How To Study Effectively??

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  Dream big.

•  Grab a paper and pen. Jot down all your goals: short-term and long-term. What you want to achieve this year or want you want to do in your life. Remember: Dream big - really big. Stick it up on the wall or on your cork board, in your workplace. That way, when you feel discouraged,your goals will motivate you to achieve them.
  
  

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Advice for the new college student

Hats off to you graduates! We’ve finally done it. While some of us are moving on to graduate school, a new job or an exciting adventure, we all have thoughts about what we wish we had known as a college student.
That’s not to say I regret any of my decisions as a college student — college was one of the best experiences of my life. However, over the past few weeks, I have been thinking about advice to give my now sophomore sister who attends the same university that I just left. While she is a much better student than me and probably knows all of this, they are still good tips to keep in mind.
While I realize that every student is different in how they approach their education, here are five final things that this graduate thinks may help you.

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6 ways you can spend less time studying and still get better grades

I’ve been studying really hard this semester, but my grades don’t reflect my hard work. What am I doing wrong?

Many people believe if you spend enough time studying, you’ll get good grades. Not true.
Time spent studying and getting good grades are not always as closely correlated as you might think.

1. Study a little bit every day.
It’s better to study a small amount every day than to study a huge amount the day before the exam. The brain actually needs time to process the material, so if you review your class notes 20 minutes a day for the week prior to the exam (7 days x 20 min/day = 140 minutes of study time), you’ll retain more information than if you study three hours the night before the exam (180 minutes).
That’s an example of a 40-minute savings on study time to produce better results in just one class.
2. Know which assignments carrying the most weight and work on those first.
Not all assignments are created equal. Knowing which ones are most important will help you prioritize your time.
If it’s not clearly outlined in a class syllabus, ask your professor how she determines your class grade and make smart choices based on this information.
In every class you usually have multiple assignments. A five-point project does not merit the same amount of time spent as a 50-point project, but if you’re not careful with your time, the five-point project ends up chewing up more time than it’s worth.
Be strategic and thoughtful about how you spend your time. Do the important projects first. Don’t get lulled into feeling productive when you’ve spent two hours on the five-point project if you have not spent two hours on the 50-point project first.





 It’s easy to spend a lot of time studying without producing good grades if you’re spending your time on the wrong things.
Be very mindful of how you spend your study time. Study each day, and be disciplined about focusing your time on the most important assignments as determined by how the assignment impacts your final grade.
The skills you learn in regard to prioritization and time management will help you be more successful in college and as well as your career. Learn them now, and you’ll thank yourself for years to come.

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3. Put in the time.
I recommend 10-12 hours per test as a starting point. Yes, I just wrote that.
If you earn too high a grade, cut back an hour or two for each test in a class until you settle out at the right amount of studying to achieve a low “A” grade. Remember, you’re in class for only 16 hours per week. In high school, you put in 40. You have hours you can commit.
If you want to land a great job out of college, there’s no better first step than committing the time to get a strong GPA.
4. Find a great study spot.
Where you study matters — a lot. Get out of the dorm. Get out of the student union. I generally don’t even like most floors of the main campus library. There’s just too much activity in those spots.
Find a quiet, out-of-the-way location where you can get focused. Almost any distraction will be more exciting to you than early European history or macro accounting (depending on your interests), so minimize the number of distractions you’ll experience.
5. Turn off your social media (and music).
There have been actual studies done showing that attempting to study while Tweeting, Facebooking and/or texting will diminish your results. Shocking, right?
My suggestion is to study for 50 minutes and then take a 10 minute study break and tweet until your heart is content. Then turn all of your media off again and go for another 50 minutes. Yes, I know it’s painful, but how badly do you want that A?
6. Learn the notes first.
Professors lecture on what they think it most important. They test to determine if you’ve grasped the most important material in the class.
As such, they will most likely test primarily from the lecture notes. Don’t follow this advice out the window. Buy the book. Read the book, and study it.
Just don’t focus on it at the expense of the notes (and shift your focus away from it after the first exam if you determine your professor is focused on the notes in his or her exams).

Achieving the grades you want is all about putting in the right quality and quantity of study time.
Increase your commitment (if you aren’t putting in 10+ hours per test in study time) and improve your technique and results will follow

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Get hired! 5 no-nonsense tips for landing your first job

You’re done. You’re done with finals, you’re done with dining hall food and you did your last walk of shame. It’s summer. Whether you already strutted your stuff to “Pomp and Circumstance” or if you’ll be back again next year, you’re ready to take on the world this summer. Only one small problem: you don’t have a job.
But don’t worry, according to research conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers indicate they plan to hire about 19 percent more graduates in 2011 than they did in 2010. And even better, Her Campus spoke to Jessica Kleiman, VP of Public Relations at Hearst Magazines and co-author of Be Your Own Best Publicist: How to Use PR Techniques to Get Noticed, Hired and Rewarded at Work, who offered to advice to recent graduates on scoring a job after graduation. Read on to find out the best tips for landing a job post-grad, whether that’s now or in a couple years.
Connections, connections, connections
“It’s important to connect with as many people as you can,” Kleiman says. “Which means everything from leveraging your alumni organization, to signing up for networking events in the industry.”
Networking and maintaining the relationships you make are vital in today’s job market. It’s important to keep in touch with anyone you meet, as you never know who may be able to help you in the future.
Her Campus contributing writer Rachel Kossman, a recent Northeastern grad, scored a job at Tech Target.
“Network, network, network,” she says. “Today’s day and age is all about who you know and who you can meet.”
She did an internship with her school’s co-op program at Tech Target and used that connection to land a job.
Of course, opportunities to network aren’t only limited to previous employment or designated “Network Nights” at your school. Be open to talking to anyone in your career path—whether it’s at your brother’s baseball game or your boyfriend’s graduation party—you never know who is able and willing to help you. Read >this article to find out how you can successfully network beyond the web.
Utilize informational interviews
One way to make these connections is by setting up and going on informational interviews. Kleiman explained informational interviews as a meeting with no real job attached to it, but rather as a way to get your foot in the door. That way you’re able to better understand the company and the job, and you make the connection for the future.
“You can ask them for advice for how to land a job at their company or at another company,” she says. “What it does is give people a chance to talk about what they do, but it also gives you an opportunity to get information.”
You can find people to contact for informational interviews by getting in touch with people you met in networking experience or asking people you already know—like friends or family—if they know anyone in your field of interest. An informational interview is a great way to make a first impression, establish your interest and keep in touch.
Keep your résumé to only one page
“You want to keep your résumé to only one page, particularly if you just graduated from college,” Kleiman says. “There’s never any reason for someone who doesn’t have any full-time work experience to have a résumé that goes over a page. You really want to edit it down to the most important information.”
However, don’t underestimate how important that one page could be! Danielle Monsiegneura, recent graduate of University of Connecticut and current summer intern at Her Campus, knows the importance of a good résumé.
“Take a good look at your résumé and really edit it to best market yourself,” she says. “Your résumé provides a strong representation not only of who you are as an employee but also as a person. A powerful résumé has the potential to create a great first impression.”
Try cutting your résumé down by editing your résumé based on the job you’re applying to and only including the necessary experience. Also keep your résumé as current as possible—you don’t need your clubs from high school when you graduated college!

