My Academic Experience

Week 9: My Academic Experience Fatimah M. Myers US/101 April 13, 2013 University of Phoenix Instructor – Annette Kubalanza Outline – My Academic Experience 1. The Value of Completing a Degree in Higher Education 2. Plans for My Academic and Career Future 3. Reflections of Topics in Class A. Time and Stress Management B. University Resources C. Critical Thinking THE VALUE OF COMPLETING A DEGREE IN HIGHER EDUCATION American society values higher education. College provides many opportunities for developing a variety of social networks, both formal and informal.

Obtaining a college degree will be such a valuable and rewarding accomplishment for me. It opens many new opportunities for me on a professional and personal level. Upon completion, I will be only the second person in my entire family to earn a degree. One of the most important personal values of obtaining my degree is allowing my children see me work hard for a better life, and a better salary. Growing up, I remember my mother struggle to take care of my sister and myself; Doing her best to make ends meet.

My hope is my children will learn through me that a higher education will allow for a better life; making them the third and fourth college graduates in my family. PLANS FOR MY ACADEMIC AND CAREER FUTURE The demand for postsecondary education is higher than it has ever been. Higher education aids in an economic well-being. Earning my Associate’s Degree will allow me to become eligible for promotions. It will be a short-term goal accomplishment, allowing me one step closer to . However, it is not where I want my education to end.

Continuing my education and earning my Bachelor’s Degree is the next goal in my academic future. My Associate’s Degree is in Healthcare Administration, and my Bachelor’s will be in Business Management. Obtaining a Bachelor’s in Business Management will allow me to branch out of the Healthcare field, or start my own Medical Billing Company if I choose. Having a Bachelor’s, in addition to my years of experience, makes me eligible to be promoted to an Operations Manager, or a Director at my current job. I can also be a Billing Manager at a hospital. All of which are careers I am interested in.

The final plan in my academic future is to earn my Master’s Degree in Social Work. After completion of my Master’s, I can pursue the career of my dreams, a Hospice Social Worker. REFLECTIONS OF TOPICS IN CLASS I have learned so much in this class to prepare me for a successful college experience. There were some topics that caught my attention more than others. Such as, time and stress management, University resources, and critical thinking. Time and Stress Management How I manage time is a reflection of what I value. Managing my time corresponds to how successful I will be in college and throughout life.

Knowing and setting priorities to meet goals, carrying out plans, taking control of time, and staying focused are some events that are involved with time management. For many of us, balancing school with work and family is the greatest challenge involved with prioritizing. Good advance planning will help in meeting these challenges. Staying focused is usually difficult, especially for first-year students. Staying focused entails remembering and dedicating to the most important purpose for being in college. Sacrificing unnecessary commitments and keeping my long-term goals in mind will help me to remain focused. University Resources

An online learning environment can be quite challenging. I am unable to raise my hand to ask a question, and receive an immediate answer. For this and several other reasons, the University Resources is such an important tool to the success of my college experience at the University of Phoenix. The University Resources are made up of many different resources. Such as, the University Library, Center for Writing Excellence, and the Plagiarism Review. Visiting the library is somewhere I should go whenever I have research that needs to be done. The library helps with research for a class, a job, or for anything personal.

The University Library has websites that other help for students, while providing invaluable services to students and faculty members. The most useful resource available in a library is a librarian. They can be contacted in several ways, and will treat inquiries with respect. The Center for Writing Excellence, or CWE, is made up of resources to help develop written communication skills. One of the most important resources is the ability to submit a paper for Grammar and Plagiarism Review. All assignments should be submitted for review to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense, and can lead to expulsion from the University.

Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the thoughtful consideration of the information or ideas that we encounter. It involves having the ability to think for yourself. Being able to responsibility make a decision that affects our lives involves critical thinking. The three steps of thinking critically are to ask questions, consider multiple points of views, and to draw conclusions. Applying critical thinking to my everyday decisions will help promote my career goals, and allow me to live a life filled with morals and ethical decisions. REFERENCES WEBLINK: www. wpcarey. asu. edu WEBLINK: www. chronicle. com/article/Ameicans-Value-Higher