Starting a new school in the middle of an academic year after everyone else has found a routine can be challenging, especially if you haven’t been to school in a while.
Advance planning can help new students adjust to campus quicker. Students can use the next two months to take advantage of tools that will allow them to map out their career plans and figure out how to balance academic requirements with their other responsibilities.
Community college students who are planning to start classes in the spring semester, which typically begins in late January, can follow the steps below to prepare for class during the holiday season.
1. Apply: Community college advisers encourage students to submit applications and take any required assessments, such as placement exams, as soon as possible. Students who haven’t already should also apply for financial aid.
“It’s still not too late for someone who is going in the spring to do their FAFSA application,” says Diane Wollan, department chair for student counseling at Victor Valley College in California.
Find out about [five costly financial aid mistakes community college students make.]
Students can also use the time before the semester starts to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2016-2017 school year to secure financial aid when the application opens in January.
2. Talk to a counselor: Once the application is processed, students should set up meetings with counselors for academic advising and let the school know about any accommodations that they might need, such as disability services or child care resources.
Find [ child care resources for community college students]
An academic adviser can help students lay out a school plan that matches their education and career goals. Students need to determine which types of classes — online or in-person — are best for them, create a schedule that fits their lifestyle and decide whether to attend school full or part time, experts say.
“They need to be realistic about what they can be successful in, because a lot of our students are working while they’re attending classes or they have other family obligations that require a bit of time and attention,” says Bonnie Garrett, director of counseling, advising and retention services at Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland.
She encourages students to write down a list of questions to take to their advising session to make sure they address any concerns they have about school. New students should also take some time to get familiar with their accounts on the school’s website and be on the lookout for orientation dates and announcements , she says.
3. Learn about campus resources: Students should take a tour of the campus during winter break to get an idea of how much time they need to set aside for the commute to school, keeping in mind that it takes longer to get onto campus and find parking when the semester starts. Academic counselors encourage students to bring their schedule and map out their classes so they’re not lost on the first day of school.
Students should also find other useful landmarks like the cafeteria or student center and learn about any other academic or personal resources that can help them be successful, like tutoring and peer mentoring.
“A lot of the students don’t necessarily realize all of the resources that we have here,” says Danielle Brookhart, the coordinator of new student engagement at Anne Arundel Community College. “The challenge is really getting that information out to the students and then utilizing them.”
4. Get books: Buying books ahead of time can be useful for a couple reasons, says Gabrielle Galindo, 25, student body president and student trustee at Victor Valley College.
Students may be able to get books at discounted rates before the traditional semester season and they can refresh their knowledge of subjects that they haven’t studied in a while before the pressure of the semester starts, she says.
“You can study the first chapter, which is going to be a review of wherever you left off to kind of brush up on the material before you go in,” Galindo says.
Learn [how to save money when buying college textbooks.]
5. Get support from family and friends: Students should share their academic goals with their loved ones and ask them to help them succeed by taking on some responsibility or taking up less time so the student can focus more doing the school year.
“If someone else can make dinner one night, great, let someone else make dinner so that the student can study that extra hour, planning ahead,” Anne Arundel’s Garrett says. She encourages students to find a place to study that’s free of distractions.
Galindo agrees.
“Your network is your lifeline. You create this network and it supports you through this entire process,” she says. “It’s the reason why I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do, to lean on others and others know that they can lean on me.”
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5 Ways to Get Ready for Spring Semester at Community College originally appeared on usnews.com
