Strategic Goal Setting

Hi everyone!

What a week! I hope you all are feeling happy and confident that you had the best week possible in your chase for college and future opportunities! With new semesters starting and the looming thought of new year's resolutions, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about strategic goal setting!

 

Now this isn't your typical, "I want to get an A" goal setting. This is goal setting with focus and steps to help you achieve your goals and gain that feeling of accomplishment! Let's get started ...

1. Define your goal - What is it that you want to accomplish this week, semester, or year? Is it getting an A, is it gaining more followers on Youtube, or is it loosing weight? Whether it is academic-related or more personal, you need to accurately define this goal. Be specific in your goal. You need to quantify it so that you have something to aspire to.
2. Quantify your goal - Now that you know what you want to accomplish, it is necessary to put some numbers or some adjectives to it. So you want to get an A, great, but where do you want to get that A? In Bio? In Class Participation? Gym Class? ... etc. You want to get healthy, does that mean eating more salads or working out three times a week?  I don't know about you, but I am more likely to work out everyday if my goal is to lose thirty pounds, than if my goal is to "get healthier." Think about it and structure your goal so that taking steps to do it, will be easier. That brings us to ...
3. Make your procedure - How ya gonna do it folks? How are you going to map out your days and your weeks so that you have no choice but to succeed in accomplishing your goal? Your goal is to raise my GPA (1.), by increasing all of my classroom grades by five points (2.), and I am going to do this by a). using my commute to school to read my notes, b). stay after school twice a week to work in the library and meet with a teacher, c). locate one classmate who I can study with the week leading up to a test. These three procedures are all small, but very doable aspects of helping this student reach their goal.
   
   Your goal will seem more manageable when you break it down into actionable items that can be worked into your schedule easily.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Create Check-Ins - If you've ever seen The Biggest Loser on NBC or any of those weight-loss shows, you know that they do a check-in at the end of each episode to see what was lost. Make a check-in a regular part of your goal. For the student above, it could be checking on their grades in each class on Fridays, or if your goal is to increase your number of youtube followers, have a check in at the same time every two weeks. Once you know the numbers, think about what happened that week to help you reach your goal or give you a little setback. Use this as fuel to continue working towards your goal. If you fell off the wagon, then create a new procedure to counteract that until the next check-in. We are all human and we make mistakes, but what's important is to keep working hard to accomplish those goals that you have set!

Setting goals is a part of growing and improving to help us reach a better spot in life. Set yourself up for success by following those four steps so that once you are done with the semester, the year, or even this week. You know that you worked as hard as possible and did everything in your power to accomplish them!

What are the goals that you have set for yourself and how are you accomplishing them? Feel free to comment below or tag me on twitter at @Chasing_College.

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Facing your Fears for your Future

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great start to your week and are gearing up for a fun weekend ahead ... Memorial Day!!

Something that I think is really great about this blog and about me writing and providing my advice for you all is that I too am feeling and going through the same experiences that you all are. I also am on the brink of a big transition in my life and am facing my fears at every turn to determine what is best for my future! So, today I wanted to address that.

Take advantage of art opportunities in your area.
If you have a creative side, why not enter your work in a contest!

Earlier this week, I was incredibly fortunate to be offered an in-person interview for a position in another state. With it being 800 miles away, I had to fly to my destination and rent a car and do all of that exciting travel stuff! The travel itself was a huge part of facing my fears for my future! I was not raised to be a flyer, I was raised to be a road-tripper, so handling all of the airport stress and flying by myself was so new to me! While I was anxious and nervous to do it all, I did it with grace and only got lost once! (Ironically, and luckily, with my aunt who had a GPS!)

So, while this new phase of your life can induce stress, fear, anxiety, and nerves, it is important to remember that everything you are working towards and trying for is only going to better help your future! Face your fears and do something you would never think about doing or think about trying. College and life after school is all about growing as a person and finding your place in the world. You aren't going to be able to do that if you stay in your comfort zone.

Take advantage of "Share" opportunities in your community
to find new hobbies and meet new people. If there isn't one,
try and start one for your area!

I'm not saying you need to travel around the world to face your fears, but even if it is something as taking a class you normally wouldn't or working in a job that makes you nervous, but excited. All of those experiences are going to make you a better and more interesting person for future opportunities! These can also lead you to places that you never knew were possible!

My challenge to you all is this: Get our of your comfort zone and face your fears about your future. Apply to an internship you never thought about, work at a summer camp to get more experience working with others, or take a karate or ballroom dance class that expands your creative and athletic world. Take advantage of new opportunities and don't say 'no' if they strike a little bit of fear in you! (Obviously, if it is something dangerous or not safe, then 'no' should certainly be your answer!)

Face your fears my friends and see what comes from it!!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. What are you challenging yourself to do? Make it something that you want to accomplish for the month of June and start planning for it!! Share your plans in the comments below, I'd love to hear!

Should I Take a Gap Year?

Hi everyone and Happy May! I cannot believe that May is already here and 2016 is almost half way over! I hope you all had a great time making your college decisions as yesterday was the National Enrollment Deadline. Just remember as you plan for the coming months, don't focus on the could'ves and the should'ves, instead focus on the university you accepted admission to and the great experiences you want to have there!

In follow up to Malia Obama's news that she will be attending Harvard University in the Fall of 2017 after a gap year, I thought I would talk to you all about planning to take a gap year.

A gap year is the 12+ months between high school graduation and entrance into a college or university as an undergraduate. Oftentimes, students will take this gap in education as a time to travel, spend with family, or work a little to gain some extra cash. Especially if you are interested in doing a Rotary Exchange experience in a foreign country, you can do it between these years. But, here's the major question: Should I take a gap year?

