Tip #2 Timing
Students ebb and flow with semesters. Staff are there pretty much year round. Counselors, for example, spend a couple of weeks before and another couple at the beginning of each semester drowning in students. And yet, there are plenty of weeks when things are quieter and your counselor can spend time with you identifying your goals and planning a schedule that allows a little breathing room for full classes. Counselors can also help you to get creative about which classes meet your general education requirements and, at the same time, serve as prerequisites for your major or minor. Same goes ...
TIP#1 Navigating A Crowded College – Combining Schools
This tip is especially true for general education classes. You don’t need to complete your graduation units on your own campus. Many other colleges offer online, summer, and wintersession classes that will support your degree requirements. Let’s say you’re at a state 4-year school. To get a good registration time/day at a nearby community college, set yourself up as a continuing student. This is best accomplished by enrolling in consecutive semesters. You may sign up for an online Art History class, then register as continuing the following semester to get into a Biology class. To make sure you’re in the ...
Shaking Hands
As a teacher, I have the opportunity to shake hands with both confident and nervous young people. Over the last few years I've noticed a trend in handshakes that I believe is an issue when students interview for jobs or meet with clients. A handshake is a way of saying, “It’s great to meet you,” or, “It’s great to see you.” We say and show this with a level of enthusiasm and earnestness. If you don’t know how to shake hands with someone, you are saying, “I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this.” In years past, ...
General Education – Your Approach
General education is a required set of courses for all students. There are several creative approaches to completing your general education requirement series. Here are a few things to consider: Each person earning an Associates or a Bachelors degree in the U.S. completes the general education requirements once in their lifetime. This means that qualifying courses taken at any time qualify toward meeting the requirement. If one or twenty years pass, the courses count. Take the time to carefully consider the list of courses that meet each section within the general education guideline. Look for the class that best meets ...
Concurrent Enrollment
It’s a matter of time. Concurrent enrollment is when high school students take a class in a community college that gives double credit; credit toward high school requirements and credit in the community college. Often, concurrent enrollment in a community college is free of cost. The idea is that high school students get their first taste of college and will, hopefully, consider taking more college classes. Concurrent enrollment may take place in any college semester, which makes it a great summer option. Many universities also offer concurrent enrollment, check with their Admissions and Records department to learn about what is ...
GED Alternative
There are many different reasons why students don't complete high school. All agree a high school diploma opens up job opportunities and will enhance lifetime learning potential, and yet the high school dropout rate continues to grow. Rather than look at national or state statistics, let's narrow our focus to one student at a time and divide reasons for dropping out into two categories: Category A Don't care whether I graduate or Category B No transportation Need to work Focus problems in class Family issues Don't understand enough Boring If you identify with Category B, consider starting again, this time at a community college. Your local community college has great resources for ...
The Summer School Lifeline
I’m a big fan of summer school. Especially the summer before your Freshman and Sophomore years of college. Although the same materials are covered in summer session as during any semester or quarter, the atmosphere is more relaxed and friendly. Students seem open to conversation and focused to make the most of grabbing a few extra units. It’s as though everyone involved knows they’re the ones with the secret key to graduating on time and with less registration panic. In summer session classes meet in a condensed semester or quarter, last a few hours a day, often three or four ...
Your Resume – When You Don’t Have Much Job Experience
Let's focus on creating a resume showcasing your strengths, when you have a lot to offer an employer, but not a lot of work history. Start with keywords that describe you. Really describe you. Ask your friends and family to come up with 10 each; you come up with 20. Take a look at all of the words, and organize them in such a way that they tell a great story about you. Here's an example: Creative, insightful, caring, strategic, honest, able to multi-task, great communication skills, good follow up, artistic, technical, detail-oriented, thoughtful, fun, friendly. These words guide your next steps and ...
