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March 8, 2014

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Hey Everyone :) I'm Kate and a level 2 mod on here. I've had this account since July 2004, so I've been on here since I was 13! Wow ... crazy for me to think how long ago that was. I will admit I don't check in as often as I once did, but being away at college, being in a sorority, and having a job when I'm not at school is very time consuming. I still try to help out as much as possible, and if you send me a question I WILL answer it. This site helped me a LOT when I was in high school and had a lot of questions, and I'm here to help anyone who needs it :) Feel free to write in my forum or send me a question any time!

advice

i am writing in regard to my fiance, she just recently joined a sorority and became a founding sister, she liked it at first but now she hates it, she's always stressed and her grades are starting to drop, she spoke to her president about leaving but she wont let her go, how can she get out of this sorority

I'm in a sorority and I've never heard of what you're saying going on. If a girl wants to de-sister from her sorority, of course they'll try to figure out why and solve the issue, but if the girl really wants to go, all she has to do is fill out//sign a form that says she wants to de-sister.

If her president is giving her issues, tell her to get in touch with their sororities nationals. Each sorority has a national website, a chapter website, etc. Tell her to go to their nationals website, find contact information, and give someone a call.

i applied to 3 colleges sometime around mid November. A lot of people in my class are receiving acceptance letters already and i'm just wondering how long it will take for my letter to come? they're rolling admissions and it says at least 2 weeks, but it's been 2 weeks and i'm getting anxious. so maybe if you've been through the college process, can you tell me how long yours took to come?

When I applied to college I didn't really find anything out until the end of January and into December for some schools. The college I'm currently attending sends theirs out in Januray (and I was wait listed, so I didn't really hear back until March - talk about a LONG wait!)

It all depends on the school, though. Check the school's website and it should have information (or you can even call the admissions office asking when replies to applications go out.)

GOOD LUCK! I know how insane it is applying for college & waiting to hear for that first choice. I just finished my third semester today and I love it!

Okay so the topic is: "ask and answer the one question you wish we had asked." it is very hard to incorporate the question into my essay without making it sound unappealing. I wrote this for my second paragraph:
I wish the question “What are your career goals for after college?” had been asked. I believe this is a very important question to be asked because it explains my reason for wanting to be in college. Having goals and expectations are very beneficial to my future. There are many people who go to college unaware of their major; I think it is very essential to know what I plan to do. I will be able to keep myself focused on my goals and know what work I will have to accomplish in order to take on the career I intend to pursue.

I feel like i sound to cocky and sort of rude to others who are undecided about their major. Does anyone else get that kind of feeling when they read this paragraph? or do you think it's okay to incorporate into my essay?

In all honesty, your answer isn't good. It's not all that cocky... I also don't think a university is a place for people who don't know what they want to do - that's what a community college is for - cheaper & helps you figure things out.

Anyway, your answer is no good because you never answer the question. You don't ever say WHAT your post-college plans are. You just say you think undecided majors are useless.

If you actually ANSWER the question, you could be fine. But your answer has very little to do with the question you came up with.

I've been at school for a week now and I'm really feeling like I didn't make the right choice. I moved 5 hours away to go to this school and my parents are paying a ton of money which is making me feel horrible about even considering this but I really don't feel like I'm in the right place and now that I've started classes I don't feel like I'm in the right major either. I'm an architecture major and I just feel like it's way too much responsibility for me to handle. I will still always love architecture but I'm not sure if I want it to be my career. I really think I'm going to change my major and go to a different school but I need some help coming up with something to do with my life.

-I like small kids but don't know if I would want to go into elementary education although from the time that I was 6-12 thats what I wanted to do.
-I love all aspects of art but I don't want to be a starving artist and I don't think I have the skills to compare with other people majoring in art.
-I don't want to do anything in the medical field
-I think being a real estate agent would be fun but the income isn't really dependable because of the fluctuating housing market.
-Before architecture I was going to major in interior design but I think only big cities have a demand for that type of career and I hate cities, correct me if I'm wrong.

I need some help!
I don't want to be undeclared, and pay money at a school while I decide what to do but I'm not sure if my mom would just let me take a semester or a year off while I decide.

As for your problem with right now - take your core classes this year (math, science, english, history) that way you haven't wasted this year.

About a future major..

What not try for art education. It's with young kids if you apply to elementary schools, but you'll get to teach them something you really love - art :]. And you could do it at junior high or high school levels as well.

So I'm about to start college, in ten days to be exact, and I'm incredibly nervous. It isn't the social aspects that I'm nervous about though. I have no idea what to expect for actual school. What do I take notes with? Paper? Laptop? How should I organize my notes? Binders? Spirals? What should I typically take to class?

What should my study habits be like, etc etc. Should I carry a backpack?

I'm stressing myself out about stuff that people usually aren't stressing about. HELP!

