If You Keep Doin' What You Been Doin' You'll Keep Gettin' What You Been Gettin'.

If your grades are in and you've found them on line you have one question. Were the academic results for this past term satisfactory?  Only you can answer.  If your results were satisfactory then read no further. If not. Read on. And consider this.

What could you have done different, better or more or less to have achieved the results you desired? Slept less, studied more?  Partied less, gone to class more? Participated in class more? Been a better lab partner?  Found a better lab partner?

Some brief reflection will no doubt show you what you might have done to achieve what you intended to achieve at the beginning of the term.

Was there one thing, one thing you would have changed?

If there was and you know what that one thing was you now have item number one on your list for next term.

Note it, remember it and apply what you have learned to your next term. That is what college is about. Learning. And applying what you have learned. And on Planet College there is no better teacher than experience.

Because, if you keep doin' what you've been doin' you'll keep gettin' what you been gettin'.

Reminder; Stuff Comes Up And Then More Stuff Comes Up

Planet College occasionally posts past entry as reminders. Whether you in between terms or about to go into Winter Session this is a reminder about stuff coming up.

Loan Acceleration.

Money is a major concern among students and Planet College regularly features entries about money. Especially as graduation approaches the necessity of re-paying student loans looms on the horizon. This is an entry about splitting payments, a tactic which is sometimes useful in paying back borrowed money. Hence the term Loan Acceleration.

With some luck and plenty of persistence you will be a graduate soon. You will be leaving Planet College and it is likely you will be leaving with at least some debt.

     Other than getting some kind of worthwhile employment the situation on the minds of you and  99.9% of all the rest of the other college graduates is debt.  Debt is money owed and this debt is from school loans.  The statistics reflecting student debt and the average amount owed by a student at graduation are available from numerous sources including the United States Department of Education.  One source puts it at $25,000.00 per student as of 2011.

     You know what you're debt is, don't you?  Well, if you don't over break it might be a good time to determine just exactly where you are with you loans.  And with that information in hand it will be a very good idea, a very, very good idea, to develop a program, your own program, to handle this debt.

     Planet College has a suggestion which some students are employing successfully in reducing the total they will repay on their loans.  The approach they are using is called 'loan acceleration.' What this means is by employing a procedure in repaying, making the actual loan payments, they are reducing the overall total that they will eventually have repaid. The procedure, simply put, is splitting the payments. This is possible because for most loans there is a monthly payment due. Splitting the payment, making two payments totaling the monthly due, rather than one, can reduce the total due faster than just making one payment.

     This is how it helps. The first payment is always applied to the interest.  Splitting the payment allows the second monthly payment to be applied to the principle, the bulk of the loan.  Paying this way reduces the total sooner.  This has the effect of overall reducing the time it takes to pay the loan back.  Reducing the time effectively reduces the TOTAL amount the borrower will have paid by the time the loan is paid off.

This has been a Planet College entry about loan acceleration. As always Planet College counsels students and graduates to verify any information about their student loans. It IS your money.

Dude Where's My Stuff?

Among the pandemonium usually occurring on Planet College at this point in the term is the chaotic scene in most college libraries.  Since you are about to spend possibly several days in the library Planet College re-posts the warning we posted last year.  The link is here . If you are spending countless hours virtually squatting in the library click it. It is a reminder you'll need.

High School In College Part 2

College in High School.  A surprisingly large number of students leave high school with out graduating. In some areas the total is nearly 50%, half of the students leave without a diploma. Often these same students enroll in a college, often a community college, but at other  times a technical or private college. Their purpose is usually to obtain skills which will increase their ability to earn. It is not a widely known fact that frequently a student with no high school diploma can complete the requirements for  high school graduation while attending college.

     As with all things educational, for average students, the first question is, " Who pays?"  The answer to this question may be surprisingly simple. So if you are attending a community college but have to achieved high school graduation consider this. It is possible the district where you attended but did not complete high school may help pay for courses leading to your high school diploma.

     To find out if that district may has a program which will help pay for the courses you need to complete your high school education call their district offices. Explain you had been a student. Tell them you left before you graduated but you are now in a community college. Ask if they have a program to help former students complete the requirements for a diploma.

     The second possible source of funding may be the community college you are currently attending. That schools administration office may have the information you need. You simply need to ask.

     Planet College encourages all students who have not graduated from high school to follow through and investigate every possibility.  Because you are older now and can make more thoughtful choices you do not need to continue to be handicapped or impeded by your past behaviors. Go ahead, check it out. Planet College emphasizes, Always Ask.

High School Goes to College Part One

If you are currently a high school student who is considering taking college courses before you graduate there are a couple of factors basic to College Academic Life you need to be aware of.

One is a term present in all of education but critical in Higher Education you need to become very, very  aware of -  Transcript. From the time of your first college course enrollment your transcript, the record of the courses in which you have enrolled, will follow you. College transcripts are a permanent record. Permanent. That means forever, always, for good, continuing.  They follow you from campus to campus if you transfer and even after you graduate your transcripts never go away.

     The second basic fact of College Academic Life is this. Since you have either little or no experience with the customs and procedures of higher education it is in your best interest to carefully consider for yourself just exactly which course or courses you intend to enroll in and how you expect to get a passing grade.

     High school students, particularly those who are accustomed to getting good grades, frequently fail to realize that the standard for grading a typical college course is very different than the high school standard. Even courses with exactly the same name, Calculus or Creative Writing, World History or Statistics, for examples, will not at all resemble what you are used to in a high school class room. This is because the content for a college course is more densely concentrated and the pace of the course is usually brisk. One additional condition which exists in most college courses can be particularly devastating for students who ' always get straight A's' , the students for whom any grade less than an A can be initially devastating.  This condition is that typically the course instructor does not care at all that a student ' always gets A's'.  The instructor is there to present the course, evaluate the student's work, grade the assignments and issue the appropriate final grade.

     Therefore it is important for  inexperienced students to understand that the grade they achieve, whatever it may be, will be preserved on their higher education Transcript, no matter what school has awarded it.

     Planet College therefore counsels all high school students to thoughtfully review any college level course they may be considering before enrolling.  Be Aware: as we are emphasizing, the grade you receive will follow your higher education career permanently.