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5 outdated job-hunting tips (and what you should be doing instead)

The goal of a college education is ultimately to get a job, so naturally your parents, grandparents, professors and anyone else who has had a part in your academic career are inclined to give you job-hunting tips. Though your elders clearly have great intentions in trying to help you out, you may want to be wary of the advice they give. Because of the age gap between our generation and theirs, the tips that worked for them years ago don’t necessarily apply anymore.
Here are some the outdated pieces of advice you may hear from those a bit older than you, and what you should do instead to get ahead on those job and internship applications and land the job of your dreams.
1. Go door-to-door looking for a position
When Northwestern University senior Zara Wright was looking for summer jobs, adults gave her this tip. “Although it seemed outdated to me, I originally did take this advice because I was a job-hunting novice at the time,” she says. “It turned out that this process was not at all productive. Most businesses weren’t hiring (surprise, surprise), but asked me to fill out an application for their records anyway. I spent countless hours each day filling out applications that were never going to be seen.”
Instead of hitting the town to look for jobs, take your search online and save the time you’d otherwise spend visiting businesses without any available positions. “In today’s world, where the Internet is such a useful resource, it makes far more sense to do the research from home to see what jobs are out there and apply to positions you know are open,” Zara says. Vicki Salemi, author of Big Career in the Big City: Land a Job and Get a Life in New York City and founder of the Boot Camp for College Grads, says you can look at sites such as CareerBuilder, Monster and Indeed to find jobs. She recommends Indeed in particular because it aggregates job postings from a bunch of different sites. In a process that’s already daunting and tedious, you don’t want to waste any precious time!
2. Put everything you’ve ever done on your resume to highlight every accomplishment

Instead of listing every one of your life accomplishments on your resume, Salemi says to keep it down to one page. But with all of your academic awards, extracurricular activities and community service projects, how can you manage this?
Cut out anything that you weren’t involved with for a significant amount of time, as short stints in organizations display a lack of commitment. Highlight organizations where you held a leadership position. Also, nix anything you’ve taken part in that didn’t involve skills relevant to the job you’re seeking.
Cutting down your resume is important in helping you get to the next round of the application process. With an increasingly competitive job market and so many applications to read, recruiters are not going to sift through a 10-page document. In fact, Alice Harra, the interim director of University Career Services at Northwestern University and a former corporate recruiter, says recruiters don’t even spend much time looking at resumes, and eliminate those that are too long right away.
“As a former corporate recruiter, I looked at a resume for 10 to 20 seconds, rarely more,” Harra says. “I have checked this with every corporate recruiter and have never met one who reads a resume for more than 30 seconds. In fact, we don’t read resumes; we scan them. A long one is immediately discarded. It means you don’t know what you want to say, so you said everything. “
Harra says that ultimately, your resume isn’t supposed to be your life story. “Think of your resume as an invitation to call you, not your biography, she says. “Say just enough about the who, what, when, where and why in your experience so that the recruiter can make a match with the position they are recruiting for and be curious enough to ask you for a phone screen or interview.”
The phone call or in-person interview is when a recruiter will really get to know you, so you’ll have an opportunity to share more about your experiences during that part of the application process. If you take these considerations to heart and be selective with what you include on your resume, you’ll be sure to keep it short, sweet and easy to read (or scan!).
3. Include your address and home phone number on your resume and cover letter

This may have been appropriate for the days when snail mail was the main mode of communication and cell phones didn’t exist. In this day and age, however, calling your home phone and mailing a letter to your home address are probably not the quickest or easiest ways to reach you, especially when you’re not likely to be home much anymore!
“Include your contact information that’s easily accessible,” Salemi says. “The address certainly isn’t necessary nor relevant; if you’re looking for an out-of-state job, you don’t want to be immediately dismissed by the recruiter in case they think, ‘Oh, they’ll never move.’ They should be thinking about whether or not you’re qualified for the job, but sometimes other factors come into play that could potentially dismiss you as a candidate, so you’re better off leaving it off.”
In today’s job search process, you should typically include your cell phone number and email address on your resume and cover letter to ensure you’re as reachable as possible. Do make sure your email address sounds professional, though; “beachygirl@hotmail.com” just won’t cut it, Harra says. Also, if you have a personal website, provide a link to that on your resume as well so employers can easily see firsthand what you’ve accomplished. Harra also says to provide links to your LinkedIn and Twitter pages if your posts are relevant to your professional life.
You’re growing up and entering the real world, so you shouldn’t have Mom and Dad be fielding your calls and mail!
4. Don’t experiment with design on your resume and cover letter

Many of your elders may be apt to tell you to always keep your resume black and white. Aubrey Nagle, a Drexel University junior and the Campus Correspondent for Drexel’s chapter of Her Campus, heard that advice during a career class she took in preparation for her co-op. “Such a variety of students and majors, both traditional and creative, go to Drexel that I was shocked we were told to keep our resumes plain when looking for co-ops,” Nagle says.
Instead of immediately opting for black and white, you should tailor your resume and cover letter to the jobs for which you’re applying. If you’re looking to land a position that doesn’t entail any sort of web or graphic design, then feel free to keep a black-and-white look with standard fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial. Salemi says there’s nothing wrong with giving your resume a basic appearance.
But if you’re looking to snag a creative gig, Salemi says you can definitely add in some pizzazz. This will help showcase your skills in the application itself. And even if you’re looking for a different type of position, it still doesn’t hurt to spice up your application to make it pop! Nagle did just that, and she says it helped her obtain a number of positions. “In a sea of same-old, same-old, nothing stands out like a punch of color!” she says.
If you do decide to spruce up your app.ication, make sure you choose colors, fonts and spacing settings that won’t reduce readability. And if you’re submitting your documents to an online application system, save them as PDF files in order to preserve their presentation. To mock up fabulous resumes and cover letters, Adobe’s InDesign program is a fantastic resource if you have it on hand or can access it at your school.
But regardless of whether you choose to keep a traditional resume format or go for something bolder, Harra says to remember that the content you include is still more important than presentation. “What is special about you? What can you deliver to your future employer and the world? That is what should pop on your resume, not your font, color choice or layout,” she says.
5. Don’t put your personal information online

Many members of older generations consider the Internet a vast abyss of information that could potentially get you in trouble. While this certainly could happen, you shouldn’t avoid it entirely—but you should still make every effort to keep up a professional social media presence.
Maintain an updated profile on LinkedIn to make your accomplishments more visible to potential employers. Harra also suggests perusing LinkedIn groups in your field to look for job opportunities that appeal to you. “Go to where the people who are doing the job that you want to be doing are and interact with them,” she says. Social media makes this incredibly easy to do!
You can also constructively increase your online presence by creating a personal website. Your website should include a brief summary about yourself, samples of any work you’ve done in your chosen field, a downloadable resume and your contact information. You can create a site for free with WordPress or Wix. If you need help laying out your personal site, take a web design class, ask for help from a web-savvy friend, chat with your school’s career center or check out Her Campus’s tips for making one!
But even with these professional kinds of online visibility, you obviously still have a personal life that’s likely to be at least partly documented on the Internet. Your elders are right in telling you that the wrong information could get you in trouble (regardless of how private you think it is), so be wary of what you post, the photos you’re tagged in, the pages you like and the people you interact with. Polish your online profiles by nixing photos containing alcohol or where you show too much skin, and refrain from writing obscenities in your posts. You can also use a website like Socioclean to find and delete unprofessional content on your social media profiles. If you don’t want your parents to see it, then it probably shouldn’t be online.
An increasingly competitive job market has made for a different job application process that older generations may just not understand. But if you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be able to steer clear of outdated advice and make your job search as easy, efficient and successful as possible.

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6 bold statements that can damage your relationship with your professor

I’m sorry for your loss, but this is very inconvenient for me.”
In 14 years as communication faculty and a writer on student-professor dynamics, I thought I heard it all. Then a family member unexpectedly died. Attending the funeral required a class reschedule. My crisis became my student’s logistical annoyance.
In “Six things you should say to your professor”, I suggested ways for students to improve everyday comments that profs find frustrating (“Did I miss anything important?”).
In the past year, I’ve heard students say some bold things that can damage a working relationship. Here are six examples:
1. If your professor makes a change due to unexpected circumstances
Don’t say: “This is very inconvenient for me.”
Do say: “I’m sure this was a difficult decision. Thanks for making it work out.” Or if you disagree, say, “Is there another option? I’m concerned about ________.”
Here’s why: Issues ranging from personal emergency to pace of student learning could change your prof’s well-intended plan. Your schedule likely says “tentative” for that reason. The switch should never negatively impact you. Worried that it will? Open the conversation with care. Your prof probably struggled to retool, too.
2. If you are working while in school
Don’t say: “I’m full-time at my job and have been very busy.”
Do say: “I started my assignment early because my schedule is tight. Could you make sure I’m on the right track?”
Here’s why: Your prof may empathize, but cannot give you leniency because of work. Classes must rank, so schedule your assignment deadlines early. You’ll feel less stressed and likely get more help by eliminating the excuse.

