It’s a Good Idea!

Students who attend FAU quickly discover that college isn’t all fun and games; success in the classroom requires dedication. At the same time, there are many other opportunities to get involved and enjoy these four years including football games, Greek life, and outdoor activities. A student needs to be able to balance all of this, which can prove daunting to many; however, tutoring is a great option to provide a little extra help. Tutoring isn’t just for classes a student may be struggling in; peer groups are beneficial to students who enjoy studying together or working through problems together.

But Just In Case, Get a Tutor

If your student mentions that they are having difficulty, there are many places they can turn including speaking with their professor and/or teacher assistant. There are also peer study groups. FAU offers many options for students to help them succeed in their classes. The Center for Learning and Student Success or CLASS is a great place to start if your student finds that they are struggling in a class. CLASS offers information on various programs found around campus including SI instruction, tutoring, and E-tutoring. SI instruction is a supplementary instruction program run by peer tutors. These sessions are available weekly for classes that are historically difficult for students to pass. For example, science courses tend to have large and well attended SI sessions. The availability and schedule for the SI session are available online at the beginning of each semester. For a more one-on-one experience, students can seek out a tutor. FAU has private tutoring or small group sessions. The tutors are peers who have received a grade of an A or higher when they completed the course. Tutoring appointments are booked online and usually is held in the math or writing learning center on the second floor of the breezeway. To find available appointments, use this online booking portal.

FAU also offers walk-in tutoring in the General South building. They have tutors in every subject. All a student needs to do is sit down at a table, sign into the database using their student ID and a tutor will walk up to you when they are available. They also have tutors there for a specific class (they have signs on the table) where you can meet one-on-one or do a group session depending on availability. HaveUHeard t recommends that appointments are preferred especially for the math and writing sections as around finals, they get busy and there is no guaranty of getting help if you walk in. You should go in during the morning to beat the lines and try to get personal attention? Also, there are many tutoring sessions that happen in the dorms. Students can ask their RMs or ask the desk staff about when certain sessions are.

FAU also has tutoring programs available to students who take online courses. E-tutoring makes it easy for distance learners to get help. E-tutoring is often done over Skype. Finally, the most immersive form of extra help available is in FAU learning communities.  FAU learning communities are available to first-year students only. The groups are comprised of 20-25 people that all have the same major, these groups allow for students to make friends and form study groups easily.

Textbook rental and purchase company Chegg offers Chegg Study is a great tool for help with homework. Learn from step-by-step solutions for 2,500+ textbooks in Math, Science, Engineering, Business, and more. Also, students can get answers in a pinch from experts and subject enthusiasts for your courses, 24/7, and stay ahead in their classes with Chegg Study for $14.95/month or $99.95/year.

Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelance services that started in 2010 and got its name from the original price of jobs being $5 per task. This is a great place for students to list services they offer (or parents) or even find inexpensive tutors.

EasyBib by Chegg – With EasyBib Plus, students can use the plagiarism checker to find missing citations, and fix them before submitting their paper. Also, easily catch writing style and grammar errors with easy-to-understand explanations on how to improve their writing for next time. No matter what citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago etc.), EasyBib Plus will help create the right bibliography. Right now, students get a 3-day free trial of the product

And, students also speak highly of the Knack App, a peer-to-peer tutoring approach that allows students to find peers through the app that have done well in particular courses and schedule on their time. They offer package pricing but it equates to approximately $25/hour. They do offer discounts for higher hour packages including a semester pack and a yearly pack. Of course, even with great tutoring, it always helps to have a great place to study.

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Next Steps… Grad School Exams

Time flies when you’re having fun! It wasn’t until college that I realized how true this statement is. While it may feel like you just finished studying for the ACT/SAT, graduation will be looming and many students will be preparing for graduate school exams of some sort.

Getting familiar with the vast amount of degrees and programs out there would be the first step. Florida Atlantic University offers over 75 different graduate programs to choose from. If you are considering graduate school at FAU, be sure to check out FAU’s Annual Graduate College Open House. There are also several Graduate College Information Sessions held throughout the year. More information on information sessions can be found here. Consider visiting other colleges as well. This will give you the opportunity to meet professors and ask questions about the program. Start talking to an advisor early to be sure you have all the correct prerequisites, shadowing, or research hours you will need.

