Get a Tutor if you need it!

I am feeling a little better, so I have some strength to write a new post. today, I will focus on the importance of tutoring.

Back in the day... Unlike high school, your parents will probably not hover over you, constantly watching over your grades. Remember those good times at your parents' house...whenever you did poorly in a class, they would hire you a tutor. Those were the good ol' days!

The Community College Reality: Well...perhaps the good old days aren't over. In fact, you can still get a tutor if you are struggling. However, like just about everything in college, its up to whether you want to help yourself or not. Use your freedom to your advantage and get help when you need it!

Tutoring in community college: For the most part, tutoring in community college is the same type of help that your parents probably paid for you during high school. Tutors are students who have signed up to be tutors and have generally received a A or B grade in the class that they are currently tutoring you in. Community colleges recruit tutors with the benefits of being paid and the prospect of this beneficial activity looking great on their resume.

In Brief: Tutoring in community college is "win-win" for you and your tutor

Benefits to you

1. You get help personalized help with subjects that you feel shaky in

2. It's free!

Benefits for your tutor:

1. Tutoring is often paid ($10/hr at my community college)

2. Looks great on a resume

3. Solidify their skills in a subject by re-iterating what they already know

I have become chronically sick!

I have been disgnosed with Lyme Disease. I will not be able to do any more posts for a LONG time. Hopefully, I should get better. Until then, look at my past posts. They give you a clear-cut idea about how to succeed in community college

All the best,
Alex

I'm Going Back to College Tommorow: "How to Become a Straight-A Student"

Hey Everyone!

Well, tomorrow I am starting my first semester at community college. As you know, my last semester was a bust and caused me to withdraw from all of my classes. Through trial and error, I hope to get it right this time!

As a result of my college return, I will only be active on this blog during the weekends. That means no new posts or email responses. Until then, I hope you will enjoy my plethora of previous posts and this new post.

My new post will definitely give you some ambition to succeed this semester. It's a book that I personally own and have reviewed on amazon.com. It is called: "How to Become a Straight-A Student" by Cal Newport

The Backstory: Cal Newport graduated from Dartmouth College, a member of the Ivy league, in 2004 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Phi Beta Kappa is the 4 year institution counterpart to Phi Theta Kappa, which I described in detail in my previous post. More or less, Phi Beta Kappa represents students at 4 year institutions with the highest GPA's.

How Cal Wrote the Book: After a freshman year of trial and error, trying to discover the best techniques for getting Straight-A's, he wound up with 36 straight-A's in a row between his sophomore and senior years. After being inducted in Phi Beta Kappa, Cal wanted to discover how the other students who were inducted studied to earn stellar grades. So he sent out surveys to fellow students. Eventually, he got some responses from Straight-A students from 4 year institutions across the country, including Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, Skidmore, Columbia, University of Arizona, University of Virginia, and many more. With these responses, he wrote the book

Why this Book stands out from the rest: Unlike other books that are written by knowledge experts who haven't been to college in a long time, these study habits are culled from numerous straight-A students who know these methods are time tested and they just plain work

My Review that I wrote on Amazon.com:

"The ONLY real college success book that lives up to its title!"

For perhaps the first time in my life, I finally found a book that truly lives up to its title. Personally, I dont review many books, but I just had to let everyone know that this book is AMAZING!

Well...maybe i'm getting ahead of myself. You should also check out his other book too!

I've read a few other books on college. However, they were bloated with too many pages, a boring writing style that failed to capture my attention, and were generally repeating common sense that students have heard way too many times.

However, what sets this book apart is that, unlike 99% of college success books, the advice isn't biased. It doesn't involve one person's experience (Though graduating from dartmouth "summa cum laude" doesn't hurt), but instead from fellow straight-a students. In fact, it isn't even written by a professor! The great part about this is that, although not every last tip will apply to everyone, it gives you a good pool to work with when formulating methods to get ahead in college. Personally, I found 95% of the stuff applicable to me.

That being said, I found this book to be helpful because it follows the simple phrase: "Study smarter, not harder". Even with this simple phrase in mind, everything branches out to include often surprising "secrets" that WILL improve your college experience. Although much of it is common sense, Cal describes it in such a manner so that you can easily understand it, why it is important, and become inspired right away! Cal also writes very well that I found it very hard just to put the book down! He writes in such a manner like he is an older sibling who is passing on his knowledge to his younger brother or sister. Its really funny and definitely a far cry from those monotonous "college success" guides that are written by so-called "experts", far removed from their own college experience.