3. If your professor suggests a different direction for your idea
Don’t say: “It’s not worth it to me. I’ll just do something else.”
Do say: “I appreciate the feedback. I see how this approach makes my original idea stronger.” Or “Let me give you some background on why I thought this would work. Is there any way I can move ahead?”
Here’s why: Your prof’s early critique stands to make your final product (and grade!) better. In the workplace, fresh ideas are applauded … and often altered. Will you abandon ship if you can’t get your way? Take a step back, take a breath, and take another look. Accepting feedback with grace is an art and skill, one that definitely should be honed in college.
4. If your professor gives you constructive criticism
Don’t say: “I think you have me confused with another student.”
Do say: “Thank you for pointing out areas where I can improve. Can you clarify what you mean by ___________? I want to make sure I understand what you’re looking for.”
Here’s why: Unless your prof’s comments are clearly about someone else’s work, she knows exactly who you are. And guess what? She cares and wants you to do better. Try not to take the feedback personally, but do follow up if you are confused.
5. If your prof recommends that you drop the class
Don’t say: “I’m on scholarship, so I won’t leave.”
Do say: “Can you explain why you are making this recommendation?” Or, “Is there anything you can suggest so this outcome doesn’t happen again?” (Note: Only ask if you really don’t know. Otherwise, thank your prof for looking out for you!).
Here’s why: Many profs only suggest withdrawal if the situation is unrecoverable. We know the ramifications academically, financially, and emotionally. However, if a student’s situation is truly terminal, refusal to leave won’t move us to rescue.
6. If you are confused
Don’t say: “I wasn’t planning on doing that assignment.”
Do say (as soon as possible!): “I am having trouble with ____________ (be specific!). Can you point me in the right direction?”
Here’s why: Aside from the funeral comment, this one surprises (and saddens!) me the most. Too many students skip an assignment, rather than ask for help. Any points are better than a zero. Your prof can’t help you if you don’t speak up. Get on track and at least complete the work.
While my examples are real, I believe the students did not realize how their words came across.
If you are frustrated or confused, plan your next words with your end goal in mind. Boldness and rudeness could actually escalate your problem, rather than solve it.
Appropriate and respectful communication will get your needs met way faster … and you’ll preserve an important relationship.

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6 things you should say to your professor

You’re in a bind or you’re totally confused. What should you say to your professor?
Everything you read about speaking to professors warns that you shouldn’t tick them off, ruin their impression of you or say something to sink you further.
But should you keep your mouth shut? No!
I’ve witnessed 14-plus years of student interactions and I teach interpersonal communication. Not talking to your instructors isn’t the answer and texting is out of the question. The right words give you a shot at solving your problem and possibly getting better grades.

I’ve got two pocket themes you can use with your professor that work for many class-related situations: “Here is what I’ve done…” and “Here is what I propose…” A little background behind my recommendations:
When students have issues — late work, absences, needing help — they often come across as, “Solve it for me. Now!” Professors’ reactions? Mildly irritated to snarky to downright grizzly. Would you throw your lateness, your missed work or your confusion in your boss’ lap and say, “Fix it!”? That could cost you a job, right? You want to appear ultra-professional with your professor, even if you’ve blown something up. So use these phrases to sound proactive, rather than reactive.
• Instead of saying, “I’m so lost!” say, “I am confused about our upcoming paper. Here is what I’ve done: I read over the assignment sheet. I reviewed your examples. I am stuck on the transitions and two of my sources. Can you help with that?”
Here’s why: Instead of conveying blanket lost-ness, be specific. Don’t make your professor tease out where you’re stuck, which wastes time. Show that you’ve attempted to help yourself and you’ll get more focused assistance.
• Instead of saying, “I really needed a 4.0 in this class!” say, “I am striving for a 4.0 and I’m prepared to work for it. I’ve reviewed the syllabus. I would like to make an appointment so I can ask questions and discuss my plan for achieving my goal.”
Here’s why: Professors learn about desperately needed grades at the end of a term. Too late! All grade goals require a collaborative conversation initiated by you on day one or week one.
• Instead of saying, “I worked so hard! I deserved an A!” say, “I am working toward an A on our assignment, so I finished my project early. Would you be willing to take a look and give me some feedback?”
Here’s why: Your professors grade on tangible work that meets set standards. Work early and some professors may offer feedback ahead of the due date. Some may not, but try saying this: “I have two very specific questions.” They’ll likely answer.
• Instead of saying, “Will this be on the test?” say, “I used my notes and textbook and downloaded your lectures and PowerPoints to create a study guide for our upcoming exam. Would you look and see if I’ve missed any major areas?”
Here’s why: No need to mine for test gold and lose credibility. Show your professor you think all content is worthwhile. You won’t have questions handed to you, but you may get an assist if you’ve skipped a critical study area.
• Instead of saying, “I’ve missed four classes, but can I still pass?” say, “I missed the last four classes, which was unavoidable. I do not plan to be absent again. I’ve reviewed the attendance and late-work policy on the syllabus. I calculated my lost points. Here is what I propose to catch myself up (submit your proposal), based on your policies. Have I missed anything in my calculations? I believe I can still pass if we agree on the dates I will submit this work, according to your policy and penalties.”
Here’s why: Your professor may have zero tolerance for absences. Still, a well-thought-out proposal has a chance. Asking your professor to save you likely doesn’t.
• Instead of saying, “Can I leave early? Will we be doing anything important?” say, “I need to leave class early today. I noticed on the schedule that you are going over chapter six. I read chapter six and started on the assignment. I will have it done on time and do not need to leave early again.”
Here’s why: First, don’t ask for exit permission — your professor can’t fairly give it. Just go, be responsible for the consequences and don’t make early departure a habit. Second, your professor has a plan for class days, regardless how the schedule appears. You may be going over a test, building community through class discussion or having an unexpected guest speaker. Every class day is a day committed by you and your professor, and is important to your professor. It should be important to you, as well. Conveying otherwise? Not professional.
You deserve to know the correct way to communicate with your professors. Too often, students sound clueless and don’t realize it. Trying these phrases may feel a little weird at first, but believe me, even if you fumble, you’ll sound more like the professional you’re trying to become than students who use the alternatives. And if your professor remains snarky or grizzly, don’t be thrown. You’ll know that you handled yourself properly.
Armed with correct communication, you’ll have an incredible opportunity in college to not only improve your classwork, but also build a relationship with someone who could become a long-lasting mentor. As a bonus, you’ll practice one of the top employability skills with someone who is as close to a boss as you can get. Again, you deserve to have the right words for that.
Use them.

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10 Questions You Shouldn’t Ask Your Professor before the Final

They say that dead men tell no tales. But dying men ask a lot of desperate questions. If you’re just now confronting the reality of final exams, there’s no quick fix advice to ensure a passing grade. The best you can do is study hard, sleep regularly, lay off the Four Loko, and avoid any of the following last minute inquiries:

1. “Complete sentences”? What for?

2. Instead of taking a test, can I summarize this class in a tweet?

3. Do you stamp your Blue Books, to prevent the possibility of pre-composed essays being smuggled into the test? Is it like a run-of-the-mill, A.C. Moore stamp, or something that you special order?

4. Are we doing teacher evaluations before or after this final?

5. May I be excused if there’s a natural disaster or a major political coup on the day of the test? What about globally?

6. Man, that is some beard — when did you start growing that thing!?

7. Why are finals always designed to measure how many random facts we can memorize? Don’t you care about our personal growth?

8. Ok, so ballpark figure… What would be the average of my current grade and zero?

9. Do you realize that my parents pay your salary?

10. Is this textbook still available at the bookstore?

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5 questions that will take the fear out of talking to your professor

