7 Important Soft Skills to Have

Soft Skills are those skills that we aren't taught in school including: leadership, motivation, interpersonal skills and creativity.  These are the characteristics that make us more likeable to peers, professors and potential employeers.  Below is a list of the 7 of the most important Soft Skills to have, pay attention to how comfortable you are with each of these skills.

1.  Listening:  If you can't follow instructions, it doesn't matter how talented you may be, you will mess things up.  Show you are a good listener by following directions closely the first time.  How can you tell if you are an good listener?  Practice actively listening during a conversation, can you repeat most of what the conversation was about after it has finished?  If not, try to focus more and practice during everyday interactions.

2. Adaptability:  Change can difficult to accept on some occasions, however, being flexible and having a good attitude during unexpected changes can be a valuable skill.  Do you complain if plans change?  Do you sulk when things don't go your way?  If so, think about how you can be less rigid, change is a part of life and it's important to learn how to deal with is effectively.

3. Teamwork: Teamwork seems to be everywhere in the life of a student.  At any one time you are working in a team to complete a project in a class.  This will be no different than in the work environment.  Even though you have worked in alot of team environments through out your college career do you still feel like you need to work on being a team player?  Consider joining a club sports team or student organization outside of the classroom to futher these skills.

4.  Judgement: Judgement is not a skill that can be easily taught.  Have you ever posted something on Facebook or Twitter and regretted it later?  Then you might need some extra practice in good judgement.  The old saying "think before you act" is a good mantra to live by when trying to practice good judgement.

5.  Work Ethic: Will you continue to work on something until it is complete? Do you step up and complete a task when it is not really your job?  If you answered yes to these 2 questions then you already have a strong work ethic.  If you answered no, think about some things you can do to change that.

6. Communication: This is probably the most important soft skill to have.  It is evaluated every day by those that you interact with.  How you introduce your self or interact with others sends a message of how well you communicate.  It's important to take your time think about what you want to communicate and do it in a way that makes sense to others.  Find yourself repeating yourself often or have others misunderstand you?  Then you may need to step back and take a look at how you are communcating your thoughts.

7. Positive Demeanor: This is just another way of saying are you "nice to be around."  Are you rude to the receptionist or don't hold the door for the person behind you? Than it's likely you may be viewed as a negative person.  If people view you as a negative person it could effect your relationships with those around you.

5 Tips for Surviving the 1st Week of College!

Forming good attitudes and habits in the 1st week of college will set you up for success through out the entire semester.  Here are 5 tips on surviving the 1st week of college and beyond!

 

1.  Find your classrooms - University Park campus can be large and intimidating!  Get a map and find out where your classrooms are before the 1st day of classes.  Use it to find the best walking or bus route to each class.  Always a good idea to scope out lunch and study locations too if you have a break between classes.

2.  Leave for class early - It can take longer to get across campus that you originally thought, especially with 40,000 other students trying to do the same thing!  Leave your room 5-10 mins earlier than you planned, that gives you time to get lost, wait on the bus or stop for coffee before that 8am class!  If you get to class early, great, take the time to get settled and possibly open the textbook.

3.  Be friendly and nice - Every new college student is nervous the first week.  It's important to be friendly to everyone; other first years, seniors, professors, TA's, etc.  They  may be able to help you survive this journey.  Will you like everyone or be friends with everyone on campus?  No, but they may have some valuable information that you need (i.e I bet the professor knows what is going to be on the exams.....that a good friend to have!)

4.  Sit front and center - Statistics show that students who sit front and center will have higher GPA's than students who don't.  Front and center of the classroom might not mean the "physcial" front and center of the room, but of where your professor spends most of their time while lecturing.  Sit in their sight line, be prepared for class and pay attention.  Pretty soon you will notice the professor is teaching directly to you!

5.  Have a calendar and USE IT! - Your calendar can be a physcial book or on your phone, either way you must use it for it to be effective.  College can be a stressful time, make it easier by planning out your time.  Put everything in your calendar, when your classes are, time to study, time to eat, sleep and relax.  Your schedule will fill up quickly with social activities, student organization meetings and classes so it's important to keep it all straight and not to forget about the exam coming up next week!

Who is my Advisor?!

In the first two years there are general engineering advisorys who are assigned to you.  Be sure to go and MEET YOUR ADVISOR.  They are there at all campuses to help you and provide guidance whether you are pursuing a two or four year degree.  After you declarre your major, you should seek out an advisory from your department.

If you are at a campus college other than University Park, make sure you speak to the designated advisor at your campus to help keep you on target for your move to University Park if this is where you plan to complete your degree.  If you have further questions, feel free to call the Engineering Advising Center at 814-863-1033.

