Monthly Archives: January 2017

Five Reasons You Need the PUC Mobile App

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unknownDid you know PUC has its own mobile app? It’s true!

The PUC mobile app is available on both iOs and Android.

While there are many great things about the app, such as quick links to the college’s social media accounts, blog, videos, and more, here are just five reasons why you should download the PUC mobile app to help make student life easier at PUC.

1. Stay up-to-date with PUC news articles. If you find yourself not knowing what’s happening on campus, look no further than the news section of the PUC mobile app. Here you can quickly browse through news articles as well as search the archives (as far back as 1996).

2. Use the PUC calendar to know what’s happening on campus. While certainly not a comprehensive list, the PUC calendar is a great place to look to see what events are planned on campus. You can even add events to your iPhone calendar and be alerted when they are coming up. If you’re planning an event at PUC and would like it to be added to the calendar, email calendar@puc.edu.

3. Check out the PUC cafe menu to see what’s for lunch. I will readily admit this is the section I click to the most on the app: the daily menu for what’s being served at the Dining Commons.

4. Search the PUC directory for faculty and staff contact information. Need to reach someone on campus, but aren’t sure how to contact them? Search the people directory on the PUC mobile app, which includes both faculty and staff. You can call or email them from the app as well.

5. Browse the PUC Library catalog. Whether you’re looking for a book to use as a source for that term paper or simply something for fun, you can browse through the college library catalog directly from the app.

Need help? The PUC mobile app also has a contact section where you can submit a question for a PUC representative to get back to you.

The Pre-Law Society at PUC

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By Andrew Mahinay

If you ever want to be apart of something bigger than yourself, join a campus club.

Pacific Union College offers a broad range of clubs available to all students. On one side of the spectrum, you have social clubs, such as the Student Organization of Latinos (SOL) and the Korean Adventist Student Association (KASA), and on the other, academic clubs such as the Chemistry Club or Pre-law Society. Getting involved with either type of clubs is a great way to strengthen your network and share advice with other students. This article covers the purposes of joining the Pre-Law Society.

The two faculty sponsors of the Pre-Law Society are Dr. Howard Munson, associate professor of history, and Abram Fisher, assistant professor of business administration. Currently, the Pre-Law Society has an average of 15 to 20 members. The majority of members range from first year freshman to second year sophomores. There is a single senior, which consists of myself.

As the president of the Pre-Law Society, it is my job to facilitate a learning environment amongst all members of the society. The purpose of the Pre-Law Society is to inform faculty, staff, and students that there is a pre-law community that exists on campus and works to offer students guidance in the process leading up to law school and advice that can help them in their LSAT preparation. Having just taken the LSAT this year, I have learned valuable insights that will help students tackle and overcome the daunting LSAT. Examples of tips include indicating isolated question types in practice tests and pinpointing practice sections that include specific game types. (Editor’s note: You can also read Andrew’s blog post “Study Tips for Graduate School Admissions Tests” for more ideas.)

Another aspect the Pre-Law Society has to offer is a network of practicing attorneys who are willing to answer questions students have concerning law school. In addition to answering questions, they also provide students with tips. The Pre-Law Society recently featured PUC alumnus Brittany Cheney, who graduated at the top of her UC Davis School of Law class in 2012. She shared with students one of the most important characteristics to have in law school is competitiveness.

The Pre-Law Society also works as a support system. Pre-law is not a dominant field at PUC, and it is imperative students know they are not alone and there is a community of other pre-law majors on campus. It is the hope of the Pre-Law Society to ensure all members feel empowered to do their absolute best in their academic endeavors and to encourage students to strive for excellence.

If you are endeavoring to become an attorney, or contemplating whether pre-law is right for you, or just want to hang out with awesome people, feel free to join the Pre-Law Society!

Study Tips for Graduate School Admissions Tests

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By Andrew Mahinay

Studying for graduate school admissions test is no walk in the park.

If you are interested in graduate programs such as medical, dental, or law, you are eventually going to have to take an admissions test. Medical school requires students take the MCAT. Dental school requires the DAT. Law school requires the LSAT. These admissions test differ in subject, but they all have one common factor: you MUST study for them if you want to be accepted into graduate school.

As mentioned, the LSAT differs from the MCAT and DAT in various ways. The LSAT is composed of logical reasoning, which tests the applicant’s ability to critically analyze long and short passages, while the MCAT/DAT are more subject driven.

Although these tests differ in subject matter, studying for them is quite similar.

I spent last summer studying for the LSAT. Before opening the study materials, I knew the LSAT score would weigh heavily on my chances of being accepted into law school. It was crucial for me to get a competitive score. The highest score for the LSAT is 180 and a 165 is extremely competitive. Knowing this, I sacrificed my entire summer to study almost everyday for prolonged periods of time.  

In the future, whether you study for the MCAT, DAT, or LSAT, it is imperative you know the following:

First, dedication and motivation are key to overcoming any test. Make sure you create a game plan. Make sure you dedicate hours of your day to focus on your studies. Implement a study schedule that fits your studying personality, so you don’t get burned out. I would study from 12-4 p.m., take a break from 4-5 p.m., and then finish off the day studying from 5-9 p.m. In addition to dedicating time, remind yourself of why you are studying for the test. Is it to help cure people of cancer? Is it to repair broken jaws? Is it to protect people from injustice? Make your motivation known.

Second, living a balanced lifestyle is of utter importance. After studying from Sunday to Friday, I would take Sabbath off to relax and recharge. You want to make sure you take plenty of breaks. When on break, I strongly recommend you do some sort of exercise to boosts confidence levels, which has a direct effect on test performance. Other options include watching a movie with family, getting a coffee with a friend, exploring a city close by. Whatever the activity, make sure it has nothing to do with the test.

Lastly, and the most important of all these tips, is to trust in God. As a student, there is only so much you can do. There are only so many practice questions you can go over. There are only so many hours in a day you can dedicate to study.

However, as students, what we can do is apply ourselves through dedication, to find motivation to wake up every morning to study, and to live a well-rounded lifestyle. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to do your part and to rely on God that He will do his.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6