Summer Courses

 

Hey there, so as I may have mentioned before, I am taking Calculus 3 over the summer here at Embry Riddle Prescott. So far the course has been really fun and rewarding. I definitely encourage taking summer courses in order to accelerate your learning in college. This can also help you save some time and a lot of money as most summer courses are offered at a discount rate because they are taught over the course of 6 weeks rather than 12 like during the normal semester.

An example of the work that I have been doing in Calc 3 is integration in 3 dimensions, taking line integrals, calculating work in line integrals, and density in line integrals. A little sample of what you can expect to see toward the conclusion of your semester in Calculus 3 is below 😀

Also, a quick note, whether or not you need to take Calculus 3 all depends on your major. Majors that are considered technical are required to take Calculus 3 while others that are non technical majors, wont need to take a Calculus course.For this reason it is best to speak with the records department, your admissions counselor, and your academic adviser to figure out what courses you will need to take for your major when you arrive on campus.

Well, no matter what your doing with your summer just keep in mind that classes are coming up and you need to be preparing for college!!!

 

Hello!

Hello everyone!

My name is Zach Sargent, the newest blogger to the site. I figured I would make my first post an introduction about myself. I am going into my junior year at ERAU Prescott as an aeronautical science major with a minor in business. I am currently finishing up the last check ride for my multi-engine commercial certificate, and will be transitioning straight into my flight instructor training when I finish. Before coming to Prescott I lived in Santa Rosa, California, where I received my private pilot’s license in high school, and decided ERAU was the best possible place to begin working towards a career in aviation. When I came to ERAU in the fall of 2011, I joined the school’s Golden Eagles Flight Team, a nationally ranked flight team that competes against hundreds of other flight schools around the country in events such as power off landings, navigation flying, aircraft recognition, and other aviation related events. The team takes up most of my time at school outside of flight training and classes, but is well worth the hard work for the rewards that the team has brought me. This year, we won our second consecutive national title in Columbus, Ohio. Beginning this fall, I will be acting as the team’s Chief Pilot, and responsible for the team’s aircraft and flight operations. Outside of busy student life I enjoy activities such as cycling, hiking, shooting, and traveling. Choosing to attend Embry-Riddle was one of the best decisions I have made and I have enjoyed every bit of my time since I arrived here.

Student Life

When you are choosing colleges or Universities that you might want to attend how much do you think about the student life? Well, most students say that it is one of the most important aspects of their decision and because it is so important wouldn’t it be nice if a current student told you what it was like? Well your wish has been granted!!!

I’m Cherie Gambino, an Engineering student at Embry-Riddle Prescott campus  🙂 In my year or so on campus I have greatly enjoyed my experiences here, from watching movies in the amphitheater to laughing at comedians we have it all. Embry Riddle really tries to focus on the student and what is important to them so we have several campus organizations that operate to enhance your experiences at Riddle. These are Student government, the Board of Campus Activities, Greek Life, the Residence Halls Association, Horizons Newspaper, Riddle Vision, and Riddle Radio. In the fall there are also special programs for incoming freshman such as the Passport Program which hosts all kinds of fun  barbecues, competitions, and movie nights.

Orientation Day 1

 

The campus organizations that organize these activities are active year round so there is at least 2 or 3 events occurring during the week. For example, last week there was a pizza party at the pool, a memorial day barbecue, and a movie night where myself and a few other students got to go see the new Star Trek movie at the Harkins theater.

Some of our other cool events and organizations are listed below, feel free to check them out and get to know the fun side of Embry-Riddle 🙂

October West

Passport to ERAU

Passport Program Events

Organizations

Local Events in Prescott

Campus Tours

 

For prospective students many colleges or Universities will offer a Campus tour so that the student may get a feel for the place that they may be living in for the next four years. Here on Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus the Admissions office staff and student employees (like me!!) work really hard to be sure that if you choose to tour our beautiful campus, that you have an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

 

Prescott Aerial View of Campus

When you first arrive on campus you will meet up with your tour guide in the Welcome center, which is building 41. It is pretty simple to find, just enter campus through the entrance with the electronic signboard and take the second right leaving the roundabout. You will immediately see the Welcome Center.

