High School is finally over and now we can start thinking about college. There’s so much to think about such as financial aid, class scheduling, roommate hunting, and much more. This new chapter in our lives can be the most successful if we plan for it diligently. Here are 10 ways to get ready for our new life on campus.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to whoever plans for it today.”
– Malcom X
10 Ways to Prepare For College
Prepare Important Documents
Whether you’re filling out an application for college, a scholarship, or for a job, you may need to retrieve some important documents. Before you have to do any of that, look into how you can request your transcript from your school. Colleges may request things such as shot records or social security numbers. Maybe you still need to get your state ID or a passport. Take the initiative now to figure out what important documents you may need and look into how you can retrieve them.
Visit College Campus
If you have the opportunity, you should definitely make a visit to your future college campus. It’s an amazing experience as you get to see what a day may look like for you as a student in that college program. Take a look at the campus, dorms, facilities, amenities, and more. This campus will be the place where you may live for a couple of years, so it is encouraged that you get a good feel of the campus before you actually move in. I really enjoyed my visit to the college that I will be attending this fall. My advice is to take all the free/discounted merchandise as you can, and don’t forget to stop by the cafeteria for lunch.
Paying For College
Everyone gets so excited when talking about college up until we get into the discussion about money. College is very expensive, but if we utilize the opportunities and resources that it can offer, it will be a great investment. Before making such a big investment it is important to ask ourselves, what can I gain from this investment? Is it worth the amount of money that I would have to spend? Do I value the professional opportunities that college has to offer? Can I pay for this out of pocket? Am I willing to go into debt? What scholarships/grants can I qualify for? These are just a few big questions to get you started on this important conversation. I suggest that you talk with your financial advisor at your school and your family about how you can pay for college.
Choosing Classes
Class scheduling was not a responsibility that we had in high school. Everyone basically took the same courses, and our guidance counselors did most of the work for suggesting which classes we could take. Now for the school I’m attending, my academic advisor had already put together my schedule and I won’t have to choose my classes until next semester. However, it is still something that we should think about, because maybe you have some college credits that may transfer over. Maybe you decide to change your major. Regardless it’s important to know the requirements for your major so that you won’t make the mistake of missing some required courses or taking unnecessary ones. Be informed about what classes you need to take in order to complete your degree. You may be able to find your specific degree plan online or you could speak with your academic advisor to guide you.
Test Scores
Have you submitted your ACT/SAT scores? Maybe you have some AP test scores that could give you some college credit. It’s important to know what test scores you will need in order to attend your college. If your school is test optional, then you should weigh whether or not it would benefit you to submit them. Submitting your ACT/SAT scores could potentially open up more scholarship opportunities and increase your competitiveness among other applicants. Some colleges may require placement test. Figure out if your school requires that and prepare diligently for them. A good study resource is Khan Academy, a free online platform covering multiple subjects in math, science, history, and English. It also offers practice test for SAT/ACT.
Jobs
If you’re currently working a part time job, this may be the time to speak to your employer about whether or not you will continue to work there or make adjustments to your schedule. It’s important to let your employer know about your plans ahead of time so that they aren’t left scrambling at the last minute trying to adjust to you leaving or rescheduling. Also, if you don’t have a job and want to work while you’re on campus, figure out what work study opportunities may be available. Work study gives you the chance to work on campus and it can easily be adjusted to your schedule. Or if you want to work outside of campus in a business nearby start applying now. The earlier you start thinking about jobs the better chance you will have in getting them.
Housing
Have you decided where you will be living in college? Some schools require freshman to stay on campus, but others will allow you to commute from home. If you’re planning to stay on campus, have you decided which dorm you’d prefer to live in? If so, will it be a shared room or a suite? Would you prefer to live by yourself? If you’re an honors student, you may be able to stay in the honors dormitory. Don’t sell yourself short and look into the housing options offered at your school so you can have the best possible living arrangement for you.
Roommates
While we’re on the topic of housing, it’s imperative that we address roommate arrangements. Some people are pickier about roommates than others. For me I don’t know anyone that attends my university, so I choose to do a random roommate selection. If you’re a laid–back person who can get along with pretty much anyone, you may be ok with the random roommate route. However, if you are someone with a type A personality and likes things to go a certain way, you may want to pick one for yourself. If you don’t know anyone on campus, some ways you can find a roommate is finding people on your school’s social media platforms. Some schools have group chats with other students in your class that you could get to know and chat with. Another way you could find a roommate is mingling with other students on a campus visit or new student orientation. I’m sure there are plenty of other students who are in the same boat as you.
Dorm Shopping
Dorm shopping is such a stressful task because there so much that you need. People often fall into the trap of either over packing or under packing. To prevent this, look on your school’s website to find their packing list. Also, look at the authorized and unauthorized items. Most schools won’t allow you to have decor that puts holes in the walls, wallpaper, and kitchen appliances that could easily cause a fire (such as deep fryers, skillets, hot plates, etc.). Take note of those things when deciding what to bring for your dorm. Start binging a bunch of college packing list videos on YouTube and start prepping your list early before you start buying. Also, look into what furniture is already in the dorm, as well as the measurements and layout of the room. This will prevent you from buying things that are already available or things that can’t even fit in the room.
Packing
There is a lot of stuff that you will need to bring with you to college. Try to estimate how much space you’ll need to transport your items to your school. If you’re out of state or far from home, you may need to fly your items out. Look into whether or not your school will allow you to ship dorm items directly to the campus. If you’re driving, start preparing for whether or not you may need an extra or larger vehicle to take your stuff. When packing clothes try not to pack your whole closet and only pack clothes that you know you’d wear. Don’t worry about packing everything. If there is more stuff that you need you can buy it later or have your family ship any other items to you.