Simple Guide For College Students

By Tom Tessin

College is one of the best actions that people can take in order improve the quality of their lives. By going to college people not only increase their earning potential and employment opportunities; they also learn how to become more productive members of our society. The process for turning college students into high quality citizens begins in school. Here is a simple guide for students so that they can get the most out of their experience.

Go to Your Classes

Students pay money to attend a university and this means that they should go to their classes. The college experience is ultimately about the education process over anything else. It’s through this education process that a student is being prepared for the profession that they want to be involved in. So the best thing that any student can do is to show up for their class, be on time, and make sure they absolutely learn something.

Pay your Tuition

You can’t go to school without paying your tuition, well if we don’t take scholarships and grants into consideration. Students who have to work to attend school should make it a point to pay for their expenses while attending. Again, this is because the education for your profession is the most important reason why you’re there.

Have a Social Life

Being social in college is okay as long as it doesn’t interfere with your education. Many people get sidetracked in college because they allow the other aspects of the college life to get in the way of their main purpose for being there. Have a social life in college because it’s a part of the process for you becoming a productive member of our society but don’t allow this social life to get out of control.

Stay out of Debt

Many college students have charge cards and loans that they blow on things they more than likely didn’t need. Spending extra tuition money on foolish pleasures or things is not the best thing to do. Don’t get it wrong, it’s okay to spend some of the money on getting some of the things you want, but remember that you’re going to have to pay that money back one day. Also, charge cards are a college student’s enemy. The laws are
changing because credit card debt is out of control in this country and one part of these changes has to do with college students and credit. The bottom line is students under the age of 21 won’t be able to get a credit card unless they can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can pay it off or if they have parents who can.

There are plenty more areas that can be covered for this simple college guide for students but the main thing to remember is that college is about your education and that education is what you will need in order to help you make a better life for your family and yourself.

About the author:
Find great student articles like this, and more of Tom’s work all on his student blog.

Filed under: Bay Area, California Colleges, Campus Lifestyle, Career Path, Classes, College Debt, College Planning, High School, Junior College, Public Service, Social Networking, Students, athletics , academic quality, Career Path, Classes, college expenses, college planning tips, college students, Freshman, self help, self improvement, Social Networks, Students

Is Home-schooling an option for San Francisco Bay Area Children

By Keith Watkins

Due to the questionable state of our nations public school systems and the current strains placed upon our countries current economy a growing number of families are deciding to educate their children at home. The decision to home-school is a personal one and usually a difficult one. Ultimately making the decision to take control of your children’s education can, at first, appear to be overwhelming to a parent but more and more families are making the decision to home-school everyday. Homeschool students have been growing by an estimated 8 percent annually in the U.S. and as of 2007 totaled about 1.5 million.

In many places home-schooling is a legal option for parents who wish to provide their children with an alternative learning environment other than the ones that exists in nearby schools. While academic and religious reasons dominate the motivations for most home-schoolers, parents cite numerous other reasons ranging from a dissatisfaction with the public schools in their area to the desire for better academic test results and in a lot of instances parents cite the price of private school educations as being the determining factor for an ever increasing amount of families. Students who are gifted or have special needs benefit from a home school opportunity because they can learn at their own pace, whether they need to spend more time on a lesson or delve deeper into the content as a way of satisfying their intellectual curiosity. To that end, home schooling offers parents the opportunity to ensure mastery of a concept before moving onto the next, while public schools merely require a demonstration of understanding before moving onto the next concept, largely due to time constraints. 

Other students that benefit from a home school setting are those who live in rural areas and riding a bus for an hour each direction is more a waste of time than anything else. 

Home-schooling can literally be life changing. It creates personal growth for both the parent and the child. Nothing you will ever do in life will have a more profound effect on your child and your family’s future as home-schooling.

Although every families home-school is unique, certain home-schooling “styles” have become universally very popular. Most home-schoolers do not follow one style or method. Instead, they select the ideas and suggestions that fit their family and eventually end up with a method all their own.

