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Archive for High School

Using LinkedIn as early as High School?

by Karen Girard
September 19th, 2012

This is something that comes up frequently – we are using 21st Century Learning Strategies to teach our children.  Schools are going “one-to-one”, and most students have access to some sort of electronic communication device on a regular basis. They are growing up on the internet, so it is up to us to teach them how to use the tools wisely.  I had a lengthy discussion with a parent about monitoring Facebook, blogs, chats, texts, hashtags.  We each have to decide how much leeway to give our children with respect to privacy and public domain.  But unless someone takes it upon themselves to teach them etiquette, many of them could end up inadvertently sabotaging their future, or that of their “friends” .

So how about Linked In?  I have recently had an editorial published in Canadian School Counsellor which addresses this issue – to read the article, click here

What do you think about our teenagers’ use of the internet?  Do you think this is something that is best left to the parent, or should the etiquette be included at school?  I’m curious to hear your comments!

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Categories Alberta, career, High School, Social Media, Students, Uncategorized, University
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Facebook and Employment Interviews

by Karen Girard
June 11th, 2012

They shouldn’t do it, it should not be allowed, and yet, some employers are asking interviewees for their Facebook password.  What would you do if they asked you, during your interview, to log into your FB account so they could see it?

Ethical or not, remember that whatever you put online is in the “public domain”, but if you have set up your security so that others cannot view your information without your permission, you do NOT have to give this information.

Feeling pressured? Afraid you won’t get the job if you don’t share it?

My first thoughts are:

1.  Don’t post things you are not proud of, use your social media carefully, and monitor your online reputation … then you won’t have to worry so much if someone stumbles across your online information.

2.  Would I really want to work for an organization that does not value my privacy?

Of course, neither solves your problem of how to deal with such an invasion during an interview so…

This article from Career Realism offers a couple of great suggestions. The Labour Codes quoted don’t apply in Canada, but the privacy principles do, and these answers can still guide you in how to answer.

And if you are looking for a Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP) aka Interview Coach, look no further – I can help you with that too!

To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose

Karen

Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator

 

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Top Tips to prepare for University Course Registration

by Karen Girard
March 26th, 2012
CONGRATULATIONS.  You have been accepted to university – Now what do you need to know so that you can get the best possible schedule?    
PRE-PLAN!!!  The best advice I can give is to create a couple of sample timetables, and have them ready to g.  When you receive your registration time and date, make sure that you can get online RIGHT AWAY!

1.  If you haven’t received a course planning guide, look online for one, and if it is not easily available, contact an advisor from your university to ask for one. 

2.  Look FIRST for, and make a list of,  the core required courses for your degree

3.  Read the Course registration information page to understand how to decode each course -

  • (ie 3,3,1  may mean 3 hours a week of lectures, 3 hours of lab, and 1 hour of tutorial)
  • *6 may mean that it is a 2 semester course (3 credits per semester or term) and that you have to register for both terms
  • Some universities do credits differently – for example, at University of Victoria 1.5 credits is one term, while at University of Calgary 3 credits is one term.

4.  When there are choices to make (ie.  Choose one of  Math 113 or 115), look at each core course under course description  to help you decide which is the best one to register for (from pre-requisite and personal interest perspectives)

5.   Check each one to find out how much time they will take each week (3,3,1),  how many offerings they have, what you may need to register for (remember most science classes will include Lecture, Lab & Tutorial Classes).  Note:  Tutorials are NOT OPTIONAL.  Some courses are also full-year instead of one-semester courses – if so, be sure to plan & register for BOTH semesters.

6.  Create a weekly calendar, and start looking up your courses online in a class scheduler – create a couple of potential schedules6.   Don’t forget to note class codes, and if possible leave yourself time in the day for a break/snack.

On your registration date and time, ask your school or teacher for permission to miss a class if you have to so that you can register right away.  Many courses will fill up very quickly.

BONUS TIPS:  Schedule & register for classes that have fewer offerings first – for example if BIO 101 is only offered twice, and your Math class has 5 options, be sure to get your BIO class locked in first.