To some students, entering a professor’s office means contracting a life-threatening virus.
To others, it feels like home.
The professor-to-student relationship usually — and unfortunately — lies at one of these two polar extremes. It’s not like colleges provide Professor Relationship 101, either.
Think of the next five hypothetical questions asked by students as a crash course. Hopefully it will debunk myths and stigmas around professors and how they interact with students.
1. “What do I call them? A professor? A doctor? Mister or missus?”
Since kindergarten, students called teachers mister or missus so-and-so. Most students probably didn’t even know a teacher’s first name until college. This can be overwhelming. A legitimate fear for some definitely exists regarding what to call professors. But students just need to trust their instincts.
If a professor said, “… But you can call me by my first name,” then it’s not unprofessional. But if you’re talking to the school president about a professor, you may want to mention him as Professor Smith rather than Joe.
The same goes for emails, interview requests, office-hour signups … and professor, doctor, mister, missus. Use common sense — but don’t believe he or she would never talk to you again if you choose the wrong title.
2. “I don’t want to seem dumb going to a professor’s office. What do I do?”
Some students believe that asking a professor a question — let alone visiting his or her office — means that they will be marked as “the dumb one.”
But the truth is professors would much rather deal with questions before (for example, a midterm) rather being asked afterward, “I bombed this test, can you please raise my grade?”
Professors want to educate students.
Even if you had a dumb question, they’ll respect you for having the guts to ask it. If going to the office still intimidates you, then send an email. A professor or a teaching assistant will either answer the question or set up a meeting at his or her office to discuss it.
3. “But what do I even talk about? Just academics? I’m sure they don’t care about my life.”
Most professors understand the academic and social pressures of being a student. After all, they went through that themselves and have seen all variations of it teaching at your college.
The myth that professors somehow don’t have the pulse of younger students is false. To some degree, they may know more about students than anyone.
For example, it’s often harder to talk to parents or friends about school troubles. But professors can be neutral about it and even share a story or two about a student who went through the same thing.
Not all professors will welcome non-academic talks, but some will. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to ask by saying something like, “I’ve been struggling with (something). Do you have any suggestions?”
4. “I still don’t see a benefit to talk to a professor.”
Just like college admission essays, a great letter of recommendation will stand out. And for someone to write an inspired and truthful recommendation, he or she would need to get to know you.
But don’t think of a professor as a vessel that writes a fancy document. Professors have priceless connections and advice, too.
For example, a professor may know someone looking for a roommate or a job opening with other alumni. Most assume professors only know old alumni. Like the Class of ’45 alumni. But professors still communicate with students who just graduated.
However, do not just send an email asking for a recommendation letter or job offer. You wouldn’t ask a girl to prom on Facebook Chat, right? Do it in person and thank them for their time.
5. “So what you’re saying is that there’s no reason why you shouldn’t talk to a professor?”
Truthfully? Yes.
It is the professor’s job to be available for questions regarding his or her courses. Every professor is different, but most can — and willingly — double as a counselor, friend or mentor.
However, be mindful that professors have lives outside of school, too. (I know, shocking.) Plus, they have to be there for other students as well. Like you would treat your parents or friends, be respectful of their time. Thank them when applicable, and don’t be frustrated if they don’t get back to you immediately.
But most importantly, understand most professors want to help — academically, personally and intellectually.
Who knows? You may even make a lifelong friend out of it.

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5 things you should never say to your professor

From a professor’s point of view, I want to tell students that effective professors care about their classes, put a lot of time into grading and lesson planning and genuinely want students to take away some knowledge from the course. Being a professor with the technology accessible to students today also means that we are expected to answer emails immediately.

Believe it or not, professors also want to see their students do well in their courses. However, we do form impressions about students and it’s undeniable that we consider assignment extensions based on a student’s attitude and effort. Therefore, in order to build a relationship with your professor, whether it be to earn a good grade for the semester or to secure a letter of recommendation in the future, here are some things to avoid saying at all costs. Seriously.
1. “Did I miss anything important/Did we do anything important in class?”
Let me answer this one for you in one word: Yes. The answer will always be “yes.” The reason is because professors never stand up in front of a room or create an activity that they consider useless. Professors value their course and think the content is important every day. I will also add a bonus pointer here that it should be the student’s responsibility to find out what was missed in class.
2. “I just took your class for an easy A.”
Professors translate this statement as the student didn’t care about the course material or want to put any effort into doing the work. Professors care about their course curriculum and they hope that it will be respected and taken seriously. When professors grade, quality counts, and taking quizzes, writing papers and completing group presentations are all part of earning a passing grade.
3. “I didn’t know we had anything due in this course.”
Saying this to a professor is equivalent to asking, “What days does this class meet?” and, “Do we have a book in this course?” At the college level, students have assignments due in every class, every semester. It is a student’s responsibility to look at the course syllabus. At the collegiate level, a student should not be relying on class announcements or personalized emails to be alerted to upcoming due dates either.
4. “I was busy studying for my other classes so I didn’t do my work for this class.”
Unfortunately, that is not an excuse. Students need to learn time-management skills and effective study habits. It is an insult for a professor to hear that their class wasn’t as important as another one.
5. “Did you answer my email yet?”
There are two reasons why students should never say this to their professors. First, if you expected that the professor should reply to your email, you should spend time checking your inbox for the response before asking. It’s extremely frustrating if a lot of time was put into an email response and the student doesn’t even read the reply. Second, it gives off the impression that you believe the professor’s life revolves around your email. Professors attend meetings, have research demands, serve on committees and sleep at night. Please allow your professor a normal response time, especially if the email was sent at 1 a.m.
Note: The more polite way to handle the situation would be to follow up with a second email if the professor does not answer the first one within a week.

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M. Tech Programs in USA: Admission Requirements & Cost

Master's in technology is the next level of study after graduation for those who are interested in technical studies. India, the home to IITs, definitely offers some good colleges and national universities for a master's in different engineering specializations. But usually the number of seats in colleges like IITs are very few. Aspirants who do not get an M.Tech seat in Tier I colleges often look out for options abroad. And what place better than United States.

M.E & M.S programs in United States are equivalent to M.Tech programs in India. United Engineering colleges are popular not just because of they are in US, but also because they are top ranking colleges for technical studies in the world. As per US News' Rankings for 2011 the top colleges in technical education at master's level in America are world popular names like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, Stanford University & University of California Berkeley. All the colleges among the best are national universities that provide extremely high levels of education along with internationally recognized degrees.

Check out the list of top M.E/MS colleges in USA. The ranking of the colleges might slightly differ as per the preferred trade. Specific college rankings can be checked at US News & Rankings.

Admission Requirements

• Candidates require 16 years of study including 4 years of engineering.
• Other exam scores essential to secure an admission are TOEFL & GRE. The score requirement for both tests varies from university to university. For example the average GRE score requirement for US is 1250 and above.
• Some candidates also undermine the importance of a good undergrads GPA. But in fact, it is quite important.
• Foreign universities pay special attention to a good balance of academics and extra-curricular activities.
• Besides the above mentioned, recommendations and SOPs are other things that count in the admission procedure.

Find Colleges for M.Tech from USA

Cost

The cost of a master's of Science degree for engineering trades like civil, mechanical, IT, telecommunication etc in American universities varies from one to another. But on an average the tuition fee per year is somewhere close to US $25,000 to US $ 35,000. Living expenses would be separate, adding around another US $ 1200.

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Must Read :If you want to be the best Programmer

Getting Started

So you want to learn how to program and be a hacker. You’re going to want to start with very simple and easy to learn programming language. You’re choice between: Python or Ruby. They’re similar in syntax and in usage. Pick one, learn it, then learn the other. Or do both at the same time. Read both these books and don’t worry, they’re made for beginners.

Staying Focused

Staying focused and motivated can be a real challenge when it comes to learning something new. Sometimes we do something and we’re just hooked on it. There are programmers out there who are just so fascinated by programming they can do it for hours. However not all of us are like that, and we just say “Damn it, this is boring, I’m going to play video games”. But if you really want to do this, you have to work at it. Everything worth doing is going to be difficult. Here are some ways to stay focused when reading your programming books:

• Blog about what you have learned. You will understand a topic more if you try to explain it to someone else. 

• Find your working spot. You will need an area where you can sit and work without being distracted. 

• Schedule your time. Tell yourself “I will read my programming book for at least 30 minutes at 4:00 pm.” But if you’re having fun don’t stop there! 

• Reward yourself. “Just 2 more exercises and I can play Starcraft!”

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Top 10 Tips for Computer Science Students

1.) Math is More Important Than You Think

Math is all over Computer Science in many different ways. Software Engineers will use discrete math when working out algorithm complexity and efficiency, in graph theory, and recursion. People who work more directly with hardware will use discrete math in designing logical circuits and use automata theory for making finite state machines. At that level you are also working with the large amount of math inherent with electrical engineering. In research aspects you will be using probability and statistics for performance measurements and comparisons. Even game programmers use a lot of math when creating 3D environments.

2.) You'll Need To Write More Than Just Code

At the base level you will be writing comments in your code. Those are there for others to comprehend what you are trying to do, so explain what you are doing well. In software engineering you may be writing requirements, specifications, test plans, and more. There may be a time later in your CS career where you may need to write a research paper, that may get peer reviewed. Good writing skills will help you. Pay attention in your business writing classes and learn good technical writing skills now.

