Time Management: 8 of 10

Time Management

8 of 10

Master the moments and you may be a real pro when it comes to juggling the many demands on your time – classes, homework and activities – with some family help. College gives you an even bigger chance to sharpen your time management skills by doing it all on your own. And that’s a good thing since most jobs require multitasking. You might need to take care of current clients while attracting new ones, respond to e-mails while working on a major presentation, or order tomorrow’s produce while planning next week’s menu.

Someone said, “Wherever you are, be there.” Focus on the present moment and give it all your attention. Don’t let your mind drift and wander here and there when you need to be thinking and concentrating on the moment at hand. You can’t go back and recapture this moment, so make the most of it while it NOW. Master the present and you will master the future. Work smart by mastering the present now.

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Speaking Skills: 2 of 10

Speaking Skills

2 of 10

When you’re assigned a class presentation, think twice before dismissing it as an unimportant part of your education. Employers look for skills in job applicants, who may have to give presentations to clients or represent their organization on the field. It’s never too soon to practice good eye contact and other public speaking techniques.

http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/17334

According to the book of lists, the fear of public speaking ranks number on in the minds of the majority of people. Far above the fear of death and disease, comes the fear of standing in front of a crowd. Joel Weiner noted author and public speaker wants to help people overcome that fear.

“The biggest fear is public speaking, with 15 percent of American experiencing a dramatic fear of it,” said Dr. Michael Telch of the Laboratory for the Study of Anxiety Disorder (LSAD) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. “People have had to turn down jobs, and certainly students have dropped classes because of it.”

 Regardless of your occupation, your success depends a great deal upon your ability to communicate effectively! Whether you’re running a meeting, selling a product, making a presentation, motivating co-workers or just communicating one-on-one with others, you’ll get far better results if you can speak persuasively, smoothly and intelligently.

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Take Control of Homework, So It Doesn't Control You: Part 1

Take Control of Homework

So It Doesn’t Control You

Part 1

http://collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/121.html

Although very few students love homework, it does serve a purpose. Homework helps you:

        ·       Reinforce what you’ve learned during the day.

        ·       Build study habits that are essential in college.

        ·       Prepare for your classes.

        ·       Get a sense of progress.

Here are some tips to help you deal with homework more efficiently and effectively.

Set the Mood

Create a good study area with everything you need (for example, a calculator). If you don’t have a quiet place at home, try your school or local library.

Know Where to Begin

Make a list of everything you need to do, and note all deadlines. Do the more difficult assignments first, so you don’t have to face them at the end.

Study at the Same Time Every Day

Even if you don’t have homework every night, use the time to review notes. If sitting down to do homework is part of your normal routine, you’ll approach it with less dread. Also, you’ll become a pro at using time productively.

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Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?: Part 4

Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Part 4

Emphasis on the Written Word

Most of the communication, as well as the course work, in distance-learning classes is written. That’s a plus, because the focus on the written word gives you the opportunity to develop as a writer – and strong writing skills are essential to academic success. However, if writing is a serious weakness for you, virtual learning may not be the best educational option until you improve your skills. Yes, most of distance education is the written word; therefore, you need to be a good leader, love to read, and love writing also. Most of your assignments will be written and submitted to the instructor in the written format. Your penmanship needs to be excellent, spelling great, sentence structure above average, vocabulary extraordinary. You need to have online access with reliable equipment. If your Internet communications at home isn’t working, you can’t do online education from home and will need to go someplace where you do have access to the Internet.

Decide Whether It’s Right for You

Distance education isn’t for everyone, but it just might be for you. You really should seek it out and give it a try. You never know until you try. You might even fall in love with distance education. While distance education may be the perfect alternative for some students, it’s not the right choice for everyone. So carefully consider your unique needs and interests and give distance education a try; then, decide if it is right for you.

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Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?: Part 2

Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Part 2

Positive Aspects of Distance Education

        ·       Independence and time management: Taking courses online lets you hone your ability to work on your own. You can also gain experience in managing your time efficiently.

        ·       A flexible schedule: Schools can only provide a certain number of class periods in a single school day, and there may not be enough time for you to take everything you want. Because distance education lets you take classes outside regular school hours, it gives you the flexibility to explore all your areas of interest.

        ·       Advanced and specialized classes: Some schools can’t provide advanced or specialized classes. Distance education gives you the chance to gain experience in areas that would otherwise remain out of reach.

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Student Success Tips: From Edison College

Student Success Tips

From Edison College

     1.    Attend New Student Orientation at the beginning of the Fall or Spring Semester.

     2.    GEN 101S, First Year Experience, provides excellent content and resources to be a successful student. It is likely that this class will be part of your first semester.

