I’m sure you all have your own ideas and opinions on this subject. Many may believe it’s the student that never misses class, studies every day, and graduates with a high GPA. But it can be as simple as grasping difficult concepts, being involved in student organizations or applying what you have learned in the real world. A successful student is one that realizes their journey is not over, they are continually impacting those around them. Here are some tips to help you achieve student success.

1.      Master Your Schedule.

There are 168 hours in a week. Make sure you know how you are spending your time. Prepare a weekly schedule, and keep up with it daily. If you find planners or agendas useless, use you smartphone. There are many time management apps you can download.

Great Time Management Apps:

• Astrid Task/Todo list for Android Phones. With the Astrid Task App you will never miss a deadline, plus you will be able to automatic sync your tasks across your phone or Astrid.com.  Download for free: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.timsu.astrid
• My Class Schedule is another Android App Phone. Great App for keeping you up to date with your school work. The app is free with ads or you can purchase it for $1.31.
• Inclass is an Iphone/Ipad App. With this app you are able to organize your schedule, share your notes, plus much more. To download click here http://www.inclassapp.com/

 2.      Go to Class

Showing up to class is the easiest task you can do. By attending class diligently you show your instructors you care. If you make the effort to show up and pay attention to the key topics being discussed, you definitely improve your chances for getting a good grade.  School is a pretty expensive commitment to not commit all the way.  If you are allowed to use your smartphone in class, use a note taking app or a note recording app.

Note Apps:

• Evernote It’s a free app available to Android or Iphone smartphone users in conjunction with a desktop program. If you take a note using your phone (text, voice recording or snapshot) it will sync to both your online Evernote account and your PC.
• Easy Voice Recorder is an Android App that lets you record your class lecture.

 3.      Improve your Study Strategy

Come up with a strategy that complements your schedule and learning style. There are many techniques you can employ to make studying less demanding and more effective. For example, you can use Mnemonics to help you memorize difficult material or flash cards to actively retain what you have memorized.

• Mnemonics- We all remember from elementary school or junior high the order of planets by repeating these mnemonics, “My Very Eager Mother Just Served us Nine Pickles”, or “My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets.”
• Example of an Anatomy Mnemonic- “A Peaceful Thoughtful Man” for Aortic, Pulmonary, Tricuspid, and Mitral.
• Flash Cards-Are great for kinetic learners, the energy required to make them, plus the active engagement of reading them out load will help you retain the information at a faster pace. However, in order for flash cards to work they must be read out loud daily, at least seven days before your exam.
• Flashcard Apps for Android-StudyDroid  is an easy to use flashcard application. You can make your own flashcards on your computer or you can browse the public flashcards at Studydroid. 
  • Iphone/Ipad app.  Flascardlet is free and easy to use you can download.http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flashcards*/id403199818?mt=8  

 4.      Join or Form a Study Group. 

Studying with other students will motivate you to keep up with your studying, plus,  it’s a great way to meet new people.  If you are going to form a study group make sure to limit the group to four to five students. Also select students that share your same dedication to studying and getting good grades.  Remember, “Two heads are better than one”.

5.      Join Campus Clubs/Organizations. 

The skills you learn from a club or organization can help you succeed in your classes too, plus it looks great on your resume. Being part of a club or organization is a great way to network, promote awareness and to force you to stay focus on your schoolwork.

Anthem Education is dedicated to helping our students achieve success. We are here to help you find yourself, by learning a new skill. Dr. Seuss said it best, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” If you are ready to read more, know more, and  learn more, visit http://anthem.edu.

We would love to help you find the program that’s right for you!

You like, you share, you comment and we love all of you for your cooperation!!

In an infographic posted by Mashable, it stated, “Facebook is the most used social media tool in higher education.” Social media sites provide students with a platform to promote activities receive feedback and start conversations. The goal of Anthem’s Facebook community is to interact with our students, staff and prospective students in real-time.

This past year, Anthem Education Group set out to engage its Facebook community by creating pages for all of our campuses. We thank our staff and students for engaging with our pages.  Moving forward, we feel the best way to connect with our staff, students, prospective students, and alumnus is by re-vamping our Facebook Page structure.  In order to facilitate this, we will be consolidating our pages to a total of three pages, Anthem Education Group, Anthem College Online and Morrison University.