Even then, this book more than delivers on its title. Although good grades in college are no doubt important, college is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is full of new experiences waiting to be discovered. With this in mind, Cal proves to the reader that good grades is not the entire point of college. He defeats this common mindset by telling the reader to keep a good balance that were used by the straight-A students he interviewed. He used the phrase "star students" to describe them. These were people who actually HAD a life outside of the classroom: They had stellar grades, good friends, and were immersed in extracurricular activities. In essence, these students wanted to "stand out" right from the beginning. This piece of advice will definitely be hard to come by with other books. A's B's and C's are NOT the "currency" of academia.

An important thing to remember is that this book is more in depth than his previous book. Even so, i'd buy BOTH books!

If you are skeptical like I was at first, do two things:
1. Read the introduction.
2. Check out Cal's blog on college success. Its updated frequently: http://calnewport.com/blog/

Good luck and have fun!

Something i'd like EVERY student to shoot for!

Imagine this is where you'd like to be when you graduate at community college...

Perhaps one of the greatest rewards for graduating with honors at your local community college is standing out at graduation. When you are a Phi Theta Kappa Member, you can do just that! As a member, you can wear a gold key member pin, the gold tassel and stole, and receive a certificate denoting your accomplishment.

Does that sound cool? You bet! Is it achievable? Yes!

Let me give you a little background on the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society:

Phi Theta Kappa was founded by Missouri two year college presidents in 1918. 90 years later, it remains the most prestigious honor society of two year colleges. Members are well-respected members of their local community colleges that have chosen, like I want you to be, to be standout students. It's purpose is "... to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students. To fulfill this purpose, Phi Theta Kappa provides an outlet for leadership development, fellowship among student members, community service, and continuing academic excellence".

What are the advantages towards becoming a Phi Theta Kappa Member?
Advantage #1: Access to more than $36 million in transfer scholarships by more than 600 institutions

Advantage #2: Enrollment in the Transfer Database

- The transfer database is used by numerous prestigious colleges and universities to recruit Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Students

Advantage #3: Special Offers from Phi Theta Kappa Partners

-Partners include: Books a Million, Choice Hotels, Avis car rental, and many more!

Advantage #4: Announcement of your membership sent to the newspaper of your choice

Advantage #5: Letters of recommendations sent

-Imagine the advantage a recommendation from a prestigious honor society would do when applying for college or scholarships...

Among numerous others!..

In Order to Become a Member:

Membership is based on invitation only from the adviser of your school's chapter. When an adviser is recommending members, he/she generally looks for:

* Complete 12 credit hours towards an Associate's Degree
* 3.5 + GPA
* Adhere to moral standards of the society
* Pay a one-time membership fee

If you are inducted:

*Maintain at least a 3.25 gpa
*Keep Adhering to the Moral code of conduct

What I would Do:

1. Decide that you want to become a standout student like those that are inducted into Phi Theta Kappa

2. Check out their website: ptk.org

3. Look up your school's chapter and adviser: http://www.ptk.org/regions/regions_dir.htm

4. Make a note of who these people are

5. Decide which schools you would like to transfer to

6. Make a game plan with an academic counselor which classes you would like to take over two or more years

7. Do well in your classes

8. Join a few activities and try to get a leadership position in each one (Start a club if the one you like doesn't exist)

9. Do some volunteer work during your free time

10. Maintain a positive attitude: Smile often and act the way that you'd like to be treated

My Take on this: Go for the gold...literally! I hope this post gives you some motivation to do well!

"Kick Ass in Class": Make EVERY Class A Front-Row Concert Experience

Hello again and welcome to another edition of "Kick Ass in Class". The goal of these posts are make your class time more productive so there's less work to complete when you get home. Our focus today is: "Make EVERY Class A Front-Row Concert Experience"

Okay...imagine this: You are buying tickets for that awesome rock concert that you have been waiting anxiously for. The ticket attendant says, "Okay, we can bump up your last-row tickets to front-row tickets. Would you like those front-row tickets?"

Duh!

