Books are the biggest Rip-Off of your college experience: even more that parking!
Here are some ways to keep your book expenses low.
Firstly, try to find out what books you need ahead of time and start shopping for them early. You can wait until after the class begins to ask if the book will be referenced in class or if it is just being used as an additional resource for the students. I have had several classes where we never even opened the book that was "Required" according to the campus book store. If the instructor advises that you need the book, get it ASAP. I have had quizzes on the second day of class from readings from text books and class notes.This way you can find them online (barnes & noble, ebay, etc). If ordering online, be sure that the ISBN number is the same and/or that the edition number is correct. Ask the instructor for a list of required materials as soon as you sign up for the course. Then ask the instructor if they have a copy that you may use for the semester. If they do not, ASK THE DEPARTMENT SECRETARY if they have a copy you can borrow for the semester!! If they do, this is save you time and MONEY.
The Barne's & Noble store near campus on Euclid is reportedly not renting books any longer as of Spring 2014. If you plan to rent, rent through the CSU campus bookstore. This brings me to my next point. Renting a book will save you money. If you rent, you are allowed to highlight in the book (within reason). I always highlight my rented books and have never been penalized for it! Renting requires you to return the book by a certain date. The date is after the last day of classes and generally falls within or just after the last week of finals. Just be sure to return the books by that date and you are all set.
Sometimes several different instructors teach the same course but on alternating semesters and sometimes they use the same textbooks. Find out who else teaches or has taught the class and ask them if you can borrow a copy of the text book.
Textbooks are sometimes on reserve at CSU's library by instructor request or there may be a copy at the library. If the book is not going to be used regularly, you could photocopy the sections that you need from the library's copy of the book. Be sure to follow all copyright laws (there, I'm off the hook).
Trade purchased text books with others in your major with whom you share classes. What you take this semester may be the class your friend is taking next semester. Keeping a social network of classes and textbooks that can be traded back and forth has saved me money!!!
Required materials such as expensive calculators can cost you more money than you planned for. Calculators such as many of the Texas Instrument calculators are the same ones that high school students use or have used. You may be required to have one of these for math or chemistry classes because they have built in functions for finance and scientific calculations. Check around with family members, friends and neighbors to see if they have one of these that you can borrow for the semester for math classes. This can save you about $130.
Keep the questions coming! I'll keep trying to answer them.
Have a great semester,
Allan
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Refunds for Dropped Classes Fall 2013
Getting a refund for classes
Once again, there is only a small window of opportunity to receive a full refund for any classes you signed up for and then dropped for the Fall of 2013.
Over the past few years (and in an apparent effort to increase revenues) CSU has shortened the window for students to receive a full refund for classes that they originally sign up for and then drop once the semester starts. This year classes start on August 24th and you only have until
AUGUST 30th
to drop the class and receive a full refund for the class. After this date, there is a 'refund schedule' that goes into effect and your refund will drop by percentages every few days after that. Dropping a class after September 20th (just in time for you to figure out that the class is not for you) will result in no refund at all!
Here is the exact refund schedule copied directly from the university's website:
____________________________________________________________________________
Fall Semester 2013 Semester Refund Schedule
- 100% through August 30, 2013
- 75% August 31- September 6, 2013
- 50% September 7 - September 13, 2013
- 25% September 14 - September 20, 2013
- No refunds after September 20, 2013
This can be viewed at http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/treasuryservices/refunds/#schedules
My recommendation is that you drop as soon as you can, before classes begin is preferable. Here is why, to drop a class you will have to go to Campus 411 (first floor main classroom building) and secure a small form (an add/drop form), complete the form and trust that it gets processed right away as in that day. I have had other forms not acted on for a day or so because some forms are only picked up, dropped off or acted on every few days or so...not daily. I would like to think that something as important as a add/drop form would be handled the same day but I don't like to take chances. Obviously if the form does not get processed right away and you are near the last day for a full refund, you may get less than the refund that you deserve.
***In an effort to keep the University off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Keep the questions coming!
Allan
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Honorary and Field of Study Societies
Honorary and Field of Study Societies
Yes, they look good on resumes and yes, some require more involvement than others but are they worth joining? That depends.
These societies and organizations are different than student life organizations...you already know how I feel about the student life office at CSU. Whereas student life organizations are overseen by the student life office and include social, fraternal and other student administered groups, honorary and major societies are larger institutions administered outside the university.
