Transitioning to Emory University as a first-generation student from a low socioeconomic background accustomed to being surround by peers from similar backgrounds and of the same race was a whirlwind. I remember constantly questioning whether or not I had made the right decision by coming to an elite university and wondering if I would ever be able to call Emory my home. The academic transition was no easier. I had never encountered such challenging classwork and learned rather quickly that I would have to work twice as hard in order to keep up. Like many other first semester freshmen, I enrolled in General Chemistry in order to get a start on completing the list of pre-medical requirements. After an extremely challenging semester, full
Fear and anxiety plagued my mind during this transition, however my wife and daughter kept my mind at ease. The information and instruction that was provided from the Professors at Durham Tech galvanized something deep within me. I began to strive for goals that I thought were unattainable as a naïve adolescent. Instructors encouraged me to work hard and to be persistent when it came to the immense obstacles of my course work such as giving a presentation at an honors symposium as an honors student. After countless years of self doubt and negative feelings towards education as a whole, for the first time in my life, I felt like college was an option for
College is an extremely terrifying experience, especially when someone doesn’t know how to maneuver around or choosing the right course or class. Furthermore, it was a great privilege to receive that first letter from The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS)., Knowing that I’ve been accepted into an honor society that chose someone like myself out of several other qualified students on my campus. That letter gave hope and inspiration for someone like myself the strength to overcome any obstacles, in addition, to being welcomed into this tremendous family that reaches far and wide to help students like myself to accomplish our goals and dream, especially being in the first generation to attend college especially an older adult continuing my
William G. Tierney, Zoë B. Corwin, Julia E. Colyar, (2005), Preparing for colleges, pp 200-264
Many programs are targeted to support members of minority, low income, disabled, or first generation students (Kezar, 2000). The main focus of most programs is to give disadvantaged students the same chance of graduating as non-minority students (Ohland & Crockett, 2002). Several common factors play a role in impeding minority acclimation into the college environment, which include: a lack of academic preparation, a lack of peers with common characteristics, and financial need
Adam Gorlick in “ Got an hour? Boost your grades. Stanford psychologists design 60-minute exercise that raises GPAs of minority student” talks about the transition from high school to college and the difficulties many students face. In his article Adam Gorlick brings up various questions many freshman ask for example, will they fit in but also brings up the issue of being a minority in a new college campus. He later goes on to talk about how these situations during the transition to college are situations that everyone goes through.
Having previously viewed Accepted before this course, it has been a favorite of mine because of the way college was portrayed in the film. I was anxious to move from the constant watch of my parents to a care-free environment where I was free to do as I please, not having to answer to anyone. The actions of Bartleby and his peers at South Harmon excited me for a time of partying and living life to it’s fullest potential. I expected the same from my experience, but soon realized that it was unrealistic if I wanted my grades to be exceptional. College is about having the time of your life, but in the right ways with the proper balance. Too much studying or too much partying can both lead to negative consequences on the body. Through experimentation, I am working to find the proper balance that works for me. Like the students in the beginning of Ms. Watson’s class, I expected the courses to be straightforward and that I could grasp them on my own. I aspired to maintain a grade point average similar to what I graduated high school with and also wanted to identify what I am passionate about. My courses this fall have proven to be quite difficult and have challenged me to realize my true learning potential. I have discovered that, if I
What topic or presentation is most beneficial to future students transitioning to Bradley University and why?
I am an Asian-American who will be the first in my family to go to a prestigious college such as UT Austin. I am also a swimmer and that has taught me many great traits such as time management and work ethic, of which I have transferred into my education. As the first-born in my family, continuing my education is a necessity for my parents, and thus they have pushed me to take challenging courses such as AP Chemistry. I moved to Texas during the summer of my sophmore year, and thus was thursted into a brand new enviroment, but thanks to swimming I adapted and was able to excel in both academics and extracurricular activities.
The values that define the Mortar Board program at Texas Tech are some that I strive to implement in and out of the classroom. However, in my personal experience these most often manifest through unusual ways not typical of a premedical student. Upon entering college, I was a biology major and dedicated my time to classes and extracurricular that directly supported my academic goals. I soon learned that preparing for my future could be more diverse than sticking to only science related activities. During my second semester I made some modifications to my plan by switching to a more specialized major in cell and molecular biology and minors in chemistry and theatre arts-acting with plans to attend medical school. This change in perspective also presented the opportunity to have a more diverse set of activities to further my horizons.
During my career at SUNY Orange, I have grown by leaps and bounds. I have mastered my short comings, earned a 3.5 GPA, made the Dean’s list three semesters and running, earned the Peter Albergani Inspirational Scholarship, and I was selected to attend the Exploring Transfer Program at Vassar College. SUNY Orange has opened many doors for me, doors I did not even know existed. I was not sure that I wanted to attempt to get my Bachelor’s degree, seeing as just getting my Associates degree was more than I ever imagined I would accomplish. That all changed when I was given the opportunity to experience what it would be like to attempt learning at a four year institution.
On paper, I may not be the best student. I know very well that I am not the brightest student that this university has come across. Nonetheless, my drive and determination is something that I am very proud of. I strive to put my all into every aspect of my education. I remember junior year of high school being the most challenging year I have ever had. I took the initiative of taking three AP level courses all in one semester. I took AP U.S. History, AP Language, and AP Statistics head on that semester. I had heard rumors about AP U.S. History being “the hardest class you will ever take in high school”. That terrified me from the moment I first entered the classroom. With the help of an amazing teacher, it became my favorite class right away. I had not heard much about AP Language, so I had no clue what
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing a great inspiration to me, my mother, Stephanie Sacks, about her experience in college. She went to Evergreen State College for her baccalaureate degree. She enjoyed the vast majority of the classes she took; “All of Evergreen was sort of an extracurricular.”, she said. The one she didn’t like was a biology class. “I absolutely hated that class.”, she remembered. The room was so warm, and the lectures so boring, that she fell asleep on multiple occasions. “Thank god I didn’t go to a regular college, because I would have absolutely hated it,” She chuckled. “I hated studying things I had no interest in.” Her favorite part of college was getting to pick which classes she took, which she said, “...was
My experiences as a student at UC Berkeley have prepared me for success in Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s intense accelerated program. As an undergraduate at UC Berkeley I persisted through semesters of full course loads while volunteering in two labs on campus and working late shifts as a barista. Although my lunch breaks at work usually consisted of a rushed croissant with my head in the books, I will never forget those days because they taught me to thrive in stressful situations. Despite the heavy workload and time commitment I earned a 3.65 GPA and never fell behind in my research assignments or coursework. My dedication to learning, a positive attitude, organizational ability and time management contributed to my success as
Although many peoples’ most significant memories of college are those outside of the classroom, a degree is not conferred based upon such things. Rather, students’ academic performance is what determines whether students earn a degree or certificate. Academic issues were a point of concern at many institutions as incoming students often struggled with basic skills. Furthermore, international students who needed remedial English were less likely to persist (Mamiseishvili, 2012). There have been numerous issues, obstacles, and challenges that may inhibit a student’s ability to navigate the rigors of college. Much has been discussed concerning improved educational opportunities for minority and underrepresented students in
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one student to dissolve the bonds which have held him to his high school life, he can get fairly intimidated. Making the transition from high school to college can be a tough one. I remember my experience in such a transition vividly, as it was only a short time ago.