A college’s landscape can be intimidating for first-year students, but they can create a path to success by being strategic with their intentions and planning early, experts say.
Before focusing on their first year in college, students “should make sure they bring their senior year in high school to a strong conclusion,” says Oliver Street III, associate vice president for enrollment management at Howard University in Washington, D.C. “It’s the very first step to make sure they have a smooth start to their first year in college.”
Here’s some advice from experts for first-year college students.
Have Financial Matters in Order
Street says the biggest misstep he’s seen first-time college students make is not being financially responsible.
“When students are entering this new environment, there’s going to be new stressors. If the financials, which are typically the largest stressor, are the ones that compound some of these others, it can exacerbate students’ academic difficulties and social acclimation. We get a large number of families who think the financials will just work themselves out.”
Street says students and their families should be cautious about credit cards, have a clear plan for paying for tuition and put together a budget.
It’s important to create a budget early, says Bridgette J. Ingram, executive director of scholarships and financial aid at Texas A&M University–College Station. “Most financial aid awards and scholarship awards come with an estimated cost of attendance, where the university tells the students, ‘Here’s what we think it’s gonna cost you to come to college.’ It’s important for students and their families to sit down and look at those line items and try to budget, you know, ahead of time.”
Christopher Levy, program coordinator for the admissions office at Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana, says routinely checking the status of a federal financial aid application is key for first-time college students. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, determines eligibility for federal grants, loans and work-study, as well as aid directly from a college.
“Scholarships and financial aid forms should begin to be filled out by the student and their families as early as late junior year in high school,” Levy says.
[Financial Literacy: What College Students Need to Know]
Signing up for a meal plan, which most schools require of students living on campus, can help with financial management. “It will allow you to have a set amount of meals for the semester, so you’re not having any other out-of-pocket cost” for meals, Levy says.
Carter Lentz, associate director of admission at Pepperdine University‘s Seaver College in California, urges students to “always advocate for yourself when it comes to scholarships and financial assistance, as well as being diligent about finding employment opportunities as a student. There will be endless ways in which you’ll want to spend money on experiences in college, aside from typical cost of attendance, so it’s important to budget accordingly.”
Get Housing Squared Away Early
A traditional residential campus with a support network is most likely to contribute to a student’s development and academic success, Levy says.
“I know there are going to be some nontraditional students who may need to commute from home for cost-saving reasons, or they may attend a community college,” Levy says, “but if the campus has the means to house students for their first year, then students should live on campus as it is a significant transition going from high school to college.”
Many colleges require students to live on campus their first year and sometimes beyond, and space is often limited so apply early. Campus can be a safer space for students to participate in evening and weekend activities and allows them to form relationships with their roommates and others.
“That’s one of the most valuable aspects and what makes American higher education different from higher education in the rest of the world,” Levy says.
Attend Orientation Events
Orientation attendance is mandatory at most colleges. It’s where students and families can learn about the campus experience in a day, several days or sometimes a full week.
“It’s very important for students to attend orientation,” Ingram says. “They will receive all the steps and direction needed to carry out their freshman year with scholarships and financial aid.”
Levy says orientation helps students “learn and understand how the university operates its billing system, how to pay fees, walking you through all of those technology pieces that the university utilizes to communicate with the student as well as the parent.”
The enrollment process for each semester and other important information is also shared during orientation.
[What To Expect at College Orientation]
Most colleges tailor orientation to reflect campus culture, and many orientation programs begin in the summer so that students and families feel better prepared by the time classes start.
For example, Howard has Bison Prep, a required orientation track for new freshmen and transfer students that includes components such as a welcome by school leadership, information on student health requirements and instruction on how to register for classes through a special app.
At Southern, in addition to the “JAG 365” new-student orientation offered multiple times a year, the Jaguar Success Academy is a five-week summer bridge program where students can start taking classes early. It helps freshmen and transfer students get acclimated to academic demands and assimilate into campus culture.
Street suggests that during orientation, students identify an adviser or mentor who can help them navigate life on campus.
Be Smart About Scheduling Classes
A major misstep first-time students make is putting together a course schedule that becomes too difficult. Before scheduling classes, take a personal inventory of what has worked for you, Street says.
“I’m not suggesting students don’t take risks, but in terms of class selection and the timing, if you know you are not a morning person, it’s probably not wise to select classes that are early in the morning and not try to say ‘I’m going to use my class to force me to become a morning person,'” Street says.
Understand the course load for your major and any extracurricular activities you may be involved in, such as sports, band or student government, Levy says, because you need to balance your schedule so that you have enough time for all your commitments.
[READ: How College Clubs Can Lead to Careers.]
Routinely Check College Email and Social Media
Levy warns that not checking your university emails and social media could hinder your access to resources and opportunities like scholarships and grants.
And make sure you read emails in detail, he adds.
“Universities communicate via email, and a lot of the information or questions or points of clarification that students have, I can tell you, is probably found on the university’s website. So learning how to navigate the website for contact information for various departments and student services is key.”
Get Involved in Activities and Meet People
Being active on campus is essential to a student’s growth process and helps a student feel included in campus culture, Levy says, and joining an on-campus group can help.
“Those student organizations will help to build your leadership, help to build public speaking and your confidence, as well as your resume when it’s time to start your job hunt,” he says.
Before the semester begins, Levy recommends joining an online group or chat group that consists of freshmen at your college. “This step gives you a chance to get to know your incoming freshman class ahead of time.”
Not everyone makes new friends easily. If that’s true for you, start with the people on campus closest to you, Street suggests.
“The easiest way, I think, is first to get to know your roommate because that’s the person you’re going to see on a daily basis.”
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