College blogs are designed to tell some sort of message as well as boost the school’s online presence. Surprisingly, many of New Jersey’s biggest schools either haven’t updated their blog in over a year or don’t have one at all. The biggest advantage of a college keeping a blog is the ability to advertise what the school offers. Both academics and extracurricular activities need exposure if a school wants to grow. Additionally, blogs give students a chance to experience publishing digital content. Below are what I consider to be the most impressive blogs made by college students in New Jersey. Some factors considered include strength of layout, frequency of posts and the quality of written and visual content.
1. Rowan University: Student Affairs Blog
Rowan’s Student Affairs Blog (aka Rowan Blog) is all about student life. The blog is in a vertical-scrolling format with links at the top to their different categories. Out of all the New Jersey college blogs on this list, they post most frequently, which always keeps their content fresh. They have various different series’ to tell the stories of all types of students. For example, “TRANSFERmation Tuesday” posts are about students who have transferred and acclimated well to Rowan. “FRESHman Voices” is a series where freshmen students share their positive experiences on campus so far. Other topics for posts include university housing, clubs, activities, academics and athletics. They make Rowan look attractive by promoting the experiences of happy students. Instead of telling readers why Rowan is great, they show them with examples.
2. Monmouth University: Urban Coast Institute Blog
This blog stands out among the other New Jersey College Blogs since its goal is not exactly to highlight student life. UCI is an organization run by Monmouth’s Marine and Environmental Biology departments. Their mission statement states that their goal is to serve as a “public forum for research, education, and collaboration in the development and implementation of science-based policies.” UCI Blog primarily focuses on the interaction between humans and the ocean. Since Monmouth is less than a mile off the coast, plenty of marine research is done by UCI. Various environmental issues are posted about on the blog. Posts typically highlight some sort of research or work done by Monmouth students and are made a few times a month.
3. Princeton: Undergraduate Student Blog
This blog is in a vertical-scrolling format with a simple and concise layout. Readers can click on one of their 12 topics to filter the posts below without going to a different page. All relate in some way to life at Princeton or being a college student in general. Many posts actually exhibit individual majors while others showcase other forms of student life. This blog stays relevant by consistently posting at least every few days. They also include seasonal posts to keep their content intriguing, loose and fun.
4. Fairleigh Dickinson University Blog
FDU’s blog thrives off of simplicity. The posts are layered on top of each other vertically with the date and category listed above each title. It focuses on delivering detailed information on any particular topic. Posts are about a variety of topics such as marketing, nursing and business. This blog doesn’t post anything about student life. Instead, it allows the writers to spread their knowledge of how to be successful in various fields and industries. This approach to getting people interested is unique and effective.
About the Author/s
Student at Rowan University studying the music industry and journalism. Interested topics include art, culture, entertainment and business.