 

Once you are inside there may be a small wait and then you will be off on your tour to see the Freshman dorms, Dining hall, Wellness Center, King Engineering, Academic Complex, Laboratories in the AXFAB (Aerospace Experimentation and Fabrication Building), Wind Tunnel Labs, Jet Dragster Lab, Central Campus, Student Facilities, and the Hazy Library. If you are interested in doing Air Force or Army ROTC at Embry-Riddle then you will also be offered the opportunity to meet with representatives of one or both of the detachments on campus.for Aeronautical Science majors a tour of the Prescott campus’s flight line is also offered and can be taken in addition to the campus tour.

Campus Map

After your tour is complete you then have the opportunity to meet with your admissions counselor in order to cover any admissions questions you have about attending the University. Admissions counselors are located inside the Welcome Center as well as the offices of Financial Aid and Student employment so if you would like you may also look into discussing options for aid or employment with these offices after you have met with your counselor.

It may be a long and eventful day but, I can guarantee that this campus with fascinate you and that your visitor’s experience here at Embry Riddle Prescott has the potential to turn into a really fun and rewarding four years in pursuit of one of our unique majors.

Cockpit in Flight

If you would like to join us here for a day please visit our website and sign up for a campus tour. If you are unable to be here in person then I encourage you to take a virtual tour. Additional information on the campus can be found here. However way you visit we look forward to showing you our campus!!

 

Where are the Monsoons?

 

So apparently monsoon season in Prescott Arizona doesn’t start until July 🙁 Here I was really looking forward to all the rain and when I didnt see any of it I decided to do a little research…

Weather Patterns

As some of you may know we do have a Meteorology major offered at the Prescott Campus so I took it upon myself to ask a Meteorology student about what on earth is going on. This is what he told me 😀

Monsoons are a phenomenon that are triggered every year as a result of the Earth’s angle with the sun. So when the monsoons occur in Prescott the Earth is at a the steepest angle possible and is even farther from the sun than it is in the month of January.
So the question is this “If we are on Earth and we are farthest from the sun in July how is it that July is warmer than January?” Well, the Meteorologist in training told me that the temperature also has to do with the position the Earth holds in orbit around the sun. Yes we are farthest away from the sun at this time but, our continent is more in line with the rays of heat/sunlight during the summer months which is why it is still hotter in July than in January.

Sketch of the Angle between Earth and the Sun

Of course as an Engineer I really didn’t need to know all this but, its pretty interesting so I thought it would be nice to share 😀 If you have any comments or questions please respond below or if you would like to check out our Meteorology major just click here. Thanks for reading!!!

Summer Summer Summer

Summer over Willow Lake

This is my second week of summer courses here at Embry Riddle Prescott and so far I’ve really enjoyed it. I am only taking one class, Calculus 3, in a condensed six week period but, I have high hopes for how it will turn out 😀 I have taken a summer math course before but, not at Embry Riddle. I greatly enjoyed the experience as summer course are intense and crammed with information but at the same time they are very relaxed and fun.

At least that was the impression I gained from my first summer course in mathematics and hopefully this impression remains the same!! In addition to my class I am working in the Admissions department, so if you stop on by campus this summer you might see me or even get a campus tour from me.

Other than that not much has been going on here at Riddle except for moving into summer housing, attending campus barbeques, and chilling at our pool. The campus is a relaxed place over summer and it is extremely opportune time to come visit so that you, the potential student, can gauge the community that has developed on campus.

Everyone here is really nice and we would love to meet you here on campus sometime, so please come join us for some summer fun!!