I'm a college sophomore, so I can say that I went through all that anxiety last year, and I'm pretty sure that I know what you're feeling right now.

Supply-wise, I did the same for college that I did in high school.

I kept spiral notebooks (with pocket dividers) for each class. I took notes with a pen (easier to read and doesn't fade in time) on college ruled paper (more lines per page). I also used different colored pens for different major topics... I'm just weirdly organized like that...

I also date all of my notes. I write the date at the top of the paper so I know when I took the notes (it helps if I miss a day of class or if there's a test on everything covered from one section to another (it also helps if your final exam is cumulative).

I carry a backpack - most people do. It's a lot more convenient to have one, I think.

As for a laptop - don't bring it on your first day. Your professor will usually let you know their opinion on laptops, tape recorders, etc. If they don't mention it, don't be afraid to raise your hand and ask.

90% of professors will kick you out of class if you're on your cell phone... it's rude and they have every right to tell you to leave or to grade you low because you're a pain in the butt.

I had one professor who, if your phone rang, would take it and talk to whoever called (if it was a text, he would send them a message back). In turn, though, his phone once went off in class and he put it on speaker and held it to the mic so we could hear the conversation.

Well, obviously I didn't cover everything here, but I tried to address your questions. In my opinion, college classes were a lot like high school (a little more work, but you catch my drift). I suggest showing up about 5 minutes early the first day. There are no assigned seats (however most people are creatures of habit and will stick to the seat they grabbed the first day).

Any other questions? Feel free to shoot me a message to my inbox. I love college and I'm sure you'll do excellent. Congrats on getting accepted and having goals for your like, unlike most people in our generation :].

i was looking into a school out of state and then i realized it was a community college. if i dont live in the state, does that mean i cant attend a community school?

How would you attend the school if it were out of state? Community colleges don't have dorms, so you'd have to move to the state of the CC, at least for the 9months in which you're in attendance...

So, technically, yes you can go there, but in the end you'll have basically moved there anyway.

S_C, 18/f

i am interested in becoming a Property Administrator but I am not sure what to take in college and where the best place it to apply to after I finish school. Is it better to apply to real estate agencies or insurance broker offices? Do i need a diploma or can I just take some courses? Please tell me all you know. Thanks

I saw this question has been up for a few days now, so even though I know nothing about property administrators, I thought I could still give you some suggestions.

I'm not sure if you're still in high school or if you've already started college. So, if you're still in high school, why don't you stop by your local community college and speak with them about what you want to do and ask them what path they suggest you follow.

And whether you're in high school or college, set up an appointment with your counselor - that's what they're there for - to help you decide where to go, which classes you have to take (if any), etc.

There are probably very few people on this site who know much about this. In fact, I'd guess that majority of our users are young teens (as we can see by most of the questions here), so they may not know as much about future careers and the like. You're better off asking someone who you can sit down and talk with. So call up your local Comm. College and ask to speak with someone or set up an appointment with someone who can help you with these questions. And if you're already enrolled in a school, just make an appointment with whomever your counselor is.

Good luck and sorry that I can't be of much more assistance.

S_C ((18/f))

Any tips on surviving co-ed college bathrooms?

18/F

However, I will be in a dorm for upperclassmen since I'm a Junior. Thanks!

I lived on a co-ed floor, but we still had separate bathrooms...

Anyway, the bathrooms are actually really clean (except weekends) because a cleaning lady/person comes once a day (ours usually came around 10or11) to clean them.

Our biggest issue was girls shedding in the showers and not picking up their hair - GROSS! We talked to our RA about it and had a floor meeting, and the problem wasn't as bad, but most of us would wait until after our cleaning lady came before we'd shower.

It's really not that bad. The guys are a lot cleaner than the girls because they don't have makeup in the sink, hair in the showers, etc.

We had one coed bathroom on the floor,, but it was a one toilet one shower type of thing - you know, for one person to use at a time, and it was always super clean.

I suggest flipflops and that's really all you need.

And you're 18 and going to be a college junior? That's pretty cool. I'm 18 and will be a sophomore in August and thought that was crazy.

I took the SAT on March 14th and got 570 in critical reading, 520 in math and 660 in writing. In total it added up to a 1750 (I'm not sure about the essay score). I didn't have any tutoring for this one and it was my first. Based on those two factors, is a 1750 average or above average? I honestly have no idea. My math score needs improvement and I knew that going into the test and I'm applying to PA state schools if that makes a difference (I know each one has certain requirements). Overall I was just curious if 1750 is a good score or not? Thanks.

I received a 1710 and made it into a school that's beginning to get difficult to get into (Appalachian State in NC), and I only took it once, so I have to say a 1750 is pretty good.

If you want, take it one more time to bring up that math grade.