In addition, do your own graduation homework and research the requirements for your intended major yourself, since in the end you are ultimately responsible for your college career.

The official advisors for engineering students assigned to you by Penn State University are listed at http://dus.psu.edu/uac/b6allcam.htm

Also, if you are a freshman, befriend a junior or senior who is well on the way towards graduation.  Students in your major can often shed light and offer advice which will help you succeed.  There are several student mentoring program to help you.  The students of the National Societ of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) provide some of this, as well as student organizations in your major.  Feel free to utilize as many mentors as you wish.

Will my internships affect my financial aid?

Interships are a great thing! They give you great experience and decent money.  In order to get your internship, you need to have a resume to distribute at the numerous career fairs that happen on campus.  You can get help in developing your resume at the many workshops thats are offered on campus throughout the academic year.  (Also, check out our blog post on resumes HERE!)

Once you have an internship, the financial aid office will factor in the majority of your newly earned money as a contribution towards your education, thereby reducing your financial aid from other sources.   If you're aware of this and actually save the money for college, it's not a bad thing.  If you are unaware of this, it will affect your financial planning for the following year.

Can there be too much financial aid?

Scholarships are available to assist in everyone's education; you just have to know where to look for them and be persistent.  Apply for several on an ongoing basis.  Some places include your counselors office, MEP or on the web.  One popular site is www.fastweb.com, but this is just one of many.  Treat your scholarship search like a class.  Designate time to do the paperwork and follow through per the deadlines.

If you qualify for additional money, you can receive addition scholarships up to the amount of the cost of attendence identified for you.  Below are a few ballpark figures on the cost of attendance.

                                        In-State         Out of State
Tuition                           10,400            20,300
Room/Board                    6,000              6,000
Books/Fees/Expenses      3,100              3,100

Total (Cost of Att.)         19,500             29,400

Should you receive additional funds, which exceed the Cost of Attendenc, some of your loans (or other scholarships) will be reduced by the excess amount.  The intent of the Financial Office is to reduce your indebtedness.  The effect, however, is that you don't always get your scholarship money in your hand.

Example:  Amy is a Bunton-Waller Fellow (BWF).  Both the aid and the BWF equal her cost of attendance.  A corporate scholarship of $2,000 was awarded to her in her student account.  Consequently, her BWF funding was reduced by $2,000 for that semester so that she would not exceed her cost of attendence.

If you are approaching your financial aid limit, contact the aid office to find out how additional scholarship funding would be applied.  Sometimes excess aid can be applied to summer or future semesters where less aid is anticipated.

Financial Aid Continued.....

The FASFA is required EVERY YEAR you are in college seeking aid!

COPY EVEYRTHING YOU MAIL IN!!!  If your form is "unable to be located" (or LOST) it helps to have a copy to provide. (The FAFSA is rather long and no one enjoys doing it twice.)

Financial aid is available to students who maintain at least 12 credits per semester, and pass 24 credits per year and are in good academic standing with a 2.0 cum GPA.

Should you enroll for less than 12 credits per semester or fail to pass 24 credits per year, or find that you are not in good academic standing, your financial aid will be jeopardized.

Financial aid refunds are meant to be applied to your living expenses. If you get an $800 refund for the fall, you are expected to divide it by 4 and live on $200/month.

Some summer aid is available.

Financial Aid: The Basics

To qualify, complete the FAFSA form by February 15th for the fall. ( There is no deadline on the form.  It is supposedly "first come first serve" - as though there is enough to go around.  The truth however, is that the "good money" is usually gone by March.)


The number one cause for delay is completion of the parents' tax return which must be attached.  Most Americans do their taxes in April - the month they're due.  This is too late for the FAFSA application. (Parents can estimate the taxes for the FAFSA application - but copies of the actual tax forms must eventually be turned in and corrected later - more red tape.) It pays to get everything in by February.

Triple check the form to be sure nothing is missing.  If there is the slightest program, the process is slowed down and sometimes the form is returned to you.

I need a place to live!

Regardless of which college campus you are attending it is very important that you find somewhere to live early to relieve unnecessary stress with an upcoming new year.

There are several places to live near University Park Campus.  If you are relocating from a campus college and wish to live on University Park campus, then fill out the request card that you receive in your offer packet.  (If you did not receive one, call Housing/Food Services and request one.)  You MUST return this request card to be considered for on-campus housing.  As long as space is available students will be mailed a supplemental contract.  If all spaces are filled, your name will be added to the Contract Waiting List.

