While a university classroom can certainly be a good place to learn, it is true that many students will actually learn more outside of the classroom than they will listening to lectures and taking tests. The difference is just in the types of things that they will learn. In a class setting, they will be given a vast amount of important information. They will learn theories and ideas. They will enhance their minds. Outside of the classroom, though, they will learn about the real world, something that many of them have never fully experienced before. From Family Life to University LifeThe problem is just that students often come straight from families, where other people are always helping them and making things easier, to universities, where professors and advisors fulfill this same roll. They do have to do more on their own at a university, but they are not yet entirely independent. The school setting is somewhat insulated from real life. For example, student jobs are provided for them, maintenance on their dorms is done by someone else, and their parents may still handle their finances. Learning QuicklyIn the real world, they have to take care of all of this on their own. This contrast can be rather jarring for most students, really catching them off guard when they graduate and there is no one there to assist them. However, smart students will learn quickly by trying to expose themselves to these things and by asking advice before they graduate, which can help make the transition easier. For example, some students buy homes and rent them out while still taking classes; this teaches them about investing in properties and about the responsibilities of being a homeowner. Testing Financial PathsAnother thing that students should do is to look into all of their financial options, even if their parents are paying for their room and board and sending them spending money. They do not want to flounder when this funding is cut off. For instance, they should get credit cards and learn how to use them responsibly. Even if they are just using them to buy snacks and school supplies, they can learn about short-term loans - which credit cards are really - paying their bills on time and building up their credit ratings. If they have the responsibility of a credit card, they can also find out firsthand how important it is to have a plan and to stick to that plan at all times. Debt can quickly creep in with student credit cards without a plan, building on itself and growing more quickly than many people can believe. However, credit cards are never going to build up unwanted debt if the student understands his or her income level, the difference between necessary purchases and frivolous ones and when to stop charging things to the card. The theory behind this can be learned in a classroom, but the practical application has to be learned by getting a card and putting it to use. Mistakes are Excellent TeachersOne thing that students will discover is that making small mistakes is sometimes the best thing that can happen. They will learn a lot in rapid fashion if they stray from their credit card plan build up too much debt and cannot pay it off at the end of the month. They will hate paying interest on what they still owe. However, having to pay the interest on a small amount of credit card excess is far better than making a mistake with a long-term loan, like a home mortgage, which could result in the loss of the home.Students who take the time to learn both inside and outside of the classroom will be prepared for the real world after graduation. These students will be well-equipped to deal with all of life's challenges and obstacles. Sources:http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/12/27/credit-card-debt-can-harm-college-studentshttp://www.thinkarete.com/credit-card-debt-for-students/
College is meant to be one of the most important stepping stones in life. The education students receive is designed to give them knowledge, experience, and a considerable leg up on the competition. Students are expected to become masters at their professional pursuits. Yet it should be noted that not all degrees are created equal. Some of the most popular degrees create well rounded individuals that are fit for many different careers within their professional aspirations. The top ten most popular degrees are largely proponents of this sort of developmental flexibility. Business Administration: Those who are versed in business administration are often very adept at performing a number of different tasks in the workplace. You learn how to budget, plan, direct, and manage a number of different organizations. Psychology: This degree is for the people who wonder about what makes them tick. Psychology majors learn about cognition, intelligence, emotion, and disorders. They can do everything from teach or research any of the incredible processes made in the human mind. Nursing: Nursing may be the strictest degree on the list. After all, if you're looking to be a nurse, you have a good general idea of what you want to do. Helping people and assisting doctors are major draws to the job. But there is still wiggle room. There are different types of nurses (pediatric, geriatric, et cetera) that deal with different issues and environments. Biological Science: Biology is literally the study of life. Everything from microscopic organisms to the entire ecological landscape of the planet resides in this pursuit. Education: Those who become education majors often have creativity, patience, and compassion. Their goal is to teach and inspire the next generation. There are a number of different topics to become proficient in and teach. This major gives students the tools to become inspiring educators. English Language and Literature: Many people feel that English class was the bane of their pre-college existence. Many find themselves thoroughly enjoying this major that encourages communication and literary comprehension. This major creates new generations of writers, readers, reporters, and thinkers. Economics: Economics is the study of scarcity and choice. How and why people choose to spend their money and time. The major can deal with anything as small as the individual to as large as the entire planet's economic structure. Communications: Communications majors are well sought out in business, public relations, and government. Why? Because they know how to spin an amazing tale and keep people enthralled. Through learning and understanding the different modes of communication, these majors prepare themselves for diverse career options down the road. Political Sciences: This isn't just the study of a political structure. This is the study of current events and how it shapes the world. Political sciences prepare people for careers in a number of places: academia, government, and even in multinational corporations. Computer and Information Sciences: This is one of the fastest growing fields in the world today. As more and more businesses become technologically advanced, the number of people who require computer sciences majors will exponentially increase. What's amazing is that this boom is expected in nearly every field. Each of these degrees aim to foster a roundness in graduates that will promote success overall success. After all, the aim of receiving a college education isn't solely to become adept at retaining information. Teaching relevant knowledge isn't the only important duty a college performs. It's also about trying to create a student that is well versed and learned across the spectrum each degree represents. Choosing the degree that works best for you is the first action you take before leaping across to this great stepping stone of life. Abi writes for Richmond, a University based in London that offers courses from BA history through to BA in psychology, learn more about their offerings at Richmond.ac.uk.