The first thing you need to think about is if a gap year is actually going to benefit you in the long-run. Did high school exhaust you or did you do everything you could to get through the last four years of high school? If so, a gap year or even a gap semester may be a good idea. It gives you an opportunity to refocus and enjoy a break from testing and homework. Especially if you had an illness, whether physical or mental, that left you grasping to complete the school year, take the extra time to focus on yourself and becoming healthy again!

Next, you will want to check with the university's admissions and financial aid office to determine if deferring your admissions (saving your acceptance/place for next year's class) is a possibility. There may be deadlines or guidelines that they can provide you to make it an easier transition and decision-making process. They may also be able to help you with any credit courses or experiences you may complete during your gap year.

Third, you will want to see if it is financially feasible for you to take that gap year. If you are choosing to travel, you will want to double-check and make sure that you or your family will be able to pay for it. This will be time without a part-time job and without schooling, so the only thing you will gain is life experience. While invaluable, make sure you consider the financial ramifications. If you decide to use your gap year to work at home, make sure you are using that money to save for the future, as opposed to spending it frivolously while you live at home. No matter what though, when making your decision try to make the best financial decision for your future as well.

Lastly, it is necessary to recognize that your goals and future aspirations may change during your gap year. Especially if you are traveling or working, it may show you a new career path to pursue. Because of this, a result of your gap year could be needing to reapply for admission to another university for another program. While you can't plan on this happening, it is important to have that conversation with yourself and with your family that these new experiences could provide you with a new mindset and future plan!

Taking a gap year is a serious decision to consider, so it is important to weigh the options correctly and appropriately. Have conversations with your school counselor, your family, and your admissions counselors to see if it is feasible and to gain advice on what to pursue during that gap year!

Are you planning to take a gap year or are you wondering more about it? Comment below with your plans, thoughts, or questions! I'd love to hear about it!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. Follow me on Instagram at @skylarclapperton  to keep up-to-date on blog posts and new YouTube videos! 

Creating a Professional Wardrobe

Hi everyone! Happy #NationalSigningDay to all of you who are enrolling at your university this weekend. This is such a fun and exciting time - knowing what the next 2-4 years of your life will be ... the uncertainty is over!

As you are transitioning from high school to college or even college to career, it is really important to think about creating a professional wardrobe. Now, this is not something that needs to be done over night, but rather is something you can work towards in the next couple of years. (Personally, it took me until December (yes ... five months ago) to complete my professional wardrobe ... it's a process!!)With job and internship interviews unexpectedly popping up or exciting leadership opportunities coming, it is important to have a nice wardrobe for work and for those special events, so start planning for it now!

Here are my suggestions on staples that you should have in your first professional wardrobe!

Black/Brown Pants - These are your great every-day pieces that you can build on. Especially for guys, you will want to invest in some good quality black pants. For girls, you can find black or brown as they are the easiest to find tops to go with. These also can look really professional and nice for interviews, so invest in a good pair!

Blazer/Jacket - Now, I just invested in a blazer, but having one on hand is great for when you need to cover your shoulders, but yet don't want to wear a full-on coat either. Guys, definitely invest in a good suit jacket in black. It will go with any colored pants you wear and dresses you up for those more formal events! Make sure you try these on before you buy so that they fit you just how you want them to!!

Creme Shirts - Have some white or creme shirts in your wardrobe too. These are good for when you have a pair of funky colored pants or a really eccentric skirt. It keeps it looking professional while still letting you show your personality with your bottoms!

Black Dress Shoes - Invest in these now so that you can break them in and feel comfortable wearing them. Guys, it is so important to have nice dress shoes on hand, you don't know how many times I have seen my classmates come to induction ceremonies and celebration dinners wearing sneakers because they don't have any dress shoes ... don't be that guy! Ladies, if you're not used to wearing dress shoes, start now so that your feet get used to the way they feel. You can try a heel, wedge, or just a flat, but make sure they fit your foot well and will go with many different outfits!

Accessories - These will help you dress up or add personality to any outfit you wear. Girls, you can add personality with your necklaces and bracelets, so if you find an inexpensive necklace or a cute bracelet, pick it up so that you can add it to your wardrobe! Guys, when you see a tie or a bow-tie that screams you, pick it out. You'll want to have one professional looking tie, but feel free to add funny ones in there too! This is where your personality and uniqueness can shine!

There are many other staples that you should add to your wardrobe, so feel free to check out my video on my YouTube channel here where I explain all of the items you should add to your professional wardrobe!! Is there something else you think should be added or is there a go-to store where you get your 'dress clothes'? Then comment below with your thoughts and suggestions too!!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Jump Starting Your Career in High School

Hi everyone and Happy Thursday!! I don't know about you, but I am particularly ready for the weekend ... only two more days!! Today, I want to talk to you all about how you can get started on building your career while you are still in high school or college.

Oftentimes, I feel like students are really excited about their future career and want to jump start into it right away. I was no different as a high school and college student. Because of this passion for the field you plan to work in, you should certainly channel some of your energy, time, and focus into it if it is your passion! So, here are some of my tips and ways that you can build your career while you are still a student!

1. Start a Blog - Blogging is not just for the experts and professionals, you too can get started building your career by creating a blog that caters to a topic you are interested in. Every career is applicable but especially: education, business/marketing, fashion and style, engineering, writing/communications, and the arts. For some of them you may need to brainstorm a little harder, but creating a blog that helps you learn about your future career, as well as, establish that you're hardworking and passionate is especially amazing. This can connect you with other people in the industry and expose you to other opportunities in your future field!

Starting a blog about something your passionate about only helps
your knowledge of the subject grow!

2. Find a Summer Job - While this may be fairly obvious, finding a summer job that fits the career you would like is a great way to jump start your career experience. If you are interested in studying art, try working at an art store or gallery. If you are interested in business, any position in retail or sales can really help you gain general experience and understanding about the business world, which will be incredibly helpful. Babysitting is always useful if you plan on working with other people in the future (think: education, speech pathology, social work, psychology ... etc.). These jobs can set you up for even more opportunities once you get into college!

