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College and Money

TIFunkaliciousTIFunkalicious Kicking back inNebraskaRegistered User regular
edited May 2012 in Help / Advice Forum
This was stupid, stop looking at my years old posts

TIFunkalicious on

Posts

  • ihmmyihmmy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Could you set it up as a loan with them? Either interest free, or meets with the cost of living adjustments over the period in which you would pay them back? I've had to do a few shorter term loans from my mom (because she's awesome) and we basically just worked out a payment schedule that was interest free for the 6months or so it took me to pay her back.

    ihmmy on
  • MrOlettaMrOletta Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Have you received a probation warning from the scholarship you're receiving? Maybe try contacting them and ask them to put you on such a period for one more semester. What was your current semester GPA?

    MrOletta on
  • Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Losing the scholarship sounds like it would mean a considerable loss of stress. It shouldn't really be surprising that would appeal to you.

    Obviously one would like to do as well as possible at college, but it isn't very pleasant to have thousands of dollars riding on your finals week performance. Student debt isn't the best thing in the world, but it's relatively benign as debt goes and distributes the stress of paying for college over a period of decades.

    There's nothing wrong with that. Scholarships are free money, but if you're having to kill yourself to keep it and student debt is a reasonable option it's not the end of the world.

    Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
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  • AstrocookieAstrocookie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    Some schools don't take a scholarship away right away. They might put you on an Academic probation period first.

    Also, read the contracts again carefully. Some schools will guarantee a scholarship for a certain amount of time, after which they evaluate your GPA and renew it for another amount of time if you pass.

    Astrocookie on
    .
  • CooterTKECooterTKE Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    If you dont want to bother your parents then you need to look at a loan. If you cannot get a loan then you should go back to work. Not everyone has to go to college. What are you going to college for?

    CooterTKE on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Dude, you have a full scholarship. Rather than losing that and having to get a job to pay for school, treat school as your job. Set up a work schedule for yourself and act like that is from the boss. You gotta do it. It should probably match the schedule of whatever part time job you would get.

    JebusUD on
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  • TIFunkaliciousTIFunkalicious Kicking back in NebraskaRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Cooter - I'm studying for degree in Management Information Systems. It leads to positions pretty much universal to all businesses, which is why I chose it

    Jebus - I never thought of it like that instead of worrying only about due dates and having it over my head all the time, I'll try it for a week and see if I like making a schedule.

    TIFunkalicious on
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Wow, seriously? You're resigned to losing TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR because you can't put a bit of effort into schoolwork?!

    Look, it's undergrad. You need to understand, it's not that challenging. You can't pretend your low grades are due to some internal characteristic inside of you. You haven't hit the limit and "this is the best you can".

    Literally anyone above the 30th percentile of intelligence (who isn't majoring in a hard science) can pull off a 4.00 if they do everything right. Your problem is your CHOICE of behaviors, not something outside of your control.

    So get your grades together, because TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR is quite a bit and it would be pathetic if you lost it because you couldn't get your study habits in order.

    Cognisseur on
  • CrashtardCrashtard Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    JebusUD wrote: »
    Dude, you have a full scholarship. Rather than losing that and having to get a job to pay for school, treat school as your job. Set up a work schedule for yourself and act like that is from the boss. You gotta do it. It should probably match the schedule of whatever part time job you would get.

    This is advice I wish someone had given me when I was in school. If you treat it like a job and spend 40 hours a week on school stuff, you shouldn't have any issues maintaining a high enough gpa, and that is only 8 hours M-F. Add another 5-6 hours a day on sat/sun minimum and you should be ok. This is a minimum though. You should really aim for 10 hours a day M-F, or even a little more if necessary.

    Crashtard on
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  • travathiantravathian Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Yeah seriously, stop worrying about loans and stop hanging out on PA and go get your nose in a book dude.

    Every 1 hour of lecture equals 2 hours of studying, meaning studying should take up as much time as a part to full time job. Hop to it.

    travathian on
  • NostregarNostregar Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    Look, it's undergrad. You need to understand, it's not that challenging. You can't pretend your low grades are due to some internal characteristic inside of you. You haven't hit the limit and "this is the best you can".

    Literally anyone above the 30th percentile of intelligence (who isn't majoring in a hard science) can pull off a 4.00 if they do everything right. Your problem is your CHOICE of behaviors, not something outside of your control.

