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How to Give an Excellent Presentation (College Students)

Last Updated: March 3, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 86% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 128,910 times.

College seminars are conducted to test the presentation skills of a student or a group and also allow the student to convey their knowledge to the audience. When students don't come prepared, the presentation may become disorganized, unclear, and dull. It would make them confused during the presentation and lead to vague answers during the questionnaires.

• Think of your main topic and break it down into 3 specific ideas. This will help you to focus your discussion and remain clear. Keep the 3 ideas simple and have them in your mind. Write out your main points, then picture what you're talking about so you can visualize what you're going to talk about.
• To help you create the "soft humor," don't take yourself too seriously. Second, identify the fears and insecurities around the topic so you can address these in a way that shows we all have these fears, insecurities and taboos and that our feelings are normal. This helps keep you in the moment and present with the audience and allows you to recognize the reality of the effect of your topic on yourself and the audience.
• Tell the audience you're excited about what you're talking about. This can make your excited mood infectious and lead them to be willing to come on this journey with you.

• You could try doing something fun, like bringing with you a relevant object, doing a magic trick or a dance move to take things out of the ordinary and add some life to your talk.
• Another fun approach is to try a meditation and ask the audience to relax - feel your toes relax, your feet, etc.
• If you want the audience to move around, don't hesitate to ask. Ask them to stand up and stretch, to shake hands with the person next to them, or to do a twirl on the spot.
• You could try asking the audience to say a bunch of affirmations out loud with you, to get them caught up in the mood you're creating and help them to see its relevance to them too.

• You can ask the audience to imagine something along with you, asking them to close their eyes and think about something with you, then resume with eye contact following this.

What Is The Best Way To Start a Presentation?

Community Q&A

• Take 10 belly breaths if you have last minute stage fright. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Use images in your slides. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Come early to the venue where you will be presenting. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Answer the questions asked after the presentation. Do not divert or change the topic. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://education.seattlepi.com/give-good-speech-presentations-college-1147.html
• ↑ https://www.princeton.edu/~archss/webpdfs08/BaharMartonosi.pdf

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Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Presentation Tips For Students – Show And Tell Like A Pro!

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: May 4, 2020

Giving a presentation to fellow classmates can be a bit daunting, especially if you are new to oral and visual presenting. But with the right PowerPoint tips, public speaking skills, and plenty of practice, you can present like a pro at your upcoming presentation. Here, we’ve laid out the best college presentation tips for students. And once you have one successful presentation, you’ll get better each time!

The Best Presentation Tips for Students

1. arrive early and be technically prepared.

Get to the room early and make sure you leave plenty of time for technical set up and technical difficulties. Have several backup drives (including an online version if possible) so that you are prepared for anything!

2. Know More

Be educated on more than just what you are sharing. That way, you can add points, speak candidly and confidently, and be prepared to answer any audience or teacher questions.

3. Share Your Passion With Your Audience

Connect with your audience by showing that you are passionate about your topic. Do this with the right tone, eye contact, and enthusiasm in your speech.

Photo by  Austin Distel  on  Unsplash

4. pace yourself.

When student presenters are nervous, they tend to speed up their speech. This can be a problem, however, because your speed may be distracting, hard to understand, and you may run under your time.

5. Rehearse Thoroughly

Don’t just practice, rehearse your college presentation. Rehearse the entire delivery, including standing up, using gestures, and going through the slides.

6. Show Your Personality

You don’t need to be professional to the point of stiffness during your college presentation . Don’t be afraid to show your personality while presenting. It will make your presentation more interesting, and you will seem more approachable and confident.

7. Improvise

You can’t be 100% certain what will happen during your presentation. If things aren’t exactly as you expected, don’t be afraid to improvise and run off script.

8. Pump Yourself Up

Get yourself excited and full of energy before your college presentation! Your mood sets the tone for your presentation, and if you get excited right before, you will likely carry that throughout and you’ll make your audience excited about your topic as well.

9. Remember To Pause

Pausing not only only prevents filler words and helps you recollect your thoughts, it can also be a powerful indicator of importance within your presentation.

10. Create “Um” Alternatives

Try hard not to use filler words as they make you look unprofessional and uncertain. The best alternatives to “um” “like” and “so” are taking a breath or a silent pause to collect your thoughts.

11. Using Your Hands

Using your hands makes your college presentation more interesting and helps to get your points across. Point at the slide, use common hand gestures, or mimic a motion.

12. Eye Contact

Eye contact is one of the most important presentation tips for students . Many students are nervous, so they look at their notes or their feet. It is important that you show your confidence and engage your audience by making eye contact. The more presentations you give, the more eye contact will feel natural.