Whether you are preparing for Medical or Law School or a specific graduate program, researching the continuation of your education may feel overwhelming. Finding the right concentration for you is important. Consider all of your options, including the location of schools, degrees offered, length of time to complete the degree, funding/cost, prerequisite classes, exams and other requirements needed for entrance, and so on. Most graduate schools require test scores with the application, as well as an essay or personal statement. We highly recommend Essential Essays for editing assistance to be sure you submit your best work.

FAU offers students test preparation courses for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, and GK. The courses are held in person or online. FAU Students and Alumni are eligible for discounted Rates on prep courses. For information and pricing, click here or visit the Test Preparation center in Student Support Services Room 208D.

The FAU Career Center is a great resource to help prepare students for interviews and personal statement reviews. Students can make an appointment or simply walk in from 9 am to 4:00 pm.

Taking a course is optional and you may not need to spend hundreds of dollars to do so. Taking a practice test a few months before the actual exam to see where to start studying will help gear how much studying you’ll need to do. By this point in college, you should have a good idea as to how you learn best. Perhaps online studying is not the best choice for you; therefore a local class or private tutor may be a better idea.

Some of the popular test prep programs are Kaplan, Magoosh, BenchPrep, The Princeton Review, Next Step Test Prep, Khan Academy, and Manhattan Test Prep. Many are offered as online classes that allow students to study at their convenience. Some also offer private tutoring in person or online, as well as regular local classes. Some students who are majoring in finance or business will also take the Level 1 CFA exam. The Princeton Review now offers a test-prep course for only $299. Students who enroll will qualify for their money-back guarantee. Many accounting major students take the CPA exam while in school. Some of the more popular CPA review courses include Surgent, Becker, and Wiley.

Here a few additional pointers:
GRE- Get the ‘GRE Word of the Day’ app to help vocabulary. Sign up for the Question of the Day from Kaplan. It’s free!
MCAT- Next Step Test Prep offers live webinars to answer questions that may come up as you study.
LSAT- Testmasters’ LSAT prep class is offered right on the FSU campus.

Prepare a timeline or checklist for each school you apply to. It may include GPA, test scores, letters of recommendation (LOR), personal essays, resume, interview, etc. Standardized tests are only one part of the application process. In addition, it may not be too soon to begin to look into scholarships or how you will finance your continuing education.

Finally, it has become common for some students to take a year off before starting grad school. College is stressful and there is a lot of pressure to start Grad school immediately. Perhaps the year can be spent gaining experience that will add to your application or having more time to prepare for exams. Remember, this shouldn’t be a race; it should be a marathon. Give some serious thought to taking a gap year.

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Apps, The Easiest Way.

Remember when you were in college and everything was easily accessible via apps on your phone? No? Well, me either. Our kids, however, do live in this world and there are literally apps that provide things like food delivery, tutoring services, how to create a budget or the perfect bibliography. Below is a list of the apps I thought most useful.

