Making the Most of Your Undergraduate Years

Before embarking on your college career, you should ask yourself a few simple questions…

1. What do you want from your college experience?
2. What do you want from your major?
3. What do you want from your career?

Chances are, you will find your college experience more rewarding and you will be a more successful student if you give some serious thought to these questions. Knowing why you are in school helps you see see the relevance between what you are doing in school and how this will serve you later–either on the job or in graduate school. Seeing these connections motivates you to do well. If you can develop clear educational and career goals early in your college experience, this can have a number of important pay-offs. For example, you’ll have more time to identify and program into your schedule those courses that will serve you well and those volunteer and extracurricular activities that will help you develop useful skills. Also, if you’ve gotten off to a bad start grade-wise, the more terms you’ll have to earn high grades to offset the low ones.

These are all complex questions so you shouldn’t get discouraged if you can’t come up with immediate answers. It may be a case of your needing more information before you can know what you want. If so, just put the questions on the “back burner” as you review the information on this site. Hopefully, what you learn here will guide you to the answers you seek.

If you’ve familiarized yourself with the materials on this site and done some serious reflection on your educational and career goals and you’re still feeling confused, I’d suggest making an appointment for some career counseling at the Career Services Office on your campus. You might also consider making an appointment at the Counseling Center to take some occupational interest tests. Another option is to take some time off from school and get some job experience. Then, once you know why you want to go to college, you should be much more interested in your classes and motivated to do well.

A Career as an Electrican

Are you looking for a career that is always in demand? Becoming an electrician can put you on the path for an in demand and lucrative career.

Electricians generally specialize in construction or maintenance work, although a growing number do both. Electricians specializing in construction work primarily install wiring systems into new homes, businesses, and factories, but they also rewire or upgrade existing electrical systems as needed. Electricians specializing in maintenance work primarily maintain and upgrade existing electrical systems and repair electrical equipment.

Electricians work with blueprints when they install electrical systems. Blueprints indicate the locations of circuits, outlets, load centers, panel boards, and other equipment. Electricians must follow the National Electrical Code and comply with State and local building codes when they install these systems. Regulations vary depending on the setting and require various types of installation procedures.

Some persons seeking to become electricians choose to obtain their classroom training before seeking a job. Training to become an electrician is offered by a number of public and private vocational-technical schools and training academies in affiliation with local unions and contractor organizations. Employers often hire students who complete these programs and usually start them at a more advanced level than those without the training. A few persons become electricians by first working as helpers, assisting electricians setting up job sites, gathering materials, and doing other nonelectrical work, before entering an apprenticeship program.

* The median hourly earnings of electricans is $20.33.

Attention Parents of the College Bound: Get in the Race Now

Attention high school seniors and parents: Have you submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

Students entering college in the fall need to complete the FAFSA to be eligible for any type of financial aid — that includes government loans and grants and various merit awards. And many schools award aid on a first-come, first-served basis, so once the 2007-08 FAFSA became available on Jan. 1, the race began.

According to Rob LaBreche, president of consumer marketing for the College Loan Corporation, “Students and families who complete the FAFSA first are putting themselves in the best position to benefit from federal aid.”

It’s still early, however. And completing a FAFSA is simple. Paper forms are available at local libraries, high school guidance offices and college financial aid offices. But it’s easier and faster to submit the FAFSA electronically. It’s available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. (Be sure to get a PIN from the U.S. Department of Education first — www.pin.ed.gov.) Not only is the electronic version processed more quickly, it also has built-in checks for accuracy.

In the FAFSA, you’ll have to include tax information. Don’t worry if you haven’t received your W-2s yet — just estimate the information and correct it later. If the student expects to receive tuition payments from a college savings plan in the upcoming academic year, you will have to report the value of the plan as a parent asset (not as an asset of a dependent student as it was in the past.)

Don’t forget to complete college-specific financial aid forms, which many schools require in addition to the FAFSA. Many private colleges and universities also require applicants to submit the College Board’s CSS/Financial Aid Profile application. It helps private schools determine eligibility for nongovernmental aid.