13. The Right Tone

The best public speakers vary their tone and pitch throughout their presentation. Try to change it up, and choose the right tone for your message.

Preparing an Effective College Presentation

1. open strong.

Grab your fellow students’ attention by starting strong with a powerful quote, intriguing scenario, or prompt for internal dialogue.

2. Start With A Mind Map

Mind mapping is literally creating a map of the contents of your college presentation. It is a visual representation and flow of your topics and can help you see the big picture, along with smaller details.

Photo by  Teemu Paananen  on  Unsplash

3. edit yourself.

Some students make the mistake of including too much information in their college presentations. Instead of putting all of the information in there, choose the most important or relevant points, and elaborate on the spot if you feel it’s necessary.

4. Tell A Story

People love stories — they capture interest in ways that figures and facts cannot. Make your presentation relatable by including a story, or presenting in a story format.

5. The Power Of Humor

Using humor in your college presentation is one of the best presentation tips for students. Laughter will relax both you and the audience, and make your presentation more interesting

PowerPoint Tips for Students

1. use key phrases.

Choose a few key phrases that remain throughout your PowerPoint presentation. These should be phrases that really illustrate your point, and items that your audience will remember afterwards.

2. Limit Number Of Slides

Having too many slides will cause you to feel you need to rush through them to finish on time. Instead, include key points on a slide and take the time to talk about them. Try to think about including one slide per one minute of speech.

3. Plan Slide Layouts

Take some time to plan out how information will be displayed on your PowerPoint. Titles should be at the top, and bullets underneath. You may want to add title slides if you are changing to a new topic.

Photo by  NeONBRAND  on  Unsplash

4. the right fonts.

Choose an easy-to-read font that isn’t stylized. Sans serif fonts tend to be easier to read when they are large. Try to stick to only two different fonts as well to keep the presentation clean.

5. Choosing Colors And Images

When it comes to colors, use contrasting ones: light on dark or dark on light. Try to choose a few main colors to use throughout the presentation. Choose quality images, and make sure to provide the source for the images.

6. Use Beautiful Visual Aids

Keep your presentation interesting and your audience awake by adding visual aids to your PowerPoint. Add captivating photos, data representations, or infographics to illustrate your information.

7. Don’t Read Straight From Your Notes

When you read straight from your notes, your tone tends to remain monotonous, you don’t leave much room for eye contact. Try looking up often, or memorizing portions of your presentation.

8. Avoid Too Much Text

PowerPoint was made for images and bullets, not for your entire speech to be written in paragraph form. Too much text can lose your adiences’ interest and understanding.

9. Try A Theme

Choosing the right theme is one of those presentation tips for students that is often overlooked. When you find the right theme, you keep your college presentation looking interesting, professional, and relevant.

10. Be Careful With Transitions And Animations

Animations and transitions can add a lot to your presentation, but don’t add to many or it will end up being distracting.

Public Speaking Tips for Students

1. choose your topic wisely.

If you are able to pick your topic, try to pick something that interests you and something that you want to learn about. Your interest will come through your speech.

2. Visit The Room Beforehand

If your presentation is being held somewhere outside of class, try to visit the location beforehand to prep your mind and calm your nerves.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

Practice, practice, practice! The only way you will feel fully confident is by practicing many times, both on your own and in front of others.

Photo by  Product School  on  Unsplash

4. talk to someone about anxiety.

If you feel anxious about your college presentation, tell someone. It could be a friend, family member, your teacher, or a counselor. They will be able to help you with some strategies that will work best for you.

5. Remind Yourself Of Your Audience

Remember, you are presenting to your peers! They all likely have to make a presentation too at some point, and so have been or will be in the same boat. Remembering that your audience is on your side will help you stay cool and collected.

6. Observe Other Speakers

Look at famous leaders, or just other students who typically do well presenting. Notice what they are doing and how you can adapt your performance in those ways.

7. Remind Yourself Of Your Message

If you can come up with a central message, or goal, of your college presentation, you can remind yourself of it throughout your speech and let it guide you.

8. Don’t Apologize

If you make a mistake, don’t apologize. It is likely that no one even noticed! If you do feel you need to point out your own mistake, simply say it and keep moving on with your presentation. No need to be embarrassed, it happens even to the best presenters!

When you smile, you appear warm and inviting as a speaker. You will also relax yourself with your own smile.

The Bottom Line

It can be nerve racking presenting as a college student, but if you use our presentation tips for students, preparing and presenting your college presentation will be a breeze!

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone.

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UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS

The following criteria are used to determine admission for various categories of students including First-Time Freshman, Home-School, Readmit, Transfer, Degree Completion, Unclassified, and International Students. Certain programs have additional specific criteria for admission. Refer to the respective section in this catalog for any additional requirements.

