Growing Is A Matter of Space and Opportunity

135 Shark In Fish Bowl Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStockIf a shark grows in a fishbowl, it may grow 8 inches. If a shark grows in the ocean, it can grow over 8 feet. I didn’t create that explanation but it really hits home for student success.

This example demonstrates how environment can limit your growth. Conversely, it also demonstrates have a less restrictive environment, where you can “spread your wings” by making innovative choices, can greatly improve your personal and professional development.

That Viral Video Of A Huge Great White Shark Has Spurred Quite A  Conversation - DeeperBlue.com

Pick a college where there are plenty of opportunities outside of class to grow and then, put yourself in those environments.  It might be a club, team, honor fraternity or sorority, entrepreneurship competition, volunteering or a number of other choices. Whatever you choose, choose the least restrictive environment and then take risks and grow.

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D.

CEO, My Campus Max (MyCollegeMax.com) LLC

Why is it called: “My College Max”?

I developed MyCollegeMax.com for two primary reasons: 1) its everything you need to be successful in college and in your future career all in one, easy to use dashboard; and 2) the “My” in MyCollegeMax is hugely important for everyone to accept and drive your motivation.

No one should force or coerce you into a career path. This is your life, future, and happiness and your decision alone to make. Yes, we should listen to those around us and do our research, hence mycollegemax.com, but the final decision is yours alone.

Do your research, embrace your future with passion and a sense of purpose, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. Doing so is your first and perhaps most important step toward success.

BEST of luck on YOUR decision!

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D.

CEO, My Campus Max (MyCollegeMax.com) LLC

 

If you want to soar like and eagle…….

I had the pleasure of seeing a fellow entrepreneur last night. He and I discussed a lot of ideas and the possibilities of our businesses. The thing that stuck out to me was his quote, “Either you win or learn but you never lose” (author unknown).  As he said that, and thoroughly enjoying our conversation, I thought of another quote my father, a fellow entrepreneur said to me, “If you want to soar like an eagle, you can’t run with turkeys.”

Both of these quotes offer powerful messages that we can all learn from.

  1. Failure is just a perspective. As the great Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss every shot you don’t take.”  So go ahead and try. You won’t fail, you’ll just learn.
  2. Surrounding yourself by the kind of people you want to become is no “secret,” its a great strategy. Don’t let anyone bring you down or rain on your dreams. Find people who believe in you, who encourage you, and who will be there whether you win or learn.

Since my conversation last night, I have complete three separate projects on my business. This level of productivity is a direct result of my conversation last night. I’m glad I surrounded myself by someone who believed in me.

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D.

CEO, My Campus Max (MyCollegeMax.com) LLC

What’s the BEST Major?

“What’s the best college major?” The answer is, “The one you will love!”  That’s not to sound Pollyanna, rather it recognizes the #1 predictor of future career success….job satisfaction.  Below are the top majors for jobs:

1. What degree has the most job opportunities? (Forbes)

There’s no better way to answer this question than to list the top 10 college majors by the percentage of graduates who received at least one job offer while still in school:

  • Computer Science: 68.7%
  • Economics: 61.5%
  • Accounting: 61.2%
  • Engineering: 59%
  • Business Administration: 54.3%
  • Sociology/Social Work: 42.5%
  • Mathematics/Statistics: 40.3%
  • Psychology: 39.2%
  • History/Political Science: 38.9%
  • Healthcare: 37.8%

Yes, graduates in these majors receive a lot of attention from employers. However, if you want to ensure your success after college, the key is not the major, it’s what you do outside of the major, including but not limited to:

  • Internships
  • Volunteering
  • Part-time Jobs
  • Professional Associations
  • Research Projects (that you volunteer for, not ones that are assigned in class)
  • Service Learning
  • Community Projects (raising money for a non-profit)
  • Student Clubs
  • Leadership Positions

There are over 150 things students can do to build their resume, many of which cost very little and take very little time.  If you don’t know what those are, register with career services or connect with a MyCollegeMax Coach! In the end, most employers will agree, it’s not the college you attend, it’s the major; and it’s not the major, it’s everything you do outside of the major that matters most!

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D.

CEO, My Campus Max (MyCollegeMax.com) LLC

Ready Or Not…..How To Maximizing Online Learning!

Whether we want it or not, many of our K-12 and college students are now working online to complete their semester or year.  So I thought I would provide some tips on maximizing your online experience, including:

  1. it’s not easier and in fact, will take as much time as a classroom-based class;
  2. find a dedicated space where you can do your work;
  3. learn what the objectives are for each online lesson and/or class;
  4. time management is HUGE; you are not going to complete an online course at the last minute;
  5. you have to be disciplined and should set time aside each day to do your work;
  6. you should try to connect with your teacher or professor regularly;
  7. don’t bite off more than you can chew….break lessons down into their more doable parts;
  8. engage in every opportunity to participate in online chats and teamwork;
  9. stay motivated which may be hard at times;
  10. set goals to accomplish each day, week, and month; and
  11. be flexible and know that life will get in the way occasionally.

For most students, online learning is a major adjustment. Combine that with what is happening in our world, nation, and communities, and you likely have stressed out kids.  Encourage them to be consistent; designate time to learn, work, and complete projects; and work toward daily, weekly, and monthly goals. We not doubt will all get through this.  In the meantime, lets stick together and persevere; which is what our nation does best!

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D. 

CEO, www.MyCollegeMax.com  |  CEO, www.steveharveyphd.com

Kids are stressed and it’s ALL our fault!