3. Create a Business - You don't need to be 30 years old with a college education to start your own business. Think about what you love doing and what you may be able to offer your community or the area surrounding your home. If you love photography and want to study it in college, offer to take pictures of area families or set up an Etsy account and sell your favorite photographs. If you want to be a mechanic or retailer, offer to help out family members with odd jobs in their vehicles like changing the oil or cleaning them! This gives you customer service experience and great references for once you officially apply for full-time jobs! ( My boyfriend was 15 years old when he started a lawn mowing business, once he had a few clients in his community, he opened it up to other lawn work and landscaping projects!)

4. Volunteer - I talk about volunteering a lot (Check out this post and this post) but it is truly amazing how you can start your career just by simply volunteering with someone once a week. If you want to study Hospitality, volunteer with Relay for Life or with a festival near your hometown, if you plan on studying Education, then offer to help a teacher or tutor some students. The opportunities are endless, if you want to work as a dance instructor or choreographer, volunteer with a local theater troupe and your dance studio! Truly, it is without a doubt a great way to get a jump start on your career and make connections for future internships or job opportunities!

These are just a few ideas, but when you are only 16-17 years old, your opportunities may be limited, so make sure you get creative and ask family members if they have any suggestions. All of these opportunities will not only help you gain knowledge on your career field, but it will also help you gain those skills (active listening, time management, customer services) that are going to be necessary no matter the career you follow. Just remember, you are never too young to pursue your passion!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. If you are thinking about starting a blog or finding an opportunity in your community and aren't sure where to start, feel free to contact me and I would love to give some ideas or suggestions that may help you!! You can reach me through my contact page!

Finding a Job On Campus

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great and productive week! I can't believe that we are already a week into February ... before we know it, it'll be Spring Break! Today I wanted to talk to you all about finding jobs on campus, whether you're a student there now or just getting ideas for the future!

I know for a lot of students, affording a college education is a challenge, so working through college is a must. Without a doubt, my suggestion is to find a job on campus. While it may be appealing to work at PacSun or Ulta for the employee discount, off campus employment opportunities won't always understand if you have academic commitments. By no means should it be your goal to call off of work ever, but assignments come up, things you need to be home for, and group projects all happen and usually a job at the college will understand and be able to work around your absence.

Now, the opportunities may change due to your university's rules on work study and the availability of student positions, but here are some places you can look to make some money while on campus!

Financial Aid - My first stop would be the Financial Aid Office because they may have leads on what offices are hiring or when there will be openings in the future. When I was a Sophomore, I went to the Financial Aid Office the first week of classes to see what offices needed a student worker and from there I was hired in the Admissions Office as a student phone caller and the rest is history! But seriously, the Financial Aid office should have a good idea about who is hiring and who is not!

Information Desk - This is a great opportunity to get paid to socialize and possibly do your homework, depending on your college. The Information Desk is where you provide information to visitors, lost students, or people who just want to know more about an event. It is usually in your college's Student Center. It is typically a pretty low-key job where you get to interact with new and different people and get paid to talk with them.

Dining Services - A major employer at any university for students is the dining hall and the catering services. Especially at larger universities who have a variety of dining establishments and host a lot of conferences and events throughout the year, working in dining services is a sure way to make some extra cash. They usually will have shifts available throughout the day working at a cash register/swipe machine, serving on the lines, preparing dishes, or waitressing at the on-campus diner. There is also the availability to work weekends, unlike most student jobs at universities.

Tour Guide - Being a tour guide might not be incredibly lucrative, but it does give you some good experiences and can open the door to other earning opportunities. If you plan on staying on campus during breaks and even over the summer, I would suggest looking into it because of that. If you are on campus during the summer, there's a possibility that you could give a tour every day, twice a day if there aren't any other tour guides on campus. You also get to work Open House events on the weekends which also opens up the door for more money!

Phonathon - Working for Alumni Relations/Development can have its perks! Yes, you have to call and ask people to donate to your college, but you also get to connect with alumni (sometimes prestigious ones) and you can learn even more about the history of your college. Making connections with alumni can be crucial for your post-college life, so why not find a job where you can network, talk about your love for your college, and get paid to do it?

The Library - Typically, libraries rely on students to put books back on their shelves, help students with their researching methods, and just keep a general watch of the library (especially at night and on weekends). This can be a fun job, especially if you like books, but it also offers an element of social interaction by getting to work with the students and faculty that come into the library looking for books, magazines and articles.

Offices - This is pretty normal, but you can always ask around different offices to see if they have spare hours or need an extra hand on certain days. Think about the Business Office, Registrar's Office, Faculty Offices, Academic Affairs Office, Student Affairs Offices ... etc. There are a lot of great opportunities to serve administrators and their secretaries so definitely look into it.

Career and Resident Assistants - Some colleges and universities hire student assistants in their Career Services Office to help with resume critiquing and practice interviews. They usually have an application process, but if it is something you are seriously interested in doing, look into it and see if the Career Services Office has any openings. Being a Resident Assistant is not very lucrative at all considering the amount of effort you put into it, but you also reap some great rewards too; room to yourself, leadership experience, great references, and oftentimes your room is paid for in addition to a stipend of some kind.  Disclaimer: Becoming a Resident Assistant is not for the faint of heart, it is a lot of work and you keep some weird hours and schedules, but it is also incredibly rewarding of an experience and can definitely help your wallet if you feel committed to helping students throughout college.

I hope these suggestions have helped spark some ideas for you about finding a job on campus! Working on campus is a great way to earn some extra money or offset your tuition bill, while still being integrated into your college community! And who knows ... it may lead to even more opportunities in the future!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Choosing the Right Major

Hi everyone and Happy Sunday! I hope you all had a productive and relaxing weekend, whether you were snowed in or gallivanting around your city! I wanted to talk to you all today about the act of choosing the right major. This can be a big decision, so you should reflect on it for more than just a day or a couple of hours. Here are my suggestions on helping you find the perfect major for your college experience and future career!