One of the ways to get the most out of ANY class is to sit in the front row. I know you have heard your parents saying it over and over, "Sit in the front row". Yeah right! Wrong! Your parents are actually right on this one. With that said, I cannot stress the importance of this one enough. Let's go through the advantages

Advantage #1: You will be able to understand everything clearly

-You won't constantly have to ask for the teacher to repeat anything that you couldn't hear

Advantage #2: Your teacher will know that you are serious about learning

- Don't worry, you won't become the teacher's pets. The days of compulsory education are over! Whenever you go to office hours, your teacher will take you seriously because you sat up front. As long as you stay awake and at least look focused, they can answer pretty much any question you ask

Advantage #3: If you are tired, being closer to the professor teaching will get you more involved

- You know how those morning classes are: You seem okay one minute and the next minute you hear your name yelled like there's no tomorrow. Being close to the teacher, making yourself vulnerable, will give you enough ambition to stay awake.

Advantage #4: You are ahead of any distractions from behind

-Most distractions (talking, gum-snapping, paper football championships, etc.) come from behind you. I highly doubt it that you would be the center of attention of some prank by your classmates. C'mon, the days of bullying are over! Grow up, for crying out loud!

Advantage #5: It will boost your self-confidence

- After sitting up front for the first week, I guarentee you that you will be more confident to ask any question that comes to your mind. Teachers love questions because they like knowing that you are interested in their work. Its flattering to them! Plus, self-confidence can really help in other areas of your life!

The Aftermath: Now I know you are hesitant to make yourself the center of attention, especially when you just want to go home and mind your own business after class. However, as i've said time and time again: "Community college IS College". These classes count, they are graded. They can make or break your college career. Why not boost your chances of success by placing yourself in a strategic position:

Move Your Butt Up Front!

Our Mission is Clear!

I recently typed in "Community College Success" in a Google.com search engine and, to my surprise, I couldn't find ANY similar blogs to mine at all! That means you have come to the only place for all of your community college advice!

However, while scrolling through the pages, I came upon an article contained on Dr. Michael W. Kirst's Blog about community colleges. He is Professor Emeritus of Education and Business Administration at Stanford University since 1969, among other very impressive achievements. He received his political economy and government doctorate from Harvard. The article is entitled:

"Why Community Colleges Struggle to Increase College Completion Rates"

A few key facts from his article:

* The nation's 1,200+ community colleges enroll nearly half (approx 45%) of all undergraduates each year

* Public four-year institutions grew by 3.5% from 1990 to 2000, but public two-year enrollments grew by 14%.

He also puts his citations from this book:

Defending the Community College Equity Agenda (Thomas Bailey and Vanessa Smith Morest (eds.) Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins, 2006)

He goes on to cite from the aforementioned book:

It is fair to say that community colleges have made a crucial contribution to opening college access, but their role in providing overall equity in higher education outcomes is less clear. The majority of students who start community college do not earn a degree or certificate (p. 247).

The final chapter is a powerful indictment of many components of community colleges including their inadequate : college completion rates, developmental education operations, information systems, transfer of credits to four-year institutions, advising, and quality of online instruction.

Another article from his blog is entitled

"Ready for College? Community College Data Suggests Otherwise"

The Basic Facts

* Low community college completion rates are a major reason that six nations passed the U.S. in higher education degrees for ages 25-34 in the last decade.

* A large majority of community college students want a four year degree, but only 39% transfer to a four year institution and an abysmally low rate of 23% ultimately obtain a four year degree.

He goes on to ask the reader:

* Why do students with high education aspirations fail to realize their goals of college success and college completion in community colleges? There are several reasons, but inadequate academic preparation and lack of money are crucial.

And Here is Our Answer

* But a nationwide study by Stanford University revealed that secondary students received signals that (1) there were very low academic standards at community colleges, and (2) their minimum high school graduation requirements were enough to succeed.

My Take on This: I admire Dr. Kirst's work. You can tell that he put a lot of effort into these two articles and their research credibility shines. However, the reason I point out these less-than optimal statistics is because I want you to know that you do not have to be a statistic that doesn't graduate with some type of certificate or degree.

Everyone has more will-power than they can ever imagine. No kidding. Now that I have kind of shell-shocked you, I hope you can realize the reason why I created this blog. As a community college student myself, I know what we are up against. As I said in my first post, maybe you are not happy about going to community college (I sure wasn't...at first). But, like me, you CAN change that outlook and inject some ambition into your life by becoming that "stand-out student" that you always dreamed of becoming

In the meantime, I will probably be taking an extended-break from blogging. It's not a sure-thing, but I know that I will eventually write back!

