#backtoschool

There are times when being a good student is what it takes to pass a class or earn a good grade on an essay. “Good” doesn’t necessarily mean earning A’s throughout the semester, though, or that your professor is likely to want to help you out if you need her to. If you really want to get on your professor’s good side, you’re going to have to work hard. Slacking off is not going to make her happy. Here are seven tips to help you get your professors to love you.

1.) Go to Class. We know, basic, right? Show up to class, and your professors will remember your face as belonging to a person who actually is present for lectures. It’s natural for the professor to believe that you genuinely care about learning and your grade if your seat is warm every time she calls roll. If you demonstrate you care, you can expect to earn some brownie points.

2.) Go to Office Hours. Don’t ever tell your professor that you didn’t know when office hours were, and that’s why you failed your last test. They’re on the syllabus. You could ask the professor himself or the teaching assistant. Ask another student. Go to the professor’s website to find out when office hours are. There is no excuse for not going to office hours if you need help. If you make the effort to show up to office hours to ask questions about the lecture, text you read, or about an upcoming test, it shows that you want to establish a personal connection with the teacher and that you really want to do well in class.

3.) Ask Questions in Class. If there was something you didn’t get from the homework, make sure to ask your teacher. Do this during class if you can because there are likely to be other students who need an answer to the same question. If you don’t ask during class, go to office hour or send an email to ask. You could also leave your professor a voicemail if he prefers phone calls to emails. This helps your understanding of the material and again shows that you are paying attention to the material and truly want to comprehend it.

4.) Answer Questions in Class.

You can be of great help to other students if you can answer their questions during group work or when the professor leaves it open for a student to answer another student’s question. Also, pipe up when the instructor asks a question about the material being presented. This indicates that you read the assigned homework, listened in class, and that you have a good understanding of what you’re supposed to be learning.

5.) Do Your Work. 

You can’t get by on a wing and a prayer in most classes. You’ll need to actually do your homework and turn it in. Doing the work and reading assigned shows that you’re serious about understanding what your instructor is trying to convey. If you need help, make sure you ask ahead of time so that you aren’t begging for an extension.

6.) Demonstrate Maturity.

Cut out the wise cracks in class. Your schooling is your most important job right now, so treat it accordingly. Act professionally, just as you expect your professor to act. While it’s totally cool to laugh and have a good time in class, it’s also important to remember that you are at college to learn. Acting inappropriately can also negatively affect everyone else’s learning, and you don’t want your professor to remember you for being the class clown. 

7.) Get Help When You Need It. 

Contrary to popular belief, your professor doesn’t really want to see anyone fail. She is not out to make your life miserable. If you need help, ask for it. Your professor may offer to tutor you or direct you to resources on campus that can help you get a passing (or better) grade. Don’t avoid talking to your professor because you think he won’t want to help you out. In reality, he wants to see you succeed, and taking ownership of your education by asking for help will definitely help you get on his good side. 

Scholarships are your ticket to getting out of having to pay for college with student loans. You may even not have to work if you get enough scholarships! If you know where to find scholarships and the right way to apply for them, you may just be able to get your college paid for. Here are some tips to help you get started on the scholarship search and application process.

Finding Scholarships

Finding scholarships is not always easy, but there are plenty of resources available to help you find them. You’ll have to do some serious digging and research to find relevant scholarships, but the effort will be well worth it.

1.) Visit Your Guidance Counselor.

If you’re in high school, visit your guidance counselor. This person should be your first stop on the journey of finding scholarships. He or she has relationships with colleges and knows which scholarships you might be eligible for. If you’re already in college, go by the financial aid office to learn about potential scholarships for which you might be eligible.

2.) Visit the Library.

You can go to the book store to get a book about scholarships that are out there, but you can also often find such books at the public library for free. Make sure you find the latest version of the book. The title of the book often contains the year for which it is relevant. They’re typically published every year.

3.) Search Online.

FastWeb.com and Scholarships.com should be your best friends online when you’re looking for scholarships. Fill out your profile, and then search for scholarships that match. These sites provide eligibility information, application instructions, and contact information for the scholarship organization.

4.) Visit Professional and Civic Organizations Online.

If you or your parents are part of a civic or professional organization, there may be scholarships available to you. You can also find scholarships for students from professional organizations that are in your field of study.

Applying for Scholarships

Once you find the scholarships for which you want to apply, the next step is applying for them. Paying close attention to detail is vital if you’re going to win any scholarships. If you stop paying attention for any length of time, your application will reflect that, and you’ll miss out on college funding.

1.) Read the Eligibility Information Carefully.

The eligibility information should be one of the first pieces of information about a scholarship that you read. This will quickly tell you whether you have a shot of getting the scholarship and can prevent  wasting time applying for a scholarship for which you’re not eligible.

2.) Read the Application Instructions Carefully.

Your application will end up in the trash faster than you can blink if you don’t carefully follow the instructions for each application. Don’t get careless and accidentally submit the essay for one scholarship that was meant for another. Follow each instruction to the letter if you want your application to get serious consideration from the scholarship committee.

3.) Represent Yourself Honestly.

In your application, essays and other application materials, represent yourself as honestly as possible. Speak from the heart in your essays, but don’t overdramatize your life or opinions. Fill in accurate GPAs and class rankings. Chances are that you will be found out if you lie, and you’ll lose your scholarship as a result in most cases.

4.) Double Check Your Application.

Before you turn the application in, make sure that you have included every piece of supporting documentation necessary to complete it. If you don’t have a document, your application may end up in the trash. Don’t expect the scholarship committee to contact you if you are missing something.

5.) Write a Neat Application.

Every document in your application should be completed neatly. It reflects poorly on you and your ability to do well in college if your application is messy or incomplete.

Searching for and applying for scholarships takes maturity and a sense of purpose. If you want someone else to pay for your college, you’re going to have to research and work hard to make  that happen. It’s not impossible by any stretch, but it does require a commitment to see the process through. 

Apply for Hundreds Scholarships with Just One Application 

week two with my passion planner!! my school year began, so my schedule was so hectic! I think I’m leaning towards the more minimalistic approach to planning and I love how this week came together!! I added some doodles I drew throughout the week, and journaled less. what do you think?

good luck to any students adjusting to a new academic year and schedule! :)

Yooo guess who’s back

Applying to study honours part time and hopefully I’ll have a bat focused project

So I’ll actually have some original content again soon!