The Social Aspect of College

Sofia, Zach, and Claire @ Binghamton

by Claire Rachel Feuer    

Frats- Depending on where you go to school there might or might not be any fraternities and sororities. I can’t offer much advice on this but before you begin pledging make sure you check out all the options. Most frats/sororities don't allow you to pledge until second semester freshman year and if you plan to join you should plan your class schedule knowing that you will probably be up super late/super early in the morning- so early classes aren't the best idea.

Drinking/Smoking- Yes there is underage drinking and partying… but as usual safety comes first and being responsible. I don’t think I need to go into much detail about partying but I would like to stress that there are MANY people who do not. At Binghamton we have a program called “Late Night Binghamton” that offers events and cool things to do on the weekends. In addition, a lot of people who go to the frats and bars (like me) don’t drink, which is quite advantageous. And believe me, with late night fatigue, the packed frats/bars, loud music, and flashing lights, you might as well be! All in all, be careful, and remember that if you live on campus you will have an RA (residential adviser) that is there to make sure that everyone is safe.

College… it’s a huge sleepover  with tons of work … and a lot of fun. Take advantage of all of its resources because it goes by quickly.

Feel free to e-mail me with any remaining questions regarding ANYTHING about college (partying, getting involved, etc.).

Don't be shy, feel free to post questions for Claire!

Thanks so much Claire and we look forward to hearing from

you next year!

Tips To Succeeding In College

by Claire Rachel Feuer

Claire in front of her dorm

Major? Unless you are on the pre-med track or interested in majoring in bio, engineering, etc. EXPLORE classes in each department. As soon as you get to college the hot topic of SATs quickly turns into.... "what's your major?". Nonetheless, don't be afraid to say "I'm not sure yet".  Honestly, many freshman don't know what they plan to study.  In fact, I didn't even know what anthropology was until this semester (the study of humans- which is still a VERY broad study). 

Rainbow over Binghamton University

Workload- I have no doubt that you will be receiving A LOT of work. Everyone says that time management is crucial in college and I can’t agree more. With late night partying, practically no adult supervision, and hanging out with friends, to name a few, there are distractions everywhere! I've pulled multiple all nighters and have consequently missed a couple of classes. However, this stress could/can be prevented by using your time wisely, for example, choosing instead to party two days a week rather than three, or dedicating more time to one class rather than the class that you are already excelling in. But…BE REALISTIC- This is college and there will always be some type of work to do so you HAVE to take breaks and have fun in order to survive the work load. If you've kept up with the long term projects at ICE then college will be a breeze (because you already know about planning, creating outlines and drafts, and writing lab reports).

ASK FOR HELP!- At ICE you've been fortunate to have dedicated teachers who will often stay with you until the night to help you complete your work. Depending if you have large class sizes, the faculty-student relationship will probably be much different. In college student and faculty relationships are often different, in college, professors unlike ICE teachers have lives (haha kidding) and often teach other classes, are pursuing studies, and overall do not have time to meet with you after class. Luckily, all professors and teaching assistants have office hours.. so USE THEM! Office hours are a great way to clarify ideas gone over in class, ask further questions, and to make an impression on the professor and TA. Freshman should take advantage of office hours as much as possible because in large lecture classes it's easy to fall asleep, drift off, and more importantly feel overwhelmed and anonymous (especially coming from ICE where everyone receives personal attention). No matter what class you take, whether it is the easiest math class (I took Math in Action), if you are struggling you should ask for help immediately before it's too late (and don't worry office hours are utilized by many).  

Writing centers: Go, go, go, unfortunately I think that these are the one of the most underused resources at Binghamton. Even if you are confident in your writing skills there is no harm in going. The majority of jobs require that employees write well so you should improve your writing as much as possible (especially because there is a huge difference between writing expectations in high school and in college).

Thanks so much Claire for sharing your college experiences and observations with us!  I just want to echo you........Writing Centers!!  Writing Centers!!  The help you get here can definitely see you through difficult papers and assignments.

Look for Claire's 3rd posting in the next day or two where she will discuss some of the social aspects of college.

Jennifer

Summer.......use the time!

Dear Seniors,

It's soooo hot outside!!! Today the temperature promises to hit the mid 90s ----ugh.  This presents you, dear seniors, a perfect time to find air conditioning---the library, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, etc. and get that SAT prep book and use part of the day to practice.  You will feel so good about yourself and next year if you push and practice the SATs on a regular basis.