First things first, most colleges and universities do not require you to declare a major until your Sophomore year, so you can very easily go into your college career as Undecided. It's important to remember though that certain pre-professional programs have a four-year sequence, so declaring that major later will cause you to be a year behind and thus spend an extra two semesters completing the degree requirements. Some examples of pre-professional programs include teacher education, nursing, and dental hygiene. Here are some ways though that you can determine what academic program to pursue!

1. If you think you are interested in majoring in Education, Nursing, or any other program with a four-year sequence, then declaring that when you apply to college will give you the chance to take their first-year courses and still take some general classes to see if you like it. **You can usually tell by that first clinical or teacher observation period whether you are in the right program. If you decide that the program is right for you, then stick with it. If you've decided not then you will be able to switch to a different major. You also won't be asking yourself 'what-if' if you hadn't declared to begin with.

2. Look through the university course catalog at each of the majors and just read through the different course descriptions. Highlight those courses that interest you and you wouldn't mind taking. Set the catalog aside for a day, and when you return make note of those majors that had the most highlighted courses in their section. You may not have realized that you were interested in a specific program because you didn't know the courses within it. So, use this to gauge where your academic interests lie, then take an elective in that program next semester and to test out the waters!

3. Reflect on the classes you took in high school and remember which ones you enjoyed the most; the subject matter not the teacher. I use this distinction because a lot of times we enjoyed a class because the teacher was humorous and made the time pass quickly, not because we had any interest in the course content. So, think back on the classes that you enjoyed studying for and liked doing the assigned projects. This can help you pick a concentration or another major!

4. Use your first two semesters to sample all that the college offers for classes and programs. Pick electives that fit your general degree requirements, but that also give you a taste of the academic offerings at the university. This lets you learn from different professors, and see how students in different majors interact with each other. This is just a great way to sample all that the academic side of your university has to offer!

5. Think about the clubs and organizations that you are attracted to and want to join; both on campus and out in the world. If you like the idea of College Democrats and the Debate Club, then maybe a major in Political Science will be great. If you want to do the Theatre productions and joined an a'capella group, then maybe a Theatre or Music major would be great for you! You want to study something that interests you and that you are going to love a career doing, so pick a major that fits well with those interests!

6. Take an interest and major quiz to get some ideas on where to focus your energy on classes! This one by Loyola University Chicago is really interesting because the academic programs that fit your responses grow as you answer more questions that fit that program. It's kind of difficult to explain, but it can give you some really great ideas on majors to pursue that you may not have thought of. When I did it, my largest majors were History, Education, Political Science, Journalism, and Public Relations. All of these are interesting in my mind and I had thought about majoring in all of them at one point, so I would say that for the most part it is pretty accurate!

Deciding on a major can be difficult and it takes some time to reflect on it, so don't make it an overnight choice! Are you debating on some majors or have a different way you picked yours, then add it in the comments below, I'd love to hear about it! Have a great week everyone!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Book Review: Getting from College to Career

Hi everyone! So, this year one of my New Year's Resolutions is to read one non-school book a week. Because of this, I thought it would be a great addition to the blog to do Book Reviews on the books that I find and think would be useful or applicable to students and parents in the college search process and for college students who are looking for career help.

The first book I wanted to review is Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World by Lindsey Pollak and you can buy it here. I came across it through a search on Pinterest for professional development books for myself and I am so happy I got it. I read the whole thing in the middle of last semester in about a week. It is a quick, easy, and enjoyable read with lots of great information that I think anyone can benefit from, no matter where they are in their career search.

All of the chapters are broken up based on different aspects of the career search, from determining a career, to networking and marketing yourself, to preparing for interviews. This set up works really well because after you've read it through once, when you need pointers or suggestions on one aspect of the job search, you can go to that chapter in the book and find all you need! She also answers a lot of the questions on some etiquette things like professional e-mailing and how to dress for interviews, that vary by subject/topic.

Another amazing thing about the set up of the book and her writing is that she includes these sections called "Make this work for you." In this little section, she gives you a challenge to incorporate her suggestion into what you need for your career search. This is great because it gives you the chance to stop reading and reflect by thinking 'Okay, how am I going to make this work for me?' There are a lot of inspiring suggestions that can help you think about your search in a way you hadn't before.

Lindsey Pollak also offers really great starting points for all of her ideas and concepts. She lists in these sections different organizations you could contact, job and internship search websites, places where you can find mentors or extra experience ... it is difficult not to have many different ideas floating in your head as you read through the book.

Overall Review: I definitely recommend this book to anyone just starting their career search or anyone who is wanting to do more to help boost their career opportunities in the future. This would make a great gift to a new college graduate or to your career-minded high school student. This book is useful whether you have a technical degree, a two-year or four-year degree, or just have a high school education. For myself, I obviously know what I want to do with my career, but this book was still incredibly helpful with different ideas for networking and how I can incorporate the different experiences I've had over the years into my resume and cover letter. I think that not only does Lindsey Pollak give great suggestions and ideas, but she also provides really funny anecdotes and her own experiences to help make the book more real for the reader. Without a doubt, anyone can find something in this book that will be useful for them and their career journey!! Definitely go buy this book ... you won't regret it!

If you all have any suggestions on books that you have found helpful in your college or career search, I would love to hear about them; so comment below or tweet me and I will look into them! I hope you all have a great weekend!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

 Pollak, Lindsey. Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World. Revised ed. New York: Harper Business, 2012. Print. 

"I Submitted my Application ... Now What?"

Hi everyone! Today I want to talk to you all about what you can do after your college application is submitted that will still make a positive impact on your future college career!

