Virtually Advising: Q&A Archive

(Some of the most useful, interesting, non-crappy advice we've offered to date.)

Or browse a section:
Pre-College (applying, picking schools, etc.)
Choosing Your Major/Classes
The Daily Grind (exams, papers, grades and handling the workload)
Transferring and Taking a Break
Applying/Prepping for Grad School
Applying/Prepping for Law School
Applying/Prepping for Med School
Going to Grad, Med, Biz or Law School
International Students
Your Professors and You
Your School's Administration

• Abroad in High School: Will a trip abroad during high school improve my chances of college admission?
• Accreditation: Are unaccredited schools OK?
• Appealing Rejection: How do I appeal a college's admissions rejection?
• The "Best" College: How can I find the best undergrad program in a specific major?
• B.A. vs. B.S.: What's the difference for a compsci major?
• Bad Grade: Will a D in band hurt my chances at top colleges?
• College Basics: How can I learn the ins and outs of college?
• Computer Science Schools: Which are the best?
• Community College: Should I go to one before I go to a four-year university?
• Going Back to College: I dropped out of college with bad grades, no direction and little cash. How do I get back on track?
• High-School Freshman Blues: Can I still get into college if I did horribly in ninth grade?
• Ivy-League Admission: What does it take to get into Brown?
• Journalism Programs: Which colleges have the best ones?
• Learning Disabilities: What schools are best for students with them?
• Paying for College: How can I find a way to afford my dream school?
• Photography Programs: How do I find the best ones?
• SAT Math Score: If it's low, but I want to major in journalism, will it hurt my college chances?
• State Universities: Does residency affect your chances of getting into one?
• Top-Tier Colleges: If I'm a good all-around student, what else can I do to get into a great school?
• Two-Year Degrees: Should I get an A.A., A.S. or A.A.S.?
• A Year Off Before College: Is it a bad idea?

(also check out our series of columns on choosing your major)

• Choosing a Major: How do I?
• Business: What classes should I take to become an executive?
• Career Tests Online: Where can I find them, and are they any good?
• Clueless: What if I have no clue what I want to major in?
• Compsci: What can I do with a computer science degree?
• Communications: What can I do with a communications major?
• Double Major: People think it's really strange that I'm considering a double-major in social work and business management. Should I still go for it?
• Double Major + Job: Will two majors make me more likely to get a good job?
• Double Major + Minor? Would it be smart for me to take a math/compsci double major with an Italian minor?
• Entertainment: What majors are best for people interested in movie or music promotion?
• Fashion Journalism: What's the best way for me to break into the field?
• Human Resources: What majors would help prep me for an HR career?
• Journalism: What majors are good for someone interested in the field?
• Law: Do I have to major in pre-law to get into law school?
• Minors: Is there any point to them? Is it better to just take a second major?
• Parents' Power: If my parents pay the bills, can they choose my major?
• Parents' Power II: My parents groomed me for this major, but I'm miserable in it. Is there anything I can do about it?
• Physician's Assistant: If I'm just starting college, how do I become one?
• "Practical" vs. Fluffy: Should I major in business or multimedia arts?
• Psychology: What are some good minors to take with a psych major?
• Second Thoughts: Am I not meant for the major I picked?
• Sportswriting: What kind of college will best prepare me for a career in it?
• Switching Majors: How can I do it as quickly and easily as possible?

• Appealing Grades: How do I appeal a grade on a paper?
• Can't Keep Up: How do I stay afloat when I can't keep up with my readings?
• Discrimination: What can your parents do if a prof is discriminating against you?
• Distance Learning: What are some useful study tips?
• Dropping a Class: Is it O.K. to drop it, to keep from failing it?
• First Day of Class: What do I bring?
• First-Year Grades: What's a "decent" GPA for a freshman?
• Job & School: Can I possibly balance school and a full-time job?
• Participation: How much does class participation really count?
• Note-Taking: How do I keep up with note-taking in a lightning-fast lecture class?
• Reading Skills: How can remember more of what I read?
• Research Papers: How do I write them?
• Sleeping in Class: How can I make myself stop doing it?
• Stress: It's gotten so bad, I'm nearly failing out. What can I do?
• Study Problems: Why don't my old high-school study habits seem to work anymore?
• Summer Classes: What kinds of courses are the best to take during the summer?
• Too Inquisitive: How do I keep from asking my prof too many questions in class?

