#SoCanU: CC grad speaker explains how getting involved helped at her CC & University

Featured below is an interview with another #SoCanU project rockstar, Maryann! Maryann graduated from Massasoit Community College in 2012 and is currently attending Bridgewater State University studying Elementary Education, Special Education, and History. 

Favorite thing to do on the weekends?
The beach!

Favorite food/meal?
I love making chicken broccoli alfredo.

What made you decide to choose community college?At my high school graduation party, towards the end of the night, I started worrying about where exactly I was going to commit to go to college.

 I applied to four schools and was accepted into all of them. What worried me the most was the financial burden attached with these colleges. 

At the time a community college was ideal for the time being. I wanted so bad to go to a prestigious college and it felt like I was letting myself down by attending a community college until my thoughts before attending completely changed.

Were there any obstacles in your life prior to attending community college that you had to overcome?
Attending college for the first time was challenging for me as a student. I was very much a shy student didn't open up to many people in high school. 

The first week attending my community college I told myself, "This is it. Your time is now."

I began the search to actively look for clubs to become involved with. I reunited with a former friend of mine from elementary school who happened to be in the drama club I was interested in.

I started recruiting new people to join and began to meet friends in my freshman classes. I was able to start a new journey.

What obstacles did you overcome in community college and/or in your transfer university to achieve your degree?
I overcame the fear of public speaking/being able to make presentations. I took an intro to speech class at my community college during my freshman year and was a little shaky and would get nervous. 

However, during my last two years at my community college I worked as a Presidential Student Ambassador, became Chapter Secretary of the Phi Theta Kappa Alpha Kappa Upsilon Chapter, and a Writer for the Student Voice Newspaper. 

These experiences along with the people I have met through these organizations and clubs on campus encouraged me and gave me confidence to become the leader I am today and achieve my Associates Degree. 

With this encouragement I applied to become the Commencement Speaker at Graduation and felt on top of the world that day. My chapter at my community college is one that I will never forget in my entire life.

But, another door had to open for me at Bridgewater State University. Starting the next fall at Bridgewater State University was challenging. It felt that I lost everything that I once had...confidence in myself. 

At times, I felt defeated but then I remembered that I just have to keep going not matter what. I became involved in BSU's Notewothy and began singing once again. I even joined the Ensemble Theater Group. 

As a student at BSU I began to check out all of the clubs and events. I even attended a Women's Leadership Conference which helped me spring-back my confidence that I once had. 

This past year at BSU I found myself becoming more involved within the community. I began working as a Peer Mentor on campus, member of BSU's Noteworthy and began to attend more events on campus. I even got a nomination for the Who's Who Award! 

Let's just say I began to feel comfortable once again and knew deep down that I shouldn't give up on what I want to accomplish in this life.

What is one of the most important things that helped you succeed in community college and beyond?
At my community college one of the most important things that helped me succeed to where I am today is the friends, mentors, and professors I have met along the way. Without them, I don't think I would have been able to accomplish what I had at my community college.

At Bridgewater State University one of the most important things that has helped me succeed towards my bachelors degree was meeting friends from other community colleges and knowing that I was not the only transfer students on campus. 

Also, it was important for me to become involved on campus as much as possible. This is how I was able to meet so many students and become familiar with campus life as much as possible.

What are you most excited about for your future right now?
I am excited to graduate and become a Teacher. I am currently taking my MTEL's which are exams for students who want to become educators. I am excited to begin my career and be able to inspire my future students everyday.

What is the best piece of advice you can give our readers who are currently attending community college?
I think the best piece of advice I could give is to not be shy (this is YOUR TIME to succeed), get involved on your campus (because it may open doors for you in the future) and no matter what do not give up on yourself and your educational goals. 

Believe that you can and will succeed throughout your college career.

#SoCanU: From community college to Georgetown

Featured below is an interview with another #SoCanU project rockstar, Febin! Febin graduated from SUNY Rockland Community College in May 2014 and will be transferring to Georgetown University to pursue a bachelor's degree in finance this fall.