I want to echo Claire (in the previous post) and say that the only time in your life that the SATs matter is next year when you are applying to college.  Be wise use these few months to prep and take the SATs......and then forget about them!

You will be taking the SAT I in October and if you are applying competitive you will take 2 SAT II's in November.  Please check your college website and see what is required for admission.

Stay tuned for part II of Claire's awesome post, I will be posting it tomorrow.

Stay inside and stay cool!

Jennifer

Today

        94 °F

Chance of T-storms

20% chance of precipitation

Claire a 2010 ICE grad blogs about the College Process

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Claire with her family, college ready....the car is packed!

Claire is our visiting blogger.....this is one of 3 posts from Claire, so check back and read what Claire has to say about frats, majors and workloads!!!  Thanks Claire for thinking of us!........your post is awesome.    I LOVE what you have to say about SATs and the College Essay. 

Dear future ICE graduates,

Congratulations on making it through another school year! I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer- whether you are interning, travelling, or kicking back and relaxing. I was extremely pleased to hear that Jennifer Wells had started a college blog and was looking for ICE graduates to share their college experiences. A little introduction is needed before I share with you my experiences, tips to succeeding in college, and my opinion about the college application process.

My name is Claire Feuer and I graduated ICE in 2010. I am a rising sophomore at Binghamton University and plan to double major in Spanish and Anthropology. Seth Newman and Sofia Goldberg (two of my closest friends also attend Binghamton).

Library @ Binghamton University  photo: Jonathan Cohen

Tips from  Freshman Perspective:

 College App process

SATs: The entire process is stressful but you have to remember that, like one of Imani's daunting long-term projects, it will soon be over! Sure, it might seem that conversations surrounding the SATs, have begun to dominate everyday conversations with friends, especially if you are in the 11th and 12th grade. However, don't worry, once you enter college EVERYONE (including parents, bragging students, and even colleges) has forgotten about SAT scores. My point is, don't let SAT scores bother you. While they are vital to many competitive colleges, they are also numbers that, when standing alone, do not offer much insight as to who you are, your values, and even your academic standing. On that note for those who are applying to colleges that require them, you should be practicing and getting acquainted with SAT- style questions. The SATs do a poor job at identifying what material you know but do an excellent job at seeing whether you know the necessary "tricks" that will save you time and frustration. 

ACTs: I never took these but you should explore these as an alternative if you are applying to schools that require either the SAT or the ACT.

Scholarship: College is expensive no matter where you attend. There are a ton of scholarships that are offered but require a lot of searching, dedication, and determination. One great website to find scholarships is www.fastweb.com. On this site, you fill out a profile and the site will automatically go through all of the scholarships posted on the web- plus it’s free to make an account! Scholarships range in money amounts. There are also more creative scholarships like making a prom dress out of duct tape.

Personal Essay: I would argue that the personal essay is by far the most difficult and most important piece of your college application. As JWells has told you numerous times, this is YOUR chance to connect with the reader on a personal level. College readers receive thousands of essays and you want to make sure that your essay stands out. 

Personal Obstacles: If you're like me, a perfectionist and someone who writes one sentence per hour, you should create a timeline. The last thing you want to do is to turn in a rushed personal essay. Set aside a good chunk of time designated to brainstorming  ideas, free writing, and editing. I wrote at least five drafts, each that focused on a different experience, and scratched them all. Of all the essays that I have read and written, the best ones are those that I/readers could relate to and could sense the writer's passion (which means that you should choose a topic that inspires you and that you enjoy writing about). I ended up writing my personal essay a week before it was due (cutting it a bit short) and it was ironically about my continual struggle with writing- so topics do vary! 

Tips: Have a few people read your essay. Of course submitting your work for peer review is always nerve racking (especially if it’s extremely personal), but this is not the time to be shy. Being open to critical feedback and acknowledging that great writing requires editing is a piece of knowledge that should be carried into college. Professors expect you to have edited your essays (more than once) before submitting work and often times what is clear to you might not be clear to anyone else. Have your friends read your essay and provide critical feedback (students at ICE are masters at providing this- since our curriculum emphasizes this). Ask reviewers if your writings is clear and, beyond that, if your writing reflects your personality? It also might be helpful to have a teacher that you are close to and a complete stranger read your essay. Once you receive your feedback don't feel pressured to make any changes- this is your personal essay.

If you are interested in reading my personal essay feel free to contact me through this College Blog and I'll email it to you.

Thanks again Claire!
Jennifer