(also read Dr. K.'s take on transferring)

• Adjusting: What advice do you have for someone having an extremely hard time getting used to her new school?
• Bad Grades: Will a couple of them hurt my chances of transferring?
• Extracurriculars: How much do they matter on a transfer application?
• GPA Too Low: What if it's below the requirements of the school I'm applying to?
• Not What I Want: Should I transfer just because my school doesn't have a great music program?
• Starting Over: My first try at college ended badly. How do I get back in?
• Taking Time Off: How do I know if taking a break from college is a good choice?
• Time To Transfer? I hate everything about this school. Now what?
• Transferring to Ivy-League: Do I have a shot?

• Application Timeline: When should I start preparing to apply for grad school?
• Bad Grades (Removing): Since they're not in my major, can I axe them from my GPA?
• Business School: Do I need real-world work experience to get in, or can I go straight from college?
• Change of Heart: Can I go from a B.A. in art to a master's in computer science?
• Choosing a Grad Program: What should I keep in mind when visiting schools and making my choice?
• Clinical Psych: What should I do to maximize my chances of getting into a great program?
• International Students: How do I apply to U.S. grad schools?
• Low College GPA: How can I get admitted despite a low GPA?
• Online Bachelor's: Will an online degree hurt my chances of getting into a top-tier business school?
• Personal Statement: What does a grad school look for in one?
• Personal Statement: How do I make myself look less "average" than I am?
• Psychology Doctorates: What's the difference between a Ph.D. and a Psy.D.?
• Recommendation Letters: Can I get one from a stranger? If not, who else?
• Recommendation Letters: What if no profs are willing to write one for me?
• Second Degree: How do I change tracks if I already have a B.A.?

• The First Year: What is the first-year law school experience like?
• Gender: Does being female give you a better chance of getting into law school?
• Grad-School GPA: Will law schools even pay attention to it?
• Low College GPA: What steps should I take to offset it?
• Low LSAT: Can I still get into law school if I score below a 140?
• Low LSAT x 2: How about *two* LSAT scores below 140?
• LSAT Prep Classes: How do you feel about LSAT prep classes, and what should I think about when choosing law schools?
• LSAT Prep Tips: How can I give myself the best shot at scoring 170?
• M.B.A.: Will a graduate business degree help me get into law school?
• Paralegal Work: Can it boost my chances of getting into law school?
• Pre-Law Major: Do I have to major in pre-law to get into law school?
• Race: Will being a minority improve my law-school chances?
• Reapplying: If I've been rejected by law schools, what can I do to improve my chances next year?
• Slow Start in College: Will crummy grades early in college hurt my chances of getting into law school?
• Time Off: Is it better to spend time in the "real world" before going to law school, or should I apply straight from college?

• Career Change: Should I leave the working world to go to med school?
• Cheating in College: Can I get into med school even though I was caught cheating on an exam?
• Fulfilling the Dream: I've always wanted to go to med school, but it's been many years since I last took the MCAT. How do I get back on track?
• Math Problems: Can I still get into med school if I'm bad at math?
• Nurse => Doctor: What do I need to know before I try to switch careers?
• Physician's Assistant: If I'm just starting college, how do I become one?
• Post-Bacc vs. Master's: Which is better to do before applying: a post-bacc program or grad school?
• Starting from Scratch: I have a low GPA and never took premed courses. Is there any way I can still become a doctor?
• Too Old? Can a 40-year-old get into (and succeed in) med school?

• Switching Programs: How easy is it to switch master's programs?

• Choosing a School: How do I pick a U.S. computer science grad school from India?
• England vs. U.S.: How is higher education in the United States different from higher ed in Britain?
• Graduate School: How do I apply to U.S. grad schools?
• Learning English: How can I develop a better grasp of the language?
• Visa/Funding Troubles: My student visa request was denied; can I still go to a U.S. college?

(also read Dr. K.'s take on getting along with your professors)

• Advisers: Do I really need my faculty adviser?
• Discrimination: If a prof is discriminating against you, can your parents do anything to help?
• Hatred: What do I do if my prof mistakenly acts as though I hate him?
• Irresponsible Profs: What can I do about a prof who gossips about students and doesn't turn grades in on time?
• Making Friends: Should I bother getting to know my profs?
• Office Hours: What are a prof's office hours actually for?

• Ignored: My school's disabled-students department is ignoring me. How do I get through?

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