Articles can be found at: www.thecollegepuzzle.blogspot.com

K.I.S.S.: Flashcards are DEAD!

Welcome to the 3rd edition of K.I.S.S. or the "Keeping It Simple Series", that cool little post on my blog that eliminates wasted time in community college!

Shocker! But that's the reality of evolving technology. Computers and the internet have afforded us some great ways to increase our overall productivity (I should know, lol!)

I'd like to recommend some great sites for making virtual flashcards. Now I know what you are thinking "I used those cool paper flashcards throughout high school. I can't stop now in college...i'm on a roll!". Alas, don't worry! You are not sacrificing anything except...maybe...wasted time!

Now, i'm a personal fan of quizlet .com. In fact, I am giving it "My official seal of approval"

Other sites that are similar. Take a look at each one and see what you think:

memorizable.com

cueflash.com

flashcardexchange.com

studystack.com

rememberize.com

flashcarddb.com

Eat Healthy While You Are At Community College

Now, I now a ton of this may seem like common sense to you, but I cannot begin to stress it enough. Plus, there are a few little things that I never knew that I would like to pass on to you.

Every Morning:

1. Pack your own lunch

-Not only do you save money, but YOU get to choose what to eat. While we are on the topic of what to eat, here's my reccomendations:

Types of Food to Pack:

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, raisins, granola bars are a GREAT way to boost your energy throughout the day. Do pack enough for small healthy snacks and a full lunch.

Types of Food NOT to Pack:

Anything breaded (I could make an exception for sandwiches). From my experience, these are BAD carbs that rob you of energy to concentrate when you need to work. An example of a GOOD carb is pasta.

NOTE: If you are allergic to any of these food, disregard the specific foods. But I hope you kind of get the idea of what I am talking about when I say HEALTHY

2. Water

-Pack a reusable thermos every morning. Perhaps you could fill it with coffee in the morning so you can wake up during your commute. From then on, at any water fountain, rinse it out and fill it with water every chance you get.

- You NEED water to survive. Plus, it makes you feel invigorated, ready to attack any academic or extracurricular challenge that comes your way.

During the Day:

1. Drink water whenever you are thirsty

-Try not to drink too much, but just enough to keep your mind humming. Drink during class (Teachers WILL let you, this isn't high school) Of course, going to the bathroom does keep you awake. Keep that in mind. You would not believe water's amazing effect on the body. It cleans your whole body, makes you feel awake, and believe it or not it dulls your cravings for junk food! As long as you drink enough water during the day, you won't feel like powering-down junk food!

2. Eat Healthy Snacks while working

- Do not use food as a reward for working. Eat a small amount while working, just enough to keep you going. Don't eat too much, as your body will use up all of its energy digesting the food, thereby making you feel groggy and un-focused.


3. Do not skip meals


- I'll be as straightforward as possible: I don't care how busy you are with something, DO NOT skip 3 meals a day. Make time everyday to, at the very least, pop open your lunchbox and eat something


The Bottom Line: I encourage you to eat healthy food while you are working at community college. The advantages are endless, but I can sum up the most rewarding:

INCREASED ENERGY DURING WORK=LESS TIME TO DO WORK

K.I.S.S.: Scheduling Your Time To Get More Done The First Day Of School

Now you too can be victorious from stress!


Welcome to the 2nd edition of K.I.S.S. or "Keeping It Simple Series". Today, we will focus on completely overhauling your schedule to get more done in less time.

Now, i'm an avid reader of David Allen's best-seller "Getting Things Done". Even though it has been 5 years since the book was first published, I still find it amazing that, as of now, its #63 on Amazon's list of Best-Selling Books. I've read many stellar reviews on the book. A note-worthy review from amazon.com states:

"Thank goodness the spine of his system is captured on a straightforward, one-page flowchart that you can pin over your desk and repeatedly consult without having to refer back to the book. That alone is worth the purchase price"

Hmmm...are you thinking of what i'm thinking? What could this "one-page flowchart" be? I'll basically summarize the important points of this system so you can put them into effect right away! Brace yourself because this time-organization method will totally blow you away. It's so simple that you will never go in a stress-induced frenzy ever again. Are you ready? Here goes:

What You Will Need:

1. Pencil
2. Loose-Leaf Paper
3. Daily Planner

Before You Go To Bed or In The Morning (Whichever You Prefer):

Step #1: Grab your Loose-Leaf Sheet

Step #2: Get your pencil and draw a vertical line down the center

Step #3: Label the left side "My Schedule"

Step #4: Label the right side "Things to Remember"

Step #5: Grab your Daily Planner and look at the things you need to do (classes, assignments, etc.)