    I don't know where you went to college, but that is so far from being true.

    Also, I like how you threw in that hard sciences are harder than other things.

    Well done.

    Nostregar on
  • SliderSlider Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Raise your grades. Contact your teachers and find out if you can make up any points or do extra work.

    Slider on
  • travathiantravathian Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Nostregar wrote: »
    Also, I like how you threw in that hard sciences are harder than other things.

    Well done.

    So Journalism, Communications and Business degrees are just as difficult as a Chemical Engineering, Physics, or Biochemistry degrees? There's a reason why the first three are a dime a dozen.

    travathian on
  • NostregarNostregar Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    travathian wrote: »
    Nostregar wrote: »
    Also, I like how you threw in that hard sciences are harder than other things.

    Well done.

    So Journalism, Communications and Business degrees are just as difficult as a Chemical Engineering, Physics, or Biochemistry degrees? There's a reason why the first three are a dime a dozen.

    This debate has been done to death. I'm not going to get into it with you here.

    Nostregar on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    Wow, seriously? You're resigned to losing TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR because you can't put a bit of effort into schoolwork?!

    Look, it's undergrad. You need to understand, it's not that challenging. You can't pretend your low grades are due to some internal characteristic inside of you. You haven't hit the limit and "this is the best you can".

    Literally anyone above the 30th percentile of intelligence (who isn't majoring in a hard science) can pull off a 4.00 if they do everything right. Your problem is your CHOICE of behaviors, not something outside of your control.

    So get your grades together, because TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR is quite a bit and it would be pathetic if you lost it because you couldn't get your study habits in order.

    Agreed. I barely study and I'm pulling a 3.48. If I actually applied myself (which I REALLY plan on doing Spring term), I'll get a 4.0 easy. I blame it on my being out of school for the past 14 years and not having any study habits whatsoever. Granted, having all those years of experience in the "real world" gives me a bit of leg up on the 18 years, but still...

    Esh on
  • Fuzzy Cumulonimbus CloudFuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    A good university is designed to kick your ass, so 4.0 is for the savants and very very very very dedicated people. Make a spreadsheet every week of what you have to do, then check them off one by one. It's very rewarding.

    Fuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud on
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    A good university is designed to kick your ass, so 4.0 is for the savants and very very very very dedicated people. Make a spreadsheet every week of what you have to do, then check them off one by one. It's very rewarding.

    What??? A 4.0 is for savants and very dedicated people?! I left with a 3.98 from a not-too-shabby school just now, and I can definitely say I barely applied myself (nor am I a savant). Hell, let's not bog ourselves down with 4.00 discussion, since that's not what's at hand.

    Can we all at least agree it wouldn't be too difficult to train a chimp to get a 3.25 in undergrad, provided you had enough Scooby Snacks on hand?

    Cognisseur on
  • NostregarNostregar Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    A good university is designed to kick your ass, so 4.0 is for the savants and very very very very dedicated people. Make a spreadsheet every week of what you have to do, then check them off one by one. It's very rewarding.

    What??? A 4.0 is for savants and very dedicated people?! I left with a 3.98 from a not-too-shabby school just now, and I can definitely say I barely applied myself (nor am I a savant). Hell, let's not bog ourselves down with 4.00 discussion, since that's not what's at hand.

    Can we all at least agree it wouldn't be too difficult to train a chimp to get a 3.25 in undergrad, provided you had enough Scooby Snacks on hand?

    The problem is, grades don't necessarily measure what you actually know. There are many people who are very smart but freeze up during tests or have trouble writing well and so get poor grades, even if they know the material.

    The reverse is also possible - to know absolutely nothing but be good enough at BSing to get good grades.

    What I'm saying is, grades do not accurately reflect knowledge or skill.

    Nostregar on
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Nostregar wrote: »
    The problem is, grades don't necessarily measure what you actually know. There are many people who are very smart but freeze up during tests or have trouble writing well and so get poor grades, even if they know the material.

    The reverse is also possible - to know absolutely nothing but be good enough at BSing to get good grades.

    What I'm saying is, grades do not accurately reflect knowledge or skill.

    Wild UNRELATED ARGUMENT appeared!

    UNRELATED ARGUMENT used KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL. It's not very effective...

    SCHOLARSHIP used GPA REQUIREMENT. It's super effective!

    UNRELATED ARGUMENT fainted!

