Hello, I’m a 4-year college grad, also now enrolled in a tech college part-time. I’m 33 years old. I’d like to pass on some advice to younger college students to help them avoid my mistakes.

I got a 4-year liberal arts degree, and so did many of my friends. Degrees like Psychology, Art, Theatre, History, Sociology, English, etc. I’m sorry to say these are NOT good degrees to get you a good-paying job. I sure wish I & my friends had known this at the time, but we didn’t. Colleges love to tell you that a 4-year degree will turn on a $40000/year switch for you, because it keeps you paying your tuition. Don’t buy into this myth as a college student.

The people I know who have good-paying jobs now are the computer science people, the engineers, math people, accountants, or the people who went to one or two years of tech school and learned a USEFUL & IN DEMAND SKILL like welding, engine or diesel repair, nursing, pharmacy tech, xray tech, degrees/jobs that every size city/town will need so that wherever you decide to live, you can find a job. NOBODY I know with a liberal arts major or minor has a good-paying job in that field, especially in this recession where it’s even harder to find a job. I highly advise staying away from liberal arts majors/minors at this time.

Choose a program/degree you KNOW will get you a job, and how much that job will pay, before your get the degree. While I was in 4-year school I didn’t consider the job part much, I just took classes I ‘liked’ & was ‘interested in’. Learn a USEFUL SKILL. I’m currently back in school in a 2-year accounting program, & I believe I’ll end up much better off job-wise when I’m finished. Save yourself the disappointment of attaining a 4-year degree only to end up in retail/customer service/plenty of other shi**y jobs that are out there.

Don’t be a floating undecided student for too long, there are plenty of good choices out there, so do your research and know exactly where you’re going in your career. This will ensure you make the most of your education & also the financial investment of going to college. I try to tell this to the younger people I run into, but they don’t always seem to get it, just like I didn’t get it back then. I hope this helps someone get a good education & a good job, & possibly help the economy too. Thanks for reading.

Author: these tips were sent from an anonymous visitor

Preview the text

The first thing you should do when you open a new book is to preview the text. Look at the contents page and survey the topics covered in the text. Then ask yourself what you already know and what you think you will need to know about the topics that will be covered in the course. This process will give you a “big picture” of the course and will help you to start thinking about how the contents of the course will fit in with your educational goals.

Now draw a map or use Cornell notes to outline the course using information from the contents page and your syllabus. This process will help you to get a perspective on how the instructor’s lesson plans match up with the textbook and to plan how you will schedule your reading.

If the text looks like if might be difficult for you to read, speak with your instructor. He or she may be able to recommend a supplemental text that will help you to understand course concepts at your own level.

If you lack knowledge about a course topic and/or feel that the course will be covering it on a level that is too difficult for you, go to the library and choose a book on that subject. Read up on the topics covered in the chapter to help fill in the gaps of your knowledge.

Check to see if there is a glossary of terms or other study aides in your textbook. Keep a dictionary close by to look up words that are unfamiliar.

Preview each chapter

Before you read the chapter in detail, skim the entire chapter. Read the introduction, then skim each page, spending approximately 5 seconds per page. Notice headings, illustrations, tables, etc. Then read the summary at the end of the chapter. This process will give you an overview of the chapter and help you to plan how you will break it down into “meaningful chunks” for the next steps of detailed reading and study.

Ask questions

Now that you have an overview of the chapter, ask yourself:

What do I already know about the information in this chapter?
What are the main ideas of this chapter?
How can I turn sub-headings into study/test questions to help me focus my reading?
What questions are found in the text that might help me?

Write down your questions.

Read for details

Now read the text, looking for the answers to your questions to help you stay focused. As you read, annotate your text, highlighting important information and writing notes in the margins that will keep you actively involved in your reading and help you to better understand what you read.

As you complete each section, develop Cornell notes with main ideas in the margin and important details (explanations, examples, and applications) on the right side of the margin.

After you finish each section or unit, summarize what you have read in your Cornell notes. Write down the answers to the questions you wrote down previously. Add questions/answers as appropriate.

Recite

Develop flash cards or mnemonic devices for important terms, concepts, and information that you know you will need to memorize. Read over text annotations and the Cornell notes you developed from your reading. Summarize the information by saying it out loud into a tape recorder or by discussing the chapter with a study group. You may also “recite” the information by writing a summary or by using visual organizers to put the information into another cognitive frame.

If you marked any sections of your text for questions to ask your professor, be sure to ask them in class.

Review

Compare your notes from your textbook reading with your class lecture notes. Continue to summarize your learning. You want to keep reducing the size of your study notes, each time you review the material. The object is to be able to “clue” yourself to remember more detailed information with a single word or phrase. This process will help to keep your memory fresh and will help you to solidify or “over-learn” the material so that it becomes part of your permanent “file” of knowledge.

Keep up with reading assignments so that you don’t become overwhelmed or are tempted to cram or skip reading important assignments!

