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The answer to this question can apply to all levels of schooling, not just college. Some will argue that where you go to elementary school could ultimately impact your position as a working professional. For example, if you attend private school, where you go to elementary school can in turn affect where you go to high school, which can affect where you go to college. In private schools, application processes begin as a kindergartener, and getting into a premier elementary school can affect the subsequent schools you attend. Finally, where you go to college can also affect where you find your first job. All of that being said, how much does where you go to elementary school, high school, and college really affect the outcome of your life? My answer is that as long as you have a college degree and a strong work ethic, the outcome of your professional career will ultimately end up the same regardless of your educational background.

Often, an inordinate amount of importance is placed on where you go to school as being a significant factor in helping you get to the next level, whether it is high school, college, or a job. While there are advantages to going to an elite private high school or an Ivy League college, it is not the sole, determining factor of your ability to advance to the next level of your educational or professional life. Succeeding in whatever setting you find yourself is far more influential in determining your advancement throughout the stages of life.

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The single most important quality that will affect your overall success as a student and working professional is you work ethic. If you are a hard working person, regardless of the schools you attend or the jobs you have, you will succeed. Admissions directors and employers will recognize your hard work, which will show itself in the grades and performance scores you receive.

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When advancing to any stage of life, showcasing your strengths and talents will help you succeed and overcome any disadvantages you may have based on where you went to school. Those who are the best at what they tend to succeed throughout their lives. If you can market yourself as successful and showcase your strengths, you will advance. These qualities will overpower any disadvantages potentially associated with where you attend school.

In conclusion, there is always an element of luck involved in getting into a school or getting a job. Unfortunately, this is beyond your control, but you can control your drive and work ethic. So, work hard, and make sure to put your strongest qualities on display!

Tutoring has come a long way from posting a flier that offers your educational services in the school library. While that is still an effective method to market yourself, with multiple online avenues available, you may as well broaden your reach. Check out the following websites for some options to help get yourself more business and make more money!

1. Craigslist (www.craigslist.org)

On Craigslist you can create an ad to market yourself as a tutor. Ads are easy to create and involve creating a title and a description of the educational services you offer. Making the title pertinent to your specialty subjects will give you a better chance of showing up for relevant searches. After creating a Craigslist account, you’ll need to click on the create posting link, and then create your ad under the lessons & tutoring category. Because ads are shown based on the date posted, in order to remain visible, you should periodically delete and re-post your listing.

2. Tutor.com (www.tutor.com)

To become a tutor for Tutor.com, you will need to go through the application process, which begins at http://www.tutor.com/apply/application-process. There are no fees involved in applying, but be prepared to wait up to three weeks to get through the screening process. According to their site, the ability to tutor multiple subjects will give you a better chance of being accepted.

3. TutorVista (www.tutorvista.com)

Applying to TutorVista is the same as applying to any standard job. They require that you submit a resume and cover letter explaining your interests and qualifications for the position. For more information and to search for available openings, visit: http://www.tutorvista.com/teaching-jobs. While this could lead to a semi-permanent position, it is most likely going to be difficult to be accepted and you will not see any money until completing the hiring process.

4. Elance (www.elance.com)

Elance is a service for freelancers across multiple industries, one of which is tutoring. They give a great explanation of the process involved in creating a profile and more importantly, getting work! Check it out at http://www.elance.com/p/tour/service_providers.html. The basics involve creating a profile listing your skills, searching potential jobs, and then submitting a proposal for your work. From there, an employer can hire you, and Elance offers a platform to deliver status reports and show results. Of course, there is the matter of getting paid; Elance offers the ability to send invoices and then collect funds through their system. Lastly, similar to Ebay, with Elance you can leave and receive feedback to help grow your reputation.

5. Fiverr (www.fiverr.com)

If you’re looking to make a buck, $5 to be exact, check out fiverr. You can post pretty much any service you’re willing to provide for $5. Fiverr takes a $1 cut, so you’ll actually end up with $4 for each job you complete. If you help with 5 homework assignments, that’s a quick $20. With fiverr, you create a “gig” and then share it. If someone orders your gig, fiverr will notify you, and after you complete your work, they credit your PayPal account with $4. Visit the home page to join and learn more about how the site works.