Favorite thing to do on the weekends?
I love to play basketball, work out, and spend time with friends & family.

 Favorite food/meal?
 I love Indian food, especially chicken tikka masala with naan bread!

What made you decide to choose community college?
After a period of deep soul searching, I decided that it was best to pursue an Associate’s Degree and transfer into a four year college. That was the first, and by far the best option that was available to me at the time and I am more than happy that I made that decision. 

SUNY Rockland offered an outstanding education at an affordable price as well as a strong, diverse community in which I could thrive both academically and socially. The endless opportunities that SUNY Rockland provides over other local community colleges were more than enough reasons to enroll.

Were there any obstacles in your life prior to attending community college that you had to overcome?
When I was 12 years old, I moved to Monroe NY and carried a lot of bad habits throughout my middle school and high school years. It really shaped who I was as a student. I was really unmotivated as far as what I wanted to do with my life, and I graduated high school at the bottom 10% of my class, with a 1.2 GPA. 

Although the transition from high school to college was arduous, I quickly found myself surrounded by mentors who took me under their wing despite my regretful high school record. 

With their guidance, I earned a 3.5GPA and enrolled in the nationally recognized Mentor/Talented Student Honors Program. I made a decision to change my life around and not only prove to myself that I can succeed, but to prove to all of the naysayers who tried to put me down. 

This served as my motivation to excel in my schoolwork and get on the path to a bright future, and is precisely what keeps me going through the long nights of studying hard and pushing myself.

What obstacles did you overcome in community college and/or in your transfer university to achieve your degree?
Throughout the fall 2013 semester, my father was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. During that semester, seconds felt like hours, days felt like months, and months felt like years. 

Over those months, I transformed into a surrogate father figure from cooking meals for my family, to working endless hours at a retail store to help my mother pay the bills. This experience forced me to quickly snap out of my “high school mind-set”, be mature, and step up to the plate to become the man of the family and care for my mother. 

I came to the realization that there were lessons to be learned from his absence, as I was able to experience a role few could share or understand. I belonged to a different world now, a world of leadership and responsibility and was able to overcome this obstacle that could’ve negatively affected my academics.

What is one of the most important things that helped you succeed in community college and beyond?
Throughout my time in SUNY Rockland Community College’s M/TS Honors Program, I’ve learned how to multi-task and balance a rigorous honors program cirriculum and volunteering/working outside of school, while concurrently serving as the President of Alpha Beta Gamma International Business Honor Society, President of the Economics Club, Vice President of Leadership at Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, Vice President of Just Save One RCC, as well as being a peer mentor and a tutor on campus. 

I’ve learned how to balance everything out and it sharpened my time-management skills significantly. This has been one of the most important things that I’ve learned at SUNY Rockland Community College.

What are you most excited about for your future right now?
 I am really excited to spend the next few years of my life at the nation’s capital. I feel as if I am on a mountain overlooking my future. Georgetown is going to allow me to reach my full potential and grow as a person. It has been my dream school since I joined the Honors program at SUNY Rockland Community College. 

What is the best piece of advice you can give our readers who are currently attending community college?
 Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve anything that you put your mind to. You are in control of your own future, and the key to succeeding in your endeavors is to stay motivated and balance out work and fun. Work hard, play hard, and keep your “eyes on the prize.”

5 things to do to avoid the “sorry this class won’t transfer” moment

Transferring from community college to a university with your Associate of Arts degree is one of the best benefits of community college, and most students report that is their very goal upon enrolling at a community college.

However, it’s not always easy.

I just met with a friend and superstar community college graduate this morning who told me she just found out (a year before graduation from her 4-year university) that she’d have to take chemistry because her university and major required a physical science and she had taken two non-physical sciences at her community college.

Ahh!

Her community college education plan was matched with the university’s education plan for her particular major, but unfortunately the science requirement wasn’t communicated.

This happens a lot. And not only to community college students. I’ve had so many friends who’ve had issues with their transcripts, transfer credits, and graduation applications.