Below are some of the most often used popular home-schooling styles found.

School-at-Home Method

Unit Studies Method

“Relaxed” or “Eclectic” Home-schooling Method

Unschooling Method

Classical Home-schooling Method

The Charlotte Mason Method

The Waldorf Method

The Montessori Method

Multiple Intelligences Method

DVD/Video Schooling Method

Internet Home-schooling Method

Did you know that the Scripps National Spelling Bee Winner for 2007 was a local Danville, Ca.San Francisco Bay Area home schooler. Evan O’Dorney, the home-schooled eighth-grader, easily aced “serrefine” — a noun describing small forceps — to become the last youngster standing at the 80th annual 2007 spelling bee. Plus, every year home-schoolers are admitted to hundreds of colleges in at least five different  countries. Those who prepare thoroughly can actually be admitted to some of the colleges of their choices with full scholarships.

Most parents are unaware of the fact that parents don’t need to be California licensed to educate their own children at home.  Home educators may establish, in California, a private school based in their home by filing a Private School Affidavit with the California Department of Education (CDE).

The affidavit does not license, evaluate, recognize, approve of, or endorse a private school. The State of California accredits neither public nor private schools. The affidavit itself is a statistical tool, and necessary to effect the pupil’s exemption from compulsory public school enrollment and attendance. By filing an affidavit you are showing intent to establish a private school, and informing the state, as required by law. Parents have been legally using this provision for many years to conduct their own home-based private schools.

Parent support groups and networks are a terrific way to get started by collectively facing challenging situations, the beneficial offerings of encouragement from other parents, the sharing of ideas, socialization and generally a way to reduce the overall stress of getting started.

If your student is into to sports, he or she may be able to participate at certain schools without actually attending. I have a personal friend that attends a charter school in Oakland, CA. His son is the leading scorer on the varsity basketball team at the public school in his local district. His dad often jokes stating that, “he shows up at games and no one in the home stands has any idea who he is”.

The California Virtual Academies  web site has plenty of free quality information and is a very good place to start your search. They are actually funded by the state of California and use the K¹² curriculum to offer California students in grades K-12 an exceptional online learning experience. With individualized learning approaches, the California Virtual Academies provide the tools kids need to succeed—in school and beyond into their college years.  Here is a news video report describing California Virtual Academies.

Below is an overview of the California Virtual Academies program:

• Our experienced, California-credentialed teachers, who are available online, by phone, and during face-to-face meetings.
• The individualized, engaging K¹² curriculum, which covers both the core subject areas and electives. Based on decades of education research, this curriculum packages high-quality lessons with mastery-based assessments that ensure students achieve success at each and every level. Find out more about K¹².
• The online planning and assessment tools, resources, and hands-on materials ranging from textbooks to microscopes, rocks and dirt to beautifully illustrated classic children’s stories, and much more. 
• Our active, supportive school community, which organizes fun and informative monthly activities where CAVA parents, students, and staff share their successes, helpful hints, and more. 
• The high-quality, tuition-free public education that enables a learning experience that is individualized for each child.
• We’re fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools (ACS) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) for all academies, grades K-12.

For more information on a distance based home school program please visit Laurel Springs School. Laurel Springs School is an accredited, college prep private school offering distance learning programs and teacher services for students in grades K-12. Laurel Springs uses web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students the highest quality home education experience based on your child’s learning style.

In conclusion, there are many many available options if home-schooling is of interest to your family. There are also many support groups, school affiliations and internet based organizations to assist in getting you started and also to guide families through the maze of of their newly discovered educational freedom. But first do the necessary research by Googling “Home School Organizations” in your City and State to gather as much information as possible.

Local San Francisco Bay Area home schooling parents should plan a visit to the upcoming 23rd Annual Christian Home Educators Bay Area Convention April 24-25, 2009. This event will be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Stop by the Bay Area College Planning Specialists booth for additional information concerning financial aid and scholarships for home-schooled students.

