Page 74 - Keys To Community College Success

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FINANCIAL VALUES

Complete the following on paper or in digital format.
Imagine yourself in five years . . .

1. What kind of work do you hope to be doing?
2. How much money do you hope to earn each year doing that work?
3. What type of major purchase might you make at that time? For ideas about this, consider your interests, needs,
skills, and concerns.
4. How much might it cost (total cost or down payment)?
5. How much money would you have to save each month to have the money to make that major purchase at the
end of f ve years? Monthly savings = total cost ÷ (5 years ×12 months per year)
6. Name two actions you can take to try to save that amount on a monthly basis.

Assess Your Needs
Of course, very few people are able to perfectly align their schedules to their profile and
preferences. Everyone has needs that may or may not fit his or her ideal schedule.
Needs include:

■ Certain courses, for core requirements or for your major
■ Work hours, if you have a job
■ Family responsibilities, if you care for children, parents, or others
The goal is to consider your needs and your ideal schedule together, and come
up with the best possible option—one that fulfills your needs but also takes your
preferences into account. Consider what might happen to the student in the ideal
schedule example. Looking to schedule next term’s classes on Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday, he finds that one class he has to take meets only on Tuesday and Thurs-
day. He has a choice of 11 a .m. and 4 p.m., though, so he chooses 4 p.m., because
that will give him a bigger block of time to study and do research during the day
prior to the class.
Finally, remember that you will have more control over some things than others.
For example, a student who functions best late at night may not have much luck find-
ing courses that meet after 10 p.m. (unless she attends one of several colleges that have
begun to schedule late-night classes to handle an overload of students).

HOW CAN YOU
schedule and prioritize?

With your preferences and needs in mind, you are ready for the central time man-
agement strategy—creating and following a schedule. An effective schedule can help
you gain control of your life in two ways: It provides segments of time for goal-related
tasks, and it reminds you of tasks, events, due dates, responsibilities, and deadlines.

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