Ask us about college/university

There are a number of members here who either currently attend college/university or who have graduated already. There are also a number of members who will be entering college/university soon. The purpose of this thread is to open a dialogue between these two groups. Anyone who wants to know about any aspect of college, feel free to ask, and anyone who feels qualified to answer, feel free to do so.

Some topics might include:

• Class work
• Campus housing/dorm life
• College social scene
• Applying
• Majors
• Financial Aid
• Whatever else you want to know about!

How do you go about balancing partying and working/studying?

Would you prefer living home or living on campus? Why?

In general, is there anything someone needs to prepare for before going to college. [besides the obvious, like school work.]

Something/s you wish you had known before you went to college.

Living on campus is ideal, as it makes your day more time efficient by shortening the commute. Now, if you live close enough, it might not be that big a deal. Also think about how you're going to be studying. Are you accustomed to it enough in your current home, or do you think you'd be more comfortable in a dorm/off campus house? Too many loud relatives? You get it.

The only thing I'd recommend getting on top of well beforehand are your financial aid papers. I took care of my business too late this year and have found my start to be significantly more stressful because of it. Oh, and taking part in freshman orientation never hurt either, you make some friends that way.

I don't know what to tell you about partying though, as I'm not that much of a party person.

How do you go about balancing partying and working/studying? Parties? What parties? I had a calculus party once. We played Calculus Jeopardy. No, really.

Would you prefer living home or living on campus? Why? Campus. Parents suck.

In general, is there anything someone needs to prepare for before going to college. [besides the obvious, like school work.] Figure out how to pay for it before you go.

Something/s you wish you had known before you went to college. I wish I knew the secret to getting a good deal on books.

Here is how I got my grades:

Go to office hours often, study for midterms starting a week beforehand (finals, two weeks beforehand). Get enough sleep. Exercise every day. No beer. Befriend the professors. Don't study in groups. Try all of the problems on your own before you ask a friend (always do the homework). Attend all lectures. Do all available practice exams.

I hope my formula pulls through again this semester.

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Originally Posted by Xox

How do you go about balancing partying and working/studying?

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I suspect that everybody has their own method of doing this (well, okay, some people don't :tongue:), but for me, the general strategy is to do any homework and studying shortly after getting home from my last class. Usually I can get everything done by 7-8pm, and that leaves virtually every night free to do whatever I want. A word on studying: most students tend to neglect studying beyond simply cramming before an exam, but it's been my experience that keeping up with your textbooks and making sure you understand the material really makes it easy to ace your classes.

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Originally Posted by Xox

Would you prefer living home or living on campus? Why?

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There are pros and cons to any living arrangement. Personally, I have never lived at home with parents while attending college, so I can't say much about that (someone else probably can).

Most universities nowadays require all freshmen to live on campus. Now, I'm not sure what the ostensible reasons for this are, but it doesn't matter much in the end, because they will normally make exceptions if you talk to them about it.

There is a lot to be said for living on campus. Personally, I have done so for my entire college career (I graduate in May). The pros are that it's really easy to meet people and that it's really convenient as far as walking to classes and whatnot. The cons are that it can be pretty expensive compared to off-campus alternatives and that the campus housing folks can sometimes be a little overbearing (i.e., nazis). Living off campus, for example leasing a house or apartment, is basically the inverse of this: you almost always save money compared to on-campus and you certainly have more freedom, but the distance from campus can be an inconvenience in several ways.

I would recommend doing a bit of each. It seems like the most common thing to do is to live on campus your first year or two and then switch to moving into a house with some of your close friends.

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Originally Posted by Xox

In general, is there anything someone needs to prepare for before going to college. [besides the obvious, like school work.]

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It may sound irresponsible to say this... but it really helps if you've had some experience with drinking/partying beforehand. For me, I could count the number of times I had drank and/or been to a party on one hand before moving into my first dorm, and this made my first few weeks a hell of an adjustment :lol:. Now, I'm not encouraging you to go out and start drinking and partying in preparation for college life, I'm just saying that you need to be cautious when you get there. :wink:

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Originally Posted by Xox

Something/s you wish you had known before you went to college.

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Hmmm... I'll have to get back to you on that one.

I loved college. It was so much fun!

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Originally Posted by Xox

How do you go about balancing partying and working/studying?

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I didn't do much partying, personally, but that's just my personality. I had some great friends, though, and we had some good times... and good food. Good food was always a must.