    Cognisseur on
  • Fuzzy Cumulonimbus CloudFuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    A good university is designed to kick your ass, so 4.0 is for the savants and very very very very dedicated people. Make a spreadsheet every week of what you have to do, then check them off one by one. It's very rewarding.

    What??? A 4.0 is for savants and very dedicated people?! I left with a 3.98 from a not-too-shabby school just now, and I can definitely say I barely applied myself (nor am I a savant). Hell, let's not bog ourselves down with 4.00 discussion, since that's not what's at hand.

    Can we all at least agree it wouldn't be too difficult to train a chimp to get a 3.25 in undergrad, provided you had enough Scooby Snacks on hand?
    What was your major?

    Fuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud on
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Sidestepping all the academic hubris in this thread, just call your scholarship sponsor. Explain what is going on and ask for a continuance into next semester for probation then get your shit together. Work hard, study, get your A.

    If you contact them first, they're going to be a lot more lenient on you.

    I kept a few scholarships through a semester where I couldn't get an 'Honors' class because nursing classes were not offered as 'Honors' credits. So even though I didn't fit their own requirements, I kept the money.

    Call your scholarship sponsor, find out what you can do. If there isn't anything you can do, then cram up and nail your finals. Or, beg your professors for additional work to raise your grade. Maybe explain to them your financial situation.

    Not sure how far that'll get you if you haven't been doing much work, though.

    EDIT: I re-read your OP. Stop fucking around dude. You're in college. This is where you get to experience a little more responsibility than highschool. Make your schedule, study, work at it. Sure, there is going to be a ton of people bragging that they did no work and learned everything and are genius' or whatever. You know what? Don't make an enemy out of working hard. Working hard isn't something to be ashamed of.

    MegaMan001 on
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  • NostregarNostregar Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    Nostregar wrote: »
    The problem is, grades don't necessarily measure what you actually know. There are many people who are very smart but freeze up during tests or have trouble writing well and so get poor grades, even if they know the material.

    The reverse is also possible - to know absolutely nothing but be good enough at BSing to get good grades.

    What I'm saying is, grades do not accurately reflect knowledge or skill.

    Wild UNRELATED ARGUMENT appeared!

    UNRELATED ARGUMENT used KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL. It's not very effective...

    SCHOLARSHIP used GPA REQUIREMENT. It's super effective!

    UNRELATED ARGUMENT fainted!

    I..what?

    You're saying that anyone is capable of getting a 4.0 if they study hard enough.

    I'm saying, some people just don't do well in grading situations and so cannot get a 4.0 because a GPA is based on grades.

    I...didn't think that was a difficult point to get.


    Edit: Done arguing this. It has derailed the thread and you're acting like a silly goose.

    Nostregar on
  • AstrocookieAstrocookie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    Don't know why you guys had that argument. Everyone knows that other than for scholarships and gradschool GPA is pretty much bullshit that you don't even have to worry about once you are out of academia.

    No one's going to give a fucking shit in the real world, because it's not how the real world works. Unless your in one of those retarded situations where you are so evenly matched to another candidate that you have to use GPA as a tie breaker. (of course, you get the same results by flipping a god damn coin)

    Astrocookie on
    .
  • baudattitudebaudattitude Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Hi. I'm a random stranger on the internet. Our only connection is that, uh, you're going to school in Omaha and I grew up in Chadron. Go 'Huskers.

    I'm also a college student. Right now I'm at 129 credits, which puts me pretty close to the end of my Junior year, and I'm currently running a GPA of just over 4.00, thanks to the occasional A+.

    If you're at around 3.00 right now and you need a 3.25 by the end of the year, you're really going to need to pick up some As.

    Here's my advice. These are the rules I've gone by since starting college, and they've worked so far:

    1: Be in class every day. Seriously, unless you're REALLY sick. I've missed 7 days of school in the last 3 years, five of those days were consecutive thanks to H1N1.

    2: Sit in the front row, slightly off to one side. If you've got a right handed teacher, sit to the right side of the room. Left handed teacher, sit to the left side. That way, when they're writing on the whiteboard, their body isn't blocking your view.

    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    5: Be in your seat 10 minutes before class, or early enough that you are seated before your instructor walks in. Say "Hello" to them every day. Even if you're in a 300 person auditorium class, the instructor should know YOUR name.

    6: Do you have GTFs? Be nice to them, they grade your papers and exams.