Honorary societies recognize you for your academic achievement and invite you to join. I was the Chapter President of Golden Key International Honour Society at CSU. This institution recognized students in the top 15% of students as determined by G.P.A. worldwide. I used to jokingly state about Golden key that, "It's like heaven, there is only one way in and that is by invitation only". Like Golden Key, most honorary societies will invite you to join once your grades have been established. If you meet their minimum grade requirement and are either in their field of study or, if they accept all majors, you pay a fee and are 'inducted' into the society.
These societies exist as a recognition for academic success and are supported by any fees that you pay to join. All societies that I am aware of charge some sort of fee. Be sure to ask about the fee structure and how often it is paid. You should not have to pay more than a one time joining fee (usually under $80 in my experience). Any organization that wants you to continue to pay year after year is probably not worth your time. Many of these organizations give "scholarships" to students. Some monies for these scholarships come from the home office of the organization other monies come from the chapter (on campus) funds. Golden Key gives away a million dollars a year in scholarships, other organizations give a couple of hundred bucks. Check with your academic advisor and the department secretary about these organizations. The student life office may not have any or correct information about these organizations.
Unlike fraternal organizations, joining honorary and societies other than fraternal organizations is not a popularity contest. There is no voting you in or out, there isn't (or shouldn't be) any pledging period or actions necessary on your part other than simply joining. Involvement in any of the organization's planned activities is appreciated and shows your involvement but is generally not required.
Other major or field of study societies exist. Check with your department's secretary about any professional societies to join. Sometimes, since this type of organization is not an 'active' campus organization, they are actually administered by the department that your major is through. Many times these are administered by the secretaries themselves. Rule of thumb: ALWAYS ASK THE SECRETARY!
Note the proper name of the organization and the date which you joined. You will want to list these on the your Curriculum Vitae and/or resume. They look good to graduate school administrators and potential employers. Try to hold a position in the organization if you can, but be sure that you will have the time to fulfill your responsibilities to the group. If you can't maintain your grades and be an active member, then be a "parking lot brother / sister". That is, be a member but be under active. Studies come first, ALWAYS!
Recommendations:
* Don't join an organizations that requires you to pay a fee more than once
* Do some Internet research about your organization
* Attend their next meeting if it is open to the public
* Ask the secretary
* Ask your academic advisor
* Be sure that you will not be REQUIRED to attend meetings or be overly active in the organization
* Hold an officer position if you can (President, Vice President, Historian, etcetera)
***In an effort to keep the University off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Hope this helps. Keep the questions coming!
Allan
Yes, they look good on resumes and yes, some require more involvement than others but are they worth joining? That depends.
These societies and organizations are different than student life organizations...you already know how I feel about the student life office at CSU. Whereas student life organizations are overseen by the student life office and include social, fraternal and other student administered groups, honorary and major societies are larger institutions administered outside the university.
Honorary societies recognize you for your academic achievement and invite you to join. I was the Chapter President of Golden Key International Honour Society at CSU. This institution recognized students in the top 15% of students as determined by G.P.A. worldwide. I used to jokingly state about Golden key that, "It's like heaven, there is only one way in and that is by invitation only". Like Golden Key, most honorary societies will invite you to join once your grades have been established. If you meet their minimum grade requirement and are either in their field of study or, if they accept all majors, you pay a fee and are 'inducted' into the society.
These societies exist as a recognition for academic success and are supported by any fees that you pay to join. All societies that I am aware of charge some sort of fee. Be sure to ask about the fee structure and how often it is paid. You should not have to pay more than a one time joining fee (usually under $80 in my experience). Any organization that wants you to continue to pay year after year is probably not worth your time. Many of these organizations give "scholarships" to students. Some monies for these scholarships come from the home office of the organization other monies come from the chapter (on campus) funds. Golden Key gives away a million dollars a year in scholarships, other organizations give a couple of hundred bucks. Check with your academic advisor and the department secretary about these organizations. The student life office may not have any or correct information about these organizations.
Unlike fraternal organizations, joining honorary and societies other than fraternal organizations is not a popularity contest. There is no voting you in or out, there isn't (or shouldn't be) any pledging period or actions necessary on your part other than simply joining. Involvement in any of the organization's planned activities is appreciated and shows your involvement but is generally not required.
