How can I stop feeling homesick?

A reader writes:

"I'm homesick and it's only my second week back in the dorms! I have friends here and I have plenty to do (and will have plenty of work this semester) but now when it's quiet and I'm just browsing the internet, I just wish I was back at home. It's even worse than the beginning of the school year and I don't know why. How can I stop feeling so homesick?"

Feeling homesick is a natural part of being away from the family, friends, and community you are used to and many first generation and low income college students feel the pangs of homesickness at some point. Here are a few ways you can help reduce feeling homesick:

Change your mindset. When you're missing home, it is really easy to think of all the things you are leaving behind, but don't give in to this impulse. Instead, think of what you're gaining instead of what you're missing.

Make plans. Try to keep your mind on the future instead of lingering to the past by making plans to hang out with friends. Also, consider getting involved with a student club or organization or volunteering in addition to quality time with your friends.

Talk to someone. Sharing your feelings of homesickness with a friend, advisor, or professional counselor is another way you can help reduce those feelings. Remember, you're not crazy if you seek out professional help.

Keep in touch. Of course, you should stay in contact with your friends and family, but not too much. Being in constant communication with home will actually intensify your homesickness, so limit yourself. If you find yourself getting really emotional during or after phone calls, try sticking to texts and emails instead.

Decorate your space. Making your surroundings as comfortable, welcoming, and personal as possible can go a long way in helping you feel at home in your new space.

These tips can help you start feeling better about being away from home!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Rate My Professors: Use with caution

Unless you've been living under a rock, chances are that you have heard of Rate My Professors. If not, it's a website that lets you search, read, and write reviews about professors at your college. Professors can be reviewed for their overall quality of their teaching, helpfulness, clarity, and how easy their classes are. You can even review if professors are hot.

This may seem like an awesome tool for first generation and low income college students when it comes to class selection. I know some students who swear by Rate My Professors and will try to take classes with only highly rated professors, the easiest professors, or the hottest professors.

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But, if you choose to use this website, make sure you use Rate My Professors with caution. Here are a few things to keep in mind when using Rate My Professors or other similar websites or services:

Don't be a sheep. One thing you should always be wary of as a college student is information. Make sure that you consider how credible the source is and think about it critically instead of accepting the reviews as absolute truth.

Where is it coming from? Think about who is likely to write reviews. Students who really hated or really loved a particular professor are more likely to post comments than students who weren't strongly swayed one way or the other. Also, students who are disappointed with their grades and don't take ownership of their grades are more likely to leave negative reviews.

Everyone is different. What some students finds difficult can come easily for other students, so take others' recommendations with a grain of salt. Just because a bunch of students think a professor is easy or hard doesn't mean you will think the same thing.

Is there a match? Sometimes its a matter of professors' teaching styles versus students' learning styles. If they don't match, students tend to rate professors negatively. Whether or not you would succeed in a professor's class is about how well your learning style matches the professor's teaching style, not how well the professor's style matches other students.

Look for specifics. Vague reviews like "This dude sux!!!!!" or "I wish he was my grandpa." are not actually that helpful to you. Make sure you look for specific ways that the professor may or may not be a good fit for you. A review like "He tends to be a little hard on his students though, and the midterm scores are usually pretty low, so try your best. Otherwise he is very willing to help, is great at explaining material, and encourages you to think for yourself and practice lots of problems" can give you a much better idea about what the professor would actually be like in class.

Don't just crunch numbers. The ratings can seem useful at first glance, but chances are that you will gain more useful information from also reading the reviews. Sometimes you'll see a highly rated professor with lousy write-ups and vice versa, so don't just rely on one source.

More than meets the eye. If all you are looking for is a hot professor, I suspect your grades aren't as strong as they could be. Plus, most of the "hot" professors do not have pictures posted to back up the review. It can be nice to have an eye-candy worthy professor, as long as it doesn't distract you from your job as a student.

So, there you have it. Rate My Professors can be a useful tool, but only when you use it with caution.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Don't use the "singular they" in college papers

Read this sentence: Using the resources available to them is important for any first generation or low income college student who feels they need extra support to succeed at their college.

Do you see the grammatical error in the above sentence? The grammar mistake is using them, they, and their to refer to only one person, known as the "singular they" by grammar snobs. Now, I am by no means a grammar expert, but this is something you should avoid doing in college-level work.