So, whether or not you are a parent who home schools your child, the next time you hear someone make a negative remark about parents educating their children at home, keep some of these points in mind. Consider all the benefits that a home school program offers parents, and their children. You might be pleasantly surprised at the many available options that exist for  families and that of their students future in education.

Filed under: Bay Area, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, College Planning, College Workshops, Consultants, Home Schooling, Parental Guidance, Public Service, Scholarship, Social Networking, Students , Students, Decisions, academic quality, Parental Guidance, Higher learning, planning, Belief, Choice, parents, self help, life, college students, college planning tips, Home Schooling, Montessori, Scripps National Spelling Bee

Ivy League admissions: a unique way to set yourself apart and

By John Dorian Chang

Are you interested in the internet? Technology? Business? Are you simply looking to standout in college admissions? Challenge yourself to a new opportunity?

Here’s an out of the box idea that will help your quest to get into Stanford: offer to be an intern at a startup!

It’s easier than you think – it requires leg-work and initiative on your part, but it looks great on college applications and can help you move your careers and professional interests to the next level.

Here are two examples of how it can be done:

1) Search for local startups through Google. Email them with a brief description of your background, and tell them you’re interested in an unpaid part-time or summer internship.

The key here is local – these will give you the best shot since it’s convenient for you and them, and there’s greater overlap in interests, backgrounds, etc

2) Browse through the online services that you use the most and love – such as Facebook, Myspace, Imeem, and so on. Look through their websites and get in touch with human resources staff or recruiters. Explain your story. Again, offer to work in an unpaid position or any position they have available

Startups are always looking for more help, especially if it’s free. Showing initiative like that in high school will impress any company. Even if they say no, you have nothing to lose.

An internship will strengthen your college application – it will bolster your work experience and leadership/initiative-taking. It will also be one helluva story to tell in college essays or alumni interviews.

Finally – and here’s the best part – it could lead to a unique and outstanding recommendation. Everyone else just has recs from teachers – what if you got one from your CEO? Win-win-win. Harvard here we come.

This is just one example of great out-of-the-box thinking. What unique ideas do you have? Share them with me by emailing john AT hopelesstoharvard.com and I’ll give you feedback!

Unique risk-taking is a surefire way to help your chances of getting into Ivy League schools. Start today.

About the author:
Are you an average student who wants to go to Harvard? Hopeless To Harvard is the story of how a B+ student got into Harvard,
Stanford, and Princeton. Click here to learn his strategies for admissions success. Get into Stanford now!

Filed under: AP Courses, Admissions, Applications, College Planning, Internships, Ivy League Schools, Mentoring, Social Networking, Students, Universities , academic quality, Admissions, College Applications, college planning tips, planning, self help, self improvement, Social Networks, Students, Universities

Choices: “College” Or “Entrepreneurship”?

By Antonio Newell

One of the most thought about choices, one of the least made decisions, based on desire. I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying that “You have to get a college degree or you’ll be working at McDonald’s.” Or the infamous, “If you don’t want to be a Wal-Mart Door Greeter, you better go to college.”

There are more options in life than “college.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that college is the wrong way to go. What I’m saying is that you should not have your perception skewed by those allegations. “School” isn’t for everyone. It’s really not. I’m a strong believer in Knowledge and Learning. However, school may not be the place where it happens. “School” doesn’t teach you how to get ahead in this world. “School” doesn’t instruct you on how to become a millionaire. Let me retract that statement. “US School”s don’t teach you how to become a millionaire. I’ve attended different schools (mostly to see what they could teach me). And you know what? They all teach the same thing, the SAME thing. What’s the “thing,” you ask? You have to work FOR somebody.