FAU and College Studying Apps

• MyFAU gives students access to FAU resources, including campus maps, Web courses, FAU Email, the library, news, sports schedules, class schedules, emergency information, and more.
• FAU Guardian: because the first thing on my list is always my child’s safety.  With FAU Guardian, students can report a problem silently via text. It sort of empowers students to prevent assaults before they get out of hand. View crime around the FAU Campus, trigger Mobile Blue Light to send your location and call FAU PD, a toolbox that contains a flashlight, a safety timer, and the ability to send your location. The app also allows students to enter their own medical information and emergency contacts, in case of an emergency.
• Audible: College can be very busy and many students don’t have time to sit down and read a book for pleasure. Audible allows students to listen to audiobooks on the go. It has entertainment, information, and educational programming. Students can join Audible for a discounted price of $9.95 a month when they verify their student status. They will get three titles every month as well as audio-guided workouts and the opportunity to exchange an audiobook for free.
• CamScanner – as its name implies, this allows you to scan docs and save it as .jpeg or PDF. Great if you need to email or fax an important document.
• Canvas – Just like the website, students can instantly access their Canvas courses for free without having to lug around a laptop to keep up with your homework. You can see your grades, submit assignments, send and receive messages, view content, and modules, watch videos, take quizzes, and more.
• Chegg – Highly recommended. Oftentimes you can rent a book for more than half the price that a bookstore is renting it out. Students can rent, buy, and sell their books. They also offer assistance with completing homework and gives access to tutors, at a cost.
• Coursicle – Need to get into a class? Coursicle will notify you as soon as it has an open seat. $4.99 for premium per semester or free if you refer three friends.
• EasyBib by Chegg – With EasyBib Plus, students can use the plagiarism checker to find missing citations, and fix them before submitting their paper. Also, easily catch writing style and grammar errors with easy-to-understand explanations on how to improve their writing for next time. No matter what citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago etc.), EasyBib Plus will help create the right bibliography. Right now, students get a 3-day free trial of the product.
• Evernote – is a free app that takes note-taking to the next level. Students can brainstorm ideas, make to-do lists, take pictures of pages and sketches, organize everything into a notebook format, and share with others or collaborate as a group. The app even has the ability to search handwritten content; so finding your past notes is easy.
• Fandango Now – Another streaming service offering movie rentals
• Google Drive – Allows students to collaborate with other students as well as share documents, slides, sheets, and other files for class-wide projects and group study sessions. This is interchangeable with Microsoft’s OneDrive app.
• GroupMe – At some point in their college career they will have to participate in a group project, which means the fate of their grade, depends on working together. While GroupMe can’t force the group slacker, should there be one, to pull their fair share; it can facilitate easier communication. It works like a group chat, but, because you don’t have to meet up anywhere, everyone in the group saves time and money by making plans and discussing problems on their phones.
• Grammarly’s mobile keyboard is the personal editor you can take with you wherever you go. Best plagiarism checker & proofreader.
• iHomework 2 – If your student is really organized then skip this one, but I know a few that could definitely benefit from it. This free app can keep track of their assignments, deadlines, and tasks, and plan them out over a certain time period so they’re not left cramming at the last minute.
• iTunes U- if you use Apple devices, this app is a great study tool. iTunes U gives students access to text and course materials from universities across the world.
• LitCharts – is great for English majors. This free app helps understand literature. Find reviews, summaries, themes, and quotes for hundreds of titles without any in-app ads. Think of it as a portable Cliff Notes.
• Mathway – This app is great for college math. It guides students step-by-step to get the solution or check your work to see if it matches up to theirs. One of my daughter’s well-loved apps
• Offtime – This app costs $2.99 and is worth it if you’re looking to disconnect and avoid distractions in order to focus on homework, or studying. It blocks websites, apps, text messages, phone calls, and other notifications for a set period of time so you don’t get off-topic.
• OneDrive – A Microsoft app that allows students to get and share documents, photos, and other files from your Android device, computer (PC or Mac). It allows you to open and save files in Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote).
• Outlook – allows students to easily access their school email on their phone.
• PhotoMath- Another great app for college math courses. Students can take a picture of the equation and Photomath shows step-by-step directions to solve the equation.
• Quizlet – Quizlet is a free study app that allows the user to take other people’s quizzes or create their own. A user can create multiple-choice, matching, true/false, and open-ended questions and use these in various ways, such as flashcards and games. Students can share their “study sets” with others in their class and even encourage a professor to create one.
• RealCalc Scientific Calculator- Although I would never have used it, my son, economics, and business major, may find this one useful. RealCalc Scientific Calculator means students don’t have to lug around that fancy scientific calculator because this free app allows them to complete all of your computing right from your mobile device.
• Scholly – One of the fastest-growing apps after appearing on Shark Tank in 2015. This app matches students with scholarships using specific parameters and customized data. The app can even spot scams and weed out scholarships that require you to give your social security number (did we mention, don’t ever do this).
• Scribd- Scribd complies with all the important files and information to the topic a student may be searching for in one place. Students can create a library on the app and compile the notes, documents, and books that correspond to the topic of their research.
• Student Beans– Instant access to discounts, all you need your student ID.
• Wolfram/Alpha is actually a fancy search engine that can answer questions, perform computations, conduct analysis, and prepare reports. You can get help with complicated algebra and calculus equations or find chemistry, engineering, or physics formulas. This app is $2.99.

