50 Fascinating Lectures for Music Lovers

From Ludwig van Beethoven to Johann Sebastian Bach, most music lovers can appreciate the fact that there’s a lot to learn. Music has been a huge part of history, and is one of the most ancient art forms. So, whether you just want to learn the structure of a symphony or you want to know everything there is to know, these awesome college lectures will increase your musical intelligence in ways you never thought possible.

Best of the Best

Here are the top online lectures for students researching the sound of music.

1. Bach: The Baroque and Beyond: Get an introduction to Bach by Timothy A. Smith, Northern Arizona University.
2. Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century Music: Jean Richards of the University of Minnesota, Morris discusses music history here.
3. Form and Analysis: Timothy A. Smith introduces more music discussion here.
4. Instrumental Literature: Study music and literature along with Katherine Norman from the University of North Dakota
5. Introduction to World Music: Dane Kusic from Towson University introduces you to music from around the world here.
6. Jazz Improvisation: Joan Wildman from the University of Wisconsin-Madison will teach you about the laid-back world of jazz.
7. Music Appreciation: Learn how to critically listen to music when you listen to this lecture by Scott Faulkner, University of Nevada, Reno.
8. Music Bibliography: John J. Deal takes you through a music bibliography here.
9. Music Fundamentals: Gil Trythall of West Virginia University tackles music fundamentals.
10. Music and Religion: Study the relationship between music and religion when you listen to this lecture from Dane Kusic, University of Maryland Baltimore County.
11. Opera: Get an introduction to opera with Tim Cordell from the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
12. Psychology of Music: Steve Hedden explains that music is more complex than you might have thought.

MIT Open Courseware

Believe it or not, MIT offers free open courseware for everyone. Even if MIT seemed like a pipedream growing up, you, too have an opportunity to take classes from one of the most renowned universities in the world.

13. Introduction to Western Music: This course gives a broad overview of Western music from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with emphasis on late baroque, classical, romantic, and modernist styles (1700-1910).
14. Intro to World Music: This course explores the ways that music is both shaped by and gives shape to the cultural settings in which it is performed, through studying selected musical traditions from around the world.
15. Fundamentals of Music: This class introduces students to the rudiments of Western music through oral, aural, and written practice utilizing rhythm, melody, intervals, scales, chords, and musical notation.
16. Introduction to Musical Composition: Through a progressive series of composition projects, this course investigates the sonic organization of musical works and performances, focusing on fundamental questions of unity and variety.
17. Developing Musical Structures: This course features projects which are completed using the computer music authoring environment Impromptu.
18. Early Music: This class covers the history of Western music from antiquity until approximately 1680, about 2000 years worth of music.
19. Introduction to Anglo-American Folk Music: This course examines the production, transmission, preservation and qualities of folk music in the British Isles and North America from the 18th century to the folk revival of the 1960s and the present.
20. Schubert to Debussy: This course is a survey of developments in Western musical style, 1815-1915.
21. Modern Music: 1900-1960: This subject covers a specific branch of music history: Western concert music of first sixty years of the twentieth century.
22. Music Since 1960: This course begins with the premise that the 1960s mark a great dividing point in the history of 20th century Western musical culture, and explores the ways in which various social and artistic concerns of composers, performers, and listeners have evolved since that decade.
23. Symphony and Concerto: This course is a survey of significant orchestral masterworks composed during three centuries. Listening assignments include 34 symphonies and 24 concertos, composed from the 1720s to the 1990s.
24. Music of India: This course focuses on Hindustani classical music of North India, and also involves learning about the ancient foundations of the rich classical traditions of music and dance of all Indian art and culture.
25. Music of Africa: This course is an introduction to selected musical traditions of West Africa. A variety of musical practices and their cultural contexts will be explored through listening, reading, and written assignments, with an emphasis on class discussion.
26. Popular Musics of the World: This course focuses on popular music, i.e. music created for and transmitted by mass media.
27. Harmony and Counterpoint: In this subject we will study the basic harmonic, melodic, and formal practices of western music, principally the classical music of central Europe during the eighteenth century.
28. Writing in Tonal Forms: Written and analytic exercises based on 18th- and 19th-century small forms and harmonic practice found in music such as the chorale preludes of Bach.
29. Composing for Jazz Orchestra: This class explores composition and arrangement for the large jazz ensemble from 1920s foundations to current postmodern practice.
30. Musical Analysis: This class is an introduction to the analysis of tonal music. Students develop analytical techniques based upon concepts learned in previous music classes.
31. Composing with Computers I: This class explores sound and what can be done with it. Sources are recorded from students’ surroundings – sampled and electronically generated.
32. Vocal Repertoire and Performance: African American Composers: The primary focus of this Vocal Repertoire and Performance course is placed upon the works of African American composers and concert artists.
33. Vocal Repertoire and Performance: Women Composers: This course is for the singer and/or pianist interested in collaborative study of solo vocal performance.