Basically it's just about learning when to say "no." On occasion, if you don't mind staying up later to finish up homework or study, it's usually not a big deal. Just don't make a habit out of it, and realize when you do need to buckle down and stay in. Turn off your cell phone and computer if need be. I also found that there were too many distractions (TV, computer, books, people)just within my down room, so I eventually started taking my work to a coffee shop about a block off campus and it was a lot easier to focus.

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Would you prefer living home or living on campus? Why?

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I lived on campus all four years. I also had a housing scholarship which paid a portion of on-campus housing each semester. As has been mentioned, it's nice because you don't have to worry as much about how you're going to get to classes and events and if you have friends on campus as well, they're usually within easy reach. If you don't have a car, this is a good option. If you're in a city with public transportation (and/or make friends with people who have cars) you'll be fine.

On the other hand, dorms can be stressful at times. Usually the walls aren't sound-proof, so if you go to bed early or have a hard time sleeping with noise (like myself), it can get rather frustrating. I've had really good neighbors, and I've had people who will talk and laugh until 3am when I have to get up at 6. It just depends. As far as a roommate, you have a little less control over who that is. If you don't get along with your roommate, I advise you move to a different room. It'll save you a lot of stress.

If you have the option to live at home, you probably won't have to pay rent or money for food, but there probably would be a number of things that could distract you from homework and studying.

If you can get a single room, so much the better :) My senior year I was in a "pod" where there were three single rooms and one living room, so I didn't feel isolated, but I still had my share of privacy. It just depends on your personal preference.

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In general, is there anything someone needs to prepare for before going to college. [besides the obvious, like school work.]

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Just make sure you have all of your paperwork and scheduling in order. If you can find a job ahead of time (unless you don't need one), that's one less thing for you to have to worry about. When I was at freshman orientation, I met the dean of the college of arts and sciences and he directed me to the foreign language dept. and I was able to pick up a part-time position as an office assistant. I worked there every year (except the year I messed up on my FASFA and didn't get work-study funding) and enjoyed it. It was a great way to get to know the instructors in my department.

If you get the chance to talk to an upper-classmen in your major field, ask them if there are any professors you should avoid. Some classes you'll probably just have to suffer through, but some of them will have better teachers.

Also, if you have college credit through your high school, make sure it transfers. Then, find out if they count for any of your required classes. I never did have to take freshman English and I didn't even take AP English. :D

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Something/s you wish you had known before you went to college.

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There are a lot of new things to try out, at least there were on my campus. I joined the Judo club, took yoga, and enjoyed the Russian and Spanish tables (and food) at local coffee shops or at our school's "international house." Depending on your school, there will probably be a number of students who are studying abroad from other countries, and some of them can be great people! Get to know them if you can.

And, beware a buffet-style cafeteria. Those plates can fill up fast.

Which school(s) are you thinking of attending?

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Originally Posted by Xox

How do you go about balancing partying and working/studying?

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Only party on thursday, friday, saturday, the other days are lame unless it's a holiday. Also schedule late classes so that you have time to sleep it off.

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Would you prefer living home or living on campus? Why?

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bring girls (or guys for you) that you pick up at a party to your parents house isn't exactly the cool thing to do.[/QUOTE]

Wow, some very useful info on here. Thanks everyone!

@Ame -

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When I was at freshman orientation, I met the dean of the college of arts and sciences and he directed me to the foreign language dept. and I was able to pick up a part-time position as an office assistant.

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I never even considered having a job like that. Definitely something I will look into once I get there.

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Which school(s) are you thinking of attending?

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I'm still in the 11th grade so I don't start appyling until next year, but I have a [rather long] list of colleges I'm considering. I'll name the top 5 - Virginia tech, Uni of Virginia, College of William and Mary, James Madison Uni, and Virginia Commonwealth uni. All in Va since I don't really want to pay out-of-state tuition. I'm definitely planning to live on-campus, though.


Another question. Financial stuff, how many of you guys have a job? Is there an amount of money you'd recommend saving up before starting college?

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Originally Posted by Xox

Another question. Financial stuff, how many of you guys have a job? Is there an amount of money you'd recommend saving up before starting college?

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I had a part-time job working only about 10-15 hours per week, depending on my schedule. A lot of work-study or on-campus jobs are very flexible and can work around your schedule, but it just depends on where you apply.

