most accurate display of SU that I can.
College Checker is going to focus on Syracuse University first before it can expand to several other campuses. Since I am a student, I have access to several parts of the University. I will go around taking pics that I think accurately portray SU.
I will then organize the pictures according to dorm, buildings, events, and miscellaneous. Pictures help students and parents decide what college they will or will not apply to. Therefore I want to give the most accurate display of SU that I can.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Week 3 --- Featuring Videos
For CollegeChecker, I can incorporate video tutorials of how to use the site. Users can then watch and learn how to easily navigate through the site. I could even include pictures of different campuses. This would be helpful so that users do not have to visit several different websites for pictures of college campuses.
I could also allow students to post their own pictures and videos of their college experience. This can allow students that are looking for colleges to get a sense of how college life is or a certain college is. Prospective students will have a better idea of the college they are looking at.
Incorporating videos and pictures along with CollegeChecker would be a great idea. Users will know what a college looks like and how college life is. Hopefully college students will help by posting their own pictures and videos.
I could also allow students to post their own pictures and videos of their college experience. This can allow students that are looking for colleges to get a sense of how college life is or a certain college is. Prospective students will have a better idea of the college they are looking at.
Incorporating videos and pictures along with CollegeChecker would be a great idea. Users will know what a college looks like and how college life is. Hopefully college students will help by posting their own pictures and videos.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Week 2 Excel
Before I can make a website, I need data. When I do gather my data, I need to organize my data so I can easily see my results. I will be using excel to organize my data. I can use if functions to organize good reviews and bad reviews.
Through excel, I can also create drop boxes to organize the colleges and classes I have. I can do this in alphabetical order too. I am hoping that excel helps me see my data easier. I will have to find a way to import my data from excel to another software that will organize it better.
I need to go out and ask students to rate and review their classes. I can do this by asking people or sending online surveys. The only problem is that hopefully students will answer honestly and not inappropriately. Whenever I have asked anyone about how a class went, they are usually willing to warn or recommend the class.
Through excel, I can also create drop boxes to organize the colleges and classes I have. I can do this in alphabetical order too. I am hoping that excel helps me see my data easier. I will have to find a way to import my data from excel to another software that will organize it better.
I need to go out and ask students to rate and review their classes. I can do this by asking people or sending online surveys. The only problem is that hopefully students will answer honestly and not inappropriately. Whenever I have asked anyone about how a class went, they are usually willing to warn or recommend the class.
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