It’s finally here – Winter Break!

You worked hard this semester and it doesn’t go unrecognized. Now is the time to get some well-deserved rest and relaxation before the spring semester begins.

As you think about how you want to spend this time away from UMBC re-charging, and if binge-watching Netflix just won’t suffice, check out some of the suggestions below:

1.       Eat a good meal! Or two. Or three…

Take a break from your typical college diet and use this time to enjoy some healthy meals. And as a note for when you get back to campus, check out these easy healthy meals you can cook up right in your residential hall!

2.       Catch up on sleep.

Did you pull more all-nighters this past semester than you would like to admit? Now is the time to re-establish some good sleeping habits. No early alarm clocks necessary!

3.       Try out a yoga class to learn some relaxation techniques or another form of exercise -your choice. Even just getting outside for a walk in the fresh air can do wonders!

4.       Visit a graduate or professional school.

Whether you are just starting to think about grad school or are actually working on applications, in-person visits are always informative.

5.       Take a day trip somewhere that you haven’t been or spend an afternoon exploring your hometown. If Maryland is home, here is a list of 100 day trips from Baltimore!

6.       Volunteer in your local community.

The local food bank, animal shelter, or soup kitchen can all be great ways to spend time supporting the community. A quick Google search can help you find hundreds of ways to get involved this January.

7.       Set up an informational interview with a working professional or job shadow for a career you are considering.

Find out what a profession is really like and make connections with people in your future field by conducting an interview unrelated to a job search. Sample question: "What are the most important qualities for an aspiring museum curator/computer scientist/sports psychologist?” Shadowing can help you determine if a profession is really for you! Keep a journal to record notes from these experiences.

8.       Trade in your school textbooks for a book you can read for fun.

9.       Do some light brainstorming for next semester plans.

If you found yourself too overwhelmed and busy last semester, consider what activities you may need to let go of. On the other end, if you feel you had too much time on your hands, consider some clubs or activities you may be able to get involved in this spring.

10.   Take time to re-connect with family and friends.

Spend some time with the elders in your family learning more about your family history and heritage. This discovery about your family roots can be the inspiration you need to keep pushing forward when the going gets tough.

See below for some of the ways the Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising’s Peer Advisors are spending their Winter Break:

“Over Winter Break, I will be preparing for the DAT (Dental Admission Test) and planning my application process for dental schools. I will also be working at a dental office and shadowing other dentists” –Christine Lee, Biological Sciences

“My plan for the winter break is basically to relax and kick back with friends and family, go the gym, and learn something new regarding my major.” – Michael Unuigbe, Computer Science

The Albin O. Kuhn (AOK) Library and Gallery is a prominent focal point on UMBC’s campus.

With comfy chairs and study rooms, a coffee/snack shop and sweeping campus views (check out the 7th floor!), the library is the perfect place to hunker down as you prepare for final exams and complete end of the semester assignments. Don’t believe us? Ask yourself some of the following questions:

Will your study sessions with classmates likely go into the late hours of the night? Not to worry! The Retriever Learning Center (RLC), located on the main floor of the library, includes a 24-hour group study space equipped with computers, comfortable seating and white boards.

Need some final pointers before your math final or editing suggestions on your last paper? The Math and Science Tutoring Center and Writing Center are also part of the RLC. 

Prefer to study alone in a quieter setting? Fear not! The library has 17 open study rooms that are open on a first-come, first-served basis.

That horrible moment when your laptop dies days before your final paper is due? You're saved! The library has loaner laptops available at the circulation desk.

Need a book for a project or research that our library doesn’t have? The AOK Library is actually connected to a network of other university libraries. Librarians can request materials from another library and have them sent to you free of charge.

And what's studying without a little caffeine or snacks (sweet or savory - your preference)? The new Einstein Bagels is located in the main atrium and ready to serve you when you need a break!

As you prepare for finals week, make sure to check the library website for information on extended hours (select the Library Hours link halfway down the page).

The prospect of graduate or professional school is an exciting one!

As you begin the process of exploring programs of interest, and preparing to submit applications, here are three main points to keep in mind:

Take time to find the right program fit!

When possible, visit the schools/programs that interest you. You’ll have the opportunity to see how the campus is laid out and learn about the surrounding area. Is it in close proximity to things you enjoy? What are the housing options like? What do the labs, studios and/or classroom facilities that you would be learning in look like? Overall, does it seem like the type of environment you will like to spend time in?

You’ll also have the chance to connect with program directors, faculty and current graduate students. You’ll want to consider whether or not the program has a professor who shares your research areas of interest. And meeting current students is especially important if your program will use a “cohort” model – meaning you will work with the same people throughout the duration of the program.

Finally, take time to research class options – some programs will provide more flexible schedule options include evening, weekend or online classes, while other programs may be more traditional and have classes throughout the day.

Graduate programs might require an entrance exam

The majority of graduate and professional programs will require you to complete an entrance exam, similar to taking the SAT or ACT when applying to UMBC. See below for what exam you might be expected to take:

• Dental School: DAT (Dental Admission Test) 
• Business and Management Schools: GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) 
• Master’s and Doctoral Programs: GRE (Graduate Record Examination) *Most common graduate admissions exam* 
• Law School: LSAT (Law School Admission Test) 
• Medical School: MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)
• Pharmacy School: PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) 

Letters of Recommendation – ask early and ask people who know you best!

Most applications to graduate or professional school will require you to submit letters of recommendation. Your recommenders should be individuals who know you well, such as a professor who taught you in several courses or serves as your research mentor.

Ideally, you’ll set up a meeting to ask for a recommendation face-to-face, which will help emphasize how important the letter is to you and give you the chance to provide context answer questions your prospective recommender might have.

