External Student Competitions Can Apply Classroom Learning To A Career

BY SYLVIA KOHL

Students who are eager to explore their boundaries and expand their horizons are always looking for opportunities to apply classroom theory in the real world. With their impressive set of skills, these individuals should consider applying for external competitions to demonstrate their talent and setting a foundation for their career in the future.

This type of contest is also a great way to secure yourself scholarships, internships, jobs and even exposure to real-life employees, institutions, and issues. These contests also include some of the most popular external competitions among students: CoreNet Global Academic Challenge, Toyota Design Competition, Athenaeum of World Architecture, and so on. Prizes for students who win are often expressed in several thousands of dollars.

These external competitions are organized in the automotive, law, engineering, architecture, design, business, creative industry and many others. If you were wondering should you apply to such competitions, we bring you a few reasons why you definitely should.

Connect with top employers

External competitions can be a great way to connect with top employers in your industry as the majority of these companies are either organizing these contests or being present in them. As it’s complicated to connect with these companies, an external contest can provide you with a unique opportunity to approach your potential employer and introduce yourself. It’s hard to stand out among a significant number of candidates who are sending their resume and expecting to be contacted for the following step of the recruitment process. With contests, you increase your chances of making a good impression without trying too hard.

Demonstrate your Talent

The majority of students probably feels it’s difficult to demonstrate their talents while they’re in school. Unfortunately, the structure of education is not that limitless for students to reveal all their potential. Exams and assignments don’t allow them to demonstrate their unique set of skills or completely understand how their professional lives will look like after graduation. With external competitions, students can work on real-life cases and issues while practicing their skills and applying their knowledge. Whether the competition is organized by an organization, company or university, you will be able to showcase your talent there. Not to mention that some of them even provide money as a reward so you can spend that money on books, courses or methods to grow your sales with your own business or research.

Dare to be Different

What will the resume of your colleagues look like after they graduate? If you don’t want to be like everybody else, why not take the different path while you still can? Winning at contests will provide you with an opportunity to present yourself in a different way. While others will be focused on highlighting their academic achievements, you can focus on your contest success and attendance. Companies will more likely hire someone who has experience in real-life scenarios over the ones who hasn’t as that person is self-driven, passionate and ready to learn.

For instance, if you’re considering applying to a contest in a healthcare industry about efficient methods of body sculpting, you could demonstrate your own idea while also learning plenty from other students who want to expand their knowledge about getting rid of the body fat.

Challenge Yourself

Of course, others don’t have to be the reason why you should apply to an external contest. This experience will be beneficial for you in so many ways. You will learn a lot about yourself just by applying to such an event. The more experience you gain, the better you will perform in both your personal and professional life. Regardless of the outcome of the contest, you will meet new people who could also become your friends, colleagues or employees.

As a student, these experiences will provide you with so many things that are not even crossing your mind at the moment. Not only will you see immediate benefits from it, but you will also see in the future once you start building your career.

Sylvia Kohl is an IT teacher with more than 8 years of professional experience. Her main spheres of interest are e-education and she convinced that learning process doesn’t stop after years in school and university.

New Study Finds Women Studying STEM Face Unwelcoming Campus Culture

BY JORI HAMILTON

For decades, we’ve been aware of the discrepancy between the number of men and women in STEM fields. Research has shown that this difference is due to a large number of social factors, as well as the environment of these male-dominated fields. Recognizing that the unequal representation of women is having negative effects on tech-related industries, STEM educators and advocates have looked for ways to bring more women into the field. 

Although government- and industry-led education initiatives have made an effort to increase the number of women studying and pursuing STEM, there are many underlying issues that have prevented their success. A new study shows that one factor in the disillusionment of women in STEM is the unwelcoming and “chilly” campus culture that they are subjected to throughout their education. This type of environment can make women feel that their identities are incompatible with that of scientists — a feeling described as woman-scientist identity interference. 

Unwelcoming Campus Culture

The study by Laura E. Jensen and Eric D. Deemer included 363 female undergrad STEM students and was titled “Identity, Campus Climate, and Burnout Among Undergraduate Women in STEM Fields.” Jensen and Deemer’s research found that the dissonance between a woman’s identity as a scientist created several emotionally challenging obstacles that interfered with their education, including emotional exhaustion and a lack of conviction in their ability to succeed. 

