Radio personality Casey Kasem used to sign off the air with the phrase “Keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the stars.” I think of that quote often – especially when a student tells me that her dream is to become “CEO of my own Fortune 500 company.” Sadly, it is often said by someone who seems to have no idea of how to get there.

Reaching for the stars is wonderful. But staying rooted in reality may be even more helpful when pursuing those lofty goals.

Let’s face it: Many of us dream of a future that’s very different from our present, but we do a poor job of working toward our desires. We’re often overly optimistic about the outcome, and unrealistic about how much work it will take to achieve it. For instance, when we think about the executive position we plan to land, we don’t foresee the unrelenting stress, the months of graduate school, or the years of climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, we dream of victory celebrations.

In addition, most of us have a tendency towards what’s called “illusory superiority” Continue reading →

“As I drove to Nashville for Bethel University’s orientation last Saturday, I passed every type of car I’ve ever dreamed of, older couples in their luxury motor homes, and businessmen and women dressed for success on their phones at 6:30 am. As I see all of this, I start thinking about my own future. Where will I be when I’m old? Will I be able to wear “dress clothes” every day? Will I be able to afford exotic cars? What will I be doing in five years? Then I realize that I’m headed to a place that can make all of these things come true. After today, my focus is to obtain the highest level of education through Bethel and be able to provide a comfortable lifestyle to my family. It’s going to be very challenging, but it will be more than worth it in the end. Never being satisfied isn’t a bad thing! If you want change or get more out of life, then make it happen. If I can do it, anyone can.”

Alex Sanders

Program: Organizational Leadership

Winchester, TN

Being the first college student in your family can be thrilling.  In fact, many of our students state that the main reason they attend Bethel University is the chance to be the first to break though family barriers to earn a college degree. It’s a source of pride, a way to bring honor to their families, and a chance to improve their lives and the lives of those who follow.

But being a so-called “first-gen student” – someone whose parents did not attend college — can also be intimidating and confusing. It’s a little like being a pioneer heading through the wilderness without a map:  Everything is new and untested.  Many first-gen students receive mixed messages from family and friends who fear that they’ll evolve into someone …  different. The lack of support and understanding can cause even adult students to struggle:  One student admitted that she studied in the car because her family accused her of being “uppity” when she opened her textbooks in front of them.  Maybe this is why national studies indicate that more than half of all first-generation students who drop out do so in their first year. Continue reading →

I had a pleasant surprise this morning: One of my former undergraduate students dropped by my office for a visit.  The timing was perfect. I had written him a glowing recommendation for Bethel’s MBA program, and was eager to catch up on his progress since starting the graduate program three months ago.

His first words? “Ms. Chambers, I almost dropped out of school last month.”

Needless to say, I was surprised. He’d been an outstanding student in my undergraduate marketing class. When I asked what happened, he said it had been a culmination of things – a busy work schedule, a family emergency, and a statistics class that was tougher than he expected. The crazy combination caused him to earn a “D” on two assignments in a row, he told me, and nearly led to him give up on his academic dreams.

“I didn’t realize grad school would be this hard,” he admitted.

I was about to launch into my favorite “rah-rah” speech – the one where I stress that if it were easy to earn a graduate degree, everybody would have one. But he was on a roll. Continue reading →

           Starting college can initially be an uphill battle. A new schedule, an additional responsibility, and even unfamiliar technology can all pose unexpected challenges in the first weeks or months. Add to these the unique requirements of a writing-based program like Bethel’s, and it’s easy to see why some students become a bit overwhelmed – especially when it comes to APA.

What can I say about the academic writing format devised by the American Psychological Association nearly 100 years ago that hasn’t already been muttered by every Bethel student hunched over a computer at some point? “Unreasonably complicated,” “ridiculously rigid” and “totally time-consuming” all spring to mind. But how about this? “It’s not as hard as I thought.”

It’s true. Thanks, in a part, to technology, meeting those pesky APA requirements has become easier than ever. The trick is to know when and how to use the resources that can make APA easy. If you neglect to use the help available, those late nights spent muttering about APA are sure to continue.

Let me break it down for you. Basically, online students need to worry about only two APA requirements: References and in-text citations. References are the lengthy bits of information placed at the end of an academic essay. If you’ve used ANY outside resource to write an essay (including your ebook), and even if you are simply paraphrasing throughout, you still need to credit the source of that information with a reference at the bottom of your essay. Continue reading →

Who is the most important guide on your academic journey? Many Bethel University graduates say “My academic advisor” – and with good reason.

At the start of the journey, an academic advisor is there to explain the program, including credit requirements, transfer credit information, and testing options that can make the trip to graduation even quicker. He or she can answer questions about financial aid and billing, guide students through the registration process, and even trouble-shoot computer or V-Camp issues.

But along the way, an academic advisor often becomes something even more:  A friend, a confidante, a coach, and a cheerleader. Continue reading →

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Bethel University has been ranked 2^nd in the nation in the BestCollege.com list of Best Online Christian Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015.

BestColleges noted on its website that, “Bethel University’s Success undergraduate degree program is designed for adults over 23 years of age with a high school diploma or GED and at least three years of work experience. Bethel caters to busy adults in need of flexibility to complete a college degree.”

Selections were based on academic merit, along with the school’s overall strengths, to include acceptance and graduation rates, enrollment and retention.

Bethel University President Walter Butler called the selection, “A big honor.”

“Our faculty and staff work hard to ensure our students receive a quality education. This feedback lets us know our online educational product is meaningful, and that it helps individuals progress toward their personal and professional goals.”

Butler also pointed out that Bethel’s Christian-based philosophy supports an enduring mission established at the school’s inception in 1842.

“Online or in the classroom,” he said, “we continue to allow students to develop to their highest potential as whole persons — intellectually, spiritually, socially and physically—in a supportive environment.”

One of the oldest post-secondary schools In the state, and the largest Christian-affiliated private school in Tennessee, Bethel serves both traditional and non-traditional students, and offers both on-campus and online delivery methods that lead to SACSCOC-accredited associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Bethel was a pioneer in the 1990s as one of the first colleges to offer bachelor’s degree programs catering to adult professionals, and was the first school in Tennessee to provide a laptop computer to each fulltime student. More than 3,500 students currently enjoy Bethel’s online program delivery.

In a prepared statement, Best Colleges.com called choosing the right institution of higher learning “a complex and highly personal decision.” Best Colleges.com attempts to make the decision easier “by giving people easy access to information that matters to their specific needs so they can make objective comparisons among institutions.”

For more information about Bethel University, log on to bethelu.edu or call 877-4Bethel.