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July 26, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR DENISE HARBERT
IN IL
I agree completely with the other mentors about the importance
of making sure
you do things to relax and have fun without neglecting your
studies! Your
primary goals in college should be to learn and choose your
career path, but
you can't do that unless you take time to unwind and relax
periodically! I
also have some specific tips that the other mentors haven't
covered already.
This is a lot of information, but it's advice for all 4 years:
1. Make sure you are a "full time" student because
you need that to continue
being on your parents' health insurance, getting full financial
aid, and all
of the other perks you get from being full time.
2. Try to take the minimum # of classes and # of credits your
first semester
and pick at least one that is "easy" (note: Psychology
and Sociology sound
easy but are usually really hard). It is ideal to have 3 courses
that are 4
credits each for a total of 12 credits. (Assuming 12 is the
minimum to be a
full time student. Different colleges are different.) You
will need a LOT of
time your first semester to find your routine. You need to
meet people, learn
the campus layout, figure out when and how to do laundry,
learn where to get
class books and library references, etc. This is a HUGE amount
of work and
most new Freshman underestimate the time it takes to get acclimated.
A lot of
Freshman take too many classes because they don't understand
how different the
classes will be from what they're used to. In college, you
take about half
the number of classes you did in high school, you spend a
lot less time in
class, and you learn a lot more about each subject in a shorter
period of
time.
3. Classes worth 1 or 2 credits are often just as much work
as classes worth 3
or 4 credits. Avoid those small credit classes if you can
because they are
usually not worth it! (One exception is learning Latin syntax
in 1-2 credits
if you're going into something medical. The extra work in
Latin will save
time when you're trying to memorize medical terms in other
classes.)
4. Get to campus as early as they allow you to move into the
dorms. It will
give you time to learn your way around before you have the
pressure of
homework. BEFORE the first day of class, find the buildings
AND room numbers
of ALL the classes you're taking. Most campuses have at least
one building
whose room numbers are not consecutive or don't match the
floor number they're
on. Be aware of what classes precede and follow what classes.
You may not be
able to get from one end of campus to the other in the time
you have between
classes, so you might have to change your schedule (or try
roller blades,
skate boards, bicycles). Change your schedule immediately
if you have this
problem and don't convince yourself you can try it out for
a week to see how
it goes. After a week, you've missed too much information
to add a new
class to replace the one you have to drop because you can't
get to it.
5. Try not to "go home" every weekend. Most new
Freshman drive or fly back to
their parents' house on the weekends as a security blanket.
Doing so helps a
lot in the short term, but can be very damaging in the long
term. The travel
takes a huge amount of time and energy, which is time and
energy that would be
better spent adjusting to being independent and starting life
on your own. If
you need help from home, use the phone and email!
6. Right now or as soon as you get to campus, find the degree
requirements for
a BA or BS and look at them so you know what they are! As
soon as you figure
out what you MIGHT major in, get the major requirements from
the department
office and compare them to the Fall and Spring course catalogs.
Figure out
what courses are offered in what semesters, what prerequisites
are required,
and what order you need to take the classes in so you can
squeeze in all the
requirements in the order they need to be squeezed in. Ask
friends and
professors for their opinions about the classes and class
orders. I
accomplished 3 majors in 4 years because I planned my courses
a year in
advance. If you can't take the classes in the recommended
order, then talk
to the professor to see if you are qualified to get in without
the official
prerequisites. I skipped what should have been my first semester
Junior year
French class and back tracked to take it my last semester
of Senior year when
it finally fit into my schedule.
7. You may have to decide whether to get a BA or a BS (Bachelor
of Arts or
Bachelor of Science degree). Often, the requirements for the
two degrees
differ by 15-25 credits in the amount of foreign language
and humanities they
require as compared to the amount of math and science they
require. When 120
total credits is the typical graduation requirement, many
students qualify for
both degrees and don't know how to choose. Your choice should
depend on
what you want to do with your life. Do you always want to
be super-SET? Then
go with the BS. Do you always want to be super non-SET? Then
go with the BA.
Do you want to be well-rounded and leave your career options
open (perhaps
doing SET in a business environment or doing business in a
SET environment)?
Then go with whatever seems opposite from what is stereotypically
your major.
My primary majors were Math and Statistics, so I went with
a BA and also
majored in French. An unusual combination! To prospective
employers, this
made me look hyper-technical with the ability to communicate
and interact with
others. If you're majoring in Journalism or English, then
well-rounded
means having a BS to prove you can do SET too.