It's Not Too Late Ask The Instructor.

On and off Planet College the pace of business and social activities heats up markedly right about now. If you've become distracted by endeavors and find you've been skipping class sessions lately it is a good time right now to check out your standing in any classes you have missed. This can be accomplished effectively by asking the instructor or TA what you need to do to pass that class. Texts, tweets, phone messages and e-mails accomplish most communications effectively but this particular
communication is best done in person.

Here is what you need to do.

Find your instructor's office if she has one.  If not, see if you can catch her  (or him) after class. This time of year there is likely to be a line to talk to your instructor or TA because you are not the only one who has been skipping class sessions and missing assignments. When you do talk to her identify yourself, "I'm your student and I'm in your section for your subject,"-whatever it is.  Than say, " I'd like to know what I need to do to complete this course with a passing grade." Just that.  ( She ( or he) may not have all the information right now. If not ask the instructor to e-mail you with the information. ) But ,if they do, write down the total due now. Missed assignments and possibly missed examinations or quizzes, whatever the total is. Take note of them and say, "Thanks. I will make a serious effort to make these up and complete this course."

 That is all you need to do, right?

 No, not quite. You still have to do what she said. Follow through. No more excuses. Don't miss any more class sessions. Turn in the material due. If it is possible to take make-ups for the missed exams and quizzes do so. Right now. Find out, schedule and do it. 

What About IBR?

 Because Winter break is coming, a time to earn for most students and, of course a time to spend, Planet College brings you this reminder.

This is about Income Based Repayment, IBR.

If you have been using loans to fund your education and you are approaching graduation either this term or Spring then re-payment is looming on your financial horizon.  Briefly, loans are the temporary use of some product or service with the expectation that the property or service will be returned along with compensation. When the product is money the compensation along with returning the borrowed money is called interest. Interest is the fee, usually expressed as a percentage, for using the money. Most loan rates are expressed as annual percentage rates meaning the total due on the loaned money is figured yearly.

Interest is a kind of rent.

Here is a simple example. If you needed a thousand dollars to go to school and some person or organization said " We can loan you the thousand dollars you need. We will charge you ten per cent interest annually."  Ten percent of a thousand dollars is a hundred dollars. They would be saying that after you have received the money you would owe them a hundred dollars a year in addition to the thousand dollars you borrowed until you paid them back. If you paid them back within one year you would have paid them eleven hundred dollars.

Those are the basic principles and the basic procedure.  There is more to it but that is the basis your lender is working from.

So. What about IBR?

Lenders who deal with a large number of people develop a variety of programs which are intended for specific types or groups of borrowers.  One group is graduates with loans who do not initially earn large salaries.  Individuals in this group often have, relatively speaking, large debt. That means large loans to repay but a small income  from which to repay .  With this in mind some lenders have developed a program which bases the debtors payments on their earnings.  This program uses income as reported by the former student to calculate their monthly payments. This program has two purposes. One, to get the lender their money, two to assist the former student in dealing with their loans.  Simply put, the sooner you pay off your loans the less you will pay total.      ( And you will get to keep more of your income to spend on things you really want.)

Annual Reminder The Turkey Trap.

With the long anticipated and hugely welcomed break approaching Planet College here again reprints its annual reminder about break.  The original is here.

If you are too tired to click the link this is what it says.

It is almost time for a welcome break from Planet College. It is also time to remind students of the looming danger called The Turkey Trap.

Polly's story explains it well.

Polly heard the pilot announce 'Please fasten your seat belt as we approach for a landing.” and awoke from her reverie.  It had been a restful Thanksgiving break. She had arrived home Tuesday evening after an eventful freshman semester. She visited with her family, ate too much turkey and went on a snooze cruise. Saw friends, got caught up and now, as her return flight approached the airport,the cabin lights came on and another light went on in Polly's head. It was accompanied by an announcement that said, ”Oh my God, I've got a paper due for my ten o'clock class and I haven't even started it!"

 

 Polly had fallen for The Turkey Trap.  Since colleges started giving students breaks students mistakenly had assigned these times to get “caught up.”  “Oh, I'll just do it over break” is a common mis-conception students have applied to work due later in the term.   Don't fall for it.  You will not do anything over break. Don't fall for The Turkey Trap.  When you get an assignment start on it right away. Finish it in as timely a fashion as possible. Over break pig out, kick back, visit your sister. Bounce your new little niece on your knee and just generally forget about school. Period.  That's what breaks are for.  Don't fall for the Turkey Trap. If you haven't even started the paper before break, you won't do it over break.

 

Testing Tactics Two Check Your Answers Then Check Your Answers Again.

As recommended by Planet College you are now intent on taking the entire time alloted for the test. If you have not practiced this approach to test taking you may wonder what to do with the time if you actually finish the test with time left. 

This is what to do. It is always wise to check your answers. And then check your answers again. This is to assure yourself that you have the correct and complete answer to the examination question. Since you are now using all of the time allotted for the test you have time to do this, answer checking.

Answer checking is an essential step toward getting the grade you wish on the test and for the course. Answer checking is particularly useful if your testing involves a Scantron(c) .  Under the pressure of testing, filling in a Scantron(c) often becomes problematic for average students. It is possibly due to the way they are laid out, roughly the equivalent of an eye-chart test. Hurried test takers can easily mark the wrong space. Very frustrating. Which is why this post emphasizes checking your answers and before turning in your test, checking your answers again. There is nothing more frustrating than getting a test back with an answer marked as incorrect, which as far as the grader knew is, but only because you marked the wrong little space.  So, again, before handing in your answer sheet check your answer. And check your answer again.

Testing Tactics One Take The Entire Time

On Planet College mid-terms may be dissapearing in your rearview mirror but that can only mean finals will be arriving soon.

If you are satisfied with your performance on your recent mid-terms then fine, congratulations and good job!

But if you are dis-satisfied with your results, here is an advisory from Planet College. How much time did you spend taking the actual test?  Depending on what type of test it was, by the time a typical student on Planet College actually gets the test which they will be taking they are so anxious that they hurry through the actual examination just to get out of there.

Worse yet, we've all see those whizzes who stand up, walk up and turn in their blue book or scantron or blue book and scantron twenty minutes after the test started.  This often freaks out already shaky students who then begin thinking, " Should I be done?"  "Is this test really that easy?"