The credit-system is not perfect and advisors are swamped with so many students and reliant on computer systems that are not immune to both technological and human error.

While institutionally this should improve, you don’t want to just wait for things to get better or cross your fingers and hope this doesn’t happen to you.

As in all my content, I’m a big believer in giving you the tools necessary to advocate for yourself. So below are 5 things you can do to make sure you are only taking the classes you need to graduate on time:

1. Choose your transfer university and major ASAP
As soon as you can decide on your top-choice* transfer university and intended major at that university. Look online at the college catalog** and print out the degree plan for that major and bring it with you to every appointment with your community college advisor.

*If there are a few colleges you’re considering look at the course catalog education plans for all of them to see if there are any differences. If not, choose one to work from; if there are differences, choose the one that would best fit all the universities requirements.

**If this all sounds confusing to you ask a college graduate to help you navigate the university’s website or call the admissions office to ask for help looking for the education plan for the major you’re interested in. Don’t stop asking for help until you get what you need.

2. Meet with your advisor every semester to talk about your educational plan and graduation track
Show your academic advisor your four-year college catalog plan from the university and ask for help to map out your community college courses to meet those requirements. Check in every semester to ensure you’re still on the right track to graduate on time with the requirements your transfer university requires.

3. Review your transcript closely every semester and match it with your transfer university’s course catalog
This can be difficult at first but ask your academic advisor for help translating the transcript and understanding how it relates to your four-year educational plan. Get used to how it looks and pay attention to your progress towards graduation so that you’ll be attuned to notice if things get off track.

4. When possible meet with an advisor or admissions person at your transfer university to double-check that you’re on the right track
If you can’t meet with someone from your transfer university before you’re admitted, try bringing your transcript to a professor you trust as a mentor and ask for help. Professors have graduate degrees and can be a great second-eye on your transcript and educational plan.

5. Partner with a friend to do a transcript review exchange
Buddy up with a friend (ideally with the same plan as you, but it doesn’t have to be) and review each other’s transcripts every semester along with each other’s four-year educational plan. Getting a second or third eye on your transcript and degree progress is SO helpful.

My advisor at my 4-year university told me I was going to have to take 17 credits my final semester. I was all signed up for a ton of classes until a friend looked at my transcript for me and saw there was a mistake – I only needed 12 credits and was able to drop a class!

This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it’s the only way to ensure you graduate on time. No one cares about your educational plan and progress more than you.

Be your own advocate and be diligent in ensuring you are on the right track. Ultimately this is your life, your education. There are tons of people who will help you all along the way – it’s just up to you to ask and keep on asking.

Good luck and happy transferring. Remember that this journey, while complicated, is an exciting opportunity.

Ask Isa: 10 things to help you pick the best transfer university for you

From the Ask Isa inbox:

Dear Isa,

I'm in a pickle...I am in community college and am getting ready to transfer in the next year and am undecisive on which school to go to. One school I would like to go to because its cheaper and the other, if money were not an option, I would definitely go to. Your thoughts?

Sincerely,

Undecided

Dear Undecided,

There is not an easy answer to this question, and in the end only you can decide what is best for you. However, doing your research and asking for as much advice as possible will ensure you make the choice that will best help you reach your goals. 

College is the best investment you can make in yourself, so when it comes to taking out loans to pay for college, I think it can be beneficial if you have done your research and know that the benefits you will receive from attending that particular college are worth taking out loans for.

Here are some questions to ask yourself. I recommend writing down your answers:

(Let's call the cheaper college College A and the expensive college College B.) 

1) Why do I really want to go to College B? 
2) What benefits does College B offer me that College A cannot offer?
2a) Are those the type of benefits that could lead me closer to my goals? 
3) How much in loans would I have to take out to attend College A? Would the type of job I'm pursuing help me pay those back easily? 
4) Does College A offer important alumni connections to my desired industry that College B does not? 
5) Are there any benefits of College A, aside from being inexpensive, that I'm overlooking? 

