Have You Entered the Contest?

Have You Entered the Contest?

Have You Entered the Contest?

Hey Everyone:

Before you get your permit to drive and get out on the road, visit:

http://www.nationaldriverstest.com

and take the challenge and play the defensive driving game. Quite the challenge and driving really isn’t a game.

College Terms to Get You Ready

Getting ready for college can be exciting, but it can also be confusing. Everyone has probably already told you that college is nothing like high school! Even some of the terms used in college will be new to you. We visited www.collegeprep101.com and found a glossary of college terms that might come in handy as you get ready to enroll. We used that list as an inspiration to create our own!

Course Load – This is your schedule of classes for a semester. It’s usually measured in credit hours (see below). Taking a “full load” means you’re taking the most credit hours you can for a semester without taking an “overload.” Overloads (taking more than the recommended number of credit hours) usually require permission from an administrator. After all, college is tough, but your professors don’t want to work you into the ground!

Credit Hours – College classes are measured by credit hours. Most of the time, you’ll get one credit hour if you spend one hour in class per week for the entire term (usually 16 weeks). College classes usually range from one to five credit hours, so you’ll spend one to five hours per week in each class you take. Unlike high school, you might not necessarily be in the same class every day, and you probably won’t be in 6-7 classes each day! Your history class might meet for 90 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (3 credit hours total), while your English class might be held for two hours every Tuesday and Thursday (4 credit hours total).  Lab science classes often include lengthy sessions in the labs for experimentation and study. Your credit hours will vary depending on the classes for which you sign up. There’s usually a minimum number of credit hours you have to take in order to earn your degree from the college.

Department – Colleges organize their fields of study into departments. The history department handles the requirements for a history degree, the art department handles art, etc. You might spend time in a variety of departments at first, but once you decide on a major (your chosen field of study), you’ll probably spend more and more time in the department that covers your major.
Dorm – Short for “dormitory,” this is probably where you’ll live if you live on campus. Dorms vary a lot between colleges! Some are very simple and sparse, while others have lots of amenities. Make sure you visit the dorm of the college you want to attend to make sure you’d be comfortable living there. Just remember: it’s not a hotel! Expect to make some allowances for comfort while you’re there.

Financial Aid – This is money that helps you pay for college. You might get it through grants, loans, scholarships, or even jobs. The amount of financial aid you get is often determined by need (how much money your family makes), how much money is available to give out, and how well you do in school.

Pass/Fail – Most college classes will earn you letter grades that factor into your grade point average, just like high school. But if you take a pass/fail class, you won’t get a letter grade. If you pass, you’ll get a “pass” or “satisfactory” rating, and you’ll get credit for the hours you took. If you fail, you get a “fail” or “unsatisfactory” rating and no credit for the hours. Pass/fail classes aren’t used to figure your GPA, but the hours you take still count toward any credit hour minimums you need.

Prerequisites – Colleges don’t want you to jump into the hardest calculus class right out of the gate, or take Abnormal Psychology II before you take Abnormal Psychology I. Prerequisites are classes that you have to take before you can take other classes, in order to prepare you for what’s coming. That way, you don’t end up signed up for a class way above your head!

Syllabus – This is an outline of what a course will cover. Most college instructors and professors will pass this out on the first day of class, and from that point on, you’re responsible for what’s on it. It will probably list assignments, tests, exams, projects or anything else coming up in that class, right up until the final. Some syllabi are pretty long, with lots of explanation, while others are short and sweet. Some instructors and professors will remind you of what’s on the syllabus as dates get closer (such as a test coming up), but some will simply expect you to keep track on your own. Did you forget that there’s a quiz today? Too bad, it was on your syllabus. Make sure you keep your syllabus close and check it often to make sure you don’t miss something important!

Tuition – This is the cost of taking classes at a college. It’s often figured as a cost per credit hour of enrollment. It does NOT include the cost of books, materials, fees, your dorm room, your meal plan, or any other college costs.  So the real cost of college is far more than just tuition! Tuition is different for every college and varies based on a lot of factors, including whether the college is public or private, whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state student, and the level of classes you’re taking.

Undergraduate – This will be you! An undergraduate is someone who’s pursuing a degree of one, two or four years, such as an Associate Degree (usually two years) or Bachelor’s degree (usually four years). If you want to keep going for higher degrees after you graduate from your undergraduate college, you’ll be a Graduate student.
These terms should help get you thinking like a college student. Don’t forget to get to know your chosen college as well as possible before you arrive for your first day. Study campus maps, learn where key offices (such as the business office and registrar) are, and see how long it takes to get around with the campus transportation system or on foot. Have fun!

Need a job while you’re in high school or college?

