25 Ways to Make College Pay Off - Brossura

Coplin, Bill

Brossura

ISBN 10: 081447456X ISBN 13: 9780814474563

Casa editrice: McGraw-Hill Education / Europe, Middle East & Africa, 2007

Riassunto

In the next few years, parents can expect to spend more than $40,000 per year on their child’s college tuition. While that number may seem frightening, it is not as grim as the statistics that predict their child’s chances of actually finding a job after graduation. Only about 20% of employers believe college graduates are ready for the workforce, and only 40% of graduates will find a job that will ensure their financial independence. The good news is that with the right advice, parents can turn their pricey investment into one that truly yields a high return and a rewarding career for their son or daughter. Professor Coplin offers honest advice for parents who want their child’s college experience to ensure future success– both financially and emotionally. Parents will learn how to help their college-bound student: * develop skills employers actually want * get their first job * treat career services as their best ally * explore a variety of career paths * realize the importance of the unpaid internship * and more.A unique and no-nonsense blueprint, 25 Ways to Make College Pay Off will show parents how to mentor and guide their child through college so that he or she gets the most out of the experience and leaves prepared for the real world.

Su questo libro

L'autore

Professor Bill Coplin, Ph.D. (Fayetteville, NY) has been the director and professor of public affairs at Syracuse University for more than 30 years and is the author of How You Can Help and the acclaimed 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College.

Contenuti

INTRODUCTION Chapter 1: Focus, Focus, Focus Your children have many reasons for attending college. By using this book, following the 20 tips, and using a little common sense, you can give your children a target for their career-savvy college experience. Two goals are suggested to give them focus: developing the skills employers want and exploring a variety of career options. Chapter 2: The Goldilocks LessonParents can’t be micro-managers of their children’s college career but a total hands-off approach is asking for trouble. You need to find an approach that is neither too hard nor too soft, but just right. Maintain a dynamic relationship with your child in college that requires the right combination of suggesting, cajoling, and “no comment.” Chapter 3: Is Your Child College Material?What a harsh question? Many parents get sweaty palms when contemplating the question. Many more should be stressed by it but are in denial. The answer depends on what you mean by “college.” If you mean the traditional four year liberal arts program, the answer is no in at least 70% of the cases. If you mean some form of post-secondary education, the answer is most likely “yes.” This chapter will describe how to judge your children and what directions to encourage them. I’ll show the infinite variety of options that may have a bigger career payoff than the traditional four year college.Chapter 4: The Application Process is More than a Competition High school students who approach the application process the right way will be preparing for a successful career even before their first day in a college classroom. What college they get into is less important than what skills they practice in playing the application game. Chapter 5: Get College Credit in High School You and your child may see high school as a time to prepare to get into a good college. Don’t get me wrong, it is. But it is also a time to take college credit-bearing courses and participate in critical non-academic activities. Astronomically high grades and advanced courses without college credit may get your child into a slightly more prestigious school, but will delay their career preparation. Chapter 6: Every Student Should Have Their Own Financial Stake in the GameParents may think providing a full financial ride to their children allows them to be free to get more out of college, but it doesn’t look good to employers and for good reason. Employers want to see evidence of work ethic as well as time and money management. Earning some money to pay for college is a good indicator of these and many others skills. Chapter 7: Rejoice! Not All Coursework Is Purely Academic Think of how the term “it’s academic” or “ivory tower” is used as a negative. There is a reason for that and everyone seems to know it, even the faculty. Many college courses contribute little to career development and some even detract from it. Students should take courses that emphasize skills and require teamwork, field work and projects that have application outside the classroom. Chapter 8: The High GPA Myth The worry that low grades will lead to poor career options is misplaced. As long as they remain above a 2.0, your child will be fine. High grades may have little to do with and may in fact get in the way of career preparation. Low grades may signal your child has the mission of career preparation firmly in focusChapter 9: The Low GPA DangerIf your child’s grades are heading below 2.0, it is time to be worried. Close to 40% of freshman do not graduate in six years, and GPA is the most direct measure of degree progress. In order to be aware of looming problems, parents must demand that they have access to information on their children’s grades and progress toward the completion of degree requirements. If your child is heading to probation and eventual suspension, it is time to make some credible threats. Chapter 10: Discover the Underground Curriculum---Experience A college education is not just meeting degree requirements. It is four years of experiences that will serve as a launching pad for skill development and career exploration. Why experience is the key to success will be illustrate with some remarkable success stories of students I have known. Chapter 11: Start off by “Doing Good”Students are increasingly working in the community and on campus to serve others. In addition to the intrinsic value in doing good, these activities can be a critical first step in career development. The people doing the hiring in Human Resources love to see community service on a resume.Chapter 12: Get Off Campus at Least One SemesterYour child should plan to spend at least one semester earning credits off campus. The semester can be overseas or in the U.S. and should incorporate field experience. Plus, visiting them was never more exciting.Chapter 13: Summer is a Time for Real Learning Parents may see the summer as a time for their children to earn some money to help pay for their college education, but an unpaid internship can be worth more than 30 credits of coursework. Chapter 14: Look Elsewhere for Critical Courses Outside vendors run courses that can be more valuable than those offered by colleges. Corporations will pay the Dale Carnegie Training Institute $1,400 to send one of their employees to the introductory course. At a private college, you will pay over $2,500 for three credits of Psych 101. If the goal is to develop human relations skills, the choice is obvious!Chapter 15: Treat Career Services as Your Best AllyStudents and parents tend to think of career services as part of an end plan strategy to get prepped for the job market. The truth is that it should be part of the career development strategy from the first day students step on campus as an applicant. Chapter 16: Graduate as Soon as Possible Except for a few undergraduate programs like Architecture, a college degree is supposed to take four years to complete. However, only about 50% make it in four years. The faster your children graduate college the better for their career (and your wallet).Chapter 17: Find Mentors in the Right Places Students need adults (mentors) to help them think about their future and also to provide references. Their roommate or boyfriend or girlfriend does not count. Their first instinct may be to look towards faculty, which in many cases is the wrong place. College staff, employers and intern supervisors are usually a better bet. Chapter 18: Continuous Improvement Requires Continuous Evaluation A shark dies if it doesn’t keep moving forward; the same goes for your child’s career development. Instill in your child the habit of self-evaluation of skills and of career exploration; the earlier the better. Chapter 19: High School ¿ College ¿ Graduate School? The Wrong Path for More than you would thinkStudents should consider graduate school as part of a thoughtful career plan rather than as an automatic default option. A few years in the real world may give them a path to success without an additional two years of school and an extra $100,000.Chapter 20: The 20’s is the Time for Real Career Learning Parents and students think that once the college degree is earned, they are ready for a successful career. Not true. The skills and exploration practiced in college will become even more important in the years after your child’s education.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: McGraw-Hill Education / Europe, Middle East & Africa
• Data di pubblicazione: 2007
• ISBN 10: 081447456X
• ISBN 13: 9780814474563
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero edizione: 1
• Numero di pagine: 256