If necessary, go on a waitlist, and be sure to check your emails in case a waitlist position opens up – many post-secondary institutions only give you a certain amount of time to accept the offer before the position is offered to the next student on the list…

To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose

Karen

Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator
www.karengirard.com
www.careerplanningforstudents.com

 

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Why take an AP Course in High School?

by Karen Girard
March 13th, 2012

Grad StudentsA common question I get is what are the benefits or advantages of taking an AP (Advanced Placement) course at high school.  This question is particularly common if your school does not have a full Advanced Placement (AP) Program offering 4 or more AP courses.

Each university has different rules and standards.  Some require that you take your AP credit, others give you a choice to take the credit or retake the course.  DISCLAIMER:  I will be generalizing here based on my research, but please check with the AP advisor at each university or college where you plan to apply to find out their regulations.

In general, it appears that for the majority of Canadian universities and many US and international ones,  if you take the AP Exam and get a Grade of 4 or Higher, you may be able to get credit for a university course:

  • Many Universities will only give you credit (a Pass), so the course will not be included in your GPA

It bears repeating:  Some universities do not give you the choice, so you should make this decision before you take the AP exam: Do I want the credit, or would I rather “retake” the course?

BENEFITS OF TAKING THE CREDIT:

  • Saves you $$  for one university course (lower tuition for 1 term)
  • If it is a required course for your program, may allow you a term where you could take fewer courses (say 4 courses instead of 5), enabling you to keep your GPA up on harder courses
  • If it is not a required course, you may have already completed one of your options
  • Gives you room for an additional course if you choose to take full-course load

WHY WOULD I NOT TAKE A CREDIT?

For those universities or colleges that give you the option, taking an AP Course and writing the exam, but choosing not to accept the  credit means that you could retake the course – so why would you do this?

  • Taking the AP Course in high school and retaking the course in post-secondary could help “boost” your GPA
  • If it is a required pre-requisite for admission to a professional program (such as medicine), many students choose to take the course so it appears on the transcript with the GPA
  • It may allow you an “easier” course during a semester, so that you can concentrate on more intensive courses while “maintaining” your GPA

 There is a difference between “boosting” and “maintaining” your GPA, though it is possible for both to happen by retaking the course.  

 “Boosting” happens when you are succeeding in all your courses, but do extra well in the course you chose to retake.

 ”Maintaining” -  Many students  find, especially in first year, that their grades go down by as much as 10%.  By “retaking” the course, if other grades go down, the student may still be able to keep their GPA at a level they are accustomed to while adjusting to the differences at university.

WHY WOULD I TAKE THE COURSE IF I’M NOT PLANNING ON TAKING THE CREDIT?

Lots of students choose to take the AP course even if they are not planning on taking the credit…

  • Classes are much more challenging and projects are more interesting
  • You are surrounded by peers who have an advanced understanding of the topic – especially great if you are competitive and are motivated by that!
  • Build a strong work ethic and start understanding the heavier workloads of university before taking on the full course load

It would be great to get input from experts in this area, especially from specific Canadian and American universities – what do you think the advantages or disadvantages of taking AP classes, especially if a school doesn’t offer a full AP program?

I would also love to hear from students who have done this…

 

To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose

Karen

Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator
www.karengirard.com
www.careerplanningforstudents.com

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BRAVO to Alberta’s New Student Loan Plan

by Karen Girard
February 15th, 2012

I am really excited about the new Alberta Student Loan Plan that was announced on Monday.  This plan eliminates the use of student income, RRSPs and parental earnings from being part of the calculation to be eligible for provincial student loans.

Instead students will be expected to come up with a flat $1,500 contribution to their tuition.  This sounds like as long as students can demonstrate they have $1,500 available (whether in savings, from parents, grandparents, etc.) they will be eligible.  Red Tape gone and access skyrocketing!

There is some controversy over this – some suggest it is taking money away from those who need it most.  I disagree.  We have many students whose parents made enough that the student was not eligible for the loans, but their parents were unable (or, yes, sometimes unwilling) to contribute.

For all other purposes, we consider an adult to be 18 years old in Alberta and Quebec,  19 in other parts of Canada. Why then, should those adults have to depend on their parents to fund their education?

And why, some may ask, shouldn’t we ask parents of a certain income level to keep supporting these same “children”?

Consider the average 2-income family with expenses, mortgages, etc..  We now tell them that I order for their children to really succeed in the world, they need post-secondary training.  They cut back, and maybe start funding one or maybe even two children’s post-secondary education because those “children”  were not eligible for the loans.

