MBTI Type: What it is and How It Can Impact You in High School and College

Do you ever wonder why you think differently than others? Or why you make decisions based on your feelings rather than logic? Or why some people see a different meaning in certain concepts than you do? Well you no longer have to question these things. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality type test that provides you with information about the different ways that you think and how these different aspects can affect your actions and decision-making.

All you have to do is take a quick personality test on the 16 Personalities website (16personalities.com), and you’ll receive a personality type that consists of 4 letters (for example, ENFP), with each letter representing a certain trait that you have based on the answers that you provided. You’ll be surprised to see how accurately the results describe you! Just make sure that you are as honest as possible in your answers. Knowing the kind of thinker you are can definitely benefit you in your academic experience and will allow you to have a better understanding of your own learning abilities as the learning abilities of others.

The Four Letters: What do They Mean?

Introversion (I) v. Extroversion (E)

The first of the four letters will either be an “I”, representing introversion, or an “E”, representing extroversion. This trait tells you the kind of environment that you are more comfortable to be in. If you are an introvert, you prefer to spend time alone and are often under stress in social situations. You spend lots of time thinking deeply about things that don’t regard your surroundings, and find peace in being alone with your thoughts. Being an introvert is beneficial because it allows you to work independently and rely on solely yourself, however it may hinder your ability to communicate with others effectively. If you are an extrovert, you prefer to spend time with large groups of people and dislike being alone. You focus most of your attention on the “outside world” and your surroundings, and rarely spend time going into deep thought. It is easier for you to communicate and socialize easily, but you often have difficulties being independent.

Intuition (N) v. Sensing (S)

The next letter in your personality type is either “N”, meaning intuition, or “S”, meaning sensing. This determines the way that you perceive and react to information. If you are an intuitive thinker, you tend to take information that is provided to you and find a deeper meaning in it. You look beyond what is physically presented, and are drawn toward abstract ideas and metaphors as opposed to real experiences and facts. You are open to new possibilities and focus more on the future and the outcome of things rather than the present. This trait is helpful in situations that require creativity. If you think through your senses, you prefer to focus on the literal aspect of things. When given information, you work with what you have instead of looking for multiple meanings in it; you want to understand the factual aspects of things. You want to get to the direct point of things instead of analyzing them in more depth. You trust facts and reality more than you trust ideas and possibilities. Perceiving information with your senses is often beneficial when you need to make critical decisions regarding professional matters.

Thinking (T) v. Feeling (F)

This third letter reveals how you make decisions. If you make decisions based on thinking, you tend to analyze situations based on the pros and cons, and try to make the most logical decision with what you are provided. You focus on the elements of the situation itself rather than any personal opinions, including your own. Similar to the P trait, this trait is very helpful in making decisions that require logic and rational thinking, but it may cause conflict in sensitive situations where it is critical to understand the people that are involved. In contrast, if you make decisions based on feeling, you deeply consider the people that are involved in the situation and tend to make decisions in their favor, or in your own favor. You don’t think too much about the rational aspects of a situation; you make decisions based on your beliefs and what you feel is right. The feelings of yourself and of others are a priority over what is logically correct. This is beneficial when addressing sensitive situation, but when making decisions that require logic, personal feelings might get in the way.

Judging (J) v. Perceiving (P)

The last letter represents your behavior and the lifestyle you choose to live. If you are extremely organized in all your decisions and have a need to plan things out before they happen, then you have a judging preference. This means that you are very task-oriented and prefer to do things ahead of time. This can help you in managing your priorities and getting work done when it needs to be. If you prefer to “go with the flow” of things, and dislike making definite plans, you have a perceiving preference. You like to live freely and allow experiences to happen without knowing they will ahead of time, and you do what you can with what comes to you. This trait allows you to adapt to a variety of different situations and handle them efficiently.

How You Can Apply This to Your Academic Career

With all of this information, you now have a clearer understanding of the type of person you are and why you have the different tendencies and habits that you have. Now that you understand your strengths and weaknesses better, you can use the traits that you have to your own advantage in the academic environment. The 16 Personalities website provides you with a more detailed description of each personality type as well as each individual personality trait. They even provide you with useful information about what your personality type is capable of by listing possible career paths that you would excel in based on your traits. You can look through these careers and see if any of them interest you. If they do, try to find activities or extra curriculars that are similar to those listed and see whether you can truly excel in these subjects or not. Having a better understanding of your own mind is definitely beneficial to your learning experience and career path.