Because of the high level of interaction during our contests, we’ve decided to launch an Anthem Facebook App that’s used by other large colleges and universities.  It’s a private Facebook community designed to help our alumni, current and future students meet other students, ask questions, find events and activities, and get more involved on campus. Please click the links below to find your new Facebook Community and check back often for information on the future roll-out of the Anthem College Facebook application

https://www.facebook.com/AnthemEducationGroup

https://www.facebook.com/AnthemCareerOnline

https://www.facebook.com/MorrisonUniversity

1. Arriving late. Make sure to look-up the destination of where your interview is being held, and then add an extra hour to your arrival time. The earlier you arrive, the less anxious and nervous you will be during your interview. Remember, the early bird catches the worm.

2.  Low Enthusiasm, Low Energy, Not Enough Get-up-and-go. Yes, definitely important to show interest and pep. Make sure you are well-rested, and in high spirits, or fake it by drinking a caffeinated beverage.

3.  Dressing unprofessionally, or sloppy. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on your interview outfit, but make sure you look clean and polish. The two types of business dress codes are: Professional Dress and Business Casual.

• Professional Dress. For women, this means a business suit or pants suit, or dress and jacket. For men, professional dress means a business suit or a blazer, dress pants and a tie.
• Business Casual. For women, this means a shirt with a collar and/or a sweater, khakis or dress pants or moderate length dress or skirt (knee-length or longer) and nice shoes.  For men, business casual is a polo shirt or shirt with a collar and/or sweater, khakis or dress pants and dress shoes. No tie is required.

4.  No eye contact, Poor Body Language (ex. slouching, too stiff, etc.) It’s easy to slouch when you are nervous, but it will make you look unprepared and uninterested.

•  Don’t stare blankly. Don’t rub or touch your nose. Don’t cross your legs and shake one nervously.
• Do establish a comfortable amount of personal space between you and the interviewer. Invading personal space (anything more than 20 inches) could make the interviewer feel uncomfortable. Do sit up straight, and keep an interested expression on your face, while occasionally nodding.

5.  Talking too much, or being too quiet. If, you talk too much it shows you have no respect for the person interviewing you. If, you talk too little it shows you lack communication skills, and does not provide the interviewer any information about your qualifications.

6.  Lack of confidence. Too many vague answers. Too many Umms.  There is a lot of strong competition out there, and improvised responses will automatically disqualify you from the second call back. Also, the interviewer will take your lack of confidence as a potential red flag that you may not be able to handle the job.

7.  You spoke poorly about your previous boss, employer, co-workers, etc.  Even if you had a bad experience with you previous employer, co-workers, boss, etc., make sure to keep this information to yourself.  Instead, mention a positive experience that you had on your last job, or of a skill that you were able to learn. Otherwise, you will appear as negative and confrontational. The key is to stay Positive.

8.  You don’t give strong examples or support of your qualifications, or job experience. Prepare a short 30 second pitch about your experience and career goals, for when you are asked that dreadful question “tell me about yourself”. Make sure to rehearse your speech in front of a mirror or in front of a friend. The more natural you appear the better your chances for landing that second call back.

9.  Don’t act overfriendly, or make yourself at home. Don’t put your feet up. Don’t smoke. Don’t eat food during your interview, or while you are waiting to be interviewed. Make sure you eat your breakfast or lunch before or after the interview.

10. You didn’t clean up your web presence, ex. Facebook, twitter, etc.
Regardless of how careful you are it is always a good idea to set your Facebook page to private or limited profile. Keep in mind, that what you or your friends post on your Facebook wall reflects your judgment and professionalism. If, your Facebook is not stellar, make sure you have a professional profile in LinkedIn that highlights your affiliations, skills and qualifications. The more diverse you appear the greater your chances for landing the second call back interview.

• Anthem Education is dedicated to helping our graduates find employment in their fields of study. All of our campuses have devoted Career Services professionals focusing to help students from resume development to coordinating job fairs with local employers.
• If you would like to learn more about our programs and services or find a campus near you, please visit our website.

Tell us: What are your favorite interview tips for landing a second call back? What advice would you give someone?

Danielle immediately pulled over and assisted the hurt woman by making sure she moved as little as possible, checked her vital signs and kept her calm until the ambulance arrived. While, waiting for the ambulance, Danielle attentively called the woman’s husband to relay his wife’s condition.

When the ambulance arrived to the scene of the accident, Danielle explained to the EMT’s the symptoms of a possible broken wrist and abdominal tenderness, which the woman had mentioned to Danielle.

Once the driver was in the good hands of the EMTs, Danielle went back to focusing on her day. That evening the driver’s husband called Danielle to express his gratitude for assisting his wife in such a dire situation.