How do you tell your next child that you cannot afford to help fund their education, as all funds are already tied up?  Believe me, parents do take out personal loans and re-mortgage their homes for this purpose.

I say BRAVO to this new Student Loan Plan!  It opens the doors for so many more students.

By the way, according to the Calgary Herald “the Progressive Conservative government’s student loan plan also calls for new graduation grants for students who complete their programs – $1,000 for a technical certificate, $1,500 for a diploma and $2,000 for an undergraduate or graduate degree.

The province will also introduce a new 1,000 retention grant or graduates in high-demand occupations ho stay in Alberta or three years. The professions have not yet been determined, but will include nurses, health professionals and technicians, doctors, teachers and social workers.”

Now we are thinking!  How about providing even more retention grants for those who are willing to travel to and stay in rural areas of the province?

Just my 2 cents!
Read the Calgary Herald article

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Alberta Students: Start Looking for Summer Jobs NOW!

by Karen Girard
February 9th, 2012

I know it is only February, and you are still just getting over January exams, but employers are already advertising and hiring for summer positions.  In addition to some that I have sent out already, here are a few more places to look for Albertans.  Remember, high school students, if you get a summer job, ask your guidance department about getting Work Experience credits!

1.  The City of Calgary hires students in a number of areas and will be posting new summer jobs February 6 – 15:   www.calgary.ca/careers.

2.  Junior Forest Rangers are recruiting for their 6 week summer program now – see your Guidance office or Career Center for information. Applications are open until April 1st.

3.  Gr 11 Science Students may be interested in the HeritageYouth Researcher Summer Program (HYRS) and the Health Internship Program.  See your Guidance Office for info.

4.  Not in Grade 11 but want to work in health?  Alberta Health Services also has new grad and summer student health programs:  http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/675.asp

5.  Mount Royal is hosting a hiring fair on March 7. Contact them for more information.

6.  Provincial government summer jobs are posted at  https://jobs.alberta.ca/students/summer_employment.html

7.  Many employers will start posting student jobs at Service Canada Centres for Youth, and they will be adding more and more each week as the time approaches. http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/

8.  University Co-op, Intern, Summer & new grad opportunities from across Canada are being posted at Talent Egg and these places hire EARLY!   www.talentegg.ca.

9.  The Youth Employment Center in Calgary has a great job board for students ages 15 – 24, and in addition to regular full & part-time jobs, some seasonal jobs posted on the YEC job board too http://jobboard.nextsteps.ca  They are also hosting their summer Job Fair in April at the Stampede Grounds.  You will see more about this in a future newsletter.

10.  Yes, Calaway Park is already hiring and they do offer transportation shuttles for employees.  They have positions with salaries ranging from $9.75 – $12.75/hr.  The higher paying jobs do require a valid driving license.   http://www.calawaypark.com/employment.html.

11.  For jobs in provincial or national parks, check www.albertaparks.ca or http://www.pc.gc.ca/agen/empl/emp1.aspx.

12.  Near Cochrane and WANT TO GET PAID TO UMPIRE MINOR BALL?  Cochrane Minor Baseball is looking for students who want to be trained to work for the 2012 baseball season (and beyond).  The 2 day training clinic hours could also count as work experience hours if you are registered in a high school work experience program.  Umpire training is done by certified instructors through the National Umpires Certification Program of Baseball Canada.  After you have your certification, you will be able to ump games through the season.  Contact ghabbump @ yahoo.ca

I will share more information for summer ideas in future emails.
To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose
Karen
Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator

www.karengirard.com

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Believe and you can do it! Doubt it? Read this… MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!

by Karen Girard
February 4th, 2012

I tell people that if you put your mind to it you can achieve miracles.  It really is a lot about your mindset.

I know all too well how hard it is to believe, but what if you know someone who actually did it?   Well, I do!

My niece’s close friend, Natalia, was in a near fatal car accident.  We watched the video and news in shock as they tried to extract her, and prayed that she would at least live, let alone ever walk again.  Her initial injuries left her paralyzed from the chest down and her family was told she would never walk again…   Friends and family kept spirits up, made visits and stayed by her side.  Look at her now… She didn’t believe the doctors, she believed in herself!