    7: Read the syllabus. Know how you're being graded. Do extra credit if the teacher offers it and it's worth it. I'm in a lit class right now where the teacher gave us the opportunity to do one extra credit assignment for up to 10 points. The entirety of the class grade is based on 300 points worth of test scores and writing assignments. Her "10 point" writing assignment is worth 3% of the grade. That's worth it. If the class grade was based on 1000 points worth of tests and writing, 10 points extra would only be 1% of a grade. Probably not worth knocking yourself out.

    8: #7 there should actually have been the first thing I put down, but I'm too lazy to renumber the list.

    9: Speak In Class. Seriously. This goes hand in hand with making sure the instructor knows your name. You want to be The Guy Who Always Has His Hand Up. Even if you don't give a damn about the class you're in, Fake It.

    10: If you're doing / have done all of the above and you're still getting toasted at grade time, take easier classes. :)

    baudattitude on
  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    First of all, A LOT IS TWO WORDS.

    Second, this sentence fragment right here
    I haven't given up on the scholarship

    is a bunch of crap. The rest of your OP paints a pretty clear picture of a person who is on the verge of giving up and it already tasting the possible relief of not having to meet some not-so-stringent requirements. Did you know you needed a 3.25 to keep the scholarship last semester? And you then proceeded to fuck off after receiving a 3.0? It's seriously time for a priority change.

    Get your shit in gear, get off the internet and study your ass off for the rest of this semester, talk to your scholarship administrator to see what the procedure is for scholarship probation. Taking a proactive (attending class, doing well on tests, emailing professors and TA's with questions, etc.) approach is going to go over much better than the reactive approach (exploring loans, whining to an internet forum when you could be doing your goddamn homework, etc.).


    Don't know why you guys had that argument. Everyone knows that other than for scholarships and gradschool GPA is pretty much bullshit that you don't even have to worry about once you are out of academia.

    No one's going to give a fucking shit in the real world, because it's not how the real world works. Unless your in one of those retarded situations where you are so evenly matched to another candidate that you have to use GPA as a tie breaker. (of course, you get the same results by flipping a god damn coin)

    Extra wrong. I am a decade out of college and prospective employers are still interested in my undergrad GPA.

    Usagi on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    I don't see the problem in typing notes. It's way faster.

    Esh on
  • ElinElin Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    I don't see the problem in typing notes. It's way faster.

    I would think there would be 2 reasons. 1st, if you have your laptop open it is much easier for an undisciplined/uninterested person to goof off on the internet. 2nd, and maybe this is just me, when I type notes I don't remember them as well as hand written. It's more of an eyes to keyboard vs. thinking what I'm writing.

    And if you can keep your scholarship, do so. You could probably get loans, true. But paying them back will not be enjoyable later when you're in debt and have other things that you'd rather do with that money.

    Elin on
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  • baudattitudebaudattitude Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    I don't see the problem in typing notes. It's way faster.

    If you're handwriting, you can't get IMs or decide to check Facebook "for just a second", or have your laptop get a Windows Update and go off into chug chug chug land for five minutes.

    Also, I find that writing things down by hand makes them stick in my head better than if I type them out, AND if I'm furiously writing notes, the instructor SEES that I'm taking notes, which means that I am getting points with the instructor. Good grades aren't all about getting the answers right.

    But mostly it's because laptops represent an amazing potential for distraction.

    baudattitude on
  • finnithfinnith ... TorontoRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Heh, I'm actually in a situation similar to yours. I'm attending one of the top business undergrad programs in Ontario (Schulich) and I'm having a bit of trouble differentiating myself from everyone else, given that they're just as smart, and maybe even more experienced, than I am. I never had the advantage of a full scholarship though, and only received $3000 in scholarships and bursaries and $3000 in student loans to pay off the program, which was just about $7000. The problem with me is similar, I need a 8.0 GPA to keep the $2000 scholarship, and that isn't happening this year. What's more is that they have instituted a system where if you miss it once, you can't renew it ever again. You really have two choices here, either to really work hard and increase your stress level, or to take it down a bit. I don't know how much stress you can endure or how good your work ethic is (I don't care what it says in the OP) so I wont give any absolute advice. Depending on what branch of business you want to go into, student loans may or may not be that difficult to pay off.

