So far, so good?

Now, the term is grinding along at its usual pace. You still have the same schedule you started the term with. If not, you may have dropped a class or two. Scheduling problems, class starting too early ? Whatever.

Of the classes that remain in your schedule how are you doing? Well? OK? So, so? How do you know? There is one simple way to find out. Ask. Ask the instructor. Ask the TA. Ask someone who knows. But ask. How am I doing ? Am I passing? Am I behind? Do I have assignments due? Do I have assignments overdue?

Find out now. Ask.

Get a good lab partner.

Planet College Advisory. It is now that point in the term where classes are pretty well underway. The work ahead demands your attention for the remainder of the term. Of particular interest are the labs you need to take. For the most part they go along with your courses. Usually, particularly in the sciences, labs parallel courses. Geology, Physics, Chemistry etc., most of these have a related lab. Commonly these labs require students to work in pairs. This practice is to best utilize resources and time.

There are two elements critical to finishing your lab with a satisfactory grade.

Number two is always finish the assignment the week it is assigned. Do not under any circumstances leave any lab work undone. Even if you have to go in off hours to finish, do so.

Number One critical element for successfully completing this lab is get a good lab partner.

Early in the term partners are assigned by the lab instructor.

At this point in your college career you may have realized how critical working with others is. This is particularly true in labs. So, if you don't already have a lab partner be sure to pick one who is reliable, punctual and as dedicated to finishing the course as you are. If you are now stuck with a partner who doesn't show up much and doesn't do much when they do, see if you can trade or work with another group. Remember you want to finish with a passing grade.

Overall though the best way to get a good lab partner is to be a good lab partner.

Bad Information

Recently I had a conversation with a potential college student which proved to be distressing. She told me she had been accepted to a very good university but would not be attending soon. When I asked why she informed me that she was working on improving her credit score so she could qualify for Financial Aid. I asked her if she had a fafsa and she made a face and said, “Oh no.” I didn’t pursue this with this student. I could tell she was very reluctant to reveal personal information about herself or her family to a faceless bureaucracy. I can assume that she is working from incomplete or bad information. I can also assume that she had confused financial aid, which often includes student loans with consumer credit like credit cards. In fact, I have a hunch she has assumed that financial aid and consumer credit are one in the same thing. I can understand how anxiety provoking this can be. I can understand many students' concern about their credit score.

So, here is today's Planet College Bulletin: Your credit score is a totally separate issue from completing your education. This is the straight fact: Your ability to complete your higher education does not depend on your credit score. If you are a student and you need financial help go to your school’s financial aid office and tell them so.

Getting the best information you can get is critical in any endeavor. Especially, in the often confounding world of student finances. The best information usually comes from the best source. The best source for information about your student finances is not a bank, it is not a credit card company, it is not a loan company and it is not a pawn shop. Each of these will in their own way tell you what is best for them not necessarily you. The best source is on your campus. It is the financial aid office. Go there. Talk to them. Ask for help.

Focus Focus Focus

Film students learn early the importance of focus. They ask themselves often is this scene in focus? In fact, on bigger budgeted films one full time crew member is the focus puller. This is how important focus is to film making.

Filmmakers, who are essentially visual storytellers, know that focus is a function of purpose. When the purpose is to tell a compelling story, i.e. make a good movie, the focus for each scene is clear. Does this scene contribute to the overall purpose of the film? If so, then it is important to keep this scene in focus.

If focus is this important for film makers then how much more important is it for you? In the ongoing comedy/ drama that has been your career on Planet College you may have lost and regained focus many times. Maintaining focus is crucial to your eventual graduation and your return to Earth with your degree. In order to stay in focus it is simply good practice to stop often and ask yourself. What am I doing here? What is my focus? Whether it is a class, a school function, the library or your job your purpose is your degree. Your diploma. Graduation. Keep your graduation in focus no matter how blurry the daily picture gets.

Focus, focus, focus.

Going to Campus or Returning to Campus?

Veterans who have been around Planet College for a few semesters realize there is a significant difference between going to campus or returning to campus.

Originally going to campus meant how many hair dryers should I bring? Will my roommate mind my pet snake and I swear to God I wont be able to sleep unless I find a duvet that matches the drapes in my dorm room.

For experienced students returning to campus means just the essentials. Little that seemed so critical freshman year remains as a priority. The pet snake crawled off long ago, if the place has drapes that's a real plus and who sleeps.

There is one thing which remains among the most critical of essentials for new or returning students. Bring your brain. Sure you will be automatically enrolled in that Anthro class you wait listed. The RA is cool and won't mind if your best friend sleeps over for most of the semester. You don't care whose meal plan you eat off of. See? You have the basics covered.

And hopefully by now your personal computing unit, your brain, is fully hooked up and among other things attends class right along with you.

Your brain? Don't leave home without it.

Fee Infestation

Fees are everywhere on Planet College. Materials fees. Lab fees. Late fees. Library fees. Planet College is infested with fees. No matter how careful a student is fees occur. They add up over the term and fees must be paid. Fees represent a slow leak in the ever flattening tire of your financial bicycle wheel. Sometimes the best you can do with your limited finances is slow the leak.

The real key to financial management is keeping as much of your money as you can and fees maybe an opportunity to do so. Specifically the fees that your bank or credit card company charges at ATMs for withdrawals. (You can check that flimsy little booklet you got with the card to see what the policy of your financial institution is. That is if you still have it.)

Without even checking you are probably aware that there are some fees involved almost every time you use one of your bank cards. But some places charge far more than others. Specifically, the ATM outside your schools bookstore may charge as much as two dollars for a withdrawal. This is in addition to your bank's charge for not using their atm. Inside the bookstore is a different story. Many large retail institutions, drug stores, grocery stores and even your school's book store do not charge a fee for your credit, check or debit card use. Thus going inside the student store purchasing a pack of gum or some paper and asking for cash back may save you money. Real money. Your real money.

Remember this when you need a quick twenty bucks.

Summer School Grades

If you've completed your summer school course or courses with a satisfactory grade or grades be grateful. It's probably a good idea to kick back a bit and enjoy what is left of summer. But seasoned veterans of Planet College know there is always at least one more thing to do. In the case of your summer school course the next thing to do is make sure your main campus gets the grade or grades you've received.

Many students take summer school courses at a campus other than their home college. If this has been true for you you may need to know that your home campus does not automatically get the results from your summer school campus. You have to do something to make that happen.

Basically you probably have to go to the administration office of your summer school and ask that a transcript of your grades be sent to your college. This office will require some information usually involved in a form. This sometimes involves a fee.

Because it is probably fairly critical that you get this grade to your home campus now would be a good time to make sure this gets done.

Your home campus probably needs this information as soon as possible. It may be critical for your Fall registration. You may need the transcript to be permitted into a restricted course. Or you may need it to maintain your financial aid package.

You may need it for all of the above reasons and more. Whatever. So take that next step toward graduation. Go make sure your home campus gets your summer school grades.

Then, have a good summer.