Is Studying Important?

Benefits of Studying 

 

Getting good grades is very rewarding and it make you feel like you are on top of the class. But it takes hard work and real effort to get those grades. So what do you do? You study! Studying is the most efficient way to improve test scores and grades. Here are a few tips on how to study!

 

Organization

 

  • Organize your notes. Keep a notebook for each class and folders to keep all class material in its proper place. Note cards are always helpful too!
  • Take thorough notes from lectures and textbooks and other sources.
  • Agendas are always useful as well. They help organize your life. You can set up a study schedule.

 

Study Space

 

  • Dedicate a space where you have all the materials necessary to help you study such as pencils, paper, books, laptop etc.
  • Make sure it's distraction free! You can either go to your room or your favorite coffee shop. It all depends on where you know you won’t be distracted!

 

How Often Do You Study?

 

  • Don’t procrastinate! Studying doesn't have to be for hours the night before. It could be 20-30 minutes in between classes or while you're having lunch or whenever you have free lunch.
  • A student who does not review material can forget 80% of what has been learned in only two weeks!
  • Review frequently throughout the course so you retain more information. Its best to review what you just learned soon after you actually learned it. Then continue to do so throughout the course to help prep for the test.

Want to Be a Great Note Taker?

How To Take Great Notes 

In college taking notes is the must-do part of class. But do you really know how to take notes? How effective are your notes and do they help you pass tests? Teachers assume that you are automatically going to know what to write down when they are giving their lectures or when you are reading a book. So to help you take the best notes here are some great tips!

What Do You Write Down?

This is probably the hardest part of taking notes for students. Sometimes information is just flying past your head it is hard to capture! So what is it that must go into your notes and how do you determine if information is relevant? Well to make it simple you literally have to read the material or pay close attention and listen for key points. This includes information that may pose as valuable such as names and dates, definitions, or the exercises presented in readings. Also if your teacher or professor emphasizes something in particular then more than likely you should write it down especially if your teacher has written on the board or has told you to write it down!

What Are Great Ways To Take Notes?

Bullet Points and Underlining: Yes this may seem obvious but by outlining what is important you definitely will have an easier time remembering the information. Create bullet points and make a list of great information that may seem useful for a test.

Cornell Notes: Cornell notes are very effective. By drawing a line in between the paper on one side writing a key point and on the other defining it you are essentially exercising your memory and it will be neatly organized for you to revise at any time.

The concept of notes is simple: to write down important information so you can use it as a reference. But not only is this true you are also making it easier for you to remember the information by repeating it in your head and on a paper or laptop.


Just Starting College?

Starting A New College 

 

Now college can be very intimidating. It is a huge new place full of many different people of all ages. You got the whole school thing down but you want to enjoy your time.So what do you do?

 

Get Involved

 

When you are in college there is so much to get involved with such as clubs, sports, and programs. You just have to find something you feel like you would be very interested in. doing this will not only help you with being more involved but it will help you make new friends!

 

Making New Friends

 

Should have seen this one coming! College doesn’t have to be just you going to class and going back home or to your dorm. As you involve yourself more you will be meeting new people including other students and faculty. You will make new connections that not only will expand your friendships but it may also benefit you in the future in your career.

 

Going To Events

 

It will definitely benefit you and your social life if you involve yourself with college events. You will be meeting awesome people and enjoying the fruits of your college campus. So go to the football games and check out the talent shows. You might end up finding something you didn't even know you were looking for!


Scholarships for Women

Scholarships for Women 

 

Statistically women outnumber men on college campuses and there are plenty of scholarships being offered to them! This is to encourage women to take leading roles. Here are three scholarships being offered

 

Business Scholarships: there is a number of scholarships being offered to female students who are seeking to join the business world. In some cases these scholarships are being offered by women-led business who want to help young women pay for their college tuition.  For example, the WIIT Charitable Trust offers a merit-based scholarship twice a year to encourage women to pursue their interests in international trade and global development.

 

STEM Scholarships: Women who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering or math (or STEM) will find plenty of scholarships waiting for them. This field is mostly male-dominated so these scholarships are offered to attract more women so they too can have the same opportunities. Such scholarships include the Society of Women Engineers, which gave out about 230 scholarships worth $750,000 in 2016.