No. You should not be done and for you, of course, the test is NOT that easy. Nothing is that easy.  That there may be some championship test takers in your class, well good for them. But that does not help you.

Which leads to the following testing tactic recommended for average students.  Take the entire time. For the test. Use the entire time given to take the test.  Whether it is two hours, one hour or fourty minutes use every minute to take the test. You are not in a race. You are not graded on completion time. You are graded on correct answers.

Deciding you will take the entire time for the test and then doing so will reduce the pressure somewhat and possibly allow for clearer thinking.  And that could only be helpful.

Spell Check May Not Be Your Friend. But It Can Still Be Useful.

Seasoned veterans of Planet College have learned to be wary of running any spelling and grammar checking feature on whatever word processing program they may be using. Planet College has detailed the potential heartbreak of depending on such a program here.

If the pitfall detailed in that post is discouraging read further.

Spelling and grammar checking programs do have a place. Just not as the final this-is-the-print-out- I-will -hand-in.  There are too many opportunities for glaring errors. Mainly this is true because final copies are usually printed out at 2 a.m. just before you pass out from exhaustion. Or, worse, ten minutes before class.  Either way there is no means to do a final real effective check of the work. And for the kind of work you except to complete now a final check is absolutely necessary.

This factor becomes more important as you progress.  Early on, like way back when you were a freshman, you handed in anything because as a freshman you just did not care. You probably figured, " Hey I turned it in. Give me an A." That did not work out and since then you have progressed both in your respect for the difficulties of actually completing a worthwhile paper and in the care you take in your work.

Which is why Planet College counsels students to use the spelling feature of you writing program early and often. As you progress through the writing of the paper pause and run the spell check. Watch it carefully but especially watch it for obvious errors.  These programs are so coldly logical that they will invariably recommend " there " for " they're " and other such simple but useless recommendations. When you are done with your final copy print it out and look at it carefully.  Ideally if you can, print it out the night before. Next morning look it over for errors.  It is likely you will be much more capable of spotting needed corrections after at least a few hour sleep. Then you can run your final print out.

Use Your Diploma As A Down Payment.

An international automobile corporation currently has an advertising campaign which features the statement at the head of this post, Use Your Diploma As A Down Payment . Their wish is that you purchase one of their new models. The offer is that if you have recently graduated you will receive favorable terms on the financing when you buy this car.

       This campaign can tell you something about the status of graduates, those who hold a diploma, in the eyes of merchandisers, sellers and suppliers of products abd services.

        First of all, it does not take a marketing major to recognize that the intended market is those who are new to the full time work force. From this position the automobile company would like the buyers to establish a pattern of buying their brand. By offering what, at least seems to be a  pretty good deal, they feel they have an opportunity to establish a repeat buyer. If they make good cars they probably will.

         Secondly, it is generally believed and backed up by numerous research studies that college graduates earn more than those who don't have a diploma.  Another good reason to seek out graduates as customers.

          Further reflection will show you that you are valued not only as a consumer but also as a trend setter. If the car company can get enough college graduates as regular customers that elevates their status with the general car buying population.

          These simple observations may promote an equally simple but profound realization about you and your pending status as a college graduate, a degree holder.

          You have value. You have earned it. You have value not only to marketers but also to employers and the general population. You are putting the work in, day to day, to improve your effectiveness as a contributing member of society and the human race.  Your diploma represents far more than a down payment. It is recognition of your continuing value. And no one can take that away from you.

How Am I Doing? Ask, Just Ask

By now the daily grind of this term on Planet College has settled into - OK, yes, a daily grind.  The daily aspect for your college career as a grind has one advantage. It is regular and reliable; class, work, friends, party, class, work and so on.  The reliability of this can lead to a kind of sleepwalk and this sleepwalk may produce regrettable results.

In order to assure that you are working toward, even sleepwalking, toward graduation it is important to occasionally get a fix on your real progress. The best source, immediate source, of your real progress is your instructor for any class but in particular a class which is unusually challenging.

To make this determination find a time when the instructor is free. Clearly, just before or just after class session is workable.  At this time, approach her and ask if she has time to talk.  If she says, 'Yes." then identify yourself and the section of her courses you are enrolled in.  Tell her you are checking on your progress in her course and you would like to know if you are up to date or if there are any assignments due. She may take a moment to check or she may say, "I'll let you know.'  What ever she says pay careful attention.

Then do it. Follow through on exactly what she says.

This contact has two advantages.  First, you get first hand knowledge of your real status in a class which may be more difficult and require more attention than you have been providing.  Second, and this is a significant point, you have established yourself in the mind of the instructor as a student who cares about this course and their progress.  Instructors often view favorably students who have demonstrated care about their course.  Come grading time this can be a distinction which works to your advantage.

Right now, go find out how you're doing.

Do I Still Have To Pay The Money Back?

Dana is a student worker on campus who is working part time in the financial aid office this term, mostly answering calls from students. Most of those calls are about money, as you might guess, specifically; Where is it.? Where is my money? That is what most students want to know.

Dana is used to these calls by now and due to having been trained for this position has learned the procedure for informing the student if or when their money will be released.  While searching the student's record she can further determine if the student is lacking anything in their file which could be causing a delay. After a few weeks Dana has gotten used to these calls and, being a student her self, she appreciates the concerns of the caller.

But, Dana was not entirely prepared for the call that came to her one afternoon recently. The caller was a student who had received a letter informing her she had been dis-enrolled by the university due to failing grades.  At Dana's school dis-enrolled means kicked out. The student now had one thing on her mind.  She asked Dana, " Do I still have to pay the money back?"  By this the student meant the loans she had received to pay for her schooling while she had been attending.  After checking the record Dana's reply was, "Yes."  Yes, that caller ,who had completed three semesters, did owe the money.

This incident illustrates one basic, simple and critical factor about your higher education. Whether you complete your schooling or not, if you have accepted loans for college you will have to pay those loans back. You will.  They are loans and loans must be repaid.

Quit, kicked out, didn't go back, just forgot about it. For whatever reason you cease to attend college you will be responsible for your school loans until you have paid them back.

