Student Blog | Page 2

APA Formatting

All through high school, and maybe even in middle school, teachers often encourage students to use MLA formatting for papers. It has been embedded in our brains for a long time that this is how papers should be set up. However, in college different areas of study may require students to learn a brand new formatting style for research papers. One of these formats is APA. Teachers who require this format will vary on how strictly they enforce its rules. However, you should always strive to be as accurate as…read more

Semester Goal Setting Tips

Goal setting is something very beneficial that you should do at the start of each semester. It helps you formulate ambitions that will keep you driven and gets you to actively plan out strategies to reach those goals. When you are setting semester goals it is crucial to not just think about things you feel would be fun or important to do, but rather things you can see yourself actually accomplishing. It is easy to go into a semester saying you want to join a few new clubs and make…read more

Required Reading in College

Assigned reading is a dreaded task that many students with learning differences try to avoid at all cost. While some students might enjoy a good fiction novel from time to time, I have met only a few students both with and without learning differences who say they truly enjoy reading assigned readings from professors. No matter how “easy” of a read teachers claim the 1,000 page textbook is, students may find themselves struggling to fulfill the demands of required reading for all their classes and retain the important information. For…read more

Cooking in College 101: Shopping

On a college schedule no one is expecting you to cook a picture perfect meal every night. However, you can avoid eating out all the time (which can get expensive and is usually unhealthy) or prevent yourself from having to create patchwork meals out of random ingredients by buying the right groceries each week. The first big step to buying the right food items to fit your needs is to plan ahead. It’s important and time/money efficient to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack type-foods planned out before you even…read more

Cooking in College 101: Tips

Naturally, eating is essential; we have to do it to function and stay alive. However, going from having your parents cook for you to living on campus with the convenience of a dining hall to finally having to cook on your own in an apartment can be a scary, scary thought. Learning to cook on your own can be stressful. “Will what I cook taste okay?” Or, “How cheap can I eat and still be healthy?” are just two of an endless stream of questions that may come to mind…read more

Walter and Marie Williams’ STEPP Program

Posted by Rebecca in Accommodations & Assistive Technology

When students are diagnosed with a learning disability they often have a limited amount of accommodations and support offered to them in school. From the time they are diagnosed to the day they graduate high school, the typical support they receive is governed by a 504 plan or IEP. This requires a meeting with teachers and parents each year to discuss with the student what is needed for him/her to be successful throughout the year. After the meeting, school professionals are required to assist students with the determined accommodations and…read more

End the Semester Strong

The rapidly approaching end to the semester usually creates a mixture of excitement for the end of classes, stress about exams, and many other emotions encompassed into one big ball of anxious anticipation. You’ve survived all-nighters, sporting events, pop quizzes, random roommates, living on your own, and so on, but it is easy to sometimes forget why we are in college. Do not let yourself think since the end of the semester is in sight that you can start slacking off. This is your time to prove to everyone, including…read more

Living with Roommates

Often when people think of going to college they think of going to get an education and having fun, but what is usually overlooked is the countless other life and growing up experiences that occur in college. One of the many areas college teaches us about is learning to live with roommates. This is often someone you have never met before, may or may not have anything in common with, and could be someone who turns into your best friend or your worst enemy depending on the situation. Discovering how…read more

Preparing for Classes to Start

Coming to college is one of the most exciting and yet terrifying experiences any late teenager generally experiences. It’s a new world away from parents, friends, and familiar environments. Before classes began, there is usually a few days in which the university gives students a chance to get used to their new school and community. A lot of new students look at this as a time to live it up now that they are on their own for the first time. Others may struggle with homesickness. However, whatever you do…read more

Pick Classes Wisely

One of the joys of college is the ability to pick and choose which classes you are interested in taking. Most schools have a set of core, foundation, areas of study that all students must complete in order to get a degree. However, you can often still choose specific class preferences from required categories, such as social sciences, humanities, art, science, etc. My suggestion would be to focus on completing these requirements in your first two years of college. Once you have declared a major, you will then be required…read more