By Rylie Parkins/ne news editor
Cheaper tuition and smaller class sizes are perks of attending a junior college, but the real benefits extend beyond the obvious, an author said last week.
Dean Khors, author of Hacking College, presented a seminar based on his book Jan. 29 on NW Campus and Jan. 30 on NE Campus.
“You can use TCC to determine where you want to go from here,” he said at the beginning of the seminar.
Khors then explained the benefits of attending a junior college versus a four-year university that many people may not be familiar with.
For example, many universities have begun calling themselves research universities, and their main purpose is to do research.
Khors said for many professors, teaching at research universities is only a side business.
“Professors at universities don’t teach; they profess,” he said.
As a result, 50 percent of students at state universities will fail out.
After reinforcing the importance of attending a junior college before transferring to a university, Khors provided the audience with information on improving academically before transferring.
“ Commit, start early and stretch,” he said.
More specifically, Khors said students should get difficult classes out of the way. The longer difficult classes are put off, the harder they are to pass, which may hinder one’s ability to graduate in a timely manner.
Khors also stressed the importance of improving reading, writing and critical thinking skills before transferring.
“Don’t leave here until you have used this place up,” he said.
Khors later discussed how to improve one’s chances of getting accepted to a university.
He touched on points such as social networking, interning or joining a professional organization as activities that stand out on a college application.
He also warned against the danger of applying to a college because a family member attended the school or because of a fondness for the university’s sports team.
For those concerned about not being financially able to transfer, Khors stressed the importance of completing a FAFSA form and applying for loans and Pell Grants. He said universities want economic diversity, so in many cases, universities will waive certain fees to capture that diversity.
At the conclusion of the seminar, students like Jessica McDonald, a NE Campus student, provided positive feedback.
“I liked that he could relate to me,” she said. “The information made me think beyond my two years at TCC. It made me think about what I’m going to do when I transfer.”
Tami Segars, a NE Campus student, also enjoyed the seminar.
“This seminar helped me focus on what I need to do to improve while I’m in college (reading, writing, critical thinking) and how important it is to keep my grades up,” she said.
Segars said she wished her son had heard Khors. “He is a senior in high school, and this seminar would help him prepare for college,” she said.
