When applying to a post-secondary school, you will probably be asked to write an admission essay of some sort. At first, it may seem like extra work, but there are some great benefits to writing a personal statement. Perhaps the best benefit is that you can use the essay to explain or cover up some of the flaws on your resume or transcripts.(1) Here’s how to cover up flaws when writing your admission essay:
Infuse humor and narratives to tone down your shortcomings and failures
Some personal statement examples employ humor and narratives to downplay the shortcomings and failures of the applicants. Using humor is a good way to diffuse the issue. However, it is still important that the overall tone of your essay is still serious and reflective.(2) When using narratives, it is important not to focus too much on the bad and highlight the good instead, such as how you have learned from such shortcomings and failures.
Make your failure seem like an eye-opener or life-changing experience
Another approach used in many personal statement examples is to explain how you have come to your senses as a result of going through such challenging times. Try to concentrate on how you have come to a deeper realization of who you are, the challenges you have faced, and how certain hardships have helped you make the decision to change your life for the better. Try not to be too idealistic when taking this approach and, instead take a more mellow and sober tone. To help you with this task, you can read a few good examples of personal statement that made it through college admission.
Use your shortcomings as source of motivation and inspiration
Another option is to discuss how such shortcomings and failures have given your the inspiration and motivation to set your life straight. Some examples of personal statements will show you to discuss priorities and goals that have changed as a result of going through life challenges. Mention how you have the drive to make things better for yourself and for those around you.(3) Finally,be sure to write about how you are now motivated to make it through college and turn your life around.
(1) http://www.foothill.edu/transfer/essay.html
(2) http://gradschool.about.com/od/essaywriting/a/psfaq.htm
(3) http://www.gcc.mass.edu/offices/transfer/essay_tips.html
The personal statement or college admission essay is probably one of the most essential admission requirements that you will submit to the schools that you will apply to. Not only can you use the such essays to showcase your writing skills, but it is also a chance for you to introduce yourself, your character, and your personality to the admission committee.(1) If you want to write an excellent admission essay, then you should know what mistakes to avoid. Here are top three fatal mistakes as seen in some bad examples of personal statements:
Writing a full-length biography of your life
The admission committee doesn’t want to know about your entire life, from birth to the present. You have to keep your goal in mind, when writing your admission essays, that is, to introduce yourself and state why you want to go to the school you are applying to. Based on some examples of personal statements, you can see how writers specifies how can do well in the school.(2) Even if you have a very interesting biography, you have to make sure that the experiences and instances that you talk about are relevant to the topic at hand.
Talking about just dreams and not real experiences
Another mistake that people often commit on their college admission essay is focusing too much on their dreams and aspirations. While some personal statement examples mention dreams and aspirations, you should also talk about the experiences that you have actually been through. Talk about how some of the challenges and opportunities you have faced in the past have prepared you for college. After explaining a little about your real experiences, you can then go into how you plan to use your college education to reach your future goals and aspirations.(2)
Making bad connections between experiences and goals
It is a good idea to link your experiences to your future goals, but it is important that you avoid making a bad connection. By reading examples of personal statement online, you can see how writers mention experiences that don’t actually coincide with their future plans. When making relating your experiences with your aspirations, try to make your essay flow. A good idea would be to briefly describe an experience, then go into how this forged certain values and virtues into your character, and then describe how such virtues and values are essential for your college life and your future in general.(3)
(1) http://www.depauw.edu/admission/documents/college-essay.pdf
(2) http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/application.html
(3) http://www.yale.edu/yalecol/academics/fellowships/application/essays.html
Whether you are thinking of going into law school or medical school, much preparation is needed to help you do well in your graduate studies in medical or law school. While there are schools that offer pre-med and pre-law tracks, others do not. Here are some ideas on which majors to take up to prepare you for medical school or law school:
Majors for medical school
Earning a degree in medicine will entail a lot of science classes. Some of the best majors for having a smooth transition to medical school are those related to Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This is because the education, training and experience gained in these science majors will be used in medical school as well. Other courses that students commonly go into before entering medical school include the Social Sciences and the Humanities majors.
Majors for law school
Law school students come from a wide variety of majors. Still, there are some majors that can better prepare you for dealing with law school. One of the most popular majors for law school preparation is Political Science. Psychology, Criminology, and Philosophy are also common courses for those planning on going to law school. Many of these courses focus on human behavior, research, and analysis, as well as logical thought.
Make it about you
Although some majors may include classes that are medicine or law related, the choice is still yours to make. Remember that the most important part of your college education is that you make something of it. You may be better off taking a course that fits your interests, skills, and experience. That way, you will be able to expand your knowledge, talents, and training in that field. Even though your course may not be ideal for medical or law school applicants, most graduate schools accept people from many different academic backgrounds. Set up a meeting with your guidance counselor or career planner so they can help you find the right academic path to suit your personality, aspirations, and inspirations.