Other major or field of study societies exist. Check with your department's secretary about any professional societies to join. Sometimes, since this type of organization is not an 'active' campus organization, they are actually administered by the department that your major is through. Many times these are administered by the secretaries themselves. Rule of thumb: ALWAYS ASK THE SECRETARY!
Note the proper name of the organization and the date which you joined. You will want to list these on the your Curriculum Vitae and/or resume. They look good to graduate school administrators and potential employers. Try to hold a position in the organization if you can, but be sure that you will have the time to fulfill your responsibilities to the group. If you can't maintain your grades and be an active member, then be a "parking lot brother / sister". That is, be a member but be under active. Studies come first, ALWAYS!
Recommendations:
* Don't join an organizations that requires you to pay a fee more than once
* Do some Internet research about your organization
* Attend their next meeting if it is open to the public
* Ask the secretary
* Ask your academic advisor
* Be sure that you will not be REQUIRED to attend meetings or be overly active in the organization
* Hold an officer position if you can (President, Vice President, Historian, etcetera)
***In an effort to keep the University off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Hope this helps. Keep the questions coming!
Allan
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Habits of Highly Successful Students
Habits of Highly Successful Students
Hope these tips are helpful.
Allan
- Study
- Take frequent breaks from studying
- Always have a piece of study material with you when you have down time (getting a haircut, doing laundry, working on the new Captain America Movie, etcetera).
- Read through chapters BEFORE class (read ahead of time)
- Highlight the book as you read (even if you rent books, you are allowed to highlight them within reason and still return them!!)
- Find out what study environment works best for you: ex. with background noise (I use the television), late at night (that's me)
- Don't cram....it seriously doesn't work. New information only gets organized and placed into long term memory while we sleep.
- If you are having a hard time getting something in your head try two things: act it out as if you were teaching it to a class or someone else. Stand up, refer to your notes and talk out loud as if you were teaching it. Secondly, look over the information right before your test, then put your notes away, get the test, go directly to the part what requires your information and do those questions first.
- Get some sleep before tests!!
- If you have to do a presentation or group project, meet with the instructor ahead of time, tell them that you want a good grade on the project and that you don't want to do all the work yourself. Ask them to place you into a group with other high performing students. Then do your part!
- Start writing projects on time that way you can have them complete before they are due and ask your instructor to proof read them.
- Get to know you instructor
- Ask the department secretary who the best instructor is for a particular class. This conversation usually turns into the secretary (Bless his/her heart) relaying stories from student: both the good and the bad stories. They will usually tell you who to avoid when registering for a class.
- Meet with the department chairperson and discuss your education goal. Ask them to help you choose classes that will flow together and relate to each other in the long run. Having a bunch of unrelated classes gives you a broad overall knowledge, but having classes that work together may give you an advantage in your career search.
- Use your resources: LIBRARIANS, learning labs such as the math lab, writing lab, serious study groups, etcetera. The best way to attack a problem is to annihilate it! Attach it from as many angles as you can.
- Ask if there are practice tests either online or from your instructor. These are very helpful.
- If you are having a hard time deciding on a topic for a report or presentation, ask your instructor to assign you one. Just say that since you are new to your field, everything sounds interesting and you want to make sure you can find enough material for your work.
- Don't get wrapped up in a social scene! Fraternities and Sororities are a very bad idea and social drinking every weekend or Tuesday night can quickly turn to habit.
- Take an OCCASIONAL day away from classes. If you just "can't" go to class on a particular day, give yourself a break and skip it. But only ONCE per semester. This gives you the feeling that you are in control of the program and not owned by it.
- Try not to schedule harder classes during the morning or right after lunch. After lunch you may be lethargic and sleepy=not good for paying attention. On the other hand, if you are a morning person and nights are your worst time of day, go for it and schedule your tough class for the morning. Just be sure you are not perpetually late.
- Take notes! Use a loose-leaf binder so that pages can be added and subtracted as necessary. Use whatever method for note taking you like (outline, main points, etcetera) as long as you can read it. KEEP returned tests, reports, quizzes and the like. Put them right into your binder with the related information. These often become gold when studying for a test.
- Try to join a club or organization that does not require regular meetings and that lets you participate at your own level. This will give you things to do (besides study) when you have down time. A good one for this is an honorary society. These are full of high performing students that understand time constraints. Ask the department secretary for advice on joining one or more. These also look great at graduation and on your curriculum vitae.
