Focusing on Real-World Skills

Despite some employers expressing concern over the preparedness of new grads (see my blog, Are People Forgetting the People Skills?), a new study indicates many find graduates are “coming out well-positioned.” The Association of American Colleges and Universities reports that 65 percent of surveyed employers believe graduates have the necessary skills to succeed (Mixed Grades for Grads and Assessment). (more…)

Is it time to finish your degree?

Carol | Advice For Parents, Carol On Education | Wednesday, 13 February 2008

If you left college prior to earning a degree, now may be the time to complete it. Several universities are tempting adults to return by offering programs geared toward nontraditional students. (more…)

Freshman Concerns

Carol | Advice For Parents, Advice for Students, Carol On Education | Friday, 08 February 2008

With the economy headed for a recession and world markets investing heavily in US concerns, it is not surprising that college student are job-focused when it comes to their education, as the article Freshmen’s Concerns About Quality, Cost at 35-Year High discusses. (more…)

Are People Forgetting the People Skills?

There is no doubt that students need technological skills to be successful in today’s world.

Colleges have accommodated this need by implementing courses taught in computer labs, as well as online classes and assignments. Both high school and college students are repeatedly reminded that the future of job security lies within these parameters, as does economic stability. A new survey from the Association of American Colleges suggests that despite 21st century teaching methods, tests evaluating student achievement may be closer to early 1900 tactics. (more…)

Helping Students Help Themselves

Carol | Advice For Parents, Advice for Students, Carol On Education | Wednesday, 30 January 2008

I think a lot about the differences between students who succeed and those who fail.

This is obviously an in-depth subject that merits much exploration. I came across an article suggesting one key factor in a college student’s success is the attention, or lack thereof, they receive from advisors. (more…)

How Involved Do Kids Need You To Be?

Carol | Advice For Parents, Carol On Education | Friday, 25 January 2008

Not all freshmen embarking on their college career will succeed in earning their degree.

What are the differences between the ones who prevail and those who fall behind, and how much of a role does parental involvement play in that outcome? Many are of the belief that students see college as an opportunity to finally break free from the rules and restrictions of their youth. I recently read an article in Inside Higher Ed titled, Parental Involvement Wanted, which indicates the opposite. According to the article, a new study by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA reveals that plenty of college freshmen are actually happy with the amount of involvement their parents have. Surprisingly, some even want more. (more…)

Questions That Can Help Bring Change to Your Life

Carol | Advice For Parents | Tuesday, 21 October 2003

Peter Drucker once said, “Wherever you see a successful business, someone has made a courageous decision.” The same is true with people who are managing their lives, their careers, and their challenges. Many people don’t see their dreams fulfilled, their vision become a reality, because their thinking has become restricted. As my colleague, Tanya Williams says, “You can’t expect change without changing.” Following are questions that can help open your mind to a pathway of possibilities: (more…)

Learning to Be “Successfully Intelligent”

Carol | Advice For Parents, Carol On Education | Tuesday, 09 September 2003

I am fascinated by what makes people learn as well as the connection between learning and motivation. A few years ago, Yale psychologist, Robert Sternberg, wrote a book called Successful Intelligence. The basic premise of the book is that to be successful in life, you need three types of intelligences: analytical, creative, and practical. (more…)