By Marshall Loeb FOXNEWS.COM

Admissions Essay Tips

A good college application essay sets its author apart from thousands of other applicants. Here are some steps you can take to make your essay stand out.

STEP 1: Start early. Give yourself enough time to think about your essay and revise it as needed.
STEP 2: Write about something you’re familiar with.
STEP 3: Be yourself. The admissions team is interested in who you are – not someone you think they want you to be.
STEP 4: Be original. Though many college applications will have standardized essay questions, try to put an original, creative spin on your response. Make the essay your own.
STEP 5: Write an essay that shows how you’re unique. For example, one student who wrote about her distinctive laugh got accepted on early decision to Columbia University. Include any experiences or jobs that might set you apart from other applicants.
STEP 6: Be authentic. There’s no need to embellish your experiences. STEP 7: Use a relaxed, comfortable tone of voice but avoid being too familiar, sarcastic or comic.
STEP 8: Check to make sure your essay answers the questions asked. Avoid wandering too far from your subject matter.
STEP 9: Proofread your essay for spelling, punctuation and grammar. STEP 10: Mail your application early to avoid any postal mishaps. Tips & Warnings

Keep in mind that your audience will probably be a group of people very much like your high school teachers, but with slightly higher standards. Try not to be overly safe when writing your essay. You want to write an essay that is memorable.

Ehow.com

Psychology Degrees

Psychology degrees have long been viewed as a proving ground of sorts for higher education. It’s no wonder.

With more than 40 percent of undergraduates in the field eventually going on to law school, business school or some other professional program, the social sciences major ranks among the highest in post-graduate academic attainment.

But what about job prospects for those with only a bachelor’s degree?

At least one college professor insists that opportunities in both the public and private sector abound. And, he says, the perception that a psychology degree is best used as an educational stepping stone is giving college students the wrong idea.

“A lot of people think that in order to do anything with a degree in psychology you must get a Ph.D and become a psychologist,” said Charles Brewer, a psychology professor at Furman University in Greenville, S.C. “Most parents, even if they are professionals in their own right, don’t understand what opportunities are open to psych majors.”

Brewer notes the vast majority of his former students have found successful careers “in almost anything you can name” and he stressed the greatest advantage of a psychology degree is its “flexibility and adaptability.”

Shelly K. Schwartz 

Check School Accreditation Before Signing up for Online Courses

Accreditation

With so many Online Degree e-mails entering your in-box you need to ensure that the online degree program you choose is reputable. But which one is right for you? If you want to earn a degree from home you need to know what you’re getting into before you lose time and money. It comes down to accreditation.

Accreditation is a status granted to an educational institution or program that meets or exceeds predetermined criteria of educational quality. Basically, it’s an academic stamp of approval. Of course it’s not as simple as just finding an online degree program that is simply accredited.

Accreditation can be broken down into two major areas: Institutional and Specialized accreditation.

Institutional Accreditation

Institutional accreditation looks at the college as a whole, to make sure the college meets certain standards. Institutional accreditation can also be broken down into two areas: National and Regional accreditation.

National Accreditation

National accreditation, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), is required for institutions that seek eligibility for federal student financial aid. For employment purposes and credit transferability, you will want to ensure that the school where you plan to earn your online degree also has regional and/or specialized accreditation status.

Regional Accreditation

Also recognized by the USDE, however, accreditation by a regional body ensures your online degree will be recognized throughout the U.S. You will want to investigate to confirm if your school is accredited by one of the following six regional accrediting associations:

If you earn a degree from an online school that is accredited by one of these associations, you can be assured that it will be as valid as a degree from any campus-based school.

Specialized Accreditation

Specialized accreditation looks at a specific program and makes sure it meets certain industry standards. Most employers do not posses the time, money or manpower to look into the policies, ethics, and courses of every college. They rely on accreditation institutions to verify the overall academic quality of a college and whether or not the college holds up to that industry’s standards. If you are planning to use your online degree into furthering your education, or acquiring employment into a specific industry (education, medicine, or engineering for example), you will need to certify that the online degree is approved by that industry.

