Who can resist a constant stream of French fries, pizza and ice cream?

Not Gunnar Carroll, a freshman at American University in Washington.

“A burger, fries, a slice of pizza and a Coke,” are his meal of choice, says the transplanted resident of New York City's Brooklyn borough.

With piles of dining-hall food to behold and no one dictating the menu, college freshmen dig in and traditionally see a weight gain.

Or do they?

A study in the Journal of College Health a decade ago suggested that freshman weren’t gaining weight like they used to, giving hope to those studying and fighting American obesity, which in 2008, was 66.9 percent of Americans age 20 and older. Today, the percent of overweight and obese Americans has climbed to 71, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

That leaves fewer than 30 percent of Americans who were not overweight in 2016.

The study authors, Nicole L Mihalopoulos and fellow researchers, found that most freshmen among the 125 they studied did not gain seven or more kilograms, saw no change, or added only a few kilos. The greatest percentage saw no change (33 percent), gained one-half to two kilograms (30 percent), gained three to six kilos (17 percent), or lost weight (15 percent).

The study also revealed that students from “lower socioeconomic backgrounds gain more weight,” but having a college education “consistently decreases weight.” That only lasts until middle age, however.

While some other studies show varying conclusions, a meta-analysis study in February 2017 found the so-called Freshman 15 to be more fable than fact. The term "Freshman 15" is an expression commonly used in the United States to refer to the amount of weight, arbitrarily set at 15 pounds (7 kilograms) gained during a student's first year at college.

“I find that freshman year college attendance is estimated to cause only about a one-pound increase,” wrote economic professor Charles Baum of Middle Tennessee State University, after studying data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). That dataset consists of several thousand individuals, many who have been surveyed over several decades.

​Amanda Schlink, a registered dietitian at American University in Washington, concurs that the Freshman 15 may be more urban legend than reality.

“I don’t believe that the Freshman 15 exists to the extent today as it might have been in decades past,” says Schlink. “This decrease in weight gain is likely a combination of both healthy food offerings on college campuses and mindfulness around food choices.”

Healthy vegetarian and gluten-free options are more available. Many fast-food restaurants offer garden salads and vegetables as sides. College students are active. Many freshmen walk or bike more than before, helping to burn off calories.

Dining halls and food service strive to make their meal plan more desirable than instant ramen noodles and mac’n’cheese (macaroni and cheeze), classic dorm-room staples. While they are easy and quick, they are full of calories but empty of nutrition. One package of chicken-flavored ramen noodles fills up one-third of the daily recommended sodium (salt) intake, while providing only about a tenth of the 2,000 calories that is used as the standard intake for an adult.

Another pitfall for first-year students can be energy drinks. The drinks jack up students with excess sugar and caffeine. Monster, a popular energy drink has up to 160 mg of caffeine in a 16-fluid ounce container, compared to the average cup of coffee which contains 95 mg. Convenience does not always mean healthy, and students should read nutrition labels to know what they are putting in their bodies.

Most colleges have well-equipped athletic facilities that encourage students like Erika Linke, a freshman at American University, to stay active. She hits the gym about six days a week to burn off the calories.

“I try to do a five mile (8 kilometer) run or workout everyday,” Linke said. “Having a gym so close and free, especially for a college student is really helpful.”

Schlink suggested focusing on the “Fab Four” when it comes to meals and snacks: carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats and fiber.

“If an individual is consuming food choices from these four groups at meals and snacks, they will be eating well, while balancing their energy needs to fuel their bodies in a healthy way,” she said.

And what about freshmen who report the opposite, losing instead of gaining weight? The Freshman -15? There are two main culprits behind this is subversion of expectations, according to Schlink, has two main sources: time management and stress.

“For some, they are so busy with the academic demands that they may forget to enjoy meals or simply don’t have time for a sit-down meal.” says Schlink.

Donal Gannon contributed to this report.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.

STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)

U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.

Read the full story here. (January 2025)

US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)

A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.

Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.

Read the full story here. (December 2024)

Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health reaches out to international students by detailing the international student experience at the school.

Learn more about housing, life in Boston and more here.

China issued its first national action plan to build a "strong education nation" by 2035, which it said would help coordinate its education development, improve efficiencies in innovation and build a "strong country."

The plan, issued Sunday by the Communist Party's central committee and the State Council, aims to establish a "high quality education system" with accessibility and quality "among the best in the world."

The announcement was made after data on Friday showed China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the number of deaths outpacing a slight increase in births, and experts cautioning that the downturn will worsen in the coming years.

High childcare and education costs have been a key factor for many young Chinese opting out of having children, at a time when many face uncertainty over their job prospects amid sluggish economic growth.

"By 2035, an education power will be built," the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that China would explore gradually expanding the scope of free education, increase "high-quality" undergraduate enrolment, expand postgraduate education, and raise the proportion of doctoral students.

The plan aims to promote "healthy growth and all-round development of students," making sure primary and secondary school students have at least two hours of physical activity daily, to effectively control the myopia, or nearsightedness, and obesity rates.

"Popularizing" mental health education and establishing a national student mental health monitoring and early warning system would also be implemented, it said.

It also aims to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas to improve the operating conditions of small-scale rural schools and improve the care system for children with disabilities and those belonging to agricultural migrant populations.

The plan also aims to steadily increase the supply of kindergarten places and the accessibility of preschool education.

The Open Notebook, a site focusing on educating journalists who cover science, has complied a list of U.S. graduate program financial aid information for international students.

Read it here.