Category: College Advice

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Alumni Spotlight: Larry Thompson

Larry Thompson graduated from Grove City College in 2017 with a major in Accounting and Finance. As the first in his family to graduate from a four-year college, he is now successfully working on his future Certified Public Accountant title. Larry currently lives in Charlotte, NC working for the accounting firm RSM U.S. LLP audit, tax, and consulting services. While enjoying his life down in North Carolina, Larry is also benefiting from the perks of his company. A major perk he has in mind is traveling. In the past eight months he has been able to travel to Dallas, Texas; Charleston, SC; New York City; Atlanta, Ga.; and Greenville, SC. Larry looks forward to traveling more in his future.

When asked about the CPA exams Larry replied, “I worked on studying every day. I woke up and went to the public library to free myself from any distractions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.” He then stated that he had three out of four exams already completed before he started working for RSM U.S. Being put into his job during busy season, Larry could not really focus on passing the fourth exam; he had to work hard and study even harder in order to prepare himself for the final module of the CPA exam. Soon after the busy season, he ended up passing his fourth and final exam. His next move in his career is to work for RSM U.S. for a year, but in order for him to obtain his CPA title, he must pass all four modules and work for an entire year to become officially “certified”.

A motivational part of Larry’s experience with the exams is the way he went about taking them. Larry stated, “I took the exams in order from hardest to easiest [in his own opinion].” He believed that if he could pass the hardest exam, then the rest would be easy. His motivation to pass in this order kept him dedicated to studying and keeping on top of things in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a CPA.

Ideally, Larry plans to work for RSM U.S. for two to three years and then reevaluate his options after being certified. He wants to end up in Wealth Management or become a stay-at-home father who does technical stock analysis trading. His dedication and commitment to becoming a CPA has already and will furthermore open up doors in his future.

Larry finished the interview by stating a word of advice: the Career Services Office is extremely helpful. He acknowledges that they want the best for students here at Grove City College. Career Services should be taken advantage of more often to set up a student’s future and career. “Make friends with them, and do not ignore them,” Larry stressed. He believes they have truly helped him further himself earlier in finding jobs and even more so now during work.

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What are you looking for in your Dream College? l Career Services

College is expensive; I am just being honest. Also, college is a lot of work. It is a lot of work in the stage that you are in, searching for “your dream college.” While you are at college having loads of work, essays, and exams and even after college while you are working to pay off the cost of attending an institution of higher education, it is a lot of work. This college search, or any part of college that is, is no easy process. This is why, if you are anything like me, while carrying out your college search and determining which colleges to visit or apply to, you have made yourself a list of things that are important to you.

Drawing from my own personal experience my list included things such as a nice campus, big dorm rooms, nice amenities, great food, tons of on-campus activities, and a community around the school that is busy and has a lot of activities for students. Looking back at this list I created as a junior in high school, I have come to realize that, first off, I confused college and my dream vacation spot and, secondly, that sure these things are nice but, in reality, I am going to college to get an education and with the hope that upon graduation I will be able to find a job. This may not be the most popular or exciting realization that you should at some point in your search come to, but it is true. Everyone eventually needs to get a job. This being noted, I would encourage all of you in search of a future education to begin looking into the career services department at the various institutions in which you are interested. At the least this can be a point of separation between institutions you are considering and can ultimately lead to your final decision on where you want to spend the next two to eight years of your life.

College is a big and quite expensive choice and you only get to make it once. I would encourage you to use all of the resources available to you (i.e. this blog) to make the most educated decision possible. All of this being noted, this blog is not suggesting to forget your old list; these are things that matter to you and deserve to be taken into consideration and should hold significant weight in your college decision. I just urge you, as a senior in college, as you perform this search, to remember why you are going to college and what your specific end goal is. Best of luck in your search!

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An RA’s Perspective: Katherine Nichols

Katherine Nichols, RA of MAP West

Katherine Nichols, a senior at Grove City College, balances a busy schedule between a major in Biology, a minor in French, and being a Resident Assistant (RA) for those living in Mary Anderson Pew (MAP) West. Living with primarily freshmen ladies, Katherine can offer advice from the perspective of not only a senior, but also a third-year RA.

