KEY ISSUES
Virtually every student will at sometime encounter one or all of these
six key issues and will find here the tools to address and solve them.
Click on the chapter bands below which will reveal links to many additional resources.
Choosing the right school to begin with: Book chapter 1
It is important to do the work to find the right fit. The things to consider are first and foremost—what your needs, style and interests are. Are you a big school or small school person? Is it better to start slowly down this path with a good but affordable community college or are you ready for the big leagues.
BLOGS
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/choosing-a-college_b_1933390.html
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/boys-college-education_b_2039628.html
- http://www.collegecountdown.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-liberal-arts-college.html
- http://www.collegecountdown.com/blog/college/6-tips-for-parents-of-future-first-generation-college-students.html?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_term=blogpreview-marciacantarella&utm_content=CC03292014&utm_campaign=marketing
RESOURCES
- Accredited colleges: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
- College Board (www.collegeboard.com) provides information about colleges and the tests needed for admission. An excellent site to learn more about individual colleges, how to pay for it (scholarships, grants, loans) and other college prepping tools.
- College Coach, http://www.getintocollege.com offers expert guidance from college admissions consultants on college admissions and the finance process.
- College Countdown (www.collegecountdown.com). Books and resources on finding, paying for, and surviving college including Fiske Guides and test prep materials.
Addressing financial issues and planning: Book chapter 2
A significant, but not the only reason, for college attrition is money. Students do not understand how the financial aid process works, the importance of knowing the “sticker price”, or the importance of using all the tools available to help establish a plan for paying for college with the least debt possible
RESOURCES
- Student Aid on the Web : Official source for federal student aid programs.
- Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Students Loans : Provides information on a variety of sources.
- College, Education, Financial Aid info : College preparation resources and tools.
- To apply for financial need go to the Federal Student Aid Site and apply for a PIN at pin.ed.gov
- SafeStart : Financial guidance program to make loan repayment easier and more reasonable.
- Money and the College Student : An article concerning debt and college students. Contains links on ways to help manage money and stay out of debt.
- The True Cost of Happiness by Stacey Tisdale : An authentic story of how to manage your money by a Financial Advisor Ranked by Worth Magazine.
- Edvisors (www.edvisors.com) offers resources especially for online colleges.
- Federal Student Aid, U.S. Office of Education (www.fafsa.ed.gov) opens the portal for applying for federal financial aid and begins that process.
- “Get Schooled,” by MTV: https://getschooled.com/dashboard
- Lerner, Michele, “Pre-College Conversation to Have with Your Kids: Who Pays for What,” Daily Finance.com: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/08/05/precollege-conversations-parents-kids-who-pays-for-what/?a_dgi=aolshare_twitter&goback=%2Egde_78767_member_265203823#%21.
- Vohwinkle, Jeremy, “College Students and Money.” http://financialplan.about.com/cs/college/a/MoneyCollege.htm.
Not letting fear get in the way of tapping resources or building critical networks and relationships –including professors: Book Chapters 5, 6, and 9 (and throughout…)
Students can let the fear of being thought deficient stand in the way of making the connections that will actually help them achieve their goals and do not understand that power and how inquiry is actually an asset in a college context. Networks are going to be the key to both success in college and long after.
BLOGS
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/10/the-most-important-people-to-help-you-succeed-in-college/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/how-your-peeps-can-get-yo_b_4163839.html
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/making-a-mistake-is-not-t_b_2440447.html
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/the-virtue-of-the-noisy-c_b_2103804.html
RESOURCES
- Organizations to help students find internships before college: www.futuresandoptions.org, www.nyc.gov/html/dycd/html/jobs/ladders.shtml.
Most students—especially first generation students do not know how to choose majors and courses and use resources to navigate to a job and career potential after graduation. Too many place too much weight on the major while ignoring the other experiences and relationships that can make all the difference for the short and the long term.
BLOGS
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/02/i-can-finish-college-book-excerpt-career-skill-building/
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2012/04/how-to-get-a-job-after-college/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/alumni-networking_b_3045257.html
- http://www.collegecountdown.com/blog/college/the-college-to-career-path-top-7-ways-to-make-it-happen.html
- http://www.collegecountdown.com/blog/college/how-much-will-my-grades-affect-my-employment-after-college.html
- http://huff.to/1jiWsku Reading the Tea Leaves: Preparing Now for the Jobs that Don’t Exist Yet.
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2015/03/what-will-you-do-with-that-major/
RESOURCES
- Department of Labor Occupational Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm.
- Salary information: http://about.salary.com/SalaryWizard/LayoutScripts/Swzl_NewSearch.aspx.
- Interviews and other job search strategies: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest.htm.
- Websites for finding jobs: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2014, www.idealist.org, and www.monster.com.
Navigating college through good study and time management skills: Book Chapter 8
Students are often baffled and overwhelmed by both the amount of work to be done, the demands on time and the freedom college brings. The freedom often means there is not focus on managing tasks and deadlines. They also do not know that study is different and that even reading for various disciplines is a new skill set. These can become real stumbling blocks and even create crises that could be avoided if some simple tips are followed.
BLOGS
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/02/learn-how-to-read-in-college-as-a-key-tool-for-success/
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/11/how-to-beat-end-of-the-semester-stress-and-blues/
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/02/learn-how-to-read-in-college-as-a-key-tool-for-success/
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2012/02/how-to-get-good-grades-in-college/
RESOURCES
- AskOnline www.askonline.net provides online tutoring, often using tutors from a student’s own campus for participating schools.
- For more information about online tutoring (that may not be free) see: http://tutorwhiz.schools.com/grade/college-tutoring.html.
- Quizlet.com is a free online tool that allows you to create flashcards and quizzes.
Managing when there is a crisis affecting life at school: Book Chapter 9
It is important for students to learn how to manage the crisis in the moment, and then to reflect on what was learned. They also need to learn how not to create the same scenario in the future. Some of our toughest lessons come from making mistakes. Mistakes are survivable! Bailing out is not the solution.
BLOGS
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/02/i-can-finish-college-how-to-deal-with-academic-troubles/
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2011/07/freshman-may-be-the-hardest-year-of-all/
- http://www.howtolearn.com/2011/05/yikes-i-think-i-am-going-to-fail/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-y-cantarella-phd/making-a-mistake-is-not-t_b_2440447.html
RESOURCES
- Drug abuse information : Material on drug abuse made especially for teens.
- www.womenshealth.gov provides a source on women’s health from the federal government.
- http://www.snagfilms.com/embed/player?filmId=cb7d1110-a748-11e0-a92a-0026bb61d036
The BOOK
I CAN Finish College
is a complete guide
on applying for college
and graduating with success.
Click here to buy the book
and read more about it.
Hi Dr. Cantarella, its Dylan Jusino. I began my first day of college today but before the day began I read chapter 7 “Transitions.” I focused on the first year of course because it applies directly to me. It made me more comfortable when I started my day. In all my first day went great. Besides sitting in the front (in all of my classes) I landed two on-campus work study positions. Lastly, I’m still using I Can Finish College as my survival guide.
