USF Bullbits

Not only is going to college  a tough decision to begin with, but how to pay for it can be a little daunting as well.  The best advice to provide is to not rely solely on the university to fund your education.  When students put in some work it pays off in a big way. 

Checklist to keep in mind:

1.  Look up information about admission scholarships available at the university.  Our admissions scholarships are merit based and the only thing a student must do to be considered for these is to submit their application for admissions by January 2nd.   For specific criteria on these scholarships visit: http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/Freshmen/freshman-scholarships.aspx

2.  Look for other scholarships available through individual academic departments or available through the USF foundation.  More information about these scholarships can be found at: www.usf.edu/scholarships.  This is a search engine that will populate all different types of scholarhsips that you might be able to qualify for.

3.  Search independent scholarship websites, such as www.fastweb.com, www.scholarshipexperts.com, etc.  Any scholarship database that you chose to go into should be a FREE database search.  If you are being asked to pay to recieve scholarship money then chances are it is a scam.  Scholarships are FREE money and you shouldn’t have to pay to get them. 

4.  Check local organizations or private corporations that you might have been involved in for additional scholarship opportunities.  Even ask you parents to see if the companies that they work for have scholarships available. 

Remember that even if the scholarship you are applying for is $100, $300, or $500, every little bit helps!

Pre-Medicine (Pre-Med) is one of the most commonly asked about and quoted majors for prospective students entering college. Pre-Med is not really a major. Pre-Med is an emphasis area that a student is taking courses in, in order to eventually attend Medical school following graduation with an Undergraduate degree. In order to go on to medical school a student needs to earn a Bachelors degree, complete pre-requisite courses and an MCAT exam. Some medical schools will have additional requirements such as an interview and shadow experience. A student can have any major they wish and still attend medical school, a majority of students will choose Biology or another science based area because of the overlap of the medical school pre-requisite courses and the requirements for a major in a science area, but any major is possible. There are only five recommended courses a student should complete prior to attending medical school which can be combined into any of the possible majors a student might have interest in.  For more information about the application process to medical school and a possible timeline for prospective Pre-Med interest students please see the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) website.

Quick Facts:

• Average starting age of a medical school student: 24-25

• In 2009, 2,394 students from the state of Florida applied to medical schools (14.7% of the entire applicant pool) with 918 students in the state of Florida matriculating to a medical school.

• The average GPA of a medical school applicant was 3.51

Data Source AAMC.org

Summer at USF

My first thought was “How weird is it to be taking a class during the summer?” Really it’s not that weird at all. Sure the classes are a little longer and its quite a bit hotter outside then I remember from my other semesters, but it’s not bad at all. I am taking one class, which gives me tons of time to focus on it and make sure I get a good grade. Plus, I have more time for work and friends now.

I am taking the first of my major classes Intro to Advertising! Taking this one class this summer has helped me really focus on this subject. I do not have to balance four other classes as distractions. Its really enjoyable to only have to worry about one class and know that you have the time to do everything you need to get an A in it.

Sure it would’ve been great to completely have a summer free from school but in between work and play, I can be responsible and get a good jump on some classes that I need to take. My favorite thing about summer classes is how much quicker they get out. I can choose to take either 6 or 10 weeks of classes and then I am done! The rest of the summer is mine from then on out!

One of the scariest questions that a high school senior or first year undergraduate can be asked is, “what do you want to study in college?”   You are supposed to know what career path and what area you hope to study over the next 4 years.  I mean you have a million and one things on your mind: Prom, AP courses, classes, papers, and whatever else ends up on your student to do list. 

So, what do you say?  What are you going to study?  What are you going to do when you grow up?  

I want to share with you my story about my undergraduate major and what I eventually chose as my career path.

In the spring of 1994, I was focused on studying the natural sciences, specifically Biology.  I wanted to be a Medical Technologist.  I realized in high school that I liked little organisms and investigating what made them “tick”.  I did well in science and math in high school, so naturally everyone supported my desired and “intended” major.  I began my undergraduate studies at a small Liberal Arts College in the Midwest.  When I began, I tentatively declared my Biology major.  After the first year of school, I realized that my passions also lead me to Theater.  I started taking more Theater classes alongside my required science courses.  As time continued, I realized that I had in fact started two major tracks one in Biology the other in Theater.  By my third year in college, I declared my second major, Theater.  In time, I also discovered Philosophy and how much I enjoyed the Eastern Philosophies something that I was not introduced to during my high school years.  I would have been on track for a third major, but time ran out and I remained with a minor in Philosophy.  So, in the spring of 1998, I found myself with two majors and one minor and no job! 

What do I do?  Where does this lead me?  What’s my career path?  I no longer wanted to be a Medical Technologist and I enjoyed theater but I was not going to be the next start on Broadway.