Not only will the 16 personalities website inform you about your own character traits, it can also help you to understand the traits of others and why they act or think the ways that they do. Understanding the way others think can be advantageous in high school and college, especially in the learning environment. It can allow you to clearly see and comprehend opposing sides of an argument, and it can allow you to make unbiased judgements. It can also help you to understand people on a more personal level. For example, this can help you understand your roommate a lot better.

Overall, understanding your own skills, traits, and weaknesses can help you in numerous ways.

Link to website: https://www.16personalities.com/ 

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Four Things to Do When You Receive An Acceptance Letter

It’s exciting when you get your first acceptance letter through the mail or e-mail. After weeks or months of anticipation, you open that email or that envelope and you read that you’ve been accepted to one of your schools.  But after a couple minutes of celebration, you sit there and wonder, “What now?” Here are a couple of steps that you could take after receive your first letter.

1.Celebrate good times, come on!

That acceptance letter is a reminder of how much hard work and dedication you have put in for the 4 years of high school. Those countless nights that you’ve pulled all-nighters (or is that just me) for upcoming tests have paid off. All that time you’ve poured into studying for the ACT/SAT, the AP tests, or just regular tests have paid off. Grab some friends and family and go out to eat because you deserve it.

But it’s not over because you still have to maintain your GPA or improve your GPA because scholarships require that main your score to hold them. So please don’t decide that you need to stop going to class.

2.Whip out that calculator

Tuition, room and board, and supplies cost can be expensive especially if you are going out of state. Be sure that you have been researching scholarships that you are eligible for that are in your school or from outside sources. If you earn them and you realize that you still don’t have enough money, make sure that you are comfortable getting a loan or working a part-time job to pay your fees. If you find that you can’t pay for your fees and you don’t want to work or take loans, consider another school on your list that you know you can afford. Consider your financial options before accepting your letter.

3. Make your final decision

After getting all your letters and considering the location and the costs, decide if you still want to go to that school. If the school is your first choice, submit your deposit and begin the process of selecting your housing and setting up your school email. If the school isn’t your first choice, think about all the schools that you’ve applied to and think about the order of which you like them. Then, select the school that is fit for you both financially and in liking.

4. Schedule another campus tour

Once you are certain that you will attend this school, schedule another campus tour get another new feel for that school. While on the campus, think about the area where you would like the live, the general locations of the classes that you will be taking, the activities that you would like to participate in, and the distances between areas you will be frequenting. If you have a few unanswered questions, aim to ask the questions to the guide or the admissions office.

I hope these tips will help ease with what to do when you first get your letter and will help in many more letters on the way. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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Three College Admissions Guide Books You Should Consider Investing In

“The most technologically efficient machine that man has invented is the book.”

- Northrop Fyre

With the pressures to finish up your required courses, find scholarships, and deal with the excitement of being a senior in high school, applying to college can be a stressful process, but if you plan ahead of time and do your research, it makes things much easier. But what happens when the internet doesn’t give you much help? That’s where we take the books and find out our information the traditional way. I’ve compiled three books that can help you find the perfect college as well as help you through the college admissions process.

College Handbook 2017 (College Board College Handbook)

This a book that gives you a basic overview of every accredited college and community college in the US, this book can give you that. Every year, the College Board comes out with a new book with updated information. This book is split up into major section: the 4-year colleges and the 2-year colleges. Each section is listed by state and for every college/university they provide a student profile detailing how many students applied, how many were admitted, and how many actually enrolled to the school. The book also included the all the information such as tuition, room and board fees, and admissions requirements. It’s a giant book which is actually one of its cons. It’s not user friendly so it’s a layout that you might need to get used but if you are looking for a book with every single college, this one is for you.

2.The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, 2015: Students on Campus Tell You What You Really Want to Know, 41st Edition By Yale Daily News Staff ($17.01 on Amazon)

If you are looking for a book that contains the student’s perspective of your prospective college, this is your book. This book contains about 300 colleges and universities so I can’t say you could find your college in your book. However, they provide assessments of each school that they have listed. It does have a college finder section in the book that has some statistical information as ACT, SAT, and admission requirements. However, that’s not all. It has some information such as the highest minority attendance, highest female/male attendance, etc. This book prides itself on the student perspective on the school. If you want to get a feel for the student life on campus, this book is perfect. However, beware that the book contains some outdated information about tuition so pair this book with an updated book and you should be fine.