There is no set of universal standards for accrediting a college; therefore, it is important to make sure the college you choose is properly accredited. Who accredits the college is also very important.

“Schools will advertise that they’re accredited, which is what everyone’s looking for,” says Steven Shapiro, VP of Marketing and Communications at Jones International University (JIU, Englewood, Colorado).

But some colleges may claim to be accredited; yet they haven’t been properly reviewed. They may have just paid a yearly membership fee to receive accreditation status, or such as the ‘degree mills’, are accredited by organizations they create themselves. These are the colleges you want to avoid.

Verifying accreditation takes time, but in the long run it is worth every minute you put into it.

What do Biologists Do?

There are several career paths you can follow as a biologist, including these:

Research: Research biologists study the natural world, using the latest scientific tools and techniques in both laboratory settings and the outdoors, to understand how living systems work. Many work in exotic locations around the world, and what they discover increases our understanding of biology and may be put to practical use to find solutions to specific problems.

Health care: Biologists may develop public health campaigns to defeat illnesses such as tuberculosis, AIDS, cancer, and heart disease. Others work to prevent the spread of rare, deadly diseases, such as the now infamous Ebola virus. Veterinarians tend to sick and injured animals, and doctors, dentists, nurses, and other health care professionals maintain the general health and well being of their patients.

Environmental management and conservation: Biologists in management and conservation careers are interested in solving environmental problems and preserving the natural world for future generations. Park rangers protect state and national parks, help preserve their natural resources, and educate the general public. Zoo biologists carry out endangered species recovery programs. In addition, management and conservation biologists often work with members of a community such as landowners and special interest groups to develop and implement management plans.

Education: Life science educators enjoy working with people and encouraging them to learn new things, whether in a classroom, a research lab, the field, or a museum.

Colleges and universities: Professors and lecturers teach introductory and advanced biology courses. They may also mentor students with projects and direct research programs.
Primary and secondary schools: Teaching younger students requires a general knowledge of science and skill at working with different kinds of learners. High school teachers often specialize in biology and teach other courses of personal interest.
Science museums, zoos, aquariums, parks, and nature centers: Educators in these settings may design exhibits and educational programs, in addition to teaching special classes or leading tours and nature hikes.

From the American Institute of Biological Sciences

Become a Teacher – Overview

The majority of teachers are primary and secondary school teachers. They generally choose a specific grade level or area of specialty in which to teach. Teachers are responsible for planning and then evaluating student performance. They are then responsible for promoting growth through providing additional assistance and meeting with parents and school staff to discuss student development and ways to improve current teaching methods to better suit students.

It is a teacher’s daunting task to add life to their student’s school day by generating interest in all subject areas, even those that can be tedious for most students. They work to create lesson plans tailored to their students’ level of cognitive ability and interests. Nowadays, teachers are working to move away from traditional methods of teaching and using more creative and abstract ways of presenting topics to their classes.

It is important that they have a good sense of humor and the ability to think like their students. They must also be comfortable dealing with a wide variety of personality types and ability levels, while still treating all their students equally.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed, whereas licensure is not required for private school teachers. Teaching licenses are given by the State board of education or an advisory committee. Requirements vary depending on the state, but all states require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree and to have completed an approved training program. It normally takes about 5 years to receive your bachelor’s degree in elementary or secondary education. Approximately one third of all states require that teachers complete training in technology as part of their certification process. In addition, some states have strict minimum grade point averages for teaching licensure, and others even require teachers to have a master’s degree in education, which takes at least one year longer to obtain than the bachelor’s degree. The majority of states require candidates be tested for basic skills such as reading, writing, teaching, and subject matter of choice.

States have requirements for teachers concerning continuing education and renewal of licensure. In addition, many states offer alternative teacher licensure programs for people who have bachelor’s degrees in the subject they wish to teach, but do not have the coursework required for a teaching license. The programs are meant to attract recent grads and career changing individuals into the profession of teaching.