Step #6: Plan your day on the left side of your sheet of paper. Fill in your classes and when you have free time. If you'd like, you can label your free time with whatever you'd like to do (chill out, do homework, meet friends, have lunch, etc.)

Step #7: Leave the right side of the sheet blank

Step #8: Close your planner and leave it at home. That's right! Leave your daily planner at home

Step #9: Fold your sheet up and put it in your pocket. Don't lose the sheet, by all means!

Step #10: Go through your day, following your schedule on the left side as the day progresses. Cross things off as they proceed

Step #11: When important reminders come up (Study Groups, Office Hours, Lunch w/ friends, etc.), write them on the right side so you don't forget them.

When The Day Is Done:

Step #1: Pull out your Daily Planner and Schedule (Your sheet of paper)

Step #2: Here's the key when looking at your schedule: Anything that isn't crossed-off should demand your attention.

Step #3: Look at the left side of your schedule. Anything that you didn't finish, write it down for the next day (or whatever day you want to finish it) on your calendar

Step #4: Focus on the right side now: Look at your to-do list. Do you have a study group on the 25th? A lunch meeting with friends in a week? Write all of those down on your Daily Planner on the appropriate dates

Step #5: Crush your schedule and make a 3-pointer in the trash.

Step #6: Rinse and Repeat

The Aftermath: From this point on, you know when to get your work done. Plus, the little things (do laundry, lunch meetings, etc.) do not get neglected and neither to the "to-do's" that randomly pop into your head!

If you are curious about Allen's book, i'd recommend checking it out on amazon.

Good Luck and I hope this helped!

Where's the "community" in community college?

My friend always had a good joke to tell about community colleges. He would say, "Yeah, Alex, the 'community' takes all the fun out of college". In a way, he was right. But all he and I did was go to class and just chill out doing homework. Neither of us were involved in any extracurricular activities. With "community" in the name, it seemed like a sure-fire way for you to bump into new people all over the place without making effort. Wrong. Here is what I learned: In community college you must form your own "community".

And just how does this relate to you? I'll tell you...

Right when you step foot on the campus of your local community college, join a club or activity. Heck, what do you really have to lose? Whether you are a full or part-time student, try to integrate at least one club into your busy schedule. Let's go through all of the advantages:

Advantage #1: Release

-Whether you are a full or part-time student, you will have a lot of academic work. Now I don't know about you, but if I had to do work all day everyday, I would go crazy. Use this time to let loose and go have fun. Let me make this clear: I hereby give you permission to join a club and have fun!

Advantage #2: Meet New People

-This is probably the most rewarding part. You get to meet new and interesting people that share similar passions or ideas. Plus, you can make important connections. Maybe the adviser of the club is your history teacher or the dean of students really likes your ideas. This is win-win!

Advantage #3: A club that doesn't exist yet may be the best thing to happen to you!

-This is likely going to happen in your community college career: You are excited about joining a club and you go down the list looking for that club. What!? "Underwater Sewing Club" isn't there?? Don't worry! If a club doesn't exist, take some initiative and start one! Here is what you do:

1. Join an existing club for a semester and see what running a club is like. Attend all meetings and immediately volunteer for any leadership positions that might come up

2.Talk to the student activities coordinator

3. If they deem your activity appropriate, they will make you sign some forms. This should include a club description, a club code of conduct, and so on

4. You will have to get about 10-30 people to sign your petition to start the club. If you know a lot of people from a previous club, this will be a cinch!

5. Next, you will have to pick a teacher to be the adviser to the club. Again, if you know a really good teacher from a previous club or class, this should be easy!

6. You have started your own club! How easy was that? Don't forget: Starting a club makes you look even better on transfer applications than joining one. Plus, you will gain positive notice from teachers, students, and faculty. You will be the STAR!

Advantage #4: Looks great on transfer applications

-When you are applying to a 4 year school, admissions officers eat "being involved" like catnip! What does this prove to them? That you would be an excellent addition to their school!

Advantage #5: Have Fun!

-This is the most important part! Joining something that you love to do just creates positive energy all around! People need fun people like you!

