How To Take Effective Notes

Whether you're a high school or college student, tests are unavoidable. If you take a multiple-choice exam your strategy will be different than if you were to take an essay test. Learning proper note taking, studying and test taking strategies are a vital part of improving your grade on exams as well as your academic success.

1 - If the instructor writes something on the chalkboard/overhead or repeats an idea then it is usually a key point and you should write it down.

2 - Try to use a three-ring binder, it allows for more flexibility in rearranging your notes and any handouts that you may receive.

3 - Try to sit towards the front and center of the class where you'll be less distracted and can hear the professor the best and have a good angle on any visual aids that may be shown.

4 - Don't rely on someone else's notes, you may not understand everything that they write down and you'll learn the best by taking your own notes.

5 - If your instructor talks fast, it may help to bring an audio recorder and record the lecture while taking notes. After the lecture is over you can replay the lecture and fill in any parts that you missed in your notes.

6 - Do reading assignments or homework questions before class, it is easier to take notes when you know what the instructor is talking about.

7- Date your notes. Add titles and subtitles when you move onto a new topic for easy referencing.

8 - Write down any terminology along with the definition that the instructor may present.

9 - Make sure that you write legibly, if you can't read them later, they'll be useless. If you have sloppy handwriting it may be wise to type your notes so that they are easier to read.

10 - If you missed what the instructor said, ask them to repeat it or go to the instructor after class and ask for clarification. If you are in a rush, ask the instructor at the beginning of the next class or try to find the answer from a friend or the text.

11 - Compare notes with a classmate to make sure you didn't miss any important points.

Effective Learning Lesson of the Dayt

Each Day I will post an effective learning strategy for all EEVPA Students.  These tips can help you prepare for ACT or any test.

1. Stay up-to-date on assignments. Learn material and review as you go along. 
2. Make sure you understand the information as you are learning it. That way, you won't have to "re-learn" it OR have to "cram" a great deal of information at one time.
3. Read and study information in meaningful chunks (by chapters or units) so that you'll be able to "file" and "retrieve" information easily.

If you have any questions, please see Ms. Holsey, Compact Coordinator at EEVPA, in Room C129.

Eastern Michigan University increases Detroit presence

November 2, 2012 at 7:05 am

Eastern Michigan to increase                        

Detroit presence

• By Associated Press
• 1 Comments

Ypsilanti — Eastern Michigan University is increasing its presence in Detroit with a new off-campus center on the city's northwest side.

The Ypsilanti school says the facility is in a third-floor suite of rooms in a building across the street from Wayne County Community College's northwest campus.

The EMU Board of Regents approved a lease agreement for the space this week. It will include staff and faculty offices, classrooms, a computer lab and a student lounge area.

Eastern Michigan is scheduled to move in Feb. 1. Since 2000, the school has leased space at the Northwest Activities Center as the site for its Detroit campus.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121102/SCHOOLS/211020379#ixzz2B9rmOJUw

College Price hikes are modest

The sticker price of in-state tuition at four-year public universities climbed about $400 this fall, an increase of nearly 5 percent that brought the average to $8,655. That's a modest increase compared to recent years but still painful for families with stagnant incomes after a prolonged economic slump.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121024/SCHOOLS/210240388#ixzz2AFLCEX7H

Nailing the College Admission Essay

Planning ahead is one of the most important elements in writing a good college admission essay.  If you allow yourself accurate time for numerous drafts and proofreading, it will allow you to create a unique and expressive introduction letter about you to the admission advisors.

9 Areas to Consider When Writing an Essay.

      Do Some Soul Searching - What makes you unique? What can you tell the school they   won’t learn from your application? Consider your strengths and weaknesses.  You essay should enhance your overall application and help you stand out as an individual.

      Don’t Get Stumped – If you feel blocked, asked yourself how you might answer the essay question if you were talking to a close friend. Brainstorm you life experiences and build from there.

      Show Them You Are Interested – Show the school you have researched them and visit the school and their website.  Schools are more likely to admit a student who has made an effort to learn more about them.

      Read Through And Analyze – Does your essay make sense.  Make sure it answers the question or topic presented.  The essay should be state the main topic in a concise and effective manner.

      It’ All About You – If you are asked to write about a role model or event, don’t forget to focus the essay on yourself.  How were you changed? How did the person or event influence you? What did you learn from this journey?

      Be a  Person Not a List – Do not just list a bunch or awards or activities.  Consider highlighting one or two items and explain how they help shape the person you are today.  Describe the cause and effect and steps you took to accomplish your goals. 

      Recycle – If you can use portions of one essay for another college application, then do so.  It will allow time management and allow you to focus on other things.  Please make sure the topic is relevant to the other school’s essay question.

      Proof Read Again And Again – Grammatical errors conveys a lazy person who is not detail oriented.  Presentation counts and you want to be sure you make the right impression.

!!!!!!Get a Second Opinion – Have your teacher or counselor read your essay.  They can assist you with proofreading and often they know type of essay has been successful in the past.  Do not plagiarize someone else’s admission essay.  !!!!!

Scholarship List

The Career Center has a list of scholarships available for the Fall 2013 academic year. It is very important all students are setting in place financial decision to cover the raising cost of secondary education.

College Essay Writing Workshop Webinar

College Essay Writing Workshop   Monday, October 29th at 7PM ET/4PM PT Tuesday, October 30th at 9PM ET/6PM PT Hosted by Bob Patterson (former Director of Admissions at Stanford University) and Peggy Hock, Ph.D. (Director of College Counseling at Pinewood School) http://www.zinch.com/webinar.  This workshop will give students an idea of what colleges are looking for and how students can put their best foot forward in distinguishing themselves from other applicants.  Students will learn how to decide what to write to take advantage of this opportunity to add character to their applications. They will learn how to bring an authentic voice to their essays. To register, please direct your students to sign up at Zinch.com/webinar.  Students may not attend the webinar without first signing up! Thank you for your support of Zinch and for everything you do to help your students succeed.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Rob@zinch.com. Best, Rob Wellington Zinch.com Director of High School Outreach Webinars FAQs: Will this be recorded?  Yes!  We will record the presentation and send a link out to everyone who signs up. I can't make the webinar, what should I do? You should still sign up so you can receive the recording and other relevant information after the webinar concludes.  If you are a counselor and would like to attend, please sign up at zinch.com/webinar as well. How long do the webinars last? 45-60 minutes each, including the Q&A session. Is this free? Yes!  Just like everything else on Zinch.com, the webinar is free and we do not share students' information with anyone. Can I sign up for both webinars? You can, but this will be the same webinar, offered at two separate times.