What is your best advice for kids heading off to college this fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who uses professors for course selection advice? Isn’t that what advisors and fellow students and course requirements are for?

Prof here. Professional advising staff can help you figure out what you need to do to graduate. If your school assigns faculty to advise all students, as smaller schools tend to do, they will do their best to read the requirements and provide guidance, but they will be overstressed at advising time, under-trained on the requirements (I speak as someone who was often tossed head-first into this role), and they only know of your interests what they can gather in a 10-15 minute meeting. The faculty who already know you from a class and have a sense of your strengths and interests and needs are an invaluable source of additional help deciding what to take.

I wish I knew who all of these struggling students were who need professors to hold their hands. I didn’t, my spouse didn’t, my friends didn’t, my siblings didn’t, and my kids didn’t.

THey are not struggling, they are networking.

You really must have had a different undergrad experiences than most of the more impressive people I know.

Yea, I’m pretty sure only one of us won a Fulbright.

[Anonymous]

Teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who uses professors for course selection advice? Isn’t that what advisors and fellow students and course requirements are for?

Prof here. Professional advising staff can help you figure out what you need to do to graduate. If your school assigns faculty to advise all students, as smaller schools tend to do, they will do their best to read the requirements and provide guidance, but they will be overstressed at advising time, under-trained on the requirements (I speak as someone who was often tossed head-first into this role), and they only know of your interests what they can gather in a 10-15 minute meeting. The faculty who already know you from a class and have a sense of your strengths and interests and needs are an invaluable source of additional help deciding what to take.

I wish I knew who all of these struggling students were who need professors to hold their hands. I didn’t, my spouse didn’t, my friends didn’t, my siblings didn’t, and my kids didn’t.

THey are not struggling, they are networking.

You really must have had a different undergrad experiences than most of the more impressive people I know.

Yea, I’m pretty sure only one of us won a Fulbright.

DP: Ugh. I won a Fulbright (it's not THAT impressive, it's not like Rhodes or anything) and I'm finding you insufferable.

[Anonymous]

Don't use Andrew Cuomo as your role model and sexually harass women.

[Anonymous]

Don't rape women.

[Anonymous]

Don't assult women.

[Anonymous]

Women, most likely want you to keep your penis in your pants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teaching?

Nope. Research. Nice try though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who uses professors for course selection advice? Isn’t that what advisors and fellow students and course requirements are for?

Prof here. Professional advising staff can help you figure out what you need to do to graduate. If your school assigns faculty to advise all students, as smaller schools tend to do, they will do their best to read the requirements and provide guidance, but they will be overstressed at advising time, under-trained on the requirements (I speak as someone who was often tossed head-first into this role), and they only know of your interests what they can gather in a 10-15 minute meeting. The faculty who already know you from a class and have a sense of your strengths and interests and needs are an invaluable source of additional help deciding what to take.

I wish I knew who all of these struggling students were who need professors to hold their hands. I didn’t, my spouse didn’t, my friends didn’t, my siblings didn’t, and my kids didn’t.

THey are not struggling, they are networking.

You really must have had a different undergrad experiences than most of the more impressive people I know.

Yea, I’m pretty sure only one of us won a Fulbright.

DP: Ugh. I won a Fulbright (it's not THAT impressive, it's not like Rhodes or anything) and I'm finding you insufferable.

Sure you did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who uses professors for course selection advice? Isn’t that what advisors and fellow students and course requirements are for?

Prof here. Professional advising staff can help you figure out what you need to do to graduate. If your school assigns faculty to advise all students, as smaller schools tend to do, they will do their best to read the requirements and provide guidance, but they will be overstressed at advising time, under-trained on the requirements (I speak as someone who was often tossed head-first into this role), and they only know of your interests what they can gather in a 10-15 minute meeting. The faculty who already know you from a class and have a sense of your strengths and interests and needs are an invaluable source of additional help deciding what to take.

I wish I knew who all of these struggling students were who need professors to hold their hands. I didn’t, my spouse didn’t, my friends didn’t, my siblings didn’t, and my kids didn’t.

THey are not struggling, they are networking.

You really must have had a different undergrad experiences than most of the more impressive people I know.

Yea, I’m pretty sure only one of us won a Fulbright.

DP: Ugh. I won a Fulbright (it's not THAT impressive, it's not like Rhodes or anything) and I'm finding you insufferable.

Sure you did.

Yes I did. One of those post-bac ones for research. And was a finalist for the Watson fellowship. But you don't have to believe me (and I don't consider it the highpoint of my c.v.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who uses professors for course selection advice? Isn’t that what advisors and fellow students and course requirements are for?

Prof here. Professional advising staff can help you figure out what you need to do to graduate. If your school assigns faculty to advise all students, as smaller schools tend to do, they will do their best to read the requirements and provide guidance, but they will be overstressed at advising time, under-trained on the requirements (I speak as someone who was often tossed head-first into this role), and they only know of your interests what they can gather in a 10-15 minute meeting. The faculty who already know you from a class and have a sense of your strengths and interests and needs are an invaluable source of additional help deciding what to take.

