Scholar Works Enterprises of Georgia

Atlanta City Council President Ceasar C. Mitchell, presents the ninth semi-annual college prep series.  These sessions are to help area students properly prepare for the SAT and other college admission exams and are open to middle and high school students, in the Atlanta area. “The college entrance exam is a determining factor as to whether a student will be accepted into the school of choice,” said President Mitchell. The prep sessions will be held at the following locations:

SAT/PSAT Testing: Frederick Douglass High School, October 2nd 8 – 12pm (Registration Code: SAT SKAT0080; PSAT PKAT 00800)ACT TESTING: Henry W. Grady High School, October 16th 8 – 12pm (Registration Code: ACT AKAT0080) 

 College Express Fair: City Hall South (Atrium) 55 Trinity Avenue – Atlanta, GA 30303 on Saturday, October 23rd from 9:00am – 12:00pm. Students will be able to meet with college representative and receive their testing scores (Registration Code; SAT SKAT0082; PSAT PKAT0082

To register for the prep sessions call 1-800-KAPTEST (1-800-527-8378) or visit www.kaptest.com and give the code numbers.

So you have graduated from high school and you are on top of the world, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? I am grown, I make my own decisions now, or I am finally free from my parents.  It may be one of those, all three, or maybe you can add on to the list. Whatever the case maybe you are getting ready to transition into a new lifestyle, one step closer to the real world.  College life is totally different from high school and if you are not prepared your first year, maybe even your first semester, can make or break you.  You have a new found freedom, where you are responsible, accountable, and dependable on yourself.  There is no one checking on you to make sure you are up to date on your assignments, making curfew, attending classes etc, unless you have establish something with your roommate.  So to make sure you have a successful first year and you enjoy everything that college life has to offer, here are a few tips of survival:

•  Be aware of companies targeting you to open up a credit card with them.  Discuss this with your parents because you do not want to make any hasty decisions.  A hasty decision now can lead to bad credit.
• Attend your freshman orientation.  It doesn’t matter if you already know information about the college, there still maybe something new that your guide can enlighten you on.
• Get to know your advisers.  Make sure you take full advantage of them on what classes to take for your area of study and also internships that maybe of interest to you.
• Get to know your roommate.  Your roommate maybe different or just like you, it is best to try to get along with him/her.  They can become your best friend or worst nightmare.  Be respectful of there space and remember you are living with someone else.
• Stay organized.  Being organize will help things run smoother with your classes and roommate. 
• Get to know your professors.  Class sizes are much bigger than in high school, so they may never know you by your first name. So meet with them during office hours.
•  Strive to do your best.  Don’t settle for barely passing. Do your best in whatever endeavors you set your sites on whether it is the classes you take, clubs/activities you join.  Give your best and expect only the best.
• Find balance.  In your new found freedom, don’t get caught up in socializing all the time and neglect your studiesand vice versa.  To be a healthier you, you have to balance in all situations.
• Prioritize and develop a good study habit. What may have worked in high school, will not work in college.  Procrastination is very easy to pick up, but waiting to the last minute to study or to prepare a project can be detrimental, especially if you are working in a group.  If your work is shabby, the grade not only affects you, but everyone in the group.  Start a to do list and stick to it.

Most of all enjoy your college years.  These are the years that will develop your future, you will gain lasting friendships and may even meet your future husband/wife.  Take your time and don’t make hasty decisions.

When surveying college graduates some mentioned they wished they would’ve went directly to graduate school after finishing their bachelors. Today I want to look at the best way to navigate through making the decision of go directly to grad school or work a few years before taking the leap. 

A few points I want to point out that are beneficial for both situations.

The Pro’s of attending graduate school after undergrad studies are:

• Being accustomed to being a student.
• Having the habit of studying on a regular basis
• Fewer obligations

The Advantages of working before attending grad school are:

• Being able to better pinpoint your career goals by working in a chosen profession for a few years.
• Some program require work experience
• You may bring a larger scope of the world view to your studies
• A more mature  view of school and work
• You may land a job that will pay for part or all of grad school expenses
• If you were not the best student in undergrad, you can improve chances for acceptance to graduate programs

I hope this has been helpful to you if you are already looking into graduate studies while you are in high school or if you are in your post secondary studies.

http://www.gradschooltips.com/

http://gradschool.about.com/

IL

In the previous blog post knowing your learning style was discussed as a tool for successful studying during undergrad. At the end of that post, focusing on activities that will enhance your college experience was mentioned.  Having very good academic record is great however, getting involved in student organizations can be an added incentive during undergrad.

 Many social, civic, professional, or special interest organizations are conveniently located on campus. Being involved in university organization is like upgrading yourself.  If you are an accounting major and decide to participate in the accounting club, it may help develop stronger leadership capabilities. 

Some universities use professional organizations as a soft liaison between business people in the “real world” and the university. This type of exposure is and extra bonus outside of the classroom.  Toastmasters, a club with the purpose of improving public speaking and communication skills is an organization that many future professional can use due to the fact that at some point and time in your career you will have to give presentations or speeches. Many civic organizations volunteer throughout the community that a college or university may be in. Circle K is chartered on many college campuses giving a wide range of volunteer opportunities. Greek organization can have a lasting social effect beyond campus and after graduation. Finding a local chapter of a sorority or fraternity while you are enrolled in school or after finishing studies for your degree can provide social connections.  As a final example, special interest groups such as one associated with a political party or a social cause can be beneficial to connecting with peers who have the same personal interest towards a cause you have.

Here are some links to clubs you might want to familiarize yourself with before you step on a college campus:

www.toastmasters.org/

 http://slp.kiwanis.org/CircleK/home.aspx

 http://www.deca.org/membership/college/

 https://www.dspnet.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=22

I.L.

“A winning effort begins with preparation” – Joe Gibbs

The chances of success for many endevors begin with having useful knowledge of what one is trying to accomplish.  The more prepaired you are to obtain a bachelors degree, the smoother the road.  I asked a few friends what they wish they would’ve know before they entered undergrad. Over the next few post, I’ll go over these tips that should be pretty helpful to middle and highschool students wishing to attend college. The first topic discussed is effective studying.

When I asked my friends about what they wished they knew going in to college, knowing how to study more effectively was mentioned the most.  Knowing how you understand something is an important tool while studying in undergrad.  There are tons of free test online, some are at the end of this post, to help you have a clearer understanding of your leaning style.  After you know your learning techiques your focus should be clear on subjects you are studying.  The sooner you start to study a subject the better your performance will be in that class. If calculus comes easy to you and philosophy doesn’t, you know will know that you need to give more study time to one over the other. The earlier in the semester you find this out the better chances you have at doing well in your classes.  When this is accomplished, your level of confidence may result in being able to focus on activities that will enhance your college experience.

Links to help you identify you learning style:

1. http://www.edutopia.org/mi-quiz

2. http://www.educationplanner.org/education_planner/calc_frames.asp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaessuccess%2Eorg%2Fgetting%2Flearning%5Fquiz%2Fquiz%2Ehtml&pagetype=Preparing-Learning+Styles+Quiz&sponsor=2859

3.  http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=younger

4.  http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/836-learning-styles-quiz

 5.  http://homeworktips.about.com/library/quizzes/bl_lstylequiz1.htm

I. Lindsay