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The decision to go Greek is one that will face most college freshman. Depending on where you go to school, the Greek system could be a prominent aspect of social life or merely a side note. Choosing to join a fraternity or sorority is about more than having a party environment. Many factors should weigh into your decision. You need to consider the financial implications; you also need to decide if the Greek system meshes well with your personality. Lastly, it is important to consider the national network of friends and connections you will make as a member of a Greek organization.

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Joining a Greek organization is not free. While costs range, fraternity dues will typically be between $300 and $600 each semester. Sororities are more expensive and range from $500 to $1,500 a semester. It is important to consider this added expense, and know that you will either have to come up with this additional expense on your own, or be prepared to ask your parents to cover it. If you go the parental route, be sure to pitch it as more than just a place to party. Subsequent paragraphs will give you some good talking points to help persuade a hesitant parent.

With the exception of a few organizations, the Greek system is an inherently social atmosphere. Do a quick self-assessment to determine if you are the type of person who would be a good fit. As a member of a fraternity or sorority, you will be involved in various social activities ranging from charity events to big parties. If you live in your sorority or fraternity house, you’ll be around your sisters or brothers 24/7. One of the major benefits of joining a Greek organization is the social aspect. If you don’t think you’ll take full advantage of all the activities and events offered as a result of the experience, the Greek system may not be for you.

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Far outweighing the parties and social events are the lifelong friends you will make through the Greek organization you join. When going through the rush process, take note of the culture of the house and the personalities of its members. If you choose to go Greek, join the house that you see yourself being the most compatible with its members. Throughout your time as a rushee, a pledge, and brother or sister, you will make many close friends. While it sounds cliché, you will share a lifetime bond with your fraternity brothers or sorority sisters.

In addition to the friends you’ll make at your fraternity or sorority, you will instantly and automatically be connected to thousands of people across the country. You will be able to arrive at any college campus, go to your chapter house, and be welcome for as long as you plan to visit. The connections you will make also benefit you when looking for jobs. Your membership in a Greek organization lasts a lifetime, and your fellow brothers and sisters are usually willing to help you. Be sure to always put your Greek organization on your resume. If the person interviewing you was in your fraternity or sorority, it can go a long way towards getting the job.

1. Print out the lecture slides.

Courtesy of Dr. Lawrence Drew & the Conant Foundation

Most likely, your professor posted the PowerPoint slides or a lecture outline for you to print out before coming to lecture. Go online and print them out for every lecture you did not attend. Read through each lecture with a highlighter in hand, and highlight any key facts or details likely to be turned into exam questions. You’ll get a good overview of the course material after your first read, but you’ll need to read them over a couple more times for the details to sink in. Take notes on anything you think you may need to memorize verbatim. Pay close attention to lists, as they make for easy exam questions.

2. Copy a friend’s notes.

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Professors intentionally leave details out of the lecture slides; this is intended to entice students to go to class and get exposure to all of the course material. Since you haven’t gone to class, find a friend who has, and ask to copy his or her notes. Find a good friend, or someone who owes you a favor, because they’ve just done an entire semester’s worth of work for you. While you’re copying the notes, try to organize them along with the professor’s slides. You can also transcribe the notes alongside the professor’s slides. This will help with organization, as it will keep the main points from lecture outline and the details from your friend’s notes in the same place.

3. Read the textbook and other course materials.

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Ideally, you’ve done some of the reading. Depending on how much you have to catch up on, you may not have time to read everything word for word. You can utilize a couple of different strategies to get the most out of the material with the limited time remaining. If you have time to read the material closely, do so and take notes. If you’re running out of time, try reading the headlines and bold section descriptions, and then skim the material in between. Another good strategy is to read one out of every five or ten pages. You’ll end up with a disconnected understanding of the material, but at least you’ll have a ten to twenty percent chance of catching details that could be on the exam. Yet another option is to focus on a portion of the readings; read these closely and take notes. You’ll miss some material this way, but a thorough understanding of a portion of it should get you some guaranteed points on the exam. The professor’s lecture slides and your friend’s notes will supplement the material you did not read.