If college attendance has become no longer possible ,before you leave, stop by the financial aid office on your campus. Have the worker ( it probably won't be Dana) go over your file with you. Learn for your elf, first hand, how much you actually owe.  There are now in place, Planet College can assure your, tools to manage your debt while you become financially stable. But ignoring it or pretending it's OK is not one of them.  It is NOT  OK. They won't go away until you pay, so sooner or later you got to do something.  Make it sooner.

Studying Abroad? Get your Gillman On.

Planet College has endorsed and encouraged studying abroad for students since this site was founded.  Planet College is always eager to share resources for students to allow them to pursue overseas studies. If you are an undergraduate foreign language major who has been considering studying abroad but has found the cost prohibitive there may be help. As noted in the posts linked above The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, is a scholarship intended to assist students from the USA who are studying a foreign language and wish to further their studies in another country outside of the United States.  According to their site the requirements are fairly simple.  To be eligible you must be enrolled in higher education in the USA. You must be studying one of the languages listed on their site and also you must have received a Pell Grant.   Applications are still available for Spring, 2014, and will be, according to their site, until October 1, 2013. The complete deadline list is here.  Give their site a look. You could end up studying overseas for hardly more money than you are paying to study in the USA. Pretty Cool.

Term Reminder: Easy A

Several semesters back Planet College posted an entry titled Easy A.
That entry is here.  Often when planning a term schedule students seek a course which will guarantee them a high grade with little effort.  The entry noted the term 'easy', as in Easy A, is often a seductive illusion. If you are still looking to add and trying to find an 'easy' course, read the entry. If your schedule for this term is set and you have included an 'easy' course click on the link anyway. You might learn something. And that would be good.

Welcome Back. Here's The Deal.

Returning to campus is now a familiar exercise for you and most other students you know on Planet College. By now you are familiar with all the 'deals' available to students on or around your campus. Special deals, real deals, pizza deals the list is long. And by now you are totally familiar with what 'deals' actually mean to you, an average student on Planet College.

 If you are not familiar or have lost track here is what a deal means. Some business, some organization, or some individual wants your money. They do. So they offer a 'deal'. A deal is simply an exchange. Pizza, books, a car, a phone, a fitness membership in exchange for your money.  Overall this tradition, offering 'deals' to college students is fair and equitable. You're hungry. They have pizza. Take the deal. You get pizza, they get your money. Simple and expedient. That is a basic deal.

Now that you've been around Planet College you have probably learned some deals are better than others. The basic measurement of any deal, your satisfaction with the exchange, has told you whether the 'deal' really was a good deal for you. And the key is 'for you'.  With precious little time to stop and reflect if every deal is worth it it is common practice among students to just keep steppin', go with the flow, miss a few, make a few and life goes on.

Here is a Planet College suggestion. This term take a look at one 'deal', just one, you are involved in. Just one. Your fitness membership, phone plan, roommate deal pick one. Stop and reflect. Pause for just a few minutes and consider the question, "Is this the best deal for me." Just that. Ask your self that. Your reply if honestly considered, will tell you a few things about you, how you feel and how you may have changed. Changed, since this 'deal' seemed like a good idea.

If your answer is dissatisfaction you have probably grown, not only as a student but also as a person. Planet College offers many, many opportunities for experiences to stimulate your growth not only as a student but also as a person.  With the term approaching the typical full roar of activities, interests and involvements it is quite possibly too late to change any deal you may have signed up for. If you have found some 'deal' in your school life which no longer works your wisest course for this term is probably to go along. Time moves fast on Planet College. Note to yourself, " Next term, I'm making a change."  And next term, do it.

When Things Change Go Check Your fafsa.

 Planet College has frequently emphasized keeping your fafsa up to date. Those posts can be seen here.  This is another fafsa reminder.

The start of a school year brings many pressing subjects to the mind of students on Planet College.  Housing, work and class schedule are pre-eminent among the things which need to be attended to as classes start.  One thing which may have a direct bearing on each of these factors is your financial aid award. If you received your award letter  agreed signed and returned it to your school then the financial aid it represent is probably in place.

But what if things have changed for you financially?  Specifically, what if some help you were counting on has not come through.  Have changes in your personal financial aid picture left you unnecessarily stretched.  Planet College has always emphasized the importance of asking for help when you need it. And if your are short of funds then you need help.  Help almost always starts with you. What are you doing to help  yourself?

First thing is make an appointment to discuss your situation with a counselor in your schools financial aid office.  Then go on line and change your fafsa to more accurately reflect your current situation. Your fafsa, the document which provides the basic information upon which your school determines your need was no doubt filed much earlier this year. During the intervening months much could have happened to affect your financial status.  Many students depend on family for support but what if changes have reduced or eliminated that support? Changing the facts as you can see them is the first step to getting the help you need to complete this coming school year successfully.

While students often don't realize that they can amend their fafsa to more accurately reflect their actual financial picture now you know.  So, when you need help ask. But first help the helpers help you. If it is appropriate change your fafsa now.

Unpaid Internship Update

Planet College  has reported several times on the dilemma of students who take unpaid internships hoping these positions will lead them to a career, often in arts-related industries like fashion and motion picture production.  Those posts are here.

Recently on an entertainment business related radio program, The Business, the host, journalist Kim Masters, interviewed Eric Glatt, a former intern, who sued Fox Studios over his experience as an unpaid intern on the film The Black Swan, an Oscar winning motion picture. The interview with Eric Glatt can be heard here. Mr. Glatt, at least thus far, has won his lawsuit.  He has since expanded his activities in this field to include other areas where interns are recruited, unpaid and, he believes, exploited.  His most recent statements are here.

Planet College endorses Mr. Glatt's actions to assure that students who are recruited as interns are treated fairly and paid when required. As the new term looms and anxious students actively seek positions which will advance their careers Planet College once again advises students to think carefully before accepting any 'unpaid' position. You have valuable skills and talents and deserve to be fairly compensated for your work.

Before We Start.

Classes wont be back in regular session for a few weeks yet. You might still be finishing up a summer course or working the extra hours or the extra job or jobs you need to be prepared for Fall. Planet College regularly reminds students of the basics of finishing the requirements. Due to the busyness of everyday life on Planet College students often find this reminder useful. So here we go for the next term.

