Saving

   Wearily and unenthusiastically I took up my paper from the classroom table where I was sitting and handed it over to my professor. Fearful anticipation plagued my mind. My first semester in college had begun, and the time had come to submit my first college-level paper. Uncertainty and doubt are the only words to describe how I felt about the paper I had just surrendered. Knowing that the expectations would be different in college than in high school, I had shoved aside the methods I had previously learned in favor of the methods presented to me by other students at the university. You are supposed to adapt to the new learning environment by taking on other students’ habits, right? How foolish I was to think that this would be true with writing. Gazing down at the limp paper in my hand, I could not help but be disappointed by the grade on it. Yes, I had received a B. It was from that moment on that I firmly decided to never let a B stain my paper again. Evidently, operating with the methods of my peers had failed. Knowing now what needed to be done, I went back to my dorm and wrote down everything I remembered about writing in high school. Throughout my years as a homeschooler, I had participated in IEW classes. Through a variety of writing classes taught by Andrew Pudewa, I gained knowledge about keyword outlines, sentence structure, stylistic techniques, paragraph formation, strong wording, and the necessary know-how for a well-developed thesis. Having created a rather sizable checklist, I began to write my next college paper from the keyword outline I created. This time around, I handed my paper to my professor with confidence. Eagerly and excitedly I awaited the results, and when the paper was finally given to me, I found that wondrous, marvelous A circled at the bottom. Without Andrew Pudewa and IEW, I would not have received that A or any of the other A’s I have received. It was only through IEW’s techniques and methods that I have been able to achieve academic success. For those parents who doubt if IEW will prepare their students for the future, doubt no longer. Not only did IEW shape and prepare me to write confidently from an outline, IEW taught me to trust my checklist—even while writing in a college-level setting—and graciously lent a hand in saving my GPA.    Nick Buscemi  has been associated with IEW since childhood when his father began working for the company. This has given him extensive experience with IEW's methods of speaking and writing, having taken many years of classes from Andrew Pudewa. Enjoying communicative interaction, Nick is majoring in Public Relations at the University of Oklahoma. Log in or register to post commentsNick Buscemis blog Log in or register to post comments Very Nice! Permalink By mausermamaJan16 My son is also in college, but as a dual enrolled high school senior. He is currently in his fourth college English class, and he consistently admits to this day that IEW, much as he hated having to insert all those required elements, is the reason for his three solid As. IEW works. I look forward to sharing this blog entry with my son. I know he'll appreciate it!   Good luck at OU (from a University of Kansas alum)! Jennifer in FL Log in or register to post comments