And about the essay portion, my college psych teacher told us that the essays aren't taken into consideration very often because it's hard to determine what's truly good... too many differing opinions and stuff.

You did well, though.
I don't know what's average, but I can tell you did well.

i just finished sending off my college apps around the middle/end of december. about how long before i should start to expect acceptance/rejection letters?

You sent them in rather late, I would think. My senior year, I had all of my applications in by November and had heard back from a few before Christmas. However, there are some schools that won't given an answer until January, February, and even March. It's a long process, applications & responses, but definitely worth it when you get the acceptance letters.

If you check the school's website, they'll usually tell you when they have begun sending out letters to applicants.

around what amount of money would be considered expensive for college? inexpensive or reasonable?

thanks!

Expensive would be roughly $30,000+ for one year.
$13,000-$17,000 is reasonable but getting close to costly (if in state).

Where I attend school (a very nice 4-year university) is under $10,000 for tuition & room&board. If I were to include books and meals, it costs me between $11,000-$12,000.
Where I go is definitely considered reasonably cheap, especially for a nice school.

Anything under $15,000 could technically be considered reasonable and rather cheap for a nice college.
In-state schools are always cheaper than out of state schools (unless you're looking at private colleges - those are the same and usually in the high $30,000).

in high school we needed good grades to get into college but in college, what are good grades good for besides maintaining a scholarship and not getting kicked out of school/your program? do employers see your college gpa?

If you don't pull at least a C-average, the college can put you on academic probation. If you get down to a D-average, they consider (and possibly do) expel you. If you are failing for more than one semester, you're out of there.

If you want to go to graduate school, you need to keep up an A/B average.

Employers can look at your college information if they want to. I'm sure they would look at your cumulative GPA rather than individual grades, but you never know...

I'm in college now, and to get good grades, all you have to do is actually go to class (that's the hardest part!) and pay attention/do the work.

It's much easier to pull an A in college than it ever was in high school as long as you get up and actually go to class.

What careers are available if I get a major in music?

Here are some links that give insight to careers you can have with a music major:

http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:gRqfFrYAHh8J:www.southwestmsu.edu/campuslife/careerservices/pdf/music.pdf+careers+for+music+major&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us&client=firefox-a

http://www.udel.edu/CSC/music.html

http://www.smwc.edu/academics/departments/music_theatre/music/careers.php

http://www.careers.csulb.edu/monographs/coa_music.html

Good luck, and I'm happy to hear you want to go to college. There are so many people these days who could not care less about college. I'm in college right now, and it's a fantastic experience!

okay, i've been applying for colleges and i'm waiting to hear back from the ones i have applied to. and mostly, the costs are a huge part of my choice. the only thing i'm confused about is the meal plan. okay, if i buy a meal plan, i can eat free right? but, what if they offer something called bonus bucks? what would i use that on? right now i'm planning on attending the university of southern mississippi, so here's a link to what i'm talkig about: http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSS/UnivSouthernMS/MealPlans/ResidentMemberships.htm
any help would be greatly appreciated :)

Wow, I went to their site, and it is confusing!!

It looks to me like "eating free" is only at certain locations, and the bonus bucks are what you have to use at other locations.

At the college I go to, our meal plan is for any location on campus, but it's a-la-carte. That means that each item we buy has a separate dollar amount. For example, if I want fries, I pay $1, if I want grilled cheese, I pay $2, and if I want a water bottle, I pay $1.25. So, for that meal, I'd be paying $4.75 when I get to the register.

My meal plan gives me roughly $1100 per semester and I can use those $1100 at any location on campus that sells food (food court, vending machines, coffee shops, chik-fil-a & mccallisters that are on campus, on campus stores, etc).

Your meal card looks like it only works at certain on campus dining locations and you have to use your "Bonus Bucks" for the other on campus locations.

I know at UNC Chapel Hill, they are given a number of card swipes & with one swipe, they get all-you-can-eat. A few of my friends go there & they say they like it.
I don't know anyone who goes to University of Southern Mississippi, so I can't tell you much more than what I've already said.
I'm not sure if I'm correct, but that's what it looks like to me (meal card at certain places for buffet style & bonus bucks for non-buffet type places).

Good luck with applications and figuring it out.
Don't be afraid to call the school for clarification. I called up to my college tons over the summer & before applying to get a better idea of what goes on. Also, campus tours are very helpful because you can ask your student tour guide about things like that.

Good luck :)

So I'm a senior in high school this year and I want to apply early for colleges. I'm trying to figure out what to write for my essay and I'm stumped. For a particular college I'm asked to "Write an essay or personal statement of atleast 250 words". Help! What should I write about? I don't want to be the same old student who writes a boring paper, shouldn't it be original? Thank you!

