Senior Alert!!!!!

Calling all seniors! As we all know, the class of 2010 is getting ready to throw on their caps and gowns and walk. It's time for them to graduate and they are more than hyped. The seniors are ready but before they walk, their are some neccessary things left before the big day. Here are some last minute tips and things you should know and be doing now as you prepare to for college. The following tips are from http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2912066186965103093. 

1. Improve your note-taking skills.
   College lectures cover a lot of information and sometimes the lectures go at a fast speed. Develop your own form of shorthand and speed writing.

2. Familiarize yourself with the library.
   You'll be expected to do more thorough research than ever before in college. You'll need to discover how to find journal articles, government reports, and maybe even primary sources at some point.

3. Exercise critical reading skills.
   In college you will not only use more sources than ever before, but you'll also learn to analyze those sources. Learn to read with a critical eye.

4. Practice reading difficult books and chapters.
   You may get a big surprise when you open one of your college text books. Some are written in a language and style much like the texts you use in high school. Some are not. Many college texts are written by academics who use pretty advanced vocabularies and propose pretty complicated theories and concepts. Be aware of this, but don't panic about it. All you have to do is learn how to divide and conquer the reading.
5. Learn to use Microsoft Word or another word processor.
   You will have to write research papers on a more frequent basis than before. Things like footnotes and bibliographies should become second nature.
   
6. Follow Through with Financial Aid
   If you are planning to use some sort of financial aid such as loans, grants, or even scholarships, you should complete a lot of financial aid paperwork. This starts with theFAFSA, which is a federal-level form which establishes a file for you within the federal government system, but it doesn't end there! Each college has its own paperwork that establishes a file within that particular college.

   Each year, some students face a big surprise on move-in day, when they realize that their financial aid application is not complete. Students may complete some of the steps and believe they have done everything necessary—when, in fact, they have not.

   Once you believe you have done everything necessary when it comes to applying for financial aid, follow through with a phone call to a counselor. Ask them exactly where you stand and whether there will be a balance due on move-in day.

   7.Senior Year and College Mail

   During your senior year you will be bombarded with college recruitment mail. At first this is flattering, but eventually it becomes annoying. The problem is, students start to throw away everything when they become overwhelmed. This can be a big mistake!

   Once in awhile, some colleges will mail out information about scholarship opportunities that you hadn't expected and hadn't applied for. Small private colleges often do this. Why miss out on a great opportunity? Take the time to open your mail and do a quick evaluation before trashing it.

   So Seniors, get ready, get set, and go for it. You have less than five weeks before graduation and you have tons of things to fill those five weeks with. prom, finals, grades, and college acceptance letters are going to start flying so you need to stay up and on your toes with everything. One mistake could jepordize your whole future and that would pit you so far in a hole. So, be alert!