for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 • kids & education • The Queens Courier 57 ▶kids & education Tips for college-bound students Transitioning from high school to college is a big deal. Beyond the overwhelming college application process, many students wrestle with questions about their major, career goals, moving away from home and financing college expenses. Many college officials worry that high school students are not prepared for college. They say the key to a successful college experience is preparation. “College is about finding out what you love,” says Sean Wagner, associate vice president of Phi Delta Theta, an international fraternity serving more than 11,000 students. “Instead of looking back from where you came, you need to imagine where you’ll be and set your mind toward achieving those goals. A huge part of this is networking - connecting with other students, professors and alumni who believe in you and can help you toward establishing your career.” Preparing college students for a successful college experience is the focus of a free guidebook called “A College- Bound Guide to Achieving Your Dreams,” available at www.thegreatestu. com. Here are some other practical tips for college-bound students: Begin early. Don’t wait until your senior year in high school to start thinking about college and what you want to do for a career. Start researching colleges and seeking informational interviews with people who are working in the career field that you’re interested in pursuing. Map out your goals and dreams. Think about where you want to be at commencement and work backwards. In other words, do you see yourself in a great job? Do you see yourself heading to law or medical school? Going into the military? Seek help from your college career center and find a trusted mentor in your career field who can offer insight and advice on your plan. Think networking. In college, you need to start building your professional network. Build relationships with classmates, professors, alumni and others you meet who can help connect you with potential employers. Open a Linkedin account to start building your professional profile. If you have a Facebook account, take greater care in what you post. Future employers regularly look at the Facebook profiles of potential candidates. Make your summers count. The students who graduate with jobs usually have one thing in common - they had internships and professor-led research projects in the career field of their choice. Don’t wait until your senior year in college - start building your resume with career-related part-time jobs, internships and research projects in your freshman year. Build relationships with professors. Having strong working relationships with your professors is critical to the early stages of your career development. Professors can write letters of recommendation for scholarships, summer research programs and grad school.-They also can serve as references in a job search. To connect with professors, start by getting to know upper classmen, who can offer advice about meeting professors and tapping your school’s career resources. Join professional societies. Clubs and student led professional societies offer opportunities for students to learn more about their career path and meet professionals. Get your financial house in order. Work with your parents and the school’s financial aid department to make sure all of your finances are in order before you start school. Open a checking account before college starts with a debit card to manage money you’ll need for dining out, tickets and shopping. Learn budgeting skills and develop a plan to graduate with as little debt as possible. Courtesy BPT “Empowering E hedral Cath 350 3 East 56th S Com Young Wome l High Street ~ New Y me and exp TA # ACHS 202 Vis en Through E Education ce 1905” ol Schoo York, NY 100 plore all tha sit our w Sinc 022 ~ 212-688- at Cathedra OPEN Sunday, -1545 al has to off N HOU October 19 1 12 – 3 PM will be given at 2 Last tour w website at Accredited by USE 9, 2014 2:30 PM t www.ca the Middle State ffer you! athedralh es Association of hs.org of Colleges & Sc hools Cathedral High School Starting on the Path to a Career in Medicine or Law Located at 350 East 56th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenue) in New York City, academic success has been synonymous with Cathedral since its’ founding in 1905. Cathedral has educated generations of young women to meet their scholastic potential. Aside from offering an honors program and nine Advanced Placement Courses, Cathedral also offers programs in Medicine, Law and Business, Languages which include Spanish, Mandarin, American Sign Language and Latin as well as electives such as Forensic Science & Anatomy, Robotics, Women’s Studies, Broadcasting & Journalism, Art and Music just to name a few. Cathedral is immensely proud of its Medical Gateways program. Through partnerships with New York’s world-class medical community, students have opportunities to observe medical professionals at work and to participate in internships while still in high school. The students receive first-hand experience in institutions such as Beth Israel, New York University, and New York Presbyterian. In the law program students explore careers in the legal system and participate in internships with law firms. Students take special classes and attend Saturday workshops that explore different legal and professional topics. A full complement of extracurricular activities keeps the career-minded student body well rounded. From clubs such as the cheerleading, Marching Band, Musical Theater & Choir to sports which include Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Lacrosse, Cross Country, Volleyball and more, young women at Cathedral can explore a wide variety of interests. Cathedral prepares its students for the world that lies ahead of them. The Class of 2014 received over $19 million in college scholarships and grants and were accepted into schools such as College of the Holy Cross, NYU Polytechnic, NYU and Villanova University. For more information please contact Johanna Velez at (212) 688-1545 ext. 224 or jcastex@cathdralhs.org. Visit our website at www.cathedralhs.org
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