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The singular they is common in everyday use, especially when trying to be gender-neutral or avoiding the clunky "his or her/he or she," but that doesn't make it okay for your essays and research papers. Instead, tweak your sentence to use a plural or "his or her/he or she" to make your sentence grammatically correct with better flow.

Tweaking the sentence above, "Using the resources available to first generation or low income college students who feel they need extra support to succeed at their college is important" or "Using the resources available to a first generation or low income college student who feels he or she needs extra support to succeed at his or her college is important" might be better options. Getting rid of any singular they in your writing is something you should look for when proofreading.

Some professors will be sticklers for this type of thing and others won't care. Either way, you should get into the habit of avoiding the singular they in college-level work.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Please use your campus resources

In my consulting work, I just encountered the worst resume I have ever seen. Seriously, like epic fail status... What made this resume so horrendously bad is not the issue, the real issue is that the student obviously made no effort to use available resources.

Avoid becoming Worst-Resume-Ever-Student by getting out there and using the resources available to you. Using campus resources is like your help button throughout college. Push it.

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Most schools have a career center or similar service where you can get your resume reviewed, so use it. If a campus doesn't have this resource, advisors or even professors can give you feedback on your resume, you just have to ask.

Typically, there are a lot of campus resources made available to students, like academic advising, tutoring, mental health services, recreation and sports activities, and computer labs, just to name a few. These resources are out there, so use them. In fact, find out about them before you need those resources.

I know it can be difficult to ask for help sometimes, but campus resources and programs are there for your benefit. You are paying for those resources, so get your money's worth. And don't forget about off-campus resources, too.

When it comes to resources, often you get out of it what you put into it. Put an effort into using campus resources and it will pay off for success in college and beyond.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

How do you address professors and TAs in emails?

A reader writes:

"This is my 1st semester in college. When your not sure if a professor has a PhD or not, what do you address them as on an email? Will a professor with a PhD be offended if you don't use Dr? And what about TAs, how do you address them? Whats the right thing to do?"

I'm glad to hear you are concerned with email etiquette as a first generation and low income college student. A lot of students don't think it matters, but they are wrong about that. Poor email etiquette is one of those things that professors hate.

When addressing professors in email you can use the title Professor and their last name, like Professor Doe. Even using the abbreviation Prof. is okay. Taking this route will usually not offend professors with or without or doctoral degree. Also, generally speaking, professors will let you know if they prefer Dr. or something else, like being called by their first name or whatever.

As for addressing Teaching Assistants (TAs) in emails, you can usually just use their first names without a problem. Just like professors, if TAs have preferred ways to be addressed, they will let you know.

Happy email writing!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should I list classes on my resume?

A reader writes:

"Thanks for your help on my resume. I was wondering if I should list my classes on my resume, too? My friend says its a good idea but I don't know."

If you are a current first generation or low income college student or recent graduate, listing some of your classes on your resume might be appropriate, if those classes are related to what you are applying for.

For example, if you are communications major applying for a marketing internship and you have taken some marketing classes, it might be a good idea to list those classes on your resume. On the other hand, if you are a life sciences major applying to be a Resident Advisor, most of your classes will not be relevant.

When listing classes on your resume, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, Don't list every single class that you have taken, only the most relevant ones. You wouldn't want to list basic or introductory-level classes, only upper-division and more advanced classes, unless those intro classes help you qualify for the position.

You also want to make sure you use the course title and not the number or abbreviation, so say "Viral Marketing Strategies" instead of "Marketing 154" because those class numbers mean little beyond your college itself.

As far as where to actually list your classes on your resume, generally you would include "Relevant Coursework" as part of your Education, just make sure it is clean and easy to read. It might look something like this:

Education
Bachelor of Science in Human Development
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
Expected 05/2012

• Relevant Coursework: Cultural Diversity & Education, Cognitive Development, Social & Personality Development,  Psychological Assessment

Remember, when it comes to resumes and what goes on them, you should be tailoring your resume content to best reflect what the person reading it finds the most relevant.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Pay yourself first

When you're a low-income college student, being responsible with your money is going to be a key to your success. The first step to that is creating a budget that works for you and that you can stick to. And putting money into a savings account should be apart of that plan.