In the U.S., 25% of STEM industry employees are women, many of which leave the industry after only a few years. Over the last 45 years, graduation rates for women in engineering have been stationary, even as more programs and scholarships encourage women to seek opportunities in these high-paying fields within stable industries. However, while these strategies aim to change the socialization aspect of women in STEM, they don’t change the environment women experience as they pursue their education.

Even outside of STEM education and industries, women have been excluded from many other career paths that have been traditionally male-dominated and seen as unfit for women. Trade positions provide a relatively stable job and income, which is why women have begun to stake their claim as plumbers as well as other professions. 

Impact on Retention of Women

Even as women brave the societal expectations and boundaries imposed on them to seek better job opportunities, they must experience support and encouragement to stay in these fields. There are many ways schools and organizations can inspire young women to pursue and stay in STEM fields, including supporting their ideas and overall efforts. 

By investing in the funding of their studies, as well as lending a hand when they need additional help or expert advice can encourage and support them to continue pursuing their education and goals. This is exactly what Invetech did with the Melbourne Girls’ College in Australia. To expose the students to more women in tech, Invetech’s female design and engineering staff mentored students at the school, helping them accomplish their tech goals and projects.

Impact on Inter sectional Identities

Even as valiant efforts are made to support women in STEM, the field will remain unequal in representation without active encouragement and investment to recruit diverse populations. Concordia University cited a National Science Foundation study that detailed the rates of different demographics working in science and engineering fields. These were:

• White men: 49%
• White women: 18%
• Asian men: 4%
• Asian women: 7%
• Black men: 3%
• Black women: 2%
• Hispanic men: 4%
• Hispanic women: 2%

These statistics make it clear that white men, who are considered the most socially privileged population, dominate STEM fields and, consequently, are working some of the highest-paying jobs available. This is a factor which plays into wage gaps between genders and races.

Addressing Cold Campus Culture 

The first step to addressing a chilly campus culture as a factor in the lack of women in STEM is by raising awareness of the issue across campuses throughout the country and world. Although it’s difficult to determine the steps that could mitigate this issue and address the unwelcoming climate for women, large-scale, systemic changes must take place in order to have a far-reaching impact. 

It would help to have access to inclusive communities for women, where participants could feel comfortable receiving additional assistance and tutoring. In order to feel supported by their educational program, this unwelcoming culture must be dissipated. Only when we’re able to break free of the vicious cycle of women avoiding STEM fields due to the lack of women in those industries will we be able to see true equality. 

In order to do that, schools and legislators should work to address the low numbers of women in STEM. A call for a change in campus and industry culture, and steps to make such changes sustainable, could also encourage more women and minorities to pursue these fields. Through these efforts, diverse people can contribute their valuable perspectives to STEM industries that could benefit greatly from them.

Bio: Jori Hamilton is a writer from the Northwest who is passionate about education and social justice issues. You can follow her on Twitter @HamiltonJori

Homework Tips That Can Enable Completing Assignments With Ease

BY MELISSA BURNS

Just thinking about doing your homework causes you a headache? Many students are postponing this activity until they reach the deadline as it’s one of the least loved things to do during your education years. But, this type of approach towards homework lowers the quality of it and bring you a lot of stress, right? So, it’s vital to find an alternative method to deal with your homework assignments.

To deliver the best examples of homework to your professor, we’ve decided to bring you useful tips that will help you manage your time better, be more productive and efficient with your other academic activities.

Have a clear schedule

When you don’t have the time planned for your homework or any other activity, you could easily forget to do it or remember to do it the last minute. Once you know what your homework is, plan the time for it. Determine how many hours you need to finish your homework and incorporate it into your schedule. Having a clear schedule will help you with all of your activities, so you will have more free time and better management of your time in general.

Ask for Help

If you think that you need assistance with your homework or some part of it, just ask for help. Your friends or even professors might help you understand the topic better by merely talking about it. Not to mention that this will save a lot of your time. Of course, you will not run to somebody for every homework you get, but if you feel you’re stuck and don’t know what to do about it, try to find someone who can explain it to you. If you have ever asked yourself:” Is there anybody who can do my homework for me?”, you will be happy to hear that there are professionals who offer their help and guidance to students on various topics and fields.