3) Don't Procrastinate

We know you've heard it a million times, but this is the worst possible thing you can do in a programming class. When you get an assignment, look it over and start on it right away. In the likely chance that you can't work through an error or figure out the logic, you'll have time to contact your instructor or use other available resources to solve the problem.

4) Don't Over complicate Things

The smaller a block of code is, without being redundant of other code, the better. When you break down algorithms which have nothing in common, often there is a loop or operation which is not unique, other than the parameters involved. A single method/function should not be longer, or wider than a standard 800x600 monitor view. If you comment well, a little larger is acceptable.

6) Impress Your Instructors, But Not Too Much

Your instructor can be your best friend, but don't be a suck up. Ask questions and show your instructor you're interested but don't annoy the rest of the class with constant questions and meaningless comments. If you can get to know your instructor, you may be able to leverage that relationship in the future for internships and recommendations.

7) Flow charting Early and Often

Any good programmer will tell you planning is the most important part of any project. You'll have to flowchart when you get a real job, so get good at it now. Planning a project out before you start, even if it's just good pseudocode, can save you hours of frustration. Don't start your project in the compiler, instead sit down with a piece of paper and plan out your program.

8) Make Sure This is What You Want to Do

Many computer science students get into CS because they like games. Now there are a lot of positions in Computer Game Design that do not require you to be a programmer, so if you are not interested in the coding aspect talk to someone who might direct you to a better path. Areas such as Technical writing, Dramatic Writing, graphic arts, business management, and many more might be better places to go. Use your minor/electives to take computer oriented classes and get to know the CS majors.

9) Use All Your Resources

Don't hit a road block and then panic. There are thousands of resources online to help you work through a problem. From tutorials, to forums , to live help, you should be able to find the help you need. Just remember it can take more than a few minutes for someone to help solve your problem so don't wait till the last minute. Google is definitley your friend and don't feel embarassed if you have to search for your problem. Don't expect people to do the work for you though, you'll still have to put forth some effort.

10) Become a Well Rounded Programmer

Programming is more than just C++ or Java. If you plan on programming for a living, you'll need to learn the business side of programming. This includes things like systems analysis, databases, security, and documentation. Also realize that C++ isn't the only language out there, you should be able to jump fairly quickly from language to language. Don't get stuck in one language. Learn the basics of other languages including web based. In addition to code, focus on your humanities. Nobody wants to interact with a dull uncultured nerd. Take classes that interest you and will provide you with a good non-technical education as well.

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GRE Exam Preparation and Study pattern

 

What is the GRE Exam?

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a commercially-run standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools principally in the United States, but also in other English speaking countries.

Created and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the exam is primarily focused on testing abstract thinking skills in the areas of math, vocabulary, and analytical writing.

The GRE Exam is typically a computer-based exam that is administered by select qualified testing centers. However, paper-based exams are also offered in areas of the world that lack the technological requirements.

Why should students take the GRE Test?

• It's the way to get into grad school - what if you decide later to apply to grad school? You'll already have your scores to send to schools.
• It gives you more opportunities - the scores are good for five years, so you'll have something to fall back on.
• You'll have all the time you need to study and prepare - as soon as you register, you'll get prep materials to help you prepare.
 

How much does the GRE Exam cost?

•  $140 for individuals testing in the United States, U. S. Territories, and Puerto Rico
• $195 for individuals testing in China (including Hong Kong), Korea, and Taiwan
• $170 for individuals testing in all other locations
• Fees are subject to change without notice. The above amount is exclusive of any value-added or similar taxes. Any tax is payable in addition to the amounts quoted.

   

How should you study for the GRE Test?

A variety of resources are available for those wishing to prepare for the GRE. Upon registration, ETS provides preparation software called PowerPrep, which contains two practice tests of retired questions, as well as further practice questions and review material.
Since the software replicates both the test format and the questions used, it can be useful to predict a student's actual GRE score. Several companies such as, IMS Learning Resources and VISU provide courses, books, and other unofficial preparation materials. The best route to a great GRE score is using a good mix of a variety of resources for GRE practice.

You can prepare yourself by becoming familiar with the GRE Test format, reviewing fundamentals, and taking GRE practice tests. You should also try to look take advantage of free GRE resources on the internet. Here are eight ways to help you study:
1. Familiarize yourself with the overall format of the GRE Exam. There will be two sections for each of these areas, plus an extra unscored section. The content of the unscored section will vary.
2. Take as many GRE practice tests as possible. The more practice you get, the more familiar you'll become with the test's format, and the more comfortable you'll be when you actually take it.
3. Review the directions for each section of the test before you take it. Skipping the directions will save time during the test.
4. Be aware of the time frames allocated to each section. GRE Format: Verbal Section: 30 multiple choice questions (30 minutes), Quantitative Section: 28 multiple choice questions (45 minutes), Analytical Writing: This section contains two subsections - Present Your Perspective on an Issue and Analysis of an argument, each requiring you to write a short essay. (45 + 30 minutes)
5. Familiarize yourself with the question formats for each section. The verbal section has four types of questions: antonym, analogy, sentence completion, and reading comprehension. The math section contains quantitative comparisons and basic problem -solving, and the analytical section features analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning essay questions.
6. Focus on GRE vocabulary. The verbal portion of the GRE is essentially a vocabulary test. A little effort will ensure that you sail smoothly thru' the GRE Vocabulary questions!
7. Review basic math such as geometry, algebra, proportions, fractions, percents, decimals, the order of operations and anything else you might have learned in high school math. This will help you tackle the quantitative section of the GRE exam with ease.
8. Try solving a few logic puzzles and games to prepare for the math portion of the GRE exam. This will make your study sessions interesting! Another great tip is to approach GRE Vocabulary with flash cards. Inventing mnemonics for memorizing GRE Vocabulary is fun.

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Top Engineering Colleges in USA

USA is among the most popular study destinations for engineering aspirants. Even though the list of top ranking engineering colleges varies as per the desired trades, there are a certain colleges that stand unbeaten for most programs offered.
Students who wish to pursue their engineering at undergraduate or MS level from USA for trades like Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Information Technology (IT), Industrial, Civil, etc can check for the best institutes below. The list carries top colleges for undergraduate Engineering colleges in USA as well the best ranked engineering colleges for MS in USA.

 

Top Engineering Colleges/Universities in US - Undergraduate & MS

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge
Massachusetts, MIT has been consistently ranked first for its graduate & undergraduate programs by U.S News & World Report & the Academic Ranking of the World Universities. Even though the institute is more popular for its research programs, it offers a huge range of science & engineering programs like Aeronautics and Astronautics, Biological Engineering, Civil and Environmental, Computation for Design and Optimization, etc.
Stanford University, California
Stanford University stands in direct competition to MIT. Situated at the scenic bay area, Stanford offers a number of engineering programs under 9 departments. Besides the departmental programs, university offers interdisciplinary engineering related programs.
University of California, Berkeley
UC, Berkeley has been voted the Best Western College & Best Value Public College for 2010 by the Princeton Review. The university boasts of more than 30 research centers & the Kresge Engineering Library. Courses offered include Bachelor of Science, Master of Science or Ph.D. in Engineering and doctoral & dual degree engineering programs.
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Atlanta
Popular for its science and engineering programs, Georgia Tech ranks among the top public universities in US. Besides the regular engineering courses, also offers graduate engineering programs in Biomedical, Health Systems, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Interdisciplinary Bioengineering, International Logistics (Executive Masters), Operations Research, Materials Science, etc.

Some of the other top ranking engineering colleges and universities are University of Illinois - Urbana Campaign, California Institute of Technology - California, Carnegie Mellon University -Pittsburgh, Viterbi School of Engineering - University of Southern California, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor & Cornell University - New York.
However securing a seat among these top ranking colleges and universities is not easy. If you are not among the bracket that manages a seat in the best of the colleges, there are more options that provide quality education and good placements.
University of Kentucky, Kentucky
Key highlights of the University of Kentucky (UK ) are its outstanding academics, affordable quality education and world class faculty. For engineering aspirants, a special program known as the Scholars in Engineering & Management is designed to enable cross learning of both the disciplines. According to the US News and World Report, UK ranks among the top 50 institutions in the US.
North Carolina State University, North Carolina
Among the many laurels for NCSU, the most important for the engineering aspirants could be the 6th rank among All U.S. Engineering Colleges in Number of B.S. Degrees Awarded by the American Association of Engineering Profiles in 2007. Apart from the regular programs, the university offers some uncommon engineering programs like Biological & Agricultural Engineering, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Paper Science & engineering & more.
Mississippi State University, Mississippi State
Ranked among the 100 Best Values in Public Colleges in Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, the university offers engineering degree in Aerospace, Agricultural Technology, Biological, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Computer science etc. The university is also known for its affordable fees and costs.
University of Rochester, New York
One of the most popular programs at the University of Rochester is the engineering program. The university offers some highly comprehensive engineering programs in Biomedical, Chemical, Mechanical and Electrical at graduate, MS & Ph.D levels.

