PD 102- CHAPTER 2

Persist

What You Need to Know UP Front Self management is about investigating and researching

ways to be successful at your college from this day forward

The policies and procedures of colleges vary but it is your responsibility to know what you can expect from your institution and what your institution expects from you; these policies can be found in the college catalog

The college professor is charged with much more than classroom instruction (required to do research, write articles and books, attend academic conferences, advise students, and keep current in their ever changing fields of study)

Professors are granted something called academic freedom

What You Need to Know UP Front Professors are granted something called academic

freedom Academic freedom means that a professor has the

right to teach controversial issues, topics, subjects, pieces of literature, scientific theories, religious tenets, and political points of view without the threat of termination

The grade given by a professor is seldom changeable

If you are truly concerned about your grade, speak to the professor

Learn how to accept criticism

What to do when a professor doesn’t speak English well:

1) Sit near the front of the room

2) Watch the professor’s mouth when you can

3) Follow the professor’s non-verbal communication patterns

4) Use a tape recorder if allowed

5) Read the material beforehand so that you will have a general understanding of what is being discussed

6) Ask questions when you do not understand the material

What to do when a professor

Doesn’t speak English well:

Classroom Etiquette & Personal Decorum

Bring your materials to class daily Come prepared Turn in papers, projects and assignments on

time Participate in class Visit professors during office hours If you are late for class, enter quietly; don’t walk

in front of the professor; don’t let the door slam; don’t talk on your way in; take the seat nearest the door; make every effort not to be late to class

Classroom Etiquette & Personal Decorum (cont’d)

Wait for the professor to dismiss class before you begin to pack your bags to leave

Never carry on a conversation with another student while the professor or another student is talking

Do not sleep in class If for any reason you must leave during class, do so

quietly and quickly Turn off your iPod Be respectful of other students; don’t use profanity or

obscene language If you act like an adult, you’ll be treated like one Turn off your cell phone or beeper

The Academic Advisor/Counselor Your advisor will help you select courses for the completion

of your degree Academic advisors are not psychological counselors; they are

assigned to assist students in completing their academic programs of study

They may offer advice on personal or career matters, but they are not trained to assist with psychological and emotional matters

Locate your advisor as soon as you arrive on campus and introduce yourself

Stop by to say hello if you see your advisor in his or her office Call your advisor if you have a problem that can be dealt with

over the phone Don’t go to your advisor unprepared

Transfer Issues

Most colleges will not accept grades below a C from another institution

Your future college does not transfer your GPA

You need to speak with an informed, qualified transfer advisor or counselor before registering for any course or degree if you plan to transfer

GPA: the numerical grading system used by almost every college in the nation

Most colleges operated under a 4.0 system

Transfer Issues

Each A earned is worth 4 quality points, B worth 3 quality points, C worth 2 quality points, D worth 1 quality point, and F is worth 0 quality points

For each course, the number of quality points earned is multiplied by the number of credit hours carried by the course

Lowering a GPA is very easy but raising one is not as easy

Online Classes

Most online classes allow you to work at your own pace, but most still have stringent deadlines for submitting assignments

Distance-learning courses are usually more difficult for the average student

You need to be a self-starter and highly motivated to complete and do well in these courses

Online Classes (cont’d)

When taking an online class, review the course material before you register (helps you make the decision whether to take it online or not), begin before the material, make an appointment to meet the professor as soon as possible, develop a schedule for completing each assignment and stick to it, keep a copy of all work mailed, emailed or delivered to the professor, always mail, email or deliver your assignment on time, try to find someone who is registered for the same course so that you can work together or at least have a phone number to call if you run into a problem, take full advantage of any online orientation or training session, participate in class and in your groups, log in every day even if you do not have an assignment due, if you have computer failure, have a backup plan, work ahead if possible, find out where to go or whom to call on campus should you encounter technical problems

Protecting Yourself On Campus Walk in groups at night or in poorly lit places Don’t bring valuables to campus Protect your belongings by taking out a

renter’s insurance policy When walking around campus, walk

confidently and not like a victim Lock your doors Park in well-lit areas close to buildings Never carry a lot of money with you Never leave your book bag unattended

Practicing Fiscal Fitness

Are you managing your money or is it managing you?