Graduate Classes

Anyone can enjoy the wealth of knowledge presented in these classes, but they will be especially useful for graduate students.

34. History of Media and Technology: Sound, the Minority Report — Radical Music of the Past 100 Years: This course looks at the history of avant-garde and electronic music from the early twentieth century to the present.
35. The Anthropology of Sound: This class examines the ways humans experience the realm of sound and how perceptions and technologies of sound emerge from cultural, economic, and historical worlds.
36. The Physics of Music: From the vibration of strings to the resonation of melody, find out what makes music, music.
37. Turkish Muslim Devotional Music: A Program on the History, Theory, and Performance of Turkish Music: In this concert, two members from the world-renowned Turkish ensemble Lalezar perform classical Ottoman devotional songs.
38. Columbia Interactive Arts: These art classes offered through Columbia often include music classes such as the history of the pops or music from the renaissance and baroque.
39. The Open University Arts and History: Search this section of The Open University’s courses to find plenty of music classes that include examples such as Creating musical sounds and Using film music in the classroom.
40. Harvard University Extension School: These classes change every semester with only two semesters offered at a time, so stay updated with the course offering here. Some classes have included topics such as History of Blues in America.
41. Gresham College: The lectures assembled here include several courses on music including such varied topics as Chamber Music Fights Back and The Composer in Action.
42. Sofia Project. This project of the Foothill College offers only one music class at this time, but stay tuned for any potential additions in the future.
43. Fathom. Search this site to discover all music courses offered from any of Fathom’s member institutions.
44. Utah State University: The anthropology department offers a class on cultural anthropology that includes information about music, dance, and more in early civilizations.
45. Brigham Young University Division of Continuing Education: The free classes offered here include organ workshops, English horn, and adult modern dance.

Music-Only Resources

These resources focus only on music instruction through either specific instrument lessons or with classes on music theory, songwriting, and more.

46. Berklee Shares: This premier free music lesson site offers a wide variety of classes any musician can enjoy. Study specific instruments or more technical aspects of making music.
47. Ricci Adams’ Musictheory.net: Search by lessons, trainers, or utilities to find a vast amount of free lessons and classes from this site.
48. May Music Studio: Learn to play an instrument with the free lessons on this site or find out about music theory, songwriting, and more with the more academic classes offered.
49. Gary Ewer’s Easy Music Theory: Get 26 free lessons complete with an instruction sheet, quizzes, and answer sheets to learn the basics about music theory.
50. GetPianoLessons.com: These ten lessons culminate with an examination to see how far you’ve come. Using a combination of video, text, and photos, these lessons will have you playing the piano in no time.

Students of previous generations had to go to great lengths and pay big prices to find the tools and resources they needed during college. Fortunately for today’s undergrad, almost everything we need to know about the world is at our fingertips. Use these links and tips, and your university years are sure to end happily, healthily, and successfully.

Class Helpers

Your studies should remain your top priority through school, which will often be as difficult as it sounds. Exploit these sites and download the software to make homework, essays, and exams exciting and fun.

1. Gutenberg.org: Find thousands of full-text novels at this site. Great for American and British literature classes, Gutenberg is faster than going to the library and much cheaper than the bookstore.
2. MyNoteit: Take notes, edit them online, review them with peers, and share them with friends. With MyNoteit, users can also manage calendars and to-do lists.
3. Online Conversion Tool: This online conversion calculator is essential for every university science class.
4. Free Translation: Although the literal translations generated here are not always accurate or acceptable on class assignments, Free Translation is the perfect tool to help foreign language students grasp the gist of a passage.
5. Bartleby Reference: Good reference material that will save you from making an extra trip to the library or using Wikipedia for research projects.
6. Students’ Grades 1.0: Don’t let your grade point average take you by surprise. This software will help you manage your grades, set academic goals, and calculate the steps you need to take to reach them.
7. Pick-a-Prof: Colleges and universities around the nation are enrolling in Pick-a-Prof, which allows students to post professor and class reviews for other students to check out before enrolling in those classes.
8. Cliffs Notes: Downloading free Cliffs Notes for literature classes will surely save you at least once in your college career. The site offers character analysis, plot synopsis, and chapter summaries.
9. MindGenius: A mind-mapping software that serves as a jumping-off point for creative projects. It can be used by students for essays, projects, reports, studying, and to undergo electronic mind mapping to help with brainstorming.
10. yWriter5: Great writing and brainstorming assistant for thesis papers or other long writing assignments.

Time Management

There is no better time to learn about time management than college. Nobody is hovering over you to make sure you complete your daily tasks; you are now being held accountable for your own actions. Take these tools with you wherever you go, because the days don’t get any longer and the projects don’t get any shorter after graduation.