3. You Got Into Where? How I Received Admission and Scholarships to the Nation’s Top Universities by Joi Wade. ($12.90 on Amazon)

Last but surely not the least, You Got Into Where? by Joi Wade is a guide that can help you in any part of your college application process. This book is the thing you need for if you want to learn about getting the good scores, on how to write essays, and completing those applications. Joi has gone through the struggle and has shared her experience to make the admissions process easier. This book includes a guide on creating a College Master List, how to ace the ACT, how to write essays, and how to get scholarships from top universities.  If you are a senior and looking for something that can give some advice as well as help you through this stressful process, grab this book off of Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and start reading.

I hope these tips will help you out these upcoming year. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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Five Interesting Pros and Cons of HBCUs and PWIs

So you’re stuck? “PWI or HBCU?” Read on to discover things about both. *DISCLAIMER: Of course this doesn’t apply to ALL HBCUs and PWIs, these are just some common things and things I gathered from research! I’m not trying to make an HBCU seem better than a PWI nor am I trying to make a PWI look better than an HBCU! I suggest taking a tour around the campus and asking current students or alumni for the truth!

The school year is about to start or may have already started for some of you. You seniors have begun to seriously think about schools you may want to apply to and may have already started applying. Some of you may be thinking, “Do I want to attend an HBCU or a PWI?” You may not even know the differences between the two. If that’s the case, this is for you!

What is an HBCU?

HBCU stands for Historically Black College and University! It’s defined in Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as “a school of higher learning that was accredited and established before 1964 and whose principal mission was the education of African-Americans.” There are 106 HBCUs.

What is a PWI?

PWI stands for Predominately White Institution. PWIs are just schools of higher learning in which whites accounts for at least 50% of the school’s enrollment.

1. You have a better chance of getting a scholarship from a PWI than an HBCU.

That’s simply because PWIs have higher endowments, which are money or other financial assets that are donated to universities or colleges, than HBCUs. They say that if you add up all the endowments from all the HBCU’s, they would still have less than 10% of Harvard’s endowment.  Also HBCUs don’t have as much financial support from alumni so they don’t have money to give out as many scholarships as PWIs. You could get full rides to the University of Georgia (UGA), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Florida State University (FSU), and Alabama but could only get a partial scholarship from Howard. If you don’t get a scholarship from any institution, HBCU’s tuition tends to be cheaper than that of a PWI.

2. Homecoming at an HBCU is more reputable than homecoming at a PWI.

Homecoming at an HBCU is a week of enjoyment, from the motivational speakers, to the games, and to the concerts. As a minority, it makes you feel like you’re “home”.  Homecoming at a PWI is different.  Your school’s location also plays a role! Alabama’s homecoming is probably nothing like Michigan State’s Homecoming!  At HBCU homecomings, people look forward to yard shows seeing top Hip-Hop & R&B performers.  Not all HBCUs have “lit” homecomings though, it tends to only be the bigger schools. 

3. The bands and dancers are different at an HBCU and PWI.

Bands at an HBCU are more likely to be the show style type of band. PWI’s bands are seen to be corp style. You know the song “Cha Cha” by D.R.A.M?  Tennessee State’s band performed that last year at a football game. Bands at PWI’s are more so infamous for their band formations. Ohio State’s band is real nice with it. They once did Michael Jackson formations and moon-walked across the football field! Oh, and the dancers?  Check it out for yourself.  Alabama State’s Stingettes! An experience you can’t find at a PWI. Oklahoma State’s Dance Team.

4. At a PWI, people are more likely to recognize your school’s name than at an HBCU.

Even though Howard is one of the best HBCUs, if you say “Howard” there are some people who may not know that the school exists.  If you say “I go to Florida State”, most likely they’ll know what you’re talking about.  People think that this will also play a role into you getting a job opportunity or not. Some say if the person at the job doesn’t know much about HBCUs, they would take the person with a Master’s degree from Georgia Tech than the person with a Master’s degree from Clark Atlanta. That is of course a theory though.  Personally, I’d rather take someone with experience, no matter the school name.

