Will I get into a competitive major?

A reader writes:

"I go to a large state university and admissions into the business department is really competitive. The average cumulative GPA of admitted students is a 3.60 and the pre-req GPA of admitted students is a 3.71.

I tried pre-engineering my first quarter in college and I could not do it -- ended with a 2.60. Now, I took pre-business classes and ended up with a 3.79 winter quarter GPA bumping my GPA from 2.60 to a 3.23. My pre-req GPA is a 3.70. Will the business department take into account that I am a first generation college student that was still adjusting during his first quarter? Should I be worried about getting admitted given my GPA got destroyed by the chem and calc classes I took first quarter?"

First off, congratulations on raising you GPA from a 2.60 to a 3.23. I know that can take some hard work and perseverance, so you deserve some recognition on your academic achievement.

Now, back to your question. Generally speaking, when you are trying to change majors, a department will put more emphasis on your grades from the required prerequisites than your overall GPA. Departments also like to see improvement, which you have covered. But every department is different, so there is no guarantee either way.

Because you described the major as really competitive, your best source of information is going to be from the business department at your college. As a first generation college student, this is your opportunity to advocate for yourself. If you haven't already, go talk to a major advisor in the business department and get his or her perspective on your situation. Ask who the faculty advisor is and go talk to that person as well. Find out who ultimately makes the decision and go talk to that person.

Think of these meetings as your chance to tell your story, including that you are a first generation college student. Don't make excuses for your performance in chemistry and calculus, but do talk about how your adjustment to college was rocky and influenced your GPA.

Do explain that now that you've found business that your GPA has increased dramatically. Make sure you convey your interest in business and how your GPA for the business prerequisites is a much better indicator of your potential success as a business major than your overall GPA.

Another option is to consider waiting another quarter before changing your major, if you are not on a required time line to change your major. Assuming your grades in business classes will still be strong, waiting just another quarter can raise both your business prerequisite GPA and overall GPA. Simply waiting might improve your chances.

No matter what, in examining your application to transfer into the major, the business department will not take into account that you are a first generation college student unless you let them know about it. Good luck!

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

How to network on campus

Making connections with classmates, faculty, and staff is an essential part of the college experience for first generation and low income college students. Building and utilizing those connections is what networking is all about--and networking is going to benefit you personally, socially, academically, and professionally.

Hopefully, you have building your own campus network without even knowing it. Even if you haven't, here are # tips on how to network on campus:

Think about your goals. Before you can identify people to network with, you have to think strategically about who would be best to include in your network. To do this, think about what it is you want to accomplish on campus and after graduation. How are your goals social, personal, academic, and professional? Use those goals to influence who you try to network with. And don't think about it like an "either/or" choice because you can pursue multiple networks.

Talk to people. At the beginning of every class, strike up a conversation with your classmates. Go to office hours and talk up your professors. Meet with an advisor and get your questions answered. Ask department advisors or office managers about student groups and faculty advisors. After a few comfortable chats, ask to exchange contact information and be clear about why you're interested in connecting.

Join a group. Seek out student groups in your major department or campus organizations in your interest areas and join them. Join study groups for your classes or start your own. You can even use these tips to start your own campus organization. If the group has a faculty or staff advisor, talk to them too in addition to the other students.

Be active. Just joining groups is not enough, so go to their activities and events too. Participate in any activities that you can (like workshops, conferences, retreats, and community service), especially early on in your involvement. Really, having a good time and sharing common experiences are both ways to developing strong networks.

Step up. After you have been in campus groups for a while and feel comfortable, consider volunteering for a leadership role like leading a committee, planning an event, or being an officer. You'll find that stepping up to more responsibility within a group will help you build even stronger connections in your network.

Keep in touch. With all the people you are meeting, don't let them forget about you if you are not in regular contact. Send them the occasional email or text message to let them know you are still interested in staying connected to them.  If you come across something you think they might like (like an activity, article, or book), let them know about it.

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

Will being a first generation college student help me get into med school?

A reader writes:

"Does being a first generation college student help you get into medical school?"

Well, it depends... On its face, just being a first generation college student does not make a difference in your medical school application simply because its not information that you provide on the application. But, it can make a difference if you write about it the Personal Comments essay of the application.

The Personal Comments essay is your opportunity to tell your story and help yourself standout from other applicants. Specifically, it asks you do address any "special hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits." If being a first generation college student has impacted you in significant ways, this is where you can detail just how it has influenced your life and decision to apply to medical school.

But, you don't want to just drop the fact that you're a first generation college student without putting it in context. Like I said, by itself it doesn't really make an impact. Remember, if being a first generation college student is instrumental in your path to medical school, by all means go into detail about it in your Personal Comments essay. If it wasn't, leave it out.

Good luck with your medical school applications!

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