As far as saving up for college, it just depends on how much you plan to spend. Do you plan on drinking a lot of coffee or partying or shopping or going out to dinner? Will you have a car where you have to pay for gas? It's really up to you. As long as you have the semester/trimester/year paid covered, the amount to save up should just be how much you intend to spend on yourself and/or your friends.

As far as books go, though, the school I went to mentioned on our bookstore's website which books were going to be needed for each class. They also gave their new and used prices and it's not a bad idea to compare them to amazon.com or the like. If you order online, make sure (if applicable) that you get the right version of the book if it's for science, math, history, psychology, etc. If you're taking a literature class, well, those books are usually pretty easy to come by and you can go ahead and order them online. Books are heavy, though, so the shipping is a bit more than usual. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes not. Also, when you finish your freshman year, depending on when you sign up for classes, you can see if there's anyone who's just taken a class you want to get into and ask if you can borrow or buy their book. It's especially nice if you're talking a $70-$150+ book.

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Originally Posted by Xox

Another question. Financial stuff, how many of you guys have a job? Is there an amount of money you'd recommend saving up before starting college?

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Books are bloody expensive. If you don't have rich folks then you'll need a job. I recommend working on campus for the simple reason that they'll cut you breaks for class, work around your schedule, and are required to make work optional during finals week.

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Originally Posted by Xox

How do you go about balancing partying and working/studying?

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Learn the hard way :D

Invest in one of those big, laminated calendars, and use different colours to lay out parties, project due dates, exams, and other stuff. By having a clear sight of what's when, you won't get overwhelmed, and you'll be able to party and study just fine. There's plenty of time to do both, as long as you don't slack off too much early on, when all due dates SEEM far.

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Would you prefer living home or living on campus? Why?

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There's advantages to both. The obvious advantage of living at home is that you get free room and board. And free food hehe. My home was far away (7 hour drive), so that wasn't an option for me. I lived in the dorms for the first year, and after that, rented a townhouse with some friends. It's definitely advantageous to live close to campus, for sanity. You can sleep in that much longer.

I think the best thing I've ever seen anyone do is buy a big house (4 people), and live there, and rent it out to three other students. This person actually told them the house belonged to her uncle, so they didn't see her as the landlady. She actually made profit off this. :)

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In general, is there anything someone needs to prepare for before going to college. [besides the obvious, like school work.]

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Learn to cook. Seriously. Take a class, or do whatever is required. You'll save thousands by not buying food at the school cafe or eating out all the time. You'll still eat out a lot, cause that's just part of the life, but for the rest of the time, it's worth packing lunch, and cooking breakfast/dinner.

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Something/s you wish you had known before you went to college.

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Hmm, nothing I didn't figure out early enough. I was just glad that high school was done, and life could only get better from there :)

How did you guys end up paying for college/uni?

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Originally Posted by Xox

How did you guys end up paying for college/uni?

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I only filled out two or three scholarship applications when I was a senior in high school, and one when I was in college through my department. Since my dad had already filled out the FASFA application for my brother, he did that for me and that is essential in getting student aid. Fill it out (carefully*) and turn it in as soon as you can. If you're applying for multiple colleges, make sure to include each of them. Even if you're not sure you're going to go to one school, you might change your mind and you want to keep that option open.

*I filled the FASFA out my sophomore year and mistakenly put my parents income as my income and was surprised when I discovered that I was offered a lot less aid the next year. I was able to go back and make changes and get some more in loans, but not as much as my freshman year.

My parents did help out but I was under no illusions that they would take out any loans for me. Most schools should have a deferred payment plan where you can make monthly/bi-monthly installments for whatever you have left over. Just make sure you have everything set up before classes start. I had a deferred payment plan and was going to take a yoga class, but had to miss the first day because they wouldn't let me in the Rec center. I wasn't "paid in full" but they said that if I'd showed them a print-out of my current bill that said I had a deferred payment, they'd let me in.

My senior year, I did take out another private loan to cover the rest of tuition and fees for that year through US Bank. What US Bank neglected to tell me (and I didn't know to ask) was that when they sent a check to the school, they needed to have me sign it first. I was looking at my current balance and the check hadn't shown up and I was positive that the bank had sent it, so I went in and they had the check but it wasn't deposited. So that's just something to think about as well.