The #1 Myth about applying to college is that once you have submitted your college applications you are good to go ... WRONG! It is so important to stay motivated and continue working hard even into the Winter and Spring of your final year of high school. Colleges will still look at your performance in that last semester because you have to submit your final High School Transcript to them once you graduate. Don't slack off and screw up ... keep your momentum going!

One positive thing you can do after all of your applications are submitted is apply to scholarships! You can check out a "Wish I Knew Wednesday" post about scholarships here, but you should be concentrating on applying to scholarships too. IT'S FREE MONEY -- who doesn't want that? You can focus on one scholarship a week or do a few every other week, but the important thing is to keep looking for available scholarships online and through your High School Guidance Department!

Another way to productively use this time is by looking into different internship and job opportunities for the future. You can look for summer jobs for once May and June rolls around or you can search the classified ads or monster.com to see what jobs lie in the field you're interested in. This may help you in the future with deciding on a concentration within your major or possible just deciding on a major at all! Also, looking for internships can be incredibly helpful for your future-self. Chances are that an internship that is being promoted now will also be promoted and offered next year around this same time. Jot down the internships you find and try to apply to them next year or the year after. Check the criteria for the internship, but if grade or credit level doesn't matter, why not apply to it when you have the chance next year!

Visiting the campuses again in the Spring can be a good use of this time as well. Especially if you need to attend a formal interview for a scholarship, do a portfolio review, or even have an audition for your major. Most campuses offer visit opportunities through the Spring and even after decisions are sent out, they have Accepted Student Days for a in-depth look at life on campus. It may be necessary to wait until you receive your decision, but if you have the free time and its a nice weekend, why not visit one of your top choices!

Taking advantage of a potential career booster would be a great way to spend these first few months of the New Year! Look into opportunities in your high school or your community to work in your future major. If you're interested in studying Education, look into tutoring elementary students during your Study Hall; if you're interested in studying Hospitality, see if the local tourism bureau needs some help planning for a spring festival; if you're interested in studying Art, volunteer at a local art gallery every Saturday. All of these will give you great experience for your future profession. Also, if you are potentially wait-listed or the admissions committee needs to re-review your application, you showing them that you are very passionate about your potential career and that you are already taking initiative to be successful, may help positively sway their admissions decision for you.

Another positive option is to do something that takes you entirely out of your comfort zone. In about eight months you will be venturing off to college which will be such a new surrounding and experience for you. Because of that, acclimate yourself to doing new things and trying what the world has to offer. This could be joining a new club or sports team (even if it is just JV), taking a February/Spring Break trip that emphasizes rebuilding homes or reading 18th Century Russian Literature. Do things you wouldn't normally do and that will help expand your horizons past what you are familiar with. Think about attending a leadership conference or a daily Writing/Drawing campus at a local college. Once you get used to doing new things, your transition into college life will not be as difficult.

These are all just suggestions for making the next couple of months worthwhile in your chase for college. Don't forget to take some time for yourself and to assess how far you've come over the last three and a half years, but also try to do something that will benefit you in the future! If you need ideas or suggestions feel free to comment, e-mail or tweet me and I would be happy to give you some feedback! Have a great rest of the week everyone!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

New Year's Resolutions

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!! 2015 is behind us and we can now look towards all of the great success we will achieve in 2016! Today, I am sharing with you all some great New Year's Resolutions ideas for anyone who is Chasing College! 

First and foremost, let's make 2016 the year where we 
Remove the negative and add the positive !!

You will become a happier and more successful person and student if you consistently work towards adding positive things to your daily routine, your thought processes, and just your general actions towards the world! Here are some resolutions that everyone can get behind in 2016!

1. Apply to One Scholarship Each Week - We could all use some extra money in the new year, so spend one day each week applying to a scholarship that you qualify for! You can spend a few hours organizing your application and essay to make sure that you have the best possible chance of winning the money! I would pick one day and designate that as scholarship day so that you can get into a routine of applying for scholarships each week on that day! This goes for anyone whose chasing college!

2. Seek College/Career Advice - Have genuine conversations with your teachers, coaches, parents, grandparents, and family friends about their college and career advice. Even if it is just talking to them about their experiences or their career journey can be beneficial to you! So, dedicate time and attention throughout 2016 to hearing others' stories and advice that they have for you. 

3. Spend 30 Minutes Doing Something you Love - Mental health is just as important as physical health, so while everyone is resolving to spend 30 minutes a day exercising, you should spend 30 minutes each day doing something you love! This could be exercising, playing a sport, crafting, reading a book for fun, dancing, baking, or catching up on your favorite tv show. No matter what though, this should be something that renews your mind and gives you energy to get your school work done! 

4. Remove Negative People - This is a huge part of the theme: "Remove the negative and add the positive." Having negative people around you can be the huge factor in a great year or a not-so great year, so be sure to surround yourself with the right people who are going to bring positive and supportive energy to you. Now, I realize in high school, you can't always remove those negative people since you most likely go to school with them, but you can try to distance yourself from them and that will help tremendously. 

5. Follow People who Inspire You - Follow people on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube who inspire you in your career goals, your personal life, or in your faith. They don't always have to have direct coordination to your life goals, but following people who are successful and who you can look to for potential future successes can help make 2016 a great year for your career and personal goals! 

6. Attend a Workshop that Interests You - Another way to help you have a great year career and college-wise is through attending a workshop, seminar, conference, or summer camp that interests you. This could be a photography workshop or a basket-weaving class, a seminar on creating wedding up-dos, or attending a Physics Conference. If you are young and still in high school, apply to a summer week-long camp in an academic program that interests you: architecture, writing, dance, or business. This can give you a jumpstart on your career and college search and it may also give you an edge for your college application in a few years!