First of all, attend. Don't miss class. Students who graduate attend class regularly. The one sure path to your degree is attend your courses.

Second. Have a grade goal for each class.  By now you understand the value of goals and a grade goal helps you focus. Remember a grade of C is a passing grade. You can, depending on your major, finish and graduate without ever achieving a grade higher than a C.  This can help take the pressure off.

Stop occasionally and look around at where you are, both on campus and in your life. Are you where you want to be? Probably not yet. But are you on your way? Probably yes.

Third, got a problem? Ask for help. Class problem, money problems, roommate problems, even legal problems, there is probably a resource on or near campus which can provide some assistance. All you have to do is locate them, they are there, and ask. Just say, " I need some help."

There once again are the basic which can significantly assist through college and back to earth with a real job.

I Want To Be A Fireman.

Remember that way back when, a long long time ago?  When someone asked you "What do you want to be when you grow up?" What did you say?  A standard answer and still surprisingly common is "Fireman." Not surprising. They get to fly through traffic lights in bright red loud trucks and wear pretty cool helmets.  Impressive, especially for a young child.

Along the way things have changed, lots of things. You have grown up and now are aware of more choices available.  This is common and useful. Still, if you look back, back to those answers you may have given about you and your life when you were very young there may be some characteristics which are still basically true. Fireman, for example, get a lot of recognition.  The are recognized as helpers protecting individuals and the community from danger. Heroes in a word.

What about your choices now? Fireman may not be on the list of your ambitions but it is likely that your intentions for your life still contain some basic values you had experienced about yourself when you were very small. While then you were not capable of articulating your urges as values now you can.

So this is an essential question Planet College is presenting for your examination. Do you still want to be a fireman?  Maybe not, but, more basically are your choices, career and personal, reflecting your values?  Are they?  If your answer is "Yes" then you are qualified to pass self-awarness with a grade of A.  If you are not sure or don't know it might be time for a little studying. A brief self reflection which scans your current practices and habits, friends and work life, classes you enjoy and never miss, will quickly show how close or far from your basic values you are currently.

If, even more basically, you don't know what your basic values are it is time to find out. And you can. It wont take long at all. Just ask yourself, "What in my life means the most to me?" There. There it will be. Is it family, money, recognition, achievement, friendship, loyalty, humor or any one of a myriad of qualities?  Go ahead. Ask your self. And listen carefully to your answer. What ever it is. That will be the basis for your choices for most of your life.

And, most importantly, if you still want to be a fireman, there is still time.

Help May Be Closer Than You Think

Advancing toward  career goals while trying to stay current or even awake while completing college courses is a challenge most students face daily.  In this busy often frenzied milieu any kind of help is always welcomed.  Sometimes with a bit of diligence a student can assist themselves handily and make a worthwhile gain.  All it takes is asking for some help and often all that takes is finding the right person to ask.

Amy learned this through a tip from a friend, another student, followed through, and got some real help for her work search. Amy had been working on campus in the bookstore but was nearing the end of her third year and felt it was time to move on to a job in 'the real world' whatever that might be. Amy was explaining to another student, her friend Becky, that she had gone to the career center on campus to get some interviewing tips and a resume critique. These are part of the services that are available, along with job leads, at the center located in the student activities building near the center of campus. Amy complained that the center is staffed mostly by students like herself who don't really know much more about resumes or interview techniques than she does.  Becky listened and then told Amy about another resource on campus she knew of that might be helpful.

Becky's mom worked on campus as a secretary in the Geography Department.  She had been interviewed and subsequently hired several years before through the university's human resources department located in the school's administration building.  Becky suggested that Amy go to that office and make an appointment with one of the staff members who works there.  Becky thought that a worker, one who regularly reviews applications and interviews candidates for school positions, might have some practical knowledge and useful tips which could aid Amy's job search.

Amy thought it was worth a try.  She went to the human resources office in the administration building and requested to see an interviewer.  When Amy explained she was not really applying for a job she was just looking for some practical advice, the receptionist said she would see what she could do.  While Amy waited,  the receptionist used the phone and in a few minutes told Amy she would have a regular appointment and an interview with one of the professionals who staffed the office.

A few days later Amy returned for the appointment. The staff worker greeted her, showed her to an office and began a brief interviewing session as though she were there for a real job.  After  completing the interview and reviewing Amy's resume the worker spent a few minutes explaining some of the basics of job seeking and interviewing. She told Amy always know what exact job you are applying for and always know something about the company, at least what they do. She also told Amy to arrive a few minutes early, dress like you are ready to go to work that day and smile when speaking with the interviewer.  Amy also got some useful tips about her resume. The main thing the interviewer emphasized is the company wants to know what you can do for them. Most interviewers understand that college students and recent graduates often do not have a great deal of business or work experience.  What students lack in experience they usually make up for in enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

This was a valuable experience for Amy. She put the advice to good use and followed through. A few months later she was hired as a part-time  assistant in the events planning office of a municipal center near where she lives. This is a big step for Amy and she has been learning a lot and enjoying the experience while she finishes the requirements for her graduation.

If you are a little overwhelmed with the whole job-seeking, career planning, what-am-I-going-to-do- after-graduation dilemma maybe a visit to the hiring office, the real hiring office, on your campus could help clarify your next move. Worth a try, yes?

Designs On The Spirit Of Your Career.

Recently The Sartorialist, a site dedicated to Fashion and Photography, published a photograph of a young design student working in class.  The photographer used this shot because the subject is dressed fashionably.  Not high fashion but appropriate for herself, the place and the work. The moderator of the site, who is also the photographer, captioned the picture by saying, 'It was so nice to see fashion students that actually dressed like they wanted to be in the fashion business.' You can see the photo here.

This post promptly got major flak largely from students who complained they should not have to dress like they are working in a business just because the are studying to work in that business.

The moderator's reply was thoughtful and informative. You can read it here .

His reply is worth you consideration.  Basically he said that ' Yes he understood that busy students don't have time to get 'dressed up' for school'. He had been one and he understood that part of the complaints.

However, he pointed out, if you are dedicated to achieving a place in an industry it is helpful to consider when you will be ready and how you will know you are ready for your career? College teaches the essentials, basics critical to your work. Schools rarely teach the many other elements which will make up your career. Managing your time, bookkeeping, promoting yourself in your industry, all must be done by you for you to obtain a place in your profession.

