by Allison Davis

The transition from high school to college can sometimes be stressful. There are many unanswered questions rolling through your head about what the classes will be like, how you are going to get to know new people, how you will manage your time, what it will be like living away from home, etc. The change from high school to college is a big step, but there are so many great things that will come from it. The first step in preparing for college is to understand some of the important differences between high school and college. Being prepared for these differences will surely help you have a smoother transition!

Class Time

In high school you spend about 7 hours a day going from one class to the next, following the same class schedule every day. You wake up early in the morning and get home midafternoon. On the other hand, in college you will spend roughly 12-16 hours in class a week with breaks in between some classes. You will also not have the same exact classes every day of the week. There are classes offered in the mornings and evenings, so you can take that into consideration when planning your schedule; however, you cannot choose what time the class is offered. I chose to have breaks in between all of my classes because that way I can do some homework and grab a bite to eat before my next class.

Class Size

The size of high school you went to will play a role in how you feel about class sizes in college. Most of my classes at ATI have about 20 students in them. My largest class is roughly 80 students. I enjoy having smaller classes because I feel that I develop relationships with a lot of my classmates. My professors engage with students in the classroom and they enjoy getting to know their students personally. The professors are very dedicated to helping students succeed; however, if students still struggle in certain classes, there is always help. The tutors at ATI are a huge help to students who need guidance in specific courses. It is very assuring knowing that if I ever need assistance I can use my resources to get the help I need.

Class Challenge

A lot of my high school teachers used to tell us that college was going to be so different than high school in terms of time management, the level of difficulty of the classes, etc. These comments made me a little nervous about college because I was worried I would not do well. As I am almost finished with my first year of college, I can confidently say that what my teachers said was true, but it all depends on how you handle challenges. The day-to-day schedule is very different than high school and the classes are obviously more difficult, but if you stay on task and put the work in, you will be perfectly fine.

 

At Ohio State ATI, there are multiple people and services with the goal of helping students achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. One such person is Denise Rotavera-Krain, who is our College Success Counselor.

Having graduated from Kent State University in 2019 with a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Personnel, Denise’s job is to help students with multiple aspects of college life. This includes anything from helping with study skills and career exploration to resume writing and interview preparation. She meets with students one-on-one and also hosts group resume, cover letter, and interviewing workshops. One tip she would give a prospective student for success in college is to “use a weekly planner and update it frequently.”

Her favorite part of Ohio State ATI is our students. While she has worked at Ohio State ATI for only 8 months, she has worked in higher education for many years. “I have always loved working with college students,” she says. “Their energy is infectious, and it is so rewarding to watch them transition from high school graduates to college students to young adulthood.” She believes that a college education opens the doors for students to grow both professionally and personally.

Denise is only one of Ohio State ATI’s resources for student success; many more can be found here. Resources range from disability services to tutoring, counseling, and many other services. In fact, when asked what the value of coming to college at Ohio State ATI is, Denise responded, “At Ohio State ATI, faculty and staff are eager to work with students and help them thrive.”

 

Denise Rotavera-Krain
College Success Counselor
Rotavera-krain.1@osu.edu
330-287-1333

Congratulations to the 107 ATI Buckeyes who were named to the CFAES Dean’s List for the 2019 Autumn Semester. Students had a minimum of 12 graded credit hours with a GPA of 3.5 or higher for any given term will be named to the Dean’s List for that term in the college in which they are enrolled.