Developed by Meg Keeley
Bucks County Community College

Most students find that their greatest challenge in adjusting to college life and to succeeding in the classroom is in managing their time effectively. This is especially true for students who have to deal with the additional issues of child care, family and home responsibilities.

When evaluating your schedule, or how you spend your time, you also need to consider your goals and priorities. What is most important in your life, right now– your family, friends, school, hobbies, or other activities? As you look at how you spend your time, ask yourself if this matches your priorities.

Even though attending class and completing assignments is a top priority for most students, many find that they are not allowing enough time for their studies. On the average, students should spend about 2 hours of study for each hour of class time. For example, if you are carrying 12 credits in a semester, you should allow 24 hours per week for study (this includes time for reading, writing papers, preparing projects, and for test preparation).

If you are finding it difficult to locate the time you need to study, or that there are conflicts among the various demands on your time, you may need to give greater consideration to your goals. By getting clear on your goals, it will be easier to decide how to spend your time. You’ll find that you can more easily put off other things and set aside the time you need for studies, if you know how it will help you to achieve your educational or career goals. Ask yourself:

• Why are you in college?
• What are your educational goals?
• What are your career goals?

If you aren’t clear on your goals, you may want to visit your college’s Career Center. In the Career Center, you can take various assessment tests that will help you to determine your career aptitudes and interests. You may also make an appointment and meet with the Career Counselor to evaluate your needs and to determine what courses you should take to reach your goals.

Using Time Wisely

You might have all the time in the world, but if you don’t use it wisely, it won’t help you to meet your goals. Procrastination is a problem for many students. The following are tips to help you deal with this issue:

1. Clear your schedule. Don’t overextend yourself. Recognize that your obligations and resulting stress are as important as other people’s needs. Set limits around being interrupted or rescheduling your work time to accommodate others. Omit or reschedule some of your other obligations. You want to give full concentration to your studies without feeling guilty about what you’re NOT doing.
    
2. Get motivated. Create a work area that is free from distractions and commit to staying there for at least one to two hours. If you get side-tracked, remind yourself how this activity will help you to meet your goals.
    
3. Prioritize. What has to be done first? When is it due? What is worth more in terms of your grade? What is worth more in terms of your personal, educational, or career goals?
    
4. Make sure you understand the task. Ask questions. Get help if you need it.
    
5. Break down the task into chunks. Estimate how much time you’ll need to complete the task. Don’t try to do it all at one time. Break it down so that it’s “do-able” and not so overwhelming. Stay up-to-date on assignments to help avoid overload.
    
6. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Some people are so afraid that they won’t perform perfectly, they won’t do anything at all. Make sure you understand the expectations of your instructor. Then evaluate how important the task is and what level of performance is acceptable to you. Then just do it!
    
7. When you really hate it, try to make it as enjoyable as possible. Work on this task first, while you have more energy. Reward yourself when you complete certain aspects of the task. Study with a friend.

Study Environment

Once you have found the time to study, commit to a time and place that meets your needs. In order to do this, ask yourself whether the environment in which you are studying matches your learning style and preferences. Based on your preferences, you should schedule your most challenging classes and intense study sessions in the environments that best match your needs. The following are some aspects of study environment you may need to consider.

• Time of day: Whenever possible, you should schedule your most challenging courses and most intense study sessions during the time of day when you are most alert. Ask yourself if you are more alert/productive during the morning, mid-day, or evening and schedule accordingly.
   
• Grouping: Do you prefer to learn or study alone, in small groups, or in large classes? If your prefer small groups, do not sign up for large classes. Try to get into classes where the instructor uses group activity as a teaching strategy. Form study groups to prepare for tests and exams.
   
• Posture/Mobility: Some people prefer to sit at a table or desk (formal posture) in order to concentrate and study effectively. Others are able to learn more easily while sitting comfortably on a sofa or lying on the floor (informal). Still others need to move about in order to learn, and reading while walking on a treadmill might be appropriate. Further, some people have the ability to sit and study for long periods of time (high persistence), while others need to take frequent breaks (low persistence). Recognizing your posture and mobility needs will help you to plan where and when you should study.
   
• Sound: Contrary to popular belief, not everyone needs to study in a perfectly quiet environment. However, if you do choose to study to music, choose Baroque classical music. The tempo and instrumentation of this music seems to be most compatible with study and learning.
   
• Lighting: Studies have shown that some people become depressed because of light deprivation during the winter months. If you are one of those people, you should try to study and spend as much time as possible in highly lit places. Other studies have shown that reading ability can be affected by the light contrast between print and paper color. There is a high contrast between black letters printed on white paper. Some people find it easier to read black print on blue or gray paper which has less contrast and is easier on their eyes. Being aware that light does make a difference, you should study in the environment that best matches your learning preferences.
   
• Temperature: While you can’t always control the temperature of a room, you should be aware of your preference for either a cool or warm environment. Dress in layers so that you can adjust to differences in classroom temperatures. Choose to study in the environments in which you feel most comfortable.

Developed by Meg Keeley
Bucks County Community College