8. Photocopy and keep all of your books/supplies receipts,
tuition bills,
scholarship letters/checkstubs, student loan paperwork, etc.
in ONE place
(maybe in different folders if you're organized). Tax laws
change every
year and you or your parents may be able to deduct some expenses
and not
others. Go to a professional tax person and do not do your
own taxes. The
$50-$100 paid to a tax firm like H&R Block could save
you hundreds or
thousands of dollars. At the minimum, the fee gives you a
lawyer to represent
you if the IRS audits you, so it's a good use of money. I
may be a math
person, but I'm not a tax attorney so I've never done my own
taxes.
9. Make an effort to meet all your professors and go to their
office hours
even if you don't have problems in the class. Keep in touch
with former
professors, especially the good ones. You will need their
references when you
graduate, and a reference that says "she was in my class
and got an A" is
basically worthless. That's on your transcript. You need a
reference that
says something personal about you that cannot be obtained
from a transcript.
10. Prepare a semester calendar before school starts and write
major course
milestones on it the first day of class. I used to get large
white
posterboard sheets (about 3 foot by 5 foot) and draw my own
calendar. I'd use
2 sheets to put one full 16 week semester on my wall at a
time so I could see
problem areas well in advance. Then I would make an identical
but smaller
version of the calendar on one 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper that
I put in white
plastic and carried with me every day. I'd write on my calendars
when I had
midterm and final exams, term papers due, projects to finish,
unusual events
like field trips (rare, but they happen), and even doctor's
appointments and
other personal things. If I had conflicts or dense areas,
I would try to
renegotiate some dates with my professors (doing this the
first week of class
occasionally works because the professor is impressed with
your ability to see
ahead) or start studying well in advance of the problem time.
11. On the first day of each class you take, talk to another
student (female,
if possible, for safety reasons) who seems studious and, if
you like her, ask
her if she will exchange phone numbers with you. You can call
each other for
updates if you're sick or need to share homework/study ideas.
12. Go to class every day if you can. (Unless you're sick
enough to be
bed-ridden or hospitalized.) If you go to class when mildly
sick, then sit
away from other students, cover your mouth when coughing,
and sneeze into
tissues so you won't infect anyone. If you are not in class,
then you have
no chance of absorbing anything. Too many students start skipping
class and
simply can not catch up. If you do miss class, get the notes
from the student
you met on the first day (#11), preferably before the next
class. If an
illness becomes extended, then inform the professor so you
can work something
out. There are such things as Incomplete grades that allow
you to make up
work in a longer time period.
13. Never procrastinate and always start projects early. The
more you do up
front, the better you will do, the more you will sleep, and
the easier it will
be to relax when you're not studying. If you don't understand
something in
class, pounce on it immediately. Re-read notes, pour over
the book, ask
another student in the class, find a tutor or tutoring service,
go to the
professor, etc. The moment you start putting it off is the
moment you are
committing to drowning. College moves fast so you won't be
able to catch up
once you get behind. If you have another class during a teacher's
office
hours, then make an appointment at a different time. Don't
use that as an
excuse to skip your other class!
14. Avoid putting yourself into situations where other students
will be doing
drugs or drinking a lot of alcohol. Avoid fraternities and
sororities that
are particularly well known for this behavior. There are Greek
organizations
you can join that are healthier and safer. It is possible
to die from drug
overdoses on the first try. It is possible to die from consuming
too much
alcohol, even if it's the first time you've ever had a drink.
Also, never let
someone you don't know well AND trust buy you any kind of
food or drink. Keep
your eyes on the drink you bought yourself at all times. Women
on college
campuses can sometimes be drugged without their knowledge,
so make sure you
protect yourself!
15. Admit that you will face a huge amount of RED TAPE and
REFUSE to allow it
to stop you. Institutions of higher education (especially
large and old
universities) have a lot of procedures and regulations that
are, well, stupid.
For example, I once registered for took a 4 credit class that
was
cross-referenced in two departments (it was simultaneously
a Math class and a
Statistics class). I registered for it when I was looking
at the Math section
of the course catalog. However, the Statistics registration
code was
different, the class was required for my Statistics major,
and I could not
take the class twice for credit. I had to change my registration
number,
which meant dropping the Math number and adding the Statistics
number. I had
surpassed the date to add courses, so I had to get special
permission from my
Dean to add it. After running the appropriate paperwork all
over campus, I
finally was able to make the change. Unfortunately, two weeks
later, I got an
$800 bill in the mail. I had been registered for 15 credits
that semester,
but added a 4 credit Statistics class after the add date.
Even though I had
dropped the 4 credit Math class, they counted a total of 19
credits and
anything over 18 had an extra fee associated with it. I tried
to explain to
the tuition people that it was one 4 credit class, not two!
Same time, room,
building, professor, students, etc. The student on my right
was taking Math
and the student on my left was taking Statistics, all depending
on what
section of the course catalog they were looking at when they
registered. No
matter how hard I tried to explain it, no one understood!