The Secret World of Financial Aid Federal financial aid includes federal and student

loans, federal and state grants, scholarships (local, regional and national), work-study programs

An undergraduate may receive any of these types of assistance, whereas graduate students cannot receive Pell grants or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity (FSEOGs)

Each year, millions of dollars are unclaimed because students do not know about these scholarships or where to find the necessary information

Key Terms

COA: cost of attendance; the total amount it will cost you to go to college

Co-signer: a person who signs a promissory note and agrees to repay the debt should the borrower default

Delinquency: past due payment on a loan

Discretionary income: amount of money one has left after all expenses have been paid

Debit Card: card that allows purchases to be charged directly to one’s personal bank account

Disposable income: money left over after taxes have been deducted

Gross income: your income before taxes and deductions

Net income: your income after taxes and deductions

Payday loans: loans made against one’s next paycheck, usually at a very high rate of interest

Payoff: the total amount owed on a loan if you were to pay it off in one lump sum

Bankruptcy Chapter 7: allows one’s unprotected assets to be sold and disbursed to creditors; Chapter 13: allows the debtor time to pay debts

Financial Terms to Know Financial Terms to Know

Types of Federal Financial Aid Pell Grant: need-based grant awarded to qualified undergrads

who have not been awarded a previous degree Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

(FSEOG): need-based grant awarded to institutions to allocate to students through their financial aid offices

Stafford loans: low-interest, non-subsidized loan; do not have to show need to qualify; you are responsible for the interest on the loan while you are enrolled; you can defer the interest and the payment until six months after you have left school

PLUS loan: federally funded, but state administered, low interest loan to qualified parents of students in college

Work study: federally funded, need-based program that pays students an hourly wage for working on campus (earn at least minimum wage)

Scholarships

Do not miss a deadline Read all instructions before beginning the process Always fill out the application completely and have

someone proof your work Never lie about your financial status Begin the application process as soon as possible Talk to the financial aid officers at the institution you

will attend Take copies of fliers and brochures that are available

from the financial aid office Always apply for admissions as well as financial aid Fill out the FAFSA

Student Loans

Borrow no more than you absolutely must Try not to borrow anything but tuition and room and board Get a job, budget, cut out extras, work in the summers,

take fewer credits even though it delays graduation- do everything possible not to borrow more money than you must

If you have to borrow a great deal of money, ask yourself a few important questions: 1) Am I majoring in a field that is going to pay me enough money to repay these loans and live a desirable lifestyle? 2) Will I ever be able to afford a house? 3) Can I afford to get married and have a family?

You will have to repay this money

Prioritizing Your Finances

Borrow no more money than you absolutely have to

Keep credit card debt to an absolute minimum

Your credit score is the single most important factor in determining your approval for a mortgage, car loan, credit card, insurance and so on

To fully maximize your financial resources, you need to establish a budget and learn to live within your means

B is for Budgeting

One of the main reasons to budget is to determine the exact amount of money you need to borrow to finance your college education

Poor planning while in college can easily result in a lower standard of life after you graduate and have to begin paying back enormous loans

Deciding how much to borrow will impact your life long after you have completed your degree

Facts About Credit Cards

Credit cards are nothing more than high interest loans Carry only one or two credit cards so you can manage your debt and

not get in over your head When you accept a card, sign it right away and keep records of your

credit card numbers and the phone number to contact in case they are lost or stolen; report lost or stolen cards immediately

Avoid credit cards that charge an annual fee Avoid the temptation to charge When you pay off a card, celebrate and don’t use that as a reason to

charge again Pay your credit card payment early enough to avoid late charges,

which now average $29.84 Call the credit card company and negotiate a better rate Ask yourself, “If I can’t pay this credit card in full this month, what is

going to change next month?”

The Pitfalls of Payday Loans, Car Title Loans, and Rent-to-Own Contracts

By using rent-to-own companies, you are paying double and sometimes triple the actual cost of the item

Only borrow money from a reputable bank or credit union

Never get involved in a payday loan or car title loan

Not only could you lose your car, you can ruin your credit

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Never put any personal information in

the garbage that has not been shredded Buy an inexpensive shredder and use it It is very difficult, if not impossible, to

catch identity thefts Order a credit report once a year to be

sure you have no major problems

Next Time…

We will discuss Chapters 3 and 4