Right now there is only so much you can do, you really are busy trying to complete your degree. But consider putting a little care and time into your appearance. Whatever your career designs dressing the part is a useful step toward your career.  Give it a try.

Rear-View Mirror Check.

Automobiles are equipped with rear-view mirrors to provide drivers with information about what maybe approaching from the rear.  Drivers on Planet College find rear view mirrors particularly useful for keeping track of approaching law enforcement.  An occasional check in the rear view mirror while driving keeps drivers on track and generally legal. This habit, acquired from driving, can be useful in other areas of life.  For example, am I on track to get where I want to go? Planet College exists to remind and re-remind average college students that the goal of their quest is graduation. A diploma. To assist that quest Planet College  offers a brief survey of past posts.

If you are planning on travel this summer and your plans are not set this report from could be informative.

Planet College emphasizes and re-emphasizes the importance of how you spend your time and this post explains that basic concept in detail.

Summer is the optimum time to increase earnings. More work means more more money and what student on Planet College doesn't need more money?  Additionally as Jacob learned and is reported here more work could mean unexpected trouble.

And finally, for graduates exclusively Planet College has this.

This has been a brief review of Planet College previous post.  Although students often need little reminder to have fun during this time at the risk of being redundant if not superfluous, Have Fun This Summer!

Maybe You Can Too.

The busy demanding day-to-day atmosphere of Planet College provides many opportunities for enterprising students to put their skills and ingenuity to work to benefit themselves and other students.

One such example occurred at a large urban west coast university recently. The link for the story is here.  If you read the story you will learn that a frustrated student, frustrated with the whole bookstore routine, found a partner and proposed a solution. As you can read that simple act generated benefits for the partners and many other students as well.

Their actions are laudable, commendable and will likely benefit themselves and other students for sometime to come.

Which brings Planet College to you.  What have you seen? What have you thought of that you haven't given a serious try to? Anything? Something?  If there is a notion, a concept or a germ of an idea occasionally on your mind why not give it a try? Whatever it is, get a friend, get a partner, make a simple plan and try.

The students reported in the article are probably not much different than you. They made an effort and that effort made a difference.

Maybe you can too.

Attention Graduates; This Is Water.

This is an animated sound recording of the commencement address given by the American Author David Foster Wallace to the graduation class of Kenyon College in 2005.  Planet College regards this address as essentially helpful and useful for graduates and others on Planet College as well. Please regard Mr. Wallace's words carefully and take them with you when you leave campus.

Payment Deferred.

Planet College regularly emphasizes the essential principle that hard working students like you  be paid for their work.  They should receive  earnings in a timely fashion following what ever tasks or contribution or work they performed.

College students are generally known to be some what more literate than the general population.  They are also usually desperate for cash.  Money.  Some enterprising individuals and even groups attempt to exploit this combination of skill and need to get students to get people to work for nothing.

This is what they do.

You have probably noticed while looking through job postings the term 'payment deferred'  in an offer of employment ad. This typically means that the worker,  whatever their contribution, will not be compensated for their work.  The ad usually explains that the payment will be forthcoming upon ( or contingent upon) some future event.  Often this event is the actual sale of the item which the student/ worker has contributed to.  These types of ads commonly appear in reference to writing which the ad poster wants done.  ( There are other kinds but the writing one is so common it makes a good example.)  Essentially the ads say something the sense of which is " write a script and when I sell it I'll give you some money. "

That is the approach.  Not quite an outright scam.  Who knows, maybe those involved really think they will be able to sell your work.  Maybe.  But. Basically you will be working now for possible payment in the future. Even if they do sell it what binds them to paying you?  If they hadn't paid you yet and the work is done, why should they pay you when they actually receive any money?  Sound like a deal?  No, no it doesn't. 

That is the Planet College report on 'payment deferred.'

Added Benefits.

Planet College emphasizes the benefits of finishing your degree and regularly publishes information about these benefits. It has been widely acknowledged for some time that graduates, workers with degrees, earn more than those without.  That is a benefit a real substantial benefit. There are other additional benefits and one Planet College would like to point out is health care costs.

Health Care and its costs have been widely discussed recently. Opinions, formulas and predications about health care and its cost have now become integral parts of most political campaigns. Traditionally, for college students the cost of health care has not been high on their list of interests. Too many other more immediate cost compete for college students few dollars.

Soon after graduation, however, most graduates find that health care costs become a factor in their finances. Unless a student is still on their parents health insurance he or she begins shopping for some kind of health care.  This is where possessing a diploma begins to become financially useful. Surveys have shown that college graduates pay less over all over time for health insurance.

That is it. That is a benefit. Graduates pay less for health care insurance than those with out a diploma.
Over time, your money, your earnings, you save some of that money with a college degree.

That is a plus. Graduate. You'll earn more. You'll save more.

Rootie-Toot Tutors

The entrepreneurial spirit is actively engaging many, many students on Planet College. The urge to make something of your own in your own way is  is irresistible. One student, Devon, who did so tells his story here.

During my last year, I was a business major, there was a contest for Entrepreneurial proposals. It had a cash prize and was only open to business majors. I decided to enter but I knew I needed a partner to make it work. I knew Marlene from Student Government. We were on the events council together and put on some programs that went well. A couple of slams and some djs. I liked working with Mar, she could get things done but she's totally chill. When the entrepreneur competition came up I asked her if she wanted to partner. She's an ed major but only one person had to be in the business department to enter. We put together our proposal, it was for a tutoring company, and we entered. The winners were announced and we did not even place. A lot of people liked our idea, though, so we decided to do it anyway.

Our plan was a tutoring company that focused on local families. We would higher tutors from school and assign them to individual students we had found as clients for our business. We made up a catchy name for our business and distributed flyers at locals schools and churches for parent's who wanted their child tutored by a college student. 

Because Mar is an Ed major she knew a lot about lesson planning and student assessment. She is also organized to the max so she took the scheduling and payroll and general administration stuff. I've always been a good talker and sales comes naturally to me so I met the prospective clients and if it looked like a fit signed them up.  Our focus was younger students who were not functioning at grade level. Mar would figure out what the student needed and I recruited the tutor from the students who applied.