11. Dartmouth Academic Skills Center: Ivy League advice about effective time management. There’s also a short video and time management quiz that will help you identify your weaknesses and take control of your daily routine.
12. MIT Weekly Planner: This free printable planner is useful for students who prefer paper and pencil to digital methods of time management.
13. Procrastination Help by Psychology Today: Psychology Today’s interactive section on procrastination, why it’s tempting, and how to end it. As a bonus, the articles are short and won’t keep readers away from their studies for long!
14. University of Minnesota Assignment Calculator: This easy-to-use calculator allows users to input assignment due dates, then it automatically develops a schedule of work that should be done daily to complete the assignment on time.
15. My Daily Schedule: My Daily Schedule breaks down a single day into 12 categories. A student who wants to spend two extra hours sleeping will be able to see the effects on the rest of his or her schedule for that day.
16. Todoist: A fast and easy task manager. It features heirarchies, which allow the user to collapse sub-tasks and sub-categories to conquer complexity.
17. Remember the Milk: A great program through which you can access your daily tasks. Use your PC or mobile phone to receive reminders and keep track of your to-do list. You can also share tasks with others (like your roommate), in case you need a little help with grocery shopping.
18. Online Alarm Clock: Today’s college students are beginning to rely on their cell phones for everything, including waking up on time. If something ever happens to your mobile alarm clock, onlineclock.net promises not to let you oversleep.
19. My Hours: A time management, timesheet, time tracking solution. It enables you to track your work time, projects you must complete and tasks you perform. It is Web-based and can be used from any location at any time.
20. 30 Boxes: With this calendar application, you’ll never forget about an exam, miss a birthday, or show up late to a meeting.

Shortcuts

Right click, scroll to "copy," left click "copy." Right click, scroll to "paste," left click "paste." Learn the art of Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v, and seemingly painless tasks become even easier.

21. Form Auto Fill 2.5: Input contact and résumé information into this software program, and it will automatically fill out online forms and applications.
22. Microsoft User Support: Microsoft keyboard shortcuts.
23. Mac Central: Mac keyboard shortcuts.
24. SEM Consultants: Firefox and Internet Explorer shortcuts.
25. Auto Hotkey: Create hotkeys or mouse clicks to automate anything from expanding abbreviations to creating custom menu bars.
26. LastPass:This password manager will remember computer and online passwords, making signing in to personal and educational sites fast and easy.
27. Agrata: Another password keeper. This one allows you to store unencrypted passwords securely, so you can access them at later dates. Or, forget them entirely, and let Agrata do the work.
28. MemoKeys II: This tool allows you to create shortcuts with hotkeys to help speed up composing email messages, signing into Web sites, and opening documents.
29. Hyperwords: If you use Firefox for your web browser, then check out Hyperwords. This add-on allows you to select a word on any page and perform any number of tasks with it, such as look up the definition, translate it, tag it, email it, send it to Twitter or Facebook, and more.

Organization

You never know how multi-faceted life is until college. Now, there’s school, work, managing relationships, cooking, and cleaning up after yourself. You’ve got a lot going on, so here are a few ways to keep each aspect of your life under control.

30. Google Reader: Tracks and organizes favorite sites to make the World Wide Web a little closer to home.
31. Evernote: A note taker that allows you to capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere. Beats walking around with Post-it notes.
32. AquaMinds: A cool note taker, but for Mac OSX only.
33. ZuluPad:ZuluPad is a place to jot down class notes, appointments, to-do lists, favorite websites, and annotated bookmarks. Reviews call it "a notepad on crack."
34. HGTV Home: These are the gurus of organization, and their tips can help clean even the messiest abode.
35. Organized Home: A site completely dedicated of breaking bad organizational habits. It even features a section on how to organize your social life.
36. HipCal: This free tool features calendars, to-do lists, an address book, and provides mobile and email alerts to remind users about scheduled events.
37. Donating to charities: Places like Goodwill accept clothing donations that will help minimize closet clutter. A good rule to follow: articles of clothing that have not been worn in the last twelve months are probably worth giving away to others who need them more.
38. Shoe boxes: If you throw away the boxes when you get new shoes, stop! They stack much easier than the shoes themselves, and keeping them is cheaper than buying a shoe organizer. You can also use them as photo boxes for pictures that aren’t hung in frames. Whatever the use, they will come in handy.
39. Your trash can: If you feel overwhelmed by clutter, take a quick study break to sort it all out. Don’t forget to recycle!

Networking

The links below contain some common networks you may have heard of before. Advice: if you do not have an account with one of these sites, create one. Today.