5. HBCU’s sometimes have smaller classes than PWI’s.

Some say that HBCU’s have smaller classes than PWI’s. This isn’t always the case though.  HBCU professors may know your name while PWI professors can’t keep up with the plethora of names. With a smaller class size, you can get more one-on-one support from your professor than you would at a larger university.  Also with a larger class size, the way you receive your education could also be different than being in a small class. With a larger class size, classes are more likely to be lecture hall classes. Lecture classes don’t work for everyone, but they do work for some people especially if you like to stay to yourself. Smaller class sizes promote an interactive setting, where there will be a lot of student participation.

Whether you choose to attend an HBCU or a PWI, make sure you conduct your own research because every school is different!  A PWI may work better or an HBCU may work better for you. Some people would also say to go to an HBCU for undergrad because the campus life is one that you can’t get outside of an HBCU and to go to a PWI for grad! Every school is going to have its own faults honestly, but just make the best decision for your needs!

Want to learn more about HBCUs?  Check out HBCU Buzz and HBCU Lifestyle!

Want more viewpoints?  Check out these 2 YouTube videos on other people comparing HBCUs and PWIs!  Alice Wheeler’s video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzYpbXQclNw )  & Brelynn’s video! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Po2RUoHNqY )

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The Differences Between US and UK Institutions

As a prospective international student, before starting the applications journey, the prospect of attending a school in the States always felt inaccessible. Coming from the UK, it is fairly standard to attend a university quite close to home; studying abroad for all four years of your higher education is unusual and somewhat unique. Yet over the past few months as I enter my final year of high school, this dream of attending a US institution has become ever more real and very much possible. I always knew the difficulties involved when applying to universities in two separate countries however, the depth needed for American applications in comparison to that of the UK’s is astonishing. As an aid to all those international students dreaming of studying in the States, I have collated a list of the biggest differences between the two to assist you in your college decisions.

1.The emphasis on YOU!

Every college in America wants to get to know you as a person. This is something that really struck me when first researching into the admissions process, everything seemed so personal, each institution wants to know how you will fit as an individual onto their campus.

2.  The focus on extracurriculars 

When applying to an institution in the UK, the applications process will consist of your school grades, one Personal Statement and one school reference; these two components are sent to each University you apply to and that’s it! Of course they care about what you are doing outside of the classroom however be prepared to tell American institutions in full everything you decide to do with your spare time, it is a big focus in the States and very ordinary for your American counterparts.

3.  You are applying to the WHOLE school 

When applying to a US University, if admitted, you are admitted to the whole school. There is no need to apply to a specific course or major; you can decide once you’re in or when applying if you know for certain. For me, this was one of the strangest elements, as UK institutions require an application to one specific course for four years. Personally, I think the US system is much more freeing and if you do decide you have changed your mind on what you want to study, it’s no big deal.

Applying to university can be a scary time for anyone but with the prospect of moving thousands of miles away from home, it is important to know your stuff and do your research before committing to studying abroad. I hope this article has cleared up any confusions prospective international students have on US institutions. With admissions tests, references, school grades and extracurriculars it can be daunting, but with your organisation and dedication who knows where it could take you.

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Why You Should Consider an All Women's College

Prospective students often overlook many of the options they have for their higher education, and one of the options that are overlooked the most often is an all women’s colleges. Many will crinkle their noses at the thought of a women’s college. But there’s so much more to women’s colleges than what meets the eye.

Boys? No problem. One of the major concerns that make people turn away from women’s colleges is the idea that you will not encounter men. False. No matter where you are in the world, you are bound to run into them! A portion of the faculty is likely to be male, and the environment around you will be filled with men as well. Barnard College, for example, is located in the heart of New York City, so of course there will be men everywhere. Plus, Barnard College is in a partnership with Columbia University (which is right across the street!) where Barnard students and Columbia students will often share classes and facilities.

The Setting There is no experience that can be compared to being surrounded by bright, empowering, motivated young women. Being surrounded by powerful women who create their own success is likely to have a positive impact on you. In women’s colleges, each woman inspires another, creating a positive change. It creates a sisterhood and tight-knit student and alumni network unlike any other. It’s uplifting and motivating to know that you’re attending the same school as powerful women of the past, present, and future.

Confidence in Check

At any women’s college, women are encouraged to dominate. There is no more being the bashful one who knows the right answer but just doesn’t say it. Peers and professors push students to rise to high expectations and achieve. There have been published findings that associate all women classrooms with more active participation. With this push as well as support from fellow women, attending a women’s college will boost your confidence. Women’s colleges develop the strong and unapologetic women that become leaders. Bryn Mawr College celebrates its “bold vision, for women, for the world” which reflects the empowering ideas that these colleges hold for their students.