Inform yourself about Your Homework

When you’re not confident what’s expected from you, you are less motivated to start working on your homework. When your professor is giving the assignment, make sure you understand it completely. If not, don’t hesitate and ask for additional explanation. This will help you understand the task itself better but also feel more connected to what you have to do. When you don’t even think about your homework, it’s challenging to be motivated to start working on it.

For instance, if you’re a psychology student and the essay topic for your homework is ‘Why Experiencing Past Life Regressions Through Hypnosis has Become Increasingly Popular?’ Start reading interesting articles about that topic before you start doing your homework.

Some believe that greater insight into past lives is the key to understanding current behavioral patterns, why certain decisions are made and some conflict within their lives that many are unable to overcome. Eli Bliliuos from the Miami Past Life Regression Center has guided thousands of clients into hypnosis for the purpose of exploring memories from the womb, early childhood, past lives, and afterlife memories”. He was trained by Dr Brian Weiss the author of “Many Lives, Many Masters”. Some of his past clients who have recorded video accounts of the process report healing unhealthy relationships, overcoming anxiety, and irrational fears.

Following the insights will help you raise interest in that topic and provide quality information in your homework essay.

Dividing Your Homework

One of the reasons why students struggle to do their homework is because it seems like a lot of work. Why not divide your homework into smaller tasks? Your one assignment can be divided into three, four or five smaller tasks that you could finish really quickly. It’s much easier to work 30 minutes on something three days in a row than work on it an hour and a half all at once. If you notice you can’t motivate yourself to do your homework because you think it will take too much time, apply this tactic.

Determine the Location

You need concentration to do your homework. If you live with your family or your roommates, it could be challenging to find a place for yourself. However, based on other people’s schedule and the rooms you share, you can find a little place where you can only be focused on your homework without any distractions. If you’re unable to find that place where you live, consider going to the library or a quiet coffee shop near your apartment.

How to Travel the World as a Student Without Going Broke

BY JESSI KLAUS

For many students, studying abroad sounds like a dream. More than just a chance to visit somewhere new, studying abroad offers students a chance to experience something life changing, the chance to completely immerse themselves in a new culture, and, most of all, the chance to make connections they could have never made studying in their home country. The process of making that dream a reality is a daunting one, both in terms of finding a program that is a good match for their interests and figuring out how to pay for it all, but with the appropriate planning, any student can overcome those obstacles and be on their way to the adventure of a lifetime.

Figure Out What You Want Your Trip to Look Like Before You Start Looking

Just as every student’s academic strengths and weaknesses differ, their interests and goals do as well. For students interested in traveling abroad this is no different. Each type of program offers students a unique experience of their host country and involves varying levels of cultural participation, and having your priorities and goals defined beforehand will make it easier to narrow down which programs appeal to you the most. Abroad programs range from primarily work oriented opportunities to school-sponsored study opportunities, and can vary significantly in terms of their duration, financial support, requirements, and qualifications. Some companies also offer services for students looking to find study abroad opportunities not provided by their schools, oftentimes in coordination with specific schools or for a fee.

Choose a Program That Fits Your Interests

For many, studying abroad represents an opportunity to do more than just study, and for those who may not qualify for the study programs offered by many universities or are looking for a different focus than what their school-sponsored program provides, work abroad programs offer an alternative. It affords them the opportunity to work and participate in their host countries without impeding on their ability to explore and enjoy the experience.

Outside of student exchanges and language schools, which offer current students and non-students the opportunity to stay with a host family in another country as part of a larger language study, students with a passion for language and a knack for teaching can acquire a TEFL certification, which allows them to pursue jobs teaching English language classes in countries around the world. Similarly, some countries fund exchange programs that provide jobs and support to English speaking students and young professionals looking to work as teachers and translators. One such opportunity is the JET Program, which places successful applicants in schools and locations throughout Japan and offers assistance in finding housing, travel expense reimbursement, help acquiring a work visa, and other perks.

Securing Funding

Many private and school-funded programs offer study abroad opportunities at a cost students can afford and provide reimbursements for travel and living expenses, but for students in the United States, the Department of State also offers funding to K-12 and university students looking to study abroad through various partnered programs, including merit-based summer and yearlong study courses for high school students and merit-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate level college students. Similarly, students (particularly students who already speak a foreign language) can apply directly to many universities overseas, some of which have special scholarships or financial assistance for international students applying directly to a program.