You might have heard that the job market isn’t too great right now, and that the economy is making part-time jobs scarce for teens. Don’t despair, though! There are still options for finding a job. Do your research, be persistent, and don’t give up. Ask everyone if they’re hiring, and be prepared to show up for interviews whenever asked. Here are a few more tips to help you score a job…

Use the Stimulus Plan
Newschannel 5 in Nashville reports that some of Tennessee’s stimulus money will go to providing teens with safe, educational summer jobs. Under the plan, roughly 12,000 teens who show need could find jobs this summer. Almost any business is eligible to participate. How it works is this: the business hires the teen, the business sends the Department of Labor a time sheet, and the government pays the teen’s wages. The employers don’t have to pay anything, and everyone wins. Interested teens should be in financial need and face other barriers such as literacy problems, pregnancy, life in foster homes, disabilities, etc. Anyone aged 14-24 who meets the criteria can call 615-741-1031 for more information.
Try Being a Summer Camp Counselor
It might not be too late to get a job as a camp counselor this summer! Being a counselor isn’t what it used to be, because summer camps aren’t what they used to be. Camps are available now for arts, technology, and outdoor adventure. Try this site for camps that are hiring in Tennessee.

Use the Tools You’ve Got

You have tons of resources available to help you find work this summer. Use the Internet to help you search job databases and websites, such as Teens4Hire.org. You can also check job listings at your local news websites.

And while you’re surfing for jobs, don’t forget to use your connections! Most people report that they’ve gotten a job in the past because of someone they knew. Talk to your parents and their friends about potential job opportunities. Introduce yourself to local business owners that your parents or friends have done business with. Call your extended family (those who live nearby) and see if they can introduce you to anyone who’s hiring. Having these connections is more helpful than almost anything else in finding a job. In fact, the first job I ever had (check-out clerk at a pharmacy in high school) was given to me because my father knew the owner of the store and could vouch for me. Personal recommendations count, so talk to the people you know!

Good luck with your job search!

It’s summer in Tennessee! But what is there to do? Check out this list of fun summer events and ideas to help you enjoy the sunshine and make the most of the season!

Water Parks and other Wet Fun
Tennessee is home to several great water parks! There’s bound to be one within a short drive of your house. Check out Dolly’s Splash Country, Wetlands Water Park, Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park, Nashville Shores and Zorb Smoky Mountains. Nothing says “summer” like water fun!

Concerts
No matter what type of music you like, you’ll find a concert in Tennessee this summer that suits your tastes!

Nashville:

Toadies on June 4

Coldplay on June 6

The CMA Music Festival on June 11 & 12

Plus acts like Eddie Vedder, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Fleetwood Mac, and Plain White T’s, all before the end of June.

Memphis: BB King, Train, Keith Urban, New Kids on the Block and other acts passing through during the summer months. You can visit Ticketmaster to look up specific acts for your city and get the tickets fast, or you can find the website of the venue you prefer and see who’s playing there in the next few months.

Museums
Tennessee is home to some great museums! Chattanooga’s got the Regional History Museum, the Creative Discovery Museum, the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Chattanooga Choo Choo, just to name a few.  Nashville’s got the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, the Adventure Science Center, and the Tennessee State Museum. Memphis has the Children’s Museum of Memphis, the National Civil Rights Museum, the Memphis Rock n Soul Museum, and others. For more museums listed by city, visit this page.

Drive-In Theaters
This is how teens in the “old days” hung out on summer nights: they went to the drive-in! Sit in your car and catch a flick under the stars. Check your local business directory to find a drive-in near you!

Check out some of these great pieces of art!

Taylor Swift is slated to appear in her hometown of Nashville on June 13.

It’s hard to blame her. In a little less than four hours, the 15-year-old sophomore will take the stage with Toby Keith at a press conference in downtown Nashville announcing her as one of the first artists signed to a new, joint-venture record label started by superstar Toby Keith and veteran label executive Scott Borchetta. But it isn’t the glare of the national media spotlight or the fact that she will be taking pictures with the sometimes imposing Keith that has the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

It’s the car ride over.

“I can drive in a straight line and turn,” admits Taylor, who is scheduled to get her license in a few months. “But I don’t like arrows and lines. And I don’t like stop signs. The whole bigger car rule definitely applies when I drive.”

According to CollegeBoard, May SAT Scores are now available, and the June deadline has been extended.

According to an information posted on Collegeboard.com it has already posted the results and SAT scores on its website. However, it also extended the registration for June SAT test.

Most SAT scores are now available for the May SAT and SAT Subject Tests. View your scores. However, the company says a small percentage of SAT scores are not yet available. If your scores and results are not yet posted online, check back on Friday, May 29, 2009.

In one explanation paragraph Collegeboard.com explains why your SAT sore may not be available online when the most SAT results are already posted.

“Your SAT scores are released on collegeboard.com approximately three weeks after you take the SAT. Although most scores are available on the first score release day, a small percentage might not be. If you fall in this small percentage, you will not see your scores online. You will see a message instructing you to check back at a later date.”

June SAT Late Registration Deadline Extended

The June SAT late registration deadline has been extended to 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time), Friday, May 22, 2009, for online and phone registrations.