Next, here are some things I highly recommend you do:

1) Check out the tools in LinkedIn Education and research the college's you're considering in relation to the careers people have after they've graduated from each. Compare. 
2) Reach out to alumni at College A and College B and ask if you can e-mail them a few questions or speak with them on the phone for a few minutes. Choose people who have a career you would aspire to. Ask them about their college experience and any advice they might have for you in making your choice. People love to mentor and share advice. 
3) Schedule a tour of each campus and pay close attention to the benefits of each. Bring lots of questions to ask the tour guide. 
4) Ask admissions officers at each college about all of the scholarship options. Sometimes students shy away from expensive or prestigious schools because they assume they can't afford it, when sometimes those are the schools that offer the best packages to students with great potential and great financial need. 
5) Apply to both schools and don't make your final decision until you receive the financial aid package for each. If you've done all the research above, once you get the packages you'll know what the best decision will be for you.

Best of luck and congratulations on your upcoming transfer!

5 things you need to win scholarships while in college

For most community college students, searching for scholarships is about taking action to do the right things in college in order to find and win the best transfer scholarships. The tips in this video can also help students who hope to win graduate school scholarships.

"I'm feeling pressured as a transfer, what do I do?" A student asks for transfer advice

I recently received the following question from a student I'll call Teresa:

How did you cope with all the changes when you transferred from community college? I've just gone through my first day of orientation and all I hear from administrators is "if you're a transfer student, you need to act right away." Talk about pressure. I've also heard that the academic rigor is going to increase dramatically. I would really love your advice. 

Teresa has just transferred to a highly selective private school, and they are correct - you do have to act right away.

Two years goes by fast, and you don't want to waste any time. However, feeling pressured is not a good way to start, so below are the tips I shared with Teresa to help you relieve the pressure and have an incredible transfer experience. 

1. Find a faculty mentor
My faculty advisor became my mentor at my transfer university, and her guidance led to a free trip to England, New Orleans, a $2,000 research grant, me being chosen as the commencement speaker, and winning the top award for graduating seniors that also included $3,000. I tell you all that only to show you what a difference a faculty member can make in your transfer life.

So during your first few weeks visit all of your professors in their office hours, as well as follow up with your faculty advisor (if you have one). Then make follow-up appointments with the professor(s) you really connect with and start to build a personal relationship by asking for advice regarding how to get engaged on campus and in your field. 

2. Go to club recruitment
Find out when all of the clubs will be showcasing what they do and go! If you've missed it, look at all the clubs online and contact the president's to get more information. Then, visit all of the meetings that interest you.

3. Be strategic with your involvement 
There are a few strategies you can take with how you spend your time during your last two years of college - what's important is that you are strategic.

What worked well for me during my last two years was choosing just one organization that really interested me (the orientation team) and getting deeply involved. I wanted to work in education so I knew learning about this process would be a great experience, as well as help me get to know more people on campus. 

I then spent the rest of my time in class or the library, and then got a paid internship in the education field that gave me the opportunity to tutor, pay for gas and rent, and fulfill the internship requirement for my major. 

During your last two years, it can be really smart to think about your career and how your involvement can help you build relevant experience to get that first job out of college. 

4. Visit your campus career center
Visit the career center on your campus right away and start taking advantage of every service they offer. Find out when they have career fairs, how to get help with your resume, what internship and job databases they use, and if they offer any alumni professional mentorship programs. 

5. Have fun
Two years does go by fast. And while it's a great feeling to finish, I miss college all the time. I miss the satisfaction of getting a good grade, the ability to catch a quick coffee with a friend (I just had to schedule a breakfast with a friend four weeks in advance because we're so busy!), and time spent on nothing but learning. 

And don't worry about the advanced academic rigor. If you've chosen a major you are interested in and good at, then you won't notice a change in your academic requirements (e.g. for me writing a 20 page paper in my major was so much more fun than studying for biology). You will have to work hard, but if you've gotten yourself from community college to a four-year university, you already know how to do that. 