Photo Credit : jemsweb
Sexual harassment in the college setting is a serious issue that many educational institutions are trying to eradicate. Studies carried out by the American Association for University Women (AAUW) show that over 60% of both male and female students have been sexually harassed at their college or university. You don’t want to be a statistic, do you? Here are some tips on how to avoid sexual harassment.
Awareness
Awareness is a key factor in avoiding sexual harassment. First, you should be aware of what sexual harassment is. Basically, sexual harassment is any form of unwelcome sexual behavior (physical, verbal, or nonverbal). In the college setting, assailants may be other students, friends, strangers, or even school employees. Use the Internet to research about sexual harassment. This can help you understand the causes, effects, policies, and laws that are related to sexual harassment. You should also know where to go and who to talk to should you become a victim yourself.
Tips for avoiding sexual harassment
* Be aware of your environment. Knowing the places and people around you is important. Try not to go to places that are unfamiliar to you and always try to bring your friends with you when you go to unfamiliar places in the university.
* Try to evaluate the way that you dress. Certain types of clothing may attract unwanted attention.
* Joking and teasing of a sexual nature is also sexual harassment. Do not put up with such behavior.
* If you feel uncomfortable in any way, let people know. Whether its an unwanted touch, unwelcome advance, or a sexual remark, speak out and let those around you know.
Seek help from your college
Most educational institutions, especially postsecondary ones, have their own policies on sexual harassment. Read your student handbook and know how far your school will go to help you. Joining an organization that seeks to fight against sexual harassment is another alternative. You can even meet new people and friends who are just as concerned about sexual harassment as you are.
Photo Credit : newmani_2007
When you make the transition from high school to college, you will probably have to deal with leaving your home, your family, and your friends. Now, you are left to fend for yourself in this new environment with people from all around the nation and, perhaps, from all around the world. Still, fitting in and getting along with others in college can be a rather fun and fulfilling experience. Here are some tips on getting along, fitting in, and making friends with others in college:
1. Allot time for college activities
Perhaps the most helpful tip for getting along with others in college is to make some time for it. Whether it is for work, study, play, or personal reasons, everyone needs time for themselves. Still, you should try to strike a balance between the time you spend alone and the time you spend with others. Try to schedule some time to have lunch or go out with other people. The idea is to make yourself available in meeting new friends and acquaintances.
2. Do your part
Another important tip for getting along with other students and classmates in college is to make an effort. Spare some time for going to a school sports game, for attending parties, or for joining an organization that you are interested in. Simply making the effort to come to class early and talk to classmates is a good way to meet people and make friends. Just make sure that neither your academic life nor your professional life suffers from neglect.
3. Take a chance
Making friends and getting along with others often requires you to try new things and create new memories. The next time someone invites you to do something you normally would not do on your own, take a chance and say yes. Friendship is filled with excitement and fun, if you will only allow the excitement and fun to come your way.
Photo Credit : peigianlong
One daily task that students have to deal with is taking down notes. Your class notes do not only leave you with something to study, but they also help your mind in processing, analyzing, and interpreting information. This means that taking effective notes can lead to better performance in school. Here is how you can start taking more effective class notes.
Before class
Enhancing your note-taking skills begins well before you enter the classroom. As in any other endeavor that you want to succeed in, preparation is key toward taking effective class notes. Begin by preparing the materials you need. Put together the books, papers, notebooks, pens, pencils, and highlighters that you commonly use for taking notes. Make sure you are prepared for your next lesson by doing some advanced reading. Familiarizing yourself with the words, topics, and concepts that are likely to come up is the first step toward taking better notes. If you are already familiar with these terms, chances are you will be using your own shortcuts in writing them down. This lets you note down more information about these terms.
During class
Now that you have a good idea of what you will encounter in the next lesson, you are prepared to listen. Listening is one of the most important factors in learning and note-taking. Instead of eagerly waiting to write down each and every word your teacher says, you should listen to what he or she is saying. This is when your studying and preparation will pay off. Also take note of your teacher’s tone, body language, and teaching strategies, which can all help you comprehend the lesson better.
If you’ve read the reference materials beforehand, you know the pieces of information your teacher is stating which are not found in the textbook or the handouts. These are the items that you should be jotting down in your notebook.
Here are tips on writing notes:
* Use lists – Bullet points, numbered lists, or any type of list is a great way to take down information quickly and effectively
* Use signs and symbols – Arrows, stars, lines, underlining, letter size – all of these signs and symbols can be used to help you understand your notes better
* Leave extra space – Leaving some space in your notebook will allow you to make extra notes the next time you read through your notebook.