Regardless of the profession you choose, you will work with people from other countries. This can often be intimidating and challenging for any individual without any real international experience. While traveling does aid in understanding different cultures, nothing is as good a preparation as to submerge yourself into an entirely new and exciting environment to be able to appreciate cultural differences and the best ways to overcome the challenges presented in such circumstances. A Global World At some point in your career, you will work with people from other countries. The art industry, business industry, gastronomy industry and education industry are all filled with people from the world over. As economies change, people often shift towards stronger economies seeking a better life. This often results in highly diverse working populations as is represented in a variety of countries today such as the UK, USA and Australia. Working with people who have contrasting life experiences and cultural upbringings often creates inter-office challenges. Having lived in another country, you will learn firsthand the best ways to work with people different from you. Employment Opportunities Another advantage is that you will understand what it is like to be a foreigner in another land provide you with a unique perspective your colleagues lack, which is often highly sought after by employers. Most employers, particularly those with international clientele, often prefer employees with international experience. In some cases, employers will not promote individuals who have not lived in another country. Doing so at such a young age provides you with greater opportunities throughout your career without having to disrupt your life during a more complicated time. Diverse Personalities The world is filled with contrasting personalities and studying abroad will guide you in learning the most idyllic ways to work with individuals opposite to you. Times will arise when you encounter a person from your own country or another with whom you do not see eye to eye. It is inevitable. Your skills obtained abroad will allow for you to learn how to work with such personalities rather than to remain frustrated and dissatisfied in your current circumstance. Once in a Lifetime Even though you will likely work with people from various countries throughout your career, you may never have the opportunity to live in another country again. Once people begin to settle down and have families, the prospect and appeal of moving abroad often subsides. Also, making friends in other countries is far easier as a student than as a professional. You will experience the country just as others your own age which is often not the case for people simply working in other countries. This is the ideal time to go out and explore the world. As you study alongside people from all over the world, you will learn vital skills to aid in your career. Such skills with increase your employment opportunities, make you eligible for promotions in the future and teach you the best ways to work with people different from yourself in an increasingly diverse world. Sally writes for Richmond, who operate a range of subjects from theatre studies courses through to psychology click here to learn more.
In a recent longitudinal study conducted by Oxford University, UK teens with access to the internet at home were found to be at a distinct educational advantage than those that did not. The study set out to examine the way in which teens use the internet and mobile devices and to identify whether this had a correlation with educational attainment. Between 2008 and 2011 more than 200 teenagers and their families were involved in the study, regularly updating the research team via face-to-face interviews. In the initial interview phase the study identified high levels of parental anxiety towards the internet's potential to distract teens from serious study. However, the research evidence found no such relationship existed. In fact quite the opposite; teens with access to the internet at home were found to achieve better grades academically. While figures on the level of internet access in the home have risen year-on-year, what this means is that in the UK, 5% of the teen population still do not have access to the internet at home â€" leaving some 300,000 children at an educational disadvantage. For many of the students interviewed the internet had become a central resource for research, advice and information sharing, without it they would be unable to produce work to the same standard. As well as the detrimental effects academically, teens revealed that a lack of internet access in the home didn't just affect their studies but also their social experiences and feelings of social acceptance. These findings may not appear surprising but in fact they contradict a large body of past research that suggests technology distracts students from serious study. According to Dr Chris Davies, a researcher at the University, the evidence found that parental anxiety towards the internet and more specifically the distraction caused by social networks was not supported. In many cases parents discourage the use of online resources when in reality they should embrace it. LearnersCloud, an online GCSE revision resource offers students access to their complete syllabus, delivered as streaming video tutorials. They too have identified similar trends following a series of group interviews, "Many parents are unsure about the value the internet offers to their child's study. Issues such as trolling, bullying and racism have been widely publicised, which has only increased skepticism. Yes we agree, e-safety should be a parents first priority but with their support, guidance and encouragement the internet can be a highly effective tool for learning", Joseph Caxton, Technical Director. The Oxford University study based on a survey and hundreds of face-to-face interviews is an important body of research drawing attention to the effects that some of our mislaid concerns as parents can have on our Child's academic attainment. The issue seems to be that parents are focusing on the negative side of mobile learning without appreciating the positive choices that their child will often make while being online.