 

Diversity and Minority Scholarships: these scholarships are offered to women of minority or ethnic groups so they too can pay for college and get ahead. These scholarships include (but are not limited to) the Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship program which offers 35 scholarships at $1,500 each to women and also the Girls Who Illustrate Awesomeness scholarship which is open to young women or gender nonconforming individuals of color.


How Do I Pick a Major?

How To Pick A Major In College 

 

Picking your major might be a little confusing for many students since not everyone has it all figured out their first semester. Sometimes it may take up to the third semester to finally have it all figured out. That's just life and reality. But if you want some help; here are some guidelines to help you out a bit!

 

First Of All What Is A Major?

 

A major is your specialized area of study. It is essentially the whole reason you go to college. This doesn’t necessarily mean you will only get a job that has to do with your major; this just means you are on your way to becoming an expert to the field of your choosing.

 

How Do I Choose A Major?

 

Sometimes you’ll be watching a movie and see a doctor performing surgery then suddenly you are inspired to join the medical field or you see a superhero show the suddenly want to join law. It all depends on what you love. What is it that you like to do? Is it art? Writing? Music? Sometimes colleges even allow you to create your own major. Find your passion and learn more about it.

 

What If I Change My Mind?

 

This is okay to do. One of the best things about college is that you are experiencing a whole lot and will be exposed to many different things! You might  think that you love music then realize you have a passion for creative writing. And if that is the case; schedule a meeting with your counselor and get the ball rolling!


How Are Essay Constructed

How Are Essays Constructed? 

The first paragraph of an essay or paper is always the introduction. It presents the topic of the paper and also provides the thesis statement. The introduction basically tells the audience what the rest of the paper or essay is going to be about without providing any real information or research. The introduction simply states the main points that the body paragraphs are going to focus on.

What Are Body Paragraphs?

The Body Paragraphs are what generally make the essay. They are the tools used to express the main points thoroughly in individual paragraphs: in other words one paragraph must only express one idea or point that enforces the thesis statement. A paragraph is always dedicated to and describes an idea and should never present more than one.

How Many Paragraphs Should Be In An Essay?

This is a question that is always asked and there typically is no real answer to this. It all just depends on the instructor and to your thesis or how well you want to make your point. A decent paper is about three pages long in length but sometimes a perfect paper may not even surpass page one! But if you want to make things easier, one page should contain about three paragraphs.

 


What Makes a Good College Essay?

How Do I Write a Great College Application Essay? 

It is probably very intimidating This is the essay that truly matters! It has to be perfect, right? Well not necessarily. Students often fret when writing essays because they want to follow the formula that has been given since they were in grade school. The truth is admission officers are constantly reading application essays and can tell when the essay is not genuine, if it is generic, or even plagiarized; and believe me they know when a student has gotten help from a parent.

What Should The First Step Be?

The best thing to do when approaching an essay is to understand the prompt thoroughly and to see if you can relate to it, apply it to your definition of the real world, or at least allow it to sink into your cognitive thinking. Why do this? So that you can understand the prompt and have your thoughts flourish with countless ideas and approaches

How Do I Organize Ideas?

So what do you do when you’re filled with all these new thoughts and ideas? Write them all down! Develop a form of outline for your essay and jot down all of your thoughts so you can organize all of your feelings, thoughts, ideas, etc. Then once you have a basic but well-rounded idea on how you want your essay then begin writing!

So Now The Writing Process…

When it comes to an admissions essay you ought to not look back at those old high school notes or papers. Chances are when you were writing those papers you were trying to satisfy the instructor’s prompt and get a good grade but here is the truth: This essay is meant to show the

reader who you are! It is meant to show the reader that you can get to the point and be concise by staying original and simply being yourself. Be creative and intuitive and work to not only satisfy the reader through fine work but even satisfy yourself through a paper that only you could write and no one else could ever. The whole point of an admissions essay is to show schools who you are! It is your voice and no one else’s. And after you are done with that wonderful essay there is one final yet simple step: Proofread. Always proofread your work and make sure it is exactly what you want to say and that every word and period is placed right where it is intended to be.