If you wish to live off-campus it may make it easier to live where there is a larger off-campus student population.  At the University Park campis, there are five student complezes located on Vairo Blvd.  These are The Pointe, Nittany Crossing, University Commons, Heritage Oaks, and Copper Beach II.  Students have found that searching off-campus housing in early May or June provides better housing deals for their apartments.  The contact information for these and several others can be fund at www.sa.psu.edu/ocl.  In addition, to see other students posting you can visit www.statecollege.com/classifieds/index.phtml

Finals Week Prepper

Finals are right around the corner! GET A HEAD START NOW!!!

When it comes to properly preparing for finals, cramming is NOT the way to go. Here are some tips to help make your finals week as successful as possible:

• Start reviewing now! Look over old exams/quizzes/homework assignments and rework all the problems you may have missed to make sure that you truly understand all the concepts.
• Develop a daily study schedule and STICK TO IT!
• Eliminate your distractions. Study in a quiet place and log out of Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, etc. 
• Go to your TA and/or Professor's office hours and really talk to him or her; come prepared with genuine questions about the course material. This is no time to be shy.
• Find as many practice problems as you can. The Academic Excellence Center in 323 Sackett has many old calculus, physics, and engineering mechanics exams in its Test Bank.
• Create an exam study group. This is a great way to learn from others while fortifying your understanding of the course material.
• Get enough sleep...AT THE RIGHT TIME. Go to sleep early and wake up early so your internal clock will be well adjusted for finals week.
• Hydrate and eat healthy! More fruits and veggies; less fast food.
• Locate the buildings your exams are in and map out how to get to them.
• BREATHE!

The earlier you prepare the more material you'll cover and the more confident you will be when finals week kicks off. 

I Studied All Night

There are many ways to study effectively before it comes to this. A few are listed below:

 

• GO TO CLASS!!
• Read the assignment BEFORE you get to class.
• Find a quiet place to study, where you can concentrate. (Remember, you’ll be tested in a quiet place.)
• Create study groups. Review homework and reading materials with others.
• Review class notes as soon as you get out of class.
• Make sure you understand your homework, don’t just do it.
• Get enough sleep.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• Have an 8-hour academic workday. Get up early. Go to class and study between classes. (This leaves more social time at night.)
• Use a planner to keep track of exams and due dates. Use it also to schedule your study time needed for each class (reading, homework, projects etc.).
• Recopy class notes. This helps with memory and information organization.
• Review information with tutors.

Tutors Can Work Miracles Right?!

See your tutor consistently.  For example: Every Tuesday at 3:45. Treat your tutoring sessions like a class. Go prepared with all homework attempted if not completed. That way, the tutor gets to know you and your learning style and can start to spot your weaknesses and strengths.

The ideal situation is arranging a tutor as a review agent. Then if you need help later, the relationship is established. It’s a lot easier than walking in cold right before the last mid term exam hoping the tutor can work wonders in one session. 

Do You Have Math Drama?

Some of us are gifted in math- the rest of us work really hard for a good B. The answer is as follows- Start out at a level you understand. Don’t worry that others may be ahead of you. Once you understand a given level, it’s easier to go to the next level. Ignore your high school grades in math. Judge your understanding of the subject on how well you’re doing in the course you’re taking here at Penn State. If you still don’t get it- get tutoring immediately. Tutors cannot work magic at finals time. Start Early.

AP Math is Not the Same!

If your AP course placed you in Math 141 (Calculus II) and you are not comfortable with attempting Calculus II, consider having the AP course removed from your record prior to beginning your freshman year.

 

Don’t risk damaging your GPA. (Remember, a C is worth 2.0 not 3.0 needed for scholarship recipients and those in limited majors). Once you are placed in  Calculus II, if you find it difficult, you are not permitted to go back and enroll in Calculus I at Penn State. You can choose to begin in Math 140 (Calculus I) instead to secure a good college calculus background. This is the math level where most engineering freshmen start.  You can then complete Math 141 the following semester.  

Late Drop Credits are FOREVER Right?!

Each student is given 16 late drop credits when they starting at Penn State. The purpose of these drop credits is to get you out of trouble.  If you are not going to pass a class with a satisfactory grade, you have the option of using some of your late drop credits after the drop/add deadline has passed. This allows you to remove a class from your schedule and avoid bringing down your GPA. 

 

Use them wisely as you may only drop a total of 16 credits in your 4-5 year academic career!  If your cumulative GPA dictates your acceptance to a controlled major or your financial aid, consider this option to protect your GPA. (i.e. If you feel a C or a D coming on- drop and run!)