I did have a few jobs through school but I only worked 10-15 hours per week between classes. I didn't have a car, so having something on campus worked out great. It didn't bring in a lot of money by any means, but what it did bring in paid for books or supplies that I needed/wanted and the rest went towards my love for food and coffee. I saved up during the summers and that money went more towards tuition, so it was nice to have a little extra for myself to have fun with.

Now I'm paying back loans, but not near as much as they would be if I went to one of the schools in my home state.

around about how much does it cost for any of you? i know it will cost different amounts depending on where you live. (p.s. in scotland its free:banana:)

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Originally Posted by slash112

around about how much does it cost for any of you? i know it will cost different amounts depending on where you live. (p.s. in scotland its free)

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There are lot of factors. Here in the US it depends upon the following:
-What state you're in
-Which school you're attending (Private/Public/Community College/Institute)
-Financial aid available through the school
-Cost of materials (can be several hundred or more dollars per semester/quarter/etc.)
-Travel costs
-In-state vs. out-of-state tuition costs
-Other miscellaneous costs that schools love to tack on

It just depends. You'd have to take a look at each individual school and see what they estimate.

I went to an out-of-state school, but since I'm from the Northwest US, we also had the "Western Undergraduate Exchange" (WUE) where you could apply for funding to go to an out-of-state school pretty much for the same price as in-state. I don't know if other regions have that option, but it's something worth looking into.

My main question: if your major doesn't involve math whatsoever, can you get your credits toward your associate's degree from easy math classes like Algebra 1? I can't stand math. I swear if I have to do anything harder than Algebra 2.... :bang::sniper::damnit::horse::listenup::microwave: :bslap:http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...cons/angry.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5.../emot-argh.gif

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Originally Posted by lagunagirl

My main question: if your major doesn't involve math whatsoever, can you get your credits toward your associate's degree from easy math classes like Algebra 1? I can't stand math. I swear if I have to do anything harder than Algebra 2.... :bang::sniper::damnit::horse::listenup::microwave: :bslap:http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...cons/angry.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5.../emot-argh.gif

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What? I don't understand the question. I think you should consult your university's course calendar. We can't answer that.

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Originally Posted by esfx

What? I don't understand the question. I think you should consult your university's course calendar. We can't answer that.

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*sigh* I hear from some people that pre-calculus is the lowest level math class you can take at college. I hear from others you can take classes like Algebra 1 or some other kind of math like statistics to get your math credits. So... which one is true? Just generally, you know for a school like University of *insert state here* or just a public four year college.

I'm paying about $500 per month, for loans, after graduation. I really don't understand this. Because that's a LOT of money, and after like 2 years my loans should technically be paid off if I go at that rate. Bah I don't get it. And I'm really pissed. :angry:

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Originally Posted by lagunagirl

*sigh* I hear from some people that pre-calculus is the lowest level math class you can take at college. I hear from others you can take classes like Algebra 1 or some other kind of math like statistics to get your math credits. So... which one is true? Just generally, you know for a school like University of *insert state here* or just a public four year college.

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That would depend on what degree you're planning on getting. Pre-calc sounds about right as the lowest for any degree that requires a brain, quite frankly. :P Don't be so scared of math. If you get a good professor, math can be easy, interesting, and even fun. But yeah just talk to your adviser and have him/her help you make some kind of plan around taking excessive math.

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Originally Posted by lagunagirl

*sigh* I hear from some people that pre-calculus is the lowest level math class you can take at college. I hear from others you can take classes like Algebra 1 or some other kind of math like statistics to get your math credits. So... which one is true? Just generally, you know for a school like University of *insert state here* or just a public four year college.

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Here's the way the gen-ed math requirements have worked at the two state schools that I've attended (keep in mind that your specific degree may require math courses beyond the gen-eds - this is very important!).

First as a bit of background, the gen-eds are divided into categories, such as English composition, history, humanities, etc. You have to complete a certain number of credit hours in each category to finish your degree - the number of required hours in each category depends on which college within the university you're in (business college, engineering college, arts/sciences college, etc.) The math category at my current school is labeled "Analytical and Quantitative Thought" :rolleyes:. The only course in this category that is absolutely required for every major is called "College Algebra," and it is very easy - it really doesn't go any farther than what you will have probably already covered in high school, it only covers the stuff in a little more depth. Beyond that initial course, you have a bit of freedom. I was able to fulfill the rest of my gen-ed "Analytical and Quantitative Thought" requirements by taking computer programming courses, thus avoiding nasty things like calculus. Your undergraduate advisor should be able to assist you in finding good courses to satisfy the math gen-eds.

