Moving To College

People will often tell you that they want to be rich or famous when they grow older, how will that be possible without the proper education and schooling? Many people dream of being an entrepreneur or a lawyer and they believe that it is possible to be one of those things out of thin air. It’s not. Often times most businesses want to see a degree or a diploma to even consider you for a job. However, there are many advantages of attending college. The advantages of attending college is never ending but can include incessant opportunities.

It's a time in your life where you have to take a chance. It might set you back or lift you up where you need to be in life. If you don't take that risk you will never know what would've happen and you don't want to live with that. I risked it all when I chose to come to Clark Atlanta University because it's far from my hometown which is Darlington, South Carolina. When I moved to Atlanta I risked being away from my family and having to adjust to a new environment.

Families of first-generation students do not know how to assist their children when it comes to exploring different careers, or searching for scholarships. These students can easily get discouraged as they do not have a role model figure to look after. In a study by Royster, Gross, & Hochbein (2015), it was mentioned (Kuh, Cruce, Shoup, Kinzie & Gonyea, 2008; Lloyd, Leicht, & Sullivan, 2008) that parents that do not have the firsthand knowledge of academic resources or college expectations do not encourage their children to challenge themselves with course that will lead them to be college bound. In addition, students may not feel motivated or supported by their families. It is important to understand that early exposures to college or career conversation do not necessary starts until their high school years.

In Amy Joyce’s On Parenting article, “How helicopter parents are ruining college students” posted on September 2, 2014, Joyce addresses the issue with parents who controls their college student’s life to the public. Amy’s exigence is from an article recently published in the journal Education + Training found that there is an important line to draw between parental involvement and over-parenting.

For better or worse, for richer or poorer. I was married to my dream because I thought about it day and night. I imaged what it would feel like to walk across the stage and receive my college degree. This dream empowered me and kept me focused on what I needed to do and make it occur. I made an agreement with myself to finish college to finish what I started. I felt like something was incomplete in my life regarding college and college graduation. My eldest brother Willie introduced me to Christ at the age of eleven. He expressed to me that life’s journey did not have to be tackled alone I have a helper, therefore whatever came my way I know I could go to the helper for direction. I requested the helper provide insight in relation to this

Do you wonder if you’ve improved from the transition from high school to college? I know I sure have. When I was in junior high, I was the shy quiet type of person. During high school I started talking to people more and more thanks to a special friend, but in high school I had nobody to give me encouragement. I did not care; I was not planning to go to college, and I made lots of other excuses. But now that I'm in college I feel I have accomplished so much thanks to the nice, kind, and generous people I have met. My transition from high school to college has turned my life around.

Morgan's mother came in to pick her up from school. I stood on the bus landing until she and her daughter came up the sidewalk. I asked her to make certain that she wrote a note if Morgan were to be picked up again. The teacher would not be able to take the word of a child without a note. Morgan's mother was very nice and assured me that she would write a note the next time. I did not leave and tell you that everyone was gone until the buses were pulling off. If Abraham called, I was either outside with Morgan's mother or standing at the door as the parent's were picking up their children. I do not pick up the phone during parent pick-up. I believe it is more important for me to know who the children are leaving with. I am uncertain when she

Have you ever had a dream where you would do anything to follow it no matter the sacrifices? Going from being surrounded by all the people who love us in a place we are familiar with to walking into a new “home” all alone is a difficult change to adapt to. Moving to college has been a very hard leaving my childhood neighborhood and family but I’m willing to do anything to chase this dream of becoming a professional footballer. I’ve been chasing this dream most of my life, around age 7, and this dream still persists in my mind to this day.

“Please stand, you may now move your tassel from right to left. Years of hard work and dedication have culminated into this single moment. Congratulations Parkdale class of 2015 you are now high school graduates!” As our high school career finally comes to a close, the next chapter of our lives quickly begins with college. Leaving behind our mundane routine and families we are now officially independent young adults. The transition from high school to college can be scary for the average incoming freshmen but, students will find that if they prepare themselves for the rigor of college over the summer they will adjust to the college lifestyle quicker than their peers.

The most important thing that I have learned in high school that I am able to transfer to college is knowing that it is ok to fail, it is not ok to fall and not get up. My teacher, Ms. Fletcher, told us that no one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. Failing make us grow as a student and as a individual. Failing opens our eyes. It tells us our weakness and strengths. It is ok to fail, but make sure you get up or else there is no point. You did not learn your lesson. With pressure from my parents and teacher expecting the best from me. I want to make sure I do not disappoint them. Making a mistake might make them think different of me. I learned that I need to accomplish goals for myself no one else.

According to (Data and Evaluation Strategies to Support Parent Engagement Program: Learnings From an Evaluation of Parent University), parent university is an innovative, collaborative initiatives, aimed at the education of children to engage parents. Parent university and community partners to offer unique courses and seminars, such as "Parental Awareness," "Help your child learn in the 21st century", "Health and Wellness" and "personal growth and development." Parent university the aim is to attract parents of all ages, with special emphasis on the lack of tradition in groups. The program model is inviting parents to participate in activities designed to promote the premise of their participation in their children's education based on ability,

Knowing parents are informed of where the child is and what they are doing leads to trust between the family and the program itself. After school programs are essential in assisting working parents giving them comfort knowing that they’re apart of an organization that cares about their well-being. As a result, 75 percent of parents approve of the curriculum that afterschool programs provide in helping give working parents a safe environment for their children (America After 3pm, 2014). Not only do the programs benefit students academic abilities, but can also give children a chance to interact with peers in a different environment. These activities are built around programs like dance, sports, and drama. Therefore, the mentor and mentee group presents an educational significance that is designed to have a positive influence on youths’ outlook towards learning and aspects of life such as personal development and relationships with

“Listen, this day you’ll put your first steps into the world of high school, but in a blink of an eye, you’ll be walking across the stage at graduation and getting ready to put first steps in the world of college.” Those are the same words my father told when I was just 14 and getting ready for high school. Was I scared of what my father just said? No. Did I really listen and thought about what he said? No. Actuality, my 14 year old self did not wanted to be in high school. I thought I was ready to go to college. Ready move out of my parents’ house and finally live on my own and to be free to do I wanted to do. Now at 17, I understand what my dad was saying. High school went by fast. I am now getting ready college.

In Eric Johnson’s article “Let Parents Be Parents,” published by the Chronicle of Higher Education February 5, 2017, he gives an overarching theme of simplifying the mechanics of college and argues that less parental instruction is needed on campuses today. Johnson appeals to college boards, educators, professors, and parents alike to help remake policy on campus. Johnson’s purpose in writing this article comes from the rise in complexity that college life has become. He emphasizes that parents should be involved in their son’s/daughter’s college life, but suggests ways to help eliminate academic bureaucracy, which would streamline parental involvement. Johnson claims that parents are busy enough without having to traverse the difficulties of introductory college processes with their sons/daughters and gives arguments to support these ideas. Although there are flaws in his writing, over all Johnson writes convincingly, using plain speech with well thought out word choice and rhetorical strategies which give him credibility in the eyes of the reader about his ideas and arguments.

“My parents were the ones who gave me the independence, who gave me the spark to do anything that you set your mind to, as all parents should do for their kids,” (Matlin). When Matlin was growing up, her parents told her she could do anything anyone else can and that she isn’t any different from them, her parents even went as far as to enroll her in public