I finally asked
whether the fee would be waved if someone with high power,
like my Dean, wrote
a letter requesting it. The person I was talking to said yes,
so I got her
name. (ALWAYS write down the names, dates, and times of the
people you talk
to as well as what they tell you! That way, you are covered
when someone
later inevitably says, "That is not true. Who told you
that?") I went to my
Dean, who laughed at the stupidity of the problem, wrote a
letter that waived
my $800 tuition bill, and recommended that the university
change its policies
about this issue! I got my tuition bill waived, the Statistics
department now
accepts major credit for students registered in the Math class,
AND the
tuition people have allegedly fixed their cross-referenced
course billing
policy! I had dozens of stupid situations like this in my
college experience!
There is ALWAYS a way around it, but most students give up
trying.
Persistence is the key! If you continue asking questions,
going to different
people, and complaining higher and higher up the chain of
command, then
eventually you will find someone who agrees with you and fixes
the problem!
16. Make sure you know who your Dean is and make sure your
Dean knows you.
(See #1 for why this is important!) Go to his/her office hours
just to
introduce yourself and talk about your interests or his/hers!
Most Deans love
to talk to students, but they do not have time to do it unless
the students
go to them!
17. College's schedule is like high school's. During your
Junior year,
you need to decide what you are going to do when you graduate.
By the end of
Junior year, you should know if you want to work or go to
graduate school for
a higher degree. If you want to work, go to job fairs, start
a resume, and
get resume/interview advice from the college career placement
center. In many
cases, you could/should have a job lined up by spring break
of your Senior
year. If you want to continue for another degree, look at
graduate schools
your Junior year and study for/take your standardized tests
at the end of your
Junior year. You will need the GRE exam for most letters and
science
programs, MCAT for medical school, GMAT for business school
(usually not a
good idea unless you've worked full time for a few years before
applying to
business school), LSAT for law school, etc. Apply to schools
in your first
semester of Senior year. By January of your Senior year, you
should already
be done with your graduate school search.
My life certainly would have been easier if I had known all
of this when I
started, so I hope it helps you! Good luck!
********************
July 21, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR BRENDA WOLFE
IN CO
Janis - I wish someone had told me that certain types of degrees
go with different parts of the country. Where do want to live?
Near family? or in a certain part of the world? For example,
I have a chemical eng degree, but there isn't much demand
for Chem E's in Colorado. The best jobs for us are on the
East coast and I don't want to move out there away from my
family. Another example, is that Petroleum Eng only get to
live in dreadful places where dinosaurs died! So do your homework
and think about where you want to live and the types of industry
they have there. What engineers are in demand?
********************
A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON
IN IL
Hi, Janis,
I wish I had chosen a better school and gone to it for 4 years.
I attended a
junior college for my first two years, taking all the easy
courses. It was
cheaper for my parents. Had I known that I could apply for
alot of different
scholarships that sometimes are not even claimed, I should
have (not sure if I
WOULD have, because I was somewhat lazy and just wanted to
have fun as a teen).
I changed my major to computer science after my sophomore
year in college. WHen
I did this, I should have looked around at schools again and
chosen one that was
better for that major. I should have done this even at the
risk of not
attending in the fall because it is much more important to
have a good school
and good facilities for your major.
I just wanted to have fun in college, and that is another
regret. I wish I had
been better focused. Believe me - I got stressed out and worried
and studied my
brains out (because I had to given I had taken all the easy
classes in my first
two years and all that was left in the second two years were
VERY hard
classes!!). I didn't have confidence in myself to do the job.
I got through it
and passed. But, I could have done better had I believed in
myself. I wish I
had had more fun! I worried and studied so much that when
I was out trying to
have fun, I was worrying about it and feeling guilty. I regret
not joining that
marching band because I was worried it would be too much.
Make a decision to study hard and spend most of your time
studying. But, when
you take those breaks - take a good one - have fun!! Enjoy
college. Enjoy the
classes. Enjoy the frienships, the growing up, the events.
Take part in
college events. Go to football games even if you're not a
sports fan!
What I DO NOT regret is studying hard. I just wish I had enjoy
ed life more
when I wasn't studying. I do not regret the friendships and
the football
games. I don't regret changing majors even tho it was going
to be tough. Do it
before it's too late and too late is when you've graduated!!
I wish I had known HOW TO look for a college. If you don't
know, look online by
doing a search through google with the words "How to
find a college" and you'll
get some great web sites. I wish I had asked my parents for
advice on where to
go instead of thinking I knew all the answers and going it
alone. I wish
someone had given me advice.