In addition to what DuB has said, depending on the school, other classes may count towards math credits. At the U of Montana, one of their music classes (Theory?) actually counted towards their... what was it called? "Mathematics and Logical Systems" or something, but it counted towards that. It just had to be a 100-level class (anything under 100 was more "college prep"). Ask around and see what other people have taken.

As Mes said, get a good teacher and you'll be fine. I only had to take one semester and I had this short, fun, cooky, hippy-ish lady who would occasionally have her middle-school aged daughter sitting off to the side. She made Probability and Statistics fun! Also, a lot of colleges have tutors who are in upper levels of that program (eg. math), so if you're having trouble just ask for some help. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have gone through an algebra course. :)

Hey, does anyone here know anything about English Universities?
I'm going to be applying this year and i want to do a course in Medicine but i really don't have the slightest clue of where i could go. If anyone's been to any universities that they rekon are really good can u tell me plz!!

Thnks

How do I get to class?


I don't LOVE my classes, but I really don't not like them either.

However I have a hard time getting the motivation to get to class. It's the actual commute that I hate. It's effecting my grades negatively.

What should I do.

Do you live on or off campus? Do you walk/drive/take the bus? Are you having a hard time getting out of bed or just out of your room/house?

For a while I would set my clock about five or so minutes ahead and then try to forget that I did that. Then, when I'd look at the clock and have to go, I'd actually have five more minutes. The trick is to not think that you have that extra time.

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Originally Posted by slash112

around about how much does it cost for any of you? i know it will cost different amounts depending on where you live. (p.s. in scotland its free:banana:)

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Yup... free tuition fees for me, but you only get free tuition fees in Scotland if you're a Scottish resident, so I can laugh at all the English and international students who are paying through the nose. However, accommodation is still pretty costly, at the moment I'm paying about £4.5k per year (that's about $7000 I think), but St. Andrews is the most expensive place in the UK for accommodation.

Instead of making a new thread. I have decided that it would be more proper to post in this thread. I hope you guys don't mind this.

Here is my question for anyone and everyone to answer if they see fit:


Besides getting good grades, how might someone increase their chances of getting into a top-notch/Ivy league University?

I am aware of some aspects of the process, like extra curricular activities, but my knowledge is only superficial. I would appreciate as detailed a response as I could get of this process(including on extra curricular activities.

Regards,

SKa-DaRk_Che

Only question that comes to mind:

How in the world do you pay for college? I've gotten accepted into my dream uni, but really have no idea how I'm going to be paying for it. It's not super expensive or anything, like 11k per year (which isn't expensive compared to private colleges). Would you guys advise just taking out a student loan?

Oh, America. :roll:

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Originally Posted by XeL

Oh, America. :roll:

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Yeah, tell me about it. :P

Hey...

I'm starting in september (college) and I'm wondering what the set-up is as far as classes. First term I have 6 classes, 3 of which have field study... and second term I have 5 classes, 3 of which also have field study. So how do they break up the classes in each term? Do I attend certain classes certain days, and is that schedule the same all term? I actually potentially have 8 full terms I may be attending... but I'll decide on the other two terms after I finish the first two.

Anyways, how is my class load for a term broken up day to day?

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Originally Posted by SkA_DaRk_Che

Besides getting good grades, how might someone increase their chances of getting into a top-notch/Ivy league University?

I am aware of some aspects of the process, like extra curricular activities, but my knowledge is only superficial. I would appreciate as detailed a response as I could get of this process(including on extra curricular activities.

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I don't think any universities place as much weight on extra-curriculars as some people would have you believe. They might help a little, but no school is going to reject you citing your lack of high school club memberships. You should be more concerned with getting good test grades. My somewhat predictable advice with regards to that is to study your ass off. It sounds obvious but in my experience most students study little or none and just wing it on the test. Trust me: studying helps a lot. I always say that most academic tests don't measure what they are intending to measure (trivia, apparently) so much as they measure your ability to take that particular academic test.

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Originally Posted by Xox

Only question that comes to mind:

How in the world do you pay for college? I've gotten accepted into my dream uni, but really have no idea how I'm going to be paying for it. It's not super expensive or anything, like 11k per year (which isn't expensive compared to private colleges). Would you guys advise just taking out a student loan?

