Lessons From Orientation by Kelli Turpin

picture by Tomwsulcer

I spent last summer doing an orientation or two every day. I noticed that I hit on certain things regularly, even though they weren’t in the presentation. Call them lessons learned; call them nuggets of wisdom. Here are the things I’ve noticed students need to know to be successful.

The big question I get asked over and over again by first-time students is “What do I take?” The answer is almost always, “It depends.”  But here’s my formula: in an ideal world (a world where you can get any class you actually want to take), you should take one or more English classes and/or Math, plus at least one course you want to show up for. Why?

pic by carmichaellibrary

English is the basis for every other class. The better you read, the easier it is for you to get information via the written word, the easier every other class will be. This is key if you’re not yet eligible for college-level reading. It’s not impossible to do well without the appropriate English level, but it’s difficult. Instructors assume a certain level of reading competence and measure the amount of reading based on that. If you’re not there yet, you’ll be spending more time reading than the other students who have better skills. Chances are, if you’re not reading at college level, reading probably isn’t your favorite thing, anyway – do you really want to do any more of it than you have to?

If you’re ready for college reading, but you still need another class or two for writing, I’d suggest getting started. It’s not as imperative, but you will be writing papers and the more practice you have, the easier it will be – and the less time you’ll have to spend doing it.

If you tested at college level English (Both R5 and W5 on the assessment), it would still be worthwhile to get that first composition course out of the way.

To be continued in a future post ...

Giving Thanks by Raymond M. Wong

 Thankful

Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude, a time of appreciation. This is what I’m thankful for: Quyen, my wife of 15 years. She is my foundation, my best friend, the reason I get up in the morning, the person I hold lovingly in my arms at night. She is the mother of my children and the person I cherish with all my being. In an uncertain universe, she is my light.   

Kevin, my twelve-year-old son. When I was growing up, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a parent.  No, I was certain I didn’t want to be a father because I was afraid of the responsibility. Being a parent is the single most important job anyone can ever hold, and I didn’t want to screw it up, so I told myself I wouldn’t take it on. Safer that way. Quyen believed in me when all I had was doubt and fear. She knew I would be a good dad, and that was enough for me. Now, when I gaze upon my son, I am filled with a sense of wonder. The world isn’t such a scary place. No, in fact, it’s a place of joy, of braces that need to be fitted, fantasy books yet to be read, Minecraft to be played, miles to be jogged in an afterschool running club, and a future of hope and bonding between father and son.

picture by Cliff from Arlington, VA

Kristie, my nine-year-old daughter. Quyen and I named our little girl after figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi because of the Olympic athlete’s artistry on the ice. Kristie personifies her mother’s grace in that she knows what to say and do in any given situation. She knows how to make people comfortable, and everyone trusts her. Kristie is the embodiment of all that’s good and precious in the world, and I am so very blessed to be her father.

Work: Sigmund Freud—“Two hallmarks of a healthy life are the abilities to love and to work. Each requires imagination.” In working at a college, sometimes I face bureaucracy and politics that tarnish the real purpose of why we’re here. Every day at San Diego City College, I get to help students who are striving for something better in their lives, and they’re doing it through education and learning. That's what we're really about.

Books and writing: there is a beauty and power in words. They can convey so much when a story comes from a place of purity, of soul and spirit. When words ring true and connect to the fabric of our being, it is something miraculous and awe inspiring. Thank you to Jeannette Walls for the The Glass Castle, for teaching me that a child can persevere and forgive in the face of the most desperate circumstances. Thank you to Antoine De Saint-Exupery for The Little Prince who learned to see with his heart. Thank you to Cormac McCarthy for The Road, a post-apocalyptic world of darkness and despair that opens a window to life and humanity. Thank you to all the writers who struggle to compose sentences in the hope of giving us a glimmer of truth.

    

UCSD Six Colleges

UCSD is made up of six colleges on campus: Revelle, Muir, Marshall, Warren, Roosevelt, and Sixth. Each college has a unique perspective and focus. Find out more about each of the colleges at this link to UCSD's 6 colleges.

FYE

This "YouTube" video highlights the benefits of joining the First Year Experience program at City College.