It’s too hard… I can’t do it… we hear it all the time.    If Natalia felt like that, where would she be now?  Who knows, but instead she persevered, worked, built her strength, pushed through the pain, and discovered a new purpose in life.

Here is her story!  Natalia, everyone is very proud of you – what an example you are!

 

 

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Top 5 Tips for School Success

by Karen Girard
February 1st, 2012

If you are a student, (high school, university, college, or any other), school is your most important job.  You are the only one who can determine how much work you are putting in and the results you get.

Life gets busy – it is a great idea to learn early, how to set yourself up for success so you aren’t caught off guard by an assignment that is due Monday when you have a hockey tournament all weekend, or an exam or quiz today that you forgot about.

SET A SCHEDULE AND WORK BACKWARDS

It may seem like a bit of work to start, but once you get the system, it is truly worth it!

  • Set up a Master Schedule
  • Every time you get a new assignment. due date or learn about an exam/quiz, mark it immediately into the schedule
  • Think about how much time you will need to do the work for each item (reading, research, writing)
  • Start working backwards and marking activities on your calendar so you can fit in what you have to
  • Be sure to schedule in commitments like work and sports/extra-curricular activities

BREAK THE MASTER SCHEDULE DOWN TO A MORE SPECIFIC WEEKLY, SCHEDULE

  • What deadlines are coming, what is due this week – assignments, exams
  • Note your progress, and re-evaluate your time every week to make sure you are on track
  • Schedule in review time for each of your subjects – if you have reviewed 10 minutes each day, this will be a bigger overview (see next section)

 DAILY, CREATE A TO-DO LIST

  • Open your weekly schedule and prioritize for the day
  • What MUST be done today to stay on track
  • Plan 10 minutes a day to review notes you took from the day, and a quick review of the notes from the previous couple of days
  • Don’t leave the things you are dreading until last
  • Follow my one tip guaranteed to improve your productivity – the 60/40/20 rule (link to post)

TOP 5 TIPS FOR SUCCESS?
Some people write top 10 lists or top 10 tips, but we often don’t have the room to focus on ten things, so lets look at the top 5:

  1. Find a quiet place to study away from distractions (No TV, no friends dropping by – ie away from residence…)
  2. Turn off your cell phone and social media – don’t check facebook, don’t answer texts or emails, don’t StumbleUpon, or Tweet, or anything else (see 60/40/20 rule)
  3. Set a regular time to study and do assignments, after you have taken a break, a snack, and are ready to sit and commit to what you have to concentrate on
  4. Make study time a regular, committed part of your day – SCHEDULE it in
  5. Use your social outings are REWARDS – earn them based on having accomplished what you planned to do.  You know whether you actually did everything you should have – if not, you may need to cut back a bit there… but DO REWARD yourself!

Have a wonderful, rewarding semester, term….  Here’s to your success

To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose

Karen

Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator
www.karengirard.com

 

 

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You’ve Been Accepted to University/College… now what?

by Karen Girard
January 31st, 2012

You’ve been accepted – Now What? 
This post is directed at the Canadian student, but some of the same information applies to universities worldwide.  Please check each university/college/post-secondary website to get specifics for that institution – they all have their little quirks.  Meanwhile, for some guidance, here is what you may expect:

1.  Does your program require additional paperwork (ie. Supplemental application, Portfolio)?

  • Be sure to complete this & submit before deadline.
  • Check information carefully – does it say “must be received by” or “postmarked by”?
  • Send it in the format requested (do they want paper, digital, burned on CDs….)

2.  Continue to log in and check your application status online at the post-secondary’s website – is there anything that they are still waiting for?  You should be able to see there if there is anything left for you to do, if there are any holds on your application, and whether certain information has been delivered.

3.  Apply for scholarships (often a separate application)

4.  Apply for residence (often a separate application)

5.  Alberta Students:  For out of province universities, order the number of official transcripts required to be sent to the university  June Exam results are in.  You don’t have to do this for Alberta Universities if you applied via applyalberta.ca

Non-Alberta Students:  Order your official transcripts to be sent to all institutions.

  • Go to:  www.alis.alberta.ca,
  • click on High School Student tab at top,
  • click on Transcript requests on right,
  • and you can order online

DON’T WANT TO ACCEPT YOUR SPOT?