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You don't really have a choice. No job that you can get at 18 is going to be able to cover your education. Apply for federal student loans -- NOT bank loans!

What many people do is spend their first year or two at a community college before transferring to a university. The idea is that you will save money (especially if you're living at home as well), you'll only be taking intro-level and gen-ed courses anyway, and if you make good grades there then you're more likely to be offered scholarships when you apply to universities. Schools are more impressed by good college grades than by good high school grades.

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Originally Posted by mindwanderer

Hey...

I'm starting in september (college) and I'm wondering what the set-up is as far as classes. First term I have 6 classes, 3 of which have field study... and second term I have 5 classes, 3 of which also have field study. So how do they break up the classes in each term? Do I attend certain classes certain days, and is that schedule the same all term? I actually potentially have 8 full terms I may be attending... but I'll decide on the other two terms after I finish the first two.

Anyways, how is my class load for a term broken up day to day?

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Compared to high school, your college class schedule will seem crazy at first. Each class typically meets 2 or 3 days per week (although 1 day is not uncommon) for 1 to 1.5 hours at a time. Rarely will you be lucky enough to have your classes in nice, organized blocks of the day. More typically you'll have something in the morning, an hour or two to kill where you're not sure if you should walk home for lunch or just hang out at the student center, a couple classes in the afternoon, and then maybe a lab in the evening. Also, your schedule will be different each day of the week. I'm sort of a nerd so I found it helpful to write out my class schedule in an Excel spreadsheet. I actually still have my spreadsheet from last semester, take a look.
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4213/schedule.png

I'm in a graduate program so this wont be completely representative of what your schedule might look like, but it's not too far off. The main difference is that grad programs tend to have fewer, more demanding classes rather than a larger number of relatively easy classes. Anyway, the main thing to notice about this schedule (and college schedules in general) is how erratic it is. By chance I happened to have several back-to-back engagements on Wednesdays that took up most of the day, but for the most part things are pretty spread out. There are large stretches of time on some days between classes, and the question there is what to do with yourself. Finally, I managed to keep Fridays completely free. Within certain constraints, you have a bit of freedom to set your own schedule in college, so if you're clever and you enroll early you can often set yourself up nicely like that.

Cool! Thanks... I'm living on campus anyways... so it won't be far to go. Hopefully it won't be too crazy! Some of my terms have soo many classes... it'll be nuts!

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Originally Posted by SkA_DaRk_Che

Instead of making a new thread. I have decided that it would be more proper to post in this thread. I hope you guys don't mind this.

Here is my question for anyone and everyone to answer if they see fit:


Besides getting good grades, how might someone increase their chances of getting into a top-notch/Ivy league University?

I am aware of some aspects of the process, like extra curricular activities, but my knowledge is only superficial. I would appreciate as detailed a response as I could get of this process(including on extra curricular activities.

Regards,

SKa-DaRk_Che

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It really depends on your course. I'm reading maths at Cambridge and there are really are a lot of rumours about the admissions process which are total bunk.

The main and sometimes the only thing they're looking for is academic ability. This means high grades and being able to perform well in interview, which involves asking tricky and novel questions.

Extra curricular activities, as far as I can tell, don't make a difference for the most part for academic subjects. If you want to read science for instance, the admissions staff couldn't care less how long you've been playing tennis for (this is actually paraphrasing an admissions tutor). They care how good you are at science.

The only important extra curricular activities are those related to your subject; they are interested in what kind of books you've read around your subject, etcetera. Basically, showing an interest and being able to discuss it is very important.

The final thing I'd say is be interesting. Have something interesting to say about your subject. I talked quite a lot in my personal statement about being interested in mathematical neuroscience which is quite unusual and might have helped to get me in (alongside the head of admissions being a mathematical biologist, lol...).

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I'm sort of a nerd so I found it helpful to write out my class schedule in an Excel spreadsheet.

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Google calendar is where it's at!

Seriously that thing is brilliant.

Google Calendar is very neat. It's very useful for making public calendars to share with groups of people. However, I find that creating all those individual events can be a bit tedious, so when I'm making something for my eyes only, I typically fall back on Excel. If necessary I can always upload the spreadsheet to Google Docs and then share it (another of Google's very cool services).

Lots of good info here, I'm learning a lot!

