Create a College Roadmap

Hey Future of Mainers!

College may seem so far away right now... and it kind of is! However, there is no reason you shouldn't start thinking about it and planning now! Something that might help to motivate you would be to create a "College Roadmap." This could be in the form of a poster, or a mobile, or maybe a PowerPoint presentation! Making a visual of your academic path will help you "see" the future. As an example, I created a College Roadmap of my own below! As you can see, I am pretending I am a 5th grader at Williams Elementary in Oakland.

MY COLLEGE ROADMAP

2013: 5th Grader at Williams Elementary School

Start thinking about majors and colleges I want to go to.....

I've got it! I want to go to THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE: FARMINGTON to major in EDUCATION because someday I want to be a TEACHER!

2014: I'm a 6TH GRADER at Messalonskee Middle School

2015: I'm a 7TH GRADER at Messalonskee Middle School

2016: I'm an 8TH GRADER at Messalonskee Middle School

Time to do some more research on University of Maine: Farmington, including looking at their application and what they look for from their students (Do they want athletes? Do they like students who have done community service?)

Graduate from Middle School!

2017: I'm a FRESHMAN at Messalonskee High School

Start an extracurricular activity or do some community service on a regular basis so you can include that in your college application!

2018: I'm a SOPHOMORE at Messalonskee High School

Take a Practice SAT test (typically provided by your high school) in order to start preparing for the SAT's (a standardized test that helps you get into college)

2018: I'm a JUNIOR at Messalonskee High School

Take the SATs or the ACTs (a similar standardized test) in the spring in order to be totally prepared to apply for college next fall!

Start researching scholarship options or financial aid packages available from University of Maine: Farmington

2019: I'm a SENIOR at Messalonskee High School

Apply to University of Maine: Farmington in the fall (and maybe a couple other colleges that offer great education programs)

Apply for local scholarships and financial aid in order to help out your parents with the cost of college

......wait......

CONGRATS!!!!!

Get accepted to University of Maine: Farmington

Graduate from Messalonskee High School with a plan for next year: COLLEGE!!!

2020: I'm a FRESHMAN in COLLEGE

Now that you have an idea of what a "College Roadmap" looks like, go and create your own! It will help you stay on track and let you know what's ahead! 

Paying for College

Hi Future of Mainers! 

In case you are forgetting why, as a middle schooler, you are spending so much time researching and writing about college (which might seem so far away!), we wanted to remind you that it's for a great reason: to learn about the opportunities that lie ahead and have the opportunity to win a scholarship to kickstart your college fund! You're doing great, and we really want you to apply for the scholarship! Just by filling out the application you will learn a lot about yourself and about your future college search. 

Our scholarship is not the only way to get help paying for college. There are many options to help pay for your college "tuition" (bill). 

1. Local Scholarships: Your local community is there to support you in your efforts to pursue higher education! There are many scholarships offered in every community- it just takes a little research to find them! For example, for students that live in Rome, ME there is a scholarship fund that you can learn more about through the Messalonskee High School guidance office!

2. Federal Aid: Turns out not just your local community, but also the United States Government wants to help you fund your college education! Students fill out a free application to be considered for this funding. 

3. Merit-based Scholarships: Do you volunteer a lot? Are you passionate about a particular hobby? Are you a standout athlete, musician, or artist? There are scholarship opportunities for all kinds of talents! 

4. Corporations: Many large corporations award scholarships to college students. For example, Target gives 2,100 college scholarships every year, some of which are up to $10,000! 

As you can see, there are many options to help you fund your college education! Start your college fund today by chipping away at your Future of Maine application! We can't wait to hear about your future plans for college! 

Famous Athletes Go To College Too!

So you might think that being a professional athlete is the way to go, and that might be true. What you may find surprising is that most famous athletes went to college before they became professional athletes! Here is a list of some notable athletes and the colleges they attended:

Michael Jordan graduated from University of North Carolina with a Bachelor's degree in Geography

Michael Jordan led his college team to a National Championship!

Peyton Manning graduated from the University of Tennesee with a B.A. in Speech and Communications.

Lisa Leslie graduated from the University of Southern California before joining the WNBA.

Hulk Hogan went to the University of South Florida to study business and music, before becoming a professional wrestler.

Hope Solo went to the University of Washington, where she switched to the goalie position! Now she is an Olympic gold medalist for soccer.