 

There is a LATE DROP DEADLINE DATE. Find out what it is a make a note of it because after that date, you cannot drop any courses.  Keep in mind that you MUST maintain 12 credits to continue receiving financial aid as a full time student! This means that in order to drop, you must start out with more than 12 credits. If you start out with the minimum 12 credits- you cannot drop without a replacement course.

Some Math About Your Grades

Many people feel that one good semester can redeem them for several bad semesters.  This is not the case! Every grade is factored into your entire GPA, not averaged. Let’s look at the math for a second.

Grade Point Values
	A=4.00	A-=3.67
B+=3.33	B=3.00	B=2.67
C+=2.33	C=2.00	---
---	D=1.00	---
---	F=0.00	---

 

The box above is the assigned point value for every grade that you receive.  (Note: There is no A+, C-, D+, nor D-.) Your GPA is computed as follows:

 S(credit value * grade pt. value)

total number of credits attempted.

For example if a student takes 6 classes worth 18 credits, the GPA for that semester would be computed as follows:

Class    Grade   Credit* Point=   Quality

                       Value    Value    Points

1           A          3 *       4.0 =     12.00

2          A          3 *       4.0 =     12.00

3          A-        3 *       3.67 =    11.01

4          B+         3 *       3.33 =     9.99

5          B          3 *       3.0 =       9.00

6          B          3 *       3.0 =       9.00

Totals                  18      63.00

 63.00/18 = 3.50

First Semester GPA = 3.50
 

Now let’s take the previous example a step further.

 A student gets the same grades in the previous example for 5 semesters, totaling 90 credits. This is 90 credits worth of 3.50.  Then she has a bad semester where she took 18 credits and received a semester GPA of 1.33 (that’s 24 quality points).   What would happen to the 3.50 cumulative GPA?

 

 [(5 semesters * 63.00)+ (1 semester * 24)]

(90 + 18 total credits)  =3.14 cumulative GPA

That is right, a 3.14.  The initial hard work (2.5 years) put in by the student was a buffer for the one bad semester. Were this student required to maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA (for a controlled major or as a scholarship recipient), the student would still be eligible for these opportunities.

Keep in mind that the reverse is also true. Imagine how long it would take to raise 90 credits of 2.5 to a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Every grade you receive is on your permanent Academic Record as long as you are a student at Penn State. (It takes an act of the faculty senate to get one removed.)  Therefore- it is critical that you understand that a D received cannot be replaced by taking the course over. Should you retake the course, your new grade will be factored in to your GPA with everything else. If you do not feel that you are doing well in a course you can use some of your late drop credits to get out of the class.

When Should I Pledge?!

We suggest that you wait two years and are accepted into your major prior to pledging a fraternity or sorority.  If you do this, then you have an established GPA, scholarship opportunities and major in which to graduate!! - allowing you to wear your colors with pride and a degree in your hand!

I'm Pledging!

 

Studies show that the average student's GPA drops one whole grade point in the seemster the student pledges a fraternity or sorority.  This means, that if you have a 3.2 in the semester before you pledge, you'll have a 2.2 at the end of the semester you pledged.  TALK to folks who have pledged and ask what their GPA's were before and after the semester they pledged.  Don't just ask one - ask 8 or 10 from a variety of different fraternities and sororities.  If you are in a controlled major or are a scholarship recipient who depends upon grades for money or major - consider this carefully. 

To Run or Not To Run?

 

 

Another one from Amy's Fine Print:

"Hold no offices in a student organization for the first year.  It can be deceptively time consuming and cut into valuable study time.  Unfortunantly, there is sometimes a tendency for memebers of the organization to omit this information when they see a great potential officer.  However, no matter how much the organization values your hours of volunteer work, they cannot take your exams, determine your grades, reinstate your scholarship or graduate for you.  Talk to past office holders and ask what they were expected to do.  Ask members what they expect you to do as an office holder." 

- Dr. Amy Freeman, Assistant Dean of Engineering Diversity

Less is more!

This weeks tip comes directly from Amy's Fine Print talk!

"Engineering is a very time consuming major.  Freshmen will be accosted by organizations to join and become actively involved.  We sugget that freshman choose two or three organizations to frequent (or even join) to enhance the college experience.  Attend organizational meetings - and LEAVE. "

 - Dr. Amy Freeman, Assistant Dean of Engineering Diversity

Um, like, ya know!

During an interview or just speaking with a potential employer it is imporant to communicate clearly.  Poor communication skills can kill a first impression.  Check those lazy habits of "like", "um", and "ya know", and pay close attention to how you are speaking!