Photo Credit : jez’
Whether you are in college, law school, medical school, or MBA school, you have probably had to deal with constant stress and pressure from school. When deadlines pile up and there is not enough time in the day to finish your work, you probably wish you could just drop everything and be stress free. In today’s world, including the academic world, stress is always a given; what makes a student successful has to do with the way he or she manages stress. If you want some help in dealing with the tension of your classroom, keep reading.
Common sources of stress
* Not enough time
* Too many requirements
* Money issues
* Unhealthy eating and sleeping habits due to work
* Trouble balancing school, career and family life
Dealing with the stress
One of the best ways to deal with classroom stress is to step back and take a breather. One of the things that you need to de-stress yourself from all the work you put in is to rest. Without rest, you will not be able to work effectively and efficiently. If you feel the need to take a break and rest, then the chances are that it is your body and mind telling you that it needs to recuperate. Schedule adequate time for rest and relaxation in between studying and classroom time.
Another tip is to find a sport, hobby, or activity that interests you. Most of the time, when you are studying, you are either sitting down or laying down. By taking up an activity, exercise routine, or sport, you can keep your body in better shape to deal with the mental and physical demands of school. Having other activities also helps take your mind off of the deadlines and assignments that you have for school.
The most draining part about being stressed is the feeling of inadequacy – the feeling of not being able to cope with the tasks at hand. Have faith in yourself that you can accomplish and succeed in anything thrown your way. The reason you were accepted into college, law school, medical school, or MBA school is precisely because the institution you enrolled in believes that you have what it takes to be successful. Take a cue from them and believe in yourself as well.
Photo Credit : Anonymous9000
One of the most significant decisions that you have to make after graduating high school is whether to attend a university or a community college. It is important to take your time when making this decision because it will have a large impact on the next two or more years of your life. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between going to a university or a community college:
Cost
Most community colleges cost considerably less (sometimes even half) than the cost of tuition in universities. However, if you still decide to go to a university even though you may not have the money to pay for tuition, keep in mind that you may be able to get scholarships or other forms of financial aid.
Location and housing
Another important consideration is the location of the campus. If the campus is far from home, you may need to dorm or get an apartment somewhere nearby. Universities often have a number of housing solutions for students. Community colleges, on the other hand, rarely have dorms or housing. Of course, one of the reasons students go to community colleges is their proximity. Most students enrolled in community colleges live near the campus so they don’t need special accommodations.
Transition from high school
Attending a university straight out of high school may be rather hard to deal with and adapt to. Many students decide to go to community college because it helps them deal with this transition period better. Because community colleges are smaller and less populated than universities, students can have an easier time progressing into this next stage of their lives. Some students enrolled in community colleges also have plans of continuing their education in colleges or universities.
Degrees of separation
Universities offer degrees of all levels in numerous fields. In some community colleges, you will only be able to earn an Associate of Arts degree. Many community colleges have educational programs with universities around the area or state. This is a great option for those who still can not make up their minds.
Whether enrolling into a community college or a university, you will probably be asked to submit a personal statement. Check out some examples of personal statements for ideas, topics and themes for your paper. Examples of personal statements will give you an idea of what to do and what not to do. Be sure to use examples of personal statements to help you land a spot in the community college or university of your liking.
Photo Credit : r_gunice
After graduating high school, you may be faced with the decision of attending either a college or a vocational school. Colleges and vocational schools generally have different educational objectives. This article provides some advice on how to make the right choice between going to college or attending vocational school.
In the classrooms
Four-year college courses are often based on a foundation of the sciences and the humanities, including literature, math and logic, philosophy, history, and the arts. Liberal arts education is based on the notion that education should develop and help perfect the human being. This academic training gives students a well-rounded education. The “liberal arts” education offered in colleges has the objective of educating and developing students in a broad spectrum of studies exploring the humanity of man. Four-year courses that focus on the sciences, on the other hand, expose students to different approaches, trends, and investigations in the pure sciences (such as chemistry, biology, and physics) and the applied sciences (such as engineering).
Vocational schools, on the other hand, have the goal of educating and training students on a profession-related specialization. Vocational school graduates will gain the education and training needed to do well in a certain trade or technical area. These trades include cosmetics, tourism, travel, funeral services, cottage industries, and retail.
A restaurant manager who is looking to hire kitchen staff will definite prefer a vocational school graduate who specialized in cooking and becoming a chef to a college graduate. College graduates, though, will have better chances of getting into other fields such as corporate entities. This is because of the type of education one receives in college.
Going beyond the lessons
If you feel that you have an inclination for the trade sciences and other technical areas, you should consider taking a course in a vocational school. These vocational schools provide you with the knowledge, training, and experience you need to become successful in the specialization that you choose. On the other hand, if you think that you might want to explore a career path with variety, you should consider going to college. Regardless of where you end up, you will probably have to write a personal statement. Be sure to read some examples of personal statements so you can perfect your own and get into your college or vocational school of choice.
Photo Credit : Daniel Williams