Gage Airhart*

Bridget Ambonchi

Matthew Armstrong

Eric Barbey

Jesse Bauer

Skylar Bauer

Thomas Becker

Ross Black

Emily Bookless

Mary Brent

Brittany Brinkerhoff

William Cleckner

Karter Converse

Courtney Cooper

Nicholas Cotter

Donnette Cox

Allison Davis

Austin Dotterer

Zachary Drozdz

Lydia Dunaway

Seldon Dyer

Courtney Espenschied*

Ava Fabien

Megan Ferrari

Geoffrey Galida

Joel Garcia

Ashley Garlick

Megan Gibboney

Jolena Gioiello

Delisa Goodman

Natalie Guisinger

Kathleen Hans

Hannah Harmon

Gage Harris

KattieJo Hass

Shelby Helm*

Cody Herman

Brooke Hinkle

Nicholas Hobson

Olivia Hoffman

Brock Horn

Andrew Houseman

Alissa Hysong

Curtis Irwin

Braxton James

Nicholas Jarm

Julie Joehlin*

Rachel Kahle*

Alec Kaiser

Anthony Kanel*

Cheyenne Kase

Thane Kaufman

Grant Kessler

Wyatt Kissell

Samuel Kluender

Grace Koppelman

Clayton Lamb

Lisa Leienberger*

Alexandra Liskai

Spencer Logan

Benjamin Lowe

Mark Lowe

John Luckey

Sharlene MacAleese

Sean Magers

Paige Marshall*

Corey May

Grace McCrea*

Nicole McMullen

Macee Mercure

Jessica Mermer

Olivia Merrin

Jason Miller

Robert Miller

Alyxandria Morris

Chloe Myers

Abby Niese

Jonna Nissen*

Patrick Parker*

Ryan Patton

David Payne

Avyriel  Pollock*

Kenneth  Ramsier*

Alexa Rednour

Don Sabella

Haley Schmersal

Austin Schmitmeyer

Chasidy  Schmucker

James  Schon

Nicholas  Shaw

Benjamin Sheaffer

Samuel Shilling

Grant Shook

Rachel Sievers*

Paityn  Slansky

Donald Smith

Case Swartz

Alayna  Teiga*

Wyatt Tom

Mallory Warner*

Keeley Wilburn

Matthew Wiley

Kristen Winstanley

Austen Wood

Valerie Workman*

Madilyn  Youngpeter

*denotes 4.0 GPA for this semster

by Olivia Rinesmith

Living away from home can be scary. For majority of the students here at Ohio State ATI, this is their first time being on their own. Adjusting to living with people you haven’t known can be challenging. Eventually, you and your roommates will learn how to communicate and efficiently live together. At first, I thought that living with random people was going to turn out awful. I was totally wrong. The girls I live with have completely gone from strangers, to roommates, to best friends.

Here are my top three tips about living with your roommates.

Get to Know Each Other

Unlike many other campuses, Ohio State ATI has townhouse apartments rather than dorms. You could live with either one other person or four other people. No matter how many roommates you have in the apartment, it is very important that you get to know each other. At first, it can be scary opening up to people. BE YOURSELF! Make sure you are showing who you are so you can create a bond. Learn their interests — who likes to cook, who lives the farthest away, what classes they take. Making that initial connection right off the bat will help you feel comfortable as well as building a relationship with each other. I am truly blessed that my roommates and I created that bond from night one because things couldn’t be better! By doing this, it has opened up new relationships with their friends, lots of movie and game nights, several adventures and endless laughter.

Respect Personal Space

If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, you will be sharing a room with someone. Yes, I know, the majority of us are used to having our own room with our own space. The bedrooms at Ohio State ATI are set up so you can rearrange the area to your liking. It is important that you respect your fellow roommates’ space in the room, especially the closet space. As long as you both make some kind of schedule, it will make everyone in the house more compatible.

I will add that there will be times where you need your personal space to study or even just some “me” time. COMMUNICATE! Don’t be afraid to be open about when you need some alone time to study or relax.

Respect Each Other

One thing that is very important is that you respect each other. Whether that is about space or even just in general, respect is a major value that will lead you to a successful relationship. You heard it all through pre-school: “Treat others the way you wish to be treated.” This is easily the most important rule you’ve learned, as it’s entirely accurate. You want to treat your roommate and your roommate’s space as you want yourself and your space to be treated.

 

Living on campus can be one of the things that students are most excited about or the thing that they are most nervous about when they come to college! No matter where you fall on that spectrum, Ohio State ATI has staff members who are willing and able to help answer all your housing questions. Ohio State ATI’s housing coordinator is Mick Steiner and he has been with the university for 6.5 years. His number one priority is making sure students get the most out of their college experience and that they learn and grow as people, not just in their classes, but in their living arrangements as well.

Ohio State ATI has apartment style living. This means that students have a full kitchen and a living room, as well as a patio. There are a few different layouts of the apartments, but most have two bedrooms with four or five students per apartment. Each apartment has its own bathroom. This living arrangement allows students to have independence while still being on campus.

When asked what the value of coming to college at Ohio State ATI is, Steiner stated, “Ohio State ATI provides a small, intimate learning community. While many of our students come from rural backgrounds and have experiences with farming, the majors offered here attract students looking for diverse job opportunities. This is the perfect campus to build relationships, learn more about being a college student, and prepare for a transition to the Columbus campus or to enter the workforce. Students who start at Ohio State ATI often find apartment living to be favorable over other living arrangements.”

In addition to being a perfect place to build relationships, Ohio State ATI has many ways to be involved on campus. Steiner suggests, “Take advantage of opportunities to get involved in campus life – whether it be an RA program, intramurals at the Student Activities Center, or a club or organization that meshes with your major. So much learning happens outside of the classroom. You do have to put yourself out there to form connections with your peers. You never know who may be a future colleague, a supervisor, or a trusted friend in the industry. Toss those stereotypes aside and take an opportunity to learn about majors and programs outside of your focus area.”

If you have questions about housing, please do not hesitate to ask. Also, be sure to visit campus, so that you have a chance to see the apartments and the rest of our campus!

