The thinking student's guide to college : 75 tips for getting a better education /
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| Author / Creator: | Roberts, Andrew Lawrence, 1970- |
|---|---|
| Imprint: | Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2010. |
| Description: | 174 p. ; 23 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Chicago guides to academic life Chicago guides to academic life. |
| Subject: | |
| Format: | Print Book |
| URL for this record: | http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/8146546 |
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- 1. How Universities Work
- 2. Choosing a College
- Tip 1. You Can Get an Equivalent Classroom Education at All Reasonably Selective Colleges and Universities
- Tip 2. The Key Distinction Is between Small Colleges and Large Universities
- Tip 3. Reputation Doesn't Matter as Much as You Think
- Tip 4. The Main Importance of Reputation Is the Student Body It Attracts
- 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
- Tip 8. Consider the Different Varieties of General Education Programs
- Tip 9. Don't Worry; Most Students Are Happy with Their Choice
- 3. Choosing Classes
- Tip 10. Consider Visiting Mul Tiple Classes during the First Week of the Semester
- Tip 11. Usually Trust Your First Impressions
- 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
- 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
- 4. Choosing a Major
- Tip 35. Sample a Lot of Different Departments
- Tip 36. Choose a Major That You Love
- 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
- 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
- 5. Being Successful
- Tip 45. Manage Your Time
- Tip 46. Show Professors That You Are Working Hard
- Tip 47. Join a Small Study Group
- Tip 48. Ask for Help
- Tip 49. Don't Let Your Instructors Suspect That You Are Taking Advantage of Them
- 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
- 6. Interacting with Professors
- Tip 53. Be Respectful
- Tip 54. Be Curious about the Subject
- Tip 55. Visit the Office Hours of All Your Professors at Least Once
- Tip 56. Get to Know at Least One Professor Well
- Tip 57. Find Out What Your Professors Research
- Tip 58. Send E-mails Judiciously, Answer E-mails Promptly
- Tip 59. Avoid Complaints about Grades
- Tip 60. Become an RA
- Tip 61. Ask for Recommendation Letters from Professors Who Know You Well
- 7. Learning outside the Classroom
- Tip 62. Get Involved in Extracurricular Activities
- Tip 63. Subscribe to an Intellectual Magazine
- Tip 64. Read 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
- 8. 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
- Tip 72. Ask Your Professors' Advice about PhD Programs in Their Field
- Tip 73. PhD Programs Are Not for Training Teachers
- Tip 74. Prestige Does Matter for PhD Programs
- Tip 75. Talk to Current Grad Students
- 9. Secrets of the Guild: Rules Professors Live By
- Rule A. Reduce Thy Teaching Load
- Rule B. Publish or Perish
- Rule C. Pamper Grad Students
- Rule D. Limit the Effort You Devote to Undergraduates
- Rule E. Play the Market
- Acknowledgments
- Recommended Reading
- Index
