Tina Kruse is an Educational Psychologist (Ph.D.) with 15 years of experience teaching undergraduates. Her research is on the benefits of youth leadership experiences, with a forthcoming book on this topic (Oxford University Press, 2018). In addition to her long-term teaching and advising at a liberal arts college (Macalester College in St. Paul MN), she also offers private, one-on-one academic coaching to students ranging from high-school to graduate school. Recently she’s been charged with starting a campus-wide plan to support her college’s students to integrate better their learning settings–helping them connect the classroom efforts with their off-campus experiences such as internships and study abroad. You can find out more about Tina’s work at www.tinakruse.com.
Please Note: In this podcast recording Tina Kruse is representing her work as described at www.tinakruse.com and is not representing Macalester College.
Hey there, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by how much there is to do at school? Does it feel impossible to do it all alone?
This is a video I made last summer, but it’s just as relevant as ever. I’ve seen TOO MANY of my clients buckle under the stress of thinking they have to do school by themselves. That your work doesn’t count unless you accomplish it all by yourself.
This is a destructive myth! And it’s unrealistic, too. Watch the video to hear more.
Hey there, don’t have time to watch the whole video? Don’t worry; I’ve got your back, here’s a summary.
One of the biggest and most DESTRUCTIVE myths in our education system is that people must do everything themselves. I have a friend and client who’s a grad student, and she’s doing a presentation on some research she did in a recent class. We were talking, and she said, “I’ve been discouraged, though, (she was sick the previous week) since I fell so far behind, but this morning I met with a profession on campus who gave me lots of great ideas and feedback I want to incorporate. […] I get overwhelmed at how to incorporate and communicate all my ideas. […] I’m glad this woman was a resource that I could use, though. Basically, I can’t write these alone, which is kind of discouraging, but good to know.”
She was feeling discouraged that she couldn’t do it alone, but that’s the myth. Think about this: Professors have their undergrads helping them, researchers have their teams, and authors have editors. If the professionals have assistance, why should students feel they must work alone? As I told her, you don’t have to. Don’t fall prey to this destructive myth. You can always ask your professors, or teachers, or parents, or friends for some help. You can revel in the community, and enjoy the help and insight of a team of people rooting for you as the spokesperson for your ideas.
Teens and parents! What will you do this summer to have experiences that are both meaningful and impress colleges on your applications? Looking for free and low-cost solutions?
Now is the time to start planning. We know it seems super early, but the truth is that many of these opportunities have application deadlines mid-semester. We don’t want you to miss out just because you put off planning.
Here are the 5 types of experiences that Megan suggests students and parents consider; tune into the episode to hear details about how to find each of them:
Subject-specific camps at colleges and universities
Hands on work in the field of study that interests the student most
“Big” volunteer experiences that meet or exceed 80 hours a week
What’s the first thing you do when a teacher gives a new assignment — especially something big, like a paper or project?
Thanks to their work with me, many of my clients are getting good at writing the due date in the planner (on the day it’s due, by the way, NOT the day it’s assigned).
However, a few of them are still making THIS mistake, which causes them a lot of stress in the long run.
Check out this video for more details about what not to do, or read the summary below!
For those who don’t quite have the time to watch the whole video, I’ve got your back. Here’s a quick summary:
My Client’s Problem: My client almost made a horrible mistake. He was telling me about how he had an essay to write over the weekend and how it wasn’t a big deal. I asked him about the prompt and he said, “Oh I haven’t read it yet.”
Our Solution: I made him read the prompt right there in our session together. It turns out that this assignment was not an essay, as my client had thought, but rather a short research assignment that included talking to several students on campus and taking a poll. Had he waited until the weekend before the due date to read the prompt, he may not have had the time or capability to finish this new assignment. The tip here is that for every new assignment you get, always read them when you get them. This will save you a lot of academic headaches!
This week on the College Prep Podcast with Gretchen Wegner and her co-host Megan Dorsey:
Do you know what a “personal brand” is? Any idea why learning how to be a good storyteller is an essential 21st-century skill that students should develop in college?
Guest expert (and recent college grad) Brian Robben shares insightful tips on “how to college” such that you score excellent grades, have fun, and set yourself up to get the job of your dreams.
Specifically, Brian, Megan, and Gretchen chat about:
What a personal brand is, and how to establish one as early as high school
The most obvious things that most students DON’T do, and how this could change their college game,
How to choose paid work in college that will actually help you further your career AND provide spending money, and
A number of other helpful ways for a student to “do college” in a way that will set them up for career success.