Tiger Woods attended Stanford University and majored in Economics.

Tom Brady attended the University of Michigan and played on their nationally-ranked football team.

Shawn Johnson, Olympic gold medalist, plans to go to either Vanderbuilt College in Pennsylvania or Stanford University in California.

6 Unique College Majors

Hey Future of Mainers,
Hope you are staying warm! In order to keep you thinking outside the box, we have come up with a list of the 6 most unique majors we could find. Perhaps one of these suits you perfectly and you will decide to write about it in your essay!

1. Comic Book Art
Love comic books? Love doodling? Well, you may find your passion in actually designing those great graphics you see in your favorite comic books! You can go to the Minneapolis College of Art in Minnesota and Design to study Comic Book Art. Take classes such as Digital Illustration, The Illustrated Notebook, and Children's Book Illustration.

2. Retail Floristry
Who knew you can go to college to arrange and sell flowers? Well, you can major in Floristry Management at Mississippi State University that will give you "hands-on experiene in managing a business operation." You could start the next big floristry in your town!

3. Comedy
Are you the class clown? Love to make your friends and family laugh? Head up to Humber College in Canada to major in Writing and Performance in Comedy. Humber College offers the opportunity to learn about the industry while improving your comedy skills. Classes include "stand-up, improvisation, scriptwriting, sketch comedy, and all other aspects of the craft."

4. Motorsports Science and Engineering
If you wish you could major in NASCAR, this is about as close as you can get. At Winston-Salem State Universtiy, you can get your Bachelor's degree in Motorsport Management. This major will help prepare you for a career in Motorsport Operations, Motorsport Marketing, and Event Planning. Get in the fast lane with this major and see you out on the track!

5. Poultry Science
Hey, someone's got to have some love for chickens. Students studying poultry science will learn how to raise and manage healthy chickens, turkeys, and ducks for the purpose of producing eggs or meat. Students use principles of chemistry and biology within this niche field of study. Head to North Carolina State University to get involved in this unique yet important major!

6. Folklore and Mythology
Can't get enough of Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? Well, you could turn your passion for mythology into a career. At Harvard University, you can take classes such as "Witchcraft and Charm Magic," "Hero and Trickster," and "The Art of Storytelling." Watch out J.K. Rowling, here comes the next big fantasy series! 

If any of these jumped out at you, research them more; maybe you have discovered your dream job! Either way, we hope this entertained you and opened your eyes a little more to the wide ranges of majors out there!

College...University...What's the Difference?

We have been throwing around the phrase "college" a lot. But in your search for colleges, you might have come across many "universities" as well. You might be thinking, "What's the difference?" Well, there are many similarities and differences between colleges and universities!

In the United States, the term "college" refers to any type of post-high school academic institution (Fun fact: In Europe, they call their high schools college!). There are many types of colleges:

• A junior or community college is a college that typically lasts two years and offers associate's degrees. Community colleges are often smaller than a four-year college or a university and offer classes that help students pursue careers in many fields, including nursing, mechanics, vet technicians, massage therapy, and so much more. An example of a community college near you is Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC).

 KVCC is located in Fairfield, Maine!

• Colleges that last four years offer bachelors' degrees. Many times, four-year colleges have a liberal arts emphasis, meaning that students are able to study many subjects and fields without having to specialize on one major in their first year. Colby College is a liberal arts school, and so is Bates College and Bowdoin College. All of these colleges are in your home state!

Bowdoin's mascot is a polar bear, Bates' mascot is a bobcat, and Colby's mascot is a mule. These schools often compete against one another in athletics as well as collaborate on academics!







On the other hand, universities are institutions that provide both undergraduate and graduate education. This means that you can not only receive a bachelors' degree at a universtiy, but a masters' degree as well. Universities often have an undergraduate school where you can study all majors, then many specific graduate schools attached to the university; for instance, a "School of Law" or a "School of Medicine." At graduate school, you can prepare yourself for a highly specific job, such as being a doctor or a lawyer. Also, state universities offer a reduced cost to students from that state. Maine as many universities to choose from, including:

• University of Maine - Orono
• University of Maine - Farmington
• University of Maine - Augusta
• University of Maine - Machias
• University of Maine - Fort Kent
• New England University

As you can see, colleges and universities are pretty similar, but they all have something unique to offer. We hope this helps you to narrow down your college/university choices!

Campus Clubs!

Hi Future of Mainers!