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In fact, saving money should be the first thing you do for your budget by paying yourself first. By this, I mean as soon as you get a paycheck, scholarship or loan disbursement, or financial aid refund, put some money into savings. Literally pay yourself first, before the bills and grocery shopping.

Yes, you have bills to pay and necessities to buy, but don't neglect your savings account. A lot of students think its best to put what you have "left-over" at the end of the month away in savings, but this is not the way to go.

Realistically, how much money do you have left-over after you've paid your bills and whatnot? If you're like most people, not just students, you'll have less than you thought you would. So the best way to avoid falling into this trap is to pay yourself first.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

STOP putting fluff on your resume!

Between my work as a college advisor and career counselor and in my consulting work now, I've reviewed hundreds of resumes. Hundreds. So when I see students attempting to "stand out" by using big words they'd never use in real life or overly-embellished descriptions, I want to scream.

Look, you weren't a "financial business transaction facilitator," you were a cashier. Please just say cashier on your resume. You didn't "disseminate program information to solicit potential donors," you handed out flyers on the quad for a club fundraiser. Just say that. Adding this fluff doesn't make you stand out, it makes you look untrustworthy, naive, and even foolish to the person reading your resume.

Ugh, just don't do it. Don't rely on gimmicks to get you noticed. It's kind of like lying. And there is a big difference between highlighting things and lying on your resume, so don't even think about crossing that line. For example, let's say you are an assistant that works at the front desk of a marketing firm. Saying you are a "Front Desk Assistant" would be highlighting your position with a working title and calling yourself a "Communications Facilitator" would be lying.

On your resume it's okay to use a working title (like Front Desk Assistant) instead of a payroll title (like Assistant II), as long as it's something that your boss would be comfortable calling you and accurately describes what you do without making it sound more important. It is never okay to make stuff up just so you sound more accomplished.

Your positions and accomplishments can stand out without the big words and over-embellishment. Please stop trying to beef up your resume with this type of fluff. Trust me, the people reading your resume know the difference.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Understanding the FAFSA

Hopefully, you have already filled out and submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Realistically though, most college students have not done so yet...

If one of the reasons you haven't yet turned in your FAFSA is that you are unsure about it, check out this quick 5-minute video from FinAid.org.



If you still have questions about the FAFSA, feel free to ask me about it or talk to someone from your campus.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

5 ways to make registraion less stressful

Registering for classes can be downright stressful for some first generation and low income college students, especially if you are a underclassmen. But don't fret, the following tips can help your registration go a little more smoothly.

Plan ahead. As soon as you know when you are going to register for classes, make sure you also make an appointment to meet with an advisor. Meet with more than one advisor to cover all your bases. Check if you have any holds on your registration and go about getting them lifted as soon as possible.

Prepare yourself. Set an alarm or reminder so you don't forget your registration time. Better yet if you need it, set a few different alarms. In addition to that, get everything you need to register, like a course registration guide or notes from your meeting with an advisor, ready the day before.

Have a back-up plan (or two or three). Always pick out a full schedule of back-up classes, so that you have options readily available if one class is full already.

Get in line. If the option is available for full classes, make sure to put yourself on the waitlist--even when you think you'll never ever get into the class. Being on the waitlist gives you a better chance of actually getting in or gives you an idea of where you stand.

Reach out. If a class is full, ask an advisor who the best person to contact would be to help you get into the class. Depending on the class, department, or campus, you might be emailing or talking to a professor, department chair, advisor, dean, or whoever.

Happy registering!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

5 ways to prepare for a class

Before the start of a new semester or quarter, it great way to help put you on the right track is to prepare for your classes. And when I say prepare for a class, I mean more than just get your textbooks and a new notebook. Here are 5 tips to help you prepare for a class.

Google it. Do an online search for the class title, professor, and textbook to see what comes up. Search your school's website too. You might find a course website, old practice exams, sample quizzes, reviews, or other information that can help you do well in the class.

Go to the library. Check out the library reserves for old course material and textbooks. Again, you are looking for materials or information that can help you do well in the class.

Ask for it. Email your professors to ask for the syllabus, or a rough course outline if that isn't available yet. You can review the syllabus to get an idea of what to expect for each class.This can be especially helpful if you think a class is going to be particularly difficult for you.

Review the textbook. Getting familiar with the layout, tone, and style of the textbook can help you figure out how to plan out the readings and what's in store for the semester or quarter.