    As for the high GPAs given in this thread, its a bit confusing. In Canada at least, there are a number of pretty crappy universities and colleges (which aren't the same). I know in some they only cover half the material we did in my Stats class.

    finnith on
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  • travathiantravathian Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Nostregar wrote: »
    travathian wrote: »
    Nostregar wrote: »
    Also, I like how you threw in that hard sciences are harder than other things.

    Well done.

    So Journalism, Communications and Business degrees are just as difficult as a Chemical Engineering, Physics, or Biochemistry degrees? There's a reason why the first three are a dime a dozen.

    This debate has been done to death. I'm not going to get into it with you here.

    Get into what? There's a reason college athletes chose the majors they do.

    travathian on
  • LadyMLadyM Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I am bothered though. Why do I feel good about this? In fact, I am doing nothing but looking forward to the relief of the classes passing grade to be my bar, not the scholarships.

    Because it gives you a further excuse to slack off and not try anymore.

    Here's what you should know about student debt: it sucks and cannot be purged even if you go bankrupt. Look long and hard at how much debt you would be taking on and how much you can expect to make in your chosen career once you graduate. Also keeping in mind that thanks to interest, that actual amount you owe will continue to grow until you finish paying it off.

    LadyM on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    I don't see the problem in typing notes. It's way faster.

    If you're handwriting, you can't get IMs or decide to check Facebook "for just a second", or have your laptop get a Windows Update and go off into chug chug chug land for five minutes.

    Also, I find that writing things down by hand makes them stick in my head better than if I type them out, AND if I'm furiously writing notes, the instructor SEES that I'm taking notes, which means that I am getting points with the instructor. Good grades aren't all about getting the answers right.

    But mostly it's because laptops represent an amazing potential for distraction.

    I am WAY too busy typing to even think about Facebook or IMs (if my client was even on). I don't know what lecture classes you took that you would possibly have time to relax like that while taking notes...

    EDIT: And so many "hand written" note takers come to me later asking for my notes because they can't keep up doing it manually.

    Esh on
  • baudattitudebaudattitude Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    Esh wrote: »
    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    I don't see the problem in typing notes. It's way faster.

    If you're handwriting, you can't get IMs or decide to check Facebook "for just a second", or have your laptop get a Windows Update and go off into chug chug chug land for five minutes.

    Also, I find that writing things down by hand makes them stick in my head better than if I type them out, AND if I'm furiously writing notes, the instructor SEES that I'm taking notes, which means that I am getting points with the instructor. Good grades aren't all about getting the answers right.

    But mostly it's because laptops represent an amazing potential for distraction.

    I am WAY too busy typing to even think about Facebook or IMs (if my client was even on). I don't know what lecture classes you took that you would possibly have time to relax like that while taking notes...

    EDIT: And so many "hand written" note takers come to me later asking for my notes because they can't keep up doing it manually.

    Wow, I'm pretty sure you're reading more into my posts than I'm actually writing there.

    I said that laptops represent a potential for distraction, and I'm going to stand by that. You're able to rise above that, and that's commendable, but the OP here is worried about dropping below a 3.0 and could probably use as few opportunities to be distracted as possible.

    Like you, I have classmates come to me for notes. These classmates often have their laptops out during class. I'm not looking at what they're doing, because I'm in the front and can't see their screens, but whatever they're doing, it's something that means that they don't have notes for the class.

    Also, and just because you brought in the "I don't know what lecture classes YOU took" thing: I'm a Junior at the University of Oregon, and I have a cumulative GPA over 4. You're a freshman at PSU, running a respectable 3.48 GPA. I'm in the East Asian Languages and Literature Department, you're in Film Studies. We can start dicking back and forth about whose major is harder and so on and so forth, and whether I'm at a Football & Party School while you're at a Serious Academic Institution, or we could agree that we're both probably working pretty hard in school, have found methods that suit our individual tastes, and are recommending them to the OP.

    baudattitude on
  • KistraKistra Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Make sure your professors know who you are. Go to their office hours and ask for help. Ask them for advice on what to do to learn the material better. Ask them to explain what you did wrong on your last test. Wen you professors know you personally and know you are working hard and have first hand experience with you the entire semester they will try to help you out.