She explains that since her first year as a sophomore RA, she has seen a few changes in the Student Life & Learning department. For example, a few Resident Directors (men and women who oversee a particular dorm) have come and gone while some have changed buildings. In her opinion, the changes that most directly affected the RAs, were amendments to Open Hours. Initially called ‘Intervisitation Hours,’ these policies govern how men and women may visit dorms for the opposite gender. When Katherine was a freshman, the guest was required both to be escorted through the building by their host and to register to the host’s room. Now, a visitor may go directly to the host’s room, but is still required to sign in – to the floor, not to the specific room. Katherine explains, “This change has given the students privacy and responsibility.”

Life as an RA comes with many unique challenges. Being assigned to a floor of residents, Katherine says, means that as many as 30 or 40 students “go to you as their first point person.” She has helped with stress and roommate conflict, offered prayer and tutoring, and has even smashed “that weird looking bug on the ceiling” in the line of duty. However, these issues are just a part of the job description. Katherine explains that the real challenge lies in finding a balance between fulfilling RA responsibilities, while also dedicating time to academic and other responsibilities. In her words, “I want to be able to take my residents out for coffee and shopping on a whim every day, and just live college like it’s camp, but I am pretty sure I would fail out of Grove City College if I did.”

While RA life comes with challenges, it also comes with unexpected blessings. Katherine says that “it’s the little things like notes, a hug, or chocolate that keeps you going.” These are reminders that the sacrifices, like staying up until 3 a.m. or hours devoted to a fun program, are worth it. In addition, it is a blessing to “represent the school well, to foster community, and to minister to your peers.” She loves the opportunity to develop relationships with 40 ladies that otherwise she might not have met. As a new student at Grove City College, the prospect of making new friends can seem overwhelming, but having a familiar, friendly face on your hall makes the transition easier.

Though part of her job is to enforce the rules, Katherine explains that the stereotype of a strict, overbearing RA is a misconception. She says, “RA’s are not out to get you. Our job is just to help make sure that Grove City is a safe, functioning, and loving community.” After helping to foster a loving community for three years, she has excellent advice to offer freshman students. For her, patience was the biggest factor in gracious dorm life, as well as the ability to “walk in the other person’s shoes.” Being able to empathize with the other person, and to understand the personalities and experiences in play, makes it much easier to effectively address any problem in dorm life. She urges new students to “get to know your roommate, suitemate, or hall-mate as best as you can – it’ll make a world of difference.”

 

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Not Playing Sports in College, A New Way of Life

Grove City Women’s Tennis Fall 2015. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Jackson

During my last tennis match at Grove City, my strings broke and I used my coach’s racquet. The heavy feeling of a new object threw me off. I lost the exhibition match, ending my career in a let down.

Let me just say, this is no bashing of playing college sports. Playing varsity tennis taught me much. I learned time management, team development, and how to lead a team to play for the glory of God. I learned self-discipline both physically and mentally. And I learned that sports will always play a role in my life. I proudly look forward to future days as a soccer mom.

For 14 years straight I played team sports including soccer, basketball and tennis. When I made the decision to quit varsity tennis at Grove City, I stepped into unknown waters. What was life without daily practices, working out with the motivation of adding to my team, and proudly wearing my uniform to class on match days?

So, why did I leave behind these experiences? A shoulder injury definitely played a part. I tore my labrum and needed surgery, which I had the spring of my junior year. Talk about going from an athlete to a couch potato.

Time can only be used in so many ways before it is gone. Two to three hours a day of practice and two- to seven-hour matches during the week and on weekends filled my waking hours. Homework and some time with friends filled the rest. I realized that though I loved my team, competing and being in shape, I wanted to use my college experience to pursue other opportunities. One of my passions is writing, and after quitting tennis, I devoted much more time to improving my skills.

I am avidly pursuing a career in journalism. I accepted a job with the college newspaper and am now the managing editor until I graduate in December. As I move on from college, I have an internship with World Magazine, an answer to prayer and I am so excited.

Though I miss the accountability of being on a team, I know I made the best decision. Not only could I spend time interviewing and writing people’s stories, but I learned to enjoy assignments, freely attend evening lectures, and simply enjoy being surrounded by friends on this beautiful campus.