40. LinkedIn: A business-oriented social networking site that allows you to search for the who’s who in your chosen profession.
41. MySpace: The pioneer of social media Web sites. College students seem to have migrated to facebook.com, but Myspace is still a great place to find friends and listen to up-and-coming musicians. Also, it offers a customizable profile, which might appeal to left-brainers more than other networking options.
42. Facebook: Facebook is like an all-inclusive resort for college students, and its developers are always making improvements. For example, more than two million Facebook users are now part of the marketplace application, where students can buy, sell, and trade sports tickets, furniture, electronics, etc. Professors are also starting to join Facebook, making networking with them easier and more personal.
43. Twitter: Follow or be followed. This site mirrors the status application first seen on Facebook. Your “tweets” are short updates about what you are doing, where you are going, or how you are feeling. After signing up, you can tweet online or via mobile phone by texting your status to 40404.
44. Ning: Ning (Chinese for peace) gives users the opportunity to create and manage their own network and design their own pages based on a particular interest or need.
45. Office Hours: Especially if you are in a large classroom setting, you will either be one of a hundred, or one in a hundred. Never pass up an opportunity to get to know your professor; going to office hours shows you care about class and makes a lasting impression on the person who might be writing a letter of recommendation for you in the future.
46. Squidoo: Squidoo is a community Web site that allows users to create pages (called lenses) for subjects of interest. Squidoo is in the top 500 most visited sites in the world, and in the top 300 most viewed in the United States. It’s a good way to network with colleagues and professionals in your area of study.
47. Networking Assistant 1.0: Organize and manage your contacts without having to pay for a little black book, and it’s much easier than toting around a Rolodex.
48. Alumwire: A career network for college students and alumni.
49. Blogspot: Blogspot might require a little more effort than other networking sites, but it provides the unique opportunity to be heard while remaining anonymous. Read others’ blogs or establish one of your own. Better yet, do both.

Workplace Success

University life is good for nothing if it doesn’t prepare you for the so-called real world. Unfortunately, your professors will be more interested in your test scores than your readiness for the workforce, so you might have to take the initiative. Check these out for guidance:

50. Mindtools: A site that provides “essential skills for an excellent career,” including decision making, problem solving, memory improvement, communication, and stress management.
51. Quint Careers: Offers online career assessments and free career newsletters.
52. collegegrad.com: This site is designed for recent college graduate and offers advice on an array of topics, from interviewing strategies to negotiating your salary.
53. Career Planning: A fun resource with career planning quizzes and links to job search Web sites.
54. Resume Help: Offers guidance in résumé building, writing and layouts. A must-read before submitting job applications.
55. CraigsList: Find employers looking for full-time, part-time, and temporary help.
56. Career How-To’s: Members ask and answer questions like “how to ask for a promotion” and “how to know when to quit your job.”
57. Employer-Employee.com: Offers tips on how to communicate with managers, coworkers and employers.
58. American Psychological Association Help Center: The American Psychological Association dedicated an area of its site to workplace success. Many of the helpful tips here deal with the transition from college to career.
59. Basecamp: Basecamp is project managing software for businesses and employees. Many businesses use Basecamp daily for email, team collaboration and other communication, but it’s worth downloading even if your employer doesn’t require it.

Useful Blogs

These blogs will remind you you’re not alone in the boat. Real people, real problems, real advice.

60. Life Hack: Life advice every student (and adult) should take to heart.
61. College Student Blog: This blog encompasses nearly every issue a student will face: beating the Freshman 15, finding volunteer work, apartment renting, and dealing with homesickness.
62. Study Grand Master: Bloggers’ Choice Awards named this one of the best education blogs in 2009. Recent blogs include How to be Happy and Getting the Most Out of Studying.
63. 2 Birds 1 Blog: Funny commentary and advice from two post-graduates in their twenties. The posts will have you laughing but also prepare you for some of life’s great challenges.
64. Mashable: The social media guide that offers how-to and reviews of the latest media trends.
65. College Humor: Jokes, life stories and embarrassing moments only college students could understand. Great to share with friends or to visit during downtime.
66. Survivng College Life: How to survive college, from maximizing space in a tiny dorm room to financial advice and loan information.
67. Study Hacks: This blog focuses primarily on avoiding overload. The writer’s mantra is “Do less, do better, and know why.”
68. College Candy: Relationships, fitness, current events, gossip, comics and style. This blog covers every extra-curricular issue today’s college student needs to find happiness, health and success.

Money Matters

The "poor college student" moniker might be excusable, but it doesn’t have to be true. Take charge of your finances to enjoy a better experience in school and after.

69. Mint.com: A free tool that makes it easy to budget and manage money online. Link this to your bank accounts, and it will track finances, handle bookkeeping and offers suggestions on how to save money.
70. My Spending Report: This software is great for students who want to take control of their finances. You can make savings goals, develop a spending plan, sign up for bill alerts, and more.
71. Buddi: Buddi is an easy-to-use personal finance and budgeting program compatible with all operating systems. It comes with tutorials for the budgeting-challenged.
72. My Financial House: Provided by the Insurance Information Institute, My Financial House is free software designed to help you complete a financial inventory that can be shared with an accountant or financial planner.
73. Consumerist: Consumer reviews on businesses, products and services around the country.
74. Retail Me Not: Coupon codes for more than 30,000 online stores.
75. XE: This currency website offers a universal converter, a currency update service, a personal currency assistant and an expenses calculator (great for students who plan on traveling or studying abroad.)
76. Student Budgeting: This tool calculates the difference between your expenses and income, identifying when you are spending beyond your means.
77. Student Loan Calculator: This calculator shows interest accruement and repayment plans for subsidized and unsubsidized government loans, as well as private student loans.
78. Loan Consolidation: Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Calculator from the Department of Education helps students who are considering consolidation.
79. Salary Calculator: This free tool helps students calculate salary range based on job, title, location and the current job market.
80. Cost of Living Calculator: CNN Money’s cost of living calculator shows you how far your money will go in other cities around the world.

