A Course to Help Students Prepare for College ______________________________________________________________________ Welcome to CollegePrep-101! My name is Lance Millis and I will be your Instructor. It is my hope that after completing this course, you will be better able to make an educated decision as to a college, and have the tools to be successful once you get there. This course is intended to provide you with the information you will need as you embark on a major change in your life - deciding on and attending a college. Included in the lessons is information to help you prepare for college, select a college, ease the transition to college, and manage the changes in your life which occur during college. It is written with High School students in mind, but most, if not all of the information will be applicable to anyone involved in the process of selecting and attending a college (i.e. students, parents, grandparents, teachers, counselors, non-traditional students, those returning to college, etc.). In addition, the information will be useful to individuals planning to attend virtually any college or university, public or private. Each lesson will be written by someone I consider to be an expert in the given area. Most will be written by faculty, staff and students of Oklahoma State University, while some will be written by other individuals who have expertise in certain areas dealing with college. I have allowed, in fact asked, for the authors to write in whatever style they wished. The result is a very eclectic mix of writing styles and formats, which I hope is easy to read. The lessons are offered in two forms. First is the CollegePrep-101 Listserv (subscribe by sending a message to listserv@listserv.okstate.edu and in the body of the message, type: subscribe CollegePrep-101 yourfirstname yourlastname) Second is the self-paced CollegePrep-101 course available on the WWW (you're looking at it) which may be viewed and printed at your leisure. Although all parts of CollegePrep-101 are copyrighted, please feel free to share with your friends. Teachers and Counselors may also make copies for use by classes or groups. I ONLY ASK THAT NO-ONE MAKE ANY MONEY ON THEIR USE. To learn more about me and why I think I'm qualified to teach this course you may visit my homepage by clicking here. E-mail suggested educational links to me at lam2717@okway.okstate.edu CollegePrep-101 is sponsored by the College of Education and the Division of Student Affairs of Oklahoma State University, and is administered by the College of Education’s Office of Student Academic Services. ---------- SYLLABUS ______________________________________________________________________ To view a specific lesson, simply click either the Lesson # or the topic. LESSON SUBJECT CollegePrep-101 Homepage Lesson 1 Admission Standards Lesson 2 College Terminology Lesson 2 (Part 2) College Terminology (Continued) Bonus Lesson 1 Recruiters Lesson 3 Recruitment Materials Lesson 4 Application Process Lesson 5 Choosing a College Lesson 6 Campus Visits Lesson 7 Standardized Tests Lesson 8 Financial Aid Lesson 9 Scholarships Lesson 10 Campus Living Lesson 11 Roommates Lesson 12 Motivation Lesson 13 Transition to College Bonus Lesson 2 For Parents Lesson 14 Study Skills Lesson 15 Choosing a Major Lesson 16 Multiculturalism Lesson 17 Stress Management Lesson 18 Personal Responsibility Lesson 19 Time Management Lesson 20 Extracurricular Activities Lesson 21 Available Technology Bonus Lesson 3 Random Thoughts Lesson 22 Honors Programs Lesson 23 Academic Expectations Educational Links Page E-mail educational links to lam2717@okway.okstate.edu Thanks to those who helped produce this page MORE LESSONS ARE PLANNED IN THE FUTURE. Please feel free to e-mail suggested topics to me for consideration. Currently under consideration are lessons on issues related to those who are home-schooled, and transferring to another college. Thanks for visiting ______________________________________________________________________ For information about this page, send e-mail to Lance Millis. You may also want to visit my personal homepage Here. This and all parts of CollegePrep-101 are copyrighted by Oklahoma State University ---------- Lesson #1 Admission Standards ______________________________________________________________________ Hi gang, my name is Lance Millis and I’ll be your instructor for CollegePrep-101. Welcome to the first lesson of the inaugural course. Before we begin, I’d like to do a little housekeeping. First, you’re probably wondering who I am and why I think I’m qualified to tell you about preparing for college. Currently, I am an Academic Counselor at Oklahoma State University, in the College of Education. Before I was an Academic Counselor, I spent seven years as a University Representative (Recruiter) in the Office of High School and College Relations at OSU. I recruited students in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas, and in High Schools of all sizes. I have a Bachelors Degree in Recreation Administration and Management with a Minor in Business Administration, from OSU, and I am currently working on a Masters Degree in Interdisciplinary Sciences, specializing in Management, Education, Ethics and Sensitivity. Second, so you’ll know what to expect in each lesson, the format will be as follows: Introduction of lesson’s subject Introduction of lesson’s author Lesson Additional comments from me (if necessary) Questions for additional discussion OK, on to today’s lesson. Since the purpose of this course is to prepare you for college, it’s only fitting that we start by covering Admission Requirements. This lesson will focus on admission concerns, list the entrance requirements for one school, then discuss additional criteria used by other universities. Today’s author is Gordon L. Reese. Gordon L. Reese is Associate Director of Admissions at Oklahoma State University. He has worked full-time at OSU since 1968, having started his career in the Registrar's Office in 1968, before becoming Assistant Bursar in 1979, and finally Associate Director of Admissions in 1988. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Business in 1975 and is active in both state and national professional organizations. ******************** GENERAL ADMISSIONS CONCERNS High school students who are contemplating going on to college after graduation from high school should begin the process of exploring and narrowing their selection of possible schools during their junior year. It is very important that the students obtain certain academic, scholarship and other financial information as early as possible. Many colleges require specific course work from high school in addition to performance requirements such as grade point average, rank-in-class, and/or standardized test scores such as ACT or SAT. While there is no substitute for high academic achievement in high school, some institutions may also require that the student prepare a portfolio or a resume containing honors and awards, potential for leadership, high school counselor recommendations, family financial situations, etc., while others may require essays or interviews as part of the selection criteria. It is very important that you know the admission requirements for each school you are considering as early as possible. In some instances schools may use all the above. Some of the most common factors affecting the student's final selection include costs, financial support, proximity of school to home, availability of major and perceived quality of the institution. Accordingly, students are encouraged to obtain as much information as possible pertaining to tuition charges and their projected increases, scholarship opportunities, financial aid and the qualifications required. In order to assess the quality of a university's academic programs, one should look at the number of faculty members with terminal degrees in their fields, the student-faculty ratio, retention rates of the freshman class, and 4, 5, and 6-year graduation rates, and the size of the library and the services it provides. Other useful information would include an in-depth look at the freshman class. What is their average ACT or SAT score? How many students ranked in the top 10%, 20%, 30%, etc. of their high school senior class? If at all possible, students are encouraged to personally visit schools prior to making their final decision. Get permission to sit in on a particular class or two. Visit the library, residence halls, student union, student athletic/recreational facilities, etc. to see if they meet your needs. Some questions you might want to ask are how late does the library stay open at night? Are freshman, sophomores, etc. required to live in the residence halls? How many computer labs and computers are available for student use? Where are the labs located and what are the hours? Knowing what to expect can help to minimize the "shock" or transition to a college or university setting. Most schools recognize the fact that the freshman year is the most important year in a student's college career so don't be afraid to ask questions. Anything the potential student can do to ease these concerns will help him/her to feel good about his/her choice and to adjust quickly to this new and challenging environment. ADMISSION TO OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY In order to be admitted in good standing to OSU as a new freshman, the applicant must have graduated from an accredited high school or have earned the GED, and meet both the performance and curricular requirements listed below: PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS: Must meet at least one of the following: 1. Attain a minimum composite score of 22 on the ACT, or 2. Attain a minimum total score of 1030 on the SAT, or 3. Achieve an unweighted GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) and rank in the top 1/3 of the applicant's high school graduating class. CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS: Must meet all the following requirements for courses taken in high school: 4 Units (Years) of English--Grammar, Composition, and Literature 3 Units (years) of Mathematics--Algebra I or above 2 Units (Years) of History--must include one year of American History 2 Units(Years) of Lab Science--Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Sciences 1 Unit (Year) of Citizenship--Economics, Geography, Government, Non-Western Culture 3 Units (Years) of Other Guided Electives--Select from any of the above and/or Computer Science, and/or Foreign Language As is the case with many colleges, OSU has several special admission programs which might be used to admit students who do not meet the standards listed above. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office to discuss these programs in detail. ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE In addition to the admission requirements for OSU, I wanted to give you an idea what other universities require. So I conducted a very unscientific survey, and the responses from the 14 schools which responded follow (schools which responded include public and private universities, some with big names, with enrollments ranging from 1,400 to 36,000, and geographically covered both coasts and the Midwest): Required ACT scores ranged from 18 to 23, SAT ranged from 870 to 1100 Minimum GPA’s ranged from 2.0 to 3.0 Required class rank ranged from the upper 50% to the upper 5% Few required interviews, but most required essays or personal statements Almost half of the schools made exceptions to admission requirements for students who met various criteria (e.g. lower GPA, balanced by a higher test score) Required Courses: Range Most Common English 4 years 4 years Math 3-4 years 3 years Science 1-3 years 2 years (l must include Lab) History 1-4 years 3 years Foreign Language 0-2 years 2 years Citizenship 0-2 years -------- Computer Science 0-1 year -------- Other: ½ of the colleges required 1-4 additional core cour ses 3 colleges required 1 Fine Arts course **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What are the entrance requirements of the schools you are considering? 2. Where do you currently stand in relation to those requirements? 3. What are your options to make up for any deficiencies? 4. If you fall short of the stated requirements of your chosen schools, do they make exceptions for students who meet other criteria? What are those criteria? 5. Is there a deadline for admission applications at the schools you are considering? When is it? Is there an early decision period? ---------- Lesson #2 (Part 1) College Terminology ______________________________________________________________________ Hi class. Since this college "thing" is completely new to some of you, I thought it might be a good idea to let you in on some of the college lingo. People who work for colleges will often throw around words you’ve never heard before, and expect you to know what they mean. This can sometimes create problems when you think they mean something entirely different from what their intention was. In addition, each college has slang terms for many things, and you will need to be aware of what they are. This lesson might be one that will be particularly useful to print off and keep for a while, so feel free to do that, if you like. Anyway, the following is simply a list of college terms I think you will find useful. It is written by a good friend of mine, Mr. Bill Etheredge, and he has used it with his students for a number of years. Bill Etheredge has been in the field of Education for 27 years, 18 as Band Director and 9 as High School Counselor. He is currently High School Counselor at Marietta High School in Marietta, Oklahoma and teaches Psychology and Sociology for Murray State College. In addition, he serves as President of Band Boosters and Senior Advisor to the Band Alumni Association of his former school, Ardmore High School, in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Education and a Masters Degree in Counseling from East Central University, in Ada, Oklahoma. A number of Mr. Etheredge’s college preparation materials are used statewide by High School and Vocational/Technical School Counselors. ******************** COLLEGE TERMINOLOGY (Because of its size, this lesson is in two parts and on two WWW pages) Academic Advisor/Counselor - This person will help you select the correct courses, review the course requirements in the field you have selected to pursue and help you with any academic problems you may encounter. At some institutions, academic advisement is conducted by faculty as part of their job duties. Other institutions may designate specific staff as academic counselors. Academic Probation - All colleges require students to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) to remain in school. Any student not maintaining satisfactory progress toward his/her educational objectives will be placed on probation for a semester. Academic Suspension - A student on Academic Probation may be placed on Academic Suspension if he/she fails to maintain or achieve the minimum cumulative GPA required. A student placed on suspension will be dismissed from the college for a specified time period - usually one semester. Specific requirements may be placed on the student’s re-entry into college. Advanced Standing Credit - These are credit hours that an institution accepts toward a degree from courses that the student has earned elsewhere. Such credit may be given for work done at another higher education institution, by examination or "testing out", or by military service. Alumni - people who have graduated from the institution. ACT and SAT - These letters are acronyms for the American College Test and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Both tests are designed to measure a student’s level of knowledge in basic areas such as math, science, English and social studies. Colleges may require the results of either the ACT or SAT before granting admission. Application/Acceptance/Admission - Application is the process by which a prospective student submits the required forms and credentials to his/her chosen institution. Application criteria may include one or more of the following: previous academic records, test scores, interviews, recommendations, and other information provided by the applicant. Depending on the application requirements of a particular school, the student can gain Acceptance to the institution if the decision to accept the application is positive. Admission is the status granted to an applicant who meets the prescribed entrance requirements of the institution (It must be noted that there is a wide variation nationwide in the Application/Acceptance/Admission policies of higher education institutions. Check the college catalog for specific requirements of the schools you are considering). Associate Degree - The Associate Degree is granted upon completion of a program of at least two, but less than four years of college work. Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees are conferred upon students who successfully complete programs designed for transfer to a senior college. The Associate Degree requires completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours, exclusive of physical education activity courses or military science courses, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (a "C" average). Associate of Applied Science Degree - This degree is conferred upon students who successfully complete a program designed to lead the individual directly into employment in a specific career. The Applied Science degree has the same requirements as those stated above for the Associate Degree. Audit - A student who does not want to receive credit in a course may, with approval of the instructor, audit the course as a "visitor". A student who audits a course usually cannot ask or petition the institution at a later date to obtain college credit for the audited course. Bachelor’s Degree - This is the undergraduate degree offered by four year colleges and universities. The Bachelor of Arts degree requires that a portion of the student’s studies be dedicated to the arts - literature, language, music, etc. The Bachelor of Science degree requires that a portion of the studies be in the sciences - chemistry, biology, math, etc. The minimum credit hour requirement for a Bachelor’s Degree is 120 hours. Bookstore - All colleges have bookstores. It will generally stock all the books and other materials required in all the courses offered at the institution as well as providing basic sundries and clothing items. Business Office - The Business Office is responsible for all financial transactions of the institution. It may also be called the Bursar’s Office on some campuses. Catalog- College catalogs provide all types of information parents and students need to know about a school. It lists, for example: the institution’s history and philosophy, policies and procedures, its accreditation status, courses of study, degrees and certificates offered, physical facilities, admission and enrollment procedures, financial aid, student life activities, etc. CLEP - The College Level Examination Program can be administered to students who desire to obtain college credit by taking proficiency tests in selected courses. If the student scores high enough on the test, college credit can be awarded. There is a charge for each test taken. Information concerning an individual institution’s policies toward CLEP Tests can be found in the institution’s catalog. College - A College is an institution of higher education that grants degrees and certificates. The term is also used to designate the organizational units of a university such as the College of Education or the College of Engineering. Commuter - A commuter is a student who lives off-campus and drives to class, or commutes. Concurrent Enrollment - A student can enroll and attend two educational institutions at the same time provided that certain criteria are met. For example: In Oklahoma, a high school senior can concurrently enroll in high school and in college provided he/she meets established criteria. A college student can concurrently enroll at two higher education institutions provided that certain criteria are met. Permission for concurrent enrollments are generally made in advance. Course Numbers - All courses are identified by numbers usually containing 3 or 4 digits, for example Freshman English might be 1113. The first digit indicates the class year in which the subject is usually taken, the middle 1 or 2 digits identify the course within the subject field (nobody I’ve ever met knows what they mean), and the last digit indicates the number of credit hours the course carries. A course number beginning with a "0" indicates that it does not carry credit hours applicable to a degree. Credit Hours - Courses taken in college are measured in terms of credit hours. To earn one credit hour, a student must attend a class for one classroom hour (usually 50 minutes) per week for the whole semester (usually 16 weeks). Classes are offered in 1 - 5 credit hour increments, and sometimes larger amounts. Curriculum - A curriculum is composed of those classes prescribed or outlined by an institution for completion of a program of study leading to a degree or certificate. Degree Requirements - Those requirements prescribed by the institution for completion of a program of study are generally termed degree requirements. Requirements may include a minimum number of hours, required GPA, prerequisite and elective courses within the specified major and/or minor areas of study. Degrees - Degrees are rewards for the successful completion of a prescribed program of study. There are 3 basic types of degree: Associate - obtainable at a two year community or junior college, Baccalaureate or Bachelor’s - offered by four year colleges and universities, and Graduate - Obtained after the bachelor’s degree, i.e. Masters or Doctorate. Department - A department is the basic organizational unit in a higher education institution, and are responsible for the academic functions in a field of study. It may also be used in the broader sense to indicate an administrative or service unit of an institution. Division - A division could be several different things: an administrative unit of an institution, usually consisting of more than one department… a unit of an institution based on the year-level of students - i.e. lower and upper division… or a branch of the institution, instructional or not - i.e. the Division of Student Affairs. Drop and Add - Students are generally permitted to drop courses from their class schedules and/or add other courses. Colleges allow varying lengths of time for students to add and drop classes. The college catalog or class schedule should note the correct procedures. Students usually need written approval from designated college officials to initiate dropping or adding a class. A small fee is often required. Enrollment - This is the procedure by which students choose classes each semester. It also includes the assessment and collection of fees. Pre-Enrollment is the method by which students select courses well in advance of the official enrollment date of the next term. Extra-Curricular Activities - These are non-classroom activities that can contribute to a well-rounded education. They can include such activities as athletics, clubs, student government, recreational and social organizations and events. Faculty - The faculty is composed of all persons who teach classes for colleges. Fees - Fees are additional charges not included in the tuition. Fees may be charged to cover the cost of materials and equipment needed in certain courses, and they may be assessed for student events, programs and publications. Final Exams (Finals) - These exams are usually given during the last week of classes each semester. The type of final administered in a course is left to the discretion of the instructor. Final exams are given on specified dates which may be different than the regular class time, and are usually listed in each semester’s class schedule. Financial Aid - Aid is made available from grants, scholarships, loans and part-time employment from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Awards from these programs may be combined in an "award package" to meet the cost of education. The types and amounts of aid awarded are determined by financial need, available funds, student classification, academic performance, and sometimes the timeliness of application. Fraternities/Sororities (also called the Greek System)- Fraternities (for men) and sororities (for women) are social organizations which are active in various activities. Through a process of mutual selection, called Rush (which takes place during a specified period of time), students may be offered the opportunity to "pledge" a certain fraternity of sorority. Not all colleges have these organizations. Full-Time Enrollment/Part-Time Enrollment - A full-time student is enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in a semester (full-time status for a Summer term is usually 6 credit hours). A part-time student is enrolled in less than 12 credit hours in a semester (less than 6 in a Summer term). Honor Roll - Students are placed on honor rolls for GPA’s above certain specified levels. Criteria for President’s, Dean’s or other honor rolls vary at different institutions. In most cases, students must be enrolled full-time to be eligible. Humanities Courses - Humanities courses are classes which cover subjects such as literature, philosophy and the fine arts. Most undergraduate degrees require a certain number of humanities credit hours. Because of the length of this lesson, it is continued on the next page ---------- Lesson #3 Recruitment Materials ______________________________________________________________________ Hi people! Today’s lesson covers the mass of information you will be receiving in the mail over the next year or so from colleges and universities. Some of it will be extremely important, some you will wonder why it was sent to you, but all of it deserves a look. I think the following lesson will assist you in sorting through and understanding this information. Since I wrote this lesson, you won’t have to re-read an introduction on me. ******************** RECRUITMENT MATERIALS RECEIVED IN THE MAIL Probably the first contact you will have with a college is the seemingly unending stream of brochures and letters you will find in your mailbox over the next year or so. This information will come from schools of every shape and size, and from every corner of the globe. You may wonder how exactly that school got your name, and why it is that they are sending you information on their school, when you never requested it. While there are a variety of ways that colleges generate mailing lists, probably the most common method of generating names is by purchasing lists of names of students who have taken standardized tests. Remember when you signed up to take the PSAT, ACT or SAT, and you had to fill out that questionnaire about your interests, the classes you’ve taken, your grades, etc. Well, that information is compiled by the testing service and colleges are able to purchase names and addresses of students who meet criteria that they select (i.e. all students with a minimum test score who live in surrounding states, or all students with certain grades, a minimum test score, and a specific major, etc.). So you may fit a profile of students which that particular school wishes to recruit, or your major may be one which they offer, or any number of other possibilities. Another common way your name might have found its way to a college, is for you to have filled out an interest card at a College Fair or when a college visited your school. Usually, when colleges visit High Schools, they have every interested student fill out an interest card including name, address, major, and various other information. You may well have gone from booth to booth at a College Fair filling out cards and picking up free pencils and stickers, not thinking about what that information would be used for. Well, if you fit the profile of someone that college would like to recruit, you will likely receive information from them. A third way for colleges to get your name is through referral. Many colleges have alumni who are active in recruiting students from their area (this is especially common for private schools and those schools which are very distant from your location). Alumni may become aware of you through reading your name in the paper or when your parents brag about you at work, etc. Teachers and Guidance Counselors are also prone to refer students to their alma mater, and it is possible - only if you request it - that your Counselor may pass your name along to schools of your choice (check with your Counselor about their policy on this). It is very common for a recruiter to ask a Guidance Counselor if there are any "top" students that they need to meet, or anyone with special circumstances that they need to know about. If your Counselor’s policy allows it, and you request it, this is an excellent way of getting your name "out there". You will likely start receiving information in the mail late in your Junior year of High School, or a few weeks after you receive scores from any standardizes test you may have taken. To start receiving information earlier, simply contact colleges you are interested in, and request a packet of information. The easiest way to get in contact with a college, is usually through your Guidance Counselor. They should have information on a number of schools readily available, or may be able to give you a phone number or contact a school for you. Other sources of information are the World Wide Web (using virtually any Search Engine, and searching for either "colleges" or the name of the school you are looking for), school and public Libraries, your parents’ friends or other college alumni (they will likely receive information from their alma mater frequently), or simply call 1-800 Information at 1-800-555-1212 and ask for the school by name (many colleges have 1-800 numbers specifically for this purpose). One very important thing you need to remember about the information you receive is that while the viewbooks schools send out are very helpful, they are also very slanted. The viewbook gives you an idea how the school sees itself, or wants you to see it - not always how it really is. Don’t misunderstand, I don’t mean to imply that they are in any way inaccurate. They simply make everything look good. For example, usually all of the people in the photographs are attractive, everyone is usually smiling, photographs are usually taken on days with perfect weather, the campus’ ethnic diversity may not be accurately depicted in the photographs, only the most attractive buildings will be shown, etc. While this makes for good photography, the entire school and all of the students may not look that way. So my advice would be to take what you see in these brochures with a grain of salt. I will conclude the discussion of college information received in the mail by adding two pieces of advice which will help both you and the colleges who sent the information. 1. Look at everything you receive in the mail, particularly from the colleges you are interested in. There is no way to tell if it is a scholarship offer, invitation to campus, appointment for an interview, or something else, unless you open the envelope. Then if you are not interested, discard it. You would be surprised how many people don’t open their mail! Also, don’t expect your parents to read your mail and tell you what you need to do. It’s your responsibility. 