Restaurants & Entertainment Apps

• Fandango– A streaming service that offers movie rentals.
• EatStreet – online and mobile food ordering and delivery service provider
• GrubHub – Simply browse menus, pick what you want, and submit your order.  Local suggestions are great and most deliveries are around $3. They run specials if you sign up for their emails, so get that setup.
• Ibotta – is another cash back app that is simple and convenient for students. By taking a photo of your receipts and they will match items you bought to offers that are available for points on the app and give you cashback.
• Insomnia Cookies – As though being able to order and have cookies delivered until 3 am is not enough; they can also earn loyalty points when they order through the app (even if they plan to pick the cookies up). The only glitch may be that sometimes they may be short a driver, so be sure to check first if delivery is what you were hoping for.
• Instacart – For faster shopping and easier checkout, get the app and have groceries, etc. delivered from most of the same places as Shipt, but also includes CVS and Whole Foods.
• Pocket Points – I love this one. It literally incentivizes students to keep their phones out of sight during class. They just open the app, lock their phone, and earn points for the time it is off. Later they can trade the points for discounts at certain restaurants
• Postmates – Another great food-related app like UberEATS. This allows students to deliver food and goods similar to Ubereats. Postmates also has the option for students to have items such as groceries delivered from places such as Winn-Dixie and CVS.
• Shipt – Get 2 weeks free and $15 off your first order on deliveries from stores like Publix, Costco, Target, and ABC Fine Wines & Spirits. Let their shoppers do what your student doesn’t have time to.
• UConnection – A food and drink app with exclusive deals, daily specials and more from restaurants and bars
• Yelp – Always students to find the best places to eat, drink, shop, and have fun. You can also read reviews that other people have written as well as write your own review.
• Zupp (formerly Party Tutor – Allows students to explore local specials and deals for nearby restaurants, apartments, bars, and local businesses. My daughter is a big fan of this one. You can enjoy exclusive rewards at everyone’s favorite bars and restaurants; it’s just $4.99/mo. Download it on your mobile device.
• GoPuff – A convenience store delivery app. Delivery is $1.95. Order anytime; delivery is very fast.
• DoorDash – This is the same concept as UberEats.  They have an easy app that guides you through your order.  They have also launched Project Dash. This initiative helps tackle food waste and hunger in the local communities that they serve.
• Groupon: This is a great app that provides discounts for various things in the area for students to do when they are not studying or going to class. Some examples of what you can find on the app include, escape rooms, shows, fitness classes, and even nightclubs for older students.
• Many restaurants have their own rewards programs so if students go to those restaurants, they can save money. These include Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Panera, Blaze Pizza, Chipotle, Smoothie King, and Chick Fil A.
• For music, many students recommend Spotify and Pandora.

Money, Finances & Getting Around

• Venmo – I am mentioning this because I think it is so easy to use, but your students probably have it already. My kids are the ones that introduced me to it. Venmo allows students to pay each other back for anything their friends may have paid for them; their share of the electric bill, half the groceries, half the Uber ride…and so on. It is also a great app for parents to use to send their students money while they are away at college.
• Uber app (and an account) is a must. Uber allows your students to request rides easily and quickly from their phones.
• Mint – Mint is a budgeting app that helps students keep track of their finances, as well as help them understand where they can make some budget cuts of their own.
• Unidays- Unidays allows for students to easily find out which of their favorite brands or stores offers student discounts.
• Come to think of it, your students should also have the Uber app (and an account) so they never get stuck walking home late at night alone. If they prefer, they can also use Lyft which works the same way as Uber…
• Student Beans will give them discounts for food & drink, fashion, tech and mobile, health & beauty, travel, study, and more.
• Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) – If you like to online shop, but hate spending money then you may get hooked to this app. I use it more on my desktop, but you can make an account to get cashback on so many online stores! I simply look up any store and it will give me a notification if I get cash back and how much I may get back. I personally have received almost $1000 back over the last few years! It is also accepted with Amazon so if students purchase any textbooks or school supplies on Amazon then this app is highly recommended. And when you need coffee, download Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks to pay for your purchase and earn rewards.
• Lyft works the same way as Uber.

