America’s most reliable network maybe be Verizon, but YOUR most reliable network is YOU.

You are what you make of yourself. You create your future. You have to weave the web that becomes your catcher’s mitt for contacts.

Here are some tips to master the art of networking:

1. When you meet a good contact, KEEP it. Make sure you always follow up and never let an extended period of time go by without contact. Always send an update and let them know that you are thinking of them and have their best interest in mind. Never forget about the RELATIONSHIP. Never be selfish; do not focus on yourself! Put your customer’s/contact’s needs FIRST. Make sure they know you have their best interest in mind. Never lose track of who you are trying to please… THE CUSTOMER, not yourself!
2. Keep your address book safe! Once you have developed a reliable and respectful list of contacts (it will always be ongoing) make sure you keep your records straight. Make sure you know a bit of history of the contact, get the spelling right, and make sure you keep the email address and phone number safe!
3. Speak the same language as your contact. No, this does not mean literally, but more important, figuratively. If your contact is working with you on a business endeavor, and is a computer wiz, make sure you know a little bit about computers! Personal example: Working with TestSoup and being responsible for a lot of web marketing such as Twitter, I knew it was an subject area I was unfamiliar with. So, I did some research and bought a book written by TK (General Partner of WV,LLC) called Web Advertising and Marketing. I have been reading it and it has genuinely improved my knowledge and understanding.
4. Make a killer FIRST and ALWAYS impression. (Notice how I did not say LAST)! Always dress in Business casual. For example, you can wear jeans, but pair them with a pair of heels like dressy ankle boots (for females!) and or dressy flats. Try to arrange a top that is accompanied by a blazer or tailored jacket. Make sure your hair is in place and makeup neat. Accessorize with jewelry and maybe a scarf but do not be overly gaudy or flashy. You are not going out to a party, but to a business meeting. Try to dress and act on the same playing field as the person you are meeting with. Last but not least…always be prepared!:

• Have all recent emails printed out in date order
• Turn your cell phone on SILENT and put it away
• Have plenty of highlighters, pens, and post-its
• Have your planner out and ready to schedule a next meeting!

5. Be sure to begin and end the meeting in a professional manner. Greet your company with a firm handshake and close the meeting by thanking your guest for their time and remind them what a pleasure it is working with them. Be sure to remind them that you will be in touch!

From a very young age it is so important to have a goal in mind whether it is athletically, academically, or socially. Goals are what you get places in life. Without goals, we would not have motivation.

Here are a few ways to draw your  personal, educational  roadmap:

1. Select an ultimate destination. For example, Harvard Business School.

2. Learn everything you can about the destination like:

• Where is it?
• How long does it take to get there?
• How do I get there?
• How long can I stay?
• What does it have to offer me?
• What do I have to offer it?

3. Using step two, find directions.

•  Seek out a great high school: public or private. If you know you want to study business, research schools that specialize in business tracks. For example, each high school in my district specializes in one area of study like Global Studies, ROTC, Humanities, Business, Law, Communications, etc.
• When you arrive at your respective layover (high school), take as many additional specialized classes as you can to further your knowledge base. For example, don’t stop at Microeconomics…take a Marketing elective or a Website Design class.
• Once your reach that crucial junior year in high school: BE PREPARED for the SAT/ACT. By that time, TestSoup will have its’ SAT/ACT flashcard system up and running!
• After you dominate the college admissions tests, you begin the search.

4. Repeat step 1-3 but this time as it applies to College. Extra Tips:

• Research alumni networks; measure the strength
• Research job placement rates
• Research graduate schools alumni attended
• Read Extra! Extra! Be all about it: The First Year College Experience

5. Arrive at your destination and share your experience with others!

College is no easy transition…for anyone! New place, new people, new opportunities! The key: never let the door close…always OPEN it!

Now that you know how to tackle your anxiety and manage your time, you can certainly MASTER your first year of college. Here are a few tips to guide you to the top (academically, professionally, and socially):

1.Check your email! The first week of school is PRIME time for clubs and activities to solicit you to join them! Actually READ your email! You never know if you only read the subject line! *Personal example: First week of school, I checked my email and found out about SIFE(Students in Free Enterprise) which soon granted me the opportunity I have today working with TestSoup!

2. Read your school’s newspaper/magazine. Even if you only scan the top story headlines, at least you will know what is going on around campus. If you have mastered planning, it is likely that your friends will look to you for plans and or advice around school. You can be the one who is the responsible source for information.

3. Form relationships with your professors up-front. Make it a point to attend their office hours to introduce yourself and do not be shy: ASK QUESTIONS! Professors are passionate about learning and even more passionate about students who crave the same educational success they do. Students can also help professors and educators improve their teaching style and influence the way they approach topics.

4. Always be ahead of the game (sometimes even the professor!) Never wait until the last minute to complete an assignment! Always do it as far in advance as possible, this way if any confusion arises, you can clarify it! You may also save the rest of the class (and maybe the professor) from making the same mistake you did (ie. Typo or unclear directions).

5. Do not be shy as a freshman, or any college student with inexperience. In college, drive matters more than age. Just because you are a freshman, it does not mean you cannot be a leader. Go the extra mile and put yourself out there. If something interests you and you feel passionate enough about it, go for it! *Personal example: September of my freshman year, I became Project Manager overseeing 5 teams (20 total people) working on 5 of Wasabi Ventures, LLC startup companies (TestSoup included!). It was great experience and led me to become co-President of SIFE for the upcoming academic year.

6. Participate! In class, especially in a bigger school, make sure the professor and classmates know your name! A name to a face is very important now and down the road. Participation also demonstrates confidence. A student with confidence is one to admire.

7. Communication is KEY: with friends, professors, advisors, etc. Socially, keep in contact with friends and develop relationships. Relationships and your own support system are very helpful in college when discussing goals, personal lives, and during stressful exam times! Academically, keep in touch with your most talented and influential professors-you never know when you will need a reference or a friendly face to chat. In terms of advisors, especially if you hold a leadership position of any sort, retain contact and always encourage new ideas and never stop developing new ideas. Most of all, don’t forget about your forever-supportive family at home

8. Back to Planning is Proactive: PLAN AHEAD! Bring an umbrella, always have your graphing calculator, and highlighters are MUST! Most importantly, combine your Time Management skills with these new skills and prepare for ALL EXAMS/Quizzes/Papers AHEAD of TIME! For example, by Junior year (if not sooner) start planning for Graduate School. Create a favorites folder in your web browser for top B-Schools, Med Schools, or one of your choosing.  In accordance, plan for your admissions by seeking references, editors/critiques for résumés, and admissions essays. Last but certainly not least, prepare for ENTRANCE EXAMS such as GMAT, GRE, or even AF PDG in advance! Your best resource is for this kind of test prep is TestSoup. TestSoup provides AFFORDABLE, FAST, and ACCESSABLE test prep with its web and mobile based flashcards: BlackBerry ready(iPhone and Android coming soon!) Check it out! Try 25 Free today! www.testsoup.com

The interview process is VERY important. Once you realize that schools are trying to invest in your future career success, rather than rewarding you for past performance, you understand the importance of the interview. The school wants to see if you have “it,” where “it” is that undefinable quality that leads people to say, “So-and-so is a rockstar. I wouldn’t want to bet against him/her.”

Read “How to Get Into Harvard Business School”