Assisting Where It Counts

What have you done lately? Are there things that you wish you could do to help out more? Have you ever thought of becoming a medical assistant?

The thought of helping people in need is very fulfilling. The job means you work one on one with patients, doctors, and nursing staff members. As you work to become an assistant, you will find that the reward is not in the degree, but in the healing you help to provide.

Scholarships are available to those who apply and qualify. You can locate many of these online, and they can reduce the amount needed to borrow from whatever sources you can find. Certifications and degree programs can be earned online using scholarships as well. Check with different online schools to see how you can earn your degree in your personal real time.

Still having problems deciding? Online schools and traditional universities have counselors that can help you decide on what is best for you. There are other places to search for a great school to attend to become a medical assistant.

Regardless of how you attend school, you can know that what you are doing is for the better. Each assistant is an individual, and as they work with doctors, they learn. Learning on the job while in school is equally as important, ensuring that you are doing what you need to so that you can become the best assistant possible.

Learn more on how you can help people while making it a career. A medical assistant may be what you need to be assisting where it counts the most.

Keeping Bias At Ease

Some of the most important things that administrators don't tell you for an online class is how to refrain from being biased. With the virtual classroom, it can easily be depicted that your words mean something that you had no intention.

In other words, body language doesn't count here.

There are plenty of reasons to take online courses. Time management, schedules, family, and transportation are simply a few. But once you get into the classes, how do you know who your teacher is? Or the classmates you are working with?

Here's a hint: names and spellings of those names mean nothing. A Caucasian female, age 25, with three kids can just as easily be named Hadasannah as she can be named Mary. The idea here is to not make judgment. Granted, there are some names and ideas behind the type of people are in your class.

Bias and racism is just as much of a problem in the online classroom as it is in person. Words hurt, and to those who know them and refrain from using them, good for you. But for others, saying words like white, black, Mexican... these are all politically incorrect. Just as is the words like old people, brats, or slang words that are supposed to depict a certain "type" of person. The words, no matter how they are used, are called bad netiquette, or etiquette on the net.

Another set of words that can be seen as mean, rude, or downright bad for "business" is slander towards the GLBT groups. A person's sexual preference has nothing to do with how they operate in classroom, just like if they are married or divorced has nothing to do with the way they learn. Everyone has the right to a fair education, no matter who they are.

So check yourself when you are making your posts online. For corrections or criminal justice classes, make sure that you are identifying persons in the proper terms, not some "black guy" or "Asian chick" or worse.

How Do You Actively Listen?

When you listen, you make a person feel important and appreciated.   If you listen to what people are saying, they feel respected and that their thoughts are valued.  Ordinary relationships emerge from effective communication.  We build relationships when we voice out our concerns effectively and listen well at the same time.  

The same is true with couples.  Intimacy lingers when there is great communication.  In business, a lot of money and valuable time is saved when words are delivered with care and prevent any misunderstanding on both parties.  This is often taken for granted but it is actually in listening that we learn more than when we talk. 

Remember the golden rule? It’s almost as definitely true in communication.  Listen to others how you would like others to listen to you.  The better we listen, the more we mature socially and emotionally.   You don’t have to be a psychology major to actively listen.  You can start this by following these simple steps to effectively and actively listen.   You may be doing some of the items mentioned here but subconsciously disregarding them with your very busy life.  It is best to not only consider what the other speaker is talking about but how he would feel if you show your concern and let him know you understand.

Face the person talking.  Your body language will tell if you are attentive.

Keep an eye contact.  Be sure that you do this with careful intent and not make the other person uncomfortable.

Take away external and internal distractions.  Turn off music or television.  Put down whatever you are reading and tell others to do the same.  If you have your own ideas or thoughts humming inside your head, let them all go. Give the limelight to the speaker and not you.

Respond.  You can nod or simply murmur a few ‘ah-huh’ and ‘ah-hums’ to show that you agree or understand what the speaker is trying to point out.  You can raise your eyebrow and mention a few words such as “Okay,” “I see,” or “Definitely.”  You can also ask follow-up questions such as “Then what happened?” or “What did you do next?”

Focus on what the other person is saying.  Do not think about what you are about to say next.  Your conversation will flow naturally after you’ve heard what the speaker is trying to point out.  

Be open-minded.  Wait for the other person to finish the whole story before you jump into conclusion.    

Wait for the speaker to seek for an advice.  Unless prompted with the question, never let the person know how you handled the same issue.  Let the person talk and soon this will lead to their own conclusion.  

Listen to the complaint before you defend your side.  This will make the other person feel they have made their point and that you understood.  Sort your ideas and your decision regarding the matter while listening without interrupting.  You will find it easier to resolve any issues when you listen first.

