Getting Ready for College

• It’s time to “give it the old college try” — college is just around the corner!
• See what former college students had to say about their own transitions!
• Learn about the major differences between high school and college

Now, you’re just moments away from — or maybe already in the early weeks of — college! You can already pat yourself on the back for accomplishing one MAJOR milestone — graduating from high school!

But there’s still one question that looms overhead — now what? That is certainly one big “Now what?” because you are basically back at step one of another educational process and the end game, just as in high school, is to graduate!

Here are some practical tips and advice for getting started off on the right foot to a successful college career.

Giving it the Old “College Try!”

• College is a learning environment where students take responsibility for thinking about and applying new learning.
• In college, you are expected to accept responsibility for what you do and don’t do. You may suffer serious consequences for not following through on assignments, skipping classes or ignoring important deadlines set by your school.
• You are also considered an adult. You will have to budget money, time, resources and more. You can expect help from financial aid, your parents and other sources. But your school bills have to paid for, housing arranged (if you’re not living at home) and food and other expenses accounted for! Be sure all those things are at least planned out before you start school. And oh, be ready to do it all over again for 2-4 years while in college!

As you’re making the transition to college, here are some differences Between High School and College to think about:

• Time
  High school: Your time is structured by others.
  College: You manage your own time.
• Your responsibilities
  High school: You can count on parents/teachers to remind you of responsibilities and guide you in setting priorities.
  College: You must balance your responsibilities and learn to set priorities.
• Your behavior
  High school: You will usually be told what to do and corrected if your behavior is out of line.
  College: You are expected to take responsibility for what you do and don’t do, as well as accept the consequences of your decisions.
• Classes
  High school: You seldom need to read anything more than once, and sometimes listening in class is enough. College: You need to read assignments in advance, review class notes and text material on a regular basis.
• Reading
  High school: You are expected to read short assignments that are then discussed, and often re-taught, in class. You will usually be told what you need to learn from assigned readings.
  College: You are assigned lots of reading and writing that may not be talked about in class. It’s up to you to read the assigned material; professors assume you’ve done the work.
• Homework
  High school: Daily assignments are collected and graded on a regular basis and play a big part in your final grade.
  College: Homework is just as important, but your final grade will mainly reflect quizzes, tests and exams given in class, as well as big projects and/or papers.