Our plan worked OK for a while but after about a year business fell off seriously so we decided to fold it up. I don't think I'd do it again but I sure learned a lot. First of all, it is a lot harder to get someone else to work than it is to do it your self.  We had a lot of problems with tutors who did not show up. I'd have to call around and find some body real fast or else I had to do it myself.  There was a lot more to it than we thought.

Mar and I are still friends but we won't be working together on anything.  That's another thing we learned; real world business is a lot different than planning school functions.

That is the adventure of one entrepreneur on Planet College.

Cold Calling For Spring.

This link from a Planet College post a while back might be some small consolation if you are too broke to engage in the usual festivities this coming break.

Another take on Spring Break can be found here.

The explanation is part of a longer interview with a screenwriter who currently is enjoying some success.  That link has  more detailed exposition about how, as a student, the writer spent one spring break calling for possible internships opportunities.

From his calls he got an interview, went in and did get an opportunity.

From that opportunity he has gone on and is now, several years since,  enjoying some success and some recognition.

There was definitely some preparation and possibly a bit of luck in that the interviewer and the writer had similar interests. Clearly, none of this would have happened, had this student not used this 'opportunity' - the opportunity presented by the fact that he was too broke to go anywhere - to cold call to see what he could find.

"Cold calling', a term derived from direct sales, is often daunting for anyone, even experienced sales professionals.  The 'cold' in cold calling comes from the fact that the caller is unknown to the potential customer, i.e. no introduction, no warm-up.  Still, often, this is the only method available to contact prospects and experienced canvassers will use it in spite of the potentially 'chilly' reception.

Examples such as these, where 'cold' calling has paid off for the cold caller, are typical of the kind of
self-help examples which are used to encourage people to move forward in their careers.  This entry is no exception.  The combination of preparation and luck which resulted in opportunity for this student are not the usual results of cold calling.  But, what would have happened if he had not tried?

Revenge Of The Interns

Due to the frequency of internships occurring in the potential work life of students on Planet College this site has occasionally posted explanations and updates about this subject.  The original post here generally explains internships and your possible position with a company.  Subsequently Planet College posted an update here. 

Since those posts at least one lawsuit has been filed by former interns. Reviewing the details of the complaint, which has been filed as a class action lawsuit, may clarify for you when such 'internships' become intolerable.

 Recent and ongoing difficulties for students and even graduates with degrees to obtain any employment at all in their particular fields, fashion and media come immediately come to mind*,  have led many desperate job seekers to accept "internships' in their field.  Internship, Planet College emphasizes DOES NOT MEAN  unpaid grunt.  If you are considering or are already in such a position now, available here are the Federal Governments guidelines for internships.  Please peruse them promptly.

*The lawsuit referenced above involves over a hundred workers for a film production company on a film which grossed a very large sum of money, over a hundred million dollars, internationally and received numerous awards including an Oscar for the leading lady.

Make That Speech

A survey conducted a while back revealed that many people are more afraid of public speaking, getting up and making a speech in front of a group, than they are of death.  This led to a television comedian observing that in the case of a funeral where at times friends or relatives of the deceased are asked to speak very often the potential speaker would prefer to be in the casket rather than alongside of it.

     By now you no doubt have observed that Planet College offers many opportunities for your to speak, some in the relaxed casual atmosphere that friends offer, others in the formal and demanding setting that classroom work calls for.  In particular your curriculum, the courses you are required to complete for your degree, probably contains at least one Speech requirement.  Often to fulfill this requirement there are a few options; Public Speaking, Oral Interp, Argumentation and Debate, may be among them. Additionally some campuses allow students to complete a theater class such as Introduction to Acting to complete this requirement.

     Whatever options are available to some students none of them seem anything less than terrifying. Given the above observation about the survey this is understandable.  Still if some speaking course is required on your campus ultimately avoidance is not an option. Sooner or later, and Planet College definitely suggests sooner, you must enroll in and complete with a passing grade some such course.

     If, up until now, you have avoided this right now is a good time to decide how you will accomplish this requirement.  All accomplishments benefit from at least some planning.  And this plan can benefit for a little basic research.  First thing to do is survey the options which are available to fulfill your speech requirement.  If the catalog or class schedule is not helpful make an appointment with the Advising in your department or on your campus to learn first hand what courses will suffice.  After you have a general idea of the classes which will fulfill this requirement, think carefully and decide which one presents the best opportunity for you to complete.  When you have decided which course you will take you probably by now know the rest. Find the schedule of classes for next term and register and attend.

Sounds simple, of course, but these basic steps will help you accomplish this, at least for you, difficult, difficult meaning scary, requirement.  By now you know that, finally, the only way to do it is to do it. Planet College regularly reminds average students that universities and colleges practically never waive basic required courses. Speech's inclusion into your curriculum is intended to prepare you for the many, many times you will be required to speak. And you will, in the future, very often.

So, here goes, again, survey, enroll, attend, do the assignments, make the speeches and pass that speech class.

Just One More Thing About A Late Add

Several terms back Kai changed majors from History to Psychology.  On Kai's campus all Psych majors are required to complete an Introduction To Statistics course.  At the beginning of his first term in his new major Kai found an open Statistics class that fit his schedule.  Although his campus requires all Statistics students to have completed College Algebra as a pre-requisite before enrolling, a pre-req which Kai had not met, Kai convinced the instructor to add him anyway.  The instructor did so and Kai passed the course. Shortly before Kai's intended graduation he receive a notice from the registrar's office that he needed to complete a College Algebra course before he could graduate.  When Kai inquired at the registrar's office he learned that even though he had completed the required Statistics course without having passed College Algebra his university still required him to complete that pre-req. These were the school's requirements and Kai could not be exempted from them. Kai found a summer College Algebra course at a local community college, walked through his scheduled graduation, and completed the course. Upon receiving notice of Kai's grade from the community college his university posted his degree, released his transcript and issued his diploma.

Important point. The daily, weekly and annual swarm of activities and requirements on Planet College demand your attention. Being permitted to add for a course for which you have not completed the necessary pre-requisites is a courtesy from the instructor and the supervising department.  This courtesy does not automatically exempt you from any necessary pre-requisites for this course which are required by your university.