If you received acceptance and already know you don’t want to attend that post-secondary, contact them and reject the position so they can offer it to a student who may be on the waiting list

If you received acceptance, and are still uncertain, you may want to consider paying your admission deposit just to hold your spot.  Look carefully at cancellation policies, and be sure to let them know as soon as possible if you decide not to attend so some other poor soul doesn’t suddenly get acceptance after the first week of classes has begun!

 READY TO ACCEPT YOUR SPOT OR COMMIT?

1.  Pay your deposit (remember there may be 2 separate deposits – one to accept your admission, and one for housing)

2.  You will generally receive information for course planning, and some institutions require you to speak with an Academic Advisor before you are allowed to register.

3.  Listen for announcements at your school, check your post-secondary website, and watch your emails for info regarding Registration 101 seminars – there may be some held in your city or online.

5.  In April/early May, start checking courses to find out what ones you may be interested in for your options, and times/schedules for the ones you MUST take for your chosen degree.  You will be getting course planning information telling you what you MUST take & how many options you have.

6.  PRE-PLAN your schedule BEFORE your registration date – this will be very important to get a good schedule and make sure you get into the classes you want.

7.  Check your University registration page and emails regularly for information from the university – watch for and MARK your Registration Date/Time IN YOUR CALENDAR

8.  On your REGISTRATION DATE and TIME, go in as early as possible to register using your pre-planned schedule. 

9.  Check and apply for orientation programs – this is a great way to get to know other first year students and find out how things work at UVic before classes begin.

REMEMBER – FINAL GRADES COUNT – School is your work, and once you have conditional acceptance, you still need to come through with the final grades to keep your spot.  While you may be “accepted”, if they don’t receive your final transcript with acceptable grades, your position can be revoked!

I have created an example page for Mt. Royal University (MRU) in Calgary – see it here

Hope this information is helpful as you prepare for your next step

To Living Life With Purpose, On Purpose

Karen

Karen Girard, CCDP, CEIP, CPRW, CCC
Certified Passion Test Facilitator
www.karengirard.com

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How Alberta’s New Math Curriculum affects student choices

by Karen Girard
January 26th, 2012
UPDATE:  March 2013
When I wrote this article, we had been advised that universities were on board with the academic changes.  This year has been a real test for us.  While most Nursing Programs have said that they prefer Math 30-2, we are still doing battle with a couple to have them recognize it.
A couple of universities (University of BC – Okanagan (UBC-O)) – advised us last year that Math 30-2 would be acceptable for arts programs but have now withdrawn this indicating that our math is now under review.  They will be accepting it this year, but may not next year.
In fact, another university has now advised that they will only accept Math 30-2 as a “grade 11″ math in place of Math 20-1.
Alberta Learning and school advisors are in conversations with universities all across Canada working to get this sorted out, but in order to be safe,
PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK WITH YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR TO SELECT YOUR MATH.   If you know where you are considering going, they will be able to give you much more accurate information!
Lately there have been many questions with students/parents not understanding the changes to the new Math curriculum. We have become so used to the language, that the – 2 (Dash 2) stream has been viewed as a “lower level”.  THIS IS NO LONGER SO!

With the new Math Curriculum, things are changing.  We now have two “Academic Options” for our students – and both open different university doors!

1.  Math 30-1 which emphasizes the development of Calculus (Math 31) and must be taken as a co-requisite to Math 31 will be needed for programs that require Calculus (ie Engineering)

2.  Math 30-2 emphasizes academic skills that are not calculus based, such as statistics.  This is no longer considered a “lesser/easier” curriculum.

Universities have been changing their requirements and adjusting to our new math curriculum.  It will be interesting for many people to see that Nursing programs at certain universities (ie University of Calgary and University of Alberta) actually PREFER the new Math 30-2.

Universities obviously do have the final say on their requirements for admission, and this is why it is IMPERATIVE that students check with their Career Center/Guidance in choosing their courses.  When we can see what programs and institutions students are considering, only then can we help them make the BEST choices for them to keep their options open.

For more information, please see the Alberta Education website:

http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/math/sequence.aspx:”

 

There is a visual for the math sequence at:  http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/math/options.aspx

 

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com

 

 

 

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