As you listen intently there could be an awkward silence at times.  Do not panic.  Use the time to settle your ideas and then speak when you have organized your thoughts.  It seems odd to some but the more you listen, the better you communicate.  You may have listened to a person for 30 minutes and only said a few words in return, but you’ll find the issue is fixed and problem is resolved in a mutual way.  




By: Cleo Capili

Balancing Act: Varsity and Study

A lot of college and high school students go to school for advance learning and play sports at the same time.  This makes the campus life more fun, however, often times students gear more towards sports than in study.  No matter what the circumstance is, academics should always be the priority.  

You can’t give up your school for games.  Remember that you even have to give up the sports you love just to catch up on the missed subjects.  But here are a few effective tips on how you can manage both your school time and sports without sacrificing your academics.

1.  Do not spend too much time with the varsity team.  You can practice after school but not the whole afternoon.  Never cut your study and homework time just to practice sports.  Finish your homework; review the lessons you had in the morning and go over it the next day especially if you have exams coming.  One of the most common mistakes athletes commit is they play the whole afternoon and go home tired so they just put off their homework. Study first before play.  

2.  Pay attention when inside the classroom.  Athletes often daydream about their games and it hinders their focus towards the discussion.  Jot down notes and do your homework on time.  When your grades are doing well, the better you play too.  You really don’t have to study all the time but when you have a study routine, the more free time you’ll have and you don’t end up cramming.  Bear in mind that even coaches appreciate players who do well in class.  

3.  Learn to prioritize.  You must know when you have to call it quits.  This sounds a little sad and harsh but if your grades are falling behind because of your game then you have to give priority to your academics first.  Quitting sports does not make you less of a person.  It actually hones your personality and maturity.  School is a long term priority which will make or break your future.  Sports can always come later in your school life.  Try to catch up with your grades and just join the varsity team again next year.  You can play the rest of your life after college if you really want to join a league.  It’s harder to pursue a college degree or even a high school diploma as you get older so make the most out of your time in school while you can and play later. 

Just follow these few tips and you will surely get what you want out of your college and varsity life.  Remember that your education should be your top priority.  Soon you will realize the sense of accomplishment you have if you do better in school.  Once you learn how to manage your academic activities then you can start going back to being a school athlete.  Choose to be wiser first.  Who knows, you’ll meet the criteria for scholarships for college students too.


By: Cleo Capili

Easy Ways to Save on Your College Allowance

A major part of your life as a student revolves around the aspect of your allowance. Allowances are given by your parents for your tuition fees, dorm fees, books, computer needs, and others. A greater portion of your allowance goes to your daily needs and a part of it for your social life.

This financial support is very important for each college student for without it, a student can’t possibly graduate from college.

If you are a student who deals with scarce resources, here are easy ways you can use to effectively stretch your allowance.

Save on food

Prepare your meals as much as possible. Cook food in your dorm. This way, you avoid eating lunch and dinner in fast food places. When you cook your own food, you can save almost half of your daily allowance. Plan a one-week menu before you go to the grocery so you don’t worry about what to cook during the next few days.

Car pooling

Save on gas. Tag your friends along and get a car pool. You only not save money on transportation costs but you also get to bond with your college friends.

  

Check thrift shops for second-hand books

It is practical to buy second-hand books because they are cheaper and they contain the same lessons as the new editions. And since these books have already been used, you may find notes and highlights important in your own course of study.

Take advantage of student discounts

Discounts really add up over time. Use your student ID and membership cards in organizations to avail of discounts in several establishments.

Save, save, save

No matter how modest your allowance is, make it a habit to save. Place a piggy bank or a container near your bed. Each night before you go to sleep, drop all your coins in it. You may not notice it but your quarters have already reached a big sum by the end of the semester!

You will attain a bright future if you give importance and secure the money that your parents had invested on your education.  Use your money wisely. Give these simple and practical tips a try and you will be free from falling into student debts.

Prepared by: Liezel Magno Castro

Ways How to get a College Scholarship

Going to college should be taken seriously especially when you want to land on a high paying job and to be successful in life. The costs of attending good college education are skyrocketing, making it an expensive investment that many are unable to afford. But, here’s a good news… there are many college scholarships available to help students with their college costs.

Scholarships are free money for college. They are very timely especially now that going to college is getting more expensive. To get the most from scholarships, you should start early. You can find scholarships through the internet, books and through the help of your school’s guidance counselor. Track for scholarship application deadlines. Make sure that you actually do the instructions and qualify for the requirements. 

Some secondary schools give away scholarships to deserving students prior to attending college. Now, there are so many types of scholarships being offered. It helps to know these types, time ranges, amounts, and places where you can find them.