Health, Wellness & Fitness Apps

• Calm – a great source to learn to meditate, techniques for sleep, and stress reduction. (There is presently a Groupon for a discount on this app.)
• Headspace – For students who want to improve their mental health, not just maintain it, the Headspace app is the perfect place to start. They offer a ten-day trial. If nothing else, the app is a daily reminder that for ten minutes a day, we all should calm down, breathe, dislocate from any stresses and surroundings, and try to focus on how we feeling on a deeper level.
• MyFitnessPal – tracks diet and exercise to determine optimal caloric intake and nutrients for the users’ goals. Calorie charts, nutrition facts, exercise, and more.  Sponsored by UnderArmour.
• Sworkit – Personalized video workouts that are easy for students to do in their dorm. Also have the ability to choose from pre-built workouts for specific types of exercise such as strength training, yoga, and Pilates. Students can keep track of their progress as they go.
• Wholesome –  Students can find ratings for healthy recipes to make on their own depending on their living situation. They can also obtain personalized nutrition information which helps identify personal nutrition gaps and make suggestions for the best foods to eat. Perfect for students who want to make sure they are staying healthy and eating the right foods while away at college.

These apps are useful and fun too…

• Duolingo – Great app for language-learning.
• ParkByApp – An app that allows you to upload a debit or credit card and pay for metered parking. It also allows you to extend your parking time from your phone without having to revisit the meter. This app is applicable in College Town metered parking and additional metered parking on campus.
• Wag – A Dog-Walking app. Think “Uber” but for Dog services. Affordable and the walkers are all thoroughly vetted. Upon signing up, Wag will send you a free lockbox for your key to leaving for walkers. Wag offers dog-walking, dog-sitting, and dog boarding.
• Rover – This dog sitting service is great when you have class and need someone to walk your fur baby. They also hire dog walkers.
• Target – The Target (Cartwheel) app has saved me so much money. I do not need to buy anything through the app, I simply click “cartwheel offers” and it shows me every coupon that is currently available. I can save as many coupons as I want and when I am ready to go to the store and buy my products, I show them the app barcode and it takes all the coupons at once.
• It’s a wonder we ever made it through school without some of these. There are even more; fitness apps, language translators, and so on, but at the risk of overwhelming you (scroll back to Headspace if I have); I tried to keep my list to only my favorites.

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When my daughter was a sophomore, she decided to take a heavy course load in addition to a math course. You’ll have to understand that math was always a struggle for my daughter. We discussed whether she should take this class along with such a heavy course load; however, my daughter believed she could do it. Four weeks into the class, she called me asking if we would pay for a private tutor. It was heartbreaking, as I knew that she had been attending every study session and doing review work every chance she got. While I tried to reassure her that an A in the class wasn’t necessary, I knew that I couldn’t bear to be in the class any longer that semester. The ultimate decision was hers; however, I believe she wanted my support and blessing in this decision. As her mom, her mental health was more important.

Students at FAU must drop a class by the 13th week of the class, which falls on October 30th for the fall semester and March 26th for the Spring Semester. This will give students a W on their transcript instead of an F. FAU does allow students to use grade forgiveness 3 times in their academic careers. In addition, the University’s Handbook explains the rules for undergraduates for dropping a class. Students can drop courses via the MyFau portal.

There are financial repercussions as well when your student drops a class. Your student will still be fee liable for dropped courses, and it is YOUR responsibility to know the requirements of any scholarships you have, including Bright Futures. Most course drops require repayment to Bright Futures and may require repayment to other programs. Please check with Financial Aid if you have concerns. Your academic advisor may be able to assist you with some financial issues, but Financial Aid is generally between you and Student Financial Affairs. Should you have any questions about the impact of dropping a class as it relates to Bright Futures, you can download the interactive tool – BFCreditHourTool (8)

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