Give them insight into your personality. Don't go on and on about your accomplishments unless they truly mean something important to you. Colleges hear that all of the time. Don't just say "my name is sam and I'm 17. I'm from Indiana and I like to collect rocks." Stuff like that is boring.

Did you learn something BIG while in high school? Did you have a life-changing experience?
I did, and that's what I wrote about. I had a life-changing experience that caused me to completely change what I wanted to major in, and it completely changed my perspective on life. Because of what had happened to me, I had something out of the ordinary to write for my "about me".

Anyway, you definitely wants something original. The "judges" won't give you a second thought if it's an essay they've read hundreds of times. Even if you're not the best reader, make it interesting.
Tell them what makes you YOU & why. Always have at least one person proof read it to check for spelling, grammar, and clarity mistakes.

Good luck!!
As a college freshman, I definitely know how annoying doing the college essays are.

S_C

Ok, so I'm a junior in high school and I was wondering, what are some good colleges if I want to major in music education?

It really depends on where you live unless, of course, you don't mind going out of state.

Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina has a fantastic education program, though.

If you tell me the state you live in, I can get some better information for you.

ok, does anyone know a website or anything for some scholarships that are...bizarre? i can't find any....please help
thanks ahead of time

Fastweb.com

Most of them are legit, but they have a few random ones on there.

Also, if you fill out info on things you like and/or are interested in, they e-mail you when they see scholarships that would interest you.

Most of the scholarships are in the hundreds, but there are some thousand dollar scholarships.

Good luck, :).

im a senior in high school and im soo confused about college. i've always been under the impression that you take the 4 core classes just like you do in high school, and then go on to study in your major. but like my teacher this year said in college he didnt have to take math because he was an english major and didnt need it. im going in to the medical field, so since that focuses on math and science, would i have to take english or history still? would there be any way to exempt these classes?? please only answer if you're in or been to college and know for sure.

It really depends on the courses you take in high school and which college you choose.

The school I am at has what we call designators. It means that you have to take a certain amount of certain courses.

At my school, if I made an A in high school world history, I wouldn't have to take any history courses. If I passed the AP english 3 & 4 exams in high school, I wouldn't have to take any english classes. If I took & passed AP Calc in my high school, I wouldn't necessarily need any math...
See where I'm going?

It all depends.
If you haven't taken and passed and AP courses, then you'll probably have to take at least one english and at least one history course.
I only have to take one history course the entire time I'm in college. I only have to take one science class. I only have to take one math class. I have to take 2-3 englishes (which will probably be inevitable no matter where you go) because I never took AP English in high school.

But, to set you straight, your college schedule is nothing like high school. They actually prefer you start taking courses in your major early on (especially if you have a major that could take over 4 years to finish if you don't get started right away... some major classes are prequisites for the others).

You will probably have to take a lot of math & sciences, 1-2 histories and 1-3 englishes. (Remember, no matter what your major, english is a very important class to take).
At my school, we're also required to take one fine arts class, one social science, one multicultural (although no foreign language is required), etc.
Sophomore year is when you declare your major and start taking mostly major classes.

If you have any other college questions, feel free to ask.

(By the way: In most colleges, you can choose the time of your class, which professor you have, etc. In most colleges, you make your own schedule. At my school, we make ours online)

Like I said before, though, it all depends on your high school classes, where you're going, and what they accept. You can probably call the schools you're interested in and ask them what their core requirements are.

i'm already in high school starting on my sophomore year, and i still don't know what i was to do when i grow up. still looking for what i have a passion for, is it cooking? is it dancing? do i want to run a business? idk, what age should i know what i want to be? how will i find out? please & thank you

There isn't an age where you find out what you want to become.
I've already graduated high school and it took me until quite recently to realize what I want to do with my life. A lot of the people I go to colloege with aren't quite sure yet.

When you finish high school & go to college, you don't declare a major until you're sophomore year. Even then, some people will change their majors 2-3+ times. It's normal not to know what you want to do.

To help yourself find a career that might interest you, take some different elective classes at your high school.
Sign up for foods classes, early childhood education classes, fashion merchandising, marketing, etc.
Most high schools offer a variety of career pathway courses that could help you decide what you like & what you have no skill for whatsoever.

Also, there are plenty of websites that can help you determine some future careers.
Then again, I've taken a few of those online tests & surveys & very few of them have pointed me in the direction of my chosen career.

There are also some sites that go over the what you would do for certain jobs & such.

Use google

You can google whatever you want where I had written "Career pathways".

you answered a question about college level books or something. but all freshman in any college have to read the glass castle? im 15 and i read that a few years ago... and yes it is a great book, one of my favorites

I know last year my school read something else, IDK what though.

I don't really know any specific college level books.

Your best bet is to go to your nearest university and browse through their library - it's open to the public, but I think there's a fee or something to check out a book if you're not a student (or find a college student you know to check you out a book).

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