Dollars and $ense

Here's something every NCC student should know: Nassau awards lots--and I mean LOTS--of scholarships each year. 

How many?  Try well over 100.

Some scholarship facts:

• Scholarship awards at NCC range from one hundred to several thousand dollars. 
• Some scholarships are designated for students who are about to graduate from Nassau; others are awarded to people who have completed some coursework but who still have a semester or two (or more) to go before graduation. 
• Some scholarships require applicants to be full-time students; others are for students who attend Nassau part time.  
• Scholarship criteria varies. Some awards are reserved for students who are enrolled in a specific academic program.  Others recognize students who have contributed to campus life or performed valuable service in their communities. Some scholarships have been set up for specific student populations (e.g. returning adult students), while others are open to students planning to study for a bachelor's degree after NCC.

Do you have to be a straight-A student to get a scholarship?  Not necessarily.  While good grades are always a plus, you could still qualify for an award if you have a respectable grade-point average and meet other criteria.  And in case you're wondering: while some scholarships are based on financial need, others simply recognize students who have done good work at Nassau.

Given the range of scholarships available, there's probably at least one award--maybe more--for which you could be in the running.

To learn more about Nassau's scholarships, check the Scholarships page at ncc.edu/scholarships and the Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA) website at collegeadjuncts.org.  Both provide valuable info (including how to apply) about upcoming awards.  Also, read the Vignette, the campus newspaper, which runs blurbs about scholarships, and look for scholarship notices on campus bulletin boards. 

And when you see a scholarship that looks promising, APPLY FOR IT!  You could be surprised at the results--and have more dollars in your pocket for your effort.   

A Party--and You're Invited

It may be cold and gray and snowy outside, but the atmosphere will be anything but frigid in the Top Flight Food Court (lower level of the College Center) this Thursday, January 24 at club hour (11:30 a.m.).  That's when the Office of Student Activities and Orientation 2013 will hold their spring kickoff bash.  Free food, music, prizes, friendly people--what better way to spend a club hour?

Get out of the cold and into the fun.  

 

 

 

A New Year, A New Semester . . . A New Beginning

Starting Nassau this semester?  Here are five simple "Starting Smart" strategies for the first week of classes: 

·      Leave enough time to park.  Give yourself at least 45 minutes to find a parking space, get your bearings, and figure out where you need to go.  If you’re coming to Nassau by bus, check out campus bus stops beforehand and leave enough time to find your way.

·      Keep your schedule and a campus map handy.  Nassau isn't a hard campus to navigate, but it can seem a bit overwhelming at first.  Having your class schedule (which lists the locations of your classes) and a map nearby will make finding your way around a lot easier.

·      Bring a pen and a notebook.  You’ll need both, even for the first day of school.  Many professors plunge right in, giving notes and other information you’ll need to write down.  Don't come to class empty-handed.

·      Learn names (especially your professors').  Every course syllabus (for more on the syllabus, see the “Read That Syllabus” post) will list your professor’s name, telephone number, email address, office location, and office hours.  This is important stuff.  Put names and contact info in your notebook, your phone, your laptop, or some other place where you can find it fast.

·      Buy your books early.  Each course syllabus will also list the textbooks you will need for that class. Since many professors make assignments from texts early on, you should get to the campus bookstore asap and buy what you need.  P.S. If money is tight, remember that used texts cost less and are just as good.

Read That Syllabus

Of all the handouts you’ll get in your classes next week, none are as important as your SYLLABUS.

What’s a syllabus? you ask. 

Think of it as a contract of sorts between your professor and you.  A syllabus (also known as a course outline) says, “Here’s what students are going to study in this class, here’s how the professor is going to teach the material, and here’s what everyone has to do to learn and succeed.”

A syllabus typically

*     lists the professor’s name, telephone number, email address, and office hours (times the professor
      is available to meet with students out of class);

*     outlines the material the course will be covering; and

*     states the course’s requirements—attendance policy, textbooks, readings and assignments, 
      important dates (exams, due dates for papers and projects, etc.), and grading policies.

The idea behind a syllabus is that students should know, in advance, what’s expected of them. That way they can work to meet the course requirements, all the while keeping track of the "rules."

Make sense?  Sure.  So why do so many students (a) lose their syllabus, (b) fail to read it, or (c) forget they ever received it?  Why do so many people get in trouble in their classes because they've overlooked something important in the syllabus?

Who knows?  But blowing off a syllabus doesn’t change its importance.  And if you don't pay attention to the syllabus and mess up as a result, well, it's on you.

Don’t make this mistake. 

When you go to each of your classes next week and get your syllabus, read it carefully.  Ask questions if you don’t understand something you’ve read.  Hang onto it.  Staple it into your notebook and use it to guide you through the course.  Don't let it disappear in the back seat of your car.

Remember: Your syllabus is your contract with your professor.  It spells out everyone’s end of the “bargain,” including yours.

New to Nassau? Check Out Orientation

If you're starting Nassau this spring, you can't afford to miss New Student Orientation, scheduled for this WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 at 9:45 a.m. in BUILDING G (the building next to the College Center Building).  

You'll tour the campus, meet other students, get tips from NCC students and faculty about how to do well in your classes (and have a good time in college), and go home with some neat publications that will tell you all about what Nassau has to offer.

All this in just three short hours!

So make it your business to get to Orientation this Wednesday.  We'll be looking for you.


Wednesday, January 16      9:45 a.m.         Building G, first floor

Questions: Call the Office of Student Activities at (516) 572-7148