2. Pay attention to who the letters you receive are from. Colleges and universities are made up of many separate departments (i.e. Housing, Honors, Financial Aid, etc.), and several different departments may send you information about their programs and offerings. It will only frustrate you to contact the wrong office to ask about information you received in the mail. In addition, it is not uncommon for one department to know nothing about other departments in the same university. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What is your Guidance Counselor’s policy on giving information to colleges on your behalf? 2. What information is available from your Guidance Counselor? 3. Who do you know who would be able to get you in contact with their alma mater? 4. How can the WWW be used to help you get information on colleges you are interested in? 5. What information is available at the Library, and how can you find it? ---------- Lesson #4 Application Process ______________________________________________________________________ Hi gang! Today’s lesson focuses on one of the crucial steps in selecting and attending college: the application process. While filling out and submitting applications to your chosen schools may seem like a one-time activity, it is actually a very fluid process which is spread out over time. The information presented in this lesson overlaps a little with the lessons on Recruitment Materials, Choosing a College, Financial aid and Scholarships. It also expands on those areas which overlap and presents an all-encompassing view of the process along with helpful hints to make it easier. Once again, I am the author, so no introduction is necessary. ********************* APPLICATION PROCESS Early in the Fall of your senior year, you should start the process of applying to College. Because this process can be somewhat tedious and repetitive and can get overwhelming, you should not plan on doing it alone. Enlist the help of your high school counselor and /or your family. I am not suggesting you ask, or even allow them to do anything for you, but they will be able to make your job go much more smoothly. Both counselors and your family can help you remember deadlines, clarify how to answer certain questions, make copies, get transcripts, possibly assist with typing (don’t ask your counselor for this one), and various other "chores" which will assist you without doing it for you. Make sure to check with your high school counselor about any specific procedures or deadlines they may require. That way you can build their requirements into your application process. In some cases, you may be totally on your own, and without help from either your family or counselor. By simply following the steps outlined in this lesson, you should be able to make your way through the process with a minimum of problems and headaches. The following steps detail the major tasks involved in the application process: Step 1: Gather Applications As your senior year begins, you should be gathering applications from the schools you are considering. Some may have already been sent to you, while others may be picked up in your counselor’s office, or at College Fair programs, while still others may have to be requested directly from the school (see the process of requesting applications, detailed in Lesson 3). Also, more and more colleges are making applications available for download from their websites, so you may need to check there. Since you are likely receiving information from a number of colleges, make sure to keep the applications from the schools you are interested in, separate from the others. This will make them much easier to find them when the time comes. Step 2: Know Deadlines Since you are probably considering several schools, knowing the deadlines is not as early as it may sound. Each school will have its own set of deadlines, as well as priority dates or other dates to remember. Each application will also probably have its own deadline, or priority date (a priority date is simply a date before which applications receive priority or special consideration). The best way to keep track of all of the dates is by using a calendar. Get a calendar (a big one) on which you can see an entire year at the same time - academic calendars are best since they start and end with the school year. Using a different color pen or pencil for each school you are considering, write the school and which application is due on the appropriate dates. You can also use this calendar to note scheduled campus visitation days, or keep track of schools you visit and when. You should also mark the dates when you send in applications to keep track of them. Be sure to place the calendar in a conspicuous place in your home where both you and other family members will see it regularly. Step 3: Apply for Admission Although this can be an expensive proposition, depending on how many and which schools you are considering, it is important that this be done early (during the Fall of your Senior year). Some schools, particularly those with early admission policies, and private schools may have deadlines early in the Fall, so be aware. Not until you have been accepted to a college will they consider you for financial aid, scholarships, housing, or anything else. Simply fill out and mail the Applications for Admission to the schools you are considering (you may want to peek at the process I suggest in the next lesson for narrowing down your choices). You should resist the temptation to wait until you have decided which school to attend, before you apply. If you do this, you will probably miss out on certain scholarships and financial aid. It sounds so easy, but mistakes on these applications can cause you major headaches later on. The following are suggestions which will help you avoid many of those mistakes. make copies of each application, hand write your responses on the copy, then type your responses on the real application. make sure to fill out the entire application. include official transcripts, along with anything else required, with each application. Official transcripts normally include all course work completed, standardized test scores, cumulative gpa, rank in class and an official stamp or seal from your school. always proofread applications before mailing. You would be surprised how many people mistakenly indicate they have been convicted of a felony, or give the wrong social security number. double check the address on each envelope to make sure you don’t put the application for one school in another school’s envelope. Yes, this has actually happened! ( This can be a potential problem if you are applying to several schools and all at the same time) Step 4: Apply for Financial Aid Depending on several factors including the scholarship deadlines of the schools you are considering and when your parents’ tax information is available to them, steps 4 and 5 may be switched. But do both as soon as possible. A great deal of specific Financial Aid information is contained in Lesson 8, which you will read later. The most important thing to remember is that applying for Financial Aid is a process which is separate from the application process you go through with each college. There is a uniform application, usually the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which everyone fills out and submits to a central processor. You can list up to six colleges who will receive your financial aid information on the FAFSA. So you don’t have to have made any decision as to a college, before applying for financial aid. The universal applications are available from every high school counselor and every college or university (check with the schools you are considering as to which form to submit). The forms cannot be filled out before January 1 (of your senior year), but should be filled out and submitted as soon as possible after that date. Check with your high school counselor or any college Financial Aid Office for answers to specific questions. Step 5: Apply for Scholarships Lesson 9 details the process of applying for scholarship. During the time you are applying for scholarships, you may also be applying for special programs such as an Honors Program and/ or enrichment opportunities at your chosen schools. Usually, applications for these programs are similar to those for scholarships, and the same advice applies. carefully, neatly and accurately complete all portions of each application double and triple check your spelling make copies before sending any applications in the mail A note about recommendations - Letters of recommendation are reviewed in a variety of ways by colleges. Some see them as a very valuable tool for use in evaluating applicants. Some take them with a grain of salt because they are never bad - you are obviously going to have recommendation letters written by someone who thinks highly of you. Basically there’s no way around them: colleges need them so you’ll have to get them. 1. In choosing who to ask for these letters, you should remember a few things. The recommender should be someone who knows you very well - if they have a neat title or are somehow important or influential, that’s just icing on the cake. Vague recommendations from "big name" people rarely impress colleges (remember, they see thousands each year). 2. Ask if they would be willing to (and have time to) write a letter for you. Don’t assume that they were hoping you’d ask - they may be, but don’t assume it. 3. Give the people writing your recommendations plenty of time to think about and write the letters. As you start gathering applications, you should be contacting the people you would like to have write your letters. Tell them that you’re planning ahead and know you’ll need letters later on, and would they be willing to write one at a later date. That way they have plenty of time to think about it, and you get to them before anyone else does. 4. Plan to give each person writing a recommendation for you a copy of your resume. No matter how well they know you they couldn’t possibly know everything you’ve done. Once you have completed the previous steps, you will be in an excellent position: that of being considered for admission, financial aid and scholarships at each of your chosen schools, without having to spend a great deal of money or committing yourself to any one school. After completing the steps listed above, it’s time to start making some decisions. Before you move on to the next step in the process, you will either need to be narrowing down your choices, or making the financial commitment to pursue housing at all of the schools. Step 6: Secure Housing Note: Lesson 10 deals with campus living options, and Lesson 11 addresses roommate concerns. Securing a place to live (usually, securing a residence hall room) is the part of the application which usually requires a significant outlay of cash, but because rooms are almost always assigned on a first come, first served basis, you can’t afford to wait until you make your final decision. There is usually a fee to apply for a residence hall room, and there is almost always a fee to reserve a room. If you can afford to apply and reserve rooms at all of your chosen schools, go ahead (usually, a portion of this money is refundable if you choose not to attend and notify them before a deadline). Otherwise reserve a room at your top choices. There is a certain amount of "gambling" involved in the process, i.e. "Is it worth possibly losing my application fee if I don’t go to school there, just to make sure I get the room I want if I do go to school here?" So you’ll just have to decide that for yourself. Speed is usually the key. Residence halls fill up fast at many schools, so find out what its like at your schools. Step 7: Enroll and Attend Orientation Soon after securing a room (if not before) you will likely be entering a final decision phase. At this time, the only major activities remaining are enrolling and attending Orientation. The way schools enroll their new students and provide orientation are so varied, that there is very little universal information I can provide. Your school(s) will communicate to you exactly what, when and where you need to be, but if you plan to spend 2-3 days during the summer enrolling, and 3-4 days just prior to the start of school for orientation you’ll be on the safe side. Whatever you do, do not underestimate the importance of orientation. There wouldn’t be an orientation if you didn’t need it. HELPFUL APPLICATION HINTS make copies of everything before you send it apply early. Applying before a deadline can help if you leave a question blank or forget to send a transcript or something else. That way the school will have time to contact you, and you will have time to fix the problem before the deadline hits. Applying at the deadline leaves no margin for error if you want to apply for admission to a school, but cannot afford the application fee, check with your high school counselor or the admissions office at that school. The application fee may be waived in certain situations, if there is financial need keep extra transcripts on hand, and plan to send one with almost all applications except those for residence halls work closely with your counselor. Make sure to keep their busy schedule in mind as well as any procedures they may require - remember you are only one of the students they work with A special note about schools with an early decision or early admission window. These schools may have special requirements which I have not listed, or a special application process which differs from what I have outlined. Some may have a special type of early admission policy which is binding, and may actually prevent you from applying to other schools (If this is the case, you need to know exactly what is required of you, and what special dates are applicable). You should contact each school you are considering to find out any requirements specific to that school Whenever possible, enroll on the first possible date. College basically runs on a first come, first served basis, and this is particularly true with "good" class times. You will usually be able to take the same classes if you enroll at a later date, you will just be going to those class at 7:30 a.m., or at 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, or at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night (you know, during Friends), and obviously, that won’t work. QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What procedures does your counselor require when asking for help with applications or recommendation letters? 2. Who would you like to have write letters of recommendation for you? 3. What parts of the application process is it important that you actually do? What parts can a family member or someone else do for you? 4. Besides the calendar method described above, how will you keep track of all the deadlines, and where you are in each school’s application process? 5. What honors and enrichment programs are available at your chosen schools which are of interest to you, and that you’d like to apply for? What special applications are required, and where can you get them? ---------- Lesson #5 Choosing a College ______________________________________________________________________ Howdy! (say it like Minnie Pearl to get the full effect) Today’s lesson is on Choosing a College. It will give you a process to go through, suggest things to think about, and warn you of some things to be prepared for. This lesson contains a little more of my personal opinion than do most lessons, but I do have seven years recruiting experience... Again, since I wrote the lesson, no introduction is necessary. ******************** The Process of Choosing a College Choosing a college is probably one of the first truly major decisions you will make in your life. The decision you make will have far reaching effects on virtually every aspect of your life. OK, OK, OK, I know it’s already stressful enough having to make this decision, without my adding to it. I don’t mean that if you go to the wrong school you are going to be in the "poor house" for the rest of your life. What I mean is that at different schools you will meet different people, be involved in different activities, develop different areas of your self, interview with different companies, etc. All of these variables, among others, help determine the direction you will take after college. While it is very unlikely that the school you choose will affect the degree of success you experience during your lifetime, your life will clearly be different based on where you attend college. An example might be: Five years after receiving your Engineering Degree from College A, you might be a Project Engineer for General Motors (making $40,000 per year), live in Detroit with your spouse (the love of your life who you met in college) and two children, and donate money annually to the fraternity/sorority you were a member of. However if you had attended College B for your Engineering Degree, five years later you might be single, a Process Engineer for Anderson Consulting (also making $40,000 per year), living in Tucson, dating and actively searching for the love of your life, and volunteering a good deal of your time to help your community. As you can see, in both situations, you have a good life, but the point is that the two lives are very different. In order to make the best possible decision as to which college to attend, it is important to have a plan. The following list describes a process that I have come up with through my years as a college recruiter. If you already have your own plan in mind, don’t feel bound to this one, but use the information as a guide. Read through the mail you receive from colleges, and request more information from those you are interested in. In addition, if you have a college in mind which has not contacted you, request information from them (detained in the lesson on Recruitment Materials). Keep an open mind when reading, as you may learn something new about a school. Talk to parents, friends and other family members about college - both specific schools and their personal experience with college. Even those who did not graduate from college will likely have valuable input for you to consider. An obvious suggestion would be to write down what you are looking for in a college. In my experience, which includes asking hundreds of students what they were looking for in a college, most people don’t know. Beyond big or small, and close to home or far away, it is very difficult to put it into words. I can tell you that when you see "it", you’ll know it, but even then, you may have difficulty describing it. Make a "wish list" of colleges. Think both on a very grand scale and on the most basic level. List schools you would like to attend, from the school on the beach or in the mountains to the one with the best academic reputation in your major, but don’t forget the "school down the street" (by this I mean a school close to home - possibly a Junior or Community College, possibly not - but significantly less expensive and closer to home than the others). Include schools close to home and far away, public or private , and cost should not be a limitation. You may or may not want to consider the "school down the street", but you should... Remember that life is not predictable, and those who have a backup plan are usually much better off than those who don’t. If you plan to go "away" to college or to a fairly "expensive" school, the main reason to have a backup plan is that you may change your mind at the last minute - or be forced to. Too many times I have seen students scrambling at the last minute to change their college choice because they start to realize what it will be like to only come home from college at Christmas, or because they start to figure out how long it will take to pay off college loans for that $25,000 per year school. This is to say nothing about the possibility of parental job loss or other financial problems, significant health problems suffered by close family members, unexpected illness or injury suffered by yourself, or even a family move. In addition, although it is a very bad reason, some students change their college choice because of a desire to remain geographically close to a boyfriend/girlfriend or attend the same school. So please have a backup plan! Expect your parents to have at least a mental "wish list" for you. They’ll probably include some or all of the following; the "school down the street", Harvard and their alma mater. Consider adding their schools to your list. After you have spoken to a number of people about colleges and made up your "wish list, sit down with everyone who has a stake in your college decision. Usually, this will just be your immediate family (be sure to include siblings, even the little ones, as they need to be involved too), but could include a relative or other person who is helping you pay for college, a spouse or fiance, etc. Talk realistically about the schools on your list. Consider academic reputation, quality of their program in your major, cost, distance from home, student life, safety, support system, etc. Let everyone give their opinions, and be open to both pros and cons of schools you really like and those on your list only to please others. Be sure to take notes so you will remember what was said. After hearing what everyone else thinks, narrow down your list (but wait a few days to do it). Eliminate those which are not realistic based on your grades and standardized test scores (remember, you may be able to find a way to get into a school which seems out of reach, but it isn’t easy), affordability (remember, if you really want to go to school somewhere, there is money available through financial aid programs - which we will discuss in a later lesson), or whatever variables which are applicable to you. It is important to note that starting at one institution and later transferring to another (and of course, graduating from that school), is almost always possible. You should be able to narrow your choices down to between 3 and 6 colleges. Some of you may not have started with 6, but others will have difficulty narrowing it down to 10. Your final decision will not come until much later, and after you have visited the schools, applied to them, received scholarship/financial aid awards, etc. All of those subjects and more will be included in this course. You will need to consider every aspect, and write down a list of the pros and cons for each school (including the intangible feeling you get when you visit). Don’t forget that the way you are treated during the application process is probably the way you will be treated once you go to school there (good or bad). After going through the process of narrowing down your choices, then applying to the schools, then visiting, you should have a pretty good idea where you fit best. Hopefully you will not have to make your decision based entirely on finances, but particularly if you have two or three equal favorites, you may have to. This is a process, rather than a checklist, so flexibility is the key. This process will ideally be done during the Sophomore or Junior year of High School, or as far ahead of time as is feasible (this process will be somewhat time compressed for those not in High School, but can be just as effective). This is so you can begin visiting colleges during the Summer after your Junior year and not have to "cram" the process into too short a time. When you have completed the narrowing down process and have your list of 3 - 6 schools, you should plan to apply to each of those schools. The application process was discussed in the previous lesson. After applying, you should also plan to visit each school (covered in the next lesson). An important issue to note is the belief that the name of the school you attended will somehow make you more or less attractive to employers. Don’t spend too much time being concerned with which school has the biggest name (this is particularly true if you intend to go to graduate school). According to recent surveys, more important factors in the selection of job candidates and graduate school candidates are academic performance in college, extracurricular involvement, involvement in your area of study (clubs, research, volunteering, etc.), and quality work experience. If you excel at the undergraduate level, you may be able to secure a scholarship or Assistantship at a "big name school" which might pay for a good deal of graduate school. The bottom line is that, like most things, you get out of college what you put into it. It is possible to be a graduate of a little known school and supremely successful, just as it is possible to be a graduate of a "big name" school, and be unemployed or underemployed. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. What schools are you currently considering? What is your "dream school"? 2. Who has a stake in your college decision? Why? 3. Certain factors will definitely be issues in your college selection decision. What are they? 4. At the schools you are considering, is the academic program in your major nationally known? If not, are there other factors which might outweigh that? 5. Where can you get applications from the schools you are interested in? ---------- Lesson #6 Campus Visits ______________________________________________________________________ Hi gang! Today’s lesson is another one written by me, and it’s on Campus Visits. It contains a number of suggestions, only some of which you will wish to take. Select from the list, the ideas which are important to you and disregard the rest. If you tried to do everything I suggest, you may irritate the people at your chosen colleges, and you will probably pass out before the day is through. Anyway… on with the lesson. ******************** VISITING COLLEGE CAMPUSES You should plan to visit each of the schools you applied to. This is a major commitment for the entire family (often an expensive one), but a very important one. When you start planning your visits, make sure that you go with friends or family you can have fun with. I am not encouraging you to leave your parents at home, but you may want to discuss with them who will do the talking, etc. before you arrive. Because college visits are sometimes stressful, students sometimes get hacked off at their parents, or embarrassed by them. Do what you can to eliminate that possibility. This can make the visit much more pleasant. It may sound strange, but if you don’t have fun on your visit, you are much less likely to have a favorable impression of the school overall. Also, only as a last resort should you visit two colleges on the same day, as neither will get a fair shake. It will take at least half of a day to see the campus and visit with all of the people you need to. Campus visits should be set up by the college’s recruitment office (Admissions Office, High School Relations, or Prospective Student Services, etc.) or by the representative who visited your school. They should be able to schedule you for a tour and arrange appointments with the appropriate individuals. In some situations, you may have to call a couple of different offices before you reach someone accustomed to setting up a number of appointments for a visitor. In any event, there are a number of things you can do during a visit, and you should try to do as many of the following as is practical: Take the organized campus tour (even if you have been there before). Most tours include a look at a residence hall room, a look at the library, and at least a walk through an academic building - all are a must. Speak with representatives about the application process, financial aid, scholarships, etc., to see if you have done everything you need to. You may have to speak with different individuals about each subject. Speak with the representative who visited your school and others who have contacted you, even if its just to say hello. This will show your interest, maturity and initiative. Sit in on a class. Watch how the Professor teaches and how the students react. Speak with an Advisor/Professor/Department Head from your major (it’s okay to visit more than one department if you’re undecided about a major). These are the people you will work with directly if you attend their school. They can tell you about the specific classes you will take, their facilities, potential careers, etc. Spend the night on campus if possible. Things are sometimes different at night (the campus may be very busy, or it may be deserted). Attend a campus event. Most evenings on a college campus there are a number of things going on, like a sporting event, variety show, play, concert, or other student activity. Plan some free time. Walking around a college campus by yourself is very fun, and usually will give you a good idea what you will feel like if you attend there. In addition, you will see a great deal more than what you see on a tour. People watch. If you choose that school, you will be one of "those" people. Take notes on what people tell you (you don’t have to write down everything). You will be given far to much information to remember it all, and again, it shows your maturity. ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS If you can, you should take copies of your transcripts, applications, any letters of recommendation you might have, and test scores. You probably won’t need them, so it’s all right to leave them in your car, but having them handy could really pay off if they’ve lost your original, or need an additional copy. Don’t monopolize people’s time. They should be willing to speak with you if they are able, but be brief. They will let you know if they can spend more than a few minutes with you. When you leave, make sure that there is someone (an Advisor, Professor, Recruiter, Department Head, etc.) who you know, and who knows who you are. You’ve heard the phrase "It’s who you know", well sometimes "Its who knows you!" When you return home, maintain contact with the person/people you’ve met. Call or write once a semester "just to check in", and make sure you have completed everything you’re supposed to. Make sure to re-introduce yourself and remind them where you’re from. Even if you’ve been around a school quite a bit (gone to athletic events there, visited friends there, etc.), resist the temptation to think you know everything you need to know. Rarely will you just "pick up" the important information, and sometimes you may pick up the wrong information unintentionally. Even friends who attend that school may give wrong information, not knowing that policies have changes. College recruitment weekends are a very valuable way to find out about a school, and may be able to take the place of an individual visit. Usually, the recruitment events are planned to be very fun, and give you a brief look at nearly every aspect of their school, rather than an in-depth look at anything. Depending on the size of the group, you may or may not be able to get all of your questions answered. If not, and another visit is impractical, you may be able to get your questions answered via telephone or letter. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What individuals have been in contact with you from each school you are considering? 2. What office should you contact at the schools you are considering to arrange a tour? 3. What is covered on a normal campus tour? 4. Who should you take with you when you visit college campuses? 5. What college recruitment events are planned at the schools you are considering? 