According to TeacherLinkUSA, New Jersey currently pays its public schoolteachers the highest average salary in the nation, $53,280, with South Dakota coming in last at $30,260.

Low-income pupils still lag on tests

Despite a consistent rise in test scores, the achievement gap between poor Californians and their middle-class fellow students might be growing, a University of California-Berkeley report shows.

Poor students have always lagged behind their more well-off counterparts on standardized tests.

However, over the past three years the chasm has grown, particularly in English and in middle school, according to a report by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), a research group based at UC-Berkeley, UC-Davis and Stanford University.

The numbers belie the excitement over the rapid academic gains that immediately followed California’s major foray into school accountability in 1999, said Bruce Fuller, co-director of PACE and a UC-Berkeley professor.

“We saw this encouraging buoyancy in test scores,” Fuller said. “But seven years into this accountability initiative, achievement gaps have remained largely unchanged. These disparities in achievement have even widened.”

The study also shows that though students fare better than before, those with less money find it harder to catch up.

In 2003, nearly half of middle-class eighth-graders scored at grade level on state English tests, compared with 16 percent of poor eighth-graders.

The divide stood at 28 percentage points. Three years later, that figure has grown to 33 percentage points, according to the report.

In algebra, 47 percent of middle-class eighth-graders passed the test in 2003, compared with fewer than a quarter of poor students. This year, 53 percent of middle-class students passed in math, alongside 26 percent of the poor, meaning the gap grew from 25 percentage points to 27 over three years.

Younger students showed a smaller gap. In second, third and fourth grades, the difference between poor and middle-class student performance in math narrowed from 2003 to this year.

“We’ve had our best results in the early grades,” said Rick Miller of the Department of Education.

Miller said state Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell recognizes the severity of the achievement gap.

But he noted that researchers should not overlook the gains made in previous years.

“Consistently, all kids in California have improved,” Miller said, “and that’s meaningful.”

By Shirley Dang
MediaNews

Success – Right Place, Right Time

People who enjoy spectacular success often explain their secret of success by saying, “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”.
Here’s how you can copy them.
In my previous career I was involved in real estate. This brought me into contact with rich and poor alike, in a wide range of circumstances and in different types of housing. This proved to be a valuable masterclass in success creation.
In the areas with low income housing — both owner-occupier and rental — I was viewed with great suspicion, as I strolled around, looking for suitable real estate. Quite possibly I was thought to be a repro man, as I was rarely even looked in the eye by the locals, let alone smiled at, or spoken to.
Contrast that with my experiences in a different area, just a few miles away, which mainly consisted of high-end real estate: stunning mansions set in beautifully manicured grounds, tended by an army of gardeners. Bearing in mind my earlier experience, I expected to be viewed with even deeper suspicion, in case I was planning a spot of larceny to relieve the owners of these magnificent mansions of their valuables.
But no! When I chanced to pass a resident of this area, they invariably looked at me and smiled. Quite often they greeted me in a friendly manner.
This creates quite an interesting “chicken and egg” conundrum: are the residents of these magnificent houses more cheerful than their poorer counterparts, because they have “made it” — or is there something more fundamental at work here?
Having researched this in greater depth for my recent book, I am firmly convinced people who are more open, more receptive to new ideas and probably more sociable, place themselves in a far better position to be presented with more opportunities for success.
Of course, it’s then down to the individual to take advantage of these opportunities, but it means they are “in the right place at the right time”.
So, if you want more success, resolve to be more friendly to strangers, more open to new ideas and more sociable. There’s a great river of opportunity passing by your door and the more open you are, the wider the river becomes. So make it as wide as the Mississippi and then dip your net in and pull out success!

Paul Hooper-Kelly owns www.HowToMakeYourOwnLuck.com and uses his sixty years of business and life success to help ordinary people create extraordinary lives.
Get your copy of his popular course “Seventeen Secrets To Success” right now, whilst it’s still free Seventeen_Secrets_Of_Success

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