Author: Danielle

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Parent corner: Starting the college search 

There’s so much to consider as you and your student get ready for the big move to college! The process of finding the best program for your student can sometimes seem like a Herculean task. You would not, assuredly, be the first to feel overwhelmed!

With so many complex questions, it’s important to understand the needs of your student and your family. Is cost the most important factor? Is academic rigor and accreditation? Is the opportunity to study abroad without adding extra time to graduation? What about a hands-on learning experience, like an internship?

However, we are here to help. To find the right fit for your student, it’s important for both you and your student to do the homework and compare the schools, and we recommend sticking to the fundamentals. We’ll give you some basic questions to get started:

  1. What can my student expect during their first year?
    Find out about the opportunities available for your student. Will they get hands-on business experience? Will they receive support from faculty and peers? What about advising support?
  2. What majors are available?
    There are a lot of business majors and options available. When you begin your search, take the time to compare different majors and options for each school and check the accreditation for each program. The full list of business programs at Oregon State University can be found here.
  3. Will my student emerge ready for the career world?
    It’s important for students to build their confidence and establish a strong network of professionals. They can do this by connecting with industry professionals, alumni and faculty. Ask about internships, career placement rates and professional development opportunities. When students take the time to network, engage and meet with future employers, they emerge prepared for their career.

Answering these basic questions for each college will help you understand the strengths of each. And like any big project, give yourself time. Start the process early, consider the values of each school and weigh all the pros and cons. We know that as a parent, you want only the best for your student, so take the time to figure out what “best” means.

Take the time to visit campuses, talk to faculty, and research the additional opportunities and experiences your student will receive.

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How I prepped for my freshman year of college

By: Zoe Shulevitz
OSU College of Business & OSU Honors College
First-year student

Hello!

My name is Zoe Shulevitz, and I am an incoming OSU College of Business and Honors College freshman from Portland, Oregon. Since my old high school, St. Mary’s Academy, was situated on the PSU campus, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to familiarize myself with the buzz of campus living.

However, I had been battling anxiety due to lack of confidence in my abilities to take care of myself without my parents’ immediate support. In order to build up my confidence in living alone, I decided to participate in the OSU faculty led trip to London. It was a great experience!

I faced situations that used to scare me (for example: planning out my meals, being in charge of my finances, flying in an airplane without my family members, and organizing my schedule around both my social life and schoolwork). However, by treating these situations as opportunities to learn and grow, I approached each situation with patience and positivity.

I learned a lot about how to deal with tough situations and gained confidence each time I had to figure out a way to handle a situation that used to make me feel anxious. By pushing myself far out of my comfort zone, I learned so much about myself, how I operate and how I need to take care of myself in the future.

I’m excited to take this newfound knowledge into college with me in the next few months, I know it will be very useful. I want to encourage any incoming freshman that are reading this who might hold similar fears as me to try and face as many fears as possible in the next coming weeks.

I promise, the situations that look impossible right now look much less important and terrifying once you’re on the other side. I know you can do it!

Other than facing my fears head on, the bulk of my college preparation has been filled with a lot of positive self talk. Going into college is scary, and even scarier when we factor in our own self-doubt. Therefore, I have made it my mission to not only build up my confidence in living alone, but my confidence in myself.

Having a positive mindset goes a long way towards helping us to feel comfortable and ready for college. Maybe even excited! Now, I’m feeling very prepared for college and also very excited! I’m especially looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people, having great conversations, practicing Japanese, working on my metacognitive skills, and growing as an individual.

I can’t wait to see what college has in store for me!

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Set yourself up for success inside and outside the classroom

By: Marcella Flores
Program Manager
Student Engagement Team

We know it’s not always easy to navigate the expectations and opportunities of college after high school. As a result, I get lots of questions from our new Beaver business students on how to successfully complete their first year.

I have one piece of solid advice: I recommend working out a time-management strategy early.

College is a different ballgame than high school, with much freedom and many responsibilities. For instance, you’ll have to balance completing homework assignments and projects, participating in student clubs and going on fun outings with new friends. That’s a lot of competition for your time and energy!

You also need to sleep. And you need to take care of yourself. Remember, you no longer have someone doing that for you.

Once you find a time-management strategy that works for you (and gives you balance) stick with it!

If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed or you’re struggling — like many first-year students do — talk with your BA 160 instructor. That might be me or one of the others program managers on the Student Engagement Team. We’re here to help you in every avenue of your time at OSU. Whether you need to talk about being homesick, opportunities on-campus that you’ll enjoy, or choosing your major.

We are here for you!