7. Keep Your Head Up - You have 365 days to accomplish everything you want to this year: get into college, gain acceptance to law school, move away from home, become published, work at an internship, teach a class, and so much more. You will face adversity this year, but keep your head up and know that your chase for college is worth it and will bring you so much success in your years to come!

Here's to a great start to a great year everyone!!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Some Thoughts ...

Hi everyone! I apologize for the absence lately ... I finished up my last week of work and my internship on Friday and am working on packing up my room so that I can move into a new apartment in a few weeks. I've been pretty busy lately, but I am excited to take some time off from school and work with the Winter Break and rest! I have some great blog posts coming up so stay tuned for those!

So, this past semester I completed a 300 hour internship experience within my university's Office of Disability Services. This is a requirement for my Master's Degree, but where we complete it and when we complete it is really up to the individual student. I finished my hours and had my 'final' meeting with my mentor on Friday to go over my evaluation and while I was walking to my car after the meeting, I had these thoughts:

Higher education, a college degree, is about finding a way to learn what you want! Yes, there are degree requirements and liberal arts credits that need to be met, but you can and should do everything in a way that gives you the experiences and the knowledge that you desire. In my opinion, there is no other place in the world where you have the opportunity to create an internship, work options, study abroad experiences, community service opportunities, and take classes that you enjoy and want than in higher education. You shape what you want to learn and you get to create your knowledge! Where else can you have that opportunity! I think that's awesome!

I usually give examples from my life, but tonight I want to give you an example from my boyfriend's experience earning his Associate's Degree in Diesel Technology. He is someone who has a lot of goals with many different jobs and experiences that he wants to have, which is great! (No matter who you are, you should always have goals, expectations, and things you are working towards.) So, in his two and a half years, he was able to complete an internship with Caterpillar engines, gain leadership experience through the Agricultural Engineering club, work on overhauling tractor engines in his coursework, and continue his own lawn care business.

Much like he took advantage of his coursework and experiences outside of the classroom, college is meshing all of your experiences to give you the best possibilities for the future. Find those internships that make you excited about your field. Apply for leadership positions that would help you in the long run. Volunteer with an organization that holds the same values as you or that endorses the businesses you hope to work for in the future. Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up personally and professionally. And finally, Work towards your goals; as long as you can explain it to yourself, then that's all that matters.

enjoy the chase,

skylar

High Impact College Experiences

Hello all!

Today I wanted to talk to you all about the Conference I attended this past weekend. It was entitled "Student Affairs Matters: High Impact Learning Outside the Traditional Classroom," and it was hosted by Binghamton University. This was the first conference I've ever attended and the presentations and conversations I had were very insightful and I wanted to share those with you here!

Student Affairs is a Calling
So, our Keynote Speaker, Dr. George Kuh, opened his presentation with this thought: People who work in college student affairs do it because they are called to it. It is not a job they seek out from middle school or high school, but it is something that they are called to do in this world. As a future college student or as a parent of a college student, you should be incredibly happy about this. The people that are going to help you succeed in college and who are going to be there through your trials and triumphs are there because they want to be. Student affairs professionals, myself included, are in this position because we want to help students succeed and provide them with the resources they need to graduate from college and safely enjoy their time!

Experiential Learning is Important
"The institution a student attends or the major they study is not nearly as important as the experiential learning experiences they have." -  Dr. George Kuh (If you're interested in College Student Affairs or college in general, definitely look him up!) What is experiential learning? These include internships, service-learning projects, studying abroad, research, and seminars/capstone courses. Without a doubt, when you graduate from college, employers are going to look at your experiences and how they can add to their business. If you leave with just an Accounting or Music degree and no outstanding experiences to support the knowledge you gained in the classroom, it is going to be a tough sell for finding a job. **Because of this, when looking for your undergraduate institution, you will want to find those universities which have experiential learning opportunities that you can take advantage of!

Planning Partnerships
This may be more useful once you are in college or in your Sophomore or Junior years, but if you have a plan or idea for an event, a class, a workshop, or whatever try and find partnerships with the different offices and clubs on campus. Generally speaking, students know what students want, so use that to your advantage. Pitch your idea to administrators and organization officers to see what resources you have to make your plans bigger and better. Also, more partnerships equates a bigger budget for your event, which helps you achieve what you need for your event! This goes this same for high school students! If there is something you want to do or want to see done at your high school, then go to a teacher you trust, plan it out and then you bring it to your administration! Great Ideas + Great Partnerships = Great Projects

All in all, the conference was a great learning experience for me and I hope what I learned can help you with your ideas about college and your concerns! As always, if you have questions, concerns, or something you want covered on the blog, feel free to comment, tweet me, or e-mail me!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

To Do: Soul Searching

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a restful weekend and were able to cross some items off your "College To Do List!" Speaking of 'to do's,' I wanted to share with you all a conversation I had with a family this weekend while I was working at an Open House. This student is a Junior in High School and she kind of knows what she wants to study but isn't 100% sure and she wanted some advice. Here is my advice to essentially any student in high school, college, and graduate school:

DO SOME SOUL SEARCHING!

Honestly, this is probably the most influential piece of advice I can give a student. If you don't know what you want to study, that is okay and if you do, that's okay too! Some students will change their major once, some five times, and others none ... each student is different and they go through college differently too. Because of this, you need to do some deep-down thinking to figure out what you truly want to do. 

During my college search, my academic plans changed probably every six months. At first I wanted to study Political Science and Public Relations, then I wanted to student French and International Relations/Studies, then I wanted to study French and History, and then I entered college as a French and Adolescence Education major. Different experiences, thoughts, suggestions, conversations, and events helped propel my changes in academic programs. Even after my first year in college, I thought about switching to a Psychology major. So many people are going to shape your thoughts on what you want to study: parents, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, grandparents, teachers, a random presenter in your US Government class. I'm here to tell you that it is okay to change your mind while you are still searching for a college! 