Foster Youth Becomes Student Body President

"School was my home," Matt Walsh said. "I got good grades, I had friends there and it was where I got my meals. If I didn't go to school, I didn't eat, so I hated weekends and Christmas vacation." Cal State San Marcos Student Leader A Role Model for Fellow Foster Youth appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on Sept. 3, 2013.

Financial Aid

"College is expensive, and costs have gone up -- as much as 8 percent a year -- while we've suffered through a bad economy. According to the College Board, the average total cost for a student in the U.S. to attend a four-year, in-state public school in 2012/13 was $22,261. Out-of-state students paid $35,312 and the cost for a four-year private school was $43,289."

Find out how you can get money to help pay for college in Making College Real -- Financial Aid. This article appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on September 2, 2013.

Bookman to Retire?

picture by Onderwijsgek

Irwin Herman, the man whose organization donates books regularly to San Diego City College and other schools, homeless shelters, and prisons in San Diego, is thinking of closing shop. The Bookman's Story Nearing Its Epilogue appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on Aug. 28, 2013.

UCSD Ranked Number 1 College

picture by Panoramedia

 

Washington Monthly Magazine tabbed UCSD as America's best university. "What it says about us is that we're committed to the things that all public universities should be doing: social mobility, community service and research," said Pradeep Khosla, the chancellor of the University of California San Diego. UC San Diego Tops Ranking of Colleges appeared in the U-T San Diego on August 27, 2013.

Obama Wants to Reduce College Costs

picture by Fogster

President Barack Obama wants to help more people get into college: "Higher education should not be a luxury. It is an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford," Obama said. He wants to rank colleges with a rating system related to tuition costs, numbers of low income students, graduation rates, and student debt.  Obama Seeks to Ease College Costs appeared in the U-T San Diego on August 23, 2013.

City College Roll Call

picture by Johntex

San Diego City College is approaching its 100th birthday, and we want to connect with all current and former students, staff, and faculty to join our celebration. Join our roll call and receive info on all the exciting events planned for our centennial.

Mentoring

Want to make a difference in the lives of elementary to middle school students? A charter school in El Cajon called Excellence and Justice in Education Academies is asking college students to volunteer an hour a week to make a difference in the lives of their students. They need role models to show that education is possible.

Contact school counselor, Patricia Castaneda, at 619-401-4150 x105 or e-mail patricia.castaneda@ejeacademies.org for more info.

Bullying Victim Develops Program to Prevent Bullying

Gizelle Studevent overcame being bullied while attending La Jolla Country Day School to become a basketball player for Penn State. She also started a program called Penn State Athletes Take Action so athletes can work in middle schools to stop bullying. Hey, High School Bully -- Take That appeared in the U-T San Diego on July 28, 2013.  

Sacramento State Open for Spring 14

Sacramento State University is open for spring 14 application starting August 1st on CSU Mentor. This info was forwarded by Marilyn Harvey.

Salary website

Want to know how much graduates of CA community colleges are earning after completing specific certificates and degrees? Salary Surfer is from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and provides salary info of CA community college graduates over a 5-year period and where a specific program is offered within the California Community College system. The info was forwarded by Megan Soto and Denise Whisenhunt.

UCSD Hot Careers

picture by David Maiolo

UCSD listed its 10 hot career trends for graduates on NBCsandiego.com. Among these careers: teaching English as a foreign language, translation and interpretation, embedded engineering, and healthcare IT. The above link was forwarded by John Gradilla.

Childcare Openings

picture by daveparker

The San Diego City College Child Development Center currently has openings for children ages 3 and 4 years.  For info, contact Gloria Lyon, glyon@sdccd.edu and Donna Cecil, dcecil@sdccd.edu.  Unfortunately they do not have any openings for younger children. 

This info was provided by Donna Cecil, San Diego City College CDC. Phone: 619-388-3205

Words of Wisdom

Words of wisdom from recent high school graduates:

"A psychology teacher taught me always to do what I love, even if it doesn't pay well. A gymnastics coach taught me that who I am as a person is far more important than who I am as an athlete. A Spanish teacher taught me never to judge anyone by what they seem because we never truly know what anyone goes through." -- Elana C., La Costa Canyon High School.

