Shortcut To Graduation.

This is a Planet College advisory about a shortcut to graduation. Your short cut to your graduation is through your next scheduled class meeting. And every class meeting for every course you are enrolled in. And every class for every course you will be enrolled in. In truth this is the only short cut to graduation. Attend every meeting of every class you are enrolled in. That is it. The short cut to your graduation is through your next scheduled class.

Classes hard to get? Be there for the final.

This term on Planet College is quite a bit different than it has been in anyone's memory. Many students, fewer courses, fewer classes. This means you may be waitlisting or other wise hoping to add some required courses. When you do get that hard won course look around the first day. The room may be packed. Every desk filled and some students who don't ordinarily sit on the floor will be sitting on the floor. This is not so untypical of any first day of a term. Now there is a lot more of it.

For your personal survival file, keep a mental snapshot of this scene. Pull it out, mentally of course, and refer to it during the term. Then look around the class as it exists. Notice the difference. By mid-term nobody will be leaning against the wall and hardly anyone will be sitting on the floor, unless they want to.

This snap shot is the key to your graduation. Courses, especially required courses, are now harder than ever to get. Getting is just the beginning. Staying is the secret. That is continuing to attend; show up and turn in your work.

Back To The fafsa.

Mid-year often calls for adjustments on Planet College. Moving, changing majors and even changing schools, these types of things. In order to keep up with your fast changing life on Planet College it is probably important to keep all of your forms up to date. Particularly your fafsa.
Your aid this year has been based on the information you provided winter a year ago. Just like this calendar year the deadline last year for whatever school you were intending to attend or attending was probably something like March Second. Things may have changed for you financially for this school year.
This is important.
If you are not continuing to recieve assistance that you had counted on for this year your next step might be revising your 09-10 fafsa. This is the first step before you go to your schools financial aid office seeking further help. This means for this year. Students are often unaware that when circumstances change for the current school year they may be in a position to ask for more help.

If this is true for you stop by your schools financial aid office and talk it over with an advisor.

On Planet College it pays to ask for help.

Dollars Not Just For Scholars

Back on Planet College for the first term this calendar year, money is on every student's mind. Searching for funds is a necessary but exhausting pursuit. Many students feel discouraged when they believe they must have a superior GPA to qualify for funds. This is not always so. Although an outstanding GPA is not doubt helpful, however, average students can also qualify for college money. Gifts, stipends, scholarships and fellowships can be had by C students. Often the qualifications are minimal. It simply takes diligence on your part to locate and obtain money for your schooling. Keep trying, ask everyone and good luck.

Wasn't this the 13th grade?

Wasn't this the 13th grade?

If you're new on Planet College it's time to review. The holidays are past. There is still some break left unless you're attending intercession. If not, look back. How did the term go? Did school meet your expectations? Did you meet the school's expectations?

If you are completely lost by these simple questions then this last term may have been the thirteenth grade for you. If it was, then there is still time for another orientation.

This one is simple. You are in college. Partying is fun, friends are great and the attendance office won't call your mom if you're not in class. In fact, there is no attendance office, no vice-pricipal and no detention either. Neat, huh? You may now choose your own behaviors and you will experience the results.

If your grades this last term were not satisfactory you may find the following information valuable. Grades, satisfactory passing grades are obtained by attending class. If this seems mysterious you may be in the thirteenth grade, with the mandatory supervision which goes along with that. But. There is no thirteenth grade. This is college, you are on your own.

Your choices now are your future. What will it be. The thirteenth grade? Or college?

Going Home.

It's time, thank goodness, for most students to go home. Home from Planet College to your local version of Planet Earth. What's your style for going home? Throw your stuff in a trash bag and hop in your friend's Tacoma? However you get there when you get there you will be a little different from last time. A little older, a little more experienced possibly? Meanwhile, home may be the same as always. Home doesn't change much, at least not as fast as you have been changing. That is why there is no place like it. There is nothing so comforting as the familiar. Hopefully that is home for you.

Now, it may be that the changes which have been occurring nationwide, during the past year especially, may have changed your neighborhood too. Neighbors may have moved, their homes lost. Folks may have lost jobs. Christmas, for those who celebrate traditionally, may be reduced. Celebrations may be fewer, smaller and more sober. This is change.

On Planet Earth, back at home, as on Planet College, change happens. This year you may notice that simple fact more clearly when you get home for the holidays. Yes, change happens and not always the way we want it. However it has happened and where ever it has happened, Happy Holidays from Planet College.

Stuff Comes Up.

Kayleigh was working hard to complete her first college writing course. Recently she had an important paper due. Kayleigh is still at home and attempting to complete her first semester, freshman year. The week the paper was due her boyfriend dumped her. Plop. Just like that. Then her mother told Kayleigh her dad was moving out and they were getting a divorce. Bam! No warning. With this stuff now active Kayla attempted her paper. It didn't go well and her grade was barely acceptable.

Kayla found a friend, an instructor she knew, to talk about the paper i.e. what could she have done to improve it. While talking she revealed the current details of her personal life. The instructor listened, evaluated the paper and told Kayleigh he understood her dilemma. He told her to get some help, maybe talking to friends. And he also told her that on Planet College, just like back on Planet Earth, Stuff Comes Up. Some times all at once and sometimes it all just sucks. Depending on what her priorities were, if they included passing the class and eventually graduating, she at some point was simply going to have to move forward with her own life.

This is very important. In your progress toward graduation you will see that - like for Kayleigh-
stuff comes up. Not always sucky but sometimes majorly sucky. Still. If you want to graduate, get a degree and return to Planet Earth, you and only you need to continue to march. Get what help you can, hug your dog, feed your fish, microwave six helpings of Top Ramen and eat them all or whatever, but- move forward for yourself.