1. JUMP ON YOUR HOUSING AND ORIENTATION INFORMATION
You’re accepted! Look immediately into deposit, housing, special programming, scholarships, senior visit dates, and orientation programming. Many programs, scholarships and even visit dates have quick deadlines. Some colleges (including Barnard and Hendrix) prioritize housing by your deposit date. Others like Clemson even prioritize housing by your application date! At larger universities like Michigan and Wisconsin-Madison, residential college and freshman track programming have early deadlines. You will want to start making the most out of your college journey from the get-go.
2. HAVE A “MAJOR” PLAN
Some students approach college with an open mind to potential majors. At larger universities, you can still choose “undecided” and most offer special advising for the undecided majors. That’s ok if you really don’t know what you want to do. But for most students hoping to graduate within four years, you need a plan! Most competitive programs like Business, Pre-med, and Engineering require you to begin taking major entry requirements from first semester freshman year! If you want to double major, major and minor, you need a spreadsheet with a plan to keep yourself on track and attempt to take divisional requirements that also count for your major and/or minor. You don’t double major by chance! Students who double major, major and minor or pursue the most competitive programs had a plan before the first day of classes. What’s your plan? Search your college major and divisional requirements on-line before you get to campus!
3. YOU ARE YOUR OWN ADVISOR!
Every college and university claims they have excellent advising. Many have added multiple layers of advisors! There are faculty advisors, major advisors, freshman advisors, peer advisors, and even mental health advisors! But I’m telling you from experience … there is only one advisor you can count on! YOU ARE YOUR OWN ADVISOR! If a parent is up for helping you, sign them on! If you need help, The College Sage can also help. Do not believe that all these layers of advisors will answer your most significant questions. You will generally find that you know more about what you need to know than any advisor you will find to answer your question.
4. STUDY ABROAD DEADLINES CREEP UP ON YOU
Over 325,000 American students study abroad every year. This is a formative time for experiencing a new culture and growth in confidence and independence. Do study abroad! It is life changing. Start doing your research early! Many majors have certain semesters where you will not be able to study abroad. Other majors have certain semesters where they study abroad as a group. Application deadlines are generally a full six months (or more) before you go abroad. Fellowships, grants and scholarships are plentiful but applications are generally lengthy and early. Need help with study abroad applications? Contact The College Sage!
5. EXTRACURRICULARS IN COLLEGE SHOULD BE FEW BUT DEEP
During high school, many students run ragged trying to boost their resumes with activities. Those days are done! Find two or three activities that you love to do and take on leadership opportunities early! Greek life is fun – but being involved in fraternity or sorority life is not enough on the resume. Make sure to include at least one career-oriented club or activity.
6. YOU SHOULD SEEK ONE OR TWO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
You should have a few activities that relate to your career interest or unique talents. You want to be able to demonstrate leadership positions by the middle of your sophomore year so they are on your resume before applying for summer after junior year internships.
7. YOUR SUMMERS MATTER – A LOT!
You can take your summer after high school off! Bask in the glory of getting into your dream school, spend time researching your future hometown, and just veg. You deserve it! But you only get one summer like that. Don’t waste your college summers. Try to find interesting summer opportunities beginning after freshman year. Freshman summer is the most difficult to find meaningful employment. So if you haven’t found anything, consider summer school at your home college or elsewhere. The goal for sophomore summer is to find any kind of employment possible that relates to your career – even if you have to volunteer your time for free.
8. ADD DOUBLE MAJORS AND MINORS ALONG THE WAY
If you started out with a single major plan, be sure to look into easy options of adding a minor or even a double major. Often times core requirement selections will get you close to a minor you didn’t realize you were close to – especially in languages and social sciences. Do your research to maximize your educational experience.
9. GRADUATING WITH A JOB IS ALL ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP AFTER JUNIOR YEAR
Many companies now hire college graduates almost entirely through Junior Internship programs. Applying for Junior internships begins early Junior year. Be sure to start looking at your college placement office as well as on company websites, Indeed and LinkedIn as early as August of your Junior year. Many application processes will include three to five rounds of interviews and many require online personality and career readiness tests! This process will take a significant time – plan your Junior year schedules accordingly.
10. LEARN FOR THE SAKE OF LEARNING – LET GRADES TAKE A BACK SEAT (BUT NOT THE TRUNK)
You have been on the “grades are critical track” for a long time. Let grades take a back seat to your desire to learn for the sake of learning. Most students will have at least one poor grade during their freshman and sophomore years – especially in the “weeding out” courses like Economics, Calculus, Chemistry, Accounting, Organic Chemistry etc. Don’t panic. Rather think about what it’s telling you. If you struggled with basic Chemistry, are you sure you want to continue on a pre-med path that may require six more years of it? If Calculus tripped you up, maybe Economics will still get you down a “Business” path. Do your research to see how many more courses in that discipline will be required in your intended major. Explore all the major options to make sure you find the best fit. If you’re not enjoying what you’re learning, you probably won’t be happy 10 years down the road.
Copyright Susan Leadem 2019. All rights reserved.