Be aware of this. Don't expect to be exempted from pre-reqs just because you completed the course without taking them first. At some time after completing the course you added you will have to complete the required pre-requisites.  That is the way it is on Planet College.

Late Adds Recommended Best Practices.

Late adds happen especially if a course you need for your major opens up unexpectedly.

 On some classes students can add as late as three weeks into the term.  Some even later.  When a late add happens and you can join a course already in progress you probably have come catching up to do

If you have added as late as that then simply  put you have three weeks of course work to catch up on. Just as if you had missed three weeks later during the term.

This calls for a little ingenuity and resourcefulness on your part. You will have to survey the course outline to determine which assignments you need to accomplish in order to get caught up.  You also need to be sure to down load all of the other course materials you will need for the term. If there are books required get them.

If you know some one who is taking the same course or even in the same class ask them what you need to get caught up on.

Finally, as soon as possible speak with the instructor.  Tell her you have added late and you are working hard to get caught up. While you are speaking with her tell her you want to do as well as you can in her class.  If she replies with specific hints be sure and remember them, maybe even write them down and follow up on what she suggests.

Late adds can be a help in your way back to Earth from Planet College. Just be sure and follow through.

Wait less wait list

If it is easier now to park if your driving to campus, snow not with standing, and the class you wait list became available sooner than you thought and the lines in the dining hall are a little shorter and your classes are not completely filled to overflowing, then it is probably spring term or winter term on some campuses.  After break fewer students return.  This is traditional on most campuses. That is why there seems to be less waiting and fewer students.  Because there are fewer students.  Some students have simply found other things more pressing. Some need to work full time to save for their next attempt and some will never be back.

But you are.

You signed up again and showed up again for another term. And this is one less term you will be in school in the future.  The basic axiom repeated by some on campus, "Live like a student now so you don't have to live like a student later" has a very good chance of being applied to you. Keep up the effective behavior. Nothing persists like persistence. And as of now you've got it.

Quick Review

With your schedule pretty well set and classes starting promptly for this term time will soon   be at a premium.

Friends, events, coursework, family, personal maintenance including your job will once again be constant pulls on your time and attention.

Before that all happens and keeps happening Planet College suggest a brief, very brief, time out, not more than 10-15 minutes. During this time out do this. Look at your grade report from last term. You've probably already reviewed it, maybe even a couple of times, with the now familiar combination of anguish and delight and possibly even relief with which you have viewed previous grade reports.

For this review, two things; first, is it satisfactory.? Well if you're still in school and haven't been dis-enrolled then it is at least that satisfactory. Second, you're lowest grade, what was it? If it was passing and you don't have to repeat the course, then that grade is probably really also satisfactory. But is it really?

As you have progressed toward you graduation your skills and discretion regarding classes, school, and just about everything else has been refining. Your expectations of your efforts have been gradually rising.  A bumpy rise but still rising.

So, that lowest grade? - What could you have done to improve it? What would you do now?  Drop sooner because you just did not have the time? Switch sections because a friend said her instructor was 'easy'?  How about attendance?  Yes.  How often did you miss? Simple, obvious and often overlooked.  If you made every session or at least most every session, turned in the assignments and took the final- then it was probably just simply a difficult course for you. You've had this before and will again during your time on Planet College.

But if you made every session you could, unless there was something else you wanted to do, skipped a few assignments here and there and blew through the final in ten minutes because you had to pack for home- then the grade you got- if it was passing- may have been a gift.

Only you know any of this.  The past is past and might now only one big catalog of lessons learned, if you learned them.

There, that ten minutes was well spent.  Here is the Planet College reminder;  In order to graduate you have to go to class.

C cruise

This next term will have the usual set of challenges and surprises, just as they all have had so far for you on Planet College. At the onset of a new term it is wise to once again asses your progress and decide what your goals are if you have goals. If you don't well set some. One useful set of goals is grade goals. Students on Planet College have used grade goals to set standards for themselves, their actions and behaviors effectively for a long time.

A grade goal is simple. Here's a class. What grade to you expect to receive?

If you have not been in the habit of setting grade goals here are some Planet College guide lines. First pick one class, just one, but make it one which looks difficult, maybe the one you have had to drop a couple of times and are trying again this term.  Maybe the major pre-requisite which seems unusually challenging. Which ever class you pick, this is the class you will set a grade goal for. Now, your goal? Make it a grade of C. (*)Yes. A C. An average grade, a grade of C.  Students unfamiliar with grade goal setting often react puzzeled if not outright negatively at this suggestion.  No wonder. Most students who attend college are generally expecting more of themselves and their lives than 'average' anything. But by now you have seen that often things just don't turn out that way. So, a grade of C is realistic and doable.

Now that you have the class and the goal there are just a couple of additional acts that are necessary to follow through. First attend every class, never miss a class meeting. Second, meet with the instructor two or three times during the term to inquire personally about your progress. Finally, - and this is serious- find out exactly where the final will be held. Yes. Because, maybe you have had this experience, the final examination for some classes are not held in the usual meeting place. And you don't want to miss the final. That is it. Attend class, get the book and materials for sure, take the final. nothing more to it. This term, put your self on a C cruise and pass that class.

(*) Planet College has endorsed a grade of C as a means to finish college since this site opened. While it is true that most average students can finish and graduate with out ever getting a grade above a C there are sometimes requirements, especially pre-reqs. for some majors that require at least a "B" in order to be admitted to the major. Before attempting this type of pre-requisite class please ask at the department office if there are 'grade' requirements for the major you are seeking to enter. Could be important.

FAFSA Time.

First things first for a new calendar year. Your fafsa. Time to do your fafsa for next school year. That is 2013-2014.  Yes it is that time and the sooner the better.  Many schools base their awards on a priority system.  That is, the sooner your school, or which ever school you will be attending, gets your information, the sooner they can get to work on your award package. Right now, before everything gets real busy, and it always does, get on line, put in your username, put in your pin and start updating your fafsa.  You may not have every thing you need, for example, your 2012 employers may not have sent your W-4s, your 2012 earnings reports. Still, you can start now and update the information as it comes in. On Planet College, there is no time like now to take that next important step.