New First-Time Freshmen

First-Time Freshmen must meet one of the following requirements:

• Completion of high school diploma.**
• Completion of General Educational Development (GED) and be 18 years of age or older to meet the compulsory school attendance requirement in South Dakota.

First-Time Freshmen who have completed (1) will be admitted to the college when meeting one of the following requirements: 

•   A student having a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 2.75 out of a 4.0 GPA.
•   A student having a minimum ACT composite score of 20 out of 36.
•   A student having a minimum SAT composite score of 1040 out of 1600.

First-Time Freshmen who have completed (2) will be admitted to the college when meeting the following requirements: 

•   A student having a minimum cumulative GED score of 450.

First-Time Freshmen must follow these steps to complete the process:

• Submit an application for admission found at https://mypc.presentation.edu/applynow/inquiryform
• If the student is still attending high school, the transcript must include courses completed and courses in progress. Students must also arrange for a final transcript to be sent after graduation from high school with the graduation date posted.
• Submit the non-refundable application fee of $25

*Options for official transcript submission:

• Paper transcripts can be accepted as official provided they are either mailed or personally delivered to the Admissions Office in the original, sealed envelope from the school.
• Electronic transcripts can be accepted as official provided they are emailed directly from the school or are submitted via an electronic transcript service to the Admissions Office via the domain @presentation.edu

All records submitted, filed, and accumulated in the Admissions and Registrar's Offices become the property of the College.

Upon receipt of these items, the Admissions Office will notify applicants of acceptance, provisional acceptance, probationary acceptance, or denial of acceptance into the College.

**The Admissions department may review the transcript for validity at its discretion. The Admissions department will consult with the Department of Education website for that particular state to ensure that the student graduated from an accredited high school.

Home-Schooled Students

Home-Schooled Students must meet one of the following requirements:

Home-Schooled Students who have completed (1) will be admitted to the college when meeting one of the following requirements: 

Home-Schooled Students who have completed (2) will be admitted to the college when meeting the following requirements: 

Home-Schooled Students must follow these steps to complete the process:

• Transcript can be requested from the local home schooling guild or association school. If not available, primary educator-prepared transcripts, which detail course descriptions, proficiency levels, and textbooks used, are acceptable. If the student is still attending high school, the transcript must include courses completed and courses in progress. Students must also arrange for a final transcript to be sent after graduation from high school with the graduation date posted.

**The Admissions department may review the transcript for validity at their discretion. The Admissions department will consult with the Department of Education website for that particular state to ensure that the student graduated from an accredited high school.

Readmit Students

Readmit Students must meet the following requirement:

• Readmit students are subject to entrance requirements and major requirements as stated in the College Catalog in service at the time of reentry. Students who graduate from Presentation College with a prior degree or certificate and reenter the following semester are also required to reapply for admission to the College.

Readmit Students must follow these steps to complete the process:

• Submit any official* college or university transcripts since last admission, whether or not credit was received. Readmit Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale from their previous Presentation College transcript.
• Submit the non-refundable application fee of $25.
• Other requirements, if applicable.

Transfer Students

Transfer Students must meet the following requirement:

• If a transfer student does not have 24 or more college credits they will be admitted as a first-time freshman, but have transfer status.

Transfer Students must follow these steps to complete the process:

• Submit all official* college or university transcripts. Transfer Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale once all transcripts are received.

If students are currently enrolled at another institution, partial transcripts may be submitted and considered for provisional admission until the final official transcripts arrive. Please contact the Admissions Office regarding transcript evaluations. All credits attempted (except remedial courses) will be calculated into the admission GPA.

Degree Completion Students

Degree Completion Students must meet the following requirement:

• Have completed an Associate’s degree or higher, and seeking to enter a baccalaureate program at Presentation College.

Degree Completion Students must follow these steps to complete the process:

Unclassified Students

Students who wish to enroll without pursuing a program or degree from Presentation College are considered unclassified. The Registrar will advise and register unclassified students. A maximum of 6 credit hours per semester is permitted on a space available basis with a total maximum of 12 credit hours taken as an unclassified student while at Presentation College. Courses taken by unclassified students may include general or select department coursework. Unclassified students do not qualify for federal, state, or institutional financial aid.

If unclassified students later wish to become degree-seeking, the entire College admission process must be completed.

International Students

Presentation College invites and encourages international students to apply for admission. The College is authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students.

