Comments for James Walmer http://eckerdlife.com/james Just another Eckerdlife.com weblog Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:33:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 Comment on The situation by Scott Hale http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-14 Scott Hale Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:16:47 +0000 http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-14 The alumni community of Eckerd definitely is alive and kicking. I had a reunion with a number of alumnae in South Korea of all places when I dropped in from Japan for a short visit. I think you're on a great track. Eckerd has so much to offer--co-curriculars and relationships with professors are very rewarding to cultivate. Eckerd also allows a good amount of freedom to explore your academic interests. I think my majors in Math, Computer Science, and Spanish set me apart from other applicants for jobs and grad. programs. You might see what major or minor compliments your political science interests and makes you stand out a bit. Honestly, I was a bit concerned to major in Mathematics, but doing so was a great experience and the major opens so many opportunities. So, don't be afraid to try new things academically too--you might even mind you like the new academic area better the first one. The alumni community of Eckerd definitely is alive and kicking. I had a reunion with a number of alumnae in South Korea of all places when I dropped in from Japan for a short visit.

I think you’re on a great track. Eckerd has so much to offer–co-curriculars and relationships with professors are very rewarding to cultivate. Eckerd also allows a good amount of freedom to explore your academic interests. I think my majors in Math, Computer Science, and Spanish set me apart from other applicants for jobs and grad. programs. You might see what major or minor compliments your political science interests and makes you stand out a bit. Honestly, I was a bit concerned to major in Mathematics, but doing so was a great experience and the major opens so many opportunities. So, don’t be afraid to try new things academically too–you might even mind you like the new academic area better the first one.

]]> Comment on The situation by James http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-11 James Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:50:16 +0000 http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-11 Wow, I just got on to receive this amazing outpouring of response from you guys. It's been very reassuring (to say the least!) to know that my GPA isn't such a huge deal. It seemed like in high school it was all they could do to beat it into your head, "You need at LEAST a 4.0 to get into college." I'm going to take this advice to heart and try to get involved with some clubs and build some solid relationships with my professors over the next few years. Already I've realized how easy they are to get in touch with. Also, I'm glad to report that as I sit writing this response I only have one week until I'm off for Christmas break so Spanish 101 is down. Hopefully next semester won't be too awful lol Thanks again -James PS- It's also great to know that when people leave Eckerd they don't just forget about it =) You guys are A-1 in my book Wow, I just got on to receive this amazing outpouring of response from you guys. It’s been very reassuring (to say the least!) to know that my GPA isn’t such a huge deal. It seemed like in high school it was all they could do to beat it into your head, “You need at LEAST a 4.0 to get into college.” I’m going to take this advice to heart and try to get involved with some clubs and build some solid relationships with my professors over the next few years. Already I’ve realized how easy they are to get in touch with. Also, I’m glad to report that as I sit writing this response I only have one week until I’m off for Christmas break so Spanish 101 is down. Hopefully next semester won’t be too awful lol
Thanks again
-James
PS- It’s also great to know that when people leave Eckerd they don’t just forget about it =) You guys are A-1 in my book

]]> Comment on The situation by Scott Hale http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-10 Scott Hale Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:15:21 +0000 http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-10 I deeply feel your concerns as a 2008 graduate of EC. I am teaching English in Japan for a year and I am in the thick of applying for graduate school and law school. GPA is a factor, but it certainly is not the only factor. Even as a factor, schools often calculate your "major" GPA for only those classes within your major. I think what will help my application, however, is my co-curricular involvements and the excellent relationships I forged with professors (which I hope will lead to good letters of recommendation). I know it's so frustrating, however, when you really want to understand a subject and it just is not clicking. I was a Spanish and Computer Science double major. I'm emailing you a copy of this comment and my contact info now--if you ever have questions about Spanish I am more than happy to help. Scott '08 I deeply feel your concerns as a 2008 graduate of EC. I am teaching English in Japan for a year and I am in the thick of applying for graduate school and law school. GPA is a factor, but it certainly is not the only factor. Even as a factor, schools often calculate your “major” GPA for only those classes within your major. I think what will help my application, however, is my co-curricular involvements and the excellent relationships I forged with professors (which I hope will lead to good letters of recommendation).

I know it’s so frustrating, however, when you really want to understand a subject and it just is not clicking. I was a Spanish and Computer Science double major. I’m emailing you a copy of this comment and my contact info now–if you ever have questions about Spanish I am more than happy to help.