Cash Flow For College Students

Hello there readers, if you are a concerned college parent or student worried about having a little extra cash to spend on food or hobbies or just spending too much then you are reading the right blog. In this blog i will go over some great ways to earn money at a reasonable rate and some great college spending advice.

For a personal preference I enjoy working and having at least some spending cash or savings money so I saved up over the past summers but once school came around i hit a dead end, I was spending with not even little amounts of income (besides my parents that is). So once I realized how much I was spending on food and weekend activities I began to invest in looking for an on campus job at Embry-Riddle as well as learning to spend my money wisely.  So here are some tips:

For spending:

1)  When going to the grocery store make a list of all the things you need, that way you have a goal or else you will just be wandering around buying stuff and spending a bit more then you think.

2)  Try to eat healthy, I know it sounds weird but the more you eat sugary junk food the more you will crave it and therefore the more you will spend on it so try to cut it back.

3)  Next is the activity spending/shopping. Again making and using a list of the essentials or wants at least making a list in your head for the purpose you are shopping for is best. It will help keep your mind from wandering and spending cash left and right.

4)  try to hold group events like if you want to go somewhere that takes gas money, if you have enough people going the cost can be very minimal.

Jobs in college:

1)  If you are concerned about not having a job in school, well don’t worry you have plenty of on campus opportunities waiting for you. Schools are normally very open to students working on campus. Most of the time students will have time to work and go to school. (I am talking spending cash or travel money not a normal income that can pay your bills although there are some people who can do that.

2) From personal experience i would get by one or even a half semester before taking on the responsibilities of school and a job just to get the feel of your school work schedule, that is if you are new to school.

3) Summer/Seasonal employment opportunities! Take advantage of them. I gathered myself a large sum of money just from one summer of work and it didn’t take to much effort. Plus it looks good on a resume.

4)  Lastly, Interns! Get involved, not all interns pay but if you find one that does they pay exceptionally well.

Thanks for reading, let me know of any questions.

New Job

 

Good afternoon everyone, today I would like to tell you about my new job in Embry-Riddle admissions. As you know, because its pretty obvious lol, I am a blogger but, I was recently hired to be a tour guide here on Embry-Riddle’s Prescott campus. I am really excited about my new position because I love going to school in Arizona and I also like getting to meet new interesting people from all over the world.

Where are you visiting us from??

As a tour guide you get to meet all kinds of people, many are from other countries, veterans of the United States military, potential ROTC students, fresh high school graduates, and  Embry-Riddle Worldwide students. With such a large variety of individuals seeking information  it is very important that they receive an excellent welcome and gain a preliminary knowledge of the campus itself when they visit. We know that each individual will have a different campus experience but we try to make it as informative and fun as possible in order to reflect the culture that we have developed here in Prescott.

To ensure their familiarity with the campus we tour the most important places that are relevant to their major and allow the student to meet with admissions counselors and ROTC representatives if they so choose. In this manner the potential student may gain an understanding of the opportunities they will have to augment their education at the Prescott campus.

I think the part I enjoy most about being a tour guide is getting to meet all the different people and help them in any way I can. I get to share my experiences at the school as well as my thoughts on campus life, as so far everything has been really great for me. I have had my struggles with academics, friends, ROTC, and just life on my own in general but, overall I believe that my decision to attend the Embry-Riddle Prescott campus was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. At Embry-Riddle you get the freedom and the support you need to follow your desired career and even though it can be hard it has been the greatest time of my life.

I really encourage you to visit the campus and learn more about what Embry-Riddle Prescott has to offer you, I am sure that you will find a wonderful educational experience here!! If you have questions or would like to schedule a visit please follow the links below or contact us in admissions, thank you!!

To schedule a visit:  http://prescott.erau.edu/admissions/schedule-visit/index.html

To talk with a Counselor online:  http://prescott.erau.edu/admissions/chat/index.html

To take a virtual campus tour:   http://prescott.erau.edu/admissions/virtual-campus-tour/

To give us a call:  Phone: 928-777-6600 or toll-free 800-888-3728

ROTC Scholarships and Programs

 

Hello again, I am sure many students at one point or another have considered entering a branch of the military in order to help pay for educational costs. Reserve Officer Training Corps is certainly an excellent way to gain a degree and a career as an officer in a branch of the military services. ROTC is available on most campuses nationwide, not every campus will have every branch so you must choose a University depending on the branch you would like to enter.

Embry Riddle has two full ROTC detachments as well asan additional training program. These are Air Force ROTC, Army ROTC, and the Marine training called Platoon Leaders. Each of these programs can prepare you to follow a career in a military service and get you financial aid that will help you earn a degree. As some of our readers might know I am a sophomore cadet in the Air Force ROTC program.

Air Force ROTC

Competition for scholarships in Air Force ROTC can be difficult as a scholarship requires a good Physical Fitness score, a positive medical evaluation, a demonstration of leadership abilities through extracurricular activities and positions as well as letters of recommendation and at least a 3.0 GPA in high school. Other tests such as the SAT, ACT, AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test) are taken into account when a student is being considered for a scholarship.

Army ROTC

There are two scholarships available, each can vary in type and the amount awarded.

The first one is the in high school scholarship which is awarded to a graduating high school senior who intends to enter ROTC at the University of their chose and the second is an in college scholarship that is awarded to cadets who have continually displayed outstanding performance in their time as a cadet. If you are interested in joining Air Force ROTC straight out of high school I highly recommend applying for the high school scholarship during the fall semester of your Senior year. This is actually how I was awarded my scholarship, it can be a lot of work but, the scholarship is an enormous help if you are attending a four year university.

Platoon Leaders

Whatever you chose to pursue in the future I wish you great luck but, if you are interested in one of the programs I discussed I would be happy to answer any questions you might have, so please comment!

Also check out the Embry Riddle Prescott campus website for more information on each program. Thank you!!!

Monsoons in the Dessert

 

Hello everyone, I have an interesting topic today, one that personally I was kind of shocked to discover…..there are summer monsoons in Prescott AZ!!!

When I first came to Riddle Prescott campus I thought, well its the dessert, dry, sunny, pretty, very different from California but, during my first week of Air Force ROTC (zero week) in the middle of August I discovered that Riddle’s Prescott campus can be anything but predictable. Don’t take this badly, what I mean by this is that the weather during the summer months can go from warm and sunny to windy and stormy within a matter of minutes. I highly advise a large umbrella and/or rain slickers and boots for the summer months.

I will be staying at Embry Riddle’s Prescott campus for a summer session in order to work toward a minor in mathematics, so I might have some helpful tips for you if you intend to attend the university over the monsoon season.

So far, I like the monsoons, to be complete honest they are fascinating. The clouds gather in various colors of white, blue, and gray then burst out into massive downpours that can last anywhere from 2 or 3 minutes to an hour or so. The campus literally transforms itself when it rains, if you have toured the Prescott campus you have probably seen the numerous bridges, and artfully designed drainage ditches throughout inner campus. Well, when a large downpour occurrs these turn into tiny raging rivers and carry the water straight through campus without harming any of the structures  or students. The campus has been specifically designed to handle the varieties of climate that this gorgeous environment displays.

An example of the climate’s variety is shown below, this image is of the local Thumb Butte Landmark in Prescott AZ. The picture was taken just as a monsoon was rolling into the area.

Thumb Butte Monsoon

An example of how most Arizona institutions handle the weather is also included below:

Bridge over Rocky Monsoon Canal on Campus

Whether you enjoy a rainy summer or not I highly encourage potential students to make at least two visits to the campus in different seasons so that they can at least experience some of the various weather that is common in Prescott Arizona. As my summer here continues I will update you on the ways I employ to combat the weather and also the fun that results from living in this beautiful and diverse area 🙂