December 15, 2014

The Benefits of an Honors College

December 15, 2014/ Katie Dwyer

Choosing a college is an incredibly exciting and (often) stressful process. For high-flying high school students, private schools and liberal arts colleges often seem like the logical choice. However, an Honors College at a large public university can offer incredible opportunities and benefits for academics, social life, and broader opportunities.

I was a student at the University of Oregon's Honors College. Here's why that was a great fit for me (and why an Honors College could be a great fit for you, too).

October 21, 2014

Study Abroad for History Majors--Guest Post from Abroad by James Hinton

October 21, 2014/ Katie Dwyer

Considering a future as a history professor? Wondering how world wars or shifts in culture and technology are viewed from different viewpoints? This guest post by James Hinton recommends that you get on the road to study abroad--that it will deepen your passions and improve your career options. For all you history buffs out there... get abroad!

October 07, 2014

College Logistics: How Do I...

October 07, 2014/ Katie Dwyer

At every stage in the college journey, there is a plethora of shifting logistical and practical questions. Early college questions (How do I register for classes? How do I use the gym? How do I use the online homework website?) give way to mid-college questions (How do I prepare to go abroad? How do I decide if this is the right major for me? How do I move off-campus and deal with all the accompanying real-life logistics?) and finally to the questions that plague soon-to-be graduates (How do I turn in my thesis? How do I get transcripts? How am I going to make it in the real world…)

May 08, 2014

The Transition from High School to College: Guest Post from "Professor X"

May 08, 2014/ Katie Dwyer

The transition from high school to college is certainly different now than it was 20-30 years ago and thus represents an evolutionary process. While the high school experience has probably not changed much in the last 100 years, the college experience is now different in new and fundamental ways, and most incoming freshmen are unprepared to deal with this new way of life and new mode of educational performance. By far the biggest of the transitions is the realization that now you, the college freshmen, are suddenly personally responsible for your own successes and failures.

January 06, 2014

Starting the Semester: The Syllabus

January 06, 2014/ Katie Dwyer

The syllabus is your friend. It tells you exactly what you need to do to be prepared for class, learn what’s valuable, and get a good grade. A well-written syllabus leaves no mysteries to course structure or requirements. It’s all there, on a piece of paper, and you will probably go through an exhaustive discussion on that first day. Pay attention.

November 11, 2013

Letters of recommendation: Better know a professor

November 11, 2013/ Katie Dwyer

It is incredibly important to have several professors who know you well and can write you recommendation letters. You should to get to know the faculty for a whole range of reasons, the best of which in my mind is that they tend to be some of the most interesting people you’ll ever meet.

November 06, 2013

Getting into "closed" classes

November 06, 2013/ Katie Dwyer

So here’s something I wish I had known from the beginning: a “closed class” does not mean what you think it means. If the class is capped at thirty, and there are thirty students already signed up, then it just means you need to be a bit more creative about making your schedule happen. Here’s what worked for me