"Persistence is more important than talent, and will earn the respect of others." -- Thomas S., Mission Bay High School.

"The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn't like to do." Christian K., El Camino High School.

High School Graduates Share Words of Wisdom appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on June 11, 2013.

Job opening and internship available

 

 

San Diego City Councilmember Emerald’s office is currently accepting applications from motivated high school and college students looking to gain experience interning for an elected official. Interested applicants should e-mail Abigail Santos a cover letter, résumé and at least one letter of recommendation, along with a brief writing sample, to santosa@sandiego.gov. Please feel free to call (619) 236-7042 with any questions. The internship info was forwarded by John Gradilla. 

18.5 million donated to UCSD

How will UCSD use the $18.5 million donation it received from a graduate of its computer science and engineering department? Read $18.5M Dream to find out. The "U-T San Diego" article appeared on June 6, 2013.

Is College Worth the Cost?

Is it worth the tuition and possible student loan debt to earn a college degree? Compare wage and employment rates for high school graduates versus people who earned a 4-year degree in this U-T San Diego article published on June 4, 2013.

San Diego Needs Engineers



picture by Kencf0618

A study by Monster.com has placed San Diego 4th in the country for engineers. "Anyone just entering college should consider a career in engineering if they want to take advantage of where the jobs are and will be," said Joanie Ruge, a "Monster" employment industry advisor. San Diego Has Healthy Supply of Jobs was published in the "U-T San Diego" on May 27th, 2013.

A UCLA nationwide survey has concluded that freshman college students list getting a job as a primary reason they are going to school. Eighty-eight percent of 192,000 students indicated this is a primary motivation for attending college. More College Frosh Rank Job Over Education appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on Feb. 11, 2013.

Summer Classes

picture by Kivak

Community college summer scholarships available for classes at National University: June-Math 210 Probability and Stats, July-Com 103 Public Speaking and Eco 203 Prin of Microeconomics, and Aug.-Eco 204 Prin of Macroeconomics and Psy 100 Intro to Psyc. Contact Maheba Merhi at 619-987-0043 or mmerhi@nu.edu for more info. This was forwarded by Marilyn Harvey.

Outreach position

1.      JOB OPPORTUNITY: The Mental Health Counseling Center is NOW recruiting, interviewing and hiring exceptional candidates to join our two teams of Peer Educators and Veteran Peer Mentors. Each position is 10 hours/week, starting in August, and pays $9/hour. Students must be taking 12 units or more next semester. Peer Educators will help to fight Mental Health stigma and prevent suicide. Any interested student can contact Julie at jlittle@sdccd.edu for more info. Veteran Peers should be veterans of the military and will help fellow student vets make the transition to civilian life. Vet candidates can contact Esdras at egonzale@sdccd.edu.

Graduation



picture by Carine 06

Graduation is in the air. Here are two stories of graduation from local universities -- SDSU and USD. Grads in Red and Black and USD Grad's Success Easy to Process appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on May 18, 2013. City's graduation was Friday, May 24th.

Passion for Music

picture courtesy of Nicholas N.

"I believe in my talent" -- Nicholas N.

In a world in which the fine arts are increasingly seen as frivolous and impractical for employment, Nicholas N. is going against the grain. He is not only a music major, but envisions himself as a singer, a goal that would have many parents cringing at the bleak prospects for earning a living. Nicholas is not only unafraid; he actually embraces the challenge. He looks for opportunities to be creative. His black and white photography was displayed at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts while he was in high school. He recently made up a song about primates for one of his college classes, and he performed in the annual City College Talent Show sponsored by Tandy Ward on May 17th.

Where did Nicholas get his zest for music? His father influenced him by being a music fan with a range of artistic sensibilities. Among Nicholas’s varied interests: photography, drama, modern dance, tap, ballet, choir, and musical theatre. “I try to use creativity,” Nicholas conveyed. “I take advantage of every music opportunity I’ve been given.”

Lower Student Loan Rates?

picture by Twp

Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusettes is proposing to lower student loan interest rates:

“[T]he federal government is going to charge students interest rates that are nine times higher than the rates for the biggest banks,” said Sen. Warren, “the same banks that destroyed millions of jobs and nearly broke this economy. That isn’t right.”