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First Info for Indian Students Wishing to Study in USA

USA has always been a dream destination for international students. India is no exception. Students with different backgrounds, at different points in their academic ladder, wish to study in American colleges. Besides the privileged international degree, America is also home to some of the best colleges for various disciplines.

Find below some important information for students who wish to study in USA. Information includes the basics of the American study system in, costs involved, eligibility, documents required, costs involved, visa and insurance info, etc.

Duration
Bachelor's Degree: 4 years of college
Master's Degree: 2 years of college
Doctorate Degree

Eligibility Requirements
On the basis of level of education, there are certain eligibility requirements that the applicants must meet to be considered as a valid applicant.

 

Undergraduate Programs/Bachelor's Degree

For admission to undergraduate programs in USA, candidate must have completed high school or equivalent. High school passing certificates/diplomas would be required during the application process.
Also there are certain standard tests deigned specifically for pursuing higher education English speaking nations of the world, for example, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test). Scores of these tests are usually valid for a year or more. Along with high-school certificates, test score would also be an important document in the application.

Master's Degree

For those seeking admission to master's programs must have a bachelor's degree. Other than bachelor's, major-specific test score is an important document for a master's application. Some of the popular major-specific exams are GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examination).
Besides the basic requirements mentioned above, academic and extracurricular certificates, experience and recommendation letters also form an important part of the application*.
*List of documents varies from college to college; therefore for complete list of documents for a particular college or any university, get in touch with your counselor.

Doctorate Programs

Doctorate programs require a master's degree or a bachelor's degree with substantial professional experience, other than the essential score cards, recommendations and experience certificates.
Tuition Fee in American Colleges
Bachelor's Degree
Public College - $ 8000-15000
Private College - $ 10000-20000
Master's Degree
Public College - $ 10000-20000
Private College - $ 15000-25000
Average tuition fee for a Ph.D program can cost anywhere between $18000-30000.
Mentioned above in the chart are indicative figures of tuition fee in colleges in United States of America. The variations indicate the range that can see difference in the fee due to various factors like the subject being pursued, location of the college or the application strength. However, these huge amounts can be arranged with the help of scholarships, loans and other kinds of educational financial aids.
Living Expenses & Other Costs
Living expenses and other unseen expenses, often total up as much as the tuition fee itself. Some of the other expenses that one must remember to include are:

Expenses/Cost	Amount
Test Writing Fee
Application Fee	Approx. Rs 25,000 for 4-5 universities
Accommodation	500-700$ /month
Food	Approx. $ 300 / month.
Books & Supplies	$ 500-1000/year
Visa Application	Approx. Rs. 5000
Traveling Cost (Air fare)	Rs. 20000-50000
Student Health Insurance	Rs 15,000 - 20,000 per year

Test Fee: There are some mandatory tests like IELTS, TOEFL, GMAT, GRE & SAT that charge a considerable fee. For each, check out test details individually.
Accommodation Options: Some of the popular accommodation options in United States are campus hostels - single rooms/ double room / dorms, staying in apartments or staying with a host family. Costs vary as per the choice of kind of accommodation as well as the city. Discuss with your counselors at length.
Visa Application: While VISA application procedure will be taken care of by the counselor, it is important to take note of pre requisites of a successful application.

• Acceptance of application from govt. approved US school (SEVIS I-20)
• Bona fide Student
• Full time course studies
• English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)
• Proofs of Adequate Funding

Health Insurance: Health insurance is a must for international students as costs for medical treatments are quite high in US. Find out more about different companies offering international students health insurance and their policies for making the right choice.

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Things To Know About Your College Year

AH, WELCOME TO THE WANING DAYS OF AUGUST. A quick survey of the failing calendar finds us grasping helplessly at the fading days of summer, fumbling awkwardly towards the unknown post-Labor Day universe. It is time to reflect on a season of basking in the glow of sunshine and freedom. It is a time to consider the onslaught of autumn, and with it, inevitable change. A time to get one last fuck in with the dude or dudette you’ve been lovin’ up on all summer, before you both return to your normal lives.
Postcard-esque, isn’t it? Classic Americana. Norman Rockwell shit.
But what next?
For many a young American, it’s time for that step away from parents’ basements, and into the carefree, debt-inducing, alcohol- and sex-fueled world of college. Many a periodical will attempt to walk you through the perils and promise of university life, but not Headshots. We’re going to tell you what is guaranteed to happen to you over your freshman year of post-secondary life.

1. You Will Become An Asshole

 

This is the sad truth. You’re going to be exposed to writers and writings and thinking that will blow your fucking mind. Žižek, Foucault, the good Shakespeare they don’t let you read in high school, Woolf, Saunders, de Beauvoir, Kant, Zupančič. The list is infinite. Your understanding of fiction, philosophy, family, physiology, psychology, and fucking will be changed forever.
The problem is, you won’t truly understand any of it until sophomore or junior year, so your twisted little brain will espouse a Sparknotes version during petty bar arguments, and you’ll look like a total dick to anyone who read the second 20 pages of any of the texts from the authors above.

2. You Will Know Heartbreak

 

This is inevitable. Even the virgins will have their hearts torn from their chests, thrown to the floor, and danced on. Love, or what passes for love, infects freshmen like syphilis on frosh week, except there’s no ointment that can treat the ailment of heartbreak. You’ll try everything to win that heart back (alcohol, drugs, poetry) but in the end, hearts broken are rarely mended, and hearts stolen are rarely returned.
Your only recourse is to hope that pity sex or revenge sex from an ex’s vengeful best friend or roommate finds you. It ain’t love, but it ain’t nuthin’. And ain’t nuthin’ worse than nuthin’.

3. You Will Learn That Dudes Are All Douchebags

 

Look, Headshots is a man. At least, that’s what our doctor tells us. What we’re saying is: We have a penis. There’s 22-and-a-half women who can confirm that. So we have some experience with being a man, or a boy rather, in our late teens and early 20s. And that demographic consists of the worst people over. WORST. PEOPLE. EVER. (Besides grad students, obvi).
An 18- to 25-year-old male will stab himself in the back for the tiniest taste of some yum yum, the smallest piece of a coed’s hoohoo, the slightest survey of a girl’s syllabus. And then once they’ve savored the salty treat, once they’ve stuck their works cited in a coed’s endnotes, they’ll throw it away and move on to the next course.
Ladies, my advice? Go lesbian — or at least bi — until you get to grad school.

4. You Will Develop a Dependency on Substances

 

This is where the good times come in. Well, good times in a sad, self-defeating, self-destructive kind of way.
You’ve left the care of your parents, though you’re still cashing their checks, and eventually someone will hand you an alcoholic beverage, a marijuana cigarette, a pill of some sort, a powder of some kind, and you’ll indulge because at that given moment you’re either sad, or happy, or hopeful, or woeful, or just plain fucking bored, and you’ll like it. You’ll like how it makes you smarter, hotter, more confident, less you, more the other guy or gal.
For a while (or like for many of us the rest our time on God’s green earth) you’ll manage these indulgences. But somewhere down the line, one of them will become your friend, your fiend, your love. Be careful. And make sure it’s not heroin.
That shit’ll kill you like mayonnaise.

5. You Will Never Want to Leave

 

The image we’ve created above is not meant to scare you into a trade school or a lifetime of barista-ing. These are not horror stories, but rather tales of warning, born of experience.
Truth is, freshman year of college will be the best (and worst) year of your life. And sophomore year will build on the latter’s victories and defeats, as will junior, as will senior. And then, because you’ve become so enamored with the life, with learning but not working, with spending but not earning, with living but not committing, you’ll go on to grad school, or at least delay graduation (and gratification, something we hope you’ll learn by the end of your sophomore year, amirite ladies?) because that place in time that is the bliss of college is finite, and you’ll want to stay there forever.
But you can’t. Because you owe the government $45K. So you’ll need a job. And let us be as honest with you now as we’ve ever been: Jobs suck

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Departmental Store-Best College Mini Projects C

This mini project is about department store all features required for department store are added in this programe.You can copy the source code and compile it in a code block.This project is perfect for your college mini project in C.

