By Laurise McMillan Refinery 21

By Alina Adams MommyPoppins​

Internships can be a useful way to gain experience in a professional environment or explore an industry, and determine if it's the right fit for you. But if you’ve completed a prior internship only to realize you’re interested in a different career field, or if you’re applying to your first internship without past experience, it might be tricky to break into the professional world.
​
If your resume entries don’t exactly align with the position you’re applying for, your cover letter can actually come in handy, rather than serve as another obstacle in the job application process. You can use your cover letter as an opportunity to communicate your career shift and reframe your prior experiences to better tie into the role you are applying for.

Read More...

TRANSITION/PLANNING

1. schools.nyc.gov/learning/special-education/preschool-to-age-21/after-high-school
2. web.uri.edu/smile/files/HighSchoolChecklistPamphlet.pdf
3. collegesofdistinction.com/advice/freshmen-through-senior-year-high-school-checklist/
4. ​includenyc.org/resources/transition-and-college
5. pps.net/cms/lib/OR01913224/Centricity/Domain/783/College_Planning_Checklist_earlyHS.pdf
6. secure-media.collegeboard.org/CollegePlanning/media/pdf/BigFuture-College-List-Handout.pdf
7. nhheaf.org/pdfs/CCP_Training_Material/College_Gurus_Timeline.pdf
8. myfuture.com/college/planning/college-planning-timeline
9. voorheesville.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=538&dataid=1745&FileName=College%20Planning%20%20Timeline.pdf

FINANCIAL

1. understandingfafsa.org/assets/FAFSAOct2019English.pdf

EDUCATIONAL

1. enactyourfuture.com/free-sat-resources.html
2. supertutortv.com/resources/
   
3. blog.collegevine.com/your-guide-to-free-sat-prep-classes/
   
4. 1.cdn.edl.io/jGBwJ7000OvOt6zkzkikqcALy7EjrLE8uAR3GYZNQ5xak6Py.pdf
   

SCHOLARSHIPS

1. letsgetready.org/scholarship-resource-guide/
2. bestcollegereviews.org/scholarships/state/new-york/
3. scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-state/new-york-scholarships/
4. ​unigo.com/scholarships/by-state/new-york-scholarships

UNDOCUMENTED

1. maketheroadny.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Scholarships-2018-2019.pdf

Many of us have been in a situation where despite countless nights of studying, stress, and rewriting papers, your grade just isn’t what you want it to be. It’s a scary and frustrating position to be in, but it’s not hopeless – even if it’s at the point where you’re at risk of failing a class.
​
If you’re worried that you might not pass all your courses this semester, this one's for you. Here are the first steps you should take to get back on track and end the semester on a high note.

Read More...

By Kayla Riley HerCampus

So, you've applied to every internship you can think of and now you're checking your phone and email obsessively waiting to hear back. It's worse than the three-day waiting period after a great first date — it's been almost a week now, and you're dying to find out what that company thinks of your stellar résumé and solid references.

​Job hunting can be a lot like dating — sometimes, you're not quite sure if you should wait to double text them or not. Well, wait no longer. It's time to actively seek the internship opportunity you're vying for, and here are five ways to do just that!

Read More...

What Is Student Debt Anxiety?

Feeling anxious and depressed about loans and the uncertainty of your financial future may seem abnormal, but in actuality, these worries are common among college students. In fact, these feelings are called student debt anxiety.

According to Student Loan Planner’s 2019 mental health report, 53% of respondents felt depressed because of their student loans. 90% of respondents also said their student loans made them feel anxious. 
With the tuition of both private and public education on the rise, more students are turning to federal and private loans to afford a degree. No longer can middle class, or even upper-middle class, families afford the six figure prices of higher education. 

“The middle class is slowly disappearing again and more and more people are considered low-income,” Emily Cardona, a junior at Emerson College, says. “But we want to go to college and we don't have thousands of dollars laying around, so we have to get loans.” 

The average undergraduate student loan debt for 2019 was $30,000, an increase of 26% of student borrowing in the last decade, according to U.S. News. In addition, the Federal Reserve also reported in 2018 that two out of 10 student loan borrowers are behind on their replacements. Statistics like these can increase student debt anxiety, as it demonstrates the difficulty of repaying loans post-graduation. 

“In order to receive a good education they make it seem as though you have to pay an arm and a leg, which is not true,” Taylor, a junior at Emerson College says. “I believe [these] pressures such as debt only add to the bigger problem of mental health and make [us] feel trapped.”
​
Read More...