Sen. Warren Introduces Bill To Lower Rates On Student Loans to .75% For One Year appeared in the "Consumerist" on May 9, 2013. The article was forwarded by Lana Kapchinsky.  

Hiring Peer Mentors!

First Year Experience:

The “First Year Experience” office provides support to all students who are in their first year at San Diego City College. FYE provides students with the necessary tools that instill positive academic habits, in addition to an abundance of support systems. These essentials ultimately guide students into a continued successful college career.

 Job Opportunity:

Position- First Year Success PeerMentor

Open to- Current or Transferring City College Students with at least a 3.0 (minimum 30 units completed toward degree/transfer), as well as University Students who at one time transferred from City College.

Position will focus on- The peer mentoring program focuses on seasoned college students supporting first year students. As a role model mentors help, teach, motivate, and inform mentees how to be an above average student.

Biotech jobs don't require a 4-yr degree

What does it take to get into the biotech industry in San Diego? According to a U-T San Diego article, Biotech Report Stresses Practical Education, you need hands-on training which can be obtained at many community colleges and universities without completing a bachelor's degree. The article references San Diego Miramar College and CSU San Marcos. City also has training in biotech.This article was published on April 27, 2013 in the "U-T". It was forwarded by Sharon Rhodes.

CarMax is hiring

picture by Ildar Sagdejev

CarMax is hiring in the areas of sales, business office, purchasing, and service operations. Click "Read More" below for more info.

Completion/Transfer rates dropping


Less than half the students who started in a California community college in 2006 completed their goal after six years. What is causing the drop in degree completion and transfer rates? Fewer Community College Students Completing Their Degrees appeared in the "LA Times" on April 9, 2013. The article was forwarded by Rudy Zamora.

Want to see how City College compares to other CA community colleges in completion and transfer rates? The "Student Success Scorecard" will break it down by gender, ethnicity, and age.

Have an opinion about why students are not finishing their degrees? What obstacles have you encountered in school? What do you think would help? Post your reaction to this article in the "comments" below.

Summer classes

picture by Nehrams 2020

As many of you know, summer classes aren't available at City this year, but there are other options. Rudy Zamora and Luis Perez have informed us that Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College will be offering extensive classes this summer. It's best to apply to these colleges by April 12th. Patsy Maes and Cathi Lopez told us Palomar College is offering summer courses. Apply by April 30th. Also, we will be offering cross-enrollment with SDSU. If students want to enroll at SDSU this summer for one class at a reduced cost ($52.00 for the course), they need to go to Admissions (A-112) to start the process. Students must be enrolled in 6 units at City during the spring 2013 semester to qualify.

The following info about SDSU cross-enrollment was provided by Marilyn Harvey:

SDSU summer class schedule has been released and can be found at https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/schedule/#.   There are three sessions during summer and each one has a different deadline to add/drop courses.

There is now only one schedule adjustment deadline per session. 

S1  (6 weeks)     Classes begin May 22 and the deadline to add/drop a course is May 31.

T1  (13 weeks)   Classes begin May 22 and the deadline to add/drop a course is June 4.

S2  (6 week)      Classes begin July 8 and the deadline to add/drop a course is July 16.

picture by Allan Ferguson

Because the course offerings at our campuses may be very limited this summer SDSU will accept forms verified using spring 2013 attendance in 6 units.  If a student was not enrolled in 6 units for spring 2013 then they cannot be verified for cross enrollment for summer 2013.

The verified forms must be turned in to SDSU by the student to the Office of the Registrar by the deadlines stated above.  NO exceptions will be made for late forms.   All SDSU matriculated students are held to the same deadlines with no exceptions so any student wishing to enroll via the cross enrollment program must do the same. 

The cost is $52 per course and only one course can be enrolled in for the entire summer term. 


  

New Scholarships!

This $500.00 scholarship is for students between 18-25. Deadline: Sept. 30, 2013.

The following link from Nora Hinsley provides info on many types of scholarships:
http://ccctransfer.org/resources/scholarship-links

GPA Questions Answered

by Kelli Turpin



picture by Mando vzl

This blog post is in response to an anonymous comment on the blog a few days ago regarding GPA.  I’ve edited the questions a bit and answered them a little more fully than the commenter probably thought I would. 

