|
|
|
The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
 |
NPR Ed’s How to Succeed in College, Part 1
Congratulations, You're In College! Now What?
Elissa Nadworny
The first year of college is crucial for setting students up for
success, laying a strong foundation for the rest of college and beyond.
Research shows that if you finish your first year and sign up for the
second, you're far more likely to get that degree.
So how do you get through the first year? Here's what the experts recommend.
Go to college on purpose.
Going to college takes time and money. Simply going because everyone
told you to — without a clear end game — puts you more at risk of
having just some college and no degree.
"Don't just go to college because your school counselor or your parents
told you to go," says Yolanda Watson Spiva, who runs the non-profit
organization Complete College America. "You actually go to college
because you have an agenda."
Pick your classes wisely and map out your path.
Some of this is really basic. For example, if you know you need 120
credits to graduate — do the math. How many credits will you need each
semester if you want to finish in four years? The answer: 15 credits.
If you're not taking a full course load — that may mean extra classes
over the summer — or a longer timeline.
The best way to make sure you get this right is to meet with an adviser — which leads us to the next takeaway:
Make a connection with a faculty or staff member.
It can be an adviser, a librarian, a financial aid officer, even an
admissions counselor. Anyone connected with the college who you can
lean on to learn the ropes of the institution.
Research has shown that having one strong connection with an adult —
staff or faculty — can make you feel engaged and supported throughout
college. They can also result in strategic career advice and networking
opportunities.
Go to your professors' office hours.
We've heard from students all over the country, and so many agree: Office hours are terrifying.
Rick Lopez, dean of new students at Amherst College, was once a terrified freshman, too.
"Everyone from almost every background has that fear that they got in
here by accident, and that if you go in and talk to your professor,
that's more and more possibility for them to discover that you're
actually an idiot who got in by accident," he says. "That's scary."
When Lopez was struggling in a class freshman year, he went to the
professor's office. He told her, "This is my experience, and I have
never learned any of this stuff." His vulnerability was rewarded: The
two of them became close, and the professor eventually became his
mentor.
So what do you talk about when you go? You can bring an assignment
you're struggling with, ask what's on an upcoming exam. You might be
able to get an extension on a paper.
You can also talk about stuff that's unrelated to your class.
Find a group of friends who support you.
College is full of opportunities to meet people. Start with your
classes — work on assignments together or form a study group. Join
clubs and organizations — let the organizational framework of those
meetings ease the awkwardness of scheduling a first friend date.
Don't beat yourself up, though, if it doesn't happen right away.
You could think, 'I'm never going to have a friend. Everyone said that
college is where you're supposed to meet your best friend. I can't meet
my best friend and I'm struggling in chemistry!' " Lopez says. "Keep
reaching out. Keep taking that risk if someone else says hi
reciprocate."
Be your own advocate — remember, you are the customer!
Even if you're paying with loans or a scholarship, you are paying to be a college student, so make the school work for you.
"College is not meant to be done on your own," says Odette De Leon, an
adviser at Valencia College, a community college in Orlando. "We're
supposed to do this together. The institution is there to serve the
student."
|
|
|
|
