Sunday, February 1, 2015

Organization

As you start reading the textbook, you will note that I write several times that "Organization Is the Key to Success".  This is, in fact, the class motto.  Actually, organization and time management are critical to being a successful student, and in life for that matter.

The "Andrews System" which is taught in the scholarship class is critical for meeting scholarship deadlines.  Since the goal is to apply for at least a hundred scholarships a year, deadlines will be missed  without time management & organization.

If it appears as if I am a stickler for keeping up with assignments, I am.  My purpose in life is to guide students with the scholarship application process so that they learn to submit WINNING scholarship applications.  It may be a while before you win a scholarship because even the most deserving students don't win all of the scholarships for which they apply.  However, students who have completed the class and have kept their portfolio up to date have proven to be the most competitive.  In short, the system does work.

Here are a few beginning tips:
1.  When you are given assignments from all of your classes, record the directions and deadlines in a small binder.  It would help to make a binder for each class using the five tabs (assignments, calendar, class notes, handouts and syllabus).  This saves you from rummaging through your backpack for documents thus saving precious time.
2. Record study time in the calendar in a small binder, but actually specify the activity (5 Math problems, read 4 pages in English, research scholarships for one hour).
3.  Divide your assignments into smaller parts so that you are doing a little bit of work a day for each class.  (Please, please don't wait until the deadline to start working on your assignments.)  Any task is easier to complete when broken down to smaller units.

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