Let’s start at the beginning.  GPA stands for Grade Point Average.   Your GPA tells anyone looking at your transcript how good your grades are.  (You’ll notice I didn’t say “how good a student/person/employee you are.  Your grades are a direct reflection of how well you absorb and remember specific information, not necessarily how much you know and definitely not how smart you are.) 

Student Profile

"I had a great teacher who really challenged me, and I challenged him back." -- Rediet.

Rediet T. came to the U.S. at the age of 18 as an international student from Ethiopia. Everything was new. The country, the educational system, even the communication was hard. Living and going to school in a different country was scary. She didn’t know a lot of people, and Rediet was away from her mother, her center of comfort and stability since the age of 3-and-a-half when her father passed away from cancer.

The school system in Ethiopia is completely different. There, the schedule is set for students, and they have limited choices. After high school, students take a test similar to the SAT, and they need to score high enough to choose a certain major. Rediet earned a good GPA in high school but she still didn’t get into the university she preferred. She ended up studying at Arba Minch University but really wanted to attend Addis Ababa University because that’s where she grew up. Then Rediet obtained an international student visa to study in the U.S. and came to San Diego City College.

Job Demand for Computer Science Majors

If you want to land a high-paying job after graduation, major in computer science. A spokesman for Microsoft said the company has 6,300 job openings and 3,600 are in computer science and engineering. What can you expect to earn? Most of these jobs pay $100,000 and up in salary and benefits. Want a Job After College? Major in Computer Science appeared in the "U-T San Diego" on Feb. 2, 2013.

picture by Antony-22

Also, if you're thinking about earning a Ph.D. to teach in academia, How Many Ph.D's Actually Get To Become College Professors? from "The Atlantic" breaks down the percentage of graduates who obtain a tenured college teaching position by major. The article was forwarded by John Gradilla.

Math Advice



picture by Rovnet

"Math does not have to be intimidating." -- Victoria Phung.

Here is an interview with City College Math Professor, Victoria Phung, who is teaching Math 38 this semester. The actual interview took place in the fall of 2012, but we thought it would be appropriate to post it at the beginning of the semester. 

What classes are you teaching this semester?

-I am teaching Math 38, Pre-Algebra.

How long have you been at City? 

-I've been here for at least 10 years.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of teaching math?

-Help students come to understand mathematics.  It is very rewarding when I see that they get the concept and the students themselves are excited that they get it.

In our global society, why is it important to have a strong foundation in math?

-Because math is everywhere, all around us.  Understanding mathematics enhances your reasoning and problem solving skills. 

UCSD Top 10 in Best Value




Revelle College by Tktktk

 
According to Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, UCSD is one of the best value colleges in public university education. UCLA and UC Berkeley also made the top 10. SDSU ranked 77th and CSU Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made the top 100. Kiplinger's Rates UCSD 10th Nationally Again ran in the U-T San Diego on Jan. 13, 2013.



UCSD literature building by Tktktk


Speaking of UCSD, a few months ago, we posted an article about the TAG ending at UCSD in fall 2014 and some students voiced objections. Here's an option for first-year students wanting to transfer to UCSD. UniversityLink is a program that allows a student to transfer with a minimum 3.0 GPA if they meet specific requirements. Interested first-year students should meet with a counselor to discuss requirements for this program. Note: you must be either a high school senior or in your first year of college to be eligible.

Pay Off Student Loans



Picture by Marya

Want to pay off your student loans? Brian McBride paid off $26,500 in student loan debt in two years. This Huffington Post article shows how he did it. Here's a Wall Street Journal article from "Yahoo! Finance" about people who threw a "loan-payoff party" after taking care of their student loan debts. Also, an online article detailing four ways to avoid excessive student loan debt recommends students work no more than 20 hours a week: "Research by the nonprofit thinktank Public Agenda shows that balancing school and too many hours of work is the No. 1 reason students drop out of college."   

County of San Diego hiring

The County of San Diego is hiring for a number of positions such as certified nursing assistant, project manager, and environmental health specialist. Here is info on County positions open for hiring.