Anthem College is always happy to read emails from our campuses, spotlighting Allied Health students who will one day become valuable assets to the medical world. Why not take Danielle’s example and join her in the world of real life superheroes.

If you want to be a part of a supportive community environment while earning a career focused diploma or degree, check out the Anthem Education family of schools and colleges. We offer a variety of programs across our 23 campuses, plus online options Anthem College online. Call us today at 1.866.381.6397 or visit our website http://www.anthem.edu/for more information regarding our Allied Health Programs.

That’s the good part.

Now for the part that could be better…

Currently, there is a skills gap. In other words, some say that people don’t have the skills that will be needed to fill these positions.

A recent article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel put it this way, “Wisconsin will need an estimated 925,000 skilled workers by 2018 to replace those on the verge of retiring and to keep up with the creation of new jobs. About 588,000 of those jobs will require two years of postsecondary training.”

But it’s not just any kind of training. The biggest need is for people to get training that can help them fill positions in the local area. The article quotes Tim Sullivan, the Governor’s Council on Workforce Investment Chair, who says that “too many young people get a degree that doesn’t lead to a job and then have a “do-over” in the technical college system so that they are employable.”

Kind of sounds to me like it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to train for a career to begin with, don’t you think?

If you are the type of person who is thinking about getting started on your career path, consider giving Anthem College-Brookfield a call. Located near the Milwaukee area, Anthem College-Brookfield works to train students for careers in the healthcare field. Degree and diploma programs include: Massage Therapy, Medical Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, and Surgical Technologist.

And best of all, a 2010 report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce says healthcare support positions in Wisconsin should account for over 100,000 new positions through 2018. According to the report, many of these positions will require at least “some college.”

If you would like to learn more about the programs and services at Anthem College-Brookfield, visit our website or call us today at 855.268.4368. We look forward to hearing from you!

Mia Malcolm, a graduate from the College’s Pharmacy Technician program, was named Student of the Year, and Dawn Roethemeyer, Lead Instructor for the  same program, was named Instructor of the Year. Both were nominated by Campus President Heidi Wind.

Mia Malcolm: “Phenomenal” journey and character

“As a student, Mia inspired me with her actions, her mentorship to her fellow students, and her determination to succeed,” Wind wrote to MAPCCS. “Her journey and character are phenomenal, but she is so humble that she does not realize what makes her stand out in a crowd. She is the blood, sweat, and tears of a true student.”

Malcolm’s life was transformed the day her son was born at just one pound, eight ounces, and twelve inches. He was not expected to live beyond two weeks, and if he did, the outlook was grim: his brain bled in three places, his lungs were “almost nonexistent,” and he wasn’t expected to walk, talk, or have much brain function.

Malcolm stayed with her son for 14 straight days, meeting daily with a team of physicians and one pharmacist who promised her that he would save her boy. “As soon as they left the room,” Malcolm says, “I started researching pharmacy schools. I wanted the ability to offer that kind of peace to someone someday.”

Throughout her son’s considerable medical issues and endless medical appointments, Malcolm stayed “strong and positive,” Wind wrote. She  entered Anthem College in May 2010, ten years after her last school experience. But the gap didn’t affect her achievements: she received Academic Excellence Awards in every class, served as a student ambassador to for new students, and co-chaired the group. She graduated from Anthem College in September 2011 with a 98.1% GPA.

While studying at Anthem, Malcolm was also enrolled in Washington University in St. Louis, where she will receive a Bachelor of Science in Math and Physics in May 2012 before going on to the University of Southern Illinois’ School of Pharmacy.

And her son? He is now two, doing much better, and has grown stronger all around. “Mia is an amazing mother,” Wind writes, and her son “is a  happy and playful little boy.”

Dawn Roethemeyer: Dedication to students “makes them want to be great.”

“What sets Dawn Roethemeyer apart from other nominees,” Wind wrote in nominating Roethemeyer, “is the personal impact she has on her students. Yes, she teaches them the information they need to know. Yes, she encourages them…[but] most importantly, Dawn has the ability to genuinely affect each of her students’ lives on a deeper level.”

“When interviewing graduates who are now working in the pharmacy technology field, they all discuss specific moments when they were going through a hardship, and Dawn was there to listen and offer advice when needed. Dawn’s students look at her as a role model, both personally and professionally. Her dedication to her students makes them want to be great.”