Transfer Agreeement Guarantee (TAG)
Many Universities accept fewer Freshman every year. The competition is so strong it feels like failing any test or coming in with anything less than a perfect GPA equate to a rejection letter. Keeping in mind the importance of where you graduate over where you start, transfer agreements may be your ticket to a good/great college. Why are the grade requirements for direct entrance to a university so high? Universities want their primary focus to be years 3 and 4 (Junior and Senior) and the two years of graduate school. With limited budgets, universities don't want to spend their funds and faculty ...
College Options/Ideas With Lower High School Grades (video)
Here are 5 ideas to consider. Graduating from college is possible. If your grades aren't what you'd like, let's explore alternative ways you can get to where you're going. A great job, college graduation, and a fun future are not determined by high school achievement. Too often students know of the five colleges where friends plan to apply, the two colleges relatives attended, and maybe a few more from the news. These colleges may or may not be a good fit for your area of interest, for cost, or even for career advancement. It's a good idea to consider you, ...
Graduate Early-Consider a HS Proficiency Exam
Graduating from High School seems a simple thing for some students and incredibly difficult for others. I've noticed kids who can't quite grasp/thrive in high school often have one thing in common; they are the creatives. Certainly, there are cases when a student has family, work, or personal problems. Many times, however, what starts out as common stress, builds to frustration, and transitions to weak grades, missed classes, and negative feelings about classes, homework, and/or teachers. Once this burden gets too heavy, stomach issues, self-medication, and depression can ensue. The students I know who decide high school is not for ...
AP Classes/Exams: Yes or No? Your Criteria
When is an AP class and exam a good idea? When the class has a great teacher; it will be tough, but great prep for the AP exam. When the course subject is interesting enough to spend a lot of time studying or you're already good at it. When you're in the class and studying afterward with a group of friends. When is an AP class and exam not a good idea? When the teacher isn't very good, don't take a class and try to survive it. When you've struggled with test taking in other classes or in past grades. When you're ...
High School
Concurrent Enrollment
It’s a matter of time. Concurrent enrollment is when high school students take...
GED Alternative
There are many different reasons why students don’t complete high school. All...
College Options/Ideas With Lower High School Grades (video)
Here are 5 ideas to consider. Graduating from college is possible. If your grades...
Graduate Early-Consider a HS Proficiency Exam
Graduating from High School seems a simple thing for some students and incredibly...
AP Classes/Exams: Yes or No? Your Criteria
When is an AP class and exam a good idea? When the class has a great teacher; it...
Read More Posts From High School
College
Tip #2 Timing
Students ebb and flow with semesters. Staff are there pretty much year round. Counselors,...
TIP#1 Navigating A Crowded College – Combining Schools
This tip is especially true for general education classes. You don’t need to complete...
General Education – Your Approach
General education is a required set of courses for all students. There are several...
The Summer School Lifeline
I’m a big fan of summer school. Especially the summer before your Freshman and...
Transfer Agreeement Guarantee (TAG)
Many Universities accept fewer Freshman every year. The competition is so strong...
Read More Posts From College
Independent Living
Shaking HandsAs a teacher, I have the opportunity to shake hands with both confident and nervous young people. Over the last few years I’ve noticed a trend in handshakes that I believe is an issue when students interview for jobs or meet with clients. A handshake is a way of saying, “It’s great to meet you,” or, “It’s great to see you.” We say... [Read more of this review]
Your Cover Letter – When You Don’t Have Much Job Experience
Cover letters introduce you and your resume. The tone of your cover letter reflects the tone of the job advertisement. Simple and friendly is good for an entry-level job, knowledgeable and experienced for a higher-level job, energetic and positive for a customer service job. Regardless of the job, be respectful, honest, and upbeat. Don’t try... [Read more of this review]
Your Resume – When You Don’t Have Much Job Experience
Let’s focus on creating a resume showcasing your strengths, when you have a lot to offer an employer, but not a lot of work history. Start with keywords that describe you. Really describe you. Ask your friends and family to come up with 10 each; you come up with 20. Take a look at all of the words, and organize them in such a way that they tell... [Read more of this review]
Read More Posts From Independent Living