In Conclusion:

In closing, I hope my five advantages towards joining a club has pumped up your ambition to become a "standout student". Like I said in my very first post, one of the reasons why students standout in their local community college is because they "get involved in extracurricular activities"

"Kick Ass in Class": Taking Notes in Technical Courses

Today I am going to introduce to you a new topic section called "Kick Ass in Class". The goal of these posts is to do very well inside the classroom. As you know, most of the action is inside of the class, not outside. So this is indeed important. Let's begin!

Technical courses are the classes that make heavy use of math and math formulas. Examples of these types of classes include algebra, calculus, statistics, computer science, etc. The basic rule of thumb is that, if it involves a good deal of math, its fair game that it is a technical course.

For me, I am not very good at math. I was not born with that "natural ability". However, that doesn't mean I don't love it. Let me say it out loud: "I love math!". I love it because it gives me a great intellectual challenge. Personally, when I get a good grade on a math quiz or test, its definitely a reason to celebrate! And now that i've honed-in my note-taking skills in these courses through trial and error, i'd like to share them with you. Basically, consider this your one-stop-shop source for taking notes and doing your homework in these types of courses.

I'm sure many of you are familiar with cornell notes. If not, here's the story in a nutshell....

The Story: Walter Fauk, a well-known Cornell University Professor, devised the note-taking system in the 1950's. Since then, its popularity and use has grown dramitically. In fact, many schools are implementing the use of it, including the New York Public School System and the majority of schools in Southern California.

The Gist: Cornell notes involve drawing a vertical cue column down 1/3 of the left-hand part of the page. The remaining 2/3 of paper space on the right is used for the actual note-taking. A small horizontal line is the drawn at the bottom, which acts as a summary space to record the gist of the lecture in a few sentences

My Method: There are many critics of the Cornell note-taking system. However, i've personally found it to be helpful on technical courses. I sometimes use Cornell in my liberal arts classes, but I haven't had as much success as I have in the technical courses. I like my system because you can still take great notes, even if you miss a lot of what your professor is saying Let me show you how I do it and you can see if it works for you. Lets begin!

In Class:

Step #1: Construct your Cornell notes

-If I were you, i'd arrive to class early. That way, it will give you a few minutes to draw out your notes and get all of your materials ready. Remember to ONLY use a pencil

Step #2: When the lecture begins, write out the full problem on the left side of the page

Step #3: Write out the steps on the right

-As the professor goes through the problem step-by-step, record how the problem changes. Do not worry if the professor is going too fast, just get this down.

Step #4: If you can, write out how in words the step was done at the left of the corresponding step

-Again, consider this a Kudo if you are lucky enough to have a professor that doesn't go too fast

Step #5: Clean up your notes after class

-Don't get up and leave like everyone else when the class is over. Stay for a few minutes and clean up your notes. Write down those steps, erase mistakes, make it neater. If you are confused about a particular step, see the professor

The Aftermath: If you do get stuck, you know exactly where you got stuck on. Your professor will appreciate your questions and you will know what to do

Doing Homework

-When I do homework in technical courses, I don't use the Cornell system. There is no need to, as it is a "note-taking system". When I do homework, its much easier:

Step #1: Gather your materials

-Crack open your book, grab a fresh sheet of paper, and sharpen your pencil. Don't forget your red pen!

Step #2: Copy the problem from the book on the left side of the page.

- If you want, fold your paper hot-dog style to divide the sheet

Step #3: Work out the problem step-by-step

-Never skip steps. If its a long problem, grab another sheet of paper but don't write on the right side

Step #4: Check the answer at the back of the book

Step #5: If you get stuck or your answer is wrong:

-Look at your well-crafted Cornell notes
-Take a one minute break and think for a second
-Get a friend to help

Step #6: If you can't figure the problem out:

-Work it out how you would think its done. This isn't time-wasted, its effort.
-Mark a question mark next to the problem number, indicating you were confused
-Move on

The Aftermath: You will know that you got all of the problems you could do correct. Plus, you did them step-by-step, which will impress the professor. As for the problems you didn't understand, you marked them accordingly and tried your best. No time wasted

The Next Class

Step #1: Raise your hand for every problem you got wrong

-Now here's where the real magic begins! Record, step by step in red pen, how the problem is done on the right side

Step #2: Clarify anything you need with your professor after class

-If you need to, go to their office hours

The Aftermath: You will definitely get kudos for class participation and your professor will know that you are making the effort. If you keep trying, the class shouldn't stand a chance against you!