Here are a few comments from Anthem College graduates who studied under Roethemeyer:

• “When I needed extra help studying for the PTCB (Pharmacy Certification Technician Board certification exam), Dawn came in on her day off to help me. When we were both stumped on a particular problem, she found other resources to find the solution. Dawn is the first one to celebrate her students’ success. She pours her heart and soul into teaching. She is caring and compassionate. I want to teach because of her amazing characteristics.”
• “It is rare to find someone who goes above and beyond their duties as a teacher. Dawn’s determination and dedication, as well as love and compassion, contributes to making sure that each student she teaches leaves the school with the knowledge of the Pharmacy Technician field. She is not just a teacher to teach, she is a teacher who cares.”
• “When I was ready to give up on me, Dawn wasn’t. When I started at Anthem College, I had just received my GED after waiting over 25 years. I never thought I could get through college, but I did, with a 3.7 GPA. I owe it to Dawn and her support and never giving up on me.”

Says Mia Malcolm: “Ms. Dawn was always very supportive of me inside the classroom and in my personal life. Right after my son had surgery I had to miss a week of school. I came to school that Friday and took a test and I was very anxious. She told me just to relax and remember that I was amazing…that I was excelling in school to provide him with an amazing life. She always gave us 200%, even when she felt less than 100%. She held us together through the loss of our classmate and friend. She made us all better versions of ourselves.”

Roethemeyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Southern Illinois University and has worked as a PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician since 2001. She is a member of the National Pharmacy Technician Association, sits on the Pharmacy Technician Educator’s Council, and is working on Sterile Products Certification through NPTA. Her specialty is community pharmacy.

Roethemeyer began her Anthem College career as a Pharmacy Technician Instructor. After just a year, she was promoted to Lead Instructor, responsible for delivering classroom material, coordinating externships—a period in which students who have completed all coursework are placed in local pharmacies for supervised work experience—and assisting with job placements.

Last summer, Wind gave Roethemeyer the College’s Graduate Commitment Award in recognition of  her efforts to match Pharmacy Technician graduates with jobs in their fields and exceeding the 70% standard set by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. In September 2011, Roethemeyer’s peers voted to give her the Going the Extra Mile Award, based on her work with them and her students.

Last year, the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics reported that for-profit colleges showed the most growth in enrollments for 2009. This year, the story is pretty much the same.

According to an article for Inside Higher Ed, enrollment in for-profit colleges grew by 8.3 percent for fall 2010, compared to 2.3 percent at public universities, and 2.4 percent at private nonprofit schools. 

So why might more students be enrolling in for-profit colleges, many of which are vocational schools that provide training for specific career fields?

Wait, did I just answer my own question there?

Seriously though, while there is no singular reason that shows why for-profits are seeing more growth in enrollment, there is no arguing that jobs are still hard to come by and many employers are looking for a specific set of skills.

The healthcare sector, for example, which is expected to see the most job growth from 2010-2020, tends to require some form of post-secondary education and/or training.  Schools and colleges that offer healthcare programs help provide the specific career training that students need to enter a field without having to jump on the traditional 4-year public university train.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare field, but don’t know where to start? How about starting by getting trained and developing skills for a specific career, such as Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Surgical Technologist,  or Limited Scope X-Ray Technician!

Many of the 23 Anthem Education schools and colleges offer career-focused training programs for the healthcare field. Visit our locations page to find a campus near you.

If you don’t see one nearby, don’t worry! Anthem College Online is the online division of Anthem College and also offers healthcare-related programs, such as Medical Office Administration, Health Information Management, Healthcare Management, and Medical Assistant.

Visit the Anthem Education website to learn more about our programs and services. You can also call us directly at 1.866.381.6397 or click the “Chat Live” button at the top of the page to chat  now with one of our online representatives.

Anthem Education  schools and colleges offer career-focused training programs in a variety of fields. Two of the majors on the list correspond with programs offered at some of our schools: Health Information Management and Web & New Media Design.

Number 4: Health Information Management

“The need is huge for professionals who can help acquire, manage, and use information to improve health and manage payments.” 

Students can earn an associate degree in Health Information Management at Anthem College Online and Anthem College-Atlanta. The Atlanta campus also offers a Health Information Management Diploma. These programs prepare students to compete for entry-level positions in doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals, surgical centers, and related businesses.

At the Atlanta campus, students take clinical and administrative courses. Classes cover topics such as human body support and systems, medical terminology, billing and coding, and information technologies. Students must also participate in two externships before graduating.