If you are a high school student deciding whether or not to play a varsity college sport, let me help you – There is no wrong answer. I split my college career of playing sports and not, and I am glad I got to dip my toes into two very different worlds. Though there is no wrong option, some are better than others. Keep in mind the time you spend at college cannot be duplicated.

Also know that our intramural (IM) sports program here at Grove City is nothing to joke about. IM soccer, volleyball, badminton, tennis, basketball, ping pong, and even flag football have all filled my four years. Though varsity sports may not be for you, alternatives abound. Do not fear when you no longer devote each moment to bettering your body and your team. Life after college is filled with marriage, jobs, travel – but the chance to play on a varsity team may not carry over. However, each of those other activities can be bettered during the formative four years of college.

Make time to enjoy God’s creation, watch a movie with your roommate, listen to a talk from a renowned guest speaker, play some IM sports and maybe go for a run. Each human consists of mind, body and soul. Each can be nourished by the choices we make. And no matter which choice you make about varsity sports in college, you will find your place.

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Why You Should Fight Senioritis

Back in the spring semester of my senior year in high school, I thought I had the whole “school” thing figured out. I had gotten mostly A’s and B’s in all my classes, I was heavily involved in after-school activities, and I had just gotten accepted into the college of my choice, Grove City College. I was feeling really confident about myself and my time management skills. High school had been a breeze.

Then I started to feel the draw of Senioritis. I would define Senioritis as simply not wanting to do any school work because, “It doesn’t even matter anymore.” I am sure most seniors in high school can relate to this feeling; not wanting to take notes, study for tests, or even show up to class. I was never worried about my grades because I was already accepted into college! They were not going to “un-accept” me because I got a D on a calculus exam, so what did it matter? I would tell myself, “When I get to college, then I’ll start working hard.” With this mindset, my work ethic started to fall along with my GPA.

Let me warn anyone feeling the temptation of Senioritis: Fight the urge to give in! When I got to Grove City College, I was expecting the work to be just as easy as it was in high school. I was planning on putting the same amount of time and energy into my academics as I had in the past. I hardly read any of the assigned readings, I did the bare minimum on my homework, and I took sloppy notes. For some reason I thought that I would still receive the same, above-average, GPA.

At the end of my first semester here, I realized that Grove City was expecting more from me. My GPA was not what I hoped it would be and I was disappointed in myself. From then on, I had to start working hard to change my study habits to become a more successful student. Now, after a couple of semesters focusing on improving my work ethic, I have gotten into the groove of things and do not feel so strained when it comes to getting schoolwork done. It took some time and self-reflection, but the reward was worth it. My only regret is not focusing on academics sooner.

So, my advice? Study for that calculus exam. Take good notes. Read what you are asked to read for class. Senior year of high school is a true test of integrity. It is extremely important that you work as hard as you can, because college will only be more challenging. If you take the time to build the foundation of a great work ethic now, you will feel more confident and proud of yourself when you get to college.

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The Road to Self-Discovery: A Senior’s Unique Perspective

“I realized in life there are a lot of chapters that we go through. For me the chapters went as such: high school, the military, after that working hard to save money to move here, and now college. For me this chapter is closing, I’m already preparing to ‘write’ the next chapter. Each chapter seems longer than the other one, not by amount of years, but things that happen, things that matter, things that make me who I am.”

Daniel Peiffer is a senior Communication Studies major with a minor in Design. Over the past four years he has been involved in WSAJ, Grove City College’s radio station, and has pursued his passion for photography in his free time. While he seems like an average student, Daniel does not consider himself to be like the typical “Grover.” Daniel grew up in Israel, he does not share the same Christian faith as many students, and he did not intend on coming to Grove City College. Although these things made his transition to college more challenging, Daniel used this experience to grow as an individual.

While at the College, Daniel learned that being organized is the key to success. He noted that being unorganized and slacking will “show up in your grades” and that working hard leads to extra time to explore hobbies and to relax. He also discovered that each class, for better or worse, was a learning experience that helped him to determine his strengths and weaknesses and how to better manage them. He even spoke highly of the independent study that he took, commenting that the class helped him to “discover and learn a lot more about I want to do in the future.”