- Save all of your work on your computer and on a thumb drive or other storage device!!! Don't lose your work. The computer labs are full (each one has a box) of lost thumb drives. Keep your work in two spots if you can. One mobile, one not. Work on university computers do not save when you log out. Look into web based storage areas if you must. Email yourself reports, presentations, etcetera so that you always have a copy.
- Take advantage of online forums like "Blackboard" if you instructor uses it. Create and respond to posts from other students. Instructors love this! You will stand out.
- Sit near the front of the class, just off center (first or second row just to the instructors left or right). This will get you eye contact AND will keep you from noticing distracting students because they will be out of your line of sight.
- Volunteer to go first when giving speeches or presentations. Firstly, this will give you a sense of power over the classroom and will be admired by peers. Secondly, I think instructors are more lenient when grading the first presenter as they will use the first presenter as an example and point out to the class what worked and didn't work. The grading may get tougher after that as the student should then know what the instructor expects.
- Don't eat in class. This is a disruption to both you and others. A small bag of chips or pretzels are alright as you may need to get rid of some nervous energy while sitting still for long periods.
- If you think you have ADHD, dyslexia or other learning challenge, there is a department of learning disorders that can assist you and where you can take tests out of your normal classroom. Don't be afraid to utilize this department. Many students do.
- Try to study for test in the same classroom and in your same seat as when you are in class. The familiar environment may make it easier to retain and retrieve information on an exam.
- DON'T CHEAT! EVER! It is not worth being caught or told on (it happens). Your best work will likely be sufficient to pass your classes. It is not worth your personal integrity or your college career.
- Drop classes that you think that you need to drop right away. An class overload or taking a class within the same semester as other difficult classes can quickly become overwhelming! If you must, drop it and replace it with something else. Do this quickly as two things are affected: your refund for the class. The university has recently shortened its refund policy tremendously. You now have only days to drop a class after the semester starts to receive a full refund. After that, you only get a percentage back and quickly get nothing back. In addition, if you are receiving financial aid, there is a minimum number of credit hours you must take to qualify for it. If you fall below that threshold, you loose funding. At present I believe there is a one time exception of falling below that mark for one semester...but don't flirt with the rule. Check with the financial aid office to make sure you meet the minimum if you drop a class and don't replace it.
- When choosing classes, sign up for them as soon as they are available. This means the semester before. Over schedule yourself. There will be a limit that you can schedule for but build your schedule with many classes that fit your schedule. Before the next semester begins, drop the ones that you decide are no longer workable. Yes, this will fill up classes that others may need but this will happen whether you do it or not. Be sure to quickly make your decisions and drop unwanted classes as soon as you can. If you want a class that is full, make contact with the secretary of the department and ask them to put you on the top of the list for when someone drops that class that you want.
- ALWAYS ask the department secretary if they have a copy of any book that you need for classes! Sometimes they have a copy of the current text book sitting on a shelf and won't mind loaning it to you if you promise to return it. This will save on text book costs, obviously.
- You will be required to pay certain fees as part of your tuition. Currently, there is a $25 fee for using the mass transit system of the city (RTA buses) and a similar fee for "technology" used at the university. You cannot escape these fees so go ahead and use and exploit them. Take the bus, use the campus computers and all that goes along with it. Don't hesitate, however, to make complaints about computer problems or connecting to campus to the technologies department. They can be helpful in diagnosing problems with your personal computer as well. If you bring your computer in, there may be a fee involved, but advice is often free and helpful.
Hope these tips are helpful.
Allan
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Hot to get your instructor to know who you are
How to get the best grades from your instructor
People ask me how to build a relationship (which is very important) with their instructor when you may only have them for one class or only see them in large classroom settings.
Whether you are only going to have a particular instructor once or possibly several times in your college career, I HIGHLY suggest getting them to remember your name. I cannot get into all the benefits of this strategy but you can do the math yourself. You do not have to be a "kiss up" or even be the student that sits up front or answers all the in-class questions. Your goal is to get the instructor to 'know you' and your strategy is to let them know your name, short background and your goals for the class and your college experience.
Here is what I ALWAYS do to get the instructor to know me out of everyone else.