Why Community Colleges are Cool!

Rather than focusing on the disadvantages of community colleges, lets pump up your ambition to succeed by focusing exclusively on the advantages. And believe me, you'd be surprised, there are numerous!

Reason #1: They are less expensive

-This is perhaps the most obvious reason. My school charges about $87 a credit. A nearby 4 year private school charges more than $650 a credit! Talk about a bargain!

Reason #2: Small Classes

-At the most, i've heard of a class of having no more than 40 students. And this is the exception! The average size is about 25 students. This is very important because you can get individualized attention in class. Plus, you can develop a one-on-one relationship with your professors. Try doing that at a major research university!

Reason #3: Open enrollment

-Just about anyone can attend that could benefit from attending a community college. If you had less-than-stellar high school grades, community college is an excellent way to begin your college education! Plus, it creates diversity, so you will get to meet people from many different backgrounds!

Reason #4: Convenient

-Community colleges are geared towards...you guessed it...the community. You can find a class that starts at just about any time of the day. So if its an early morning class or a late evening class, you can find just about everything at community college

Reason #5: Teachers are focused mainly on teaching

-Its not uncommon to hear of a teacher that is focused exclusively on teaching. Its their passion! This works to your advantage because you will never get stuck with a Teaching Assistant!

Reason #6: 4 year colleges often give priority to Community College students when transferring

-Many 4 year colleges give priority to Community College students when transferring to their school because they have shown that they are ready for college courses. Studies have also shown that community colleges students who transfer to a 4 year school often do as well as those who were admitted to the college directly from high school

Reason #7: If you get a 2 year Associates Degree, its yours forever

-Unlike at a 4 year college, if you complete the requirements for an associates degree at community college, the degree is yours forever to fall back on. If you complete 2 years at a 4 year university, you probably wont get an associates degree

Reason #8: No time limit towards completing your degree

-You can take as long as you'd like to try new courses or balance out your schedule

Reason #9: Great transition from high school

-For whatever reason, if you are not ready for a 4 year school, you can stay at home and complete your classes.

Reason #8: Easier to stay focused on schoolwork

-A college dorm can be a seductive lure to partying and bad grades. If you live at home, you can focus on your schoolwork more. Higher grades will likely follow.

Reason #9: Great extracurricular activities

-There is bound to be something that would interest you outside of class. Extracurricular activities are fun, you meet new people, and they look great on a transfer application. Plus, since there are fewer activities at community college, you have a good chance of starting one up! Even better!

Reason #10: Classes for high school students

-If you are a high school student doing well academically, you could sign up for dual-enrollment classes at your community college. This means you can get classes out of the way that count towards high school and college credit.

Reason #11: Easier to locate the campus

-In general, community college campus's are much smaller than a 4 year school. Therefore, you can use this to your advantage and become an instant expert on your school! This is also important because, if anything comes up that needs attention, you know exactly where to go!

K.I.S.S: Choosing Classes

No, no i'm not talking about the band kiss!

Today, I am introducing a new series called the "Keeping It Simple Series" or "K.I.S.S." The goal of this is pretty self-explanatory, but my hope is that I can help often-difficult tasks such as choosing classes really simple. Let's begin!

Step #1: Assessing your educational goal

-For this, as I stated in my previous post, is to figure out what you want from community college. As you know, community colleges cater to many people, each with a distinct educational goal. For instance, my goal is to complete my first two years of classes at a community college then transfer to a four year college. You may want to take classes for personal enjoyment or to upgrade your job skills. The possibilities are endless.

Step #2: Know the requirements

-Like every community college, there are certain requiremnts that you must fulfill. For me, I would like to earn a 2 year degree (called an associate's degree). At my school, in order to earn one, you need to take classes outside of the core classes that many colleges require. Examples of this may include Student Success Skills and Physical Education. However, its also possible to transfer under an articulation agreement with a 4 year school. An articulation agreement, also called a "guarenteed admissions agreement", allows you to be admitted as a junior to a 4 year institution if you complete ALL of the requirments of the agreemnt. Of course, you can still apply, even if you don't fulfill every requiremnt, though its not a sure thing you will get in. Surprisingly, you can also opt to transfer directly to a 4 year school after meeting their requiremnts and not even get an associate's degree.