Small Student Populations Most women’s colleges have an enrollment between 1,000 and 2,000 full time students. These tiny communities enable each college to develop a close network of women who support each other. These populations also mean that the class sizes are likely to be smaller and more personal, adding to the experience. You will be able to form lasting bonds with women who will stand by you. As a junior in high school, I have been looking into attending an all women’s school quite a bit after I visited Barnard College. I fell in love with this school and its idea of having their women ‘major in unafraid.’ I’d never heard of anything like it, and it drew me in. Even the interest in women’s colleges has driven me to empower myself with knowledge and the great opportunities that await me. I hope that the negative stereotypes of women’s colleges fade and give way to the truth and light of the successful women who rise from these colleges. I encourage every girl out there to look into women’s colleges and see if the fit is right, because this opportunity is huge!

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A Beginner’s Guide to the Perfect College Recommendation Letter

By now, college applications are coming to a close and you’re probably putting the final touches on your application. Or, if you’re a junior you’re already thinking about how to submit the perfect application. Part of the application process is the recommendation letter. Recommendation letters are an integral part of a college application. Some colleges, most in fact, require that you submit one. So, what is a recommendation letter and do you get your hands on one?

Letters of recommendation are simple: it’s a letter from people who know you well enough to write about you as an individual.

 Why Do Colleges Even Want Recommendation Letters?

Colleges understand that you are more than the numbers that define you (GPA, SAT, ACT, etc.). Admissions officials love when students excel academically. However, letters of recommendation from people who know you well supply a more personal approach to your application. Much like the essay, the letter reveals things about you that test scores and numbers cannot. It shows the college or university things such as: your ability to work in a group, how well you overcome challenges, your ability to adapt, etc.

Who the Heck Do I Ask?

Talk to peers, family, teachers and councilors about who you should ask.

If you decide to use a teacher for your recommendation, use a current teacher or someone who knows you inside and out of class (i.e. your English teacher who also coaches your baseball team) Believe it or not, you don’t have to just ask teachers and administrators. Ask influential adults who can write strong recommendation letters. These can be people like, youth pastors, outside sports coaches, etc.

No matter who you ask, make sure they are fully willing and excited to write one for you, you don’t want a letter that was written by someone who felt obligated to write it. 

When Should I Start Asking?

It’s never too early to start thinking about college recommendation letters. Start having meetings with the people who you think could best represent you.

About the middle of your junior year start having conversations with your teachers and councilors about who is the best fit to write your letter. This is going to give the person writing plenty of time to write the best letter-- a last-minute recommendation isn’t going to be all that good.

When you find those select people to write your letters make sure to communicate with them. Let the person writing your letter know about all of your accomplishments. Some examples of things you could tell them would be: a job you have, a project you did or an obstacle you over came. Have meetings and talk about the contents of your letter. Be certain that the writer knows when the letter is due.

Teachers especially write many recommendation letters, be sure to show your gratitude and be patient with them. Showing your gratitude through a nice thank you e-mail or card would really mean a lot to them!

A good recommendation letter can put the finishing touches on an already great college application, so be sure to stay organized through this process. Know your deadlines, keep tabs on the people doing your recommendations and everything should run smooth.

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What the Heck is a Collegiate High School?

What is an Early College High School?

Most students have never heard of a collegiate high school but it is an education route that can eventually be considered a normal high school experience in America in less than 10 years. If you have ever known or heard about a high school student taking dual credit courses, then you already have an idea of what a Collegiate High School is! First and foremost, it is a public school that gives students the opportunity to graduate with their associate's degree almost a whole month before they even receive their high school diploma. Students have actual college professors from a local community college that their school district partners with. Depending on which school a student attends, you may be on that campus all four years of high school or just two years like my school.