6. Are there specific parts of campus or facilities you will probably want to see on a campus visit? ---------- Lesson #7 Standardized Tests ______________________________________________________________________ Hi Group! Today’s lesson is on Standardized Tests. Yeah, I know… just what you what to read about, right. As you know there is a good deal of importance placed on your scores on these tests, so I thought it might be helpful to provide you with a little specific information about them. This lesson includes specific information on both commonly used standardized tests; the SAT and ACT. Today’s author is Nora Scanlan. Nora Scanlan graduated from Our Lady of Peace High School, St. Paul, Minnesota. She received her bachelor’s degree from Mundelein/Loyola University of Chicago, and her master’s degree in education from Queens College, City University of New York. She has taught school in Minnesota, New York, and New Jersey. For the last 25 years she has been a Guidance Counselor at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland. ******************** WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ALL THESE TESTS? By Nora Scanlan Every fall as students sharpen their minds and their number 2 pencils, their anxiety about taking college entrance exams returns. Standardized tests are an important part of the college admission process; but they are only one part. With a little preparation and a calm head, you can put anxieties about the SAT I behind you and focus on attending your dream college. Here’s why: Each year of high school gives you the opportunity to get better at what you are doing. You get more comfortable talking to other students and teachers. You understand how your high school works and what part you want to play while you are there. You get better at managing your time and you learn how to learn. As you grow, personally and intellectually, the college choices you will have after high school will increase. The college you want to attend will consider a variety of information, including an essay, recommendation letters, your coursework, and the grades you have earned. High schools differ from one another. Bigger schools with more students have more courses; schools where the majority of students plan to attend college can offer more Advanced Placement and upper level courses. Teachers grade differently. You know from experience that what is A work for one teacher is B work for another. Because many colleges have applicants from thousands of public and private high schools across the United States, it is difficult to compare students. That is why most colleges use a standardized measure to evaluate all applicants. That measure is a college entrance exam. Two entrance tests are used by colleges and universities in the United States. They are the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Testing Assessment (ACT). You should be familiar with the content of both tests and know which is required by the college(s) you hope to attend. The SAT is the nation’s most widely used college admission test and has been administered since 1926. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE EXAMS The tests you take will probably be determined by the requirements of the colleges you’d like to attend. Some accept either test, the SAT I or the ACT. Some colleges insist on the SAT I, so check the catalog or admission procedure section of the college and university information book to make sure that you know exactly what tests you are required to take. If you take the exam more than once, most colleges will consider your best score and not be concerned about how often you took the test. Check with your guidance counselor on the school’s policy for posting test scores on transcripts. When you pick up the test registration materials in your high school guidance office, you can also get practice booklets. Familiarize yourself with the tests by taking the sample test offered in the practice booklet. If you are not pleased with your results, then you need a plan to prepare yourself. Practice can make a difference. A good place to begin is the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which is given every October in your high school. Because you can only take the PSAT/NMSQT once a year, consider taking it twice, once as a sophomore and again as a junior. Only the score from your junior PSAT/NMSQT is used for scholarship recognition and enrichment programs given by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, so sophomore year is a good time to get a sense of what the SAT I will be like. The PSAT/NMSQT is an hour shorter than the SAT I. It contains two 30-minute verbal sections and two 30-minute math sections. You can see how your verbal and mathematical skills compare to high school students across the country who will be applying for college when you do. Look at it like an audition where you get lots of feedback. In December you will receive your score report and your test booklet. This is a very comprehensive report and gives you a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses on the test. Your score report shows your answers next to the correct answer for each question and the difficulty and type of question it was. You can use your test book to check questions you got wrong or skipped. Since early 1995, scores on the SAT have been reported on a new, recentered scale. This means that test takers and directors of admission will find it easier to interpret scores, since the average score on each section will be around 500 - the midpoint of the 200 - 800 scale. Most colleges and universities have revised their admission requirements to reflect the change in the scoring. Although recentered scores appear higher in comparison to scores on the former scale, they do not really represent better performance. Your percentile rank - the number that indicates the percentage of your peers who scored below you - does not change because of recentering. But you will not be able to compare your score with scores of test takers from the years before recentering, except with the aid of a conversion table. Once you identify your weaknesses in the math and verbal sections, you can make your plan of attack. You may have missed some skills along the way and need to set up a plan to review and strengthen your knowledge so you will have the skills you need when you take the SAT I. The PSAT/NMSQT will help you focus on what you need to do. You can also get feedback on your strengths and weaknesses by taking the SAT I and requesting the Student Answer Service (SAS) or the Question and Answer Service (QAS). The SAS provides your answers, the correct answers, and the difficulty level and type of question. The QAS also provides you with the test questions. Check the SAT Registration Bulletin to determine which service is available when you plan to take the test. You will never achieve the results you want by taking the test unprepared. Meet with your high school guidance counselor or a teacher to set up a study plan. Let your parents assist you in finding what resources are available in your school. You might also want to check out One-on-One with the SAT, the College Board’s interactive prep software. The software allows you to take a sample SAT, and gives you helpful hints and strategies to build confidence as you get ready for the test. You do not need to spend money on an expensive review course to do well on the Sat I. A good score cannot be bought. The SAT I is designed so that anyone who works hard and prepares can get a score that shows his or her ability. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Compare yourself to you. Is there a weakness that you need to work on? This is the time to work with a teacher or tutor so that you won’t have difficulty in college. Preparing to take the SAT I will also prepare you for college work. The SAT people are sending a strong message that the SAT I is not a measure of IQ, but of rigorous academic effort and a student’s potential to be a successful college student. Whether you use the free publication, Taking the SAT I; a study guide; a computer program; or choose to take a prep course, remember you will get out of it what you put into it. It will take time and hard work to build your strengths. ------------------------------------ What’s on the SAT? Let’s look at what you will face on the SAT. It has always measured verbal and mathematical skills and abilities. Much of the content of the SAT I: Verbal Test focuses on your ability to read critically. The SAT I: Verbal Test includes the following features: Reading passages - 400 to 850 words long: Almost half of the questions in the verbal sections are based on reading passages that reflect the thinking and reading level colleges will expect of you. Introductory information gives you the context for each passage. A Pair of reading passages on the same topic is presented. One of the passages will oppose, support, or complement the point of view expressed in the other. You will analyze and compare the two points of view in the passages. Questions that test your verbal reasoning skills and knowledge of vocabulary are included. Both are measured in the context of reading passages. Analogies and sentence completion questions are also part of the test. The content of the SAT I: Mathematical Test emphasizes your ability to apply mathematical concepts and interpret data. Let’s look at the SAT I: Mathematical Test: Ten questions ask you to produce your own answers and enter them on grids. The other questions are multiple choice. You can use a calculator Questions cover arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, along with topics such as the slope of a line and basic statistical concepts such as mean, median, and mode. Summing up the SAT I: Altogether, the test includes these: Three Verbal Sections: Two 30-Minute sections One 15-Minute section Three Math Sections: Two 30-Minute sections One 15-Minute section One "Equating" Section: A 30-Minute Verbal or Math section that does not count toward your score ------------------------------------ SAT II HELPS YOU SHOW YOUR STRENGTHS SAT II exams are not required by all schools. Competitive colleges usually require the writing and math tests and ask you to choose a third test. Check admission procedures to find out if you have to take them. Schools that will accept the ACT may also require SAT II exams. Again, check admission procedures. You have to register to take the SAT II exams. They are not part of the standard three-hour SAT I exam, but they are usually given on the same day and at the same place. Each test lasts one hour and you can take up to three of them on a testing day. If you are not satisfied with your SAT I verbal or math score you can always choose to take the SAT II: Subject Test in English or math to show your strengths in these subjects. It is another way to give admission counselors more information on your academic background. ------------------------------------ The SAT II: Subject Tests fall into six general subject areas: 1. English: Writing Literature 2. English Language Proficiency Test: (for ESL students) 3. History and Social Sciences: American History and Social Studies World History 4. Mathematics: Math Level I Math Level IC (Calculator) Math Level IIC (Calculator) 5. Sciences: Biology Chemistry Physics 6. Foreign Languages: Chinese with Listening French and French with Listening German and German with Listening Modern Hebrew Italian Japanese with Listening Latin Spanish and Spanish with Listening ------------------------------------ Remember that not everyone with a high SAT I score gets into the college he or she wants and many students with low SAT I scores are admitted to the college of their choice. How does that happen? Colleges admit people. The SAT I gives the admission counselor one more piece of information, one that helps in evaluating students from many different high schools more fairly. But it’s only one piece of information. As you prepare for your standardized tests, remember: High scores alone will not get you into college. If you do well in demanding courses and show potential to make a positive contribution to a campus, you will be a strong candidate for any college in the country. For more information on the SAT, you might want to check out the CollegeBoard’s web site: http://www.collegeboard.org. Reproduced with permission from College Times 1996-97 Copyright 1996 College Entrance Examination Board All rights reserved ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE Since the lesson from Ms. Scanlan primarily dealt with the SAT, I thought I’d give you a little information on the other commonly used college admission test; the ACT. The following is taken directly from Preparing for the ACT Assessment 1996-97, page 3(IC 3092.6), which is available from your high school counselor. The ACT consists of tests in four areas: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning. Each of these tests contains multiple-choice questions that offer either four or five answer choices from which you are to choose the correct, or best, answer. The following suggestions apply to tests in all four areas: Pace yourself. The time limits set for each ACT test give nearly everyone time to finish all the questions. However, because English, Reading and Science Reasoning Tests contain a considerable amount of text, it is important to pace yourself so you will not spend too much time on one passage. Similarly, try not to spend too much time puzzling over an answer to a specific problem in the Mathematics Test. Go on to the other questions and come back if there is time. Your supervisor will announce when there are five minutes remaining on each test. Read the directions for each test carefully. Before you begin taking one of the ACT tests, read the directions carefully. The English, Reading and Science Reasoning Tests ask for the "best" answer. Do not respond as soon as you identify a correct answer. Read and consider all of the answer choices and choose the answer that best responds to the question. The Mathematics Test asks for the "correct" answer. Read each question carefully to make sure you understand the type of answer required. Then, you may want to work out the answer you feel is correct and look for it among the choices given. If your answer is not among the choices provided, reread the question and consider all of the answer choices. Read each question carefully. It is important that you understand what each question asks. Some questions will require you to go through several steps to find the correct or best answer, while others can be answered more quickly. Answer the easy questions first. The best strategy for taking the ACT is to answer the easy questions and skip the questions you find difficult. After answering all of the easy questions, go back and answer the more difficult questions. Use logic in more difficult questions. When you return to the more difficult questions, try to use logic to eliminate incorrect answers to a question. Compare the answer choices to each other and note how they differ. Such differences may provide clues as to what the question requires. Eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can, then make an educated guess from the remaining answers. Answer every question. Your score on the ACT tests will be based on the number of questions that you answer correctly; there is no penalty for guessing. Thus, you should answer every question within the time allowed for each test, even if you have to guess. The supervisor will announce when there are five minutes remaining on each test. Review your work. If there is time left after you have answered every question in a test, go back and check your work in that test. Check to be sure that you marked only one answer to each question. You will not be allowed to go back to any other test or mark answers to a test after time has been called on that test. Be precise in marking your answer document. Be sure that you fill in the correct ovals and rectangles on your answer document. Check to be sure that the number of the line of ovals on your answer document is the same as the number of the question you are answering. Position your answer document next to your test booklet so you can mark your answers quickly and completely. Erase completely. If you want to change an answer on your answer document, be sure to erase the unintended mark completely. You are encouraged to visit the ACT web site at http://www.act.org **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. Which test is required by the colleges you are considering? Will they accept a score from the other test? 2. What are the differences between the tests? Similarities? 3. How many times can you take each test? Do the colleges you are considering average your scores or just accept the highest? 4. Many colleges offer what are called "residual tests" on their campuses. Are these available at the schools you are considering? What are the limitations of these tests? 5. What resources are available to you which could help you do your best on these tests? (Videos, computer programs, books, workshops, etc.) ---------- Lesson #8 Financial Aid ______________________________________________________________________ Hello guys and gals! Today’s lesson covers probably the most important part of preparing for and attending a college - Financial Aid. Wait, wait, wait, don’t tune me out, throw this lesson away, or delete it. While you may not think this is the most exciting information in the world, it is not as bad as you think - and it’s critical to most people’s attendance at college. The fact that it is a critical part of the college selection process, should maintain your interest. The financial aid package you receive from a school is directly related to your ability to understand the process, knowledge about the different forms of aid, ability to fill out the forms correctly, timeliness in filling out forms, and the availability of the appropriate documents. For the purposes of CollegePrep-101, I am differentiating between Financial Aid (based on financial need) and Scholarships (based on merit). The two forms of college funding are often treated as one by colleges, however many people will qualify for one and not the other. In addition, the processes of investigating and applying for the two are vastly different. To fill you in on the ins and outs of financial aid is Margaret Betts. Margaret Betts has served as the Coordinator of Financial Aid Information Services at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma since 1989. She earned her bachelor's degree in Counseling and Guidance from East Texas State University in 1980 and began her work in higher education in 1982 as a residence hall director. Prior to joining the financial aid profession, she coordinated the freshman admission and enrollment programs at OSU. ******************** FINANCIAL AID Types of Aid Sources of funding include federal, state, and local governments, businesses and foundations, community groups, and colleges and universities. There are two basic types of financial aid: 1. GIFT AID Gift aid does not need to be paid back. There are two common forms of gift aid: GRANTS are awarded based on the applicant's demonstrated financial need. SCHOLARSHIPS are awarded to undergraduate students based on the applicant's academic merit, although financial need is sometimes taken into account in determining the award amount. Scholarships provide funds toward tuition, fees, and other required educational expenses. Most scholarships do not provide funds for living expenses. Some forms of gift aid, such as ROTC scholarships and certain medical fellowships, require a few years of service in exchange for the financial aid. If one fails to complete the service requirement, then one must pay back the award. But most forms of gift aid do not need to be repaid and do not include a service requirement. 2. SELF-HELP AID LOANS. Loans are normally repaid with interest. Some loans do not need to be repaid until the student has graduated or otherwise left school. Loans represent more than half of all financial aid. STUDENT EMPLOYMENT. There are three common forms of student employment: 1. Federal and state work-study programs. Work-study programs provide employment during the academic year that should be "career oriented", although some students have received gopher-type jobs. The work is part-time, and often limited to under 10 hours per week. Part of the salary is paid for by the government. Most students who receive work-study jobs are undergraduate students, but graduate students sometimes meet the eligibility requirements. 2. Assistantships. Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships normally provide graduate students with a full or partial tuition waiver and a small stipend and require them to perform teaching and/or research duties. 3. Regular part-time employment during the academic year or the summer months. Loans and student employment are sometimes collectively referred to as Self Help. Specific Requirements Most types of financial aid programs are "need-based". This means that the amount of aid you receive depends on your financial situation. Most government sources of aid are need-based. Other sources of financial aid are "merit-based", which usually depend on academic, artistic, or athletic talent, and may use your grades, test scores, hobbies, and special talents as awarding criteria. Most sources of financial aid require that you be enrolled at least half-time, though some awards are restricted to full-time students. There may be other restrictions as well. For example, most federal aid programs are restricted to US citizens, permanent residents, or eligible non-citizens. If you are a US citizen, male, and have reached age 18, you must be registered with Selective Service to receive federal aid. Your school's financial aid administrators calculate your financial need using information supplied by you. If you are classified as a dependent student, as are most undergraduate students, your parents will also be required to supply some information. Application Forms Much of this information is contained on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA must be submitted for you to be considered for virtually all need-based aid, including most federal and state sources of financial aid. Some schools may require the Financial Aid Profile (formerly known as the FAF or "Financial Aid Form"), or a supplemental application form for additional information. Most schools suggest you submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year in high school (the year you'll be starting college) and no later than May 1. The FAFSA should normally be submitted by March 1 for you to be eligible for most state aid. (Do not submit the FAFSA before January 1, or it will be automatically rejected.) The FAFSA requires financial information for the previous tax year. For example, for the 1996-97 academic year, you must provide 1995 financial information. Even though you may not be able to complete your federal income tax return until March or April, you should not wait to file your FAFSA until your tax returns are filed with the IRS. Instead, use estimated income information and submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. This practice is completely acceptable and recommended, especially if you anticipate your family circumstances changing during the subsequent year. The following documents from both student and parents, as appropriate, will assist you in filling out the FAFSA: US Income Tax Returns (IRS Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) for the fiscal year that just ended and W-2 and 1099 forms. Records of untaxed income, such as Social Security benefits, AFDC or ADC, child support, welfare, pensions, military subsistence allowances, and veterans benefits. Current bank statements and mortgage information. Medical and dental expenses for the past year which weren't covered by health insurance. Business and/or farm records. Records of investments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, as well as bank Certificates of Deposit (CDs) and recent statements from any money market accounts. Social Security numbers. Four to six weeks after you file the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR summarizes the information you provided on the FAFSA and indicates the amount of Pell Grant eligibility, if any. It also indicates the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Calculations The determination of financial need depends on two numbers, COA and EFC: The Cost Of Attendance (COA) for your school. This may also be known as the school's "budget".The Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This is the amount of money your family is expected to contribute to your education. Your financial need is the difference between the COA and EFC: Financial Need = COA - EFC The amount of financial aid for which the student is eligible will be based on this number. Your school will try to meet this demonstrated need through a financial aid "package", which combines aid from federal and state sources with loans, institutional grants, and student employment. Unfortunately, your school may not be able to provide you with financial aid to meet your entire demonstrated financial need. Many colleges and universities must create a "Unmet Need" or "Need Gap" between the cost of attendance and the amount you can afford to pay because of limited funds. Schools have limited funds available for financial aid, and they must determine how to best allocate the funds to their neediest students. Very few schools can afford to meet the demonstrated need of all their students, so most assume that all students and/or parents must pay a certain minimum amount, regardless of their need. Others give financial aid only to the neediest students. You're expected to obtain the funds for the unmet need or gap through summer or term-time employment earnings and educational loans, including the Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS). Moreover, your financial aid package may be reduced by any "outside resources" you receive. A resource is something that is available because the student is in school, and is normally counted after need is determined. For example, if your parents have contributed money to a prepaid tuition plan, the money received from that plan toward the student's education will be subtracted from the determination of financial need. Other resources include VA educational benefits and outside scholarships. Thus the determination of the school's financial aid package is actually based on Remaining Financial Need = Financial Need - Resources So even though resources do not affect the size of the Pell Grant the student will receive, they do affect the amount of Stafford or campus-based aid available. They are often counted 100% toward meeting need, and the university will reduce the size of the financial aid package to compensate. Resources represent a direct reduction of cost (e.g., a prepaid tuition plan cuts the amount of tuition the student will pay) and therefore less need. The school's "budget" or COA will include tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, and personal and incidental expenses. In many cases there is a standard fixed budget amount for some of these categories. For example, the budget amount for travel may vary depending on the student's home state. Likewise room and board expenses may be reduced and travel expenses increased for commuter students. Budget allowances are used only for determining the estimated expenses that a student will experience during the enrollment period. Actual costs will vary depending on the your particular lifestyle. If special circumstances should warrant a higher budget amount, consult your financial aid administrator, who is permitted to increase your budget, if appropriate, with documentation. For example, students with child care expenses or expenses related to a disability may be able to get their budget increased to compensate. If your books and supplies cost more than the amount in your budget, save your receipts and show them to a financial aid administrator. The federal formula approved by Congress to calculate the EFC is called the Federal Methodology (FM). The federal methodology is used to determine eligibility for federal funds. If a college or university relies on a different formula for awarding its own funds, that formula is called the Institutional Methodology (IM). Different colleges and universities may use different institutional methodologies. The EFC is the sum of the student contribution and the parent contribution: EFC = Student Contribution + Parent Contribution An independent student is not expected to have a parent contribution. To be classified as independent for Federal aid purposes, a student must either be 24 years of age or meet one of the following exceptions. 1.be married 2.have a dependent other than a spouse 3.be a graduate or professional student 4.be a ward of the court or an orphan 5.be a veteran of the US Armed Forces Some schools (mostly private) expect both natural parents to contribute to their children's educational expenses, regardless of a divorce or any court orders to the contrary. In cases of divorce where the custodial parent remarries, the financial information for both the custodial parent and the step-parent must be included on the FAFSA as well as any child support and/or alimony received from the non-custodial parent. If a student is classified as independent because of marriage, the spouse's financial information must be included on the form. The calculation of the expected student contribution changes from school to school, but is generally 35% of the student's assets and 50% of the student's summer earnings. (The federal calculation is 50% of the summer earnings above $1,750 and 35% of the student's reported assets.) The parent contribution depends on the number of parents with earned income, their income and assets, the age of the older parent, the family size, and the number of family members enrolled in postsecondary education. Income is not just the adjusted gross income from the tax return, but also includes nontaxable income such as social security benefits and child support. The Higher Education Amendments of 1992 eliminated home equity from the EFC, but many private colleges and universities still use a parent's home equity as a way of rationing their school's own grant and scholarship funds. Money set aside for retirement in a pension plan such as a 401K, IRA, Keogh, or 403b is usually not counted as an asset . However, the funds contributed to a tax-deferred retirement program during the previous year must be included on the FAFSA as "other untaxed income". In addition, an asset protection allowance shelters a portion of the assets from the calculation of the parent contribution. The asset protection allowance increases with the age of the parents to allow for emergencies and retirement needs. ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE The only things I would add are: 1.) You should not make any assumptions about whether or not you will qualify for financial aid (unless your last name is Trump). Not until you have filled out and submitted the forms and they have been processed, will you know if you qualify or not, and 2.) Don’t eliminate the possibility of taking out loans as a method of paying for college before you evaluate what the future benefits will be. Loans may be the means by which you are able to attend a seemingly out-of-reach school. The Office of Student Financial Aid at Oklahoma State University has an excellent web site which lists a number of resources which can help you locate financial assistance. Visit it by clicking here **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. Who are people who can help you get answers to your questions about financial aid? 2. Where can you find copies of the FAFSA? 