I received this follow up from Teresa :)

This is such a tough transition for me. But after my first day of class today, it seems a lot of it was in my head. My professor was actually really cool and it seems that the class will be fairly easy to pass (as long as I read and show up!). 

Good point on getting with a faculty advisor – I have one appointed to me and met with her once. I have a follow up with her in March. In the meantime, I’ll definitely make use of those office hours! Thanks for the support. It really goes along away!

Feel free to send me your questions anytime at isa@communitycollegesuccess.com.

How to adjust to transferring after CC

One of the best things about community college is that you can transfer almost anywhere with your A.A. degree to continue to your bachelor's degree.

However, the transfer process is not always easy. Yes, transferring credits can be complicated at some schools, but what most students struggle with is the social transfer.

In my book, I write all about this in the chapter called "The New Kid Again," because that is exactly how I felt when I transferred from community college to a small university.

It felt like everyone already knew each other and had no desire to meet anyone new. Most of them had made friends in the dorms years earlier and/or in their sororities. It was a hard adjustment.

But I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. Because the experience I gained transferring helped me:

• understand the work required to build and maintain friendships, 
• learn how to step outside my comfort zone even when I'm afraid, and 
• gain the courage to get involved and step up, which really paid off when it came time to be the 'new kid again' in the 'real world.'

Yesterday a student asked me about the transfer process on our Facebook page, and I wanted to share the Q&A with you in case you're ever struggling with or want to prepare for your transfer process:

Question

Hey Isa. I just wanted to say I really enjoyed your book, especially Chapter 6, dealing with transferring to a new university. I am going through this now as a first semester transfer student and it's scary, lol. I wanted to ask you, how long did it take you to adjust when you transferred? 

Answer

Hi Maryann,

Thanks so much for your kind words about the book  - I'm so glad it's helping!  As far as transferring timing, it took me about a month or two to adjust. 

I remember the moment I finally felt good - it was after a study group when a girl and I really connected. After our study session she started telling me a funny story about her ex-boyfriend. We laughed so loudly waiting outside for our next class that a student had to come out and ask us to keep it down because they were taking a test (oops!). 

But it was the moment I felt like I was finally a part of the school. She became my closest friend all two years, and was also a transfer student. 

While I didn't make huge groups of friends (e.g. greek life wasn't for me and I was a commuter), just having one close friend made all the difference.

I also joined the dance team, the commuter club, and became an orientation leader for transfer students. Starting in each of those groups was terrifying, and I didn't always perfectly fit in with each group - but I never stopped trying.

The involvement also led to me becoming the commencement speaker when I graduated, getting a free trip to London and New Orleans, and winning the award for the top graduating senior at graduation (which also came with a $3,000 check!). 

I also had a great faculty mentor who helped me find out about and win all of those opportunities. It was weird being the speaker when I knew so many of the students were probably thinking "who the heck is this girl? I don't remember her at freshman orientation." 

Anything is possible for you when you transfer, including making friends and fitting in. It may not ever be perfect, but if you keep trying, you will find that you will grow in ways that will serve you the rest of your life; truly successful people know how to adjust to new and scary situations. 

Consider starting study groups, try out a bunch of clubs, and find other transfer students. Don't be afraid to invite people to lunch or coffee, and keep putting yourself out there until something clicks. And don't feel bad if it takes a while.
The very fact that you're asking about this shows you're on the right track :) 

Sincerely,

Isa

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Big news - quick tips video premiere!

Below are the first of twenty-four college success quick tips that will be premiering over the year on TCC22. They are part of a new college success show called The SKiNNY that will premiere later this Fall. The show is for a cable station in Tallahassee, but TCC22 is showcasing everything on YouTube too! Be sure to subscribe to their channel to get the latest :)

I am so excited and wanted to share the first three videos with you to help you with scholarship essays, transferring, and choosing your  major. 

Please show your support by sharing and liking the videos. I hope they help!

How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay

How you can transfer to college anywhere with an A.A. degree

Why you should choose a major ASAP