Here's my solution: Fall in love with a college that offers all of the things you may be interested in! The College Board (the same company in charge of the SAT) has this quiz/survey-type thing where you can search a variety of characteristics: housing, athletics, majors, location, diversity ... etc., and then colleges that fit that criteria will show up. I used this tool constantly from my 8th grade year to my Senior year to find the schools that would fit the major I liked at that moment. (My alma mater consistently showed as a result, which I why I chose to visit the first time). Once you find a college that you enjoy being at, then the academics will come. It is easier to do an internal change of your major as opposed to needing to find an entirely new university that offers that one. 

Especially if you are a sophomore or a junior in high school, you do not need to latch yourself to a major just yet. I would be mindful of the courses that you choose to take, just in case there are pre-requisites and then you ultimately do decide to pursue that major. Ultimately though, you have plenty of time to find that program and career that you are meant for. (I didn't find mine until my junior year of college!) 

So check out that survey and research some of the schools on the list, then in six months, try it again and see if any of the universities stay the same! You have time, so you use it to figure out yourself first and grow as a student!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Wish I Knew Wednesday

"I wish I'd known if the money I spent would be worth it."
Lindsay H., 25, New Berlin, New York

This is a tricky thing to give advice on because everyone values education differently and everyone values money differently. When you're planning your college search and ultimately decide the college/university and the academic program you will pursue, this question will pop in your head probably once a month. Even as a graduate student, I still question if I have made the right choices in all of my college decisions. 

Unfortunately, we cannot see into the future. (As it is "Back to the Future" Day, I find this conversation quite appropriate.) Until we are in that moment, we will never know which career will make us happy, which city we live in will provide the most opportunities, or even whether the money we spend pursuing a major will yield any job offers. 

Because of this uncertainty, it is important to make your time worthwhile in your college search and then eventually when you enroll at a college. My #1 piece of advice is to weigh your options; weigh your options between majors, schools, cities, dorms ... everything. Have conversations with your parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors, people on the subway, the only lady down the street, everyone! Talk to them about what you want to pursue and your reasoning behind it. Actively discussing your options and opinions will only make them more real for you and help you choose the path that you want for your college education. In addition, these conversations and the thought process that leads to your ultimate choice will help you immensely when you feel discouraged. You chose this path for a reason; because you believe it and you believe it will lead to the life that you want. Then don't let any bad grade, awkward experience, or peak at your student loan amount discourage you and make you doubt yourself or your dream. 

Make use of your time and make every second count in your college search process. Be an inquisitive consumer, question things, seek knowledge, and ultimately follow the career that is going to make you happy and that you are going to enjoy doing for the next fifty years. This is your journey ... no one else's! 

enjoy the chase,

skylar

What's in a College Part 5: Vocational/Technical Colleges

Hi everyone! Today, I am talking to you about vocational and technical colleges. In a previous blog post, I spoke about deciding whether or not to go to college and what your options would be if you chose not to. Well, in that post I briefly mentioned the opportunities for vocational and technical colleges, but below I explain more in-depth about the colleges and what you can expect from them.

A vocational or technical college is one where your program of study is specific and you only take courses that relate directly to that. At these institutions, you may not earn an Associate's degree, but instead you may be granted a license or a certification. Some programs that you could study include: cosmetology, medical coding, crane operating, and automobile repair. There isn't much of a "Student Life" experience at these colleges, however that isn't really their purpose.

The academic experience at a vocational/technical college is truly unique. These institutions are solely focused on you getting your license and using it to find the right job. The programs are highly specific and can rarely be applied to another career. While this may be intimidating, if you know what you want to do for your career and you don't want to 'waste' two to four years of your life getting a degree in something that isn't applicable to your career goals, then you should pursue the schools that offer the program you want. While some programs only last a month or two, others may take a year or more to complete. Each program is unique and has their own offerings, so be sure to research all of the places you are interested in and weigh the pros and cons of each.

Danielle J.'s experience: "I attended John Paolo's Extreme Beauty Institute to earn my cosmetology license. My experience with John Paolo's was very educational. It wasn't nearly as expensive as my SUNY education, and the time spent there was much shorter, with the goal of getting students working as soon as possible. My education was focused on precisely what I needed to know to work in the industry, which was nice not having to pay for and attend extra elective classes I had no interest in. Altogether, minimal time and money was spent at John Paolo's and I had a career within the week of my graduation."

If you think a vocational/technical school is what's most right for your future and where you want to be, then pursue it. See what is around in your community for programs and experiences and then research out into other areas to see what else is offered. Most importantly, remember that your college journey is unique to you, so be sure to follow your dreams and plan accordingly for them!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

What's in a College Part 2: Research Universities

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all had a great week and are starting to make plans to visit the campuses you are interested in or have plans to attend a college fair soon! Today I am going to discuss the profile of research universities and the type of education you can expect from a university like this!

Harvard University's Annenburg Hall

Research universities are larger and attract students from all across the world. They have a well-known campus, successful graduates, and a prestigious reputation; think: Brown University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgetown University. Their main business is research, so they hire researchers as professors, their staff are involved in research, and their campuses develop the latest and world-changing studies on important topics in science, psychology, and law. (Think Cal Tech from Big Bang Theory)

I have never attended a large research university, so upon my own search, I found an article posted by US News and World Report about the perks of enrolling at a research university. If you know for a fact that you want to study a specific topic, you want to do research, you plan on going directly into graduate school after college, then a research institute may be for you! The culture on these campuses are unique in that everyone is interested and excited about their field of study and want to share that knowledge with the world. At research universities you have more opportunities to work on research yourself and help professors and TAs with their ground-breaking research, too!  These universities also have great facilities as far as, classrooms, laboratories, and libraries. An education at a research university could serve you well if you are looking for a highly specific major and know you want to perform studies and contribute to your field in research.