4. Commit yourself to your ideal study environment.

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By now, you should’ve already spent a significant amount of time studying and compiling information. Now that you have all the pieces required to try to salvage a decent grade, it is time to do your best to ingrain all the information into your head. In order to do so, you are going to need to spend countless hours reading and re-reading the lecture slides, your friend’s notes, and the course readings. Utilize your preferred study techniques, and create your ideal study environment. (See more information from the previous post: Making the Most of How You Learn.) Force yourself to study longer and harder than you typically would, and remind yourself of all the hours you should’ve spent studying throughout the semester.

Utilizing the strategies above should enable you to at least pass the class. If you’re lucky, you could even end up with a decent grade. Hopefully, the experience of cramming a semester’s worth of work into a few weeks has taught you to go to class and learn the information at the pace it is presented.

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Don’t worry! You still have a month to find something, and employers often do not know their availability until just weeks before a summer internship would start. Additionally, even if you are unable to secure an internship, there are other ways to salvage a productive summer.

If you’re still reading, you clearly want a summer internship, which means you’ve also probably applied to a few using conventional means, but may not have tried every available avenue. Here are a couple of internship hunting strategies you may not have considered as well as some ideas for alternate summer plans, just in case.

1. Talk to your parents, your friends’ parents, and your parents’ friends.

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It is much easier to get an internship, if someone has referred you. The hardest part of getting a job is getting your foot in the door, and there is no better way to do so than through a trusted colleague of your potential employer. Talk to everyone you know that could be in a position to help you or might know someone who can. Do not be shy; everyone has been in your position before and will appreciate and respect your efforts.

2. Contact potential employers directly.

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Instead of emailing your resume to a generic resumes@company.com email address, scour the company website for someone’s contact information. Take it one step further and try calling an employee listed on the company’s website. If you can get someone on the phone, your chances of employment increase exponentially. If there are no opportunities at that company, ask if there are any other people you might contact.

3. Scan Craigslist & local newspaper job postings.

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Local newspapers and Craigslist are great opportunities to look for internships. These outlets can offer high quality internships and should be considered.

4. Expand your search.

If you haven’t found an internship in the exact field you were hoping, broaden your search. Look for opportunities in related fields or consider something entirely different. It is not imperative that a summer internship be in the exact field you are hoping to start your career. Work experience of any kind is valuable to you as well as future employers.

5. Consider unpaid internships.

If working without pay is an option, consider expanding your search to opportunities that are unpaid or offer course credit. An unpaid internship in college can lead to a great, paid opportunity after graduation.

6. Leverage your professors.

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Ask your professors if they know of any summer opportunities. With such in-depth knowledge of their respective fields, professors often have many contacts and might know of lesser know internships. Additionally, consider offering to do research for a professor over the summer. Graduate schools and employers alike hold working for a professor in very high esteem.

If you’ve tried all of the suggestions above and still haven’t found an internship, you can still make your summer productive and attractive to future employers. Consider taking summer classes, working in a service industry job, or a study abroad program. Just be sure to do something! Regardless of whether you have a great internship or work at a fast food restaurant, the goal is to be able to have something meaningful to say when asked, “What did you do over the summer of 2010?”

OpenStudy.com is also hiring development interns: Click HERE to view the job description.

1. Start fulfilling general course requirements immediately.

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Regardless of where you choose to go to college, you will be required to satisfy general requirements in order to graduate. The goal of this is to provide a foundation for the more focused coursework you will complete as you progress through college. When you are selecting your classes, pay attention to the requirements they fulfill. You should definitely explore classes that sound interesting to you, but be strategic in your choices. Often you can find one class that meets two requirements, enabling you to free up time for other interests. Additionally, if you already have an idea of what your major is going to be, you will want to pay special attention to whether or not a class will count towards your major, your general education requirements, or both. Lastly, be sure to take a broad sampling of classes when starting out. Cover multiple disciplines in order to make progress in multiple subject areas.