* On the first day of class, take a few moments to meet the instructor after class. There will be a line of students with questions and problems waiting to meet them. That's OK, try to be in the middle of the line or near the end somewhere. Although instructors aren't generally rushed immediately after a class, after speaking to ten students, they may have to be on their way. Try not to be the last student they speak to. Introduce yourself, mention your background, maybe reason for taking the class and make sure to mention the grade you expect to get in their class!!!! Make sure you mention that you want an "A". I can't say that this will sway them in any manner, BUT, I do believe if they see you straying from your goal of an "A", they will mention extra credit work and I FEEL that instructors may be more likely to give you partial credit on answers on exams, better advice on research assignments and may even prompt them to bump your grade up if it is on the border line due to your goal of high achievement. Obviously, I am not suggesting that instructors are unfair or show partiality, but I think this strategy works for students.
* If you can, stop by their office BEFORE classes start and introduce yourself. This is a great private conversation between you and the professor. Take the time to tell them about your background (what you do for a living or how you did in high school) and what you would like to accomplish in their class. Here is what I would normally tell an instructor during this introduction, 'I am a former police officer working toward attending law school here at CSU after I graduate. I have a 4.0 g.p.a. and would like to know what you suggest my strategies are to maintain that grade in your class.'
* Sit in a seat near the front (first or second row) just off center. I always sit to the left of the instructor. I seem to get a lot of eye contact and attention in that spot. This will cause constant eye contact and attention during class.
* After a class is complete, thank the teacher with a handshake and ask what their class load is next semester. Maybe ask for advice on classes to take that they will be teaching.
* This is a little off topic but, ALWAYS ask an instructor if they will proof read any writing assignment or research paper that you have to complete if you turn it in a little early. I have never had an instructor deny me this benefit! The benefit to you is that they will make corrections on things that they would normally have marked on your final draft. This is insight into what they are looking for and all you have to do is make the corrections that they made and your paper should be an "A" paper. Ask for a second look after your first round of corrections just to make sure they caught everything. They are essentially correcting their own corrections and your final paper will essentially be a paper that they would have written!!!!
* GET TO KNOW THE SECRETARIES in your department!!! Firstly, these people really know how the inter-workings of the department work, know the different professors, can give you GREAT advice and can get stuff done for you. Stop in before classes, introduce yourself, tell them the same thing as would did or would have told the professor. Make sure to stop in at least once a semester and visit them. Hint: secretaries day is April 23rd.
I will post other habits of highly successful students in a later post.
Allan
Monday, June 10, 2013
Fraternities
Fraternities
Someone asked about joining fraternities (sororities). Should they / shouldn't they.
Keep in mind that Sororities are now referred to as Fraternities or Fraternal Organizations as well in some literature.
There are a bunch of fraternal organizations (both fraternities and sororities) on campus. They range from well known to barely noticeable and from idiots to super idiots. You can see where this is going, right?
Two fraternities "reside" on campus. ONLY ONE has an actual house that does belong to the chapter but is always in some financial mess where they are thousands of dollars behind in payments or something (so I've been told by their members). This is a TYPICAL fraternity house. This house belongs to the Sig Taus (Sigma Tau Gamma). I've been there a couple of times. Unlike in the movies it does not have a fancy interior, a yard, acceptable living conditions, finished bedrooms where the rafters are covered with walls or plaster, smells fresh, furniture, etc. Community bathroom with one toilet and one shower. There is a fire pit in the back yard, however, where you can burn the occasional sofa or brother's face. It does feature a semi finished basement and some parking. It is located within one block of campus.
The other fraternity "on campus" is a bunch of members who all rent or share apartments in the same building. These are the Delta Sigs (Delta Sigma Phi). They live in individually rented apartments on Euclid near campus in a multi-story house that used to be part of Millionaire Row. Don't be mistaken, it is no longer a mansion! It is much like the fraternity house mentioned above. This house used to actually belong to the Fraternity years ago but was repossessed by the bank (so I was told) and bought by a private owner that now rents apartments in the building.
**Expert Advice: live in your parent's basement, tear the carpet up and the wall paper off, don't shower, and eat Pop Tarts for dinner. You can save your money and maybe get someone else to do your laundry.
My advice on Fraternities: Don't!
I have flirted with the idea of joining three fraternities on campus in the past and actually started the pledging process for two of them. Two of which pursued me, one the other way around. I decided on none of them! Delta Sigs, TKE (Tau Kappa Epsilon) and one other that is brand new and I do not have enough information about them to mention them or critique them. I bailed out on both of them and left the other because they were new and just didn't interest me.