These research institutions, however, are highly selective in that they only accept the best and brightest students in the world. If an education at a research institution is something that you really want, I suggest you talk with your guidance counselor right away. You may need to take certain courses at your high school in order to meet pre-requisite requirements, as well as, take certain SAT subject tests in order to be considered for admission. You also will need to focus more time on test preparation for the SATs and ACTs to have comparable scores. It is possible to make your college dream a reality, but you may have to work a little harder than the rest of your classmates ... think about the rewards you will gain in the long run though!

If it is truly your dream to attend a large research university as an undergraduate, do everything you can to make it a possibility and don't let anyone sway you from chasing your college dream!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. If you decide you want to wait and apply to a research university for graduate school, that is okay too! If you know ahead of time that this is a long-term goal, then work towards it during your undergraduate education; take test prep courses, do small-scale research on campus, act as a TA (if your campus allows), and make the best grades you can! 

Setting Goals

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a great week and are settling well into your classes and getting excited for the events to come this Fall!  So, yesterday was my 23rd birthday and I am using that as inspiration for today's post; Making Goals.

If you have ever read Sean Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, you know that he stresses the importance of Habit 1: Being Proactive and Habit 2: Beginning with the End in Mind. (If you haven't read it, I highly suggest doing so. I got it as an 8th grade graduation gift and the lessons in it transformed my High School and College experience. Parents: this is a great gift for your child or even a niece or nephew.) Both of these habits can be supported by making goals in and out of school.

Some examples of goal lists include:

Goals for this year
Goals for college
Goals for the next ten years
Goals for Senior year
Goals for next Softball season

Your goals should include items, events, and experiences you hope to accomplish within that time frame. Anything from applying to five colleges, to getting three home runs this upcoming softball season. They can be simply worded like, "Get my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing" to "Travel to Italy, see Papal mass, throw a penny in the Trevi Fountain, and go to the Colosseum." These are your goals, not anyone else's. Think about what you want out of life and what you want out of that time frame and commit them to paper.

Setting goals can help you realize your dreams and what you want out of certain experiences like college or your Senior year of High School. Planning ahead can make sure that your experience is worthwhile and you accomplish all that you want! 

Write your goals in a format that is going to make you excited about them. Use decorative paper, bright colored pens, a cool app on your phone or tablet, and tack them to your bulletin board to keep you accountable and focused on what is important. It is going to be much easier to skip that trip to the store when you need to study, if your goal list is staring you in the eye!  

** Don't forget to reevaluate your goals every so often and cross them off as you accomplish them! Feel free to add new goals, too, if your dreams change, so can your goals!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Wish I Knew Wednesday

"I wish I had known about taking some of my pre-requisite courses online the summer before I started college, so I didn't have to worry about completing my program on time." 

Hailey T., 21, Afton, New York

Knowing the requirements for the program you are going to enter is important as soon as you enroll at that college. Some programs have a specific timeline that is necessary for completion within the two or four years (depending on the length of the program). A huge example is a Nursing or and Education program; you have certain courses you need to take before you can start your clinical rotations or student teaching. If you have yet to complete the pre-requisites for the courses that you need, then you will take more time to complete your degree because of that.

Once you are enrolled as a student, reach out to your program director or your Academic Adviser to discuss the timeline for your program with them. If you don't have a specific course that is needed to start the first sequence, then ask them what they suggest you do. They will know your options, ie: courses at that university or from another college that can be transferred in and count as that pre-requisite. Online courses are becoming increasingly popular, so the opportunities to find a course you need to take quickly can be more feasible. You will, though, want to check with your university's Registrar to make sure those credits and that class will transfer into the university. 

You have to take an active role in your academic experience. Talk to your Academic Adviser, other professors, the Dean of Academic Affairs, whatever it takes to make your education a success. Find options and do not just settle for one answer; it may be the only option, but you'll never know until you look down other avenues. 

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Should I Go to College?

Hi everyone, so I wanted to do a really candid and honest post today on the subject of going to college in general. When I was in my undergrad and doing student teaching in some rural school districts, a lot of my students would say that they don't plan on going to college, they don't want to, they don't know what they would go for ... etc. So I wanted to address that today. 

First and foremost, I am a firm believer in a college education. I have seen the way that it can improve lives and families and how it can help teenagers/young adults mature and grow into their own through college. As this is the career I have chosen, working in higher education, obviously I strongly believe in the opportunities that a college education can give people.

However, I do realize that college is not for everyone, whether they truly know they won't be successful in college or whether they are just discouraged by leaving high school and don't believe in themselves. With that being said, there are plenty of options, outside of the traditional, four-year, living on campus education. 

It is perfectly okay if you choose not to go to college, but you do need a plan to help provide for your future and for the future of your family, if that is what you choose in the long run. One option is going to a BOCES/Vocational Technology program. 

These are offered through your high school and also through an Adult Education program. To save time, you can plan for these options early (the end of your sophomore or junior year), but there are graduates who will enter a program after they graduate high school. With this option, you typically get a certificate or license out of your program. For example, the Cosmetology programs will end with your license to cut and style hair and you can then be employed with that. Also, the CNA program will end with your certification to be a Certified Nurses Aid and be able to work within a Nursing Home or Hospital. The programs offered through a BOCES or Vocational Technology program are all really great options that can prepare you for a successful career, if you aren't pursuing a college degree. (Additionally, you can always go later on to college for Business, to open your own salon, or Nursing to become a Registered Nurse.) 

If you don't feel that college is right for you, that is fine, however you will need a certificate or license to help you find a job/career right out of high school. Do some research on options in your hometown area and discuss these ideas (once thought through) with your guidance counselor right away! Although you may not be Chasing College, you can still be chasing an education!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. We're on twitter! Find us at http://twitter.com/Chasing_College