As this chapter of life closes for Daniel, a new one full of even more adventures will begin. Daniel longs to put his education to the test to pursue a career in video production and he hopes that future Grove City College students find their niche as well.

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Lifelong Friends at Grove City

Around second semester of freshman year, I became extremely close with a group of people at Grove City College and have remained close with them throughout my time here. They have all impacted my life tremendously and continue to bless it every day with liveliness, laughter, and an overwhelming sense of joy. In this group of friends that I belong to, we all share similar morals in how we live our lives. With all of us being Christians, we work hard to keep each other accountable for our actions and keep our eyes focused on God.

When our friend group is altogether, we act fairly similarly. We find humor in almost situation, strive to make every meeting entertaining, and accidentally (slightly purposefully) become the loudest crew in most settings.  Most people do not understand the hilarious aspects that make us cry from laughter in the middle of a quiet Student Union. However, this is because of our intimate group dynamic and the general understanding among each other.

This group of close friends from the beginning of our college career has helped to shape us into the people we are now. At the end of the day, we all know there is a greater purpose to our earthly lives. So, although we might spend our time differently, having other friends we occasionally spend our time with, or having some differing ideas, we conform in the way we care for one another and use our relationships to lift us closer to God.

I am so thankful for Grove City College because of the meaningful and lasting friendships I have found. We are called to bring as many people to Christ as possible and the only way that can be achieved is through building relationships. It means so much to me to see other people gain significant friends here and use that to spread love to even more people. Connecting the lessons learned at college help to show the significance of surrounding oneself with meaningful relationships, especially when they are pointing me closer to God.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

 

 

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Relationships While Studying Abroad

When I reflect on my family life, I know how strong we all are and how we always look to each other in times of need. I really appreciate the relationship I have developed with my family and look forward to continued relationship growth. My parents and I became extremely close once I started into my freshman year of college because of the distance apart from each other. While studying abroad in Italy, I found it difficult to develop the same types of relationships like I have with my family or my close friends at school. I knew that it would be challenging to be thrown into a completely new country and culture, but I did not realize how much it would impact my relationships back home. With being focused on traveling and photographing Florence, calling my parents and friends to hear about their lives was not always the easiest. I made time to try to catch up, but I also wanted to make sure I did not miss out on my time abroad.

I think something so important about intercultural relationships would be that in order for them to work, it requires an understanding of the other culture and the way they live. If we cannot grasp what they are going through in their everyday lives, how can we have an effective conversation or relate to them? My parents managed to understand what I was going through abroad and how being so far away from home impacted my faith, friendships, and lifestyle. All of which gave me a different perspective when arriving back home to the United States. The connections I made while in Italy with my Italian professors and other study abroad students are especially meaningful because we all experienced the same type of difficulties of being in a new cultural environment. If one is going into a new culture, they must be fully immersed to understand it and get the most out of the opportunities.

With studying abroad, do not be afraid of being far away from home. Meeting new people is such a fun experience and develops one’s character! Gaining relationships with people of another culture is something so special and lasting for lifelong situations.

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10 Tips for Incoming Freshmen from a Graduating Senior

If I Knew Then, What I Know Now…

As a senior who is about to graduate from Grove City College, I have been reminiscing on my last four years here. During my reflections, I decided to come up with a list of helpful tips for incoming freshmen. I hope you enjoy!

1. Attend Orientation Board activities

When you arrive on campus in the fall, be prepared for the first two weeks to be filled with events and activities held by Orientation Board (OB). As a freshman, I did not end up attending very many of these events because I was not sure if it was the “cool” thing to do, and it is definitely something I regret. OB works really hard to put on these events and make everyone feel welcome. These activities are a great way to get to meet other freshmen and also a chance to eat free food!

2. Get to know your Freshmen Hall

My freshman year, my roommates and I did not venture much outside our room when we were in the residence halls. However, later down the road we ended up becoming friends with others who were on our freshman hall and we did not even know it! If you are looking for a way to meet others on your hall, prop your door open while you are just hanging out in your room, you never know who could stop by!

