Incoming Freshman Welcome to the grown up world, freshman. Before you know it, you will be in college, at an apartment, and doing everything on your own. If you want to safely swoop in rather than crashing and burning your first semester in college, follow these few pieces of advice.
Prepare Early Preparing for college starts your 9th grade year. If you are a senior reading this, hopefully you tried hard and kept up your GPA. If you’ve still got a little time, just remember that a few points on your GPA or ACT/SAT can make all the difference between acceptance and rejection, full-ride scholarship and nothing. So keep up your grades, work hard on your test prep, and get involved in extracurricular activities.
Apply Early Don’t procrastinate! Make sure you get your applications done well in time. Some colleges even give preference to students who apply early on in the application window. Take your ACT/SAT early, so if you want to take it again for a better score (which could save you thousands of dollars in scholarship money) you’ll have time to take it and get the scores in to your schools on time. If any applications require letters of recommendation, you’ll need to give teachers/councilors/employers plenty of time to write and submit them.
Visit Campuses If you can, visit the campuses of the colleges you are applying to. Or, if you have already decided upon a specific school (and have been admitted) take the time to become familiar with the layout, pace, and personality of that school. You can search out good places to study, find out where useful resources are, and track down your classrooms. Avoid looking like the poor, lost freshman on the first day of classes, unsure of where to go and embarrassed to walk in late to your classes.
Take a Light Load No matter how confident you feel, it’s smart to take a light course load your first semester of college. College classes are very different from high school (even AP classes) and each professor may have very unique styles of teaching. Allow yourself time to adjust to the new atmosphere and system of schooling. Sticking to intro classes your first semester will help you adjust to all the other changes in your life, including moving out for the first time, supporting yourself, and being in a new environment.
Get Involved Make sure you take time to enjoy yourself while in college. Get to know your roommates, your neighbors, and your classmates. Join a club and go to school activities. You don’t have to do them all,
just take the time to become a part of the community. You’ll be amazed by the array of unique jargon, inside jokes, and school references that thrive on college campuses. Colleges in Boise offer a great student environment. Boise College campus is alive with excitement, learning, innovation, and progression. Prepare yourself now so you can hit the ground running as you start your first semester as a full-fledged college student! Photo Credit: m00by, Dave McLean