#collegeaid

[uncbears]

[uncbears]

It's almost #FAFSATime again! October 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid will open for the 2018-19 academic year. #FutureBears will need to get an FSA ID to start the application. UNC encourages all students to complete the FAFSA yearly to be eligible for maximum aid. Need help? Check out #CollegeGoalSunday http://www.unco.edu/fina…/applying-for-aid/college-goal.aspx

[collegeminute]

College AID: Syllabus

SYLLABUS (siləbəs) n. - an outline or summary of important topics or themes to be covered in an educational course.

High school and college students should be very familiar with a course syllabus as teachers plan their classes, professors their lectures, and TAs their discussion sections around this central schedule-keeper AND YOU SHOULD TOO!

Syllabi (pl.) can typically range from 1 to 10 pages and contain vital information for your success of the class, including...

Course Topics, Themes, and/or Subjects

Purpose, Outcomes, and/or Objectives

Lecture and Discussion Section Days and Hours

Professor/TA Office Hours and Contact Information

Important Dates and Deadlines (i.e. midterms, finals, research papers)

Course Materials (i.e. textbooks, course readers, graphing calculators)

Alternative Resources (i.e. online sites, related programs, tutor)

Grading Scales (i.e. 5% Attendance, 10% Essay, 35% Midterm, 50% Final)

Course Time Frames and Reading Schedule (i.e. different subject taught per week)

Course Policies (i.e. make-up tests, extra credit options)

School Policies (i.e. withdrawal/drop limits, plagiarism, academic integrity)

Here is a sample course syllabus: http://www.slideshare.net/BPfanpage/sierra-nevada-college-course-syllabus

Be sure to check with your TA as some discussion sections have syllabi with project-specific content separate from the overall lecture content.

It is a best practice to take a minute to review your course syllabi during the first week of class or before (some professors email them out before school starts) so that you may, for example:

clarify any pre-questions you may have (i.e. conflict of office hours with another class)

determine if you want to stay in or drop out of the class (so you have time to try to get into another one if needed), and

log important dates, deadlines, and the like in your academic calendar or planner.

We hope this helps you start school prepared and ready to take on the semester/quarter!

Peace!

CollegeMinute Team

[collegeminute]

College AID: Office Hours

OFFICE HOURS (ˈôfis ou(ə)rs) n. - opportunities for face-to-face meetings with Professors, Teachers, TAs, Counselors, and other important college aids on all college campuses. They are normally use to discuss coursework, college and career plans, needed resources, and related information

How To Schedule OH: Make appointments via E-mail (primarily), Counseling Centers, Telephone, and/or before or after Class

Where OH are Listed: Course Syllabus, Classroom Board, Office Door, ASK

OH Benefits: better understanding of coursework, college network, potential recommendation/reference, career and college guidance, and more!

Note: Office hours can count as part of your participation grade for some college classes. Take advantage of this free time to ASK your professors and counselors anything you want to help you get ahead. They want you to come talk to them, and besides, your college tuition pays for that time! Be proactive though and DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE (see comic below). Just take a minute to schedule an appointment. It's worth it!

Best,

CollegeMinute Team

[modernmistake]

Writing

It feels so good when you finish writing a piece, and there are no red lines indicating sentence fragments, misspellings, and out of order sentences.