Conquering College
What they don't tell you
by
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"Had they been better students, with better attendance," says Professor Todd, "I would have let them take the test early; but why reward students like that? All you get is more students like that in return. They'll tell their friends what a great guy I am, and next semester I'll have all their friends in my class. It's not fair to give everyone the same consideration. It's not fair to give everyone the same consideration. The top student in one of my classes last semester was a student from Sweden - perfect attendance, [good] grades on all exams, knowledgeable participation in class discussions. His problem was the same as the Englishmen's. He had made reservations on a flight to Sweden the Sunday before the week of the rescheduled final. [If he stayed around to take final, he would forfeit the the non-fundable money he had paid for the ticket to Sweden]. I told him not to worry, he could either take the test before he left for Sweden, or when he came back - whichever was most convenient." Rather than forfeit the non-refundable money for their tickets back to England, the English students chose not to take the test, and thereby failed the class. Sometimes students who have done well in a class taught by a particular professor often do get special considerations and exemptions not given to other students in the next class they take from the professor. But sometimes they don't Sometimes the leave the second class disappointed, having lost the professor's goodwill. The halo effect is not necessarily permanent. Angels can lose their halos. Sociology major Rona Tice* is our first example of how an angel can lose it's halo. How do you get leave a Celebrity's class with a higher grade than you exam and other letter grades warrant? Easy. You...
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About the Book
CONQUERING COLLEGE: WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU differs from most "how-to-succeed-in-college" books by going far beyond university catolog and freshman and transfer student Orientation descriptions of college and how succeed in college and beyond.
Chapter 1 informs readers of the four most commons ways that students choose to go about experiencing college, and the consequences - both positive and negative - of choosing one way, as opposed to another. Chapter 2 focuses on the four most common types of professors, and gives tips on how to thrive under each type. Subsequent chapters focus on choosing the right major, guidance counselors, the relative importance of grades, winning and losing the good will of professors, what the course syllabi tell, misuages of email, the halo effect, sleep, and how to get glowing letters of recommendation that lead to admission to either graduate or professional schools or post-graduation employment. These chapters also carry conversations with college graduates willing to discuss the extent to which - and the reasons why - they feel they did or did not leave college a success. And they contain conversations with professors willing to discuss the criteria - other than exam scores and term paper grades - they use in determining final student grades, and for whom they will write the most glowing letters of recommendation
About the Author
Phillip Gay's bachelor's in Russian Language and Literature is from Case Western Reserve University. His master's and doctorate degrees in Sociology are from Harvard University. He has taught at eight different colleges and universities, variously located on both U.S. coasts, and he is the published author of both non-fiction and fictive books and articles. At present he is a San Diego State unuiversity Professor Emeritus. His most recent works of, respectively, fiction and non fiction, are: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: LOVE AND MURDER IN ACADMIA., and MODERN SOUTH. AFRICA . Though his main avocations is graphoanalysis (i.e. handwriting analysis, he has also appeared in film and stage productiions, and music videos. He may be contacted at pgay@mail.sdsu.edu. Born and raised in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Nafelie Monsour received her bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of San Diego, her master's degree in Sociology from San Diego State University, and is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. degree in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. Her first published work appeared in the 2006 CLIFF'S TEST PREP FOR THE FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER EXAM. Her avocations include floral arrangement and design, as well as women's clothing and accessories creation and design.