Unwinding

You do a lot of hard work these days; you pull all-nighters, show up for 8 a.m. classes, and face that little demon professors call "finals week." Everybody needs a break, so put your books and guilt to the side, and have some fun.

81. Fantastic Contraption: A fun online game that stays surprisingly true to the laws of physics. Create a contraption with wheels, rods and chains to get an object from point A to point B. Sound too easy? Play at your own risk!
82. Pogo: Mute your computer and play your favorite online game during a boring lecture. The site features word games, card games, Sudoku and more.
83. Boatload Puzzles: This site offers puzzles that range in difficulty level and provides immediate feedback for puzzle answers.
84. Pandora: A free music site that allows you to generate playlists based on your favorite artists, songs and genres. Great way to expand musical horizons and relax during downtime.
85. Hulu: a must-visit for college students. Hulu features the most talked about Saturday Night Live skits and episodes from popular shows like the Office and Arrested Development.
86. Apple Movie Trailers: See trailers for upcoming movie releases and those showing in theaters. Great tool to help plan the perfect date.
87. Second Life: Second Life is an online 3D virtual world imagined and designed by you. Create an avatar that represents you, meet people, shop, work, learn and play. Just try not to get addicted.
88. Exploratorium: The official Web site of San Francisco’s Exploratorium. More than 24 million people visit the site ever y year, which is full of science games how-to’s for fun, at-home experiments.
89. Studentnow: Laughter is great medicine. This site’s comic strips are sure to help out during stressful times.
90. TMZ: Celebrity gossip and entertainment news. In small doses, TMZ is a great way to put life into perspective.

Personal Wellness

You simply cannot make it through college without a little perseverence. Getting your degree might not be easy, but it will be worth it. During the tough times, head to these great sites for advice on life, fitness, and mental health.

91. Horse’s Mouth: Free online life coaching and mentoring. Search through frequently asked questions or contact a mentor anonymously to ask one of your own.
92. Marc and Angel Hack Life: Two practical thinkers help give perspective to tough situations.
93. Finding Your Marbles: This mental health site examines the process of stress and how to overcome it.
94. Studenttools.com: If tragedy strikes, or you find yourself in the middle of a crisis, being away from family could be harder than ever. Read this site’s suggestions for coping and recovery.
95. College Student Health Tips: Advice for beating depression, preventing weight gain, maintaining healthy relationships, and much more.
96. Wikihow: During college, students learn how to learn, how to study, how to take exams, and how to make good grades. Wikihow takes care of the rest: how to cook, how to wash laundry, and how to ask someone on a date. Brilliant.
97. BrainSync: Free ten-minute guided meditation by Brain Sync founder Kelly Howell.
98. Online Yoga Class: Online yoga videos and pictures that demonstrate relaxation and exercise moves.
99. Campus Calm: Updated almost daily with new tips, topics and guidance about handling college stress. The site also offers a free stress-less kit that includes four valuable tools.
100. RN Central: 101 health and wellness tips for students, from diet and exercise to sleep and mental health.

By Alisa Miller

Reading blogs doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility or a waste of time. Your blog addiction can serve you well by with these blogs that are sure to make you smarter. These blogs bring you information about politics, education, technology, art, literature, an international perspective on life and culture, and much more. Become a regular reader of these blogs and who knows how intelligent you will be in the end.

Politics

Whether you fall to the left, right, or down the middle, these political blogs will open your eyes and expand your mind.

1. Daily Kos. This popular progressive blog offers a daily dose of politics that will definitely improve your political intelligence.
2. The Daily Dish. Written by Andrew Sullivan, one of the first journalist bloggers, this blog offers a political view "of no party or clique."
3. The Corner on National Review Online. Get your politics from this blog with a conservative viewpoint courtesy of this popular online magazine.
4. Instapundit.com. Find politics and much, much more at this libertarian-leaning blog written by Glenn Reynolds.
5. Talking Points Memo. This blog, headed by award-winning writer Joshua Micah Marshall, offers a unique approach to political reporting that often goes deeper than some of the traditional news organizations.
6. Think Progress. Working to promote progressive ideas and politics with this blog, articles frequently include topics on issues as social and economic justice, global leadership, health care, and more.
7. The Huffington Post – The Blog. This popular site offers a blog that reflects it’s liberal approach to politics with articles that will keep you up-to-date.
8. The Daily Beast Blogs & Stories. Run by a good friend of The Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington, but with a polar opposite political approach, blogs on Tina Brown’s The Daily Beast bring political stories with a more refined, yet decidedly conservative touch.
9. OxBlog. Written by four former or current Oxford graduate students, this blog offers an international perspective to politics with a liberal perspective.
10. Little Green Footballs. This conservative political blog focuses on America and topics in the Middle East.

