College Times Weekly

College life isn’t just about attending lectures—it’s about mastering a range of assignments that develop your skills for academic and real-world success. Here’s an in-depth look at the most common assignments you’ll tackle in your time on campus, with tips to help you excel. 1. Essays What They Are: Essays are written pieces where you express your ideas, reflect on experiences, or argue a specific point. They can range from personal narratives to analytical or argumentative essays. Why They Matter: Essays teach you to organize your thoughts, develop arguments, and communicate clearly—skills valued in any career. Tips for Success: ✓ Start with a strong thesis statement that guides your essay. ✓ Outline your main points before writing. ✓ Use evidence or examples to back up your arguments. ✓ Revise and proofread to improve clarity and grammar. 2. Annotated Bibliographies What They Are: An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for books, articles, and other...

If your child is heading into their sophomore year this fall, buying the right laptop can make a big difference in their studies. The “best” choice isn’t always the most expensive one — it’s about matching the laptop to their field of study and ensuring it’s powerful enough to last for the next few years. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right fit for their major. For Engineering Students Engineering programs often require software like AutoCAD, MATLAB, SolidWorks, or coding environments that need a powerful processor and plenty of RAM. Recommended specs: Processor: Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 RAM: 16GB or more Storage: 512GB SSD Dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX/RTX) Sturdy build and good cooling system Top Picks: Dell XPS 15 HP Envy 16 Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (great for CAD work) For Finance, Accounting, and Business Students These majors don’t require heavy graphics but do involve multitasking, spreadsheets, data analysis, and sometim...

Guidelines for the Dissertation of Three Publishable Papers The following information explains the process of a PhD dissertation consisting of three publishable papers as an alternative format to the conventional format of the PhD dissertation. Questions and Answers: Is the proposal defense the same even if I choose to do a dissertation of three papers? Yes, at the time of the proposal defense, the Dissertation Committee must approve the selection of the three-paper option. During the final oral defense, the Dissertation Committee will judge the quality and acceptability of the papers and must agree that they are of sufficient scholarly quality and scientific merit to be suitable for publication in refereed journals in your discipline. Do the three papers have to be published before I submit my dissertation? No, the three papers do not need to be published, but they must be of publishable quality. The article titles, authorship and potential journals for submis...

If you’re beginning your PhD this fall, congratulations! You’re about to embark on one of the most challenging yet rewarding academic journeys of your life. A PhD isn’t just about earning the highest academic degree — it’s about becoming a true expert in your field, contributing new knowledge, and learning how to think critically and independently. Based on the experiences of graduates and current doctoral students, here’s a comprehensive guide with both practical advice for navigating your PhD and research-specific tips to help you succeed from day one. 1. General Advice for Starting Your PhD Manage your time wisely One of the biggest challenges is balancing coursework, research, and life outside academia. Use a calendar or project management tool to set deadlines and break down big tasks into smaller milestones. Build relationships early Your supervisor, fellow students, and faculty members will be part of your support system. Good professional relationships can open door...

On August 7, 2025, OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT-5, its most advanced and capable AI model so far. Packed with new features, improved reasoning skills, and full multimodal support, GPT-5 is already redefining how people learn, teach, and work. If you are a student, educator, or researcher, this release could become your new academic game-changer. Here’s a detailed look at what’s new in ChatGPT-5, its capabilities, and why it matters in education. 1. A Unified Model for Every Task GPT-5 replaces older models like GPT-4, GPT-4.5, and GPT-4o with one unified flagship system. It uses dynamic routing to automatically choose between speed and deep reasoning, so you get the right balance of quick responses and thorough analysis without switching models manually. 2. Smarter Reasoning and Higher Accuracy OpenAI says GPT-5 delivers PhD-level reasoning across academic writing, coding, and research. It’s more factual, reduces “hallucinations” (incorrect outputs), and can follow complex instr...

If you live in New York and plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY college, the Excelsior Scholarship can cover your remaining tuition after other grants are applied. It is a last dollar award, which means Pell and TAP go first, then Excelsior fills the rest of tuition. It does not cover fees, housing, meals, books, or transport.  Apply now Fall 2025 to 2026 application deadline: August 31, 2025. You should complete the FAFSA and the TAP application before you submit Excelsior.  Callout box copy Apply by August 31, 2025 The Excelsior Scholarship application for Fall 2025 to 2026 is open. Submit FAFSA and TAP first, then complete your Excelsior application with HESC.  Who qualifies New York residents with combined federal adjusted gross income of 125,000 dollars or less.  U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens who have lived in New York for at least 12 continuous months.  Students pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY campus...

