Education & Employment: Take Advantage of Your Resources!

So- I know a lot of you are wondering... "Where has Miss Building Blocks been hiding?" The answer is short and very much true!

I have been dealing with the hectic schedule that most college students deal with, so don't think that I am any different because I have time to blog. I'm actually at work browsing the web, and will soon be doing my homework. But enough about me, let's talk about you!

My post today will explain to you the value of resources, which I know a lot of you may or may not take advantage of. But this is sacred information for any and everyone!

Let's first discuss middle school. In middle school, most students are only concerned with one thing- and that's going to high school. Bigger and better things right? Of course! But you must remember that there are things in high school that you'll encounter, that middle school doesn't teach you, or doesn't make exactly 'readily available' to you.

So here's a few things to take advantage of in middle school that can prepare you for the future!

Join the National Junior Honor Society, if grades permit! Ask your school counselor if there are any scholarships (yes, for COLLEGE) that you can get your hands on now. Don't be afraid to ask someone to be your mentor. They prove to be very beneficial in the long run. And if you have a hard time finding one, ask me! I provide E-Mentoring through this blog. Email me at missbuildingblocks@yahoo.com for more information! Also, if you're having an issue with your attitude, ask your teachers if there are any programs that you can get involved with to better your communication skills. When I was in middle school, I was a Conflict Mediator. I helped students through their tough times and altercations, which in turn enabled me to be able to deal with my own internal issues!

Now, let's take a look at high school. If you haven't already done so, take advantage of an organized sport such as basketball, football, even GOLF! Pick up the skills necessary to be successful in these sports, and it can take you far. It's never too early to invest in your life!

In high school, there are a plethora of opportunities for you. Sports, pep club, all sorts of academic based programs such as Academic Games, Poetry Club, Drama Club, School Newspaper, National Honors Society! Seriously, the opportunities are endless.

For education's sake, please, please, please take advantage of test prep courses and materials. At my high school, our counselor's office had free practice ACT & SAT test booklets. You can also purchase book aids at local bookstores, such as Borders or Barnes and Noble. If you are in high school and short on cash, use Half.com! You can usually find good quality books for cheap!

Begin your search for scholarships IMMEDIATELY! Read my earlier posts about scholarships, and even find featured scholarships on my blog!

In high school, some things are handed to you! However, in college, things are the exact opposite.

Professors, faculty and staff expect students to be hands-on. They expect a great deal from you, that's why it's important to gain these skills before entering an institution of higher learning. Do not for 1 slight second believe that your professor is going to point you out and ask if you need help. You do have a handful of professors like that, but they are limited! Your instructor has office hours, email and phone, and those are the best ways to reach them. NOT DURING CLASS TIME. Not only is it rude to ask a billion questions during lecture, but it also takes away from the other students' learning experience. Be cordial, short and to the point. If you can't get the help you need from your professor, begin your search!

Do not wait until the midterm to decide that you need a tutor in math! It does not work like that. College is progressive, therefore you need to learn the foundation immediately in order to be successful in your courses.

Don't forget to meet with your academic advisor at least one semester. They can usually guide you toward the classes that you need to take, your expected graduation, etc. Keep regular correspondence with them.

Take advantage of the library. Check out supplemental information if you need to, videos, CDs, etc.

I mean, really I could go on about using your resources! But, I'll leave that up to you, the reader. Be sure to leave Miss Building Blocks a comment whenever you find a resource on campus, or in high school that you didn't know existed!

Take advantage of Technology!

Education & Employment: College Bound Students Beware!

ALL OF MY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS!

I recently took a poll on Facebook and Yahoo Answers, for your benefit! The poll was to see which courses college students found the most challenging.

Now, my results have proved my theory wrong. I have always been good in both math and science, but usually had a harder time in math.

To my amazement, most of my colleagues have a harder time in science classes, i.e. Physics (ranked #1), followed by Chemisty, Botany and then Math! Gosh was I in disbelief when I received so many messages with Physics as the toughest subject. I LIKE PHYSICS!

Be very particular about your college studies, because it is much different than high school. You will not have a teacher on your back about coming to class or being tardy (although it is extremely rude to walk into your professors' class late, as well as disturbing to other students who are already prepared). Professors could care less about your attendance to their class, they get paid regardless.

My suggestion is that you spread your difficult and easy classes evenly. For example, if you have Calculus, Chemistry, Accounting, Composition, Biology, Music History, Sociology and Information Systems to take over the course of one school year, then here is my suggestion: Semester 1; Chemistry, Composition, Sociology and Information Systems. Take Accounting, Biology, Music History and Calculus during your second semester.

Have fun! If you need any advice on what classes to take, email me at missbuildingblocks@yahoo.com!

What you must remember is how to study these subjects.... until next time!

Education & Employment: What is a Scholarship?

For all of my readers who aren't aware of the word 'scholarship' and it's meaning, this post is being written to inform you of the benefits of scholarships and how some of them work!

Summarized, a scholarship is a form of financial aid that isn't granted through the federal government. Scholarships are awarded to help you pay for college expenses, i.e. room and board, meal plans, books, tuition & fees, etc. They are awarded to just about everyone, from athletes, volunteer students, students with high GPAs and standardized test scores, etc. The list goes on and on. Some scholarships are gender based, some are academic based (meaning you must be, say, a student majoring in a business related field in order to receive the funding). There are even scholarships for those students who wish to study abroad for a semester or two! There are partial scholarships, "full-rides", etc. I mean, the opportunities are endless!!!

What I do realize is that some students don't have access to this type of information. They are completely uneducated about the benefits of attending college, better yet, having it paid for by someone taking an interest in you! Students don't know how to get to these resources. Yes, there may be a list compiled in your counselor's office. However, that only represents a few of the thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of scholarships available to you.

Again, I suggest you all do your research! Yes, some of you may be scouted by recruiters who want you on their football team. But for others, that's not it. In Michigan, we take the MEAP test (I'm sure they've changed the name by now) in the 8th grade and the 11th grade. If you successfully pass the test in the 8th grade, you receive a $500 merit scholarship towards your college education. In the 11th grade, if you successfully pass, you receive a $2500 merit scholarship if attending college within the state and $1000 if attending outside of the state. Maybe your state has a similar test. If so, take ADVANTAGE of it, and study if you feel that you need to.

If you aren't having luck with finding them, there are sites that will help you. You can build profiles, display your likes and dislikes, interests, goals, etc. and they will match you up with scholarships based on your profile. Not only will they match you up with scholarships, but colleges, internships and jobs, as well as volunteer opportunities! How neat is that... Here are two of the sites that I frequent the most and find to be very beneficial- FastWeb and Scholarships.com. I even found my first job on FastWeb!

Many local businesses and organizations offer scholarships that you may not know about. Ask around! Search the web, use your resources to your advantage! Trust me, it pays off!

So.... Guess what?! I'll be posting scholarships on here about once a week, if time allows. Sometimes more than once, if I have a busy week ahead of me! If there are any majors or concentrations that you would like to know scholarship information on, just drop your comment here along with the major/concentration or email to missbuildingblocks@yahoo.com and that'll be my next scholarship post! Until then, I'll just post scholarships on random, yet useful, interests! STAY TUNED!