3. Get involved on campus

At the beginning of each fall semester, Grove City College holds an Organization Fair for students to walk around and see all the various clubs and organizations offered on campus. Do not be afraid to sign up for something you have always wanted to do but have never done before. My junior year, I  ended up joining the Women’s Club Lacrosse team with no prior experience, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I made in four years.

4. Prioritize your studies

There is a reason that Grove City College is known for its rigorous academics. It is important to explore and be involved in college, but do not forget to study! Figure out your most efficient and effective study techniques, and if you ever feel like you need extra help, do not be afraid to reach out to your adviser, upperclassmen in your major, or other academic resources.

5. Meal dates are a thing

Something I have learned in my years here is that Grove City students love to ask others to get meal dates in the dining halls in order to get to know one another better. Sometimes groups of friends or clubs will get weekly meal dates to catch up on each others lives. This is definitely something that is unique to the the College’s friendly culture, and it is a great way to get to know acquaintances better!

6. Always back up your computer files

One of the best perks of attending Grove City College is that everyone is given a computer. It is really important to backup the significant files on your computer such as papers or projects that are in progress. Whether it be on a flash drive or your Office 365 account provided by the College, I highly recommend backing up your files regularly in case anything were to happen with your laptop.

7. Its never too early to network

Networking is very significant to your future when it comes time to apply and interview for jobs. It is never too early to begin doing so (even your freshman year), whether you are getting contacts from your professor, alumni, or other professionals in your field of study. Creating a LinkedIn account is a great way to build your professional profile and network with others.

8. Get familiar with OneNote

If you like to take notes on your laptop rather than handwriting, learn how to use OneNote. It is a Microsoft Office program that comes available on your Grove City College laptop. It is great for organization among the different tabs and pages. If you are searching for a certain topic while studying for an exam, using Ctrl-F allows you to search for words on the current page, and Ctrl-E allows you to search for words in all of your notebooks.

9. Find an upperclassman to help you with class registration when the time comes

Scheduling for classes can tend to be a stressful time on campus, but finding help from upperclassmen is definitely the way to go. They have done it before and can teach you how it is done. Also reaching out to an upperclassmen in your major or your adviser is helpful to figure out what classes you should try to take each semester.

10. Use school resources

Using school resources is something I wish I would have done earlier in college. Grove City offers a variety of academic, campus life, and administrative resources such as the Writing Center, the Technical Learning Center Help Desk, the Mail Room, the Career Services Office, and more. The resources on campus are provided for ease of access, and some of them put on seminars such as resume writing or studying tips to help prepare you for things you will need to know.

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Having Fun with Your Electives: SOCI 251

SOCI 251 (Courtship and Marriage) is a class that I am currently taking this semester. It is a class that does not pertain to my major, but I took it expecting it to be an easy three credit elective where I had potential to gain some useful knowledge. The class brings up a multitude of things that I would have never thought about otherwise. The course’s main topic of discussion is communication and how it is so vital to not only marriage relationships, but relationships with your friends, family, and other loved ones as well. It teaches how to be a good communicator, how to really listen, and how to set your future marriage up for success.

I have never taken a sociology course before, so this class has been very different to me, but a good different. It has brought a lot of things to my attention that I would have never thought of before. Some of these things include the effect that facial expressions and other nonverbal cues have on a person, and also the way that your family shapes you into who you are. I went to a small, public high school where no course remotely similar to this was offered. With everything in the media, you sometimes get this false image of what a relationship is or what it should be like. Often times, the image that we perceive due to all of these things mentioned falls short of what a Christian relationship should really be. This being said, with being a Christian in the world we live in today, I saw this class as the opportunity to branch out from my major of accounting and learn not only what these quality aspects of a successful marriage include but also logic and information in the field of sociology that has helped me to understand myself and my being.

Although this course has not taught me any skills I will need specifically for accounting, I feel as though it will have a big effect on the relationships I have now, the relationships I will create, and how well I maintain those relationships. Even though it does not pertain to my major, I am going to have relationships with people in my future career and due to this course, I will be able to better communicate with those people. This class is one of the many courses that are an option to you as a prospective student that will not only preparing you for marriage but also your career and help you to grow both mentally and spiritually in this thought provoking course. Something not all majors may be accustomed to.