In one of the questions on the application, we asked you to think about your favorite hobbies and how they might connect to a major. You might be wondering, what if I can't figure out a way to incorporate my favorite hobby into my studies? Well, lucky for you, one of those ways is through campus organizations. Every college has many student-run clubs for many different activities and hobbies ranging from club sports teams to arts and crafts clubs to clubs that do community service (such as playing with animals at the local humane society or volunteering in a local soup kitchen).

For example, Colby College has over 100 student-run clubs! The coolest part? If you can't find a club that interests you, you can start one! The Student Government Organization gives these clubs a certain amount of money each semester so that they can organize all sorts of fun activities. We'll highlight a few clubs below so you can get a taste of the neat opportunities that await you!

1. Colby Outing Club: The Outing Club is Colby's biggest campus club, and is your source for all things playing outside. The awesome outing club leaders lead trips all over our great state (and beyond!) hiking, biking, skiing, rafting, etc. You can also rent equipment from them, so if you've always wanted to try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, you can do so at little to no cost!

The Outing Club leads trips up Katahdin, Maine's highest peak!

2. Student Programming Board: Do you like to plan birthday parties or fun events? This could be a perfect club for you! The Student Programming Board, or SPB, plans all of the large, school-wide events such as dances and concerts. A cool perk of this club is that when big-name singers come to school, the students on the Programming Board get to meet them! SPB also plans fun smaller events such as bowling, apple-picking, and fun holiday events such as gingerbread-house making or pumpkin carving!

3. WMHB 89.7 FM: Do you like music? Do you often find that you are entertaining your friends? Many colleges, including Colby, have their very own radio station! Play your favorite tunes and share your insight with the campus community! Sometimes, you can even get paid for participating in a club like this! 

4. Quilting Club: Do you like to sew? Need something to keep you warm during cold Maine winters? Want to make homemade presents? The quilting club makes quilts not only for themselves, but they also donate them to charities! 

These 4 clubs are just a small snapshot of what college has to offer in terms of campus clubs. Want to view the complete list of campus clubs at Colby? Click here: http://www.colby.edu/administration_cs/campuslife/student-clubs.cfm

Majors related to SPORTS!

Hi Everyone!

One question that we get a lot in workshops is: "What if I want to major in baseball/basketball/football/(any sport that you like to play)"?

While you can't major in your favorite sport specifically, there are many really neat options for majors related to sports!! Here are just a few:

1. Sports Journalism: Do you love to talk about sports? Do you like listening to the radio or watching TV and listening to the commentary during your favorite sports games? Do you enjoy writing? If so, this could be a great major for you! Journalism is basically "news," so you would learn about working in the business of publishing news about sports.

Stuart Scott, ESPN Anchor

2. Sports Management: Are you interested in the business side of sports? As a sports management major, a student would learn about the organizational side of the sport, working with athletes and coaches as well as the larger community of the sports team, such as the owners. A sports management major could also find a job working as an agent for a famous athlete.

Bill Duffy, who has represented Celtics player Rajon Rondo

3. Nutrition: If you like food, and are especially interested in how what you eat affects your athletic performance, than studying nutrition is a great option. Nutritionists work in many different settings, including private practices where they meet one-on-one with individuals, or in larger settings such as schools or sports teams to make sure that individuals have the information that they need to make decisions about the best food to "fuel" their bodies!

4. Sports Coaching: Do you like helping your teammates improve? Do you have a good eye for the technique, skills, and attitude necessary to excel in your sport? Many colleges offer sports coaching majors, which prepare students for a career in coaching the sport of their choice.

Pat Summitt, all time winningest basketball coach in NCAA history (male or female)

5. Kinesiology: Do you like science? Do you like working with people, especially helping people? Are you interested in injuries and how to make them better? Kinesiology is the study of the movement of our bodies, and is a great major to prepare you for further study into athletic training or sports medicine.

A team of athletic trainers assist an injured player

Other majors related to sports include Sports Psychology, Sports Law, and Sports Marketing just to name a few! There are endless possibilities for students searching for a major that involves a love of sports!

Tips for Writing a Great Essay

Hey Future of Mainers!

Having a hard time starting your essay? Here are some helpful tips to get you going:

1. Be sure to answer each question! You can either answer each question individually, or be sure to include all the answers in one essay.