Let’s put life into perspective here. Every kid should try to apply themselves to their school work.  Of course that’s important.  But we need to stop explicitly and implicitly communicating to our kids that what they do now will someone determine the rest of their life. We all know it won’t! To prove it, answer these questions:

  1. If you ever did something stupid, how does that impact you today?
  2. If you failed a class or a test, what impact does that have on your work day?
  3. If you didn’t make it the way everyone else did, how was your life been affected?

We all screw up and fail to perform to our very best. In fact, I would say that we often fail to perform to our very best because that’s exhausting. So the next time you have a talk with your child, say to them, “Yes this stuff is important but it’s not going to impact the rest of your life. Trying hard is way more important.” Why say that? Because it’s true. What we learn rarely is used in our adult lives. For example, when was the last time you recited the 50 states?  What’s important is how we learn and building habits of success.  If you’re a lifelong learner, you will always be building on that.  Once we get the “this will affect you the rest of you life fallacy” out of the way, teach your kids how to balance school, work, and fun.  That’s the greatest gift we can give them.

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D. 

CEO, www.MyCollegeMax.com  |  CEO, www.steveharveyphd.com

Schooling vs. Educating: The key is 100% on you!

The easiest way to understand schooling is to go back and reflect on something you learned in class that you never used, like the dates of wars, the states in alphabetical order, or for many, trigonometry.  Education is what happens when what you learn informs additional learning and experiences, like using a hammer, building a dog house, roofing, to building a home.  Education is cumulative.  The HUGE difference is one is based on brain work only and the other is based on brain work AND authentic experiences.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Don’t get schooled in college! Wrap your learning with authentic experiences.

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D. 

CEO, www.MyCollegeMax.com  |  CEO, www.steveharveyphd.com

“New Study on College Rankings: It’s Not Where You Go To School It’s What You Do When You Get There”

This blog is simple to understand with plenty of research to back up it’s title: It’s not the college you go to, it’s what you do when you get there! So how do you know what the balance is between student engagement and classes/curriculum.  I always say this.  Your grades matter for sure.  But employers are not as concerned about grades as they are about what demonstrates your ability to thrive in their organization or company. Most employers will say, “It’s not the school, it’s the major AND it’s not the major, it’s what else you did outside of the major.”  The stuff outside of your major is called “student engagement.” From 25 years of working with employers, I would estimate that they value 30% classes and grades and 70% student engagement.  So what does student engagement look like?  Here are 10 things:

  1. Join a professional association,
  2. Volunteer on campus,
  3. Get an internship or two or three,
  4. Start a club,
  5. Join a professional club,
  6. Go to a conference,
  7. Go to career services’ seminars,
  8. Attend job fairs,
  9. Volunteer with a professor, and
  10. Start a company.

There are over 15 times more things you can do that employers want to see; often with little cost to you as a student but your time.  MyCollegeMax.com has a list of over 150 things employers are looking for from students that go beyond their classes. Morevoer, MyCollegeMax.com shows students exactly what to do to be engaged (i.e. Where do you begin when you want to start a student club?). It’s an investment in your future that will build your passion, future success, and life satisfaction.

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D. 

CEO, www.MyCollegeMax.com  |  CEO, www.steveharveyphd.com

When can a $395 investment turn into $136,000 in 4 years?

Sometimes a small investment can turn into a huge return.  Take for example college. Did you know that approximately 45% of college freshmen won’t graduate or that most students take 6 years to earn a 4 year degree? Probably not. In the U.S., college graduation rates are actually calculated on 6 years to earn a 4 year degree.  How many actually graduate in 4 years?  Typically, approximately 15% of college freshmen will graduate in 4 years. So how much does it cost a student to take two additional years to graduate? Approximately $136,000 in tuition and lost income.

So what can you do to increase your child’s likelihood of graduating in 4 years, ready for a successful career?

  • Hire a My College Max Coach to help your high school student choose the best possible major for their values, desired work environment, interests, and abilities;
  • prepare her or him for college by engaging in 50 recommended activities on the College Readiness Scale; and
  • while he or she is in college, use the My College Max Career Readiness Scale to learn about 150 things they can do to attract the attention of the world’s best employers.

While there are no guarantees in life, imagine having a road map that will tell you everything you need to know in order to be successful. That’s what My College Max does and what an MCM Coach can do for your student.  A small investment with a potentially huge return!

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D.   |   CEO, www.MyCollegeMax.com  |  CEO, www.steveharveyphd.com

Would you pay $50,000 for a $20,000 car?

The answer to the question, “Would you pay $50,000 for a $20,000 car?” is “NO!” every single time!!!  It’s what you would call a “no-brainer.” Yet families are doing just that for a college education, spending way too much for a degree that is the exact same quality at a less expensive college. According to the article, “Wealthy Students’ Borrowing Spikes,” across the board all students are borrowing more for their college education.  The problem is, an undergraduate degree is in most cases, no more valuable for a $50,000 tuition than it is for a $20,000 tuition.  The only instances where paying the higher tuition is worth is if you attend a “Harvard, Princeton, or Yale” level institution.  Top 25.  Otherwise, you will not get the return on your tuition investment that you expect.

The key to increasing the value to your education is actually doing things that aren’t expected of you while in college.  To learn more about that, check out My College Max, an online tool to help high school and college students succeed. For readers of this blog, use the coupon code “HOLIDAY2019” and get 50% off the cost of the program! (HOLIDAY2019 coupon code expires midnight December 31, 2019)

Happy holidays!

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D.   |   CEO, www.MyCollegeMax.com  |  CEO, www.steveharveyphd.com