Program:-

#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include<string.h>
#include<ctype.h>
#include<windows.h>

#define ANS 15
#define ACS 4
 COORD coord={0,0}; // this is global variable
                                    //center of axis is set to the top left cornor of the screen
void gotoxy(int x,int y)
{
    coord.X=x;
    coord.Y=y;
    SetConsoleCursorPosition(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE),coord);
}
/*declaration of checking functions*/
void c_code(char[]);
int check(char[]);

/*structure declaration*/
typedef struct{
char name[ANS],code[ACS];
float rate;
int quantity;
}rec;
rec item;

/*declaration of display functions*/
void curser(int);
void dbill();
void d_mainmenu();
void display(rec *,int,int);
void window(int,int,int,int);
void dis_con();
void d_search();
void highlight(int,int);

/*declaration of main menu functions*/
void bill() ;
void edit();
void add();
void del();
void exit();

/*declaration of display submenu functions*/
void d_code();
void d_rate();
void d_quan();
void d_all();

/*start of main*/
int main()
{
d_mainmenu();
return 0;
}



void d_mainmenu()
{
int i;
char ch;
const char *menu[]={"   Calculate Bill","   Add Goods","   Edit Goods","   Display All ","   Search", "   Delete Goods","   Exit"};
system("cls");
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
//_setcursortype(_NOCURSOR);
window(25,50,20,32);
gotoxy(33,18);printf("MAIN MENU");
for (i=0;i<=6;i++){
gotoxy(30,22+i+1);printf("%s\n\n\n",menu[i]);}
curser(7);
}

void d_search()
{
char ch;
int i;
    const char *menu[]={"   By Code","   By Rate","   By Quantity","   Back to main menu"};
system("cls");
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
window(25,50,20,32);
gotoxy(33,18);printf("SEARCH MENU");
for (i=0;i<=3;i++){
gotoxy(30,22+i+1);printf("%s\n\n\n",menu[i]);}
curser(4);
}

/*function for cursor movement*/
void curser(int no)
{
    int count=1;
    char ch='0';
    gotoxy(30,23);
while(1){
switch(ch){
case 80:
count++;
if (count==no+1) count=1;
break;
case 72:
count--;
if(count==0) count=no;
break;
}
highlight(no,count);
ch=getch();
if(ch=='\r'){
if(no==7){
if (count==1) bill() ;
else if(count==2) add();
else if(count==3) edit();
else if (count==4) d_all();
else if (count==5) d_search();
else if (count==6) del();
else   exit(0);
}
if(no==4){
if (count==1) d_code();
else if (count==2)d_rate();
else if (count==3) d_quan();
else d_mainmenu();
}
}
}
}

void highlight(int no,int count)
{
if (no==4){
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
gotoxy(30,23);printf("   By Code          ");
gotoxy(30,24);printf("   By Rate          ");
gotoxy(30,25);printf("   By Quantity      ");
gotoxy(30,26);printf("   Back to main menu");
//textcolor(0);
//textbackground(2);
switch (count)
{
case 1:
gotoxy(30,23);
printf(" - By Code          ");
break;
case 2:
gotoxy(30,24);
printf(" - By Rate          ");
break;
case 3:
gotoxy(30,25);
printf(" - By Quantity      ");
break;
case 4:
gotoxy(30,26);
printf(" - Back to main menu");
break;
}
}

if(no==7){
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
gotoxy (30,23);printf("   Calculate Bill ");
gotoxy (30,24);printf("   Add Goods      ");
gotoxy (30,25);printf("   Edit Goods     ");
gotoxy (30,26);printf("   Display All    ");
gotoxy (30,27);printf("   Search         ");
gotoxy (30,28);printf("   Delete Goods   ");
gotoxy (30,29);printf("   Exit           ");
//textcolor(0);
//textbackground(2);
switch(count){
case 1:
gotoxy (30,23);
printf(" - Calculate Bill ");
break;
case 2:
gotoxy (30,24);
printf(" - Add Goods      ");
break;
case 3:
gotoxy (30,25);
printf(" - Edit Goods     ");
break;
case 4:
gotoxy (30,26);
printf(" - Display All    ");
break;
case 5:
gotoxy (30,27);
printf(" - Search         ");
break;
case 6:
gotoxy (30,28);
printf(" - Delete Goods   ");
break;
case 7:
gotoxy (30,29);
printf(" - Exit           ");
break;
}
}
}

void bill()
{
char x[4]={0};
int j=29,q=0,size=0,i=1;
float total=0,gtotal=0;
FILE *file;
file=fopen("record.txt","r+b");
rewind(file);
system("cls");
dbill();
gotoxy(26,15);printf("enter  \"end\" to finish input");
while(1){
gotoxy(25,18);printf("                    ");
gotoxy(25,19);printf("                    ");
gotoxy(25,18);printf("enter item code:");
scanf("%s",x);
if(strcmp(x,"end")==0)
break;
gotoxy(25,19);printf("enter quantity:");
scanf("%d",&q);
rewind(file);
while(fread(&item,sizeof(item),1,file)){
if((strcmp(item.code,x)==0)){
total=item.rate*q;
gotoxy(11,j);printf("%4d",i);
printf("%9s",item.name);
printf("%13d",q);
printf("%15.2f",item.rate);
printf("%13.2f",total);
gtotal=gtotal+total;
size=sizeof(item);
item.quantity=item.quantity-q;
j+=2; i++;
fseek(file,-size,SEEK_CUR);fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file);
break;
}
 }
}
if(gtotal!=0){
gotoxy(30,j+5);
printf("TOTAL AMOUNT = NRs. %6.2f",gtotal);
}
fclose(file);
getch();
d_mainmenu();
}
 /*function to display bill window*/
void dbill()
{
int i;
gotoxy(20,10);
//;
for (i=1;i<=10;i++)
printf("*");
printf(" * FASHION WEAR * ");
for (i=1;i<=10;i++)
      printf("*");
printf("\n\n");
gotoxy(30,11);printf("Departmental Store");
//textcolor(1);
gotoxy(32,25);printf("CUSTOMER'S BILL") ;
//textcolor(8);
gotoxy(13,27);printf("SN.   Item Name     Quantity     Rate          Total");

}
/*function to add records*/
void add ()
{
FILE *file;
char y[ACS],x[12];
system("cls");
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
gotoxy(25,25);printf("Enter new record(Y/N)?");
while(toupper(getche())=='Y'){
system("cls");
file=fopen("record.txt","ab");
c_code(y);
strcpy(item.code,y);
gotoxy(22,28);printf("Enter rate of the item:");
scanf("%f",&item.rate);
gotoxy(22,30);printf("Enter quantity of the item:");
scanf("%d",&item.quantity);
gotoxy(22,32);printf("Enter name of the item:");
scanf("%s",item.name);
fseek(file,0,SEEK_END);fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file);
fclose(file);
gotoxy(22,34);printf("Enter new record(Y/N)?");

   }
   d_mainmenu();
}

 /*function to check availability of code*/
void c_code(char y[])
{
int flag;
FILE *file;
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
while(1){
system("cls");
window(20,58,23,36);
gotoxy(32,18);printf(" ADD ARTICLES ")  ;
flag=1;
rewind(file);
gotoxy(22,25);printf("Enter new code of the article:");
scanf(" %[^\n]",y);
while(fread(&item,sizeof(item),1,file)==1){
if (strcmp(y,item.code)==0){
flag=0;
gotoxy(26,30);printf("code already exists");
gotoxy(29,32);printf("enter again");getch();
break;
}
}
if (flag==1)
break;
}
}