3. Whose information will you need to fill out your FAFSA? (mother, father, step-parent(s), spouse, your own, etc.) 4. Do any of the schools you are considering require a supplemental financial form? 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking out loans to pay for a school which might be more expensive than your other choices? ---------- Lesson #9 Scholarships ______________________________________________________________________ Greetings! Today’s lesson is on Scholarships and how and where to get them. Since I’m the author on this one too, no introduction is necessary. So lets begin. ******************** SCHOLARSHIPS While applying for scholarships is only one part of the college application process, it is by far the part which will require the most work. Both you and your parents will spend a great deal of time investigating sources of funding, requesting applications, and then filling them out (make sure you are the one filling them out). Before you start collecting specific information about scholarships, you should start a personal information file (You will need this information when you start filling out applications). Make a list of all of the activities, clubs and organizations you have been involved in since your Freshman year. Be sure to include any volunteer , church or civic activities you have participated in. If you don’t know what your cumulative grade point average and class rank are, find out (if you can get a copy of your transcript from your high school, do so). Also include copies of any standardized test results in your file. In addition, if you have ever written an essay about yourself or your goals, include a copy of that too. You should begin the process of finding available scholarships during your Junior year. Since most scholarships are awarded annually, being aware of what was awarded to the class ahead of you (especially by your schools of choice), can pay big dividends. If you know someone in the class ahead of you with similar scholarship potential to yours (similar grades or test scores, similar resume, similar field of study, etc.), ask them or their parents if they’ll share their scholarship information with you when they’re done. Although the contact person may change, the other information (deadline, criteria, address, etc.) will likely remain the same. You can request information from that address at the beginning of your Senior year and they’ll send you the appropriate information and applications. In addition to having a friend share information with you, there are a number of other places to look for scholarship information. First, and foremost, is your High School Counselor (High School Counselors are often willing to help those who are out of school too, but be conscious of their other priorities and time commitments). Counselors are generally the ones who receive information about new scholarships in the mail. So check with them periodically to see if there are any new scholarships you should be aware of. DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO TELL YOU ABOUT EACH ONE. Even if you have a very small graduating class, your Counselor can’t possibly remember what they’ve given to each of you. Often Counselors post new information on bulletin boards, print it in newsletters, or read it on the morning announcements. So find out how yours does it. For scholarships specific to your chosen schools, you should use the Representative of Recruiter as a resource. They should be able to let you know what you qualify for, but a little additional work could uncover additional funds. As we discussed in the lesson on Recruitment Materials, universities are made up of numerous different departments. Some departments may offer additional scholarships which are not as well publicized and may require separate applications. On rare occasions, departments may even "find" money to award to a student with whom they are impressed. The bottom line is that you have to take the initiative and do a little "hunting". Other sources you should investigate are civic organizations in your community, churches, and the local library (many books on scholarships are available). In addition, there is a growing amount of information on scholarships available on the Internet. Using virtually any of the available "search engines", you can visit the homepage of your chosen schools, and just browse around. You can also use the search engine to search for scholarships - simply type in "scholarships" in the Search for box. One resource which has been recommended to me by a number of people is fastWEB Scholarship Search located at http://www.fastweb.com . It’s free, so give it a try. On a rather touchy subject, I would like to make a comment regarding scholarship search companies. I neither endorse nor condemn outside search agencies which charge to locate scholarships for you. There are currently so many scams in the market, that the Office of University Scholarships at OSU routinely receives "alerts" from the Better Business Bureau. They suggest you walk away from anyone you don’t know who asks for money to look for or guaranties scholarships. If you are willing to do the work, you can usually find the same information yourself, for free. There are so many scholarships available today, that there are too many different criteria to list in this lesson. However, the most common criteria used are: Grade point average, rank in class, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, leadership, community involvement and special talents such as music and art (many colleges and organizations which award scholarships take financial need into consideration also). Don’t get the idea that you are expected to "top out" in every single area. You will likely have one or two areas which are stronger than the others, and that is to be expected. Colleges look for well rounded students (as do organizations which award scholarships), and regardless of the stated criteria for the award, a strong resume with varied experiences is almost always desirable. Many colleges require essays either as part of the admission application or the scholarship application, and private scholarships often require essays on various subjects. Therefore, it is very probable that you will be expected to write an essay about yourself or your goals, and some schools will place a very high level of importance on it. Dr. Bob Graalman, Director of University Scholarships at OSU goes as far as to suggest that clean, neat, and accurate forms are an absolute necessity. He says that in highly competitive situations, the decision whether or not to award, often comes down to a misspelled word or something else very basic. He suggests "Don’t just depend on a spell check, but proofread carefully and try to write in a lively, grammatical prose that illustrates a thoughtful and disciplined mind." So good writing skills can make a difference. Most scholarships, whether private or college-based, will have deadlines between November and March of your Senior year. You should have all your resources gathered by November (or sooner if you have an earlier deadline), and plan to have most of your applications completed before you return from Christmas Break, at the latest. Applications filled out at the last minute usually look like they were, so plan ahead. If there is a problem with an application which arrives early, there is time for you to fix it. If you are waiting on test scores to arrive in the mail, you should probably go ahead and send the application in, ensuring its arrival before the deadline, then contact the organization or college when your scores arrive. Given the choice between a late application with test scores included and an application received on time, but lacking a test score which arrives a little later, I’d meet the deadline. Additional Suggestions Always send thank you notes to organizations and individuals involved in awarding you scholarships Your Counselor is your best resource and friend in this process. Do not take them for granted and do not take advantage of them. Ask how you should go about keeping up with the latest information, without driving them nuts. Type your applications. It sounds silly, but it makes a difference. Type all scholarship applications, check spelling, sign and date them, and fill out all applicable spaces. Incomplete applications may miss deadlines or even be eliminated from consideration. Accepting a scholarship from a college is in no way, shape or form a commitment to attend that school. Only when you show up for the first day of class are you truly committed (what are they going to do, come to your house and drag you to their school?). If a deadline to accept a scholarship is upon you, and you still haven’t decided if you will attend their school, but you are genuinely interested. Accept the scholarship. You earned it, and you should be able to take whatever time you need to decide. Besides, the college will be able to find someone to take it, should you later decide to decline it. If you do decide to decline it, do it promptly. ******************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What scholarships are you currently aware that you will apply for? What are the requirements? What is the deadline? 2. Who is a person in the class above you who might share with you their scholarship information? 3. What additional sources for scholarships are you aware of? 4. Based on your major or area of interest, what departments or individuals at your chosen schools should you contact about scholarships? 5. What items will you/have you included in your personal information file? 6. What policies and practices does your High School Counselor have with relation to giving recommendations, and giving assistance with applications? ---------- Lesson #10 Campus Living ______________________________________________________________________ Hi class! Today’s lesson covers a subject which is near and dear to many of your hearts - Campus Housing. WHERE AM I GOING TO LIVE! While many colleges require all Freshmen to live on campus, you still may have two or three options. The obvious first option is living in the residence halls, while the second option is the greek system (fraternities and sororities), which often have separate housing adjacent to campus (some colleges may have a greek system which is contained in the residence halls, so the housing may actually be identical in both), the third option is one I do not recommend - living off campus. Students who live off campus, particularly during their first year, are more likely to have poor grades or drop out of college. And anything you can do to increase your chances of success, is a good idea. Both residence halls and the greek system have advantages and disadvantages, and you will have to decide for yourself which option is best for you. Covering the residence halls for us will be Shannon Baughman. Shannon Baughman is a 1992 Graduate of East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma where she lived in the residence halls all four years, and was a Resident Assistant for 2 1/2 years. Currently she is the Marketing Specialist for the Department of Residential Life and is pursuing an MBA at Oklahoma State University. And covering the greek system will be Marilon Morgan. Marilon Morgan is Manager of Greek Life at Oklahoma State University, and has been a Career Guidance Counselor and Associate Director of Admissions at colleges in Texas and Missouri, respectively. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education/Health Education from Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas, and a Master of Education Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. Her professional goal is to pursue the position of Dean of Students at a Liberal Arts College. In her spare time, Marilon enjoys golf. ******************** CAMPUS HOUSING RESIDENCE HALL LIVING Welcome home! During your college career, you will probably live in some type of on-campus housing. Many universities require students to live in a residence hall at least during the freshman year, and some require it longer. Living in a residence hall is fun and exciting, and it is convenient. You don’t have to worry about circling for hours to find a parking space, and classes are just a short walk away. As a resident, you become a member of a very tight knit community. There is always something going on - a game of touch football on the lawn, a study group preparing for a history exam, or a special meal in the dining hall. There is a great amount of variety and diversity in the residence halls. Many campuses offer a number of options from traditional residence hall living to high-rises. Others offer apartment style living as another alternative. Some halls house all classifications of students, while others are reserved for upperclassmen. You can choose from co-ed or single sex living environments, and have your choice of a private room or sharing with a roommate. Some universities offer a suite style living arrangement with two rooms sharing a bathroom, while others offer stand-alone rooms with the bathroom just down the hall. Just because you are living on your own for the first time, doesn’t mean that you have to do without the comforts of home. Most halls offer air conditioning, cable television, laundry facilities, voice mail, and in-room Internet connections or computer labs on site. You can personalize your room with mementos from home, including your television, computer, microwave, stereo, plants, posters, and pictures. Another great thing about living in the halls - you don’t have to cook your own meals! Leave that to the professional staff. Nationwide, universities have adapted to meet the needs of their residents by offering more diversity in their meal plans. Many campuses boast bakeries, pizza parlors, hamburger grills, coffee houses, convenience stores, and ice cream fountains right in the halls. Traditional cafeteria lines are becoming more varied as well with the additions of stir fry wok lines, Italian buffets, Tex Mex cafes, and healthy choices for those counting calories and watching fat grams. There is something available any time the munchies strike, and you don’t have to do the dishes! You also don’t have to look far to find opportunities for involvement in the residence halls. Engineering, foreign language, and intensive study floors offer unique studying and living environments. Student governments allows students to share their voice in hall government, and programming occurs on an on-going basis. Faculty Associate Programs allow faculty members and students to develop relationships outside of the classroom. If you find that you do need help adjusting to your new home, there are many people in the halls to help. Resident Assistants (RAs) are students, like you, who live on your floor and are there to answer questions or concerns. Hall Directors and Residence Halls Coordinators are professionals who are also there to offer advice or to just lend an ear. There are a number of opportunities for you to earn money while attending college, and these job possibilities abound in the residence halls. Each year, universities hire students as RAs, desk clerks, night guards, and clerical and dining assistants. The best part about it is that these jobs allow you to work without interfering with your class schedule, and going to work can be as simple as walking down the hall from your room. Each university is different in the types and number of services that they offer, so compare thoroughly. One thing is true: living on campus is great fun, and a wonderful part of the college experience. So experience it for yourself, and welcome home! ******************** FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIVING (GREEK LIFE) Fraternities and Sororities have been associated with Colleges and Universities since the seventeen hundreds (1700’s). They were established by students to not only enhance scholastic endeavors, but also to encourage student participation in activities outside the classroom environment. Many of these "out of classroom" activities were established by fraternities and sororities. Activities such as debate clubs, leadership councils, community and campus service projects and organizations, intramural and team sports, as well as alumni clubs. These activities provided and continue to provide an avenue for students and alumni to participate fully in their College or University community. Today, membership in fraternities and sororities still provide "out of classroom" experiences that not only enhance the College and University community, but provide an individual with leadership opportunities and an environment in which to apply what he/she has learned in the classroom. Fraternities and Sororities were founded on the principals of scholarship, leadership, service, brotherhood/sisterhood, honor, integrity, and love. These principals have not changed in over two hundred years and, for the majority of these organizations, serves as the guiding light for all fraternity and sorority activities. Scholarship programs that not only support the individual student’s academic endeavors, but also emphasizes the reason why we chose to attend College, to get an education, is a major focus of many fraternal organizations. Leadership and service opportunities within the fraternity or sorority provide an individual with the skills to organize projects and people in order to reach the group goal. This opportunity is not limited to fraternity or sorority activities. In all fraternities and sororities, members are encouraged to participate in campus/community activities and organizations. By emphasizing campus and community involvement, additional opportunities for leadership and avenues of service are created. Brotherhood and sisterhood is perhaps the most special aspect of membership in a fraternity or sorority. When one takes the oath of membership, they enter into a deeper sense of caring and friendship for all who wear the organization’s badge. It requires of the individual to remember that they represent not only themselves, but their brothers and sisters. It means that one must think before they act; to speak the truth and live honestly among others; to love before understanding as well as taking the time to understand. Membership in a fraternity or sorority is a life long commitment, surrounded by friends for a lifetime. Membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained through either a formal, informal or summer rush process. Rush is a way to facilitate access into membership in the fraternities and sororities represented on the College or University campus. Formal, informal or summer rush is a process of mutual selection, matching the characteristics and personalities of both the men and women interested in joining a Greek organization and the individual fraternity or sorority. Formal rush typically occurs before school or at the beginning of the fall or spring semester. Informal rush occurs immediately following the formal rush period, and summer rush, obviously occurs during the summer months. It is important to note, that men’s fraternities on a college campus may elect to participate in a formal, informal or summer rush process. Women’s sororities, however, use the formal and/or informal rush process. In either case, students wishing to participate in rush should contact their College or University’s Department of Campus Life/Greek Life or Dean of Students Office for information regarding the Greek system and specific rush process on that campus. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of joining a fraternity or sorority? 2. Do you have the option of choosing your roommate at your chosen schools? Which building you will live in? The type of room? 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of co-educational residence halls? 4. What is the study environment like in each of the choices discussed? 5. Are intramural sports and extracurricular activities available in each of the choices, and to what extent? ---------- Lesson #11 Roommates ______________________________________________________________________ Hello Class. Today’s lesson is on something you may spend a great deal of time "stressing" about… roommates. Whether you live in a residence hall, off campus, or in a fraternity or sorority, you will likely have a number of different roommates during college, and you are also likely to have problems with at least one of your roommates. You shouldn’t think you will be immune to this problem if you know your roommate ahead of time. It is often people who know one another who are most likely to either take advantage of each other, or fail to communicate adequately when problems do arise. To make you aware of some of the potential problems and give suggestions which will help you avoid them, today you will hear from both a professional who has a number of years experience working in the residence halls, and a student who has a number of interesting experiences with roommates. First will be Kent Sampson. Kent Sampson is Assistant director for the Department of Residential Life at OSU, with special emphasis on long range planning for student life. He has witnessed the OSU Residence Hall Association win the National School of the Year Award four times (more than any other school in the U.S.). He has served as President of their regional housing association, and has been district representative to the national association, twice. He has been published in "Advice for Advisors", and enjoys volunteer-coaching girls softball and basketball. Then you will hear a narrative description of her roommate history from Bonnie Guara. Bonnie Guara is a Junior elementary Education major from Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She plans on teaching during the school year and running summer camps for kids. ******************** You are Your Roommate’s Roommate A roommate can be a huge asset. Most people enjoy the company of others and desire the opportunity to share opinions, interests and good times. Sharing a room with another individual can sometimes result in a few problems, but they need not become so irritating as to upset the enjoyment found in residence hall living. One should remember that roommates do not have to be best friends. It is not always necessary to have common interests or to share in that sought-after "togetherness". However, one of the most rewarding experiences while in college is getting to know many different kinds of people. Learning to tolerate the differences in your roommate can be a valuable part of your education. Your first obligation to your roommate is to meet him/her cordially, and then to make a reasonable attempt to hold up your end of a cordial relationship with him/her. A few hints of "roommateship" may help you to do this. Three key factors make for successful roommate relationships: Compatibility, Responsibility, Communication. All must be "worked on" if the relationship is to grow. One item all of us bring to any new situation is a set of expectations. Often our expectations are expressions of our personal needs, and at times, they are stereotyped or inherited from our family or friends. To identify expectations that meet our needs, it is important to discover more about yourself and your roommate. What do you really value? What does your roommate value? What do you need from yourself and from your roommate to build a relationship that works? Spend some time going through the following list of questions with your roommate, so you can get to know each other better. Remember, only really honest answers will help you to build a successful relationship with your roommate. (Also, included is a quick reference sheet for you to complete and give to your roommate, so he/she will be able to keep track of some of the important things about you.) The aspect I am looking forward to most in college is ____________________________ I would characterize my housekeeping habits as _________________________________ My favorite type of music is ________________________________________________ In high school I was involved in _____________________________________________ Generally, I get up at ___________ and go to bed at _______________ It usually takes me ____________ to become fully awake in the mornings. I a) Do b) Do Not like to listen to music when I study. (circle one) I prefer to study a) In My Room b) In the Lounge Near My Room c) In the Library or d)Other (please specify) __________________ My favorite past-time is ____________________________________________________ On week nights I like to ____________________________________________________ When I am with my friends I like to __________________________________________ When I am upset about something, I __________________________________________ The way I feel about borrowing things from each other is _________________________ The two most important priorities in my life are _________________________________ Roommate Quick Reference Form Name: __________________________________________________________________ Home Address: ___________________________________________________________ Home Phone: _____________________________ Birthday: _______________________ Parents Names: ___________________________________________________________ Favorite Color: ____________________________ Major: ________________________ Favorite Hobbies: _________________________________________________________ Favorite Foods: __________________________________________________________ Like to Collect: __________________________________________________________ ******************** My Roommate Experiences As a Student at Oklahoma State University, I have to admit that the subject of roommates brings fond memories and the most hilarious ones. As my third year of college approaches its end, I can reflect on these past experiences. It all began the night before I came up to college. I was going to be rooming with a girl I had never met before. She was from Texas, and I was from Bartlesville, Oklahoma. I was packing up my possessions when the telephone rang. Stacy was calling to tell me that she had gone through (sorority) rush and had decided to move into her sorority house. She asked if I minded. As if...Would I really tell her that now I wouldn't even have a roommate? Now I felt apprehensive about the whole situation. I hung up and then I realized that I was going to be all alone when I arrived at OSU the next day. My mom had to work, so I would be moving myself to school. It was sad. I moved in my dorm and soon I realized that I liked not having a roommate. I had shared a bedroom for my entire life, and this was nice. I soon became friends with other girls on my floor, so I listened to their roommate stories. The girls next door were like night and day. They did NOT get along. Sue (not her real name) did not appreciate how Emma (also not her real name) acted as though she were her mother. Sue had been independent for a long time before coming to college, and so she wasn't used to someone checking up on her all the time. Sue and I became friends, and the next year we found a house together with another girl. That story comes in later though... Second semester of my freshman year, I moved in with one of my friends from the dorm. Because we were friends, we weren't sure if we should move in together. I am horrible about making big decisions, so I barely made up my mind to do it. Lindsay's roommate moved into another, so I moved over. We had the best time. We were freshmen, and we wanted our freshman year to be the best it could be. When one of us didn't want to go do something with the other, we could always convince each other that "we are only freshmen once!" From midnight runs to Wal-Mart running in the rain, making macaroni and cheese in the microwave, and doing ballet down the hall, we always had fun. We would motivate the other to study only in extreme cases, but our token saying was a motivator "Study, study, school's your buddy!!" I was on the rowing team my freshman year, so I arose at 5:15 each morning to drive to the lake for a grueling 2 hour workout. No matter how early I would try to go to sleep, Lindsay and I always talked until the wee hours of the morning. I have no clue how I made it on so little sleep, but then again, I was a freshman and reality hadn't set in yet. Although we stayed up late, I always got up on time and never missed a practice. Neither did she. Each morning as I headed out the door, she would pop up in her bed to tell me good-bye. We formed a friendship that has been tested since then. She moved into her sorority house the next year, and this semester she is working in Disney World as part of an internship. Yet we still keep in touch and manage to get a coke every now and then. We can talk to each other about anything, and that is a pretty cool thing to be able to say about your freshman roommate. Wow! The next year was totally different. I moved into a house with three people on my floor. Emma and I had been friends all year long, so we found a house (to live in). She asked two other girls that she had become friends with to move in with us. I didn't really know them that well, but I trusted her judgement. We all paid rent the first month and moved in just fine, but then the problems began. Nikki and Emma didn't want Rachel's boyfriend to live at our house because he had his own room at his fraternity house, so we all came up with some rules about how to live respectfully with each other and discussed them. Rachel went through open (sorority) rush and joined a sorority and decided to move into her chapter's house. This left us with the same amount of rent to cover, but now it would only be split three ways. This was my first lesson in not trusting people to keep their word. Life goes on, and the three of us got along just fine. Once in a while we would have discussions about boyfriends being around too often, but more often than not I didn't have a clue what Nikki and Emma would fight about. I would listen to both sides and play mediator. It's a crazy world though, when you live with a Business/Finance major that bounces at least three checks a month on a consistent basis. Nikki and I would pay our part of the bill, but it would be sent in late, only after Emma added her check (which was usually rubber). I learned what cut-off notices looked like, and I even covered Emma's share of the rent one month so that she could pay off some of her other bills. I couldn't afford to be that generous though, so she paid my rent the next month. We all had new circumstances to deal with. Some mornings I would walk downstairs in my robe to take a shower only to find that either Nikki or Emma's boyfriend was already using up the hot water. That was a new one for me! Sometimes I would be home on a weekend all by myself, and Emma's boyfriend would come over and make himself at home while he waited for her to return. I was a bit uncomfortable at first, but that soon wears off. I am sure they didn't appreciate having to play secretary and take zillions of messages for me, but they tried. We all made compromises and learned to communicate a little bit better. We learned that we didn't all have the same ideas about how to clean a house, but we made charts and had assigned chores; that seemed to work out for us. Or at least I would like to think so. All in all, it was a fun year. There were many instances when I just turned my head the other way. Some things just aren't that important to me. If I can avoid conflict, I will. We planned a road trip all year long, but we never all had the weekend free, but we did manage to play a game of Monopoly during finals week when the rest of the OSU world was studying. Nikki and Emma were a part of my sophomore year when I learned about responsibility, frozen dinners, how to light a pilot light, and deal with any other household problem our landlord's handyman didn't ever have time to take care of. I pledged a sorority as a sophomore, but I didn't move into the chapter house until I was a junior. Talk about change in lifestyle. I had the entire upstairs to myself the year before, and now I shared the same amount of space with three other people. It is fun at times, but it can cramp your lifestyle at other times. Spontaneity is something that can occur at any time. You are always surrounded by people, so it is easy to find someone to go with you wherever you need to go. Other times, you just wish that you had your own space though. We all look out for each other and make sure we go to class and get up on time. If someone is running late, no one hesitates to offer to drive them to class. We alll know what it is like to wake up late for class. I love getting ready together in the morning. We all talk about what all we have to do for the day and we pump each other up. I have grown closer to these roommates because we live in such close proximity and because we are all very down to earth. I don't have to deal with the boyfriends shacking at my house challenge because boys aren't allowed in the dormitory part of the house. This year has many fond memories but they aren't as priceless as the ones I have of my freshman year, because nothing is new anymore. I feel like the veteran college student even though it is only my third year "up here". I have interacted with so many different individuals that I think I can get along with anybody. This isn't certain, but I can sure give it my best shot!!!!! **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What are the advantages of choosing your roommate (living with someone you know)? Disadvantages? 