News

Get the latest news about the nation, the world, the economy, health, and even some off-the-wall news stories with these blogs.

11. AC360�. Read Anderson Cooper’s blog at CNN based on this popular news show to learn the news of the day.
12. NBC Around the World. Get the latest international news from this blog courtesy of NBC.
13. Nightline’s Daily Line. From the popular ABC news show, Nightline, this blog offers sneak peaks, recaps, and inside news from the show.
14. Wallstrip. From CBS news, this video blog takes a look at the companies doing well on the stock market each day and explains trends that may lead to the companies’ successes.
15. Technology News – CNET News. Get the latest news on the technology front from this blog.
16. Global News Blog – Reuters. Find some of the most comprehensive world news available on this blog from Reuters.
17. NPR: Planet Money. Keep up with the global economy with news from this blog.
18. The Medium. This blog from the New York Times Magazine brings the latest news from the world of online video.
19. A Better Life: Health and Medical News. From USA Today, this blog features all the latest news on health and wellness.
20. Oddly Enough – Reuters. These true news stories from around the world remind you to take life a little less seriously.

Higher Education

These blogs come from professors and universities and share a wealth of information that will surely expand your world and help make you smarter.

21. Lessig. Stanford Law School professor Lawrence Lessig pens this popular blog with topics ranging from the politics to technology to copyright issues.
22. Kellogg Insight. Read about the latest research of the professors at Kellogg School of Management on this blog.
23. Carpe Diem. Mark J. Perry writes about economics and finance with recent posts focusing on gas prices and auto affordability.
24. Concurring Opinions. Described as "a general-interest legal blog," the professors who contribute to this blog cover a wide variety of topics from tax law to technology.
25. The Becker-Posner Blog. These two well-respected law professors each offer their opinions on the same topic at this popular blog.  
26. Georgetown Law Faculty Blog. With several law professors contributing to this blog, you will find a wealth of information on current legal news that the professors find important enough to share.
27. Health Care Organizational Ethics. This Harvard professor writes about the state of health care on his blog, including topics such as personal responsibility, pharmaceuticals, and hospital ethics.
28. Mudd Manuscript Library Blog. Not only can you learn about upcoming exhibits at this Princeton Library, but you can also learn quite a bit about the pieces and their part in history as well.
29. Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog. Find out what these law professors have to say about current issues and public policy.
30. IvyGate. Whether or not this blog will actually make you smarter may be up for debate, but you can feel like you are a part of the Ivy League world with this blog that brings you news, gossip, and more from all the Ivy League schools.

Technology

From research to intellectual property to Internet security, these blogs will help you become smarter about technology.

31. Harga-Blog. Andrew Hargadon writes about technology innovation and management with an emphasis on sustainable technology.
32. Eric Goldman. This law professor writes about technology and marketing with topics including Internet law and news, copyright and technology, and more.
33. Karim R. Lakhani’s Infrequent Musings. Read about technological innovation from this Harvard professor on his blog.
34. Ed Batista. From Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, this leadership coach writes about leadership and management along with technology.
35. Open IT Strategies. With a focus on creating business models, Joel West writes about IT and business on his blog.
36. beSpacific. This "daily law and technology" blog frequently discusses topics of homeland security, e-government, cybercrime, and the Patriot Act.
37. Light Blue Touchpaper. From University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, this blog includes essays from researchers focusing on the most recent developments in computer security.
38. Financial Cryptography. Discussing issues surrounding security, software engineering, economic impacts, and more, this blog offers a very cerebral approach to the topics.
39. Freedom to Tinker. Published by Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy, this blog includes articles on Internet security, intellectual property, and many other technology topics.
40. Center for Internet and Society People and Blogs. A part of the Stanford Law School, this blog serves as clearinghouse of blogs with a focus on all things Internet.
41. iBlawg. Drawing from Duke Law School’s Intellectual Property program, this blog serves as a source of information for law and technology.

Sports

Anyone who can remember all the statistical information that an avid sports fan can definitely qualifies as smart. Read these sports blogs and exercise your brain.