It is easy for students looking at study abroad programs to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available to them, but having an idea of your interests, qualifications, and financial aid requirements can help you find the program that appeals to you the most. No one program is a perfect fit for all students, but each program offers its own unique benefits, and no matter the one you choose you are guaranteed to have an experience you will never forget.

Jessi is a recent college grad and has spent most of the last year building her clientele base for her health and fitness business. In addition to running her business, she loves writing and sharing her life experiences with others.

     Melissa Burns graduated from the faculty of Journalism of Iowa State University. Nowadays she is an entrepreneur and independent journalist. Follow her @melissaaburns or contact at burns.melissaa@gmail.com

What Medical Conditions Affect Performance in University the Most?

BY DAVID GUTIERREZ

Some people believe that success in college depends only on effort and natural talent. However, in reality, there are many more factors, and health is undoubtedly one of them. In addition to affecting the quality of a student’s life, many medical conditions also directly or indirectly influence his/her academic performance. As a result, quite often it is not enough to simply try harder – the only way to achieve results is to deal with the underlying health problem. So which medical issues are the most disruptive for academic success? Let’s take a look.

1.    Depression

Undoubtedly, depression is the most common health problem experienced by college students, with 39 percent of students reporting severe cases and 31 percent claiming to have seriously contemplated suicide. You should also take into account that those suffering from depression aren’t usually inclined to talk about their predicament, which means that the real numbers can be significantly higher. People suffering from depression have trouble functioning at the most basic level and find it hard to perform even the most basic activities, which obviously affects their ability to study. If you have any symptoms of depression (persistent sadness, unwillingness to get up from bed, guilt, lack of focus) – you should seek professional help as soon as possible.

2.    Anxiety

Anxiety can be all consuming and limit your ability to deal with life challenges in a more productive way. Everyone has experienced anxiety to one degree or another. Hypnosis can be highly effective in overcoming a variety of challenges including anxiety and phobias. When guided into hypnosis, the hypnotherapist can access your subconscious to determine the underlying cause of your anxiety. Identifying the cause is critical to success in properly addressing anxiety. Within the subconscious, the individual is more open to suggestions from the hypnotherapist that can help overcome anxiety. In fact, many psychiatrists recommend hypnotherapy to their patients. “Eli Bliliuos the founder of the NYC Hypnosis Center describes hypnosis as “a natural way to program the unconscious mind to respond calmly and automatically to stressful or fearful situations”. He is a firm believer in the power and effectiveness of hypnosis for treating anxiety and phobias.

3.    Excess Weight

More than a third of college students in the USA suffer from obesity or excess weight, and numerous studies show that it negatively affects their academic performance. Compared to their normal weight counterparts, overweight and obese students tend to have lower GPAs and show poorer results measured by other metrics. It is unclear whether it is a direct consequence of having excess weight or a result of other problems caused by it (social stigmatization, lack of self-confidence, depression, poor self-image, etc.), but one thing is for sure – it is one of the factors contributing to poor results of affected students. Proper diet, a healthier lifestyle, or, in more extreme cases, surgical procedures can help in addressing this issue (just take a look at a photo gallery of results).

4.    Eating Disorders

We all heard about “freshman’s fifteen”, indicating the fifteen pounds students often gain over their first year in college due to disruption of their habits and lifestyle. As a result, over 90 percent of students report trying to control their weight through dieting, which often leads to the development of disorders like bulimia, anorexia and binge eating disorder. These not just negatively affect the person’s ability to study effectively, but can have genuine consequences, e.g., possibly leading to the development of suicidal tendencies.

5.    Insomnia

Excessive stress and inability to cope with their suddenly increased responsibilities often lead to the development of insomnia, i.e., difficulty falling asleep (over 60 percent of students report such symptoms). Insomnia not only prevents you from falling asleep at night but also makes you sleepy during the day, which means that you cannot function at your top efficiency. Sleeping pills aren’t a solution – they can provide sleep of poor quality, and you will build up a tolerance to them eventually. It may be necessary to first deal with the underlying causes of insomnia: stress, poor lifestyle choices, lack of physical activity, etc.

6.    Addiction

Alcohol and drug use are a commonplace part of student culture: 25 percent of students report studying problems caused by their drinking habits, and about 21 percent are using illicit drugs. If one’s substance dependence grows to the level when it starts causing problems in everyday life, probably the only way out is to seek professional help, which isn’t what everybody is ready to do.

What do you think? What health issues do you believe to be the most dangerous for your academic success?

