| Description |
1 online resource (174 pages) |
| Series |
Chicago guides to academic life |
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Chicago guides to academic life.
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| Contents |
The purposes of a college education -- How universities work -- The history of the university -- A student's guide to college administration -- Choosing a college -- Tip 1: you can get an equivalent classroom education at most reasonably selective colleges and universities -- Nobel Prize winners -- Tip 2: the key distinction is between small colleges and large universities -- Where do professors send their children to college? -- Tip 3: reputation doesn't matter as much as you think -- Tip 4: the main importance of reputation is the student body it attracts -- U.S. news ratings -- Minorities and college choice -- Tip 5: look for signs of a personalized education -- Tip 6: consider the cost -- Tip 7: differences in the strength of particular departments are not usually a good basis for choosing among colleges -- Choosing a foreign university -- Tip 8: consider the different varieties of general education programs -- Tip 9: don't worry; most students are happy with their choice -- Choosing classes -- Tip 10: consider visiting multiple classes during the first week of the semester -- Tip 11: usually trust your first impressions -- Priorities in choosing classes -- Tip 12: go for variety, especially early on -- Tip 13: at least once a year pick a class that doesn't seem to fit your interests -- Tip 14: take classes with heavy writing requirements -- Tip 15: take as many seminars and as few large lecture courses as possible -- What does a good lecture look like? -- Tip 16: take mostly upper-division courses -- Tip 17: focus more on methods than topics -- Tip 18: seek out classes that provide you with continuous feedback and take the feedback seriously -- Tip 19: know the status of your professors -- Tip 20: learn to be a critical reader of student evaluations of faculty -- Tip 21: ask professors you know what courses they would recommend -- Tip 22: take courses that relate to each other -- Tip 23: study abroad for at least one semester if not an entire year -- Tip 24: don't succumb to the "two cultures" -- Tip 25: don't try to get all of your general education requirements out of the way in freshman and sophomore year -- Tip 26: audit classes that you don't have time to take -- Tip 27: consider independent study classes -- Tip 28: don't take too many classes with one professor -- Tip 29: don't be afraid to exceed requirements -- Tip 30: unless you plan to major in chemistry or biology, leave medical school requirements until later -- Tip 31: either take foreign language classes seriously or try to place out of them -- Tip 32: be discerning in choosing internships for credit -- Tip 33: take prerequisites with a grain of salt -- Tip 34: consider graduate courses -- Choosing a major -- Tip 35: sample a lot of different departments -- Tip 36: choose a major that you love -- Some neglected majors -- Tip 37: find out what you are good at -- Tip 38: don't worry too much about the job prospects of the major -- Tip 39: choose smaller majors -- Tip 40: choose more structured majors -- Women and the sciences -- Tip 41: go to an academic lecture given in the department -- Tip 42: be skeptical about double or triple majoring -- Tip 43: write a senior thesis -- Tip 44: don't get too stressed out over your choice -- Being successful -- Tip 45: manage your time -- Tip 46: show professors that you are working hard -- Tip 47: join a small study group -- What grades mean -- Tip 48: ask for help -- Tip 49: don't let your instructors suspect that you are taking advantage of them -- Grade inflation -- Tip 50: learn the rules of critical thinking and apply them constantly -- Tip 51: professorial shortcuts for writing -- Tip 52: professorial shortcuts for doing research -- Self-care -- Interacting with professors -- Tip 53: be respectful -- Tip 54: be curious about the subject -- Interacting with female professors -- Tip 55: visit all your professors during office hours at least once -- Tip 56: get to know at least one professor well -- Tip 57: find out what your professors research -- "Tenured radicals" -- Tip 58: send e-mails judiciously, answer e-mails promptly -- Writing an effective e-mail -- Tip 59: avoid complaints about grades -- Tip 60: become a research assistant -- Tip 61: ask for recommendation letters from professors who know you well -- Learning outside the classroom -- Tip 62: get involved in extracurricular activities -- Tip 63: subscribe to an intellectual magazine -- Tip 64: read academic blogs -- Academic blogs -- Tip 65: attend a public lecture every week -- Tip 66: spend your free time in coffeehouses -- Tip 67: make friends with people who have different beliefs and experiences -- Tip 68: get to know foreign students -- Going to graduate school -- Tip 69: there are seldom strong reasons to go to graduate school immediately after college -- Tip 70: learn more about the career graduate school is heading to -- Tip 71: graduate school is not just advanced undergrad -- Getting fellowships -- Tip 72: ask your professors' advice about PhD programs in their field -- Tip 73: PhD programs are not for training teachers -- Types of graduate programs -- Tip 74: prestige does matter for PhD programs -- Tip 75: talk to current grad students |
| Summary |
Each fall, thousands of eager freshmen descend on college and university campuses expecting the best education imaginable: inspiring classes taught by top-ranked professors, academic advisors who will guide them to a prestigious job or graduate school, and an environment where learning flourishes outside the classroom as much as it does in lecture halls. Unfortunately, most of these freshmen soon learn that academic life is not what they imagined. Classes are taught by overworked graduate students and adjuncts rather than seasoned faculty members, undergrads receive minimal attention from advi |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Print version record |
| Subject |
College choice -- United States
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Education, Higher -- Aims and objectives.
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Universities and colleges -- United States.
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College student orientation.
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College students -- Conduct of life.
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Education.
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EDUCATION -- Higher.
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College choice
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College student orientation
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College students -- Conduct of life
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Education
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Education, Higher -- Aims and objectives
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Universities and colleges
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United States
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| ISBN |
9780226721163 |
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0226721167 |
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