42. The Wages of Wins Journal. A companion piece to their book The Wages of Wins, these three professors of economics examine the economics of sports.
43. SportsBiz – The Business of Sports Illuminated. Economics and sports meet in this blog that takes a look at how the two work together.
44. I’m Writing Sports. Written by a journalism student and aspiring sports writer, this blog features sports at both the professional and college level.
45. The Quad. Learn all about college sports in this blog from the New York Times.
46. Bleacher Report. Not only can you read this blog, but members can also participate in the editing process to ensure the best quality sports news articles.
47. Sports, Media & Society. Take a look at how media and society approach women in sports with this blog written by a sports journalist and professor.
48. Women’s Sports Blog. This blog with a focus on women’s sports includes news and information about women’s sports, including basketball, soccer, field hockey, and more.
49. View from North America. This blog covers North American sports with a heavy emphasis on college football.
50. Mechelle Voepel. This ESPN writer covers women’s sports among other things in this well-written personal blog.

International Perspective

Follow these writers to learn about life around the world with blogs that describe culture, technology, human rights, and more.

51. My heart’s in Accra. A part of Global Voices, Ethan Zuckerman blogs about Africa, development, and the media here.
52. Bankelele. Learn about Kenya, banking, finance, and more with this blog.
53. Adventures of Mr. Behi. Living in the Netherlands, this Iranian man blogs about his experiences of travel and meeting others in different countries.
54. El Oso. Get a Latin American perspective with this blog–it’s also available in Spanish.
55. solanasaurus. This Danish-Puerto Rican journalist shares her experiences as she lives and works in New York.
56. thebillblog. This British journalist focuses specifically on digital culture in his blog.
57. shioyama. Read in either English or Japanese at this blog that focuses on media, translation, and technology in Japan.
58. Within/Without. From Bangladesh but currently living in London, Neha Viswanathan shares her experiences of life across cultures.
59. Inba’s Corner. The beautiful posts on this blog will bring you the perspective of a modern woman in India as she lives her life.

Art

Whether you want to learn about art or just appreciate the beauty, these blogs will provide you with a healthy dose of art smarts.

60. Art News Blog. Get the latest news in the world of art from this blog.
61. Graphic Arts. This blog from Princeton shows photos of recent acquisitions as well as the history behind each piece.
62. New Art. The posts in this blog profile art by a variety of artists as well as some of the background of the artist and pieces.
63. Art Knowledge News. With updates about exhibits as well as information about art, artists, museums, and more, this blog will keep you up-to-date with what is happening in the art world.
64. art.blogging.la. While this blog primarily posts information on what is happening in the art circles of Los Angeles, it is worthwhile information if you are interested in art.
65. Art Esprit. This curator and gallery owner posts about fine art and crafts that she stumbles upon.
66. The Intrepid Art Collector. This blog updates you with information on the art market as well as art book and museum reviews.
67. Modern Art Notes. Modern and contemporary art are the focus of this blog where you can learn about art from a well-respected blogger.
68. Conscientious. This blog features contemporary fine-art photography with information about the photographers as well as reviews of photography books and magazines.
69. Edward_Winkleman. Described as "art, politics, gossip, and tough love," this blog will enlighten you on the art world in New York.

Literature

Get book reviews, learn about the latest in the world of literature, and more with these blogs.

70. The Feminist Spectator. Written by a professor at Princeton, this blog provides analyses of film, theater, and other performances with an emphasis on the feminist presence and how it relates to society.
71. Indiana University Press Blog. Learn about authors, watch interviews, and participate in the community through various methods all on this blog.
72. Yale Press Log. Get the latest information on books published by Yale University Press as well as interviews and more at this blog.
73. A Different Stripe. This blog from New York Review of Books Classics brings information on both classics and new works.
74. Blog of a Bookslut. Don’t let the name fool you, this is a blog about serious literature–it just doesn’t take itself too seriously.
75. So Many Books. This reader shares what she’s reading as well as a bit about reading and books in general.
76. 3000 Books. Reading an average of 50 books a year, this blogger shares reviews of all those books as she goes.
77. Blogging the Canon. Finding himself with the desire to read all the classics he felt he should have earlier in life, this 40-something blogger shares his experiences of reading the classics.
78. But what these unobservant birds. Find reviews, reading challenges, and more at this Canadian blogger’s place.
79. Stanford University Press Blog. Read about the books published by Stanford University Press, which are always of high intellectual quality with a social conscience.
80. Bookfoolery and Babble. From fiction to non-fiction, the book reviews on this blog are so well-written that you want to add them all to your reading list.

Science

From medicine to technology, these science blogs will have you learning plenty.

81. Family Medicine Notes. Learn from the experience of this physician who keeps notes of what he learns through his practice and offers advice as well as links to medical news.
82. Secrecy News. Sponsored by the Federation of American Scientists, this blog supports their mission of disclosing government secrecy of scientific research in the name of promoting good public policy.
83. Medgadget. Find out about the latest gadgets making their appearance on the medical scene with this blog.
84. Princeton AIDS Initiative. Learn about the science and policy of AIDS in a global context with this blog.
85. Environmental Sciences Information. Providing links to helpful resources, this blog from Princeton offers the latest news and information that may pertain to the environmental sciences.
86. Wired Science. Keep up with the latest science news with this hip blog that gives science a cool name.
87. Bad Astronomy. This astronomer embraces good science and works to keep out the bad stuff on his blog.
88. bootstrap analysis. Written by an "urban field ecologist," this blog brings you natural history, field work, environmental issues, cats, and even some politics.
89. Pharyngula. Written by a professor at University of Minnesota, Morris, this humorous blog covers science and much more.
90. The Corpus Callosum. This psychiatrist writes about the brain, social science, politics, and more on this cerebral blog.