If you are a serious student and don't want to waste your money that you'll be spending on an education then do not join a fraternity. They are NOT like what they have been portrayed as in the movies. There are parties and social events that happen, which if fine, but my perception of these organizations is that of a giant distraction from your education, attending classes, and other things you are paying money for. The Fraternity leaders that I have spoken with have all expressed concern with maintaining a 'good' grade point average among their members. One of them stated that a 2.5 g.p.a. was their GOAL indicating that their collective g.p.a. was below that! I do not know for certain, but, it appears as though alcohol and drugs run rampant with some of the members that I've spoken with. In fact, my "Big Brother" in one fraternity was a 'recovering' heroine addict....
I have never met my other Big Brother. Six weeks into pledging and he never showed up to meet me, to events, to assist in my pledge training, nothing. To this day I have no idea who he is. I know his name, that's about it.
Each organization has their own traditions and will require pledges to undergo pledge training. Once again, NOT like in the movies. Many traditions are now abandoned due to stricter laws and subsequent university guidelines (ex: hazing rituals, questionable antics, underage drinking parties). This actually equate to a lot of hours of learning the history of the Fraternity, memorizing other members' histories, interviewing other brothers, etc. This is often times done in a classroom setting....just like sitting in class and memorizing for a test. There will also be dues in the form of cash that will be required to be paid every semester or every year or something like that. Of the three chapters that I was aware of, this could range from $300 every semester to well over $1,000 per semester (as I was told). You will also be required to dish up money to cover the "insurance premium" of joining the Fraternity just to pledge (no guarantee that you will become a member). This money is non refundable and you may not even be asked to join = rip off!!!!!
**Expert Advice: Essentially, you are paying money to have friends. This can be achieved the old fashioned way by simply, making friends and hanging out with them for free. You can always get invited to Fraternity parties and other events so why lose your cash AND risk your education?
If you want to secretly check out some of the typical Fraternity brothers / sisters (and their douche-baggery) in real life and see them in their natural environment you can find one Fraternity that hangs out at Becky's Bar near campus every Thursday night. This is their weekly get together spot. You won't be able to miss them as they are known at the bar and will likely be wearing shirts with insignia. Otherwise, you can most often find them members on the first floor of the student center. In an attempt to have a "presence" on campus, many Fraternity members hang out on the first floor of the student center where they can be seen and display their letters.
***In an effort to keep the University and Greek Organizations off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck and God's speed either way.
~Allan
Someone asked about joining fraternities (sororities). Should they / shouldn't they.
Keep in mind that Sororities are now referred to as Fraternities or Fraternal Organizations as well in some literature.
There are a bunch of fraternal organizations (both fraternities and sororities) on campus. They range from well known to barely noticeable and from idiots to super idiots. You can see where this is going, right?
Two fraternities "reside" on campus. ONLY ONE has an actual house that does belong to the chapter but is always in some financial mess where they are thousands of dollars behind in payments or something (so I've been told by their members). This is a TYPICAL fraternity house. This house belongs to the Sig Taus (Sigma Tau Gamma). I've been there a couple of times. Unlike in the movies it does not have a fancy interior, a yard, acceptable living conditions, finished bedrooms where the rafters are covered with walls or plaster, smells fresh, furniture, etc. Community bathroom with one toilet and one shower. There is a fire pit in the back yard, however, where you can burn the occasional sofa or brother's face. It does feature a semi finished basement and some parking. It is located within one block of campus.
The other fraternity "on campus" is a bunch of members who all rent or share apartments in the same building. These are the Delta Sigs (Delta Sigma Phi). They live in individually rented apartments on Euclid near campus in a multi-story house that used to be part of Millionaire Row. Don't be mistaken, it is no longer a mansion! It is much like the fraternity house mentioned above. This house used to actually belong to the Fraternity years ago but was repossessed by the bank (so I was told) and bought by a private owner that now rents apartments in the building.
**Expert Advice: live in your parent's basement, tear the carpet up and the wall paper off, don't shower, and eat Pop Tarts for dinner. You can save your money and maybe get someone else to do your laundry.
My advice on Fraternities: Don't!
I have flirted with the idea of joining three fraternities on campus in the past and actually started the pledging process for two of them. Two of which pursued me, one the other way around. I decided on none of them! Delta Sigs, TKE (Tau Kappa Epsilon) and one other that is brand new and I do not have enough information about them to mention them or critique them. I bailed out on both of them and left the other because they were new and just didn't interest me.