If you live in New York and plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY school, the Excelsior Scholarship can cover your tuition so you pay zero tuition out of pocket once other grants are applied. Below is a simple guide to who qualifies, what it covers, how to apply, and the fine print most people miss.  Quick snapshot For New York residents with combined federal adjusted gross income at or below 125,000 dollars.  Covers tuition at SUNY and CUNY after Pell and TAP are applied. This is a last dollar scholarship. It does not cover fees, housing, meals, books, or transport.  You must study full time and complete 30 credits each academic year in your program of study. Some students in opportunity programs have a reduced annual credit target.  You agree to live in New York after graduation for the same number of years you received the award. If you move out early, it converts to a no interest loan.  Who qualifies To be eligible you must;  Be a legal resident of ...

Introduction   The rise of artificial intelligence in education has sparked a question that once felt unthinkable: Do we still need teachers? From AI tutors that can explain calculus at 2 a.m. to adaptive learning platforms that tailor lessons to each student’s pace, technology is challenging the traditional idea of the teacher as the primary source of knowledge. Yet, history shows that every major educational shift — from the printing press to the internet — has reshaped, not erased, the teacher’s role. The current wave of AI innovation is no different. The Changing Landscape of Teaching For centuries, teachers were the gatekeepers of knowledge. Students relied on them to explain concepts, correct misunderstandings, and guide them toward mastery. Now, AI-powered tools can provide instant explanations, translate languages in real time, and assess essays in seconds. This has shifted the teacher’s role from knowledge transmitter to learning architect. Rather than comp...

A literature review critically analyses existing literature to develop an argument. Writing a literature review can be challenging because: you need to coordinate many sources and ideas into a logical argument you may be dealing with language and ideas you haven't fully mastered yet there are no fixed rules for what to include or how to organize your writing. This is just a general guide to help you write a literature review.  The specific requirements for your course may be different.  Make sure you read through any assignment requirements carefully and ask your lecturer or tutor if you're unsure how to meet them. Purpose of a literature review A literature review should demonstrate your overall understanding of the literature and develop an argument, often by answering specific questions. It shouldn't just list and summarize what you've read. Unlike other assignment types, you're often expected to determine the purpose of a l...

Trust is the primary most ground for any relationship to thrive. Erica has had trust issues for the longest time, and her failure to open up to many psychologists is liable for her escalated drug abuse. However, since the buildup of trust with a different psychologist, she has managed to reduce her drug use, though she takes a binge every now and then. It is often stated that it takes a very long time to build trust, but takes forever to regain broken trust. The predicament suffered by Erica in her last escapades are not only worrying but also traumatizing. The extent of the research seeks to check on the ethical implications of her psychologist, which will eventually determine on the step to take. According to the psychologists’ code of conduct, confidentiality perches highest on the pecking order. Psychologists are prohibited by their code of conduct to disclose any sensitive information to third parties. However, the code of confidentiality can only be disapproved in certai...

The Demanding Nature of Nursing Nursing is a demanding profession that requires a deep understanding of ethical and medical principles. Ethical dilemmas are a constant challenge in the nursing profession, particularly when dealing with patients and their personal information. The growing reliance on technology in healthcare has led to a need for nurses to address these issues, as they are responsible for providing better patient care. Informed Consent and Patient Autonomy Informed consent is crucial in medical care, as it ensures patients make well-informed decisions about their health. However, neglecting this can lead to issues such as patients' discomfort with treatment, refusal to be treated due to personal beliefs, and decisions regarding life or death. Nurses must ensure patients understand every element of their treatment plans to avoid moral dilemmas and not expose their information. Patient Privacy and HIPAA Maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality ...

1.0 Introduction Ethics has a significant role to play in the existence of successful companies regardless of their discipline or region. More importantly, considering the fast-changing economic, technological, political, and legal structures, businesses are embedded in a competitive world, full of stakeholders and power claims. As a result, for companies to be perceived as reliable partners in businesses, they are bound to implement ethics in their day-to-day activities. Additionally,  businesses operate  in ever-changing local, national, and multinational environments, which has forced companies to adopt ethics programs to respond to the negative publicity that arises from interactions with various environments (Nielsen & Massa, 2013). Since the company’s stakeholders stand to gain or lose from any actions and decisions by the firm, they  play a key role  in shaping the development of the business ethics programs for any organization. Failure to do...