Do It Yourself

Learning how to create what most people buy is a valuable lesson on using your brain and creativity. These blogs will help you do just that.

91. Make: Blog. Learn how to make some seriously cool stuff with this blog from the popular Make Magazine.
92. Instructables Community Blog. Find out how to make the world’s largest pinata or test your Instructables knowledge with a quiz on this blog.
93. Hacks Blog. Make a cake in a coffee mug, a Linux-controlled power switch, or play backed-up Wii games with the information here.
94. DIY City Blog. Independent artists with a DIY flair share their ideas that range from knitted hats to hand-made jewelry.
95. DIY Audio Projects. From vacuum tubes to subwoofers, this blog will help you build your own audio projects.
96. The Automata/Automaton Blog. If you are interested in making or collecting automata or mechanical toys, this blog will provide you with plenty of information.
97. DIY Woodworking, Home Improvement, and Art Projects. From building a guitar to installing a toilet, learn how to do it all here.
98. Gizmodo. Learn to see in 3D or read about the latest tech gadgets at this blog.
99. Hacked Gadgets. Learn to make your computer control an LCD display or create a beer cooler lock down on this blog.
100. Chic Knits. Get your knit on with this blog that offers suggestions, tips, photos, and more to help you knit stuff worth wearing.

If you’re excited about starting school soon but still can’t figure out a way to meet all of your tuition costs and fees for books, housing and food, you may want to consider a federal loan. Federal loans are given to students and families who can demonstrate financial need and are generally easier to acquire than traditional loans from a bank because of more flexible payment options and lower interest rates. They can be a great way to pay for a complete program or offset the price of tuition after scholarships, grants and other financial aid. To learn about two types of federal student loans, the Perkins and Stafford loans, read below.

The Perkins loan is a loan for college and university students and the undergraduate or graduate level. The loan involves contributions from both the federal government and the student’s school, but you may still need to supplement this loan with other scholarships and tuition assistance. Currently, 1,800 postsecondary schools participate in the Perkins loan program, so if you are considering applying for this aid, you will want to verify that the school you’re applying to is one of the participating schools. While federal government funds make up most of the loan you receive, your school must also make a contribution. Your school is also responsible for determining the amount of your total loan. Generally, though, students can borrow up to $4,000 for every year you are an undergraduate student, with a maximum total amount of $20,000. Graduate and professional students can earn up to $6,000 per year, with a cap of $40,000. That $40,000 also includes any money you received from Perkins loans when you were an undergraduate student.

As long as you have been at least a part-time status, you will not have to start repaying your loan until nine months after graduation. Perkins loans can also be canceled, though there are some stipulations that may vary by school.

The Stafford loan features lower interest rates and offers students the choice of paying interest while they’re in school or deferring payment until after they’ve graduated. To apply for a Stafford loan, you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident and plan to be at least a part-time student. If you have received any other loans or grants to fund your education, you must also be in good standing with those organizations. All applicants must also fill out and submit a FAFSA form, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and on it, you will determine your dependency status. This form must be completed and turned in before the deadline. If you choose to have a subsidized Stafford loan, you and your family must be determined by your school to have financial need.

There are two types of Stafford loans: the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP). The FFELP loans are actually issued by private organizations or lenders, like banks, but are guaranteed by the federal government. The FDSLP loans are actually granted to the student directly from the U.S. government. Whether you have an FFELP or FDSLP loan, you can choose to have your Stafford loan subsidized or unsubsidized. The interest on subsidized loans are paid by the federal government while you’re still in school, and you don’t have to pay it back. Students and their parents must demonstrate real financial need to have this type of Stafford loan. Unsubsidized loans mean that students have to pay all of the interest on their loan, but they do not have to start payments until six months after graduation. If the student drops below part-time student status, he or she has three months to begin payments on the loan. As of the 2008-2009 school year, subsidized interest rates for the Stafford loan were 6.00%. Unsubsidized/graduate rates were 6.80%. The unsubsidized rate is projected to stay the same until at least 2013.

Before applying for a Stafford loan, understand that you may not be able to pay your entire tuition with the loan, especially if you plan to attend a private university or an out-of-state public university, where tuition costs may be much higher. As of the 2008-2009 school year, dependent students can earn $5,500 their first year, $6,500 their second year, and $7,500 for their third year and any years after that until graduation. Independent students can receive significantly more, especially if they are in graduate or professional school.