About the Book: Getting the Answers you need
for Questions you might not know to ask!
What makes this book unique is that it does not make assumptions about the reader. No student can know what they don't know! And, no question is too 'dumb'. I am committed to having Students get what they need to Finish College. If there is any question that is not answered in the book, contact me here. I will find an answer or resource for you!
The book is a compilation of what I have gleaned from hundreds of conversations I have had with hundreds of students like you and the expertise I have built from them and colleagues.I CAN Finish College answers the questions you may not think to ask or feel uncomfortable asking, because you assume that you are supposed to know the answers. Most important, this book makes it OK to ask questions and to form the kinds of relationships that are essential to get through college. This is a book that you should get early on in your college career, but it is also one that you may skim at first and then return to often as situations occur and questions emerge along your path. It is a handbook, hopefully, a friendly guide to the completion of college.
As an example, in this
video, I talk about the issues around selecting a major in college,
just ONE of the highlights from the book. See more highlights below.
View the Table of Contents
Excerpts from the Book: Here are three real stories from I CAN Finish College.
Chapter 4: Which Courses?
Cautionary Tale: (The right major) Paul's family had decided that he should be a doctor. He came from the Caribbean and it was believed that a doctor was the highest calling one could have. Paul was a great student and a great athlete and so had his pick of colleges. Once enrolled in a very good school he declared himself a pre-med following his family's wishes. But every term he struggled with the array of math and science courses required for pre-med. He almost lost his place on the soccer team as his grades slid to a dangerous level. By his junior year he knew in his heart that he did not want to be a doctor, and in fact that he had really loved the history classes he had taken to fulfill core requirements and as electives along the way. He had done well in those compared to the bio and chem and especially the Physics he was now taking. In fact he was failing it. If he failed he would definitely be off the team. In the back of his mind was an idea of a career in sports management. He finally went to the dean and shared his fear of tanking in Physics.
In the course of the conversation he revealed that he did not really want to be a doctor or to major in Chemistry. The dean looked at his record and saw all the History classes and called the department chair. She was able to switch his major. She also persuaded his parents that either a law or business degree would lead to a very prestigious career (perhaps in sports management). Paul was given an internship relating to sports and wrote a thesis on sports history. His grades went way up. He was in heaven. He was accepted to law school and found even there that he had a new passion and talent. Instead of an MD, Paul went from being a DA to now being a US Attorney. Lessons learned: Major in what you care about. Get support from deans or advisers in working with family to make choices or changes. Don't wait until it is a crisis before you get the help and support you need.
Chapter 2: Financing Your Education
Cautionary
tale: Erica was getting money for college from Pell and a small
scholarship, but needed to come up with $2000 more before registration.
She was counting on money from her friend but at the last minute the
friend needed the money and could not make the loan. She then thought
about using her credit card, but did not have a high enough credit
limit. Erica had already signed up for classes, some of which were hard
to get into and when she could not pay in time they were dropped. She
had to postpone her plans for school for another semester. Lesson
learned: Have money in hand at the time you need it. Beware of credit
cards which will cost you more than a student loan and using friends
which can cost you a friendship. Planning ahead will make it possible to
slowly build some savings or taking a student loan will be less
expensive over the long term than credit card debt.
Chapter 9: When it Feels Like a Crisis: Personal/Emotional
Cautionary
tale: Alisha was struggling with the volume of work she had to do. She
did not know how to organize it or her time. Gradually, she fell more
and more behind. She became depressed and began to skip classes;
finally, she did not leave her room. She did, however, heed a summons to
the advising office and revealed to a sympathetic adviser how she was
feeling and that she just wanted to sleep. The adviser got her to the
learning center, where staff helped her learn to study effectively and
efficiently and to see that she could even find time to read for fun.
She also saw a counselor on campus to deal with the depression that had
set in as a result of her fears. In the end, she was a happy graduate