I wish I knew who all of these struggling students were who need professors to hold their hands. I didn’t, my spouse didn’t, my friends didn’t, my siblings didn’t, and my kids didn’t.

THey are not struggling, they are networking.

You really must have had a different undergrad experiences than most of the more impressive people I know.

Yea, I’m pretty sure only one of us won a Fulbright.

DP: Ugh. I won a Fulbright (it's not THAT impressive, it's not like Rhodes or anything) and I'm finding you insufferable.

Sure you did.

Yes I did. One of those post-bac ones for research. And was a finalist for the Watson fellowship. But you don't have to believe me (and I don't consider it the highpoint of my c.v.).

Only a finalist? Too bad. DD was a winner. Chip off the old block I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is part of what I wrote to DC, who graduated from college several years ago. DC later told me that they re-read the note periodically.
:::

As you start your life at school, think through the sweep of human history and try to guess how many people were given this opportunity. Acknowledge to yourself just how rare and special this gift is. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity you have.

Find a Constant: Find something to hold on to, something you can carry with you throughout college as you encounter all these new things. It might be running, playing your instrument, or something else entirely. Regardless of what your constant is, you should practice making it as routine as brushing your teeth. It will give you stability when everything else is changing.

Get Out There. Everyone will want to meet you and there will be none of the social awkwardness that usually accompanies rushing up and speaking to total strangers. Everyone is a total stranger. Do not squander this short window of opportunity - it will never come around again. Join clubs and groups. The earlier you meet people and find a place to belong, the sooner you will enjoy school.

Show Up: Go to every single class and sit in the front. Get help early and often when you need it. Group work, study sessions and other academic collaborations are the norm in college. Get into study groups early in the year, before the midterm rush.

Be Present: Look people in the eye. Offer a firm handshake. Show up on time. Help out. Be present. Pay attention to those around you. Never again will life mix youth, freedom, opportunity and resources together in quite this heady combination. If these are to be the very best years, you must make them so.

I totally appreciate this! Thank you PP!

I've always told my kids to SHOW UP... now I can add a few more things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another prof here: I will pass along that I have had to turn down students who have asked for references or recommendations, particularly when they neither participated in class nor came to office hours. When you don't really know the student beyond their performance on assignments or exams, it's impossible to write an assessment with the level of detail that some grad programs or employers want.

IMO, it's the average student who really benefits by using office hours.

Office hours. I think that might have changed the trajectory of my life.


After community college where I wasn't going to office hours much (because who does that), I transferred to a SLAC where the folks in my department already had 2 years of relationship-building with professors that I had to catch up on. So I went until the professors got to know me, and one, in particular, took me under their wing. I was offered a job in the department that helped pay for my tuition, and I was encouraged/pushed/supported to go to graduate school. I would not have considered graduate school at all and might have ended up in a low-paying job field that I wasn't interested in just because I needed the money. I started off as an average student who didn't stand out at all. My professors would not have known that I was a hard-working person until they asked to see my notes and how much I studied. I was provided opportunities that resulted in me graduating with honors. Wish I had seen what the recommendation letter looked like but surely it helped get me a full scholarship + stipend for grad school. I'm in my 50s now and still think about how my life would have taken a different route without that support from my professors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who uses professors for course selection advice? Isn’t that what advisors and fellow students and course requirements are for?

Prof here. Professional advising staff can help you figure out what you need to do to graduate. If your school assigns faculty to advise all students, as smaller schools tend to do, they will do their best to read the requirements and provide guidance, but they will be overstressed at advising time, under-trained on the requirements (I speak as someone who was often tossed head-first into this role), and they only know of your interests what they can gather in a 10-15 minute meeting. The faculty who already know you from a class and have a sense of your strengths and interests and needs are an invaluable source of additional help deciding what to take.

I wish I knew who all of these struggling students were who need professors to hold their hands. I didn’t, my spouse didn’t, my friends didn’t, my siblings didn’t, and my kids didn’t.

THey are not struggling, they are networking.

You really must have had a different undergrad experiences than most of the more impressive people I know.

Yea, I’m pretty sure only one of us won a Fulbright.

DP: Ugh. I won a Fulbright (it's not THAT impressive, it's not like Rhodes or anything) and I'm finding you insufferable.

Sure you did.

Yes I did. One of those post-bac ones for research. And was a finalist for the Watson fellowship. But you don't have to believe me (and I don't consider it the highpoint of my c.v.).

Only a finalist? Too bad. DD was a winner. Chip off the old block I guess.

Well, I withdrew when I got the Fulbright -- a bird in the hand and all that. But I have never really talked about it until you brought it up, because I've gone on and done more in my life. The idea of either of these awards being a "bragging point" on a thread like this is sad to me--and so counter to the spirit of the both programs. I hope your DD gains/gained more from her experience.

[Anonymous]

Get Some!