First Time Freshmen International applicants must provide the Admissions Office with the following:

1. Proof of High school diploma and high school transcript. International high school (secondary) transcripts can be evaluated internally by Presentation College, or externally by an accredited evaluation service. Transcripts must be submitted in the original language and translated into English if sent directly to the admissions office. Presentation College reserves the right to require a third-party agency to evaluate the transcript. High School Transcripts must have a minimum 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

2.   A completed application form due by July 1 for fall semester; November 1 for spring semester.

3.  Non-refundable application fee of $25.

4.   Meet minimum English proficiency standards. Methods for demonstrating minimum English proficiency standards are listed below.

5.  Completed Declaration of Finances form and an official bank statement.

6.  Photocopy of current passport and photocopy of F-1 VISA once obtained.

Co llege or University Transfer* International applicants must provide the Admissions Office with the following:

1.  Submit an application for admission found at www.presentation.edu/admission/apply/

2.  Submit all official* college or university transcripts. Transfer Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale once all transcripts are received.

3.  Submit the non-refundable application fee of $25

4. Meet minimum English Proficiency standards. Methods for demonstrating minimum English proficiency standards are listed below.

5. Completed Declaration of Finances form and an official bank statement.

6. Photocopy of current passport and photocopy of F-1 VISA once obtained.

*To be considered for admission to PC as an international transfer student, a minimum of 24 completed semester credits at a cumulative 2.00 grade point average (GPA), on a 4.00 scale. Applicants who have postsecondary transcripts from an international institution and request consideration of credits earned for acceptance to Presentation College must submit the transcripts to a translation company in the United States for an academic evaluation. The cost of the evaluation is the responsibility of the student. An evaluation is subject to policies as printed in this catalog.

Declaration of Finances and Bank Statement

Since financial assistance for international students is extremely limited, applicants must demonstrate evidence of ability to meet the costs of the chosen program by completing a Declaration of Finances form. Students will be required to utilize their home banking institution to certify available funding. Once adequate financial resources are confirmed, an application is completed, and all other requirements are on file, applicants will be considered for admission. If accepted, an official I-20 form will be sent to the student. Arrangements for obtaining a VISA may then be made by the accepted student at the American Embassy or Consulate in the student's home country.

All required application materials must be received by July 15 for fall semester and November 15 for spring semester.

IMPORTANT: All fees, deposits, tuition, housing charges, etc., are payable in U.S. funds.

Non-Resident Alien and ESL Students

Non-resident alien students or students whose native language is not English must provide the Admissions Office with the following:

1.  A completed application form

2.  Non-refundable application fee of $25

3.   Meet minimum English proficiency standards. Methods for demonstrating minimum English proficiency standards are listed below.

4.   Students who have completed high school in the United States must meet the minimum ACT or SAT exam requirements.

English Proficiency Standards

There are two ways to meet Presentation College’s English language proficiency requirement:

Presentation College accepts scores from the following exams. Scores must be sent directly to Presentation College from the testing agency in order to be counted as official. Score reports can be sent electronically or by postal mail to the Admissions Office. Scores must be less than two years old to be considered for admissions.

TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 65 web-based, 525 paper and pencil ( PC's TOEFL code: 6582)

IELTS International English Language Testing System: 5.5

Pearson PTE Academic: 46

SAT: 490 Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing sub score

ACT: 18 English sub score

• Language Waivers:

There are several ways to qualify for a waiver. Students will not need to provide an exam score if they meet any of the following criteria:

• Waiver Option A – If the student has attended a U.S. high school or an international high school that is regionally accredited in the United States for two or more years
• Waiver Option B – If the student has an associate of arts or sciences degree or a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university with a cumulative 2.00 GPA
• Waiver Option C – If the student has attended a U.S. regionally accredited college or university, has completed the transferable equivalents of PC’s English Composition 113 with a 2.00 or above grade point average for each course at the time of application, and has 24 semester college level admission credits completed by the beginning of classes for the term they are applying
• Waiver Option D – If the student has taken the ACCUPLACER and received the minimum score requirement for PC’s English Composition 113
• Waiver Option E – If the student is a citizen from one of the following countries AND their primary language is English: Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,  British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cook Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana,  Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), Zambia, or Zimbabwe (provide proof of citizenship to have waiver applied)
• Wavier Option F – If the student was schooled outside the United States at a school where the language of instruction was English (student must provide an official letter from the school stating English was the language of instruction while they attended)
• Waiver Option G – If none of the above waivers apply, and the student was unable to take the ACT, SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson PTE Academic due to temporary test restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a committee will speak with the student on the phone and ask a series of questions, gathering English Proficiency skills based on a phone interview.

A $100 tuition deposit is required prior to registration for classes. The deposit is non-refundable.

Application Fee Waivers

This option is available for any student applying to Presentation College that has their $25 application fee waived. Fee waiver codes may be given to students and used for the purposes of student recruitment at the discretion of the Director of Admissions.

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