America is known in other nations as the “Land of the Free” the “Land of Opportunity.” Other nations know that you can be any and whoever you want to be in America. But do “we” know it? Do WE know we can own our own business? Do we know we can be our own boss? We don’t have to work for a living but work for a giving?. .that we can be “Lenders” and not “Borrowers”? Most of us “U.S. Citizens” (Nationally Born) don’t realize it. Probably because we’ve heard it all our lives; now it just goes in one ear and out the other.

In schools in other nations, they’re taught to own their own businesses. That they can be their own bosses in America. But in OUR educational system, that’s not the case. We are taught to get out. .get a JOB. .and work for a living. “Going back to school” is being pressed more in the media today, than ever before. Why? Is it because people are sick of their jobs and want to do better? Is it because schools want to help you become a better person? I’m willing to bet everything I have that those aren’t the cases. “Education” is a multi-billion dollar industry. The schools know that people are sick and tired of their jobs, so they’re pushing “Go Back To School” in your face. (Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Steve Jobs and the like either dropped out of college or never went, and look at where they’re positioned in the economy. If they would suddenly halt their businesses, the U.S.’s economy would probably go into a mudslide.) I’m pushing that you should “Work For Yourself!” Like I said, I’m big on Knowledge and Learning. . .but “school” may not be the place to do it, if you want to get ahead. Why do you think big name schools’ admission and board are so costly? Is it because they only want the most “prestigious”? Ha!

“College dropout.” What’s on their mind? Money loss. That’s it! The admission is set so high because they know that only the “best of the best” will come. And with that being said, there won’t be nearly the dropout rate; which also means, they’ll continue to get their money. $70,000/yr for the same education you would get at a State University or College for (1/16) of the cost. The teachers at those institutions don’t care more or less. They’re getting paid, and guess by whom. You! You’re
either paying an arm and a leg for the “do this to make sure you get The job.” Or you’re paying a little for the “here, now go get A job.”

At all the schools I’ve been, I’ve not seen more than 4-5 classes on owning a business. The last school I attended only had one, “Entrepreneurship.” I’m like, “What the heck?!” The educational system is just one big business. There was a school in Atlanta that has or was about to be closed because it couldn’t pay its water bill! You know why? No students, defaulting on loans and such. No students means no money. No money means no profit. No profit means no business. And guess what. No business means no school. Same education, different institution. It’s like buying bread at the grocery store. Same great bread brand, different prices.

I’ve found my institution though: Barnes & Noble and all other venues. You think I’m kidding? Go to one and visit the business section. See how much you can learn in just one day. So all in all, don’t think “college” is the only way to go. You can start your own business with ease. Heck, you can even start your own business while attending college. So when you graduate, you won’t be in some rundown apartment getting up at 5am to make it to work through crazy traffic. You’ll already be living well, and will have a “college degree” just to say, “I’ve been there, done that.” Invest in Yourself.

Copyright � 2009 Antonio Newell

numly esn 35323-090414-270363-60

http://www.lyphchangerz.info

http://www.antonionewellthinks.blogspot.com

About the author:
I’m from Crystal Springs, Mississippi. . .recently relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. I’m on a life mission to help people realize their potential. I came from not having a lot to becoming an internet entrepreneur and musical artist/producer. No one can tell me “it can’t be done.” Because I’m living proof that it can be.

Filed under: Books, Booksellers, Career Path, Career Search, Entrepreneurship, Social Networking , Awareness, Career, Career Path, Career Search, economic forecast, Entrepreneurship, jobs, life, money, planning, self help, self improvement

Do I need a Mentoring program?

By Dustin Hubbard

Everyone does better if they have some type of mentor or mentoring program available to utilize. The description of mentor can be a varied one. A mentor can come in the guise of a school teacher, or counselor. A mentor can be someone else you know that is proficient in your particular field of study or career. A mentor can even be part of a mentoring program that is formed by colleges and universities for their students.