2. Has your teacher ever talked about having "voice" in your writing? "Voice" refers to the tone or personality of writing. Because we are all unique and have different ways of expressing ourselves, each person's writing has its own unique voice. You can help us get to know you better through the words you use, the topic you choose to write about, and the details you include! Make sure we can really see your unique personality in your writing!

3. Having a great first sentence can really draw us in and make us want to learn more about you. For instance, which sentence do you think is more exciting and eye-catching: "Someday I want to be a dentist when I grow up," or, "My passion for dentistry began when my little sister's tooth was loose and I grabbed the floss to tug it out." Both sentences have the same message, but the second sentence really catches our attention and makes us want to learn more.

4. Just like having a strong first sentence is important, it is also key to have a strong concluding sentence. This is the last thing the readers will remember, so make sure to end on a positive note and sum up your essay.

5. Proofread, proofread, proofread!! Having a bunch of spelling errors shows a lack of effort--and we want to see your best work possible! Have your teacher, parent, or older sibling help you proofread your writing to catch any small mistakes.

6. Make an EFFORT. We want to see that you put a lot of thought into your essay and what you write. Doing some extra research on your college or career choices will really show us that you are committed.

7. Above all, HAVE FUN!! We want this to be an enjoyable, and eye-opening, experience for you. Show that you are having fun by adding interesting words and really let your personality shine through! We certainly don't want you to end up like this boy:

We cannot wait to read what you have to say, and we wish you the best of luck!  And to get you in the college spirit, below is a link to "8 Tips for Crafting your Best College Essay," which is for applying for college!

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay

Worth 1,000 Words!

Have you ever heard the phrase 'a picture is worth 1,000 words'? Looking at pictures of different colleges might help you picture yourself there, studying a certain subject or participating as a part of a team or campus club. Many colleges have student blogs where students write, but some also have photo blogs! Check out this photo blog of the 2012 fall semester highlights from Colby!

http://www.insidecolby.com/photos/viewalbum.php?id=228#slideshowwell

Photo by Andrew Beauchesne, Colby College class of 2014

Not Sure Where to Start?

Check out this cool tool on College Board's website. You can choose all of the things that are important to you from school size (big or small?), sports available (football? boxing? dance team?), majors offered (astronomy? english? sports management?), location (Maine? Hawaii? Colorado?), setting (city? rural?), and so many more ways to narrow down your search!

Start by clicking on a filter to the left of the page, every time that you save selections the website will generate great fits for your needs!

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

Also, check out the "You Can Go" page to hear real live student's stories about their path to choosing a college and figuring out how to pay for it (hint: scholarships)!

http://youcango.collegeboard.org/?navid=bf-ycg

Source: College Board. College Board is a great resource for all things college. The main mission of college board is to connect students (as young as kindergarten!) with opportunities for higher education. 

Researching Majors

Hi Everyone!

One of the main points of our workshop is to get you guys thinking about what might potentially be a good major for you someday. As you start to research different colleges and begin to explore different interests, you might be curious as to know how to see if a certain college offers a certain major. The website for every college will have a list of all of the majors that they offer. Remember, a major is the main topic that you choose to focus your studies on in college, but regardless of where you choose to go to college you can take classes in all sorts of departments (for example english, arts, foreign language, physics, theater, biology, etc.). To get you started, here are the links for the majors offered at the four colleges right here in our county!

Colby College:
http://www.colby.edu/academics_cs/majmin.cfm

Kennebec Valley Community College:
http://www.kvcc.me.edu/Pages/General/Academic-Info-Departments

Thomas College:
http://www.thomas.edu/majors

University of Maine Augusta:
http://www.uma.edu/degrees.html


Fun Fact: Gatorade was invented at the University of Florida (their mascot is the Gators)!

Welcome!

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the Future of Maine Scholarship Program blog! With the support of the Colby College Education Department and the Colby College Students for Education Reform Chapter, our mission is to support local youth in their efforts to pursue higher education. As in past years, we will be visiting local elementary schools doing workshops about college, specifically helping young students link current interests to potential college majors and future careers. Students who choose to complete the scholarship application will have the chance to win a $100 scholarship, awarded at a ceremony at Colby College in April 2013.

We're so excited to be doing another round of scholarships this year. We'll use this blog to post fun facts about colleges and universities around the country, as well as tips for essay writing for the scholarship application! We hope that they are interesting and helpful, and please contact us if you have any questions!

-The Future of Maine Scholarship Program Team