Allow at least two months prior to the deadline to give your recommenders enough time to complete the recommendation.

See below for some other helpful links as you continue to prepare for your next steps!

The Graduate School at UMBC 

Applying to Graduate Schools via UMBC Career Center

Written by OAPA Peer Advisor, Malaysia McGinnis, Class of ‘19.

The common stereotype of a middle child is exemplified in the sophomore year of college. It is the year where the school, the people, the academic life no longer feel new, but it is not quite old. The classes become a steady slew of assignments, studying, and cramming. This overwhelming feeling often gives rise to the “Sophomore Slump.” During this period, a lack of motivation, boredom, and anxiety about the future (and present) are at their peak.

Socially, the friends you made in the first year of college may no longer be the people you click with, or they are not the people you want to be around.

But recognize that there is nothing wrong with needing a different circle of people to feel right at home. Your group of friends can make or break your college experience, and it is important to keep friends that you feel comfortable and positive with around you.

With so many vibrant organizations on campus, you can try to meet new people, and gain some new experiences to shift your life’s perspective.

Additionally, as there is a general perception that you should make friends and connections to people “higher” than you (in terms of success, social prowess, etc.); it is also beneficial to make friends “across” from you. The lateral relationships you develop in college can result in a stronger mutual uplift.

Academically, you may realize your major is just not what you want, or you simply grow tired of learning the same subject. You may realize that you may not be in the right field, and you want to go through a complete revolution in your academic career.

This is okay. Take time to explore, and utilize any time you have outside of class to gain insight about what you want to do, including meeting with your academic advisor. Even if you are in the right field, maybe the 18 credits you took this fall in the same subject was just too much? UMBC is a liberal arts university, so you can balance out the GEP courses throughout your career to take classes that add a bit of diversity to your course load.

Sometimes it may seem as if everyone around you has it all figured out and are throttling into their success quicker. A word of advice: in college, no one has it 100% figured out. The journey to success and self-assurance is ever changing. So for those who feel late in finding out who they are, sophomore year is a great opportunity for growth.

Plain and simple, there is no one way, or right way, for a student to select a major. The process is unique to each student and many factors can influence the decision.

At UMBC, we want to support you in your journey to choosing a major. We believe this process is so important that we created a three-day event solely dedicated to major exploration: The MAJOR Event.

Have you already declared your major? Great! Still check out the following events to learn how to make the most of your academic major, including internship, study abroad, research opportunities, etc.

Monday, October 1

3pm – Fine Arts Building Recital Hall

Internationally recognized career expert, Dr. Don Asher, will give a dynamic talk entitled “You Can Major in Anything You Want: If and Only if You do These 5 Things in College.”

The first 55 students to attend will receive a free copy of Don Asher’s book!

4:30pm-5:30pm – UC Ballroom

Join us for a MAJOR Networking Event! Come play People Bingo to meet department/program alumni and student representatives and discuss how majors work in the real world.

Food will be provided.

Tuesday, October 2

1:00pm-4:00pm – Commons 318. 328, 329

What Can I Do with This Major? Several of UMBC’s unique academic programs will showcase ways to experience what it’s like to pursue a particular major. Featured programs will include: 

• Dental Hygiene
• Education
• Theatre
• Geography and Environmental Systems
• Individualized Study (INDS)
• Management of Aging Services
• Bioinformatics

This will also include a session on “How Do I Talk with my Parents About my Desired Major?”

Wednesday, October 3

10:00am-12:00pm – UC Ballroom

Majors Fair. Join us for a fun and lively opportunity to meet with faculty and staff representatives to explore and learn more about the vast and diverse majors at UMBC.

Free breakfast and a free t-shirt will be provided!

--

Participants at any of our events will be entered into a drawing for a $100 UMBC Red Card Credit.

We hope to see you next week!

The end is in sight! If you've earned 90 or more academic credits, you received a message from the Registrar's Office informing you that you are eligible to apply for graduation.

However, eligibility is only the start of the graduation application process. Below are four simple steps you can take now to ensure that you’ll soon be shaking hands with Dr. Hrabowski as you receive your UMBC diploma.

Note: Even if you do not plan to attend the commencement ceremony, you still need to apply to graduate in order to earn your degree.

Step 1: Apply for Graduation!

Saturday, September 15^th is the last day undergraduates can apply for December Graduation.

Only those students who have every single requirement needed for degree completion on their fall semester schedules will be permitted to participate in the Commencement ceremony.

If you are taking a course at another institution that you plan to transfer, you must have an approved Verification of Transferability formon file with the Registrar’s Office and be prepared to submit a copy of your schedule.

Step 2: Embrace your degree audit!

Your degree audit indicates your progress toward degree completion. If you see “unsatisfied” items, these are requirements that appear to be missing and need to be addressed immediately. Your degree audit is located on myUMBC, under the guide link “Advising and Student Support.”

Makesure any substitutions or waivers of major requirements are documented in your degree audit; you may need to submit a Help/RT ticket to the Registrar’s Office to add these notations to your record.

Step 3: Wrap up any outstanding details ASAP!

If you have Advanced Placement or CLEP scores, transfer transcripts, foreign language waivers, or other items you need to provide to UMBC, delay no longer!  If the major, minor, or certificate program on your record is out of date, or if you have additional majors or minors that you need to remove, submit a new Declaration of Major form.  Any of these items could prevent you from being able to graduate.

Step 4: Let the celebration begin!

Participating in the commencement ceremony* and other celebratory activities on campus is the culmination of all of your hard work. Take time to recognize all it took to get you to this moment and be proud of your accomplishments!

Finally, use this link to check your Honors eligibility, which will be recognized at the ceremony and on your diploma.