In fact the business world has caught on to the potential of people who have been mentored and many public and private professional organizations as well as government agencies use mentoring programs to help their people personally and professionally. Today these services can be done person to person but often as not are initiated by phone or email or even webcam. Here are a few of the mentoring programs available in different fields but available to students nationwide:

The GEM-Nursing Program: This type program is sponsored by the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Dept. of Labor and helps link high school children and college students nationwide aged 15-21 with mentors in the nursing fields. These mentors are able to meet and help their charges by email, websites and other special events. This would be a program for the child who knows they are interested in the Nursing Field for a career.

MentorNet: This is a mentoring program that is used by female college students that are studying engineering, science and mathematics. The students meet with mentors in their subject areas of interest usually over the internet by email.

Public Health Mentor Program: This is a mentoring program that tries to put about 100 students together with local professionals in the area that have the same career interest. The mentors give career advice to the students. It is sponsored by The University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and is called the Public Health Mentor Program.

Minority Access to the Professions Scholars (MAPS) Program: This is called MAPS and is sponsored by the Office of Minority Student Affairs at Middlesex County College in New Jersey and is a program that brings minority students together with people from the professional world.

Anthropology Mentor Program: The National Association for the Practice of Anthropology is a program that is offered to help advanced graduate students in the field connect with professional anthropologists.

Potential graduate students also find it useful to utilize mentoring programs that are offered through their college or university. Universities and Colleges team up with quality mentors from inside the school and outside the school to help guide the graduate student on the right path that allows them to make the right career designs that help them get the job they have been dreaming about. Most of the outside mentors that colleges and universities utilize have the ability to continue helping the student even after their graduation. It is important to realize that a mentoring program can have tremendous benefit in a school setting or a business setting for the person that uses it.

About the author:
The mission of UGrowU is to be a one-stop solution for Entry Level Recruiting, internal employee growth, and expertise while establishing a professional growth network, and job opportunities for students and early career professionals. Visit http://www.ugrowu.com

Filed under: Campus Lifestyle, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, College Planning, Consultants, Graduate School, Graduation, Internships, Mentoring, Nursing, Public Service, Social Networking, Students , academic quality, Anthropology, Awareness, Career Path, Career Search, Choosing Universities, College Planning, female college students, Freshman, Grad students, Mentoring, Mentors, Nursing, planning, self help, self improvement, Students, Universities

How Would You Fix the Economy?

Over the weekend I read this article from the St. Petersburg Times Sunday Newspaper . The Business Section’s question to the public was

“How Would You Fix the  Economy?”

The following was, by far, the BEST idea submitted.

Dear Mr. President,
Patriotic retirement:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force – Pay them  
$1 million apiece severance with the following stipulations:

1.They retire immediately. Forty million job openings – Unemployment  fixed.

2.They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered -Auto Industry fixed. 

3.They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage – Housing Crisis  fixed. 

It can’t get any easier than that!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress and their  
constituents pay their taxes…

Filed under: Banks, Branding, Consultants, Social Networking, Uncategorized , Awareness, Choice, Decisions, Economics, employment, job search, jobs, life, planning

Are there College Jobs Available?

By Dustin Hubbard

You’ve finally been accepted to the college or university of your choice. Now all you have to do is find a job to be able to stay at school. Most colleges and universities know that the normal average student will have to have a job while they are in school. Because of this the school will usually have websites that enable their students a viable way of finding on-campus and some off-campus jobs.

The on-campus jobs that most universities and colleges offer are for the student body only. These jobs will be in the classes, for the different departments, and for the university itself. Some examples might be a job in the school cafeteria or perhaps in the cashier department of the university. Many departments will have job openings that the student can apply for, such as needing a student to log in students that participate in Chemistry Labs or a student to be a receptionist at the Math Department Office. These jobs tend to start at around $8-10 dollars an hour and can be anywhere from a few hours a week to a 20-25 hour work week. The student will have to check their class schedule with the work schedule to make sure it will fit.

