With Spring Semester just days away, it's time to prepare and get back to business. There are many decisions to make and tasks to complete during this semester before summer break.
The most important thing for students to focus on is grades. For those who did great with the semester change, keep up the good work. For those who struggled last semester, Spring Semester provides students with another opportunity to raise their GPA.
Financial aid and scholarships is another important task students should work on in the early weeks of the semester. FAFSA forms must be completed by mid-February, and many scholarships are also due around the same time. Many students overlook scholarships that can help them pay for college. Even if financial aid pays for your full tuition, it's always a good idea to apply for as many scholarships as possible. In the long-run, it's less loans you may have to take out to pay for school.
For seniors especially, it's important to not forget about the end of the semester, which leads to graduation and a full-time job. According to Forbes Magazine, it's never too early to get an internship. Career Services is open daily throughout the semester to help students find full-time work, internships, prepare resumes and they even provide workshops for students to gain knowledge about their careers and meet some perspective employers. It would be a good idea for students to visit the office if they need help in any of those areas.
An internship for the summer can provide students with guidance they need to figure out if what they have chosen as a career is the right choice. It can also help students learn what it's like working a full-time job, obtain references, get their foot in the door at a company and gain networking contacts.
Networking with future employers or professionals in the career students want to work in, is another great idea for Spring Semester. Dayton may not be a big city, or the place a student may want to live upon graduation, but that doesn't mean they can't use their resources. Students should find professionals in the area they can talk to about their career, job shadow and possibly see about setting up a summer internship with. You never know who knows who, and who can help you.
Students can also focus on choosing a study abroad program for the summer or fall semester. There may be a lot of qualifications, including money. Studying Abroad is a way for students to learn a language, to travel, get to know another culture, help develop skills and give students experiences a classroom can't. It's a chance to take a break from the normal academic routine and discover new strengths and abilities, conquer new challenges and solve new problems. Studying abroad can also enhance students’ employment opportunities. Employers will notice students’ ability to adapt to a new way of life.
Volunteering is another avenue for students to enhance their networking, pad their resume and gain personal growth. Spring Semester is the start of a new year for students. If you weren't involved in any school activities last semester, don't miss out this semester. Clubs and organizations help students to meet other students with similar interests, build teamwork and leadership, looks great on your resume and can also be a networking tool.
Spring Semester should not be a time when students stop caring about school and let their grades slip. It should also not be a time when students stop looking at their future. It's important for students to re-group and look back at the goals they made at the beginning of the school year. Have they completed them? Are there any goals they'd like to add for the rest of the year? Students should be excited that one semester is completed and that there is only a few more months until summer vacation.
