HAPPY END OF THE SEMESTER FROM UA!

And good luck with Finals!

International Students and Travelers - STAY CONNECTED!

On Wednesday we reminded you to pay attention to your UMass email over the summer so you do not miss any important information.   

But what if you're leaving the country?

Remember that you must still keep up with your UMass responsibilities, be they academic (e.g. checking SPIRE to get into a class, or responding to emails regarding your academic status), financial (e.g. working with Financial Aid and the Bursar's Office to ensure that your bill is paid), or anywhere else you may have business pending.

 

Before you leave the United States, make sure you have anticipated and resolved any connectivity issues.  Check out the OIT webpage on accessing your UMass email for International Students (this was emailed to international students in October), and contact the support desk if you have any questions or issues.

 
Enjoy your break! 

Stay Connected Over the Summer!

REMEMBER: Over the Summer break you must still keep up with your UMass responsibilities, be they academic (e.g. checking SPIRE to get into a class, or responding to emails regarding your academic status), financial (e.g. working with Financial Aid and the Bursar's Office to ensure that your bill is paid), or anywhere else you may have business pending.

• Regularly check your email
• Keep checking SPIRE for courses you are still trying to add
• Be in touch with your advisor if you have any questions!

If you're planning on applying to the Isenberg School of Management, time is running out.

Applications are due by Friday, May 1 at 5:00pm.

If you have questions about the process, make an appointment to meet with an advisor before Thursday. Read the instructions and information on the Isenberg site before coming in.

    BBA Track Application Information

 
    HTM Application Information

 
    Sport Management Application Information

5-Day Study Plan

It's hard to believe, but there are only two more weeks left in the semester before finals. It may feel overwhelming trying to finish final papers and projects, but make sure to give yourself a little time to prepare so you don't have to cram the night before an exam. Here are some tips on a 5-Day Study Plan!

When you first start studying, it may seem impossible to get through all of the material. Don't worry, here are some tips to stay organized and on track and the best part is, it will only take you about two hours a day!

1. First, organize your materials. Gather all of your notes, handouts, and other miscellaneous lecture material and match it with the corresponding chapters of your textbook. It makes it much easier when it comes time to buckle down and study.
2. Once organized, break your material down into four categories: A, B, C, D and assign a certain amount of material to each on. For example, if you have eight chapters of your Psychology textbook to read, make A chapters one and two, B is chapters three and four, and so forth.
3. Choose some strategies for preparing, such as making flashcards or drawing a diagram. Then, choose strategies for review reciting main ideas from your notes without looking or explaining a concept to a friend. Everyone has different ways to study, so find the ones that work best for you.
4. Now that you're organized, here's the study breakdown:

• Day 1: Prepare Part A for 2 hours
• Day 2: Prepare Part B for 2 hours, Review Part A for 30 mins
• Day 3: Prepare Part C for 1.5 hours, Review Part B for 30 mins, Review Part A for 30 mins
• Day 4: Prepare Part D for 1 hours, Review Part C for 30 mins, Review Part B for 15 mins, Review Part A for 15 mins
• Day 5: Review Part D for 25 mins, Review Part C for 15 mins, Review Part B for 10 mins, Review Part A for 10 mins. Finally, wrap up your 5-Day Study Plan by testing yourself on all four parts.

That's all there is to it! Follow this easy study plan to help stay on track for your final exams. Best of luck!

Weekly Preview: April 27 - May 1

You've made it to the final week of classes!  Take a deep breath, finish those papers and projects and get your study plans in place for finals!

Thursday, April 30 will follow a Monday class schedule and is no longer a Reading Day.  Be sure to check with your instructors if you have any questions.

There will be an R1 Basic Math Skills Exemption Test on Monday, April 27 at 7:00pm in Marcus 131.  Passing the R1 exam (at least 12 out of 20 correct) will satisfy the R1 requirement for graduation but will not result in the awarding of any credits. A student ID and a #2 pencil are required. A calculator is recommended. There is no limit on the number of times a student may take this test. The focus of this exam is to measure knowledge of basic math skills.  Click here to learn more about the test and to confirm the room location before Monday.

On Wednesday, April 29, celebrate Founders Day! Join us on Goodell Lawn from 11:00am - 2:00pm for a FREE Campus Cookout.  The Campus Cookout is free to all students, faculty, and staff. Rain or shine, we hope you will be able to join in on the fun as we honor the faculty, staff, and students who make UMass Amherst a great place to be. 

The Academic Advising Link will close for the semester on Thursday, April 30.  Stop by any time between 4:00pm - 8:00pm Sunday - Thursday in the Learning Commons in the DuBois Library and get your last minute questions answered.  Need to find one more class for the Fall?  Looking for a great GenEd?  Have questions about major requirements?  Come see the Peer Advisors before they finish the semester.

Applications for all Isenberg School of Management majors are due by 5:00pm on Friday, May 1.  No late applications will be accepted.  Find information below on transfer requirements and how to apply. 

• Requirements and application information for current UMass students to transfer into the BBA Program.    
• Requirements and application information for current UMass students to transfer into the BS in Hospitality & Tourism Management program.   
• Requirements and application information for current UMass students to transfer into the BS in Sport Management program.