Step #3: Speak to an academic counselor

-After completing the first two steps, go ahead and go to a counselor to talk to them about your goals and which classes you need to take. Trust me, they will save you valuable time when helping you register for your classes.

Step #4: Find out who the good professors are

-When I first started out, I admittedly skipped this step. My professors were so bad that, before I nearly flunked out, I had to withdraw from all my classes and I paid a dear price for it. Although I didn't sabotage my academic record, I lost time, energy, and money.

But you don't have to make the same mistake! My advice is to go ask around and see who the popular professors are. If you are still confused, go on ratemyprofessors.com. It's surprisingly accurate and I have found some great professors that way.

Remember, and this is important: Even if you try your hardest, a professor can still sabotage your academic career. Don't let this happen. A good professor can be found who has reasonable requiremnts and insightful lectures

Step #5: Register for classes EARLY

-I cannot possibly stress this one enough. I've lost a good class here and there by not signing up early!

Step #6: Tack on one or more classes the first week

-There's only one way to find out if a professor is good: Sit in on a class for a whole week. Thats's right, you heard it here! But the trick here is that you should sign up for at least one more class than you know you can reasoably handle. The goal here is to go through all of those classes in a week. Yes, I know, it will be exhausting. But after a week, you can drop that least favorite class!

Step #6: Take a student success skills your first semester if you can

-Sure, they will tell you common sense stuff about how to study and all that. You know the drill: "You need a pencil, paper, and a brain to succeed". However, many community colleges require this before you graduate with an associate's degree. Plus, its only a 1 or 2 credit class! You may learn something new and insightful that will help your career at community college. For instance, mine required that i go to each of my teacher's office hours and interview them. This was helpful because I got to introduce myself and I learned quite a bit about them

Step #7: Observe your teachers

-With each class, get a copy of the syllabus and look at the workload you will have. Still confused? Go to office hours and ask them what the class is like and how much work will be assigned. If it sounds reasonable, keep the class. If it doesn't, drop it like its hot!

Step #8: Treat your teachers with respect no matter what

-Teachers are there to help you learn. Plus, if you get to know them really well, they can REALLY help you out! I'm talking about letters of reccomendation, induction to an honors society they are head of, you get the drill. But DO NOT get on their bad side! They can make your class time miserable! DO NOT complain about their teaching style because I seriously doubt they will change for you. If you absolutely hate the class, drop it by all means!

Community College IS College

Hello everyone and welcome to my first blog post!

I bet there are a myriad of different feelings that many of you feel now that you are in community college. Some of you starting out directly from high school may feel a sense of failure starting out here. You may feel embarrassed about attending the dreaded community college that your friends were poking fun at while they headed off to a four year school. Others may be re-starting their educations as an older student and may feel "out of place" by being with so many younger students. A good majority of you may come from a different country and are simply "lost" by attending school here. Even then, you may not know the English language. Whatever feelings, good or bad, I say: Don't Worry! You are in good company with many people who come from different backgrounds, age groups, ethnicities, creeds, and so forth.

Community colleges are about changing people's lives for the better. I consider them to be one of America's hidden educational jewels. They give people of different backgrounds the chance to achieve their educational goals who otherwise might not have been able to get a college education. For whatever reason, these people are here and they provide wonderful diversity to the community college system. With such diversity among students, its easier than you think to meet people who can easily become fast friends and have a good time.

However, despite the jokes you may have heard regarding community college's open admissions policy, community college is STILL college. Perhaps it is no wonder why "college" is in the name. Since college in general is tougher than high school courses, take it seriously. You will have to invest a great deal of time, energy, and money in order to do well. I consider it a privelage for anyone to go to any college in this great country. With that being said, i'd like to focus on what this whole blog is about: Community College Success. Lets get started with the first step towards a rewarding experience at your local community college!

I'll let you in on the first step towards succeeding in community college. In fact, its sheer simplicity causes it to elude many people. Here it is: say to yourself "I am going to become a standout student at community college". Simple enough, right? I think so! All you have to do is completely change your mindset and tell yourself that you will do well. What is a standout student you ask? I like to say that they comprise themselves of three distinct traits:

1. Earn good grades
2. Involved in Extracurricular Activities
3. Creates head-turning accomplishments

For now, I would like to leave you with those three traits. Think about them for a while. Ask yourself what they mean to you and why you want to accomplish them. You need to assess yourself realistically before you can be successful in community college.

All the best,
Alex