David Gutierrez has worked in the field of web design since 2005. Right now he started learning Java in order to get second occupation. His professional interests defined major topics of his articles. David writes about new web design software, recently discovered professional tricks and also monitors the latest updates of the web development.

Guide to Research Grant Opportunities for Graduate Study

BY KRISTIAN KRYISYK

If you’re unable to find the financial resources, you should consider research grants. Similar to scholarships or fellowships, research grants can significantly help you in funding your graduate work. Actually, a research grant will provide you with so much more. It will provide you with an opportunity to further your work, signal an indication of the value of your research and lead to greater potential post-graduate career opportunities.

Benefits of research grants

The money you can receive from research grants is not only for completing your degree. It can also help you take your work to another level by ensuring you have access to rare materials or state of the art equipment.

These traveling research grants can also support the transportation costs you need in order to research sites across the world. In case you need access to specific material or equipment at a laboratory or any other particular institution, institutional grants can cover all these costs, from visiting institutions to utilizing these facilities. Not to mention, there are also grants which can help you cover the costs of materials you need for a particular project.

However, the advantages of a grant are so farther reaching than the impact on your project or your degree. Even the smallest research grants help you build your reputation as a dedicated scholar and establish connections you will need to enjoy more opportunities once you gain your degree. When you can work in the field at research institutions or sites, it gives you the opportunity to meet other experts in your area and build crucial experience for a young researcher.

Thinking long-term, research grants help you to make a case for your work and show others why it matters, and is a desirable avenue to enter the research world. Furthermore, having grant credits on your resume will be a tremendous advantage to your future employer and research funders.

An impactful resume is your most important marketing tool when competing in this highly competitive job market. If you are struggling with your resume, consider hiring an expert resume writer. Mervat Schwarby from NYC Resume, Interview & Online Prep has worked with thousands of professionals offering career guidance and resume preparation services. She states “The process is technology based using a software screening system and they are looking for one thing, a near perfect match with the job requirements of the positions.  The key to ranking well in this process is to provide relevant and concise resume content. You have to target specific positions which is our primary focus at NYC Resume.”

Resume writing is not something most individuals are trained to do well. Do you meet the job requirements of the position? Are you presenting yourself in the best possible light? If you rank well, do you pass the 10 second hiring manager resume scan? Although strong writing skills are important, the ability to stay relevant, be clear and concise is your top priority.

Finding grant opportunities

If you’re interested in research grants, you should start at the library reference desk. Ask for books that list grants and fellowships as they provide you with the essential information you need at that moment. This way, you will know who is eligible, the amount you could receive, and most importantly, contact information.

Don’t stop just at the library though. Check online as it’s much easier and faster to see grant listings. The beauty of the Internet will provide you with up-to-date listings of grants which are available in your area of study. The first step to your grant-based research is finding the grant that could be yours.

Useful tips

 Looking for research grants can be exciting. Do your best to maximize your grant possibilities. To do that successfully, you need to recognize the so-called crossover possibilities of the project you’re working on. It could be that you’re working in English and the project has a kind of historical bent. You should read all the classifications of your research topic before you start looking for grants.

Moreover, you shouldn’t discard new grant offerings. Awards that are new and small will not have as much competition as the most popular grants will which automatically increases your chances of getting noticed. It’s important to invest in your future in school, and your research and grants are the perfect way to do it.

Once you start researching your options, you will see the chances of landing on one can be  pretty high. You just need to prepare right and do your best to get it!

BY LINE–Kristian Krisyk had been working in the field of web design for 7 years before becoming an entrepreneur in 2014 in design and marketing. His professional interests and hobbies defined major topics of his articles. These days Kristian runs his business and looks for new development opportunities. Follow him @KristianKrisyk or contact at kristian.krisyk@gmail.com

Study Abroad Elevates Students’ Profiles, Making Them Stand Out From The Crowd

BY ANTON LUCANUS

They say that not all classrooms have four walls. High school and college students, especially, are realizing this more and more as the Internet allows them to see what lies outside the four walls, and across the seas. As the early Christian philosopher, Saint Augustine, once said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only one page.”

As the Internet brings to life the thousands of amazing places to visit and cultures to experience, students have begun to look for opportunities to savor and absorb them while they are still students, also in many instances heart-whole and fancy-free. So it is that Study Abroad programs have gradually become popular, and now, are undoubtedly a trendsetter.