Ask around. Talk to your friends and classmates to see if anyone has taken the class already. Ask them for any insight or advice about the class. You might learn some insider tips.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Taking non-prerequisites for graduate school

A reader writes:

"I want to be a physical therapist so I am on the pre-physical therapy track. I took general chemistry and got a B+ and received A's in biology and psychology. I am planning NOT to take Organic Chemistry because the graduate schools for PT do not require it... however, I am worried it will be looked down upon that I basically avoided organic chemistry? I don't want to take it if it is going to lower my GPA and it is not even an important course in PT career path. Ahhh, I don't know what to do!"

First off, its great that you are already looking into the requirements for graduate school in your field and bringing that into your course selection plans. Good for you on that. Preparation and key information is vital for first generation and low income college students considering graduate or professional school.

So, if the class is not a specific prerequisite for the graduate schools you want to apply to, is not required for your major, and will likely bring down your GPA, it sounds like you shouldn't take it, right?

Well, if you are still unsure about it, I would suggest contacting someone like a faculty member or admissions representative from a few of the graduate programs you're interested in and getting their take on it. Try asking something like, "I understand that organic chemistry is not a prerequisite for your program, but do you think there are any advantages or disadvantages to taking it?"

Make sure that your top choice school is one of the schools that you contact and ask. You may find that one school says take it and others don't care. You can use that information to make your decision as to whether or not you take organic chemistry. Getting your answer straight from the source will be your best option.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Take ownership of your grades

At this point, you probably have your fall semester or quarter grades. Some of you are proud of your academic performance, but some of you may not be happy with those grades. This is always the time I hear some students complain about how a professor gave them a grade...

While it is entirely possible that a professor hates you and gave you a bad grade, this is usually NOT the case. In fact, most of the time when you are surprised by a bad grade, it usually means you are doing something that professors hate.

If you are genuinely surprised by a bad grade, the best thing you can do is go to the professor's office hours and ask for feedback about your grade. Don't try to argue for a higher grade or make excuses because that will only make it worse...

Instead of blaming your professors for your bad grades, use it as a learning experience to help you prevent this in the future and improve your other grades.

What it boils down to is stop playing the blame game when it comes to your grades. They are your grades, which you earned. You are responsible for them and what you did (or didn't do) to earn them. Please be an adult and take ownership of your grades.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Happy New FAFSA application!

The New Year is here, and that probably means making resolutions, reflecting on the year gone by, and looking forward to the start of another semester or quarter of college. But that's not all it means.

More importantly for many first generation and low income college students New Year's time is Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) time.

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The FAFSA is a vitally important application that you NEED to complete EVERY YEAR to qualify for Federal financial aid as well as most state- and school-based financial aid.

And when it comes to the FAFSA, it is always a good idea to pay attention to deadlines. The Federal deadline for online applications by midnight Central Daylight Time on June 30, 2012 for the upcoming 2011-2012 academic year. But there are different deadlines that you need to be aware of too, so check your state deadline and your school's. Generally speaking, the sooner you fill out the FAFSA, the better.

If you need help filling out your FAFSA, start with an advisor or the financial aid office at your campus. Also check out our friends over at Education Today for advice for preparing for the FAFSA and 10 mistakes to avoid making on it.

Happy New FAFSA application!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it. 

How do I stop feeling stressed and homesick?

A reader writes:

"I have just moved to a new town. It is not far away from were i used to live, but all my extended family live there. Sometimes at night i just want to be back their with all my cousins and my Grandparents and everyone. Starting a new school is so hard, and it makes it worse that this is my first time moving schools. Now, at a different school i feel more stressed than ever with: finding new friends, fitting in school work, doing tests and just fitting in with a new and much bigger school!! how do i stop feeling stressed and homesick?"

You are dealing with issues plenty of first generation and low income college students face. We've talked about dealing with stress and homesickness before, so please check out these older posts for some guidance:

How can I stop feeling homesick?
Dealing with stress

Also, when you move from a smaller school to a larger one, it can be kind of intimidating. To help with that you can try to find that smaller school feeling at a bigger school by joining a campus group or organization. Having a smaller group of people to relate to can make a big difference as you adjust to a new environment. 

I hope you can feel better and less stressed away from home.You're not the only one feeling this way!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.