I still remember a piece of advice a friend gave me AFTER
I graduated "Do not
take the first job, just because you are afraid you won't
get another one. Make
sure it's what you want". I didn't take his advice, because
it took me 5 months
to find a job! BUT, I always think of the advice and I remembered
it this last
time I was looking for a job. So, listen to advice. And you
can decide whether
you follow it or not.
Thanks for the GREAT question!
********************
July 19, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR JO ELLEN HINCK
IN MO
Janis-
Just reading this question made me smile. For me, college
was an amazing
experience. My first piece of advice is that don't worry about
feeling
overwhelmed during your first semester - everybody does! It
may take you a
few weeks to get settled into a new living environment, not
recognizing
every face in a hall, and tackling potentially new and difficult
subjects.
But you will settle into a routine and things will become
easier - just
give it a little time. Make sure to take the opportunity to
meet people
(orientation groups, etc) that are experiencing the same things
as you.
However, you are there for your studies so make sure you allow
enough time
for your coursework. (Study groups are a good way to achieve
both of these
things). Also, don't be afraid to talk with your professors
if you have
specific questions - that is why they have office hours! This
will help
you keep up with the lectures/labs - falling behind in a course
is a bad
road to take. Interaction with people in your program is great
as far as
networking.
I would also suggest attending guest lectures and seminars
as well as
undertaking some independent projects with an advisor (if
applicable to
your program). Take these opportunities to learn from others
as well as
working independently, which is a characteristic many graduate
schools and
employers look for in a person. Remember that all your hard
work is worth
it! Don't sit and wait for great opportunities to fall into
your lap - be
confident and explore your potential!
********************
A: FROM MENTOR LESLIE WAITE
IN CA
Hi Janis;
I have no regrets about my college experience, so I will tell
you what I did.
I went to a large State School (the University of Illinois
at
Urbana-Champaign- Go Illini!), so some of my advice may not
make
sense for those going to other types of schools. Much of it
should be
universal however.
Things I did that made my University experience awesome:
Part one: general
1. I took advantage of the wide array of classes offered.
I wasn't
afraid to stray from my major, or take a class just because
it looked
fun. I took racquetball, Spanish, Comparative government (UK
vs US),
world history, philosophy (OK, I dropped that, but only because
I was
arrogant and tried to jump right in at the advanced level),
British
literature, and others I can't remember. This may be the last
chance
you have to really explore your different interests so easily.
It
will also give you insight into the world around you beyond
your
major and the few required "nonmajor" courses that
most schools have.
2. Get involved in clubs or organizations that do things you
are
interested in. Or in activities at your dorm that sound fun.
Get out
and do, don't get stuck just in your books.
3. Take time to get out and relax with friends.
4. DON'T take a class or join a club or group MAINLY because
you
think it will look good on a transcript or resume later. If
the
things you need to do to impress folks later to make your
way
professionally don't appeal to you naturally, you should think
about
why you want to go in the professional direction you are going.
5. DON'T be afraid to change paths once you are at school.
Of my
group of six close friends, only two of us stuck with our
original
major, because we found out that other things were a better
fit.
6. DON'T choose a major or stay with one you are unhappy with
to
please your parents or friends. First, it is a guaranteed
recipe for
burnout. If not now, then a few years down the line, when
it will be
even harder to change your life path. Second, it is mentally
stressful. I saw one woman in my dorm literally wind up in
a mental
institution at the end of our freshman year because the stress
of
trying to keep up with a major that she didn't enjoy, but
which her
parents told her was the best choice for her future was too
much.
7. If your University has programs to support people in your
major,
take advantage of them. This can be especially important for
premeds,
but also is helpful for engineers and a few other majors.
These
programs can help you deal with the stress of school, and
sort out
all the crazy advice you WILL get from people who are well-meaning
but uninformed (even sometimes from people you THINK know
what they
are talking about).
Part two: Academic advice:
8. Have fun, (see 1,2, and 3 above), but don't lose sight
of why you
are there. Study hard, and consistently. I think that was
something
that I hadn't done before college was study every day. Especially
if
you are in a science or engineering major, you HAVE to study
almost
every day to keep up, and once you get behind, it is almost
impossible to catch back up. You CANNOT crack out the books
a day or
even a week before a chemistry exam and expect to do well
on it. You
have to keep up as you go along.
9. Do the readings before the lecture. You will get so much
more out
of lectures if you read the book beforehand, then review it
afterwards.
10. Reach out for help at the first sign of difficulty. Profs
can be
very helpful in keeping you on the right path and being more
effective in your work, but they have more power to change
things
before you fail an exam than after.
And finally- College can be stressful as well as fun. Just
remember-
this too shall pass. Even failing a course is not the end
of the
world (I know- I did!). Don't be afraid to reach out for help
if
things feel really overwhelming. Most schools have counseling
services. Use it if you need it.
Good luck!!
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