     3.    Be sure to attend all classes, and be on time.

     4.    To reduce distractions, sit near the front of the class.

     5.    Keep a copy of the syllabus for each class so that you will know what is going on, what you should be doing, and how soon you need to get it done.

     6.    Be a good listener. Focus and concentrate on main points.

     7.    Take good notes in class, and review your notes within 24 hours. Then, review your notes periodically to help you retain information. Index cards with key information are also a helpful way to review.

     8.    Study! To be a successful college student, study at least two hours a week for every hour you spend in class. This is a minimum.

     9.    Determine an ideal study space, and plan study time when you are at your best to retain information.

     10.  Maintain a student planner to keep track of important dates and projects.

     11. Apply additional time management strategies, including planning, setting goals, and prioritizing schoolwork and your additional responsibilities.

     12. Avoid marathon study periods. Instead, study for short intervals with a break in between. For example, study for 30 minutes, take a 3-minute break, come back and review, then repeat the process.

     13. Get to know other students in your classes for added support and to study together when possible.

     14. Participate in class, and ask your instructor questions when needed. Meet with them during office hours for additional support and guidance.

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Selecting Your Courses: Part 3

Selecting Your Courses

Part 3

Science

Science teaches you to think analytically and apply theories to reality. Colleges want to see that you’ve taken at least three years of laboratory science classes. A good combination includes two semesters of each of the following sciences:

        ·       Biology

        ·       Chemistry or physics

        ·       Earth/space science

More competitive schools expect you to take four years of lab science courses. You can add two semesters in one of the following subjects:

        ·       Chemistry or physics (the science you didn’t already study)

        ·       Advanced biology

        ·       Advanced chemistry

        ·       Advanced physics

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Selecting Your Courses: Part 2

Selecting Your Courses

Part 2

The following subjects and classes are standard fare for success in high school and beyond, whether you plan to attend a four-year or two-year college.

English (Language Arts)

Take English every year. Traditional courses, such as American and English literature, help you improve your writing skills, reading comprehension and vocabulary.

Math

You need algebra and geometry to succeed on college entrance exams and in college math classes – and in many careers. Take them early on. That way, you’ll be able to enroll in advanced science and math in high school, and show colleges you’re ready for higher-level work.

Most colleges look for students who have taken three years of math in high school. The more competitive ones require or recommend four years. Each school has its own program, but some of the courses typically offered are:

        ·       Algebra I

        ·       Algebra II

        ·       Geometry

        ·       Trigonometry

        ·       Calculus

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Selecting Your Courses:Part 1

Selecting Your Courses

Recommended Classes for College Success

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/33.html

The academic rigor of your high school courses is an important factor in the college admission process. College admission officers see your high school course schedule as a blueprint of your education. They’re looking for a solid foundation of learning that you can build on in college.

To create that foundation, take at least five solid academic classes every semester. Start with the basic and then move on to advanced courses. Challenging yourself is part of what makes school fun; but you need a firm grasp of the fundamentals before going on to more advanced work.

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Ten Tips for Student Success: St. Johns University

Ten Tips for Student Success

 St. Johns University

1.        Attend your classes. Remember in the words of Woody Allen ‘seventy percent of success in life is showing up’.

2.        Know your facility. Make sure you know who your teachers are, when their office hours are and how to contact them.

3.        Make sure the faculty knows you. Sit in the front of the classroom. Participate in class discussions. Consult with your teachers during office hours.

4.        Use a daily planner. Note the dates of exams, assignments, term papers, etc.

5.        Be organized. Prioritize your responsibilities. Manage your time. Remember everyone has the same 168 hours a week, only some of us use them better than others.

6.        Know your campus resources. Visit your academic’s Dean Office regularly. Become familiar with the services and programs offered by the Counseling Center, The Freshmen Center, the Career Center, the Campus Ministry Office and the Student Life Office.

7.        Take care of your health. Get enough sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Exercise regularly. Make informed and mature decisions about alcohol, sex and drugs. Visit the Health Office as needed.

8.        Work only as necessary. Try not the exceed 20 hours during a school week. If possible, work on campus. Apply for financial aid and loans if you need them. Manage your expenses very carefully.

9.        Get involved in campus activities. It will help you learn valuable skills, expand your social network and enhance your self-confidence. Seek out opportunities to apply what you learn in the classroom.

10.          Keep your eyes on the prize. Clarify your goals. Know why you are in (high school or) college in the first place. Visualize your success on a daily basis.

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