Seeing your advisor

1. Listen to what s/he has to say and don´t think instantly that you know better. They have vast experience.
2. Prepare questions ahead. Show the adviser what you have achieved so far, what your goals are and what gaps you still have to fill.

Thesis Writing - Formality

Remember that a thesis is not a story. It usually doesn´t follow the chronology of things that you tried. A thesis is a formal document designed to answer only a few major questions.

Cutting College Costs

Buy used textbooks. Get a part-time job. Consider cooperative education programs and study abroad. Sell your TV and VCR. Visit home less frequently. Some schools give Resident Assistants free room and board. If you´re a US citizen, consider ROTC or other forms of military aid. Eat a full meal before going shopping for groceries.

Cutting College Costs

Get to know the financial aid administrator at your college. While specific rules apply for financial aid calculations, financial aid administrators still have a certain amount of leeway in determining how aid is allotted. It´s important to let your financial aid officer know about any special circumstances that affect your ability to pay for college.

FinAid - Portfolio Tip # 10

Keep a current transcript, which includes your GPA, class rank, and test scores, in your file for quick reference.

Thesis Writing - Red Flags

Avoid red flags, or unsubstantiated claims such as "Software is the most important part of a computer system. Avoid including your personal opinion not substantiated by the literature or the solution you have presented. Examiners like to pick on sentences like that and will ask questions such as, "Can you demonstrate that software is the most important part of a computer system?"

Colleges That Accept Homeschoolers - K

•Kalamazoo Valley Community College, MI
•Kansas State University, KS
•Kent State University, OH
•Kenyon College, OH
•Keystone Community College, PA
•King College, TN
•King´s College, NY

Thesis Writing - The Skeleton

1. Introduction
2. Background (optional)
3. Methodology
4. Research question
------------------------
5. Your answers to a research question. The case studies
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6. Conclusion
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7. Appendix
8. Reference (if you didn´t have it through the thesis)
9. Bibliography

FinAid - Scholarship App. Help

Give concrete examples. If your answer to an essay question is abstract, support it with a concrete example that illustrates your point. The scholarship sponsor wants to see evidence that you satisfy their criteria, not just unsupported statements.

Need Financial Aid Help?

To get the Ambitious Student´s Guide to Financial Aid, write to:
PO Box 2748, Dept. P, Alexandria, VA 22301.

Cutting College Costs

Accumulate credits before college. You´ll save a lot in tuition by earning college credits while you´re still in high school. Take Advanced Placement courses or think about taking courses at a local community college to get a head start on your college career. You may be able to place out of required courses by taking an "advanced standing" exam at the school.

Cutting College Costs

Live at home during college. You can save a lot if you live in your parents´ home when you go to college. You might miss out on some ´classic´ college experiences, but your food and housing bills will be a lot lower. Or if you really want the residential college experience, compromise by spending some years at home and some years living on campus. Another method of saving on housing is to share an apartment with some fellow students, especially if you plan to work near school during the summer. But be sure to select your roommates carefully! On the other hand, commuting to college can be stressful due to late busses, heavy traffic, and the occasional car trouble. Keep in mind that you will learn more from your fellow students than from classroom lectures. So this may be one cost-cutting measure you choose to overlook.

FinAid - Portfolio Tip #9

Keep notes on ideas for career exploration including not only actual time spent shadowing or interning, but articles about careers that are of interest and the contact person for more information.

Thesis Writing - Keep it Simple

Choose section titles and wordings to clearly give them needed information.

FinAid - Scholarship App. Help

Identify the sponsor´s goals. Try to understand the sponsor´s motivation in offering the award. Do they want to promote interest in their field? Do they want to identify promising future researchers and business leaders? If you can identify their goals, you can direct your application toward satisfying those goals, increasing your chances of winning the award.

Thesis Writing - Research Question

This section has three main parts:
1. A concise statement of the question that your thesis tackles;
2. Justification, by direct reference to the "state of the art" section, that your question has previously unanswered;
3. Discussion of why it is worthwhile to answer this question.
Since this is one of the sections that the readers are definitely looking for, highlight it by using the word "problem" or "question" in the title: e.g. "Research Question".

Grad School: Sending your application forms

Always send your forms as soon as possible. At some schools, such as medical schools this is highly important and can affect your acceptance.

Student Aid

Tell the financial aid administrators about unusual family financial circumstances, such as elementary and secondary school tuition expenses, high medical and dental expenses not convered by insurance, unusually high child care costs, recent unemployment, death, or disability of a wage-earner, or other significant changes in the family´s income and assets. They may be able to make allowances to help you. (Mention the buzz words "Professional Judgment".)

Interviews - Thank You Notes

After the interview is over, a thank you note is always a good idea. Your note can be quite short, but it shouldn´t sound mechanical. As with any good thank you note, mention something specific for which you are giving thanks. You might ask a trusted adult to read your note before you send it. And remember, no smiley faces!

Graduate School

If you don´t know exactly what graduate school to go or which discipline to study, pick up a job hunting guide (available at most libraries) and check the requirements for jobs you´re intersted in.