Is Joining a Student Organization a Good Idea?

Why Should I Join a Student Organization?

The college student life is bustling and full of work. It can be hard balancing life with homework, classes, and other personal commitments. But joining a student organization may not actually be detrimental to your mental health. It might actually be beneficial in helping you become a better student, worker, and even person. There are many reasons why one should join a student organization at their college but here is a small list of why YOU should join.

People Skills

A student organization is made up of many individuals from different walks of life and ideologies and one way to understand everyone’s point of view is to communicate. Communicating is the best way to have healthy relationships and with the help of a student organization you can become a better communicator and gain the right people skills to learn how people think and work with them. You’d be surprised how successful you’d be in life once you learn how to interact with not only people you are familiar with bit even people you have just met.

You Will Be Able To Network

It is not selfish to try to connect with people to gain leverage in your career path. This is simply networking and making connections and it will benefit you and the person who you are trying to network with. Life is all about building relationships with people so you can venture forward and help yourself and those who are with you. If someone were to recommend you to someone else and you impress them with great work or skill then not only are you helping yourself but the other person who recommended you. And it works vice versa.

It Will Be A Wonderful Experience

Not only will you gain so much real world experience, great people skills, and the ability network successfully; you will also have a wonderful time. Student organizations are a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of school and work. Student organizations can be fun as you make new friends and and participate in activities that will make your college experience even better.


How to Build a Resume

Time For A Job Resume 

You are about to go to college and you know you are going to need money. So what do you do? You find a job! But what do you say on your resume when you haven't really done much except for be a student? There is so much to include so don’t underestimate yourself!

What Have you Been Dedicated To?

Employers aren’t otherworld beings with no sense or emotions. All they seek are people who can contribute to their company and become an important asset. They seek people who can dedicate themselves to something and stick with it. So think about it: What have you done in high school that you are proud of or have been dedicated to? Have you joined student clubs or organizations? Were you a valued member of a sports team? Were you a part of an academic program? These are all things that can pose as great attributes to employers.

What Other Activities Did You Do Outside Of School?

Think about the things you were dedicated to outside of school. What did you spend your time doing besides homework? Did you mow lawns for money or even babysat the neighbor’s kid? Did you ever do any volunteer work for either church or school? There are so many things you could choose from. Don’t fret if you haven’t gotten any volunteer work under your belt because it is never too late to look into it.

What else Can I Add To My Resume Besides Things I’ve Done?

One of the most important parts of a resume is your skills list. This list can consist of many  of your personal attributes that you consider to be really instrumental in why you would be an important aspect to the company. You can include computer skills and if you have a good work ethic. You can mention that you are a great team leader or know how to follow directions. You can mention your mathematics skills and so much more. It all depends on what you think you are good at!


Get Insight To The Life of a College Student

What Is The Life Of A College Student Like? 

The life of a college student is one that is filled with busy workloads and tremendous fun. You will feel tired in class and also be eager to learn something new. The life of a college student is great and although it can be bustling it is worth all the effort.

Work And Homework

You will definitely be stuck with a lot on your plate but it isn’t something to be afraid of. You will have tons of homework, you will need time to study, and if you have a job you might be treading down the path of “no life.” But I don’t believe this will happen to you if you simply prioritize your time and schedule wisely. This is something that all initiated student practice. And of course this may not be true for all students because some might welcome the workload and enjoy being a busy student but some want to enjoy life to the fullest as they tackle down college and be successful.

The Money Issue

College students are notorious for being broke all the time! You have to buy books and pay for housing if you want on-campus dormitories. Students might splurge and go through a loan check rather quickly and be in the hole in a week and others might save their financial aid checks and work on the side to have a little spending money to enjoy the fruits of college adventure.

Discovery

A big part of the college student life is the discovery of who one truly is. A student will learn so much about themselves throughout these few years of adulthood and these experiences will prepare them for the future. Apart from the hustle and bustle of long classes, homework, and hours of study one of the things a student must work to achieve is their sense of “self.” Just stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.