The Health Information Management program at Anthem College Online provides flexible learning for busy students. One of the highlights of the program is a capstone course that uses a simulated medical office where students can practice their skills.

Number 8: New Media

“Colleges are offering a slew of variations under the New Media umbrella, combining traditional journalism or communications studies with digital media and design.”

Anthem Institute-Cherry Hill and Anthem Institute-Springfield recently rolled out a new Web & New Media Design program. The program is designed to give students the skills and knowledge they need to create attractive and effective websites.

In this program, students will get hands-on using industry-standard technologies to design and create websites and webpages. They will learn web scripting and database design for the web. They will also learn key skills for project planning, producing, and managing websites.

If you are interested in learning more about these programs, please visit the Anthem Education website or call us directly at 1.866.381.6397

Well, not if you’re smart. Learning is a lifelong process. Even if you have a job, the world is always changing. Business is always changing. Technology is always changing. You have to change with it.

How do you do that? By learning.

Read more about Continuing Your Education: The Value of Teaching Yourself after Graduation.

Continuing Education courses is one form of learning that is increasing in popularity across the United States.

According to an article in The New York Times titled, “Schools Try to Match the Jobless with 3.4 Million Jobs,” these courses serve a couple of different purposes. Not only do they offer a short-term option for people looking to advance specific skills, but they are becoming more and more necessary as employers continue to have trouble finding workers to fill job openings.

The article examines how continuing education courses have helped students at various education and experience levels develop the skills they need to find jobs in today’s market. For one student, continuing her education meant pursuing her interests and turning it into a career. For another student, continuing her education meant upgrading her management skills. For another, it meant bringing his skill level up to par with the other professionals in his field.

Anthem Education is very happy to be a part of this continuing education trend by offering short courses and programs at select campuses. Anthem Institute in Parsippany, New Jersey was one of the first campuses to get its programs up and running. The campus is currently offering three different short courses/programs:

• The Cisco® CCNA® Exploration course covers a range of networking topics. The course emphasizes practical application and skill development for networking-related careers and degree programs, while preparing students for the CCNA® certification.
• The BLS for Healthcare Providers course teaches students how to recognize life-threatening emergencies, provide high-quality chest compressions, deliver appropriate ventilation, and properly use an AED. The course also teaches relief of choking. Students who successfully complete the course earn their CPR certification.
• The Office Administration Specialist course helps students develop the skills they need to succeed in an office work environment and fulfill job responsibilities of various support staff positions. They learn how to manage schedules and activities, prepare presentations, and organize information. The course also helps students gain certification in different office software products.

If you are interested in continuing your education, other Anthem Education campuses are in the process of rolling out their own short courses and programs, including: Morrison University, Anthem Institute-North Brunswick, Anthem College Aurora, Anthem College Brookfield, and others.

Visit http://anthem.edu/short-courses/ to see what’s available. We will be updating the page as new programs and courses are launched so be sure to check back from time to time!

Education pays.

What do I mean when I say education pays? Well, we all know education is an investment. But according to multiple sources, it is not just an investment, it is a good investment. Why? Because people get a return on their investment.  In others words, that investment pays off.

I now give you the results of the latest report that helps illustrate my point even more. The report, titled, “What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2009,” was written by Stephanie Ewert in correlation with the U.S. Census Bureau.  It examines the relationship between education and economic outcomes.

One tidbit of information that stuck out was comparing the average monthly income of people with different levels of education.  According to the report, average monthly income increases with each level of education:

• High school diploma:  $3,179
• Vocational certificate:  $3,538
• Associate degree:  $4,166
• Bachelor’s degree: $5,445

 I did some quick math on my trusty calculator and realized that it’s almost a $5,000 difference in average income each year between those that have a high school diploma and those with a vocational certificate (diploma). That number doubles when you compare those with a high school diploma and those with an associate degree.

Pretty interesting, huh?

If you are considering furthering your education, but don’t know where to start, consider checking out Anthem Education. We offer career-focused education and training programs for the healthcare, technology, legal, business and veterinary technology fields. Plus, with 22 campuses across the United States and Anthem College Online, we are not hard to find.

Visit our website today to learn more about our programs and services. You can also call us directly at 1.866.381.6397 to speak with one of our representatives who can answer your questions.

Want to read more about education being a good investment? Check out these articles:

Survey Says…Education Pays!
Survey Shows College is a Good Investment

 
Tell us: What’s your ultimate educational goal?