Your parents are pushing you to apply to at least 8 colleges or universities, one or two of which you are almost positive will accept you. Some of your friends have applied to all of the Ivy Leagues, and some of them have accepted an early decision acceptance to a local public university to which they could commute. Although your older siblings are already on their chosen career paths, you are just starting out, and the possibilities are endless.
But have you ever stopped to consider that not only are you not guaranteed a job after graduation, but that acceptance is only the first step on a long road to achievement and self discovery?
1. Getting in is only the first step.
Sure, you busted your ass to ace the SATs, and perhaps you even braved a few SAT IIs for those choice schools you had in mind. This is all on top of the last four years you spent writing reports, completing drawn-out problem sets, and pulling all-nighters in preparation for class presentations.
Well, I have good news, and I have bad news.
The good news is that all of that hardship and struggle is behind you, and if you gave it your all, it probably prepared you well for what's next. The bad news is that you have much more work you will need to do in college, and if you will be living away from home, you won't have parents around to remind you that it's Tuesday and that your big calculus exam is on Friday, so you better start studying now.
2. You will want to find a mentor in college.
If you picked a major and a career you're interested in, which you should have, then you must find someone at your college who is a few years ahead of you in that major. He/she can give you tips on figuring out how to work the system to your advantage, and it's never too early to start making connections.
One more benefit to having a mentor is that this will help you keep motivated. If you're not passionate about what you are doing, it is very easy in college to get distracted by all of the nonsense happening around you. Do not let this happen to you. College is only 4 years, but unfortunately, what you do with that time will have a major impact on the rest of your working life.
3. Join something. Now.
Joining a club is not only a great way to make new friends, but you will learn about yourself in the process. Show up to all of the meetings, and you will have developed dedication and discipline. Participate in most of the group's events, and you have established a presence and leadership potential. The best part of joining a group, of course, is the sense of belonging you now feel on a college campus that was once completely foreign to you. This feeling will carry you through your college experiences.
You do not want to be the loner who just shows up to class and does his homework. Not only will that not look good on a resume, but it will isolate you from everyone, and it is so important to join groups in college, even if you already have a few friends. You need to build a family away from home, and joining a club or sport will help you do just that.
4. Never be afraid to ask for help.
It doesn't matter if you're having trouble in one class or three, if you just broke up with your boyfriend and you don't feel like you fit in, or if you find yourself sneaking bags of chocolate and pretzels at night long after you should have gone to sleep. If you have a problem at college, your school has plenty of resources on offer for you to take advantage of if need be.
Furthermore, do not wait until a problem becomes so monstrous that you see no way out. Get help as soon as you see yourself struggling. If you are having trouble in class, get a tutor, see the TA as often as you can to go over problems, and start studying with someone else in your class. There is no time like now to tackle little problems before they become irreparable.
5. Start early.
Start applying for internships early, buy your textbooks ahead of time and read through some of the chapters, and plan out your classes semester-by-semester so that you have a sense of control over your academic experience. Go through your course catalog and look over the classes required for your major. Some schools only offer certain classes in the spring or fall, so if you do not do your research, you only have yourself to blame when you have to take a summer course because you didn't read the fine print.
6. Scoffing at those who keep a close watch over their GPA? Stop! Stop now.
Good grades have an endless number of advantages. They boost your self-esteem. They make you look good to your professors, some of whom will give you recommendations for graduate school. If you are thinking about applying to medical school, most schools have very strict GPA requirements for those they admit. I cannot stress enough how much good grades are to your advantage. Sure, you do not need all A's, but if you are doing your best, you will have nothing to regret.
College is not just about the classes. It's about growing as an individual. Find a mentor who can show you the ropes. Join a club, sports team, or fraternity. Ask for help right when you need it. Be prepared. Do your best work, if only just so you can be proud of your accomplishments. Finally, do what scares you. Now is the time to break out of your comfort zone. Sign up for an acting class, or audition for the band, or join the student council. You never know what you can achieve until you take that first step.
But have you ever stopped to consider that not only are you not guaranteed a job after graduation, but that acceptance is only the first step on a long road to achievement and self discovery?
1. Getting in is only the first step.
Sure, you busted your ass to ace the SATs, and perhaps you even braved a few SAT IIs for those choice schools you had in mind. This is all on top of the last four years you spent writing reports, completing drawn-out problem sets, and pulling all-nighters in preparation for class presentations.
Well, I have good news, and I have bad news.
The good news is that all of that hardship and struggle is behind you, and if you gave it your all, it probably prepared you well for what's next. The bad news is that you have much more work you will need to do in college, and if you will be living away from home, you won't have parents around to remind you that it's Tuesday and that your big calculus exam is on Friday, so you better start studying now.
2. You will want to find a mentor in college.
If you picked a major and a career you're interested in, which you should have, then you must find someone at your college who is a few years ahead of you in that major. He/she can give you tips on figuring out how to work the system to your advantage, and it's never too early to start making connections.
One more benefit to having a mentor is that this will help you keep motivated. If you're not passionate about what you are doing, it is very easy in college to get distracted by all of the nonsense happening around you. Do not let this happen to you. College is only 4 years, but unfortunately, what you do with that time will have a major impact on the rest of your working life.
3. Join something. Now.
Joining a club is not only a great way to make new friends, but you will learn about yourself in the process. Show up to all of the meetings, and you will have developed dedication and discipline. Participate in most of the group's events, and you have established a presence and leadership potential. The best part of joining a group, of course, is the sense of belonging you now feel on a college campus that was once completely foreign to you. This feeling will carry you through your college experiences.
You do not want to be the loner who just shows up to class and does his homework. Not only will that not look good on a resume, but it will isolate you from everyone, and it is so important to join groups in college, even if you already have a few friends. You need to build a family away from home, and joining a club or sport will help you do just that.
4. Never be afraid to ask for help.
It doesn't matter if you're having trouble in one class or three, if you just broke up with your boyfriend and you don't feel like you fit in, or if you find yourself sneaking bags of chocolate and pretzels at night long after you should have gone to sleep. If you have a problem at college, your school has plenty of resources on offer for you to take advantage of if need be.
Furthermore, do not wait until a problem becomes so monstrous that you see no way out. Get help as soon as you see yourself struggling. If you are having trouble in class, get a tutor, see the TA as often as you can to go over problems, and start studying with someone else in your class. There is no time like now to tackle little problems before they become irreparable.
5. Start early.
Start applying for internships early, buy your textbooks ahead of time and read through some of the chapters, and plan out your classes semester-by-semester so that you have a sense of control over your academic experience. Go through your course catalog and look over the classes required for your major. Some schools only offer certain classes in the spring or fall, so if you do not do your research, you only have yourself to blame when you have to take a summer course because you didn't read the fine print.
6. Scoffing at those who keep a close watch over their GPA? Stop! Stop now.
Good grades have an endless number of advantages. They boost your self-esteem. They make you look good to your professors, some of whom will give you recommendations for graduate school. If you are thinking about applying to medical school, most schools have very strict GPA requirements for those they admit. I cannot stress enough how much good grades are to your advantage. Sure, you do not need all A's, but if you are doing your best, you will have nothing to regret.
College is not just about the classes. It's about growing as an individual. Find a mentor who can show you the ropes. Join a club, sports team, or fraternity. Ask for help right when you need it. Be prepared. Do your best work, if only just so you can be proud of your accomplishments. Finally, do what scares you. Now is the time to break out of your comfort zone. Sign up for an acting class, or audition for the band, or join the student council. You never know what you can achieve until you take that first step.
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