2. Are you generally messy or neat? Does it bother you when others are not? 3. Have you ever shared a room with someone else? What will be areas of concern for you when you do have to share a room? 4. How will you deal with a roommate who is doing something that bothers you? Will you say nothing and just be mad, or confront them and try to fix the situation? 5. How do you feel about other people borrowing your things? How do you feel about borrowing other people's things? ---------- Lesson #12 Motivation ______________________________________________________________________ Howdy guys! Today’s lesson is on a non-academic subject, but one that I think is critical to your success, whether in college or anything else. The topic is motivation. I have chosen an author who is actually a professional motivational speaker, his name is Rick Lam. Rick Lam is a sophomore Speech Communication student at OSU from Tecumseh, Oklahoma. He was born with scoliosis, medically defined as an abnormal curvature of the spine, as well as many other medical problems. The day after his birth, he began a long road of recovery which included 35 surgeries. Rick knows that he would not be alive today, were it not for the prayers, determination, and courage of his family, as well as his strong will, bravery and courage. Initially, Rick’s doctors said that he would probably never be able to walk. They felt that his case of scoliosis, coupled with foot and muscular problems, was too severe for him to lead a normal life. But Rick has made a life out of proving his doctors wrong. He enjoys rock climbing and rappelling. He has hiked, camped, canoed and he enjoys several sports including tennis, volleyball and weight lifting. Despite Rick’s physical setbacks and "limitations", he is active in many forms of physical activity, several of which (like rock climbing) are grueling and strenuous. Rick does not use his medical problems as a crutch, and he does not use his health as an excuse not to participate. Most of all, Rick strives to always have the courage to attempt something new and to continue believing in himself and his abilities. Rick still has many obstacles to overcome, and he believes that it is through his perseverance and love of God that he will succeed. His major awards and honors include: American Legion Boys Nation President, Oklahoma American Legion Boys State Governor, American Academy of Achievement Golden Eagle Award, KOCO-TV Kids Who Care Award, and Eagle Scout. He is currently involved in a number of activities, including: Motivational speaking (he is President and CEO of Ground Zero Communications, Inc.), Youth Director at Broadway United Methodist Church in his hometown, Opinion Columnist for the Daily O’Collegian, Intern in the Office of Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, Mary Fallin, and Volunteering for the Payne County Youth Shelter, in Stillwater, OK. ******************** (DPE)2 THE SIX ELEMENTS NECESSARY TO REACH YOUR GOALS AND THE SIX CHARACTER TRAITS OF A MOTIVATED PERSON When we hear the word motivation, we think of many different things. For some, motivation is about learning how to follow through with things. For others, being motivated means getting the things accomplished that we set out to accomplish. I started thinking about motivation when I was very young. I started my motivational speaking company when I was sixteen. By the time I was seventeen, I had already spoken professionally several times. I was the kind of young person who new what I wanted to accomplish, and the difference between myself and my peers was the fact that I not only knew how to set goals, but I knew several techniques which, if used in conjunction with each other, would virtually put me on the doorstep of my goals. All I had to do was knock on the door. Through my speaking, I touched upon these important steps and helped other people realize that all they needed to do was knock on their own door of opportunity. During my first year of college, things weren’t quite going as I would have liked for a while. I realize that I had been overwhelmed by the new environment and new expectations. After a few months, though I realized that the solution to my situation lied in the message I preached to others around the country. It was then that I started spending a great deal of time wondering exactly what motivation is and how it works for people my age. It was then that I decided a motivated person has six main character traits. Amazingly, these character traits could also be arranged in a fashion which one could apply them from the first to the last and end up as I had so many times before: virtually at the doorstep of success. I arranged a formula for my discovery, and now I call it (DPE)2. It is basically the six steps necessary to reach your goals and the character traits a person needs to be motivated. Below I will outline these traits and give quotes I found which I felt were appropriate for each of the steps. DESIRE "The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat." -Napoleon Hill Before you begin a project and before you can truly succeed in anything like college, you must have a genuine desire to reach your goals. People who are not committed to a project will provide only a small amount of effort. But those who have the desire to succeed can use that desire if they know how to apply it. PREPARATION "It isn’t sufficient just to want - you’ve got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want." -Richard Rose Preparation is the way we organize our desires into manageable chunks. Too many people think that achieving great things involves one big decision at a monumental moment. Reality teaches us that great things and truly great people are made not by what happened in grandiose moments but in the many smaller situations which we orchestrate through preparation. Through preparation, we learn to set goals which make us strive, but are truly attainable. Before we can truly set out on any journey we must pack first if we expect to survive. The same goes for our desires. Without the right packing they won’t survive the first night alone in the woods. EXECUTION "Winning starts with beginning." -Robert H. Schuller I know where really good ideas die. They die on the floor of my bathroom where I step out of the shower every morning. For me, the shower is the place where I can be by myself and think about the things going on in my life. Too many times I’ve made important decisions or come up with ground-breaking concepts in the shower which died the moment I dried off. Why? Because I am too stupid to start them. I sometimes think that my good ideas only exist in the shower, the place where I can relax enough to start dealing with what I’m exposed to every day. It’s important to give ourselves a kick start after we decide to apply our energy to a goal. When I think back on all the things I’ve said I wanted to do, I know that most of them could have been accomplished if I’d only executed my plans. We have to take our goals and dreams out of the shower and implement them in our lives. DISCIPLINE "The discipline of desire is the background of character." -John Locke I have found that the easiest way to stick with something I’ve decided to start is to write it down somewhere that I can see it every day. Without desire, preparation and execution, discipline can’t function properly. But without the discipline to stick to the goals we have in mind, we will never be able to reach them. When I think of all the motivated people I know, those who are able to commit themselves to something and stay with it through to the end are the ones that I respect the most. PERSISTENCE "It’s not whether you get knocked down. It’s whether you get up again." -Vince Lombardi Everybody likes a good underdog story. Look at movies like Rudy or Jerry Maguire. We love stories where people are down by two on fourth and long and they try to kick a field goal from the forty yard line. What do we expect to happen? We expect them to come from behind and win. In the same regard, those people who work with us and put their faith in us expect us to throw the game winning pitch or get the last second jumper from half court. The key to making these impossible shots is not being at the right place at the right time, but being persistent even if they’re behind. Nobody ever made a play or a shot like these while they were sulking on the bench. EXCELLENCE "And whosoever shall compel you to go one mile, go with him two." -Matthew 5:41 We’ve all heard that anything worth doing is worth doing well. The simple truth is that those who are dedicated enough to expect only the best from themselves are the people who get noticed and succeed. No one was ever appointed CEO of a company by being the second best choice. When it comes down to choosing between you and a competitor, the selection committee will take into account how you do your work.. If you not only portray all of the things above but apply them with excellence, that is going to set you miles ahead of those around you. If your goals are worth achieving they are worth achieving with excellence. I hope that this concept will help you when you make the transition in your life from high school to college. Remember that although they go in order, they rely on each other for their success. Also know that motivation is something subjective which we define for ourselves individually. Whatever your definition of motivation, I challenge you to use this concept next time you have a daunting task ahead or an important goal to attain. I’m always surprised at what happens when I take this idea out of the shower with me. Copyright 1997 Rick Lam and Ground Zero Communications, Inc. Reprinted with permission. ---------- Lesson #13 Transition to College ______________________________________________________________________ Howdy! Today’s lesson is on the transition to college. I know you’ve heard all about the differences between high school and college, but I think you’ll learn a lot from what this lesson has to say. It is in two parts; one from a student, the other from a professional counselor. The student is Erin Niccum. Erin Niccum is a second semester freshman at Oklahoma State University. She is a Secondary Education - Math major ( she is also considering Secondary English) from Cushing, Oklahoma. She is also a commuting student, and spends about one hour each day driving back and forth to home. The professional counselor is Suzanne Burks. Suzanne M. Burks, Ph.D., Coordinator, Personal Counseling Services, Oklahoma State University. B.S., Elementary Education, OSU, 1972; M.S., Community Counseling, OSU, May, 1986; Ph.D., Counseling and Development, OSU, July, 1990. Single, one married daughter, interests include music, reading, and travel to Branson, Mo. (Next career goal: To be the little old lady who makes fudge at Silver Dollar City.) ******************** TRANSITION TO COLLEGE By Erin Niccum I come from a fairly small town where everyone knows everyone else. I graduated with a class of 156, and there were about 650 students in the entire high school. All of my classes were relatively small and because of that I felt like a little bitty fish in a huge pond. I did not know anyone in my classes, and some of my classes were as large as my entire graduating class. I felt very out of sync with everything. In fact, I wanted to drop our after about two weeks, but my parents made me hang in there. Now that I have adjusted, I am having the time of my life and am so glad I stuck it out. I am more involved within my college this semester and have met a lot of new and interesting people who I have become friends with. Freshmen experience all kinds of thoughts and feelings when they first begin college. I think probably the most common of these thoughts is that of aloneness and sort of a separation from everyone; that is at least how I felt. But that is not true at all and the best way to rid yourself of those feelings is to get involved in an organization, meet new people, and make new friends. I guarantee you that you will find other people out there who have the same apprehensions as you do and you will realize that you are not alone after all. As far as adjusting to the academics of college, the best thing to do is go to class on a regular basis and put yourself on a schedule and learn how to manage your time so that you can accommodate both your school work and leisure activities. Also, do not be afraid to go in and talk to your teachers during their office hours; that is what they are there for. To read another college student's humorous views about the transition to college click HERE ******************** THE COLLEGE X-FILES or (What you can X-pect from college life and how different will it be from high school.) By Suzanne Burks If you are reading this lesson, you are most likely a high school junior or senior and thinking about going to college. Hopefully this will give you some idea of what to "x-pect" in college and entertain you at the same time. EXPECT TO: Be Excited---It's a whole new world!! No parents, no curfews, no "phone police", you are your own boss. Of course with this new found freedom comes being responsible for your own well being. Be Exhausted---College life (academics and social) is time consuming. Most probably you will be busier than you have ever been before....course work will be more difficult and require more study time and there are MANY things to keep you busy socially!! Explore---New ideas and information. College is a time when most of us come in contact with many new ideas, people, cultures, and religions for the first time. Be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities academically and in other areas to become familiar with what's new and different from what you have known. Consume food in Excess---Most college freshmen gain the dread "freshman fifteen". Learn to eat healthy even if Mom isn't cooking balanced meals for you!! Chocolate is not one of the four basic food groups and just because the dorm offers "all you can eat" doesn't mean you have to eat it all!!! Expatiate ( v. to talk or write at length)---You will do it often, college profs usually require more papers and presentations than your high school teachers did!!! Spend more money... College Expenses are quite high. You may find yourself in need of a job in order to help pay for your college. Check out the university personnel service for student positions....there are usually positions in residence halls and other departments on campus. Experiment...not only in Biology class but in life as well. Of course, you will do your share of experiments in Biology and Chemistry and those are important. However, sometimes in college, a person has the opportunity to experiment with new values and behaviors. For example, you may be exposed to many new things and you will be forced to examine your beliefs and values. You will know people at college who make poor decisions regarding drug/alcohol use, sex, morality and other important issues. Remember, increased knowledge and a broadened view is one thing, while doing damage to yourself or others is entirely another. Exasperated...it's a whole new life, and new place to live, new friends, new routines, new freedom. You may find yourself overwhelmed at first. Try to remember there are lots of others experiencing the same things as you. Seek them out, make new friends and go through this together.....it's easier to find that building that was left off the campus map if you're with a buddy!! Get involved in Extracurricular activities. College campuses offer a myriad of activities and organizations. Check them out and join the ones that interest you. Find the Exlibris. (Library!!!) Exceed your own expectations and excel in every area of your life. For the first time, you are totally in charge of you. Ask questions often, explore new horizons, make healthy decisions and live healthy and you are sure to make an exemplary college student!! ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE Virtually everyone experiences some difficulty in dealing with the transition to college. It may seem like there are some people who are having no problem at all, and everything just seems to go smoothly for them. Those people probably just hide it better than you do! So much of your life changes when you go to college, it is difficult to be prepared for everything. Most of the changes will be positive, but even positive change is sometimes hard to deal with. The two keys are information and communication. 1. Information - The more you know about what to expect in college, the better prepared you will be when something out of the ordinary happens. Hopefully, this course is helping you know what to expect, but you should still expect the unexpected. 2. Communication - the more you talk about what’s going on in your life, the more sense it will make and the better you will feel about it. Talk to your parents, boyfriend/girlfriend, siblings, friends, your roommates or even your academic advisor (that’s what they’re there for). Particularly when you talk to other college students, you will find that you are not the only one feeling the way you do. Most importantly, if you are having a problem dealing with something, talk to somebody about it. Keeping your feelings inside during a stressful time only compounds the problems and can create new ones. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What "horror stories" about college have you heard from people you know who are already in college? 2. What do you anticipate to be areas of the transition to college with which you might struggle? (Being away from home, academics, missing boyfriend/girlfriend, freedom, etc.) 3. What do you plan to do when you begin to experience stress? 4. What are the advantages of being from the size town you are from? Disadvantages? 5. Who are members of your support group, both at college and at home? ---------- Lesson #14 College Study Skills ______________________________________________________________________ Hello class. One problem which is common to many new college students is trying to figure out how to study for college classes and tests. This is in part due to the fact that most high school students either study very little or have poor study skills. To compound the problem, many colleges fail to teach Freshmen how to study effectively. In order to provide you with some strategies which will increase your likelihood of being academically successful, the following lesson is on study skills. Today’s author is Dr. Kouider Mokhtari. Dr. Mokhtari is an Associate Professor of reading within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Oklahoma State University. He earned a B.A. from the University of Morocco, and Masters and Doctoral Degrees from Ohio University. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in reading education and coordinates the college reading and study skills program. ******************** SUCCESSFUL READING AND STUDY STRATEGIES FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS Walter Pauk, a leading expert in college reading and study skills, offers the following suggestions for increasing your college success: I. NOTING WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN READINGS AND LECTURES. In the following section, Pauk proposes a sensible, systematic note-taking method for readings and lectures. This method is based on building on what you already know, adopting an active approach to learning, paying attention to signals, detecting text organizational patterns, and keeping track of key ideas. What's the goal in reading a textbook assignment or listening to a lecture? The purpose in each case is the same: to track down the key ideas and discover how they connect. How do you build on what you already know so that effective learning can take place? Start off by scanning the course syllabus and thinking about the objectives and subject of the course. In addition, at the beginning of the semester systematically survey the textbook. Then throughout the course, preview each reading assignment, and refresh your memory of the subject matter before each lecture. What is meant by "talking with your textbook"? Reading a textbook should be like engaging in a conversation: You listen carefully and then you respond. Listening to a passage in your textbook means becoming aware of its intonation, the rises and falls in the words you would hear if the sentences were spoken. When you can hear what you read, it becomes easier to do what is natural in conversation--respond with questions and comments. What are the components of triple-A listening? The A's in triple-A refer to attitude, attention, and adjustment, the three basic criteria of active listening. You can actively follow a lecture by adopting an open-minded attitude to what you're hearing, by truly paying attention, and by remaining flexible enough to adjust to any unexpected twists or turns the lecture may take. What are signal words and what is their purpose? Signal words are those words that provide you with clues as to where information in a chapter or lecture is going. Their purpose is to help you organize information, recognize key ideas, and notice shifts in focus in the text or lecture. What is the value of detecting organization patterns? Searching out organizational patterns enables you to determine how the chapter or lecture has been arranged. Once you understand this, you have an easier time following and anticipating the information. What should you do when you spot the key ideas in a reading or lecture? When you find these ideas, mark or underline the ideas in your textbook, or jot them down in the margin or in a note sheet. II. MASTERING YOUR MATERIAL. To get you started on in mastering your material, Walter Pauk suggests the following: Learning the requirements of mastery, conducting an immediate review, converting key ideas into questions, summarizing your information, reflecting on your notes, and using a study system. What are the requirements of mastery? Mastery requires learning information for the long term, knowing it to the point of recall, and understanding how each fact or idea fits in with others you already know. How do you conduct an immediate review? Overview a reading assignment by rereading the abstract, introduction, or summary or by rereading the title, headings and subheadings. Overview a lecture by mentally recalling the lecture and then asking yourself questions about it to fix the key ideas in your mind. How do you convert the key ideas from your notes into questions? Whether you made your jottings on Cornell-style(*) paper or directly in your textbook, think of each key idea you've taken down as the answer to an unasked question. Write that question in the cue column of your Cornell paper, in the textbook margin, or on a separate sheet of paper. What's the benefit of rereading your questions all at once? Rereading the questions enables you to step back and review what you've written and recall the logic you used in arriving at each question. How should you answer the questions? Cover your notes or your text with a sheet of paper so that only the questions are revealed. Then move systematically through the questions, answering each one in your own words and from memory either, by reciting the answer out loud or by writing it on a separate sheet of paper. Check your answers simply by lifting the cover sheet. If your answer is wrong or inadequate, try again. How do you summarize your notes? Select the most important ideas from each page of your note sheets or each page of text and combine them into a one- or two-sentence synopsis. If you have difficulty choosing the most important ideas, use the Silver Dollar System(*). Write your synopsis at the bottom of each page. Why should you reread your summaries? Rereading your summaries provides you with a convenient, concise review of an entire chapter or lecture. It also helps you put what you've just read or heard into a larger context. How do you reflect on your notes? You reflect on your notes by clustering them into different categories to gain a different perspective, by comparing them with information you already know, and by taking the time to explore the ramifications and significance of what you've learned through asking thoughtful questions. What are the advantages of reflection? Reflection is a powerful tool for making newly learned information a permanent part of your knowledge. It promotes advantageous learning, the only kind of learning that really lasts. In addition, it encourages creativity and enables you to study virtually anywhere. Why should you use a study system? A study system puts the key elements of mastery into a convenient set of steps. You can use a well-known study system such as the SQ3R Method(*), or you can tailor the elements of mastery into a customized system that fits your learning style. (*) Dr. Mokhtari suggests the use of these strategies, and encourages those interested to read Walter Pauk’s book which is cited at the end of this lesson. III. LEARNING TO CONCENTRATE: To aid you in learning to concentrate, Walter Pauk will share some thoughts about understanding what concentration means, eliminating distractions, and adopting strategies that encourage concentration. What is concentration? Concentration is thinking that is focused. It occurs when nearly all your thinking energy is devoted to a single subject instead of to a variety of scattered ideas. How do distractions affect concentration? Distractions compete for your mind's attention. External distractions, such as loud noises or interesting scenery, or internal distractions, such as nagging worries or vivid daydreams, divert your attention and destroy your concentration. What is the proper environment for concentration? The proper environment is a place you use only for studying and use consistently. The area should be relatively free of visual distractions and noise, including music. The area should be brightly and evenly lit to discourage fatigue and prevent eyestrain. What equipment aids concentration? Good lights head the list of equipment that encourages concentration. A comfortable chair is important as well. A bookstand can free your hands and keep your textbook in a position that encourages active, focused thinking. Well-stocked and accessible supplies help you keep your mind on your work. What is a concentration scoresheet? A concentration scoresheet is a tally of the times when your concentration is broken. To keep score, put a checkmark on a sheet of paper each time you realize you are no longer concentrating. The checkmarks will motivate you to keep your mind on your work. What is a worry pad, and how do you use it? A worry pad acts as a holding tank for stray thoughts that divert your attention from your studying. Putting these thoughts on paper takes them off your mind until you have the time to focus on them. What strategies encourage concentration? Strategies that help promote concentration and reduce the chance that distractions will arise in the first place include making lists, taking breaks, and maintaining a balance between your skills and the level of the material you're learning. How do lists promote concentration? Simply putting things on paper sends your mind a strong message: You're serious about getting work done and about maintaining concentration. If you have a written list of things to do, instead of a vague plan you keep in your head, you'll be able to move smoothly and confidently from one task to the next. In addition, if you make up a complete inventory of the study supplies you need and then run through a checklist of those supplies before you begin studying, you'll avoid the annoying problem of breaking your concentration to search for a missing supply. What is the value of taking a break? Taking a break can help defuse the distractions--hunger, fatigue, boredom--that commonly accumulate during study sessions. What is meant by "maintaining a balance"? This phrase means matching your personal skills to the level of challenge of a particular task. Otherwise, if the challenge overwhelms your skills, you may become anxious. If your skills exceed the challenge, you may become bored. And when both challenge and skills are low, you will probably feel apathetic. What techniques allow you to maintain a balance and concentration? If you find yourself off balance, you have several strategies from which to choose. Find a tutor to help raise your level of skills. Study in a small group to boost the challenge of a course. Search out alternative texts that challenge you if your assigned text seems boring or that set your mind at ease if the text seems intimidating. Use programmed materials and workbooks to test your skills if you're feeling unsure of yourself or to provide an extra challenge when the course seems too easy. Finally, set realistic study goals, which will help keep the challenge within the range of your skill level. Reference: Pauk, Walter. (1993). How to study in college. Boston, Mass: Houghton Mifflin. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. In what environment do you currently study? How could it be improved? 2. What subjects are likely to require more studying and harder work than others in college? 3. Do you think you will be able to recognize when/if you do not have the necessary study skills to be successful in college? 4. Are tutors or assistance with study skills available at the colleges you are considering? 5. What strategies do you plan to employ to study for classes in which you may have very little guidance from your professor? ---------- Lesson #15 Choosing a Major ______________________________________________________________________ Good morning class. GOOD MORNING MISTER MILLIS! Today’s lesson is about selecting a major. Some of you may have already selected a major (some of you have probably known what you want to be since you were knee high to a grasshopper), but most of you probably don’t know what you want to do "when you grow up". Don’t worry about it. I know lots of college graduates who still don’t know what they want to do. It’s natural for you to have some indecision. If you’re like I was, you’re having enough trouble figuring out High School, let alone anything as far away as the rest of your life. Parents are often the ones who have the strong need for you to have direction (since they’re often paying for college, that’s to be expected), and if you show them that, while you may currently be undecided as to a major, you do have a plan… It often makes them feel a whole lot better. So sit back and let Joni Hays fill you in. Joni Hays works as a Coordinator in the Oklahoma State University Career Services supervising the career and study skills counseling and volunteer programs and is Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Applied Behavioral Studies in Education. She earned her Ph.D. from Kansas State University and her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Pittsburg State University. Joni is in her eighth year at O.S.U. ******************** CHOOSE A MAJOR BEFORE ONE CHOOSES YOU Your ideal career choice would probably be to win the lottery, travel, and retire early. Very few people have the luxury of these options. Most people choose their career or college major without much information about themselves or the world of work. You may choose your major based upon classes that you have done well in, upon what others think you would enjoy or letting a major choose you by not actively exploring your options. Choosing your college major is one of the most important decisions that you will make. Most people spend more time thoroughly research the new car they wish to buy than they do on career decisions. Many graduates are surprised to find that their degree is not marketable. When buying a car you may want to do research about the car by reading Consumer Reports, you may want to consult a mechanic to ensure the engines runs well, you may want to test drive the car, and to carefully consider the financial implications of buying the car. A similar process of deciding will be helpful in your career decision making process. When considering a career direction you may wish to do research via books, data bases, and the Internet, you may want to consult a career counselor or consultant, you may want to do volunteer or job shadowing in the areas you are considering, and you may wish to consider the future implications of your decision. Buying a car simply because you like the color is typically not a responsible choice, just as choosing a major based upon a high salary may not be the best choice. You will spend the next 30 to 40 years working. Spending the time and effort in making a good career choice is well worth the investment. Entering into a systematic process of career development can allow you to make your career decision based upon good information about yourself and about the world of work. A noted career development expert, Betty Neville Michelozzi suggests that as you begin your career search you may find it helpful to focus on the following important questions. Gather information about yourself A. Needs, wants, and shoulds What do you need to survive? What do you want to enrich your life? B. Interests and values The choices you have made over your lifetime have developed into a strong pattern of interests. What are your interests? Are your values clear? C. Skills What do you enjoy doing most? Become informed about social issues that affect your career A. Roles What roles do you play now? B. What are the major challenges that face the world today? Job market exploration A. Explore the job market What jobs fit your self-image? B. Research workplaces What are the important characteristics of various workplaces? C. Research job market opportunities Will there be a need for people to do the job you are considering? D. Information interview Have you talked to people in careers that interest you? Have you surveyed and evaluated possible workplaces? E. Tools for the job hunt Do you know how to network, portray yourself effectively through resumes, applications, interviews, letters? Choosing a career or college major that fits with your values, interests, and abilities will likely lead you in a direction of satisfaction. You may learn a process of deciding that you can use throughout your life. There are a number of excellent resources available to assist you in deciding on your career. Career resource centers are available on nearly all college campuses. Career resource centers typically have print and computerized career resources available for student and prospective student use. Ask your advisor where you may find these resources on your college campus. Career assessment offered through career counseling offices is an excellent tool for getting objective information about your interests, abilities, personality and values (i.e., Discover, SIGI-Plus, Strong Interest Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and many more). This information helps you to identify viable career possibilities that may match you. Enroll in an academic course on career exploration and interviewing. Practice and confidence can make a huge difference in your career development. Advisors, career counselors, instructors, friends, family, and acquaintances are excellent sources of information. Ask lots of questions about areas you are considering. Interview advisors in areas you are thinking about. Visit some workplaces of careers you are considering. The university and community library are great resources. Reference books such as Occupational Outlook Handbooks. Dictionary of Occupational Titles, and guides for career exploration provide great information about occupations. Do an internship or practica even if it is not required. Practical experience allows you to be really sure that your chosen major is a good match for you. Paid and non-paid work is also an excellent way to find out more. The Internet can be an excellent resource for gathering career, internship, and college information. Many colleges and businesses have home pages on the World Wide Web. Many universities, fraternities, sororities and other organizations have career networks established which may give you access to a network of people that welcome inquiries about their career and workplace. Take responsibility now for your career choice and college success. You are the architect of your future! To make yourself as marketable as possible upon graduation, begin your preparation now. Develop a resume that you expand upon throughout your college career. Develop relationships with faculty and colleagues. Network and find a mentor. Research employment and graduate school possibilities. Accept that it is alright to be undecided or to change your mind. Above you have a process of career decision making that you may use at any time to make a good decision for yourself. Your college experiences offer you many avenues of learning about yourself and the world of work. Take advantage of these opportunities. Develop a plan of action for your personal and career development. If you do not actively research, explore, and evaluate your career possibilities then your career may choose you and may not be the best match with your interest, abilities, personality and values. ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE I only have a comment to add to what Joni suggests. If you are unable to select a major, which is very likely to happen at some point. Promise yourself, and whomever else you feel pressure from to decide, that you will spend time each week thinking about it. If you aren’t sure what you want to do, you will probably be sure of some things you don’t want to do, and that’s still progress. It will eventually hit you, as long as you spend the time looking. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What majors are you currently considering? 2. What are your strengths? weaknesses? How might they affect your major/career choice? 3. What services are available at your chosen schools, which can help you choose a major? 4. How would you go about finding career information on the Internet? ---------- Lesson #16 Multiculturalism ______________________________________________________________________ Stay tuned, this lesson will be posted soon! Until that time, I will post an interesting way of looking at the world around us. I am uncertain as to the author, and would gladly give credit if someone will tell me who it is. Anyway, I hope you gain a little perspective with which to look at the rest of the world, after reading this. A Summary of the World If we could shrink the Earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look like this: There would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere (North and South) and 8 Africans. 51 would be female; 49 would be male. 70 would be non-white; 30 white. 70 would be non-Christian; 30 Christian. 50% of the entire world's wealth would be in the hands of only 6 people, and all 6 would be citizens of the United States. 80 would live in substandard housing. 70 would be unable to read. 50 would suffer from malnutrition. 1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth. Only 1 would have a college education. No one would own a computer. When one considers our world from such an incredibly compressed perspective, the need for both tolerance and understanding becomes glaringly apparent... Unknown ---------- Lesson #17 Stress Management ______________________________________________________________________ Hi people. Today’s lesson is on Stress, and how to deal with it. You may feel like your life is going to be great when you get to college, and get to start making all of your own decisions. Well it is. But at some point, you may have difficulty making decisions, or you may make some poor choices, or you may just have difficulty adjusting to college life. If and when that happens, you will have stress, and dealing with it in a productive way (or even better, preventing it from happening at all) can make all the difference in the world. Today’s lesson on stress management is written by Dr. Mac McCrory. Dr. Mac McCrory is the Associate Director of the Oklahoma State University Wellness Center. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Business (1971), a Masters Degree in Leisure Service Administration (1978) and an Ed.D. in Health Science, all from Oklahoma State University. He is a recognized expert in the area of stress management. He may be reached at 405-744-6477 or macwell@okway.okstate.edu ******************** EASING THE STRESS OF COLLEGE LIFE College life is full of new experiences and anxieties. It can be the best of times and the worst of times. Meeting new people, learning, and being on your own are the best. Falling behind in class, pulling "all-nighters", and final exams can be the worst. Sometimes the best of times lead to the worst of times. Students who spend too much time meeting new people and "socializing" find themselves skipping class, falling behind in assignments, and "bombing" exams. Developing time management and study skills are valuable tools in easing the stress of college. Following are several ideas that will help in your college stress reduction program. First, and foremost, is getting enough rest. The basic health guideline for sleep is 7-8 hours per night. Unfortunately, the average college student sleeps significantly less than that. Some of our student health surveys indicate that most college students sleep less than 6 hours and many less than 4 hours per night. And, you know you can’t "pay it back". If you average 4-6 hours during the week, you can’t sleep 12 on Saturday and pay it back. In fact, sleeping more than 8 hours can make you feel more tired. Another stress management health tip is to eat regularly. Many college students skip breakfast, or maybe go all day without eating. When your body is deprived of regular energy, it makes up for it by lowering your metabolism, or energy level. In other words, skipping meals does not help you lose weight or stay awake. In fact, it has the reverse affect. The "quality" of food is also important. Snack foods (chips, candy, fast foods, etc.) aren’t necessarily the most healthy. High salt foods can cause excess water retention and eventually lead to high blood pressure. High sugar foods can cause low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia; which is associated with dizziness, tiredness, and fatigue. Well balanced meals (like mom makes) and nutritious snacks, such as fruit, popcorn, and bagels are recommended. Regular exercise is a necessary part of your stress ease program. One of the most popular spots at Oklahoma State University is the campus recreation facility. Sports, games, and daily physical activity are essential in helping you stay focused and sharp. Daily exercise breaks during finals week are a must. Even if you’re just taking a walk around campus to get away from the study area for a few minutes. Avoid or moderate all substance use. Alcohol and caffeine are the most widely used and abused substances by college students. Alcohol use certainly does not contribute to your ability to study and retain information. If you are going to drink alcohol (and you are legal), do so with a certain degree of intelligence. Drink only moderate amounts. Make sure you have a non-drinking designated driver. And, curtail your alcohol use a few days prior to major exams or projects. Nothing like a hang-over and a chemistry final to turn you into a college drop out. Caffeine is widely used, especially around exam time. A pot of coffee and an "all-nighter"; still a fact of life at most colleges. But excess amounts of caffeine can lead to nervousness and forgetfulness. These are not traits that you would normally like to possess during an exam. The best way to get ready for finals is to "get ready for finals". Don’t wait until finals week to study. If you do, then you will probably not eat, not rest, not exercise, and drink too much coffee. All toll, you will probably not do very well on finals. The best recipe to ease the stress of college is: Adequate class preparation, plenty of rest, proper nutrition, daily physical activity, and limited substance use. College is not just about learning in the classroom; it’s learning how to take care of yourself. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What do you think will be issues which will cause you stress when you are at college? 2. What do you do currently to reduce stress when you experience it? 3. Is your current diet one which will contribute to an all around healthy lifestyle? Your exercise routine? Your leisure activities? 4. What is your current experience with substance use? Do your friends or acquaintances use or abuse alcohol or drugs? ---------- Lesson #18 Personal Responsibility ______________________________________________________________________ Hi friends! Today’ lesson is on a topic which is very important to your success in college, Personal Responsibility. Although it is something which is very difficult to learn, the choices you make when you start to make all of the decisions in your life will influence your success in all areas of your life. The lesson includes some statistics that I’m sure you’ll find interesting, along with a little advice. This week’s author is one of the people on our campus for whom I have the most respect. His name is Dr. Pat Murphy. Dr. Patrick M. Murphy has been talking to Oklahoma State University students for nearly three decades. In 1979 Dr. Murphy became the director of the University Counseling Services. This department supports students by providing personal problem counseling, career services, including helping new and undecided students choose an academic major, student disability services, and international student services. Dr. Murphy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. ******************** MAKING THE GRADE AT COLLEGE: CHOICES, STRESS AND SURVIVING YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR There are over 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States. All are different. Yet there are also many similarities. Sorting out "the facts" and choosing the "right" college or university, one that will meet your career and personal needs and interests, always at an affordable price, is often foremost on the minds of soon-to-be graduating high school students. Truly the selection process can seem confusing, even overwhelming. In fact choosing where you will go to receive your higher education may be the first major problem faced, with the accompanying anxiety and stress that goes with a big decision, in the high school to college transition time. Comfort can be taken by understanding that sometimes feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or worried, as examples, are normal. With some careful thoughtful planning, and follow-through, the journey from home to a successful freshman year at college can be reached. After all, over 1.5 million new freshmen will make the trip with you. This unit is about you, the freshman year transition from family and home, and some of the issues that most freshmen face as they embark on their college career. While we’ll point out common pitfalls in the first year journey more important are the behaviors successful new students exhibit to assure their well being, both academically and personally. Perhaps, paradoxically, we know that freshman students arrive on campus already very stretched by the high expectations that they have for themselves. High school students know that a bachelor degree is worth money ($18,000. average annual income for high school graduates vs. $33,000 for college degree holders). In fact, three out of four of the 1996 freshman class reported that going to college was very important to them so they could make more money and get a better job. They are also optimistic. Over 50% believe that they will be satisfied with the college they choose and that they expect to achieve a "B" or better average. Coupled with these high expectations are many conflicts in the use of time. These conflicts represent potential pitfalls. Many of these same 1996 freshman know that they will have to work 6-10 hours per week (50%), spent 6-10 hours each week socializing with friends in high school (25%), spent 3-5 hours partying each month (20%), drank beer or wine while partying (60%), and 1 in 4 spent 6-10 hours each high school week in exercising, watching TV, or both. These activities in combination with high expectations about grades are a volatile mixture which can lead to tremendous stress. Throw in the fact that you may have a roommate for the first time in your life, your classmates may be strangers at first, and the workload is tougher and the competition higher and in little time you’ll learn that managing stress is essential to get the most out of your college years. No discussion about the transition from home to college, and the choices found in the new freshman freedom of leaving family and friends, would be complete without mentioning briefly a few additional obvious potential issues. Alcohol consumption, particularly binge drinking, is a rampant problem on most campuses today. Casual sex among students, with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases looming as real consequences, is another major issue that students face. Finally, the misuse of drugs, including legal prescription, be they tobacco, barbituates for sleep or stimulants to aid in staying awake can sabotage academic success. So what is the new freshman to do? Before you leave home have a plan to implement and promise or "contract" with yourself to take care of your health. To do that decide to: Eat Right - be sure your diet is well balanced and avoids sugary snacks. Get Plenty of Sleep - sleep needs vary by individual, but usually 7-8 hours is typical. Exercise Regularly - the recommendation usually is to exercise at least 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes. Take Time to Relax - relieves the tension and stress. Learn to Manage Your Time - make and follow a daily schedule that includes priority time for classes, reading and writing assignments, exam preparation, meals, exercise, a job, and social activities. Assert Yourself - clearly communicate what you do and don’t want out of dates, party situations, and a roommate. Create a Budget - your income must equal or exceed your expenses. Get Involved - participate in clubs and organizations, campus events, intramural, and religious groups. Learn and Practice Good Study Habits - such as setting goals, learn effective reading, note taking, and test taking strategies, attend classes, complete assignments on time, and organize your study area. Learn About and Use Campus Resources That Can Help You - college counselors and advisors, health services, faculty, study skills assistance programs, tutors, local clergy, and other campus professionals. No one can promise that the transition from home to the end of the freshman year will be easy. Relax and take college one step at a time. And when you arrive on campus look around. Freshman do survive - notice the large number of sophomores! **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION Todays questions are contributed by Dr. Murphy 1. Will I be happiest in a large or small college or university? Should it be public, private, church affiliated? List the strengths and weaknesses for you, as a unique person, in broadly narrowing your college search. 2. How much can I spend? How much can my family contribute? How much debt through borrowing can I tolerate? Do I qualify for financial aid? 3. Does the college readily and easily offer services I’ll need as a student? Tutoring? Counseling? Health Services? Placement Services? Academic counseling and advisement? 4. If I need help in choosing a college major and career path is it offered at the college I’m investigating? 5. Does the college offer healthy leisure options? Intramural and recreation programs and facilities? Social events without alcohol? 6. Is the campus safe? (Ask for crime statistics which are required to be public by federal law.) 7. How will I balance the demands of a college schedule, with my desire to have fun? Talk about strategies you will use to keep yourself from giving in to pressure to participate in counter-productive activities. ---------- Lesson #19 Time Management ______________________________________________________________________ Hi Class! Did you ever run out of time to do something? You really wanted to do it, but there just wasn’t time? Chances are if you had managed your time more efficiently, you could have had the time. When you get to college, your ability to manage your time could determine whether or not you will be successful. Today’s lesson is on Time Management. It is written as though you had just started college, and since you’ll be starting college in a few months anyway, you can just pretend. It’s excellent information, I think you’ll have fun reading it, and the suggestions could help you in high school too. Today’s author is a student who manages his time as well as anyone I’ve ever known. His name is Kyle Holmes. Kyle Holmes is a junior chemical engineering major from Dallas, Texas. Besides being a glutton for academic punishment, he enjoys basketball, reading, martial arts, writing, collecting comic books, and playing with his German Shepherd, Blitz. Kyle also has the honor of being a triplet, and his two sisters both attend college in Texas. ******************** TIME MANAGEMENT Congratulations! You made it to college, and I think that your current thoughts would fall somewhere in the following categories: 1) Wow, there's so much to see and do, I have to get ready for classes but I want to find out where all the parties are, too! 2) Hey, I'm excited to be here, but what the heck am I supposed to do now? 3) I'm scared out of my mind. Please help me. 4) Where's the bathroom? I've written this essay in order to give out some of the hints that I think can really make the difference between experiencing college life and enduring college life. Let's face it, we're all here to learn, and we're also here to meet new people and have as much fun as we can (and yes, finding the bathroom is going to be an integral part of that college experience). Some of us will strive to have more fun than others, but the bottom line is that you have to take care of your grades. I will begin by making a statement: Doing well in college has very little to do with your raw intelligence. Some of you may be breathing a sigh of relief at this point, others may be a little bit shocked and disappointed because you may feel that you've spent the last 12 years of your life trying to develop this "unimportant raw intelligence". And, of course, others of you are still looking for that elusive bathroom. The truth is that those ACT (or SAT if you're from out of state) scores that you have laminated and framed next to your desk at home aren't really indicative of too much now that you've made the cut into college. The way I see it, standardized tests such as the ACT help a university determine if you have enough raw material in your noodle to unravel the important mysteries of college such as enrolling and preparing for classes, finding a parking space, and most importantly, deciphering and paying for tuition and fees (note -- this is one of the only reasons that mathematics is covered in standardized tests). If you weren't smart enough to do well in your classes, then you wouldn't be here now. So, if all of you are already geniuses (each of your parents assured me that you were), then what's the big secret about doing well in college? The secret is time, or rather, making good use of your time. You will have more time available to you now than you really will know what to do with at first. Even if you take a load of 18 hours, sign up for the chair of the 'Students Dedicated to Discovering Bathrooms' organization, run 15 miles a day, start a quilting bee, and even sleep, I guarantee that you are going to have more time than you can really believe (exceptions may be made for those who have to work while schooling). I know you've probably seen a host of packets about time management and study skills and learning habits, etc. I'm not going to talk about finding a hard-backed chair to study in, I'm not going to tell you about the virtues of studying in complete silence or the vices of studying in front of a television. Let me cut to the chase and tell you one of the best strategies I think there is in terms of time management at college: staying one day ahead. I'm sure this statement is met by some collective groans, but I promise that staying exactly one day ahead of your classes will make your life much easier. At the beginning of most of your classes, your professors probably will give you one of the most important pieces of information you will ever receive in class (no, its not a map showing where the bathrooms are) -- the syllabus [insert theme music for Star Wars here and press PLAY]. In high school you probably never received a syllabus. You didn't know what the reading assignment or homework assignment was going to be in two weeks. In college, if the syllabus is any good, you do. Why is this important? Let's say it's the very first day of class. You get your syllabus for your, I don't know, biology class. In most cases, the first day of class is a no-brainer -- often lecture doesn't really begin because the professor knows that a lot of people are going to do the "schedule shuffle". You eye your nifty syllabus and see that the next class period will be a lecture over the first chapter of your $189.99 book. At this critical juncture, you may think two things: "Wow, I already know what I'll be doing next class period. I wonder if this is really valuable information? Could I use this to my advantage?" This may be quickly followed by: "Where's Joe's (that’s Eskimo Joe’s, a local nightclub, restaurant and T-shirt shop in Stillwater)?" Needless to say, many people ignore this golden syllabus, stuff it into their pocket, make a paper airplane, or find some other creative use for this sheet of paper and do nothing until next class period. So next class period arrives two days later, you haven't read chapter one, but who cares, because your prof. is going to talk about it. You figure that you will use the time-honored tradition of taking notes in class. After all, everyone's doing it... This is not very smart. First of all, if you're spending all of your time trying to copy overheads or copy written words (your professor will most likely have chalkboard handwriting that resembles ancient Sanskrit), you simply aren't going to really absorb the material in most cases. Let's say you take some great notes, good for you. Then you take the notes, which have all of the information you will ever need, and you put them in your folder, binder, backpack, or saddle-pack and leave them there until next lecture. Then you take more notes, add them to the pile, and soon you have lots of notes. Whoopee. Before you know it, you have a test or quiz approaching, so you assemble your nifty notes and start restudying them like mad. You have to set apart a large chunk of time out of your schedule to review this old information so that you will be fresh for your test. There is a better way. Let's pretend that you decided to get one day ahead. After your first class period (and I know this is hard to do because during the first week there's so much fun to be found and so little work to do), you have a heart-to-heart with yourself and decide that you are going to get one day ahead. If today's Monday, and next class is Wednesday, you set aside some time on Monday afternoon or anytime on Tuesday and read the first chapter. You may even decide to take you own notes, highlight, or even make flashcards for definitions (more on flashcards later -- no groans!). So when you walk into class on Wednesday and your teacher starts talking, you have at least some idea what they are talking about. You don't have to copy down definitions you've already read off sloppy overheads because you know they are in the book -- you remember reading them. Instead of frantically trying to copy notes like your poor, confused classmates, you can relax a little and really listen to what the professor is saying. Lecture becomes your own review session, and then you are that much ahead when test time comes. If the professor starts talking about something that you don't remember make certain to take good notes. The topic is either not covered in the book (so you can guarantee the professor will put it on a test), or it's something that you didn't quite absorb the first time you read it. If you can do this for each of your classes at the very beginning of school, you will be in pristine shape. People will notice you. Your hair will be thicker, have more shine. Your skin will clear, your muscle tone will improve, you will be at one with the academic universe. (results may vary for different students) Seriously though, once you get one day ahead, you can work at the same pace as everyone else but always be a day ahead. Lectures will not be "note-cramming" sessions, they will be pseudo-reviews. The toughest part is not getting lazy by using that one day as a buffer -- you can't allow yourself to slip behind because you know that you're already ahead. Once you lose that one day edge, it's MUCH harder to get it back in the middle of the semester because the pace of your classes will pick up. But if you can get ahead that first week, when the work load is fairly light, then people will stare in awe as you glide through the class. Professors will ask you to teach the class because of your mastery of the material. You will receive tenure as an undergraduate student because you are so prepared. The fight song will be changed to include your name somewhere ... the possibilities are endless. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Not every class is equal in difficulty, and it may be extremely hard to get that one day edge in certain classes that have very poor books, or in classes that depend almost 100% on lecture material that doesn't come from your book. Some classes may be just plain hard, and if you can't get a day ahead in one or two classes that's fine. The time you save by being ahead in your other classes will help you enormously in that really tough Nuclear Dynamics class you're taking. If you find that reading your book is doing you no good, then go talk to your professor (what an idea!). They'll probably shower you with praise (or offer you their tenure) if they learn that you are really trying to stay a day ahead. I had one class last semester that didn't depend on the book for anything. I read the chapters before lecture, but it got me nowhere because the lectures were over totally different material. I felt like I was making more work for myself and wasting my time. I went and talked to my professor and told him my frustration. He confided in me that the material he covered in class was from his own personal notes, not the book (turned out we just used the book for homework problems and examples -- yipee for spending $189.99, right?). But, because he could see I was dedicated to trying to learn the material, he made copies of all of his notes FOR THE ENTIRE SEMESTER and gave them to me for free that day! Professors are generally willing to bend over backwards for any student that is putting out a serious effort to succeed in their class. If you can't find a professor that is willing to help you when you are honestly working hard, then go tell someone about it. Make an appointment with the dean. Go see the President. Call CNN, whatever. Professors and faculty are there to help you, and almost all of them are happy to do so. Let me mention that you may have some classes in which the professor has put together a "notes packet" that really does contain copies of all the overheads and notes that will be used. This could be a trap. Don't let those notes become an excuse to get lazy. Don't think that lecture really doesn't matter because you have all of the material -- get one day ahead in the class notes, and again, all of the lectures will be your own personal review sessions. I said that we'd talk about flashcards, so allow me to keep my promise. Flashcards are a gift from above to all students who have those pesky little classes that seem to revolve around definitions, dates, or memorizing equations (what's the difference between mitosis and meiosis? kind of stuff). If you're really smart, when you are reading the material one day ahead of time, you will take the time to copy definitions or important facts onto an index card. When you finish the chapter, you should have a little stack of compact (don't try to copy everything) information that will prove to be invaluable. The simple act of simply writing the information down will make your brain start to chew over the new information. Look back over the cards, and you may be surprised that you can remember maybe 10-20% of everything you just wrote down. Keep making the cards for the new material you read and/or get in class lecture. When test time comes, you don't have to waste your time going back through notes and books trying to sift the important information from the filler. You've already assembled all of the material you need to study, and it will fit in your pocket in most cases. Sit down two or three days before the exam and go through your flashcards. Try to reproduce all of the definitions -- either by saying them out loud or by writing them down (writing takes longer to do, but you will remember them faster if you have to write them in most cases, thus saving you time in the long run). If you get a card right, put a tally mark in the corner. When you have three to five tally marks on a card (depending on how well you think you need to know the material), then you can be pretty certain you know your stuff. Soon the cards you know readily will be marked up with tally marks, and the ones that are tricky will be left. Study these extra hard, and when all of your beautiful flashcards are covered with tally marks, you're finished. Prepare to collect your A. The night before the test arrives, your companions are sifting through notes, books, copies of overheads, the Dead Sea Scrolls etc., but you calmly reach for your flashcards (some people even get to the point where they have a flashcard holster -- this is unnecessary, but trendy for some) and review stuff that you already knew two days ago. Maybe you've forgotten some, no problem. Review them a couple more times, slap down some more tally marks when you get them right, and again, you're finished. Frustrate your classmates by talking about what you are going to do in your spare time. Play poker with your flashcards in front of your stressed out classmates for real effect, but don't taunt them, they haven't learned how the game works yet. Compassion is a favorable virtue at this point. And guess what? Eighteen months down the line you're going to have a final. One of the most difficult things about studying for finals is that you have to gather all of the information for the entire semester so that you can study it. Some people spend all of dead week copying old notes, reviewing book material, learning Sanskrit in order to decipher chalkboard material etc., just to GET READY to study for exams. Why? If you've been making flashcards and keeping them, you should have a convenient little pile of things you should know. You don't have to spend time sifting through an entire semester of information because you've been doing that already, one day at a time. You're ready to study. Parades will be held in your honor. Staying one day ahead, talking to your professors if you have problems, and making flashcards do not guarantee your success at college. I have to say that because everyone learns differently and I don't want to get sued if someone uses these techniques faithfully and they honestly don't work. If they don't, then I am sorry, and I encourage you to get help in order to find some other great way to prepare for class. Talk to a counselor in your college. Talk to a professor. Talk to anyone at (your college) that you think can help you -- they are paid to teach you and help you, I promise. With that disclaimer aside, let me say that if I didn't have to be worried about getting sued, then I would GUARANTEE you (not even charging you that nifty $19.95) that staying one day ahead, talking to professors if you have problems, and making flashcards will bring you all the success you wish to find (academically, of course -- I have not seen cases in which flashcards may help you in other areas of your college life, such as getting dates, but I'm conducting research). I believe so strongly in these three simple steps that I want to share them with anyone who's just starting at college and is anxious about their classes. Try some of these suggestions, just try them, and see if it doesn't leave you with more time than you would have if you tried cram sessions, group study sessions, yoga, or any other technique. Then spend all of the extra time you will have helping other newcomers find those restrooms. ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE I would only add one simple suggestions, and then a purchase to consider. First, the suggestion: Get a calendar, and use it. It may sound simple, but if you purchase a small calendar which will fit in your pocket/purse/backpack and write down everything in it, you will be much more organized. No matter how organized you are, you can’t remember everything. So when you find out about a test, or a paper due date, or a meeting or event you plan to attend, or virtually anything else, write it down in your calendar. Spend a few minutes at the beginning of each week (like Sunday evening) going over what you have to do that week, and then look over what you have to do the next day just before you go to bed. This strategy should prevent your forgetting anything important, and allows you to know basically what will be going on each day when you wake up - Assuming you remember to write things down. Now the purchase to consider: Think about getting one of those personal organizers (You know, the calendar/calculator/phone directory/alarm clock/scheduler/ sundial/kitchen sink/etc. that they sell at WalMart, Radio Shack, or wherever you buy fine electronics). My wife bought me one a year or so ago, and I love it. It only cost about $40 (did you say graduation gift), and I use it every day to remind me of important meetings, wake me up from a nap (something you’ll do lots of in college), or store phone numbers. Anyway, that’s my two cents worth. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What strategies do you currently use to manage your time? 2. Kyle's lesson dealt almost exclusively with studying. What affect would his strategies have on your leisure time? 3. How could Kyle’s strategies be altered to better fit your needs? What would you add to his suggestions? 4. When you start college, there will be many demands on your time. How will you prioritize your commitments? 5. How will developing good time management skills help you after college and in your career? ---------- Lesson #20 Extracurricular Activities ______________________________________________________________________ Hi people! Today’s lesson is on extracurricular activities. Some of you will already know the benefits of being involved, and some may see it as a waste of time. Let me assure you that there is great benefit in being involved in activities which complement your education. Many of the advantages are listed below, but be assured that employers really do care what you were involved in, because these activities develop teamwork, leadership skills, and they show that you have interests outside the job. Today’s author is one of the most active students on her campus, and her name is Sonya Beck. Originally from Fairview, Oklahoma, Sonya is a Master’s in Business Administration student at Oklahoma State University. She has been actively involved on campus including serving as Student Government Vice-President for two consecutive years, a member of Business Student Council, House Manager of her social sorority, and Vice-President for Rotaract International. Currently, she is now Director of Advertising/Promotions for the Orange Peel event and is Public Relations Director for the MBA Association. Upon completion of the Master’s Program, Sonya would like to work in product development and management for a company. ******************** EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES If you are like me, you started participating in extracurricular activities because you wanted your picture to be on more than one page of the high school yearbook or maybe it was because a really cute guy or girl belonged. Most people don’t give much thought to getting involved in school activities until they are already hooked. The fact is that participation in extracurricular activities is essential for your success in life. How can a few meetings and a car wash totally change your life and how can you become and stay involved? I will tell you how and give you some steps for getting involved. First, it is important to know why you should participate in extracurricular activities. The abilities that you master will help you throughout your life. I am a firm believer that leaders are not born, they are made. Some people have a charisma for dealing with people, but until you are in a situation that calls for decision making and action, no one knows how they will react. If you put yourself in a situation where you deal with these situations frequently, you are going to get better at making the right decisions all the time. Not only do you develop leadership and decision making abilities, but you also increase your creativity, your organizational skills, your management of time, and your people skills. These are all important for anything that you do. For the rest of your life, you will have to associate with different kinds of people. You will have a family and a job vying for your time. You will have to come up with new ways of doing things whether it is driving a new route to work or designing a new building. Finally, to be able to do all of these things, you must be able to organize your life. I’m sorry to bring you into the "real world," but the fact is that you must think ahead. These skills are not developed overnight. You cannot wait until the last minute, so start now. This leads to the next question. How do you get started? I have some easy steps for you to follow: STEP 1: You must decide what your interests are. You don’t want to become a member of the Math Club if you hate to add numbers together. You won’t be committed to your organization if you are not truly interested in what they are trying to accomplish. Sit down and make a list of things you like to do in your spare time. Do you enjoy athletics, politics, religion, community service? Now look at your list. Do you have twenty items listed? Be careful not to overload yourself. Remember, organizations are secondary activities to school. Prioritize your list putting your favorite things at the top. STEP 2: Find an organization that fits your interests. If you are not already aware of a club in your town, call someone who might know. Check with a school counselor or secretary or maybe contact your community’s Chamber of Commerce. They can all put you in touch with the appropriate people. STEP 3: Call the contact person. Don’t be embarrassed or scared. Organizations are always looking for new members. You will probably be welcomed with open arms. STEP 4: Get involved in the organization from the beginning. Remember, the goal is to have fun and develop skills. You can’t accomplish either of these things if you don’t attend meetings. Try to earn a leadership position. Don’t start with President. Instead, you should try to learn as much as possible about the mission and goals of the organization, so start with a lower office and work your way up. I have always been told that it is much better to be a participant of one organization than to be just a member of many. STEP 5: Stay involved. You have followed all the steps. You have learned a lot about leadership. You have earned the respect of your peers. You have graduated from high school. What now? Some of you will choose to attend a university. It is crucial that you continue to remain involved on that campus. Start over with Step 1 and work your way through the steps. The good news is that you are not totally starting from scratch. Those leadership skills that you developed in high school advanced with you. There are actually more opportunities to get involved on a university. At Oklahoma State, we have over 200 organizations and clubs. You can be a member of anything from the Water Ski Club to Young Republicans or Young Democrats to the Music Teachers Association. Don’t worry that you are one person out of 20,000 on the campus. When you get into an organization, you become one out of 100. This is a great way to make a large campus become smaller. It is also the best way to make new friends. Those are my five steps to success, but what are you trying to succeed at? Not only have you developed skills that you will use throughout your life, but you have made a network of people that will help you in your future, and you have made yourself a very marketable individual. You never know when a former committee member may need someone like you to fill an important job position. Therefore, don’t let the committee members simply be acquaintances. You should make an effort to make them friends and associates. Finally, you have made yourself extremely marketable. Through the experiences you have and the skills you have developed, you become an asset to any employer. You can be taught many things from books; however, you can only develop leadership through experience. Besides, you get to have fun doing it along the way. It’s time to get started, so Good Luck!! ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE Those of you who are not currently involved in extracurricular activities should strongly consider it. Those of you who are involved, but not active (like being a member of a club and just going to the meetings) should take an active role - volunteer for a committee, help plan an upcoming event, etc. Those of you who are involved and active, get more active - run for President, Treasurer, or volunteer to coordinate your group’s next major project. The point is to increase your involvement throughout High School and into college. There really is an activity to suit everyone’s needs and it will pay off in the end. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. What activities are you involved in currently? 2. What activities would you like to become involved in? What would you like to be involved in when you get to college? 3. The Greek System (fraternities and sororities) is one way to combine involvement with a different type of living environment. Have you considered joining a fraternity or sorority? What are the pros and cons? Do you know anyone who is a member or former member who might discuss them with you? 4. What would you gain from involvement in an organization related to your major? ---------- Lesson #21 Technology Available on College Campuses ______________________________________________________________________ Hi Class. Today’s lesson is a bit different than many of the lessons. The subject is one which many would not consider a crucial element in preparing for college. The lesson covers a subject which I feel is very important: technology (this term is used frequently on university campuses to refer to computers and all that goes with them) available on college campuses. I personally believe that computer knowledge will quickly become a basic skill required by employers (as well as potentially, colleges), before you will even be considered. If you are one of the ones without the knowledge, you may be left out or have to learn at your own expense. Included in the degree requirements for nearly all degree programs, is a class or classes in computing. Don’t stop there: Learn everything you can about computers while you are in college. Never again in your life will you have the types and amounts of free (or cheap) computer education and other related technologies available to you. Take advantage of the resources while you have them. Now, to let you know what to expect and what to look for, is L.G. Parkhurst. L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. works as a Specialist in both Client and Technical Services in the Computing and Information Services Department at Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has received MA and MLIS degrees from the University of Oklahoma and the MDiv degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He writes a weekly column for "The Daily Oklahoman" and is a part time pastor. Feel free to write for further information to lgp@okstate.edu ******************** COMPUTER ACCESS ON CAMPUS To compete for students, college and university campuses offer extensive computer and Internet access to students. Computer labs for students are scattered across the campus depending on the number of students. Some of these labs are open 24 hours per day and through the holidays. Lab Consultants are often knowledgeable student employees who can answer the questions of students trying to learn a new software package. Some colleges have a Help Desk to answer student questions and explain the computing services available to students. Free training is sometimes available for students in addition to introductory computer courses for credit. Schools usually buy software for their computers to meet the needs of any student or any course requirement. The computers in the labs usually offer complete Internet access; including World Wide Web browsers, e-mail clients, and FTP (file transfer protocol) capability to download files from computers on or off campus. When students arrive on campus they are usually given a computer user ID or login name that they can use for e-mail and to access various university computers. In addition to computers in labs and libraries, many colleges have installed Ethernet cables in each residence hall room so students can use their own computers and printers. This expanded access enables students to send e-mail, search the library catalog, or "surf the net" at any time from their own room. Students will need to buy and install their own software. Some software is available at a student discount through a college bookstore; but remember, the computer labs will usually have any software that is actually required for a class. In some cases, college departments will also have labs for students and support special software for education, engineering, geology, math, computer science, or other applications. Students do not need to bring their own computers to the university campus, though some university departments do require students to buy their own computers (perhaps laptops) and their own software. Entering students may want to ask about this requirement or possibility before a final decision is made. The added expense of needing to buy their own computers and software may deter some students from attending some colleges. Some students may want the convenience of owning their own computers so they can work in the comfort of their own rooms. Students with laptops will need to be extra careful to avoid extreme temperatures and the threat of theft when left unattended. For today's successful students avoiding computers or the Internet is not possible. Students who are computer savvy will search the university library catalog and journal database from a lab or their own room. If they do not see what they need, they will search the online catalogs of other libraries and universities and request the books they want by interlibrary loan. They will use copy and paste techniques from these searches to create term paper bibliographies, rather than type them from hand written notes taken at a library terminal. They will send e-mail questions to their instructors, and in many cases instructors will send class assignments to their students through e-mail. Discussions among students can take place through Listserv discussion lists created for each class the student attends. Students can use e-mail to write specialists for answers to difficult questions, or to write a fellow classmate and ask for his class notes. Some instructors will put their class syllabus on World Wide Web pages for students to print out or bookmark with their web browsers. Sometimes course notes are placed on the World Wide Web for students who missed a class or for students to study before or after a lecture. At some schools students can take a class from a distance using only the World Wide Web and e-mail. Computing opportunities multiply and Internet access expands almost everyday on college and university campuses. The students who take advantage of these new developments will be special assets to their employers upon graduation. In some cases knowing about how to find and use information through the Internet will make the difference between whether or not a new college graduate is hired. In some cases, students entering college who are highly computer literate will find the better paying student jobs to help pay their expenses. ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE The basic message is this: Whatever level you consider yourself at with respect to computers, increase your knowledge while you are in college. If you are a novice, at least learn the basics of Windows and a word processing package. If you already know how to navigate Windows and use a few other programs, learn to use the Internet, as well as additional software programs. If you already know how to use a number of programs and have "surfed the net", make your own WWW homepage and learn how to download files. Whatever you do, take advantage of the technology learning opportunities which are available in college - they may never be available to you again (especially at the price). One of the nicest things about all of this available technology is that it makes communication so much easier. E-mail is in some cases, the best way to communicate with others. E-mail to professors and/or advisors is a great way to get short questions answered, and it gives them the opportunity to respond at a convenient time. Also, since most colleges offer their students access to e-mail, your friends who attend other colleges will likely have access also. And, as you will learn when you receive your first college phone bill, any method of communicating with friends for free should be taken advantage of. You can save a great deal of money by e-mailing friends (as often as you wish and usually at no cost) instead of calling. This might also be a selling point to your parents, if you have been trying to get them to sign up for one of those online Internet services. You will be able to communicate with them, and them with you at any hour and on your own time. So when your mom needs to tell you at two in the afternoon (when you are in class), that your cousin Ned just got out of prison, she can send you an e-mail message, and you can read it at two in the morning (when she is asleep) when you check your e-mail. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. At what level are your current computer skills? Are there any specific requirements in that area for attendance at any of the schools you are considering? 2. What computer related courses will you be required to take for your major? 3. Do the schools you are considering require the purchase of a computer? 4. What is computer access like at the schools you are considering? Are there computer labs available 24 hours a day? How many? What types of software are available? 5. What additional forms of technology are made available to students/do students commonly use? (Listservs, Bulletin Boards, ability to create WWW pages, etc.) ---------- Lesson #22 Honors Programs ______________________________________________________________________ Hello Group! Today's lesson is a program many of you will want to consider when you go to college. It is an option you will have if you are a strong student, meet the university's requirements, and want to enhance your education. The program is called Honors, or Honors Program. Though not for everyone (only the best students will qualify), it's definitely something you should check out. Today's author is David Blatt. David Blatt completed a B.A. Degree with Honours from the University of Alberta in 1986. After earning a Ph.D. in political science from Cornell University, he joined the University Honors Program at Oklahoma State University as an Academic Counselor in October 1996 (He can be contacted at blatt@okway.okstate.edu) ******************** Honors More than probably any other area covered by this course, Honors is a subject that varies from one college to another. What holds true virtually everywhere is that Honors is an opportunity for talented and motivated students to enrich their educational experience while in college. At some schools, you may find a separate Honors College, while at others you may not find Honors at all. Most commonly, however, if you are an Honors student at college, you participate in an Honors Program by taking Honors classes as part of your course work towards your degree. Success in these courses can earn you special awards or a degree with Honors. While recognizing that any two given Honors Programs may bear as much resemblance as a poodle to a Great Dane, here are answers to some of the most common and important questions about Honors in college. 1. What Are the Benefits of Honors? In speaking to prospective Honors students, I try to distinguish the material or concrete benefits of participation in Honors from the intrinsic or psychic benefits. A good Honors Program will succeed in offering both. The intrinsic benefits of Honors are those which will make your time in college more stimulating and fulfilling. A good Honors class will not only teach you a great deal about the designated subject matter, but will awaken you to the excitement of learning and infuse you with a passion for education. In the typical Honors setting of a small classroom, with committed, energetic faculty and outstanding fellow students, you will have the chance to play a more active and interactive role in learning, rather than being a passive note-taker and disengaged consumer of a distant Professor's lectures. Honors classes will challenge and motivate you to recognize and fulfill your potential as a student and prepare you for the challenges of the workplace or graduate school. Since many colleges have caught on that a solid Honors program helps draw and retain top students, many colleges make sure to offer more concrete benefits to those of you who choose to participate. A popular benefit at OSU is priority enrollment, which allows students in Honors to jump to the front of the line and select their courses for subsequent semesters ahead of even Seniors. Many schools provide such benefits as Honors lounges, dorms and study halls, special academic and social programming, receptions and seminars with distinguished guests, or designated scholarships and awards. On top of all that, the appearance of Honors credits, awards, and degrees on your resume and transcript just might be that added something that distinguishes you from your peers in the competition for jobs and scholarships down the road. 2. Am I Eligible To Be In Honors? Like admission standards, eligibility requirements for Honors vary from college to college. Most schools, however, limit participation in the Honors program to their most successful incoming and continuing students. Look at how basic admission requirements at OSU differ for Honors students compared to all students: All Students Honors Program 22 ACT 27-29 ACT (SAT 1200-1310) and 3.75 high school GPA or 1030 SAT or or 30 ACT (SAT 1320 or higher) and 3.5 high school GPA 3.0 High School GPA and rank in the top 1/3 In addition to GPA and test scores, some schools will select students on the basis of letters of reference and personal statements. Once students have entered college, the standards for continuing in Honors will again vary. Depending on the school, continued eligibility may require maintaining a minimum GPA and taking a minimum number of Honors courses each year or semester. 3. Will Being in Honors Make College Harder? As you think ahead to college, you are probably already anxious about the challenges that lie before you, academic and otherwise. Won't being in Honors just make college harder? Will taking Honors classes lower your GPA and harm your chances of winning a coveted scholarship or getting into med school? No one can make you any promises, but the experience at OSU and at most other colleges is that Honors classes are not harder and students' grades in Honors classes over-all are the same as in regular classes. Obviously, you'll need to keep up with the work in your Honors courses - in a small class where the teacher knows who you are, you'd better plan on showing up prepared to contribute. You can expect to be challenged by the material, to have your ideas and preconceptions put to the test, to be pushed to think further and deeper. But for the most part, professors are encouraged to grade you in comparison to the overall student population and most will be ready to reward you fully for your good work. 4. Is Honors Right For Me? Like other choices you are considering, deciding whether to participate in Honors depends on who you are and what you are seeking from college. Some of you are beginning with very clear answers to these basic questions, while for others the answers will come only through experimentation and constant reevaluation in the years ahead. If you answer `yes' to most of the following, then Honors should at least be worth a try: * Do your grades and test scores put you in the top 10%-20% of students? * Do you fare best in classes when you are challenged by the teacher to think creatively and express opinions? * Does being in classes with other bright, motivated students bring out the best in you? * Do you respond better to high expectations? * Do you find the prospect of sitting in huge lecture rooms with hundreds of other students dreary and discouraging? * Do you hope to meet others students in college who take their studies seriously? * Do you think there's a good chance you'll go on to Graduate or professional school? 5. Will Other Students Think I'm a Dweeb for Being in Honors? Perhaps, but your enhanced earning potential should more than cover the costs of undergoing therapy to recover from the trauma of being mocked and scorned. For the fleet of foot among you, try chanting "that's alright, that's okay, you'll be working for me someday" as you run away. 6. How Do I Find Out More? If you think that Honors may be right for you, then make sure to seek out information about Honors as part of the process of choosing a college. Like everything else, many Honors Programs are now on the Internet and can be accessed through their college's Web site (for OSU, check out the Honors Program homepage at www.okstate.edu/honors). Basic information on the Program should be available in the University catalog and through your high school guidance counselor. For more extensive information, call the Honors Program office or make plans to meet with an Honors advisor during your on-campus visit. For diverse examples of how Honors Programs are organized and what they have to offer, and to compare Programs at colleges you may be considering, check out the links from the web site of the National Collegiate Honors Council at www.honors.indiana.edu/nchc/other.html. You may also be able to consult the new Peterson's Guide to Honors Programs at your school or local public library. **************************************** Due to the "question and answer" nature of today's lesson, there will be no Questions for Additional Discussion. ---------- Lesson #23 Academic Expectations ______________________________________________________________________ Howdy Partners! Todays lesson is actually the text of a presentation given to all incoming freshmen at Oklahoma State University during Freshman Orientation and Enrollment. It lets you know exactly what college professors expect from you, and gives you some suggestions to ensure your academic success. Today's author is Dr. Ken Eastman - who, incidentally is my Advisor (does anyone else think I look older than he does?). He wrote the introduction himself. I grew up on a small farm (160 acres) outside of Callender, Iowa. I received two associates degrees from Iowa Central Community College, my bachelors and masters degrees from Iowa State University and my Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. Previous to my academic career I worked construction, was a disk jockey, and a warehouse supervisor. For the past seven years I have been on the faculty of Oklahoma State University and I am presently an associate professor of management. I live in beautiful Stillwater, Oklahoma right here in the good ol' US of A. My research interests center primarily around leadership, extrarole behaviors, and organizational politics (this explains my devotion to Dilbert!). Teaching-wise, I offer a wide range of classes at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels. This semester I am the advisor for Business Student Council...a fine bunch of business students! ********************* ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS An early factor in a successful college career is making the transition from high school to college. Being at a university is much different from anything you experienced in high school. For one thing your professors and others at the university will be some the first to treat you like an adult and expect you to act as such. No more will someone roust you out of bed for an 8 a.m. class or check to see if you are studying for your next exam. You have to realize that you are solely responsible for your education. You must plan and manage it carefully. You will also find tremendous freedoms at the university, at least compared to what you experienced in high school. Freedom is a wonderful thing, but it also has a dark side. If you do not manage this freedom effective (doing things like partying four nights a week and rolling all your classes) you may not be in college for long. So as an adult you will plenty of autonomy but also lots of responsibility. As I see it there are two dimensions to your college experience: 1)getting an education and 2)getting a degree. In 4-5 years you should have both but unfortunately, some students settle for one or none. To just get an education you would take classes from many different majors, take part in many campus activities, and join lots of different organizations. The downside is that after 15 years you are still classified as a sophomore. Now, to just get a degree you would find the easiest major (don’t ask), take the minimum number of classes, do the minimum amount of work, and don’t join any campus organizations or activities. The downside to this is that when you graduate, a graduate school or employer is going to expect that you know something and be very surprised when you don’t. So what I’m going to provide below are a few tips on how to get both an education and a degree. 1. Be prepared for culture shock. The university environment will be very different from anything you have experienced before. You’ll meet people from places you have never heard of and/or that you cannot pronounce. You’ll hear and see things you never imagined. You’ll have your ideas challenged and evaluated. Statistics show that it is not uncommon for freshman to drop a full letter grade from their high school GPA. Prepare yourself for new experiences and manage your freedom wisely! 2. Go to Class. I know, I know, you’ve heard this one a million times. Now I’m not going to lie to you and say that you will need to attend every class to do well. There are some that you could only occasionally attend and still do well. Remember, however, that you are also there to learn. The instructor might actually say something important not found in the text. Attending class is also a very good way of staying abreast of schedule changes and taking advantage of those "unannounced" quizzes. Additionally, some of the best friends I made in college were those people I met in class. We went through trials and tribulations and bonded together. Attendance is also a great way for the professor to get to know you and you don’t know when you might need him/her to right you a letter of reference. Bottom line; go to class because it’s your job. 3. Read and Review the Syllabus. The syllabus is a wonderful document. One of my syllabi is 10 pages long. It’s chock full of all sorts of useful information such as assignments, grading policies, and deadlines. Think of it as a contract, because that’s how I view it. The syllabus lays out your responsibilities, the professor’s expectations, and the general rules for the class. By staying in the class the professor is going to assume that you agree to the rules specified and hold you to them. If you don’t like or agree with something in the syllabus talk to the instructor or transfer to another semester. Never assume that a professor will not do something s/he has printed in the syllabus. Read and know it. 4. Large Classes. As freshman, I liked to tell all of you that you will be in small intimate classes where you sit around, hold hands, share your inner most thoughts and sing Kumbaya. Well, that won’t happen until you are a senior! Many of you will take some large classes. Don’t be afraid of them. Some of my classes have over 200 students. I think they are great. You can learn a lot in a large class but you will probably have to work harder at getting to know your classmates and your professor. 5. Stay Current With Class. Many students I talk to think that all the "A" students are geniuses. That’s not true. Sure they are bright but I’ve learned from talking to them that what sets them a part is there work habits. They read along with the professor, do all their assignments on time, and start studying for exams several days before the exam. Research has shown that the best thing you can do the night before the exam is to get a good night sleep. Cramming is a dangerous habit to get in to. I cannot tell you how many students I have had come to my office shortly after I have finished the exam begging for mercy because they missed the exam. They were up all night studying and fell asleep hours before the exam. Those zeros are real gpa killers. 6. Get Help Early. At the first sign of trouble (i.e. low quiz or exam score), go see the professor. Find out why you didn’t do so well and find ways to correct it. If you don’t, my experience shows me that that bad performance will fester until it infects your entire grade. You can substantially improve your grade after a bad exam score if you take quick action. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be for you to revive your grade. Don’t be shy or embarrassed, go see the professor. There is a reason they have office hours, you know! 7. Your Professors are Human. Well, most of them any way. Hey, we eat and drink regular stuff, live in house and shop at WallyWorld like everyone else. Be respectful but don’t be intimidated. See the professor for help, answers, or just to get to know them. Some professors ARE jerks, but hey, ask your friends and you’ll find out who those few are and you can avoid them. 8. Read the Student Paper. All informed adults read a newspaper. Your college paper will be written by folks like yourself and they’ll make lots of mistakes - but so will you. Read the paper to stay current of student events and which professor was arrested for indecent exposure. 9. Become Involved. Research shows that one of the best predictors of career success is the number of extra-curricular activities college students had in college. A wise professor once told me that the most important things I would learn in college would occur outside the classroom and he was right. Campus organizations teach you time management, organization, interpersonal, and leadership skills. You meet people and make contacts. You don’t have to belong to countless organizations, rather find a few in which you can have meaningful input. Try to become an officer or committee chair. You’ll learn lots and employers will be mighty impressed. Well, that’s just a few things to get you started. Now a few concluding comments. Some of you may doubt your ability to get a college education. If you have been accepted to a university, you can get a degree. Will you? Statistics would say only about 50-60% of you. Did those that dropped out lack ability? A few but most did not. I’ve got a secret for you (don’t tell a soul). I am a college drop out. Out of high school I attended a large state university for about 12 days and then headed back to the farm. Why did I quit? Well I was intimidated, scared, and lonely, but more than anything else, I thought I was the only one who felt that way. Don’t you make the same wrong assumption. Rather get out there talk to people and seek support. There are lots of terrified people out there like yourself and if you meet each other you can help each other. I went back to a different large state university after attending a junior college and the rest is history. One last thing, don’t worry about your major. I changed mine so many times I’ve lost count. Every semester I have graduating seniors who come into my office and tell me they hate their major. Most of them had their major picked out before they even got to college. They never thought about it until it was too late. Explore and look around. Think about what you like to do. Try courses you haven’t taken before. You have two years to pick something so shop around. In fact, if you want to have some fun, every time you talk to your folks, tell they you have changed majors. Hey, mom forget botany, I’m majoring in management! Oh, your parents will love you for it. So, relax, and enjoy! **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. What are some of the less than obvious advantages of attending class regularly? 2. What are the disadvantages of "pulling an all-niter" (staying up all night long studying)? 3. How can you reduce the liklihood that you will be a college dropout (both academic and non-academic strategies)? 4. When you go to your professor's office to ask for help, what do you say? ---------- Bonus Lesson #1 Recruiters Hi friends! Here’s a bonus lesson from me. This one is on Recruiters (Don’t forget, I spent seven years as one of them), what you should expect from them, and how they can help you. They are paid to work with you and help you, so you should take advantage of that, but don’t take advantage of them. If you do, they can work against you. ******************** A WORD ABOUT RECRUITERS Colleges generally assign territories to their recruiters, so if you are unsure who "your recruiter" is (you may have received letters from them, or they may have already visited your school), a simple call to the Admissions or High School Relations Office will find out. Simply tell the person who answers the phone what school you attend (and in what state if applicable), and ask who you should speak with to find out more information about their college (some schools do not assign territories, but that’s okay). Whoever you speak with, write down and remember their name. Often, individual departments or colleges within a university may have their own recruiter, or assign a Professor or Advisor to that task - the same applies. Now that you know who your contact is, try to establish some sort of a relationship with them, but don’t be fake and don’t monopolize their time. The reason for this is threefold: 1) so you will feel comfortable asking for their help if/when you need it, 2) so that they’ll know the "real you" in case they have opportunities for input in admission, scholarship, financial aid or enrichment activities decisions, and 3) you’ll have a "friend" on campus if you decide to attend their school. It also doesn’t hurt that they often have a 1-800 telephone number too! Use that person as a central contact - that’s what they're paid for! Don’t expect them to know everything or everyone at their school (although the good ones will seem to), but they should be able to get you in contact with virtually anyone, and get the answer to virtually any question. Commonly, recruiters are alumni of the college for which they work, or are working toward an advanced degree there, so they may have a unique perspective on their school and what they like about it. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1) Who is your contact at each school you are interested in? 2) Is there a recruiter specifically from your major at those schools? ---------- Bonus Lesson #2 For Parents Hi class! This is a bonus lesson. Since you are not the only person involved in this process of selecting and attending a college, I thought I’d include a little something for your parents (this is also applicable to other adult family members). Everyone knows about all of the new experiences that Freshmen in college experience, but little attention is focused on the student’s family. Parents also experience changes, and they need to know a little of what they should expect from you. So this lesson is intended for you to take home and give to your parents. Feel free to read it yourself if you’re wondering if there’s anything bad about students in it, but also consider discussing it with your parents when they’re done. Today’s lesson is written by two (actually three) people. First, you’ll hear from a parent’s perspective, from Dr. Dean and Mrs. Sue McCraw. The McCraws have lived in Stillwater for 12 years. Dean is a faculty member in The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University and Sue is a Realtor in Stillwater. They have three children in school at OSU. And then you’ll hear from the perspective of a college employee as written by Linda Peale. Linda Peale is Coordinator of Admissions Programs at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She has a Bachelors Degree in Education, and a Masters Degree in Counseling and Student Personnel, both from Oklahoma State University. She has had the opportunity to work with thousands of new students and parents as they enter this new chapter in their lives. It is her hope that a little advance information for parents can turn some of their anxieties and frustrations into excitement and anticipation. ******************** WHAT SHOULD PARENTS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT COLLEGE? byDean & Sue McCraw I asked that question of our daughter who is a freshman at Oklahoma State University and she answered without hesitation "where to send the check". Well, so much for that! Finances are important and the first semester will make public high school expenses seem trivial. Most high schools have college recruiting nights during the school year to help students narrow the choice. The ACT score is important for admission as well as scholarship qualification. The higher the score the better but a minimum ACT score coupled with a hard working student and realistic expectations is usually a successful combination. We encouraged our kids to attend an in state school then to any school they wanted to do graduate work. Oklahoma State turned out to be the best option for all of us. Lack of a commitment to a major at the beginning of their college experience is not at all unusual. The only one of our three who had an early commitment was our oldest who is now a 3rd year veterinary student. The other son favored some kind of engineering but was essentially undecided the first two years. Our daughter, hopefully, will decide what she wants to do before whatever she selects becomes obsolete. If the student has a good idea which college contains the major he/she wants then advisors can steer them to courses which will count toward the major when it is finally declared. Every university has financial aids and scholarship representatives. Those are usually good people to know. Financial assistance is often available but takes some effort to find. There are some helpful sites on the Internet which list scholarships associated with various majors. Your financial aids department can help you with that. For a student who is particulary strong in a given area the CLEP test might be a good investment. The $40.00 or so that the test costs could save some tuition money. How much of an academic load to carry the first semester is a big decision to make. Many students do not do as well academically the first semester of college as they did in high school so do not let them get overloaded. At the same time, be aware that fees over and above tuition are the same for all full time students whether they are taking the maximum or minimum number of hours. The student should take enough hours to make it worth while without over burdening. Again, the academic counselor is a good resource in this regard. Well, so much for this mundane academic stuff . Lets talk about parties! As a parent you must know every letter of the Greek alphabet and how to arrange them into combinations which mean absolutely nothing. Greek vs independent is a big choice. Both have their pluses and minuses and are very individual decisions. If the Greek route is chosen then dads must resign themselves to wear hats with those strange letter combinations at all major weekend events. Seriously, the university experience should be a whole experience and social as well as academic activities are both important. Finding the balance is up to the student. This paper has dealt much with cost of the university experience and it is an important factor. But it is especially rewarding to see your children at the student union or randomly on campus going about the business of growing up. Or to hear a son and daughter who only a few years ago would have fought each other at the drop of a hat agree to meet at the PE center to work out. Or to hear the oldest son tell the younger son to watch out for their sister as she goes to her first party. These kinds of things make it clear that whatever the cost it is probably a small price to pay. ******************** DEAR MOM AND DAD By Linda Peale You know, the more I think about this college thing, the more I am starting to realize we are probably all in this together. It seems like you always have the right answers (even if I don't act like I think you do), but anytime the issue of college comes up you usually seem as puzzled and as confused as I am. I was cruising the Web last night (after I finished my homework, of course) and found some information I thought might help. This nice lady from Oklahoma State University put together a Top Ten Survival List for parents of new college freshman. Cool, huh? I printed it off and thought we might want to tape it on the fridge. 1. Be prepared for anything and I mean ANYTHING! If you were puzzled by them in high school, you certainly will be confused by them when they are in college. They may call home to tell you they have taken up sky diving or show up at Thanksgiving with purple hair. Gear up to expect the unexpected and you won't be disappointed. 2. Know the rules. Get a catalog and use it like a bible. New freshman can get themselves in a lot of trouble by not knowing rules, regulations, deadlines, etc. Schools try to educate new students through various orientation programs, but will ultimately hold students responsible for information published in their catalog. Read up on things like tuition due dates, class drop deadlines, grade point average requirements, etc. and be ahead of the game. 3. Remember that it's okay not to know what you want to be when you grow up. Most parents are still trying to figure that one out, so don't panic if your college freshman is undecided. They will be exposed to a lot of new people, ideas and information that could help shape their career choices. Students usually make a better decision if they take some time and do some investigating, and most schools offer a course in career exploration. Check it out. 4. Write them (but don't expect too much in return). There is nothing worse for new students than an empty mailbox. Getting news from home, however mundane it may seem, can really help maintain those family ties. Fill them in on Aunt Betty's gallbladder operation or how many kittens Sugar the cat just had. Keep those cards and letters flowing and send E-mail if you can (most schools are on-line). 5. Trust them. You've done your job, now see how it turns out. It's really a little late to start teaching them right from wrong. Take a deep breath and trust that they have been listening all along. Try and give them room to make some decisions (and some mistakes) on their own. Be in tune to when they could use your advice and don't be too shocked when they actually call and ask for it. 6. Be involved and visit (but not too often). Try and take advantage of as many university sponsored activities as your students invites you to, but try and not drop in unannounced. Prior contact is a courtesy, and shows that you respect their new-found independence and maturity. 7. $ Budget $ This is a tough one! It's hard for students to know how much money they will need per month for expenses, since most aren't accustomed to buying toothpaste with their allowance. It is very important to try and come up with a set budget after a few months have passed. From what I have heard, students tend to spend as much as they are given. Imagine that! 8. Grades--Don't be surprised if they are lower than normal. Leaving home and moving away to college brings a lot of changes and adjustments, some of which are more manageable than others for many students. It usually takes a semester to sort things out and learn the ropes. First semester grades are often a reflection of just how difficult an adjustment it can be. So when your student promises the next semester will be better, they are usually right. 9. Know the services available on campus. Students tend to call home for help when it usually is right under their nose. They may have a high fever and sore throat and beg you to send an ambulance to bring them home because they don't know what to do. In reality, they may be able to throw a rock from their window and hit the roof of the health center. Most universities are like small communities and have services ready and waiting for most needs a student can present. It is always a good idea to have a contact person on campus, like your student's academic counselor or housing director to call for advice or reference. 10. Be there for them no matter what. Starting college is a lot like their first day of kindergarten. This is a time for them to really test their wings and they need to know you are going to be there if they fall. Do everything you can to make them feel secure and loved. It will go a long way in contributing to their success as they try and adjust to their new home away from home. They won't forget it. ******************** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM LANCE Someone I know once told me about this idea, and I wanted to share it with you. The idea is this: Just before your son or daughter leaves for college, give them a stack of already addressed and stamped postcards (the address will be home, of course). You can buy pre-stamped, plain white ones at the Post Office, or get creative and buy neat ones. The point is they are ready to go, and all your son/daughter has to do is write a couple of sentences and stick it in the mail. It makes it easier for them, saves time, and increases the chances that you’ll hear from them sometime before Christmas. **************************************** QUESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. How do you make sure that your student considers the items they are unlikely to think about, in the college selection process - without lecturing? 2. What parts of the application process should you be involved in? what parts should you leave up to them? 3. Honestly, how much of the decision as to a college is up to your student? And for what reasons might you need to assist with the decision? 4. What are your thoughts as to where your student should live during their Freshman year (assuming they have options)? 5. What sort of financial arrangements have you made with your student (Who pays for what? Budgets? Emergencies? Credit Cards?)? Are those arrangements flexible? ---------- Bonus Lesson #3 Random thoughts These are just random suggestions from me that you will probably find useful Take an umbrella, a big one. While it’s not cool in high school to carry one, it’s not cool in college to get drenched in the rainstorm and drip on the cute guy/girl next to you in class. Golf umbrellas are the best, or you can get the ones that reduce down to the size of a pencil. Some even have college logos on them and are pretty cool. Send a letter home. If you want to make big points with your folks, especially mom, send a letter home. I can assure you it will be kept forever. You don’t have to say anything important, just let them know what you’ve been doing, how your classes are, and of course, how much you miss them. The following suggestions are from Piyush Patel, a senior Education major at Oklahoma State University. He is currently President of Education Student Council, and a Resident Assistant on one of the residence hall floors. His floor has twice won Floor of the Year, and he has won the Resident Assistant of the Year Award. Get to know your professors as soon as possible. Try not to ever miss class. Bring shower shoes to college (the reason should be self-explanatory). Learn to be the first to say "Hello", and introduce yourself to your classmates. Sit at the front of the class. Try to find upperclassmen who have taken the same courses as you are in, and get study tips or help with homework. Do the homework! So many people don't do it or blow it off until the night before, and never finish the assignments. Try to spend as much time as possible on campus. This will become your home for the next eight months, and for the next four years. If you go home to visit your significant other, try to have him/her visit you at school so you can start forming ties with your new home. Buy a shirt or something with school colors on it. Get involved on campus, and in organizations dealing with your major. ---------- Educational Links Page ______________________________________________________________________ OSU - FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES PAGE Not just OSU stuff! A C T ACT testing website (Under construction last time I looked), but should be a good one. CAMPUSTOURS View campus tours of schools throughout the U.S. COLLEGE AND CAREER PROGRAMS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS Self Explanatory COLLEGEVIEW Includes multimedia tours. A cool site! COLLEGEBOARD ONLINE You know, the SAT people. Official information. COLLEGE EDGE Loads slow, but very useful. COLLEGESCAPE Easy to use! EDU2 You won't believe how much stuff is linked here! EDUCATION INDEX Just what it says, an index. Lots of stuff. EDUCATION WORLD Great Resource - tons of stuff! FASTWEB SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH A great, FREE scholarship search site INDESPENSIBLE WRITING RESOURCES Self Explanatory ONLINE EDUCATOR Makes the Internet an accessible, useful classroom tool. PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR COLLEGE A resource book for parents from the U.S. Department of Education QUINTESSENTIAL CAREER AND JOB-HUNTING RESOURCES GUIDE Self Explanatory. Check out the TEENS page! RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS General educational resources - especially those related to NASA (you know, the space people!) SCHOOLNET CANADA North of the border resources STUDENT AFFAIRS LINKS From Southern Illinois University THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO INTERNET CAREER RESOURCES From Oakland University YOUR TRANSFER - MADE PAINLESS For students transferring from one school to another OKLAHOMA STUFF COLLEGENET Links to Oklahoma colleges OKLAHOMA TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATORS LINKS Links useful to teachers and others who deal with technology OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Self explanatory SCHOOLNET Links to Oklahoma Schools - provides resources and programming ______________________________________________________________________ To submit other educational sites for linking, send e-mail to Lance A. Millis. ---------- End of Document