2. Introduce yourself to everyone.

Wikimedia Commons

This does not require too much explanation, but it is incredibly important to developing your new social life. When you go to eat your meals, introduce yourself to the people waiting in line with you at the cafeteria. When you go into your first classes, introduce yourself to the people sitting around you. Sit in different places during the first few weeks so you can meet as many new people as possible. When walking down the hall in your dorm, say hi and introduce yourself to everyone that lives on your floor. It may sound a little strange, but it will quickly become more natural. Don’t forget, every other freshman is in the same situation. Stick to it, and you’ll quickly jumpstart your social life.

3. Go to office hours

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Obviously, if you have a question or need additional help, go to your professor or instructor’s office hours. The benefits of office hours are probably not quite as clear when you don’t have any specific questions. It is during these times, that attending office hours can have the most reap the most benefits. Establishing a relationship with your professors and instructors is invaluable. Simply showing up when attendance is not required helps to build that relationship. A professor who knows you on a personal level is far more likely to help you succeed than one who doesn’t. Building a relationship with a professor also increases the chances that when you do need help, he or she will make a concerted effort to help you in any way possible.

4.  Get involved.

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You will be leaving many social resources untapped if your sole focus is on going to class and studying. Explore everything your college has to offer, and then become a part of something. Join a club or intramural sports team, get involved in a student cause, or consider joining a Greek organization. You will meet people with similar interests and guarantee that you have outlets when you need time away from studying. Furthermore, you never know what previously unknown interest you might discover!

5. Utilize successful study methods from high school.

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Your college lifestyle will surely be different than that from high school. As a result, it is easy to develop less effective study habits. Think back to the study habits you developed prior to college. Did you study best in the morning, the evening, with background noise, or in a quiet place? Remember what worked the best and employ those same habits to your studying in college. With so much change in other areas of collegiate life, maintaining your study habits can help to facilitate a smooth transition into freshman year.

Can you picture the instructor’s hand motions or facial expressions? -Visual

Were you focused mostly on the instructor’s voice? -Auditory

Were you shown an example and then able to successfully demonstrate it yourself? -Kinetic

If you still aren’t sure, here are a few resources to help discover your best learning style. Take a quiz or two, and then keep reading to figure out how to capitalize on your preferred learning style.

• Education Planner

• What’s Your Learning Style?

• Edutopia

Maximizing Visual Learning

1. During lectures, sit near the front of the class and away from potential distractions such as windows.
2. Be sure to take advantage of any visual aids used by an instructor. For example, focus on a teacher’s slides or notes on the board. Without seeing the words, you will struggle to absorb information.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for a copy of an outline before or even after a lesson.
4. Make flow charts, diagrams, or semantic webs instead of standard, numbered outlines.
5. Color code different subjects or key aspects of the information you are trying to learn. Your mind naturally wants to associate information with visual cues, and colors facilitate those associations.
6. When taking notes, try to use arrows, pictures, or shapes, whenever possible, to represent textual information.

Maximizing Auditory Learning

1. Try to minimize background noise. Find a quiet place while studying. Do not study in coffee shops or areas where people are constantly making noise and moving around. Listening to music is ok, but avoid anything with lyrics.
2. In a lecture, sit somewhere where you can clearly hear your instructor. Straining to hear will hinder your ability to absorb the information.
3. Record a lecture to replay later. The more you can listen to the course material, the better.
4. Repeat information to yourself silently when in the classroom. When studying, recite your notes and any textual information aloud.
5. Study with a friend and discuss information together.
6. Turn course material into songs and rhymes; recite them to yourself out loud.

Maximizing Kinetic Learning

1. Be an active learner and ask questions. Engage in conversation with your professors and classmates.
2. Have an object that you can play with while in class. Clicking a pen or holding a tennis ball are just a couple of examples. You can also lightly tap your foot on ground; anything to stay active while not distracting classmates.
3. Whenever possible, take a break, get up, stretch, and move around. Sitting still for too long will inevitably distract you.
4. Make reading as movement oriented as possible. Take notes, highlight the material, follow the words with your fingers, or draw in the margins.
5. When trying to study, carry your notes with you and move around your room.
6. Associate movement with learning. Act out situations and use objects to represent chains of events or show relationships between concepts.