/*function for editing*/
void edit()
{
int flag=0,choice;
char x[ACS],y[ACS];
FILE *file;
int size;
system("cls");
//textcolor(0);
//textbackground(11);
window(20,63,20,46);
gotoxy(35,18);printf("EDIT RECORDS");
;
gotoxy(25,23);printf("enter item code: ");
scanf("%s",x);
flag=check(x);
if(flag==0){
file=fopen("record.txt","r+b");
rewind(file);
while (fread(&item,sizeof (item),1,file)){
if(strcmp(item.code,x)==0){
//textcolor(0);
gotoxy(25,27);printf("name       = %s",item.name);
gotoxy(25,28);printf("code       = %s",item.code);
gotoxy(25,29);printf("rate       = %g",item.rate);
gotoxy(25,30);printf("quantity   = %d",item.quantity);
gotoxy(25,32);; printf("do you want to edit this record(y/n):");
fflush(file);
if(toupper(getche())=='Y'){
//textcolor(0);
gotoxy(25,34); printf("1- edit name ");
gotoxy(25,35); printf("2- edit code ");
gotoxy(25,36); printf("3- edit rate ");
gotoxy(25,37); printf("4- edit quantity ");
gotoxy(25,39);  ; printf(" enter your choice(1, 2, 3, 4) ");
scanf("%d",&choice);
switch(choice){
case 1:
system("cls");
window(23,48,20,40);
gotoxy(35,18);printf("EDIT RECORDS");
gotoxy(25,24); printf(" enter new name: ");
scanf("%s",item.name);
size=sizeof(item);
fseek(file,-size,SEEK_CUR);fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file);
break;
case 2:
system("cls");
window(23,65,20,40);
gotoxy(35,18);printf("EDIT RECORDS");
gotoxy(25,24);
c_code(y);
strcpy(item.code,y);
size=sizeof(item);
fseek(file,-size,SEEK_CUR);fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file);
break;
case 3:
system("cls");
window(23,65,20,40);
gotoxy(35,18);printf("EDIT RECORDS");
gotoxy(25,24);
printf(" enter new rate: ");
scanf("%f",&item.rate);
size=sizeof(item);
fseek(file,-size,SEEK_CUR);fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file);
break;
case 4:
system("cls");
window(23,65,20,40);
gotoxy(35,18);printf("EDIT RECORDS");
gotoxy(25,24);
printf(" enter new quantity: ");
scanf("%d",&item.quantity);
size=sizeof(item);
fseek(file,-size,1);fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file);
break;
}
gotoxy(27,30);printf("--- item edited---");
break;
}
}
}
}
if (flag==1){
gotoxy(32,30);printf("item does not exist");
gotoxy(36,32);printf("TRY ABGAIN");
}
getch();
fclose(file);
d_mainmenu();
}

/*function to display all records*/
void d_all()
{
int i,j=1;
FILE *file;
dis_con();
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
rewind(file);
i=26;
fflush(file);
while(fread(&item,sizeof(item),1,file)){
display(&item,i,j);
i++;
j++;
if ((j%20)==0){
      gotoxy(27,47);/*textcolor(0)*/;printf("press any key to see more...........");
      getch();
      system("cls");
      dis_con();
      i=26;
      continue;
}
}
getch();
if (i==26) {
gotoxy(24,30); printf("-- no articles found --");
}
getch();
fclose(file);
d_mainmenu();
}

/*function to display by quantity*/
void d_quan()
{
int i,j=1;
int a,b;
FILE *file;
dis_con();
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
rewind(file);
i=26;
gotoxy(16,20);;printf("enter lower range: ");
scanf("%d",&a);
gotoxy(16,21);printf("enter upper range:");
scanf("%d",&b);
fflush(file);
while(fread(&item,sizeof(item),1,file)){
if((item.quantity>=a)&&(item.quantity<=b)){
display(&item,i,j);
i++;
j++;
if ((j%20)==0){
gotoxy(27,47);printf("press any key to see more...........");
getch();
system("cls");
dis_con();
i=26;
continue;
}
  }
}
getch();
if (i==26){
gotoxy(28,30); printf(" no item found ");
}
getch();
d_search();
fclose(file);
}

/*function to display by rate*/
void d_rate(){
int i,j=1;
float a,b;
FILE *file;
dis_con();
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
rewind(file);
i=26;
gotoxy(16,20);;printf("enter lower range: ");
scanf("%f",&a);
gotoxy(16,21);printf("enter upper range: ");
scanf("%f",&b);
fflush(file);
while(fread(&item,sizeof(item),1,file)){
if((item.rate>=a)&&(item.rate<=b)){
display(&item,i,j);
i++;
j++;
if ((j%20)==0){
gotoxy(27,47);printf("press any key to see more...........");
getch();
system("cls");
dis_con();
i=26;
continue;
}
}
}
getch();
if (i==26){
gotoxy(28,30); printf(" no item found ");
}
getch();
fclose(file);
d_search();
}

/*function to display by code*/
void d_code()
{
int i,j=1;
char x[4]={0};
FILE *file;
dis_con();
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
rewind(file);
i=26;
gotoxy(16,20);;printf("enter item code: ");
scanf("%s",x);
fflush(file);
while(fread(&item,sizeof(item),1,file)){
if((strcmp(item.code,x)==0)){
display(&item,i,j);
i++;
j++;
break;
}
}
if (i==26){
gotoxy(28,30); printf("no item found");
}
getch();
fclose(file);
d_search();
}

/*function to display window for item display*/
void dis_con()
{
int i;
system("cls");
gotoxy(20,10);
;
for (i=1;i<=10;i++)
printf("*");
printf(" * FASHION WEAR * ");
for (i=1;i<=10;i++)
      printf("*");
printf("\n\n");
gotoxy(30,11);printf("Departmental Store");
//textcolor(1);
gotoxy(32,17);printf("RECORDS") ;
//textcolor(8);
gotoxy(18,23);printf ("SN   Item Name   Item Code      Rate     Quantity");
}

/*function to display in screen*/
void display(rec *item,int i,int j)
{
gotoxy(16,i);//textcolor(13);
printf("%4d",j);
printf("%9s",item->name);
printf("%12s",item->code);
printf("%14.2f",item->rate);
printf("%11d",item->quantity);
}

/*function to delete records*/
void del()
{
int flag;
char x[ANS];
FILE *file,*file1;
system("cls");
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
window(23,51,25,34);
gotoxy(29,18);printf("DELETE ARTICLES");
gotoxy(27,27);printf("enter item code: ");
scanf("%s",x);
flag=check(x);
if(flag==0){
file1=fopen("record1.txt","ab");
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
rewind(file);
while (fread(&item,sizeof (item),1,file)){
if(strcmp(item.code,x)!=0)
fwrite(&item,sizeof(item),1,file1);
}
gotoxy(27,29);printf("---item deleted---");
remove("record.txt");
rename("record1.txt","record.txt");
}
if (flag==1){
gotoxy(25,29);printf("---item does not exist---");
gotoxy(30,31);printf("TRY AGAIN");
}
fclose(file1);
fclose(file);
getch();
d_mainmenu();
}

/*function to check validity of code while editing and deleting*/
int check(char x[ANS])
{
FILE *file;
int flag=1;
file=fopen("record.txt","rb");
rewind(file);
while (fread(&item,sizeof (item),1,file)){
if(strcmp(item.code,x)==0){
flag=0;
break;
}
}
fclose(file);
return flag;
 }

/*function to display box*/
void window(int a,int b,int c,int d)
{
int i;
system("cls");
gotoxy(20,10);
//textcolor(1);
for (i=1;i<=10;i++)
printf("*");
printf(" * FASHION WEAR * ");
for (i=1;i<=10;i++)
      printf("*");
printf("\n\n");
gotoxy(30,11);printf("Departmental Store");
//textcolor(4);
for (i=a;i<=b;i++){
      gotoxy(i,17);printf("\xcd");
      gotoxy(i,19);printf("\xcd");
      gotoxy(i,c);printf("\xcd");
      gotoxy(i,d);printf("\xcd");
      }

gotoxy(a,17);printf("\xc9");
gotoxy(a,18);printf("\xba");
gotoxy(a,19);printf("\xc8");
gotoxy(b,17);printf("\xbb");
gotoxy(b,18);printf("\xba");
gotoxy(b,19);printf("\xbc");
//textcolor(4);
for(i=c;i<=d;i++){
gotoxy(a,i);printf("\xba");
gotoxy(b,i);printf("\xba");
}
gotoxy(a,c);printf("\xc9");
gotoxy(a,d);printf("\xc8");
gotoxy(b,c);printf("\xbb");
gotoxy(b,d);printf("\xbc");
//textbackground(11);
//textcolor(0);
}

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