The off-campus jobs that might be offered through the university or college website will usually come from companies and employers that are local to the area. The school might even host a job fair that will allow these companies and employers to actively recruit for employees. This is an easy way for the student to access potential employers and see if he or she will fit in with a certain company. Local companies that might be hiring college or university students could be the local grocery store or if there is a mall nearby it could be a retail store like the nearest bookstore or clothing store. More mainstream jobs available might be receptionist at a local clinic. The pay for this type job will be the same as an on-campus job.

Most college jobs have very few requirements and can be filled by the local population but there are jobs that are sometimes offered for specialty positions. These would be those jobs requiring a certain amount of college attained or perhaps a person that has already completed their associates or bachelors. The specialty jobs might also be available for a particular Major only. These type’s college jobs will typically pay more money than the others.

After checking you university or college website for sources of college jobs, there is of course always the mainstay of job search which is the newspaper and the internet job search. This will not typically give you any jobs that are available for on-campus employment but will be able to show you what other off-campus jobs might be available in your particular area. Again always check your class schedule with what the potential employer will require from you and it’s always a good idea to let your new boss know you are a student at the local university or college.

About the author:
The mission of UGrowU is to be a one-stop solution for Entry Level Recruiting, internal employee growth, and expertise while establishing a professional growth network, and job opportunities for students and early career professionals. Visit http://www.ugrowu.com

Filed under: Bay Area, California Colleges, Campus Lifestyle, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, College Planning, Consultants, Graduation, Hiring, Internships, Public Service, Social Networking, Students, Summer Jobs, single parent families , Career, Career Path, College, College Planning, college students, Employers, employment, job search, jobs, money, Social Networks, Students

Linkedin #1 Tool For College Graduate Employment Search: Stop Playing With Tinker Toy Social Media Sites!

Facebook is a fine toy if you are in college-it’s the serious version of myspace. But what is that going to get you when you graduate and you are looking for a job? Answer: connections other college grads who are also looking for a job.

Get Serious With Linkedin

College students will do themselves a huge favor in the fight for employment, if they join and strategically network into the business community.

Advantages of Linkedin

1. Initiative: Introduce yourself to the business community as a soon to be new talent in the job market

2. Job Listings: many fantastic opportunities are posted on Linkedin and nowhere else. This is a powerful job search tool

3. Q&A: this section allow people to ask questions or provide answers. Asking a solid question will bring numerous responses which opens the doors to new connections. Answering a question is the opportunity to show your expertise and knowledge in a way that could impress the right hiring manager or HR director

What does Linkedin really mean to you and your search for employment ? According to Linkedin the following:

1. Control Your Professional Brand- show case skills and talents via your profile and Answer section

2. Network and Reconnect- 24 million members strong, an excuse to call on an old friend or business connection

3. Share Your Knowledge- and Expertise: allows you to show case your talents, gain exposure, or find answers

4. Receive Opportunities- it could be a job offer, consulting assignment, or appearance opportunity

What Makes Linkedin Serious Business?

All the ways to connect and utilize this tool for so many different people and tasks

1. New Users Guide Users manual with powerful strategies
2. Job Seekers Tips for landing a dream job along with ideas on how to market and brand “you”
3. Entrepreneurs: tap into experienced professionals and answer critical questions
4. Attorneys: Manage reputation, demonstrate knowledge and expertise, create client base
5. Business Development: Foster partnerships, look for opportunities, find new channels
6. Consultants: Demonstrate expertise while building your business
7. Journalists: Resources to news and inside information a vast resource for writers
8. Non Profits: Bring awareness of your cause and find the right resources
9. Venture Capital: Opportunities and Ideas come to you with connectivity

Filed under: Branding, Campus Lifestyle, Career Path, Career Search, Hiring, Internships, Linkedin, Public Service, Recruitment, Social Networking, Universities , Career, college students, employment, Facebook, goals, graduate, hidden job market, investment in future, job, job search, Linkedin, network, preparation, profile, resume, social media, Social Networks, strategy, Students, university