So I finally decided to go to college, something I thought I'd never do. Planning to move to Mississippi in June, get an apartment with a friend (and fellow DV member) and go to community college. According to all the info I've gotten, I can establish residency easily, and not have to pay out-of-state tuition, so long as I have a bit of paperwork. So it'll actually be cheaper than anything in-state for me, plus I get to go with friends.

However, there are a few things that I'm still not sure about, so maybe you can help. I need high school transcripts to send to the college, but since I was home-schooled, and we didn't keep transcripts, I've been told I can make them up and have them notarized, then signed by my parents. Thing is, I have no idea how to go about doing this, or even what transcripts should consist of. Is it just a list of subjects I took and passing grades? Or something more? :panic:

Also, I'm going to be needing to work while I go to school, in order to pay rent and utilities. Is there any way I can ensure that my class schedule won't conflict with my job (hopefully something working nights)?

I'm going to be taking a two-year Graphic Design course, to get my Associates. I'm pretty pumped.

Oh, and should I go ahead and fill out the FASFA now, or should I wait until I actually get a job (sometime in the next week or two, I hope)? I know the government expects something like 30% of a student's income to go towards their tuition costs (according to a probably outdated book I found at the library), but would it be dishonest or otherwise bad to put in my FASFA before I have income to put down for this reason?

Oh, and is it true that the college placement tests are often easier/more forgiving than the ACT?

This is all very new and somewhat scary to me. Any help much appreciated!

Anyone here at/near Manchester? How's the night life?

Considering members here are from all over the world, that's unlikely.

Go to thestudentroom.com.

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Google Calendar is very neat. It's very useful for making public calendars to share with groups of people. However, I find that creating all those individual events can be a bit tedious, so when I'm making something for my eyes only, I typically fall back on Excel. If necessary I can always upload the spreadsheet to Google Docs and then share it (another of Google's very cool services).

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I used to use Excel but it just takes ages to sort out the layout and then manually add every single event for every single day... I've got quite a regular schedule, so it's really a miracle when you create a new event and in three clicks you say when it is, how often, and until what date.

Google. <3

I might not be the best person to answer this, but I'll shoot anyway! Others. feel free to answer Josh's questions.

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However, there are a few things that I'm still not sure about, so maybe you can help. I need high school transcripts to send to the college, but since I was home-schooled, and we didn't keep transcripts, I've been told I can make them up and have them notarized, then signed by my parents. Thing is, I have no idea how to go about doing this, or even what transcripts should consist of. Is it just a list of subjects I took and passing grades? Or something more?

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Make a grand list of all the stuff you have taken in secondary school. Go by memory, of course. You might want to have me look over it once it's done. Do it by grade (9th grade: X Classes), and it would be best if you can find specific grades. Use letter grades, that way you're not estimating numbers. I'm sure you can recall what letter grade or around what letter grade you earned.

Spoiler for transc:

https://www.gedoptions.com/images/largetrans.gif

That's pretty small, but you'll get the idea. Establish a credits system if you feel like it, earning one credit for every class you took. Calculate your GPA, which you can just ask me about if you have any questions.

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Also, I'm going to be needing to work while I go to school, in order to pay rent and utilities. Is there any way I can ensure that my class schedule won't conflict with my job (hopefully something working nights)?

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You pretty much set up your own schedule, so hopefully you'll get your job first and THEN set up your schedule. It's easy to do, a lot of student have part time jobs..but are you going fulltime or part? Also, look into "work-study programs." They're offered by most schools, and are quite convenient in terms of paying for college AND getting a job compatible with school.

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Oh, and should I go ahead and fill out the FASFA now, or should I wait until I actually get a job (sometime in the next week or two, I hope)? I know the government expects something like 30% of a student's income to go towards their tuition costs (according to a probably outdated book I found at the library), but would it be dishonest or otherwise bad to put in my FASFA before I have income to put down for this reason?

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30%?? The financial aid advisor that came to my school said that most students who file the FAFSA and support themselves usually get 100% covered. She might've been wrong, though I doubt so, and 30% sounds a bit high. Anyway, it doesn't matter when you file it, but file it ASAP. The FAFSA is based off of last year, so as long as you have last years tax returns and w-2, you can file it. It doesn't much matter whether you get a job right now.

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Oh, and is it true that the college placement tests are often easier/more forgiving than the ACT?

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For sure. I haven't taken the ACT, took the SAT, but I have taken an English and Math placement test for DE courses. They're actually from the ACT, the placement course I took anyway, but it was really easy. A joke compared to the SAT.