1.    Merit-based scholarships

Most scholarships generally revolve around this type of award. Students who excelled in their academic are awarded a scholarship on the basis of their overall academic achievement.

2.  Need-based scholarships

This type of scholarship is given mainly on financial means. They are designed to fund the less fortunate students in their academic pursuits. Some of the considerations are the following: the parents’ income, expenses, number of siblings in school simultaneously, cost of living and others.

3.   Athletic scholarships

These are popularly given by colleges to star athletes to recruit them for their athletic teams. Generally, full-scholarship athletes are recruited by ‘scouts’ while the students are in high school.

4.    School-based individual scholarships

These are the scholarships offered by any school based on university specifics like donors, personal scholarships, individual name scholarships, and so on. Sometimes, you apply directly to these scholarships and by simply being accepted, you get the chance for possible scholarship awards.

5.    Full / partial scholarships

Full scholarship covers your books, living allowance, and tuition fees, while partial scholarship may cover just books, or just living allowance, or a portion of the tuition fees.

If you are awarded any type of scholarship, grab it! These are prized, wonderful gifts and you should feel honored to receive one.

There are many different ways you can find a college scholarship today. There are online sites that provide listings of top scholarships and books where you can check out from your library.

Here are some of the websites and books you can check. These list all the scholarships that exist. You are likely to find at least one or two that will match your interests and qualifications.

            

Websites:

·        Find Scholarships While Colleges Recruit You

·        College Scholarships

·        Guaranteed Scholarships

·        FinAid

·        Absolutely Scholarships

·        Fastweb

Books:

·        How To Go To college Almost for Free by Ben Kaplan

·        Complete Idiot’s guide to Financial Planning by David Rye

·        The Scholarship Scouting Report: An Insider’s Guide to America’s Best Scholarships by Ben Kaplan

·        Scholarships, Grants, and Prizes, 2004 by Peterson’s

·        The College Board Scholarship Handbook 2004: All New Seventh Edition by Joseph A. Russo

·        Winning Grants: Step by Step, 2^nd Edition by Mim Carlson

Whatever race, age, sex, or economic situation you are in, you will find a great number of scholarships and grants for you. There are thousands and thousands of scholarships on the market available for grabs. Take advantage of these great opportunities. Apply to as many as you can and raise your likelihood of getting one.  College can actually be high-priced and whenever possible, you should try to save money. The lesser you have to spend; the better off you will be when you graduate.

Prepared by: Liezel Magno Castro

How to Understand an Intimidating Research Article

While you are attending college to get one of the best careers, you will need to do research at some point. After successfully finding a few articles on your topic, reading through them seems like a daunting task. It can be intimidating to read through a long, complicated article. Here are some tips to get you through reading these research reports.

A scientific research report has but one purpose, to communicate to others the results of their scientific investigation.  To this there is a standard format that has been developed to utilize effective communication. There are 6 key components:

Headings
This contains the information you will need to cite your source, including the title, name of author(s), any institutional affiliations. Also the title will clue you into the article's object.

Abstract
This will help to set the stage and provide you with a brief overview. It is a condensed version of the article that will briefly provide the statement of the problem, methods used, major results of the study, and their conclusions.

Introduction
The introduction will provide the thesis which will sum up the entire article into one or two sentences, found in the first or second paragraph. If the article is a literature review, it will follow similar to a funnel, broad and wide at the start, and gradually become more narrow. Also the author should briefly provide rationale for the study, then tell you quickly how they did the study. Lastly should be the results, if the hypothesis they tested was correct or if they had unexpected findings. I suggest highlighting the thesis and labeling it if possible on your copy.

Method
After the author has given you the introduction, they will get into the nuts and bolts. They should explain in this section the detailed information in how they set up the study, including describing participants. Following should be procedures used described in detail. Highlight and/or underline what you feel is the key points of the details.

Results
This is where all of the author's hard work ends up. Usually there will be statistical information, complicated charts and graphs that the author has worked very hard to complete. Their vast knowledge is difficult to convey sometimes into a language that the average student can understand. Try to break it down into parts. Underline and label the important key details you find interesting to your research topic.

Discussion
Evaluation and interpretation is the key basis for this part of the article, to conclude the work done. They will let you know if their hypothesis was supported, they may alert you to any further research that may need to be done. Finally they will conclude, restating quickly and efficiently what they have found. Again you should underline or highlight and label the key parts.

After you are finished reading through the article, GO TELL SOMEONE! It will stick in your mind easier if you can tell someone about the article, what the author did and discovered. A professor suggested this to me last year and it really does help me retain information better.