Mick Steiner
Housing Coordinator
steiner.255@osu.edu
330-287-7504

Ohio State ATI Housing:

 

It’s time to fill out your CFAES scholarship application if you haven’t already!  The deadline is fast approaching: February 15, 2020!  While you are still able to apply after that date, you will only be considered for additional funds should they become available.  This means you need to apply by the February 15^th deadline in order to have the best possible chance to receive scholarship gift money for the 2020-2021 academic year.  Here are a few tips for filling out the CFAES scholarship application.

Use the Correct Student ID Number!
When filling out your scholarship application, be sure to double check that you’ve typed in your student ID (9-digit number, usually beginning with 500 if you’ve enrolled in the past few years, found on your BuckID and the email you received after you submitted your application) correctly.  Your information is categorized electronically by this number, so if you accidentally type the number wrong, your application may not be processed correctly, if at all.

Use the Campus You Will be Attending in the Fall!
Make sure you’re selecting the correct location you’ll be attending NEXT FALL.  If you are starting your classes at ATI next fall or if you are a continuing student at ATI, make sure you select ATI/Wooster. If you are transitioning to Columbus in Autumn 2020 (after summer), you need to select the Columbus campus.  Many of our scholarships are based on which campus you’ll be attending.  If you select the wrong campus, you will not be in the correct selection pools, and any scholarships you have been awarded may be removed due to location.

Be Concise and Efficient When Writing!
When answering essay questions, there is a 300-word limit.  This means you need to be concise and efficient when answering.  For example, you may be answering a question about why you’ve chosen your major. Rather than tell a long story with a great deal of detail, give a few background details and focus on how that experience has impacted your major selection.

Focus on Highlights!
You may be asked to list accomplishments or achievements in a particular area of your life, such as volunteerism or 4-H.  Focus on recent highlights, or those that have had the greatest impact on your life.  If you list too much, it’s difficult for those reviewing to focus on your recent successes.

Do you have Questions?
Finally, if you make a mistake on your application or have any questions, contact lemasters.27@osu.edu and I will work with you to make sure everything is taken care of.

Best of luck!

Katie LeMasters
Academic Affairs
Program Coordinator

Apply for the Ohio State ATI Scholarships

 

What is financial aid?

Money to help pay for college.

Gift Money = Internal/external scholarships and federal, state, or institutional grants

Earned Money = Federal work-study

Borrowed Money = Federal subsidized/unsubsidized loans, parent PLUS loan, and/or private loan

 

What is the FAFSA and how often do I apply for FAFSA aid?

FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid

• Submitting a FAFSA allows a student to be considered for federal student aid as well as potential state and institutional need-based aid
• FAFSA is based on the prior, prior tax year (i.e. 2020-2021 FAFSA = 2018 income tax year)
• Apply every year you are enrolled in college at gov
• FAFSA is available every October 1^st
• You will apply your senior year of high school or the year prior to attending college
• The Ohio State University’s priority deadline every year is February 1st
• The Ohio State University’s (all campuses) federal code is 003090

What is the FSA ID and who needs one?

FSA ID = Federal Student Aid ID

• One parent and the student each need their own FSA ID
• Create a username and password at ed.gov
• FSA ID allows you to log into your FAFSA and sign it electronically; also used for completing federal student/parent loan processes

What is Federal Work-Study?

• Part-time employment for undergraduate students with financial need allowing them to earn money to help pay for education expenses
• If interested, check yes when asked on the FAFSA
• If offered federal work-study, students must accept the offer and apply for a job on campus

What is the IRS data retrieval tool?

• Allows students and parents who filed a U.S. tax return with the IRS to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the FAFSA and transfers the data directly to their FAFSA
• Benefits: Easiest way to provide tax return information, ensures accurate tax information, and you will not need to provide a copy of your tax returns to the school

What is an EFC?

EFC = Expected Family Contribution (number)

• EFC is calculated based on the information reported on the FAFSA
• The school uses the EFC to determine financial aid eligibility award
• Formula: Cost of attendance – EFC = student’s financial need
• Note: An EFC is not the amount of money a family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid a student will receive. It is a number used by the school to calculate the amount of federal student aid a student is eligible to receive

Helpful Tips

• Submit your FAFSA on time every year
• If selected for verification (common process) by the college, complete all required forms and submit by requested deadline
• Follow up and check email communication from University Student Financial Aid as well as your Buckeye Link account
• Apply for internal and external scholarships in addition to submitting a FAFSA

 

Questions?

Julia Morris, Ohio State ATI Coordinator of Student Financial Aid

Email: morris.878@osu.edu

Phone: 330-287-1214

Ohio State ATI: https://ati.osu.edu/money-matters

Ohio State University Student Financial Aid: https://sfa.osu.edu/

Helpful Financial Aid Videos:

https://www.facebook.com/OhioStateATI/videos/627816147652040/