According to the latest Open Door report by the Institute of International Education, around 332,727 Americans studied abroad in 2018, for credits earned at their national colleges  in 2016/17. In other words, about 1 in 10 U.S. students study abroad during their undergraduate career.

Indeed, according to different studies and also as life experience shows, students who have broadened their horizons through travel and through intimate knowledge of and empathy for other cultures, are better-equipped to function in the global workforce. They become strategic thinkers and problem solvers, and excellent communicators in multiple languages. In another recent study, 95% of the students surveyed, accepted that they matured faster because of the international exposure through Study Abroad programs, while 96% said they had enhanced self-confidence and 95% had a deeper perception of the world.

In fact, many students who join the Study Abroad programs are initially challenged by the necessity of adapting to new cultural norms. For instance, Kelsey Hrubes, a software engineer from Iowa State university, says she was forced to adapt to alien cultural norms and to understand everything in a language she had never known before.

Even though the numbers of students seeking overseas study opportunities have gone up in recent years, fewer than 10% of all U.S. college students study abroad during their undergrad years. From among those who do travel, over half of them (53%) go to Europe. Three countries – U.K. (13%), Italy (10%) and Spain (9%), account for about 1/3 of students. Next is France with 6% and China with 5%. Now, however, more American students are seeking out college opportunities in South Africa, Denmark, South Korea, Peru and Thailand. Asia and Latin America are fast gaining popularity for continuing U.S. higher education.

American students who leave on these overseas study tours, seek out an efficient answering service to handle their calls while they are away, as they do not want to end up with huge roaming charges.

Even as U.S. college students make their way to overseas colleges on Study Abroad programs, the U.S. remain the top global host of international students. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Marie Royce, said, “International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States. We need to develop leaders in all fields who can take on our toughest challenges. We need people who can find solutions that keep us secure and make us more prosperous.”

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, international students made a significant financial impact on the U.S. in 2017, contributing $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy through tuition, room and board, and other expenses.

Students who participate in study abroad programs, realize that all the connotations of these programs add a lot of weight to a resume, and that it is a compelling way to stand out from the crowd. Hard skills like paper writing are taught in tertiary curriculums, but soft skills like cultural understanding and communication are better learnt through study abroad. Studies have shown that 64% of employers tend to value international experience when recruiting, while 90% of study abroad students landed a job within six months of graduation.

Overseas study also introduces them to different ways of studying. According to a recent study by the University System of Georgia, students returning from a Study Abroad program observed an increase in their overall GPA. They had absorbed new time management skills and methods of study, which they had not known of before traveling.

Two other skill sets that students can acquire through study abroad are problem solving skills and leadership skills. Many are the times that international travel requires split-second decision making. Students are suddenly thrown into challenging situations which need critical thinking skills to handle. As time goes on, thinking outside the box becomes a habit. From another viewpoint, students mature faster when they have to fend for themselves in a foreign country. This leads them to develop a keen sense of leadership after taking a lead on their lives for a length of time. This is also a reason for employers to consider Study Abroad in a positive light when considering for leadership positions.

As American author Neale Donald Walsch, said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to share the lessons learnt throughout his degree and to guide current students to achieve personal and educational fulfilment during college life.

Essential Springboard into the Legal Job Market for Students and Graduates

BY KATHLEEN BROWN

 Today’s schools students are savvier and more informed about the legal job market than they were a decade ago. They start to think about their career much sooner as well, sometimes even before their first year in law school. However, the market is changing so rapidly that it’s genuinely vital to keep up with all these trends. That led to law schools also changing their landscape and providing new types of course about the business of law and various employment opportunities.

Now, many schools have dedicated centers that tremendously assist students in honing vital skills necessary for the professional success of these individuals. But, before you start constructing your law career in your head, you should be aware of the few things in the legal industry.

Postgraduate opportunities

While you’re in college, you’re probably focused more on your exams and other activities related to your student life, however, as your studying time is coming to an end, you should start considering your postgraduate opportunities. In other words, what will you do once you graduate? Where do you see yourself, and is it possible to start developing your career in that direction based on your existing skills and knowledge?

From an associate in a law firm, construction accident lawyer, clerkship of various jobs in government, in-house counsel position in a particular company to a non-profit legal service provider, all of these employment opportunities should be considered. Moreover, there are also other options as a law firm professional, teaching position, support staff at law schools, and jobs in banks or businesses in other industries.