Victor Goes to Spain: A Dispatch from a Peer Blogger

Being overseas, studying in a different country, learning like you've never learned before. Studying abroad is a life-changing experience. Living in another country and entering a new community for a semester (or longer), is something that I believe everybody should try. 

I decided to go abroad last semester, cutting it very close to the deadline to apply. I'm now studying Spanish in Granada, Spain at the University of Granada, in the Center for Modern Languages (Centro de Lenguas Modernas). I never thought that I could study abroad, being a Communication major with a Certificate in Film Studies, I didn't think I could find a program that would benefit me and fulfill requirements. Studying here though actually helps me complete my Global Education Requirement, a language requirement for students in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. When I discovered that studying abroad could work towards completing that requirement, I decided to apply.

Applying for the study abroad program was a much lengthier process than I had imagined. Between applying to my program, API (Academic Programs International), which was a separate application process from the IPO (International Programs Office, UMass’ study abroad office), figuring out finances and budgets, applying for a passport and a visa, I was very busy for the weeks to come. 

Two pieces of advice when applying or deciding to study abroad. One: Don't wait for the last minute to decide or apply: it’ll save you lots of stress, time, and possibly money. Two: If you do decide or apply late, make sure it’s something you really want to do. Before I applied, I wasn't very sure if I would ever want to study abroad, but when I walked into class that day and received a brochure to study abroad in Spain, I knew right there that I wanted to apply, so I went home and started the process. Allowing yourself a decent amount of time to look into other programs and familiarize yourself with the application process is a very good idea, I wish that I had done that when applying.

And if you apply and are accepted, you will realize that you are leaving, off onto new adventures in foreign lands. It won't hit you so hard until a few weeks before you leave, when you begin to pack your things and say your goodbyes and see-you-later's. You might start to panic and think that you're not ready to go, the time will start to slip from your mind, and before you know it, you're boarding that plane to go wherever it is you're going.  

Another piece of advice: Pack lightly. Bring only the essentials, it makes traveling easier. You'll also come back with souvenirs (most likely), so you'll want to make sure you have room for everything you buy while you're abroad. 

Don't forget your chargers, your medicines, maybe even your favorite movie. A little reminder of home will be important too, some days you'll miss it.

But you will be so excited once you land in your new (temporary) home! Everything will seem new to you, like you're stepping into a new world. You'll begin to meet new people and make new friends, eat new foods, maybe even study a new language. Everything that happens will be a new experience, and not before long will you become a part of a new community. Adjusting may take some time, but once you know your way around your new home and establish relationships with the people around you, I swear you'll never want to leave.

Now before you get all excited for your adventure, you must remember why you're abroad: to study. School for me has been amazing, I love my classes, my professors, and I love what I’m learning. I am only studying Spanish while I am abroad, and like I said before, it is fulfilling a requirement for me for my degree. Make sure when you are looking through different programs, that you consider what courses will help you fulfill requirements, or if none of them do, make sure you know what other courses you'll need to take when you return. You don't want to fall behind, so just make sure you aware of what position a semester abroad will put you in, in terms of major, college, and university requirements.

I am excited to return home and bring what I've learned back with me, but I will dearly miss Granada. The entire study abroad experience has been an absolutely wonderful time. If you think that study abroad may be for you, I strongly encourage you to pursue a study abroad program. The International Programs Office, located on the 4th floor of Hills South, is very helpful with assuring your questions are answered and assisting with every aspect of the study abroad process. They also have a desk in the Learning Commons of the Library (right next to the Academic Advising Link!) staffed with Peer Advisors to answer your questions and help you out. 

Another great opportunity for students who want to travel, but may not want to go abroad, is National Student Exchange. There is a list of schools of which you can study at across the country while still being a UMass Amherst Student. If you have questions about that, you can go to 613 Goodell for more information.

Regardless of whether it’s in the country, or across the world, I think everyone should take the opportunity to travel and study abroad. There’s no time like the present, and there’s a big world out there, I suggest that you go see it.

Resource Economics online statement of interest due FRIDAY!

If you are hoping to be a Resource Economics major, and you have already attended an information session, remember that the online statement of interest is due this FRIDAY 4/24. See the website for details and instructions!

Patriots' Day Schedule Change

 

 

 

Monday, April 20 is Patriots' Day.  There are no classes and most offices on campus will be closed.  

 

Wednesday, April 22 will follow a Monday schedule.

 

The rest of the week follows a normal schedule.

 

 

 

Weekly Preview: April 20 - April 24

Monday, April 20 is Patriots' Day.  There are no classes and most offices on campus will be closed.  

Wednesday, April 22 will follow a Monday schedule.

The rest of the week follows a normal schedule.

If you are interested in becoming a Public Health Science major and taking majors only classes in the Fall, don't miss the final Prospective Major Information Session on Wednesday, April 22nd, 5:30PM, WEB DuBois Library 720!

Attendance is REQUIRED for those applying to the major.  Click here to register.

If you would like to learn more about the major but are not ready to apply, go to the information session!  Bring your unofficial transcript, personal information page and a tracking form. Tracking form should be mostly filled out.  Click here for the application materials.

Are you planning on declaring Resource Economics and taking majors only classes in the Fall?  Your online statement of interest is due on Friday, April 24.  Don't miss the deadline!