Since we were recently talking about extra curriculars, the latest XKCD comic seems relevant...
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/honor_societies.png

Also, to answer the question about placement tests, they are definitely easier than ACT/SAT. However, you're not going be offered any sort of scholarship based on your placement test score, whereas you might be offered something based on legit academic test scores. Food for thought.

I think the admissions essay is immensely important too. It's sort of as important as the interview would be in say, England. Most uni's in the US don't have enough time to do interviews. I'm pretty sure my admissions essays were what got me into every uni I applied to. I suggest looking up the admissions essays for the uni's you're going to apply to, and then write them in the summer. I have tons of admissions essay advice though (researched it like mad last year), so if you want it just PM me..

I personally think the SAT is very important as well. If you're wanting to get into Ivy league, your score should be at least over 2000. Try to get it as high as you can, take it a couple of times. Aim for around 2200. You want to make your score competitive. I know a school nearby (VA Tech) has a cut off score of 500. That is, the applicant needs to have at least a 500 in each section to even be considered. Now, a 500 isn't that high at all, and I doubt that most uni's do this, but still. It's important. Take your SAT as early as you can, you don't have to send the score reports if you don't want to. If you take it early, you'll get an idea about the test and of your strengths so that you can improve. I have a few useful SAT tips as well, PM me for them. Anyway, if you get a low SAT, don't panic either, there are other ways to stand out.

Ivy/top uni applicants usually have the same stuff going for them: perfect grades, the same AP classes, high SAT score, blah blah. You need to stand out, and the way to stand out is to right a kick-ass essay.

Extra-carics are not really that important, but at the same time you need to be doing something. A lot of colleges want to see that you're involved with the community (and ESPECIALLY scholarship peeps), try finding some volunteer work to do. And as someone stated, make your extra-carics relate to your intended major. e.g. intended psych - volunteered at the mental health institution.

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Originally Posted by DuB

Since we were recently talking about extra curriculars, the latest XKCD comic seems relevant...
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/honor_societies.png

Also, to answer the question about placement tests, they are definitely easier than ACT/SAT. However, you're not going be offered any sort of scholarship based on your placement test score, whereas you might be offered something based on legit academic test scores. Food for thought.

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Haha that's one of the best xckd's I've ever seen. The Fightclub reference, haha.

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Originally Posted by Xox

You need to stand out, and the way to stand out is to right a kick-ass essay.

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:3

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Originally Posted by XeL

:3

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I. Was. Sleep. Deprived.

>:{ Don't look at me like that!

Dohohoho.

Women writing. Whatever next.

Woo, thanks for all the info, Xox! I guess I'll get started on the FAFSA and transcripts. :banana:

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Originally Posted by Man of Steel

However, there are a few things that I'm still not sure about, so maybe you can help. I need high school transcripts to send to the college, but since I was home-schooled, and we didn't keep transcripts, I've been told I can make them up and have them notarized, then signed by my parents. Thing is, I have no idea how to go about doing this, or even what transcripts should consist of. Is it just a list of subjects I took and passing grades? Or something more? :panic:

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I don't have much to add to what's been said, but as far as your transcript goes, I'd ask the office of Admission what you should do. It's better to ask than send something in and have it returned or have them call you about it.

Has anyone done a transfer from one college to another, and if you did... was it awkward making new friends, seeing as Juniors already have an established group.

I transferred schools between my 3rd and 4th semesters. It was not a big deal. Obviously I'm just one person and my experience won't hold for everyone, but I made new friends very quickly. In fact, I made probably the best friends of my life immediately after that transfer--the only "old friends" that I bother to keep up with nowadays (and I've been through more sets of friends than is typical for someone of my relatively modest age). I don't see any reason why this wouldn't be true for you as well. It's a happy fact that the world is full of very cool people, and as long as you have a good attitude, there's no reason for you to have any trouble making great friends wherever you go. That being the case, if you have a good reason for transferring schools, then just do it and don't worry about your social situation; it'll work out just fine. Trust me.

This reminds me of one of my very favorite quotes... it happens to be referring to homosexual men, but I like to think that it's significant in a much broader sense:
Harvey Milk: [to Cleve Jones] You're going to meet the most extraordinary men, the sexiest, brightest, funniest men, and you're going to fall in love with so many of them, and you won't know until the end of your life who your greatest friends were or your greatest love was.