Having a Work-Life Balance

Having a healthy, balanced life is crucial if you want to be successful in your professional life. Your work-life balance should be something you’re thinking about as you’re choosing your employment option in the law industry. As many jobs in this industry can be really rigorous, it’s vital that you keep in mind how to achieve and maintain that balance from the start.

The best way to be satisfied with your professional life is to choose to do something you love, and that brings you satisfaction. Unfortunately, many jobs after graduation will be stressful and time-intensive, so at least you can do is to choose to work in the field you’ll love. Make sure you always ask for conditions before accepting a job offer, no matter how tempting that offer might sound. Working somewhere for years can only bring you numerous benefits if you’re constantly motivated at your job.

Bar Exam

 In the United States, if you wish to practice law, you will need to pass a state bar exam first. Graduating from your law school simply won’t be enough to practice law. In other countries around the world, students will need to work a certain amount of time as an intern before they can start practice law.

There are several job opportunities in the law industry that will not require passing a bar exam, but they don’t involve the practice of law, so most of the students will not be interested in them. That’s why you will need to be pretty organized and determined to pass at least one bar exam if you wish to pursue your law career.

Conclusion

As a law student or a recent graduate, you’re very much aware that hard work always pay off. It’s not still easy, but if you’ve chosen to study something you love, you will probably adore working in the law industry as well. Just make sure you make the right employment choices. It’s as the famous saying suggests:” Choose the job you love, and you will not have to work a day in your life.”

Kathleen Brown is a passionate entrepreneur and enjoys writing articles, overviews, and analyses about everything going on in the industry with a single goal of sharing her expertise with students.

Study Finds More Low-Income Students Attending College

Study Finds More Low-Income Students Attending College

A new report claims more poor students than ever are enrolling in the nation’s colleges and universities, but a disproportionate number are attending less selective or open-access institutions, which may hinder their chances for success. »

New Interactive Map Shows Stark Gaps in College Attainment by Race and Geography

By Center For American Progress

Washington, D.C. —  the Center for American Progress released “Those Left Behind,” a new report and interactive map illustrating the troubling status of national college attainment rates—and gaps—for every county in the United States. The map captures credentials earned by adults at the associate degree level and above and includes locations of nearly 12,000 college campuses, representing one of the most comprehensive maps of institutions of higher education in the United States.

The report uses American Community Survey data aggregated from 2013 to 2017 to illustrate how college attainment varies by geography and race, noting that rural areas tend to show low attainment rates and that high attainment rates in urban areas mask stark gaps by race and ethnicity. The report highlights four areas that illustrate these disparities: Lee and Pulaski counties, Arkansas; Nye County, Nevada; Washington, D.C.; and Hialeah, Florida.

“A college education is still among the most important tools to achieve economic prosperity, but degrees are not distributed equally across the country,” said Colleen Campbell, director of Postsecondary Education at the Center for American Progress and author of the report. “While a greater number of Americans have a college degree than ever before, more than 60 percent of adults still have not earned one. When we take stock of college attainment nationwide, we can no longer overlook the role of place in who has access to college and goes on to get a degree.”

Among the top-line place-based findings, the interactive map shows that degrees are held largely by those in urban and suburban areas:

• Ninety-two percent of bachelor degree recipients live in urban/suburban areas.
• Of the bottom 10 percent of counties in terms of attainment, 84 percent can be classified as mostly or completely rural.
• Of the top 10 percent of counties in terms of attainment, just 16 percent are rural.
• Rural counties are home to just 14 percent of the nation’s college campuses, despite covering 97 percent of U.S. land area.

Likewise, while it may seem like urban areas do not have an attainment problem, high-attainment counties are also home to some of the largest racial and ethnic attainment gaps in the country. The concentration of highly educated people obscures the low attainment rates within urban communities—in particular, for people of color, including black, Latinx, and Native Americans.

No one solution can address college access and attainment, especially recognizing that the returns of a college degree are not the same for all individuals. As such, the report provides recommendations for local, state, and federal policymakers to improve overall economic prosperity, encouraging approaches that include postsecondary and workforce-based reforms that would better support the Americans who have been left behind.

Click here to read “Those Left Behind: Gaps in College Attainment by Race and Geography” by Colleen Campbell.