Scott ‘08

]]> Comment on The situation by Kyle http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-8 Kyle Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:31:37 +0000 http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-8 Dude, it's your first year. To echo what Johnny said, there's more to school (and especially a school like Eckerd) than a sterling GPA. I feel your pain though. It may not have been Spanish, but I think we've all had that one class that tormented us. For me it was Statistics--I pulled out a B but I learned nothing and the grade dropped my GPA. I was really bummed at the time but one B (or C) in the mix doesn't do much to your GPA by the time you graduate. There's plenty of international students at Eckerd and I bet if you sent out an email through the campus listserv you could find someone willing to tutor you in Spanish. Otherwise, just keep focused--but don't let a class get you down too much. You can always go sit in a hammock on Eckerd Beach or ride a free yellow bike. It's not that bad! Dude, it’s your first year. To echo what Johnny said, there’s more to school (and especially a school like Eckerd) than a sterling GPA.

I feel your pain though. It may not have been Spanish, but I think we’ve all had that one class that tormented us. For me it was Statistics–I pulled out a B but I learned nothing and the grade dropped my GPA. I was really bummed at the time but one B (or C) in the mix doesn’t do much to your GPA by the time you graduate.

There’s plenty of international students at Eckerd and I bet if you sent out an email through the campus listserv you could find someone willing to tutor you in Spanish. Otherwise, just keep focused–but don’t let a class get you down too much. You can always go sit in a hammock on Eckerd Beach or ride a free yellow bike. It’s not that bad!

]]> Comment on The situation by Johnny V. Boykins http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-7 Johnny V. Boykins Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:19:43 +0000 http://eckerdlife.com/james/2008/11/23/sad/#comment-7 Very interesting. As a recent 2008 EC graduate of Political Science and Communications, I understand where you are in your Eckerd journey. That being said, I want to say that students often place too much on their GPA. Its just a number. Grades are important but they don't define you who are or what caliber of Law School you will get into. There are more parts to the equation then simply a "poor" grade here or there. I graduated from Eckerd with a decent academic standing and I have made it into every single law and graduate school I have applied. (to include, American U, Columbia, Florida State, and UF, and Howard) I am sure there are many more people out there who had better GPA's then I did but they didn't have skills in other areas that are important. Graduate schools and law schools look at the complete person, similarly to what Eckerd did when it granted you admissions. What potential you will show as a post-undergraduate student. I mean, if you spent all of your time in the books and in the library you could easily get a perfect GPA, but does that mean you actually gained any life experiences and skills. Did you volunteer, work, participate in a group or organization? Where you involved in something other then academics? What type of service have you done for the community? What makes you different from those who stive to have perfect GPA's. Those are the things you should be working towards. Grades are a factor but in my opinion a minor factor when it comes to the complete person. Learning a foreign language is tough. Its a skill that will come with time and repretition. So I say, stress about how to clearly define yourself. When it comes time for you to apply to graduate level school you will have an arsenal to work with, not just a perfect transcript. -Johnny V. Boykins '08 Very interesting. As a recent 2008 EC graduate of Political Science and Communications, I understand where you are in your Eckerd journey. That being said, I want to say that students often place too much on their GPA. Its just a number. Grades are important but they don’t define you who are or what caliber of Law School you will get into. There are more parts to the equation then simply a “poor” grade here or there. I graduated from Eckerd with a decent academic standing and I have made it into every single law and graduate school I have applied. (to include, American U, Columbia, Florida State, and UF, and Howard) I am sure there are many more people out there who had better GPA’s then I did but they didn’t have skills in other areas that are important. Graduate schools and law schools look at the complete person, similarly to what Eckerd did when it granted you admissions. What potential you will show as a post-undergraduate student. I mean, if you spent all of your time in the books and in the library you could easily get a perfect GPA, but does that mean you actually gained any life experiences and skills. Did you volunteer, work, participate in a group or organization? Where you involved in something other then academics? What type of service have you done for the community? What makes you different from those who stive to have perfect GPA’s. Those are the things you should be working towards. Grades are a factor but in my opinion a minor factor when it comes to the complete person. Learning a foreign language is tough. Its a skill that will come with time and repretition. So I say, stress about how to clearly define yourself. When it comes time for you to apply to graduate level school you will have an arsenal to work with, not just a perfect transcript.

-Johnny V. Boykins ‘08

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