So, what does one do with a Biology and Theater major with a minor in Philosophy?  Well, I say in all seriousness, you become an Admission Counselor.  I found in my first two years as an Admission Counselor that the two seemingly separate worlds of the arts and the sciences worked together beautifully.  Being an Admission Counselor, I had to present and be creative.  I had to write out a script, read the audience, and improvise wherever necessary.  In turn, I needed to be organized, methodical, and proficient in analyzing data.  In addition, the two majors provided me with two varying styles of written and oral communication which gave me the opportunity to change my styles to accommodate different audiences.  The Liberal Arts experience provided me the resources and tools to be a strong communicator, critical thinker and problem solver. 

In the end, through my passions I found a love for education and a desire to share that love with students and their families.  Twelve years later, I constantly use what I learned from my Undergraduate experience and apply my majors to my career whenever and where I can.

So, the next time someone asks, “What do you want study?”.  Perhaps you can say, I want to study my passion which is…and let the conversation go from there.  Best of luck and most of all enjoy!!!

I am taking a class in the Florida Mental Health Institute this summer on the northwest side of campus.  It’s a pretty interesting course and my professor is fantastic… but the class lasts for a little over 4 hours!  That’s a long time to go without a snack, especially if you’re me.  Luckily, my professor allows us to take a couple of 10 minute breaks.  During these breaks I happened to stumble upon one of USF’s best kept secrets – Tarek’s Cafe.  This place has awesome food at very reasonable prices.  The staff is extremely friendly, and efficient too!

Since I usually only have 10 minutes, I often go in and ask for whatever is already made.  They smile, greet me by name, and always have a hot pressed cuban or steak philly ready to go.  Add a drink and chips and I get a full, hot meal for around $5 – $6.

I lucked out by finding this place as it is so convenient to where my class is located.  It’s tucked away in the Continuing Education building, NEC 200, but is worth the trek if you are looking for something out of the ordinary.

Sure, the people I sit next to in class will stare as I gobble down the last morsels.  My professor might even ask for a bite (I told you, she’s fantastic!)  Lunch from Tarek’s makes my 4 hour class something to look forward to each week.

I am a food fanatic.  What I love about USF is that there are sooooo many different options.  Just when I think I’ve tried everything, I find something new.  Being a staff member and a student, I stay pretty busy.  It’s great to know that regardless of where I am on campus or how little time I have to eat, I never have to go hungry.

1. Do not wait until the last minute to study.
* No need to add more stress to this week. Study little by little a few weeks before the final and you should do fine.

2. Relax, it’s just one part of your grade.
* Most final exams are worth about 20% of your overall grade. That is still a large portion of your grade so take it seriously and try your best. But remember, if you’ve been doing well all semester then you should do fine on this exam.

3. Do not study with your friends.
* Trust me, you usually don’t end up studying :] Study groups are a great way to get last minute questions out of the way, but I recommend not making this the only source of studying you do. Something I found that works well is reviewing notes before going into the study group session. It makes it easier on you and you won’t leave more confused than when you started!

4. Sleep well the night before.
* Just like for every other test, to perform well you need to be well rested and have a good meal before hand. Making a last minute “to-do lists” will help put your mind at ease so you can sleep well the night before.

5. Keep a look out for free tutoring sessions taking place on campus.
* USF offers free tutoring services for students in the library year round for most subjects.

6. Try the Marshall Student Center as an alternative to the library.
* This semester the library changed it’s hours to 24/5 Sunday-Thursday. It’s a great place to study that is open late, but the Marshall Student Center is open for finals week until 3AM! Check out this link to see some of the events available this semester in the Marshall Student Center

7. Take a study break!
* Believe it or not you do need a break! The best type of break I’ve found that helps me refocus is taking a walk outside. MLK Plaza is a nice area to walk around and sit by the fountain.

8. Arrive on time for the exam.
* Nothing makes a test harder then when you feel rushed and frantic. Coming into the testing area with plenty of time to regroup and breathe will make your testing experience much better.

9. Don’t pay attention to others taking the test.
* During the test worry about yourself. When others finish early don’t speed up. Focus on what you’re doing and you’ll be fine! Don’t let others or time stress you out!

10. After the exam, breathe; it’s over!
* Try not to think “what if” or guess how many you got wrong. This will drive you insane, and chances are you did better than you thought! Just relax and start enjoying your break :]

• Todays Quote: “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”
              – Benjamin Franklin

Hello and Welcome to the University of South Florida. My name is Juan and I am a student here at USF! Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a Junior currently studying Biochemistry on the Pre-Med Track. I am also minoring in Biomedical Physics. So as you can see I LOVE SCIENCE!

I am a Green and Gold Guide here on campus. I help out and give tours of our beautiful campus at least 3 times a week. Some of you might have had me or will soon have me as a tour guide if you come visit USF.  Another one of my favorite things here on campus is being a Beef Stud. We are the crazy and very spirited USF fans who paint their bodies up green and gold for pretty much anything!

I am also a bowler on the USF team, Bowling is a club sport so we are not NCAA but we still get to travel across the country and bowl other schools. The furthest we went to this year was Allentown, Penn.

Anyways, that is a bit about me right now. I will come back soon and write about the wonderful things USF has to offer as well as what is going on-campus as well as how you can become incred-a-Bull!

Thanks!

Juan

Look for this blog to launch soon as Bull Bits!

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