If you are a serious student and don't want to waste your money that you'll be spending on an education then do not join a fraternity. They are NOT like what they have been portrayed as in the movies. There are parties and social events that happen, which if fine, but my perception of these organizations is that of a giant distraction from your education, attending classes, and other things you are paying money for. The Fraternity leaders that I have spoken with have all expressed concern with maintaining a 'good' grade point average among their members. One of them stated that a 2.5 g.p.a. was their GOAL indicating that their collective g.p.a. was below that! I do not know for certain, but, it appears as though alcohol and drugs run rampant with some of the members that I've spoken with. In fact, my "Big Brother" in one fraternity was a 'recovering' heroine addict....
I have never met my other Big Brother. Six weeks into pledging and he never showed up to meet me, to events, to assist in my pledge training, nothing. To this day I have no idea who he is. I know his name, that's about it.
Each organization has their own traditions and will require pledges to undergo pledge training. Once again, NOT like in the movies. Many traditions are now abandoned due to stricter laws and subsequent university guidelines (ex: hazing rituals, questionable antics, underage drinking parties). This actually equate to a lot of hours of learning the history of the Fraternity, memorizing other members' histories, interviewing other brothers, etc. This is often times done in a classroom setting....just like sitting in class and memorizing for a test. There will also be dues in the form of cash that will be required to be paid every semester or every year or something like that. Of the three chapters that I was aware of, this could range from $300 every semester to well over $1,000 per semester (as I was told). You will also be required to dish up money to cover the "insurance premium" of joining the Fraternity just to pledge (no guarantee that you will become a member). This money is non refundable and you may not even be asked to join = rip off!!!!!
**Expert Advice: Essentially, you are paying money to have friends. This can be achieved the old fashioned way by simply, making friends and hanging out with them for free. You can always get invited to Fraternity parties and other events so why lose your cash AND risk your education?
If you want to secretly check out some of the typical Fraternity brothers / sisters (and their douche-baggery) in real life and see them in their natural environment you can find one Fraternity that hangs out at Becky's Bar near campus every Thursday night. This is their weekly get together spot. You won't be able to miss them as they are known at the bar and will likely be wearing shirts with insignia. Otherwise, you can most often find them members on the first floor of the student center. In an attempt to have a "presence" on campus, many Fraternity members hang out on the first floor of the student center where they can be seen and display their letters.
***In an effort to keep the University and Greek Organizations off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck and God's speed either way.
~Allan
Student Organizations: Student Life Offices
Student Life Offices
I have only one piece of advice:
Run Away!!
seriously
Nothing good is coming from the student life offices. There has been an upheaval of staff, long time staff members have been fired, others bailed out and retired, and there is rumor that the man in charge of the whole thing is looking for another job outside of the university.
It takes, literally, weeks to get an event or even a form approved....I'm not joking. Many student leaders that are leaders in different student organizations are so frustrated that they fail to participate in university activities and plan events like they used to due to the red tape and lack of concern from the student life office. Several have made official complaints to the university that have resulted in an outside consultant company being hired by the university to "look into" the problem and make recommendations to correct the issues. I'm surprised that the situation ever got to the point of the university not being able to handle their own business.....
In any case, I recommend that you try and avoid working with or within the student life office. There is a complete lack of concern for the students and lack of engagement on the part of the staff (with very few exceptions).
***In an effort to keep the University off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Allan
I have only one piece of advice:
Run Away!!
seriously
Nothing good is coming from the student life offices. There has been an upheaval of staff, long time staff members have been fired, others bailed out and retired, and there is rumor that the man in charge of the whole thing is looking for another job outside of the university.
It takes, literally, weeks to get an event or even a form approved....I'm not joking. Many student leaders that are leaders in different student organizations are so frustrated that they fail to participate in university activities and plan events like they used to due to the red tape and lack of concern from the student life office. Several have made official complaints to the university that have resulted in an outside consultant company being hired by the university to "look into" the problem and make recommendations to correct the issues. I'm surprised that the situation ever got to the point of the university not being able to handle their own business.....
In any case, I recommend that you try and avoid working with or within the student life office. There is a complete lack of concern for the students and lack of engagement on the part of the staff (with very few exceptions).
***In an effort to keep the University off my back.....Please note that the information I present here may be outdated or inaccurate. My opinions and suggestions are just that, My opinions and My suggestions. I recommend verifying any and all information contained here on your own. There, now I should be okay.
Allan
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