Because of the growing number of these schools, I believe it is difficult to have an actual number of how many exist but according to an article on the Great!Kids website they stated “  There are currently 75,000 students in 28 states attending early college high schools. No two early college high schools are alike.” (Tynan-Wood, 2016)

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My Story

Before Fall 2012: 8th Grade Decisions

Once 8^th grade year started for me I thought I knew exactly where I was going to high school. At the time attended a private school so I didn’t have to go there for high school. I felt that I could see into the future at the time and I saw myself at a magnet school in my school district and after getting wait listed by both of the schools within the magnet school I thought that mother was going to have to struggle putting me through private school for the next four years. I mean I was kind of happy with the idea of staying at the same school with people I knew and the variety of classes and extracurricular activities I could experience. But by the time I go to spring semester of 8^th grade it had been decided that I would apply to a school called Kathryn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy and then a few months later Cedar Hill Collegiate High School. Well after applying and getting in to Kathryn Gilliam High School was a little excited because I had never gone to public school before but was also not so sure about this. I mean I knew taking college classes wouldn’t be a breeze but it’s not something that I can’t do either. Then after interviewing with Cedar Hill Collegiate I was little less worried mostly because at this point I would have to watch my mom struggle just to send me to school. A few weeks went by of me thinking “Wow! I am going to attend Kathryn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy and taking college courses” Like I stated before college courses weren’t the thing I was afraid of; I actually recall having a few thoughts of somehow getting ahead so that I could knock off a few college courses. But I was still worried see this school wasn’t in the best part of town and I had never been around kids from the area or my neighborhood so it would be so very new to me. I was also worried about wearing a boring repetitive uniform for the next four years again! Ugh!

After these few weeks passed by and all of these thoughts were had, I finally received and envelope from Cedar Hill Collegiate High School but there was one problem with this envelope. It wasn’t a large one. It was a normal sized one and there wasn’t a thick pack of papers folded up in it. But I just took the biggest gulp I could take and opened it. I opened it and I had been excepted, I could now wear a normal uniform and I would still be attending school with a few people who I know. So, for the rest of eighth-grade, I was happy that I was going to a different school with so many new benefits.

That summer I had to attend two weeks of school, which they called “Summer Bridge”. Even though I had school in the middle of the summer I wasn’t too upset (surprisingly). I knew that this was a fresh new start. Yay!

Fall 2012: My Freshman Year and Beyond!

At the end of the Summer Bridge Camp, we had to take a test in order for us to take our college classes and I honestly was not too worried about it. It was basic reading and I’m like I got into this school so this shouldn’t be too hard. Boy oh boy…was I wrong I failed the test by 2 points. In that moment all I could think was woe is me. I got over it and August came and I could officially say that I was a student of Cedar Hill Collegiate High School in Cedar Hill, TX ( a suburb city in the Dallas Area) But it was not uncommon for people to fail the test so I was able to take health as my college course that first semester and we retook the test in October and I passed. We then had to take a grammar and writing one to be able to take our classes for a sophomore year and this test was an actual breeze like I expected the first one to be. So basically with this program or at least at my school we take all of our basics, a few electives, and maybe some intro courses to receive our associate's degree. So now when I reach my University in a few weeks I will be taking courses that are geared towards my actual degree.

Anyways, let’s get back to walking down memory lane. So I took health and a course called CR Study Skills. CR Study Skills is a course that teaches you about yourself and how to handle college courses a with the different things that you learn in that class. This is a Dallas County Community Colleges Courses which means that it would be named something completely different at any other college you attend. In the summer we were allowed to take college classes that were actually on the Cedar Valley College campus and that summer I took government because the other classes were full and the teacher I had been a “legit” professor in a sense. By this I mean he meant business and he required you to truly do your part. This class was total hell compared to the two easy classes I had taken. I did not do that great in his class and thought that my life at collegiate was over because I had received a D! I had never received a grade like that in my life…I was so ashamed of myself I lied to mother and told her I had received a C. I’m not quite sure how long I waited but I know I waited a really long time before I told her the truth. See when you’re enrolled at these colleges only you have access to your grades and your parents can too IF YOU give them the password. They don’t give you and your parents two separate accounts.

Speaking of Parents! I think you all should know this if you consider attending a school like this that your parents CANNOT go and talk to your college professors. They will not talk to them and probably will be offended if your parents did attempt to get in contact with them. You have to remember that the whole point of this program is not only to receive your associate's degree but also to gain good study habits and really fight for your education.

This was something that was taught to us by our biology teacher she later became our dean of instruction sophomore year. When we got to our junior year she was the person that protected us and watched out for us when we got to the Cedar Valley campus. She truly taught us that we are in control of our education we have to fight for it even if we messed up things for ourselves. She wanted to make sure we understood this because there was only so much she could do for use and she most definitely wouldn’t be able to help us in college.

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