This article in Time Magazine outlines nicely the benefits of choosing E-Textbook rentals. How Much Will Students Really Save Using Amazon’s E-Textbooks?
I really wish there were E-Textbook rentals when I was in college. It would have saved me a lot of money and effort lugging textbooks around campus, not to mention storage space! The nicest part is you don't have to think about what to do with them after the course ends. No need to make the effort to sell a used textbook. For those who don't resell their textbooks, they must ask themselves do they really have space to keep them? As the article says, chances are high you will never look at them again...
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Navigating Academic and Campus Life: Starting a Conversation between the College-Bound Student and their Parents
High school graduations and parties have ended. For the College-Bound, now is the time to not only buy the things they will need for their dorm room, but to learn the essentials needed to go to college. The following NY Times Article Pink Underwear and Other Lessons for the College-Bound goes over helpful tips parents can discuss with their children on how to survive college life from laundry to banking. I would add to this list that parents and their children should have a discussion about what it means to attend college including academic and college life and how it fits into the bigger picture of choosing a career and finding a job after college. A lesson to the College-Bound student is to be pro-active. If you haven't had this type of talk with anyone, seek this advice from your parents or another adult you trust. Having this discussion can help ease the transition from high school to college.
The following are suggestions for topics to discuss. You can choose to discuss some or all of these topics or come up with your own.
Of course, once a student attends college and gains experience, he or she will grow and adapt from what was originally discussed. The important thing is to have the discussion to be aware of the issues. Having a discussion about academic and college life can help students become independent and make their own decisions. It is never too late to have this discussion, and consider making it an ongoing conversation over the next four years of college.
Congratulations to the College-Bound and their parents on the start of an exciting journey! What other topics do you think would be helpful?
The following are suggestions for topics to discuss. You can choose to discuss some or all of these topics or come up with your own.
- Review course requirements together and discuss a possible four year plan on how to complete graduation requirements with the understanding this could change.
- Discuss what classes, majors and careers each of you find interesting and why
- Identify other people who can provide advice about academic and college life like Professors, Teaching Assistants, Resident Advisors and upperclassmen.
- Review the course book together and see what courses look interesting to take.
- Talk about how studying in high school is different from studying in college. Parents or adults can discuss their own experiences or ask questions about how it might be different and what resources are available to get help, e.g. Teaching Assistants, Professor Office Hours, Tutoring, etc.
- Discuss expectations about grades, studying, socializing, dating and campus life.
Of course, once a student attends college and gains experience, he or she will grow and adapt from what was originally discussed. The important thing is to have the discussion to be aware of the issues. Having a discussion about academic and college life can help students become independent and make their own decisions. It is never too late to have this discussion, and consider making it an ongoing conversation over the next four years of college.
Congratulations to the College-Bound and their parents on the start of an exciting journey! What other topics do you think would be helpful?
Sunday, June 19, 2011
How early should students start thinking about career choices?
In April 2011, when I was close to finishing my ebook, "A Cornell Carol," I came across the NY Times Article, Helping Students Find the Right Path. The article discusses how Maria Rodriguez, an associate professor of psychology at Hunter College, provides academic, career and personal counseling to economically disadvantaged students. Her own personal career path is also inspiring. The article gave me a confidence boost as to why I was writing "A Cornell Carol." One of my reasons was to reach high school and college students who were struggling with making career choices after graduation.
The part of the article that struck a chord with me was Professor Roderiguez's comment on how high school students think about choosing careers: "A lot of students just out of high school are influenced by externals. They come to me and say, 'Tell me what’s popular, and tell me what to do to make a lot of money.' This is a difficult job climate; the hot occupation is nursing and health care, but it may not be the right choice. Yes, there’s a need, but students need to consider if that’s the field they really want. They need to think about what they have to offer. Too many students look at a job advertisement and try to match themselves to it."
I agree with her comments and would say they also describe how many college students think about choosing careers. In fact, when I have had the opportunity to mentor colleges students on choosing careers, they have stated similar sentiments as to why they have chosen a particular career path. I believe that college students, starting in their freshmen year, would benefit from a career counselor or a structured mandatory program while in college to help them choose a career. (A similar program for high school students would be beneficial.) However, as many colleges and universities offer these services and programs on a voluntary basis, it is up to the students themselves to be pro-active and make this a priority while in college. Students that are proactive can be made aware of common career pitfalls rather than learning about them five years into a career path and being unhappy with their choice.
For those students who aren't lucky enough to have someone like Professor Roderiguez advise them, I wrote "A Cornell Carol" as a creative way to inspire high school and college students to think about choosing their career path and getting the most out of their high school and college experiences. I hope this blog also serves as a resource and forum for students, parents and others about these issues.
Do you think it would be helpful for college students to be assigned a career counselor and attend mandatory career programs? Is it best to leave college and university career services voluntary? Is high school too young to start thinking about career choices? I would love to hear your thoughts.
The part of the article that struck a chord with me was Professor Roderiguez's comment on how high school students think about choosing careers: "A lot of students just out of high school are influenced by externals. They come to me and say, 'Tell me what’s popular, and tell me what to do to make a lot of money.' This is a difficult job climate; the hot occupation is nursing and health care, but it may not be the right choice. Yes, there’s a need, but students need to consider if that’s the field they really want. They need to think about what they have to offer. Too many students look at a job advertisement and try to match themselves to it."
I agree with her comments and would say they also describe how many college students think about choosing careers. In fact, when I have had the opportunity to mentor colleges students on choosing careers, they have stated similar sentiments as to why they have chosen a particular career path. I believe that college students, starting in their freshmen year, would benefit from a career counselor or a structured mandatory program while in college to help them choose a career. (A similar program for high school students would be beneficial.) However, as many colleges and universities offer these services and programs on a voluntary basis, it is up to the students themselves to be pro-active and make this a priority while in college. Students that are proactive can be made aware of common career pitfalls rather than learning about them five years into a career path and being unhappy with their choice.
For those students who aren't lucky enough to have someone like Professor Roderiguez advise them, I wrote "A Cornell Carol" as a creative way to inspire high school and college students to think about choosing their career path and getting the most out of their high school and college experiences. I hope this blog also serves as a resource and forum for students, parents and others about these issues.
Do you think it would be helpful for college students to be assigned a career counselor and attend mandatory career programs? Is it best to leave college and university career services voluntary? Is high school too young to start thinking about career choices? I would love to hear your thoughts.
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