    At my university our finals were all 7-9am, 10-12, 1-3, and 5-7 and there was a university wide schedule (ie all classes that met on mondays from 10:30-11:20 had their finals at the same time). Usually. Apparently in one of my classes the professor asked if he could move our final to 9-11. I don't know if I wasn't there that day or if I somehow blanked that out but I was the only person that showed up at 10. I failed that final horribly. I should have failed the class. However, I had been in that professors office every single week the entire semester and he had seen the work I was putting into the class. I asked for an extra hour to finish the exam, he offered to write a new one and have me take it two weeks later.

    I'm assuming that PSU in baudattitude isn't referring to Penn State, but when I first read that paragraph it made me burst out laughing and the idea that Penn State isn't equally a Football & Party School.

    Kistra on
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  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    Esh wrote: »
    3: Write everything down that they put up on an overhead or write on the whiteboard, even if they make their presentations available online. In an average term, I go through two spiral notebooks per class.

    4: Use a pen & paper for the above. Close your laptop whenever the instructor is talking. I go through a few ballpoints every term, too.

    I don't see the problem in typing notes. It's way faster.

    If you're handwriting, you can't get IMs or decide to check Facebook "for just a second", or have your laptop get a Windows Update and go off into chug chug chug land for five minutes.

    Also, I find that writing things down by hand makes them stick in my head better than if I type them out, AND if I'm furiously writing notes, the instructor SEES that I'm taking notes, which means that I am getting points with the instructor. Good grades aren't all about getting the answers right.

    But mostly it's because laptops represent an amazing potential for distraction.

    I am WAY too busy typing to even think about Facebook or IMs (if my client was even on). I don't know what lecture classes you took that you would possibly have time to relax like that while taking notes...

    EDIT: And so many "hand written" note takers come to me later asking for my notes because they can't keep up doing it manually.

    Wow, I'm pretty sure you're reading more into my posts than I'm actually writing there.

    I said that laptops represent a potential for distraction, and I'm going to stand by that. You're able to rise above that, and that's commendable, but the OP here is worried about dropping below a 3.0 and could probably use as few opportunities to be distracted as possible.

    Like you, I have classmates come to me for notes. These classmates often have their laptops out during class. I'm not looking at what they're doing, because I'm in the front and can't see their screens, but whatever they're doing, it's something that means that they don't have notes for the class.

    Also, and just because you brought in the "I don't know what lecture classes YOU took" thing: I'm a Junior at the University of Oregon, and I have a cumulative GPA over 4. You're a freshman at PSU, running a respectable 3.48 GPA. I'm in the East Asian Languages and Literature Department, you're in Film Studies. We can start dicking back and forth about whose major is harder and so on and so forth, and whether I'm at a Football & Party School while you're at a Serious Academic Institution, or we could agree that we're both probably working pretty hard in school, have found methods that suit our individual tastes, and are recommending them to the OP.

    I never attacked your academia at all. I was just saying if one is taking notes, there's generally no time to stop and check your Facebook. My profs so far haven't stopped rattling off information at me in any of my lecture based classes. I think you read way too much into what I was saying. :P If one is at the point where they feel the need to check Facebook in the middle of the class, they have other issues to they need to deal with. When I'm shelling out thousands of dollars, I'm gonna leave the Facebook checking for after class.

    On another note, where did you get the Film major information? That was a filler major for me when I started. I'm actually an Applied Linguistics major with a French minor.

    Esh on
  • BoomShakeBoomShake The Engineer Columbia, MDRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Taking notes on a laptop really depends on the style of the class. If there's at least a diagram or a few equations per lecture, you're much better off just handwriting instead of fiddling with whatever software.

    There's also an advantage of taking notes by hand that hasn't been brought up yet. It forces you to take notes and not transcripts. People, especially with the added speed of typing on a laptop, very easily fall into the trap of recording every single thing that comes out of the professor's mouth in full detail. As a consequence, it will take much longer to study and be much harder to hammer in the important bits than if one used some proper notes.

    To the OP: Buckle the fuck down. Study. Do you work. Put your education above frivolous parties, jobs, and other nonsense. This isn't high school; responsibilities are real and nobody's going to hold your bottle for you anymore. At this point you're losing something that most people would kill to have simply because you can't be bothered to put in the required effort. Sounds to me like you don't deserve it, but you've got it and should damn well make the best of it.

    BoomShake on
  • LadyMLadyM Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I take notes by hand because the very act of writing helps me remember the lecture later. Also because I can scribble down quick sketches of maps, diagrams, etc. YMMV, notes vs laptop is really down to what helps a particular person more.

    LadyM on
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