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Were you able to take most of your first-choice classes?
#classes #marketing-and-advertising
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JoAnne’s Answer
Not at all, but it didn't matter in the end. When I was choosing colleges and my career choice possibilities at 17, I quickly realized that I actually didn't have a choice. My father TOLD me that I would become a teacher--period, so if I wanted to go to college, I would become a teacher--no discussion. I did get my BS in Education, but taught for only 2 years; I quit and became a pro singer.
I never took one class in marketing, business or selling, but the work I did in between singing gigsfrom17 to 27 was telemarketing work so that I was free for auditions. I didn't know that I was intelligent, but I knew that what my bosses were telling me to say on the phone had the wrong tone to it as well as the wrong content, based on what their goal was for me on any telemarketing campaign. SO I started to "fix" these telemarketing "scripts" to make them as compelling and as short as I could, and I became very good at this telemarketing work. I would choose companies that seemed likely to buy whatever it was that I was selling from the Yellow Pages (yes, it was a LONG time ago--no internet then!), just using good ole common sense.
Along the way, I became interested in advertising and what made an ad "pull response" both in terms of lead lines, any graphics, font sizes (though we didn't call letters fonts then), and compelling copy. At 35, I started my own company that centered around telemarketing business to business (B2B) setting up appointments for my clients to then go to these appointments to close the sales. My company and the 15 people I trained to do this work the way I knew it worked best then were paid well. I learned what I needed to learn as I went along. When I would come to a problem, I would consider possible solutions, and try the one that seemed best. Sure, I made some mistakes, but I definitely learned why it fell short and moved on to a better solution, and so on, until I thought I had found the best solution to whatever the problem was.
Today, 34 years later, I've written 2 books on marketing, sales, and optimum sales training, and am involved with global sales initiatives in countless fields, such as: investment banking, other financial services, patent sales and licensing consulting from concept to issuance and then the marketing involved whether nationally or globally. The work I've done and still do has been a logical sequence of learning as you go, taking note of what works and what doesn't work, and ALWAYS answering any question you have along the way. NEVER just let a question go unanswered. This is key. Make it your business to answer any question you have until you understand the answer completely as necessary. When selling a product or a service, your marketing strategies must be understood to be the fastest and most effective means to sell this product or service, and the same applies to your selling strategy/plan, after you define your primary "target audience," which is defined as the group of people most likely to buy this product or service.
I suppose you can learn the basics of marketing in school, but simple logic and planning can certainly get you there, too. And don't be afraid to be creative about all of this, either. Who knows, you may come up with a brand new marketing approach. THINK LOGICALLY AS TO HOW YOU CAN GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B T MAKE THE MOST MONEY IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME--with integrity and kindness!! Hope this helps you--JoAnne Leff
Find someone who has a successful marketing (and sales) company in a field you really enjoy, and do an internship with them to learn from them.
I never took one class in marketing, business or selling, but the work I did in between singing gigsfrom17 to 27 was telemarketing work so that I was free for auditions. I didn't know that I was intelligent, but I knew that what my bosses were telling me to say on the phone had the wrong tone to it as well as the wrong content, based on what their goal was for me on any telemarketing campaign. SO I started to "fix" these telemarketing "scripts" to make them as compelling and as short as I could, and I became very good at this telemarketing work. I would choose companies that seemed likely to buy whatever it was that I was selling from the Yellow Pages (yes, it was a LONG time ago--no internet then!), just using good ole common sense.
Along the way, I became interested in advertising and what made an ad "pull response" both in terms of lead lines, any graphics, font sizes (though we didn't call letters fonts then), and compelling copy. At 35, I started my own company that centered around telemarketing business to business (B2B) setting up appointments for my clients to then go to these appointments to close the sales. My company and the 15 people I trained to do this work the way I knew it worked best then were paid well. I learned what I needed to learn as I went along. When I would come to a problem, I would consider possible solutions, and try the one that seemed best. Sure, I made some mistakes, but I definitely learned why it fell short and moved on to a better solution, and so on, until I thought I had found the best solution to whatever the problem was.
Today, 34 years later, I've written 2 books on marketing, sales, and optimum sales training, and am involved with global sales initiatives in countless fields, such as: investment banking, other financial services, patent sales and licensing consulting from concept to issuance and then the marketing involved whether nationally or globally. The work I've done and still do has been a logical sequence of learning as you go, taking note of what works and what doesn't work, and ALWAYS answering any question you have along the way. NEVER just let a question go unanswered. This is key. Make it your business to answer any question you have until you understand the answer completely as necessary. When selling a product or a service, your marketing strategies must be understood to be the fastest and most effective means to sell this product or service, and the same applies to your selling strategy/plan, after you define your primary "target audience," which is defined as the group of people most likely to buy this product or service.
I suppose you can learn the basics of marketing in school, but simple logic and planning can certainly get you there, too. And don't be afraid to be creative about all of this, either. Who knows, you may come up with a brand new marketing approach. THINK LOGICALLY AS TO HOW YOU CAN GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B T MAKE THE MOST MONEY IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME--with integrity and kindness!! Hope this helps you--JoAnne Leff
JoAnne recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
Hi Karoline,
When I was completing my undergrad, I was able to take most if not all of the classes I wanted to take, though not necessarily in the time I wanted to take them. Working with your academic advisor to build your schedule is helpful, and in my experience I would choose classes that I needed for my major or wanted to take as electives, but may not be able to take them for a few semesters after choosing them.
Explore the course catalog and discuss with you advisor on what classes you want to take and when you could potentially take them.