Brian Robben graduated summa cum laude from Miami University in 2015. While at college, he started the popular blog TakeYourSuccess.com and went on to write three Amazon bestselling books on college success, resume and interview mastery, and financial freedom. Here’s the link to his books, and here is how you can follow Brian on Instagram and Twitter.
I’m excited to share with you a handy tool for college students.
This was taught to me by a real live student (shout out to Harrison!). He is a sophomore in college and interned with me over the summer.
I LOVE this tool that he makes for himself, and I wanted to share it with you all — including a tweak or two that I’d make to it.
Check out the video, and then PLEASE forward it to any college students you know could benefit from this handy little one-page organizational tool.
For more time management and study solutions for students, parents and educators, please sign up for the Anti-Boring Approach to Successful Studying CourseHERE
Have you ever thought those dangerous words, “Naw! I don’t need any help”?
I don’t know about you, but my gut reaction is to say, “No thanks!” when someone offers help, even if I really want (or need) what they’re offering.
Our culture is wierd that way; we’re taught that — in order to be truly highly advanced — we need to work alone. However, the times I’ve been the most successful in my life are the times when I’ve reached out for and/or accepted support from others.
Which brings us to the last tip in my series “how not to make stupid mistakes in college.”
And Tip #3 recommends we get humble and get help! Check out this video for more:
Speaking of getting help, do you know anyone (maybe it’s you!) who is feeling a bit nervous about the transition to college? I’ve designed a fun program to help you, or a freshman you love, practice all three of these tips before heading off to school.
College Survival 101 is a 15-day virtual scavenger hunt designed to give new freshmen tricks & tools to rock their transition into college.
Registration is totally FREE, and the first 7 people who register themselves and two friends also get a FREE 50-minute college-prep consultation with moi!! (Normally consultations are $125, so this is DEAL!).
Have you ever made a mistake that left you feeling, well, stupid? It’s an ugly word, stupid (unless you pronounce it the British way – styu-pid – which sounds a bit more sophisticated). Feeling stupid is also a pretty yucky emotion.
I’m tempted to reassure you that there are NO stupid mistakes. After all, we learn from our mistakes; they are one of the most golden educational opportunities we have!
However, it IS POSSIBLE to lessen the number of silly mistakes we make. To approach new experiences — like the move to college — in some really smart ways.
Last week I introduced you to my first tip for how not to make stupid mistakes in college: to know yourself — you strengths and your challenge areas — so that you are not headed into your new experience blind. I’m talking rigorous honesty, here!
This week I’ve got tip #2 for how not to make stupid mistakes in college:
Finally, you might also like to check out College Survival 101. It’s a laid back & fun summer experience that will also help you rock the transition to college…and make fewer silly mistakes because you will have gotten yourself prepared.
If College Survival 101 is not for you, but you know a new freshman who needs it, please pass this along. It starts July 15, so time is of the essence!
Have you ever found yourself going into a new experience worrying that you’ll totally mess it up?
For better or worse, fear of failure is one of the most common human anxieties. So, it’s no surprise that recent high school grads might worry that they’ll make stupid mistakes in college.
I’ve recently spent hours on the phone with a young woman who’s off to a liberal arts college in the midwest. Her frantic questions to me included:
What courses should I take first semester?
Do I want an advisor in my major, or outside of it?
Do I want to live in the same dorm with kids in my freshman seminar, or not?
Will I screw it all up if I make bad choices early on?
The common theme of all her questions was, “Will I screw it all up if I make bad choices early on?” And my answer to her is: no, you’ll be fine. As long as you pay attention to these 3 tips to protect yourself from some typical freshmen woes.
Check out this video, and I’ll explain more about what I mean.
P.S. Now that you’ve watched the video, I need to add one thing: it’s actually quite healthy to make a certain amount of mistakes in college…and in life! Some of the most wonderful experiences in my life (and my best ideas for my business) resulted from making a mistake first. But more about that later…
Was this helpful? Please forward it to others. Please feel free to comment below! If you’re a freshman-to-be, how are you feeling about college? If you’ve already been through college, how well did YOU know yourself when you first stepped foot on campus?
Budgeting is a skill that many adults don’t have! However, it’s a super important skill to teach your students before they go off to college.
