Contributed by Douglas Lee, Case Western Reserve (Class of 2016)
Finding a job is easier than you may think. Across the campus, there are many departments, labs, and other outlets looking for students for work. Try to find a job that suits you and one you can work up to 10-12 hours a week. It is awfully grueling to work 20+ hours a week while also handling a full course load. Also, remember to be a good employee. Work hard in your position, and especially in internships/research jobs. These first experiences may lead to full time jobs after graduation. Later on, it’s often who you know, not what you know.
Now, with all your hard earned money from your campus job, what are you going to do with it? You should open a banking account with a debit card to store all that money so you don’t have those Benjamins just lying around! Having a debit card may help curb your temptations and impulses because you can only spend what’s in your account. Try opening a bank that is local to your college town. You may have already opened a bank account back home, but if there aren’t many branches or ATMs around your campus, that account won’t do you much good.
Great, with a well-paying campus job and a bank account to store those $9.50/hour wages, the next step is to set up a monthly budget for yourself. Set up a monthly and weekly budget and keep track of your spending. It is very easy to lose track of your spending, with weekend outings with friends, local concerts, and great restaurants tempting you to empty your wallet. You don’t necessarily have to spend money to have fun in college. Be on the lookout for campus activities / economical outings that your school provides.
Remember to keep track of deadlines and paperwork to hand in. Your financial aid may decrease substantially if you miss those important due dates. You don’t want to lose your chance at those tens of thousands of dollars that you have already been awarded just because you forgot about a deadline. Also, you may not get to register for classes in time, which only leads to disaster. You never want to be in a rush for these financial aid matters because mistakes can be made in these situations, so make sure to be prepared.
This last tip may seem the most intimidating for students who have never applied for scholarships before. There are thousands of scholarships out there and they can range from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Don’t disregard the scholarships with smaller awards, as those will be easier to attain since they have a smaller applicant pool. Hey, getting $500 for writing an essay about a random topic, or spending a little time to fill out an application and including a resume to earn a thousand big ones sounds *For any Financial Aid Assistance, contact FAConsultant_Elisa@gmail.com.
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Here are some things incoming college freshmen should know about college.
You Have Control Over Your Courses You do not have to confine yourself to the standard program. As you select your courses, be sure that each one is on the right level for you. Once you have picked your program, you should attend each of the classes and decide whether the professor is someone from whom you can really learn. By using the drop/add process, you may be able to get a much better teacher. Every class counts, so devote yourself to them. You Are Expected to Do a Lot of the Work on Your Own You need to be your own boss. Figure out when things need to be done and do them, week by week. No one will contact you when you have missed the test or have not handed in the paper. You will also need to get yourself to study — even when there is no graded work that week. You Don’t Have to Pick a Major in Your First Year Many colleges now encourage students to declare a major at orientation. This actually forces students to get started on some directed course of study, and it helps colleges manage course offerings. In some cases it may be a good idea to declare your major right away, especially if yours is a four-year program like pre-med, or music, however, it is better to wait until you’ve taken a few courses — especially upper-division or advanced courses in a given field — before you commit to a major. And keep in mind that even if you do declare a major at the outset, it is very easy to change your major if you find you don’t like the courses or you aren’t doing well in them. It is much better to get out of something you don’t like than to go through 10 or 12 required courses. International students can prepare for the TOEFL in 3 ways.
Students should make an effort to speak English every day and prepare for the TOEFL well in advance of your test date. 1. Don't try to cram. It's not easy memorizing a language in one night. The TOEFL test involves all aspects of the language - speaking, reading, writing and listening - definitely too much to cover in a few hours. 2. Turn study into something more pleasant. Crouching over a stack of books is no fun. Learn by speaking English every day. Write a story in English or a daily journal. Meet new English-speaking friends and speak to them in English. When it comes to reading, the Internet is your best friend. Browse websites you usually do not spend time on and read about things you normally would not pay attention to. Time magazines or New York Times are excellent starting points. To practice listening, watch movies and TV shows without subtitles, or download and listen to podcasts. Ask your English teacher to correct your essay – he or she will most likely be more than happy to help. 3. Get familiar with the exam: Uncertainty about the format of the test could make you anxious on test day. There are lots of online practice tests that will give you a taste of what to expect on the test day, at no cost. The Internet-based test (iBT) begins with a reading section that lasts about 60-80 minutes, and then jumps straight into a listening section that lasts 60-90 minutes. After that, you get a 10-minute breather and have a chance to go to the bathroom or grab a snack. Next comes the speaking section, which takes 20 minutes, followed by 50 minutes set aside for writing. At that point you'll probably feel rather exhausted, but try to keep it together. It will be worth it. 4. Get some rest: Finally, make sure to stay in and get some rest the night before. It's a long exam and the more stressed you are, the more it will drain you. So, for the International students, come prepared, stay calm during the exam and get to go home feeling content about your effort. If you do that, you could be one big step further on your path toward studying in the U.S. Lee Academia's expert consultant, Stephenie, is certified in TESOL/TEFL. She has worked with many International students on English skills and on their TOEFL test prep. For assistance, contact her at Stephenie@Leeacademia.com. *TOEFL is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS). |
Stephenie Lee
Stephenie, having been a tutor/instructor/mentor since 1996, discovered her passion and founded Lee Academia Educational Consulting, LLC. after she left the dental and medical field. She loves teaching/mentoring and counseling her students. Her passion lies in educating others and helping them pursue their educational path. Today, certified in College Counseling and with more than 10 years of experience, Stephenie and her team continues to blog about current updated educational news and events. Archives
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