When I was completing my undergrad, I was able to take most if not all of the classes I wanted to take, though not necessarily in the time I wanted to take them. Working with your academic advisor to build your schedule is helpful, and in my experience I would choose classes that I needed for my major or wanted to take as electives, but may not be able to take them for a few semesters after choosing them.
Andrew recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Dami’s Answer
Hi Karoline!
I was able to take most of my first choice classes in university but that was just because I was super intentional about it. Course enrollment is usually a jungle, with most of the good classes going within 5 minutes of registration.
What I did was that once the course list for the semester was released, I would go through the course list & check out what courses are required and which were electives. I never joked with my required courses, I made sure that if the portal for registration was opening up at 5am, I was up at 4:45am, ready with the course name and title, ready to register for them all once the portal opened. Some schools allow for you putting courses in your course basket days before registration, so I did that so that when the portal opened, all I had to do was click on register. I always prioritized my required courses, required courses first then electives after.
For electives, I would normally go through each course and details weeks before registration and have identified those courses. I had a spreadsheet where I stored this information. I also had back-up courses for each elective, just in case I couldn't get into the class. I had enough back-up classes to supplement loosing each elective course. I obviously prioritized them in order of importance but yeah. This process was what allowed me to take most of my first-choice classes.
Also, not getting the electives you want isn't the end of the world. You can always take it next semester or next year depending on the availability. One thing I'd tell you though is not to overlook the importance of waitlists. Waitlists are so so important. People almost always drop classes, especially after mid-terms. So if I really want a class but didn't get a place, I would sign up to be on the waitlist and would register for one of my back-up courses. I would attend both the class whose waitlist I was on & my back-up course until space freed up. I also made sure to inform my course advisors and the professor of what was going on, with hopes that they would open up the course and take more students. Some times, it worked & sometimes it didn't. It's kinda how life works.
I hope this was insightful feedback.
I was able to take most of my first choice classes in university but that was just because I was super intentional about it. Course enrollment is usually a jungle, with most of the good classes going within 5 minutes of registration.
What I did was that once the course list for the semester was released, I would go through the course list & check out what courses are required and which were electives. I never joked with my required courses, I made sure that if the portal for registration was opening up at 5am, I was up at 4:45am, ready with the course name and title, ready to register for them all once the portal opened. Some schools allow for you putting courses in your course basket days before registration, so I did that so that when the portal opened, all I had to do was click on register. I always prioritized my required courses, required courses first then electives after.
For electives, I would normally go through each course and details weeks before registration and have identified those courses. I had a spreadsheet where I stored this information. I also had back-up courses for each elective, just in case I couldn't get into the class. I had enough back-up classes to supplement loosing each elective course. I obviously prioritized them in order of importance but yeah. This process was what allowed me to take most of my first-choice classes.
Also, not getting the electives you want isn't the end of the world. You can always take it next semester or next year depending on the availability. One thing I'd tell you though is not to overlook the importance of waitlists. Waitlists are so so important. People almost always drop classes, especially after mid-terms. So if I really want a class but didn't get a place, I would sign up to be on the waitlist and would register for one of my back-up courses. I would attend both the class whose waitlist I was on & my back-up course until space freed up. I also made sure to inform my course advisors and the professor of what was going on, with hopes that they would open up the course and take more students. Some times, it worked & sometimes it didn't. It's kinda how life works.
I hope this was insightful feedback.
Updated
Jaimie’s Answer
Hi Karoline,
When I chose my classes for the first year of college, I was given a list of different requirements I had to meet with many classes that met those requirements. I found it was helpful to get a list of as many potential classes as possible and then ranking them in terms of priority. When it came time to register, I then had my 5/6 classes I really wanted to get into but if any of those were full or didn't work well with my desired schedule, I had several other options to choose from. Because I was prepared with that list, I had no issues getting into classes.
Even if you are unable to register for a specific class, it is possible that more spots open up or that another section is created to make room for a high volume of interested students. If you do not get into a class that is required for your major, reach out to your advisor for support. Especially going into the first few weeks of class, students are constantly changing their schedules. Universities will typically have a drop deadline date which allows students to change their schedule as many times as they'd like before that date with no penalties. Continue to check the class enrollment site and work with your advisor leading up to that deadline.
Bottom line, if you don't get into your first-choice classes don't stress. With the help of your advisor, you will meet all of your requirements and also hopefully take plenty of interesting and exciting classes during your college experience.
Thanks!
Create a list of potential classes, ranked in terms of priority
If you are unable to register for a specific class you must (or really want to) take, reach out to your academic advisor
Continue to check to see if more seats open in the class leading up to the drop deadline date.
When I chose my classes for the first year of college, I was given a list of different requirements I had to meet with many classes that met those requirements. I found it was helpful to get a list of as many potential classes as possible and then ranking them in terms of priority. When it came time to register, I then had my 5/6 classes I really wanted to get into but if any of those were full or didn't work well with my desired schedule, I had several other options to choose from. Because I was prepared with that list, I had no issues getting into classes.
Even if you are unable to register for a specific class, it is possible that more spots open up or that another section is created to make room for a high volume of interested students. If you do not get into a class that is required for your major, reach out to your advisor for support. Especially going into the first few weeks of class, students are constantly changing their schedules. Universities will typically have a drop deadline date which allows students to change their schedule as many times as they'd like before that date with no penalties. Continue to check the class enrollment site and work with your advisor leading up to that deadline.
Bottom line, if you don't get into your first-choice classes don't stress. With the help of your advisor, you will meet all of your requirements and also hopefully take plenty of interesting and exciting classes during your college experience.
Thanks!
Jaimie recommends the following next steps: