Types of on-campus support
As a first-year student, it can take time to get acclimated to college life — including navigating campus, making connections and juggling coursework. To help with the adjustment, many colleges offer academic, wellness and community resources beyond orientation. “Once you know what your resources are and how to access them, it can really change (your) experience on a college campus,” says Carmen Brown, assistant dean and director of campus life at Scripps College in California. “Sometimes it’s not going to be easy and there might be a little struggle. But we have these people in place, these resources in place to help you navigate that and you don’t have to struggle through it.” While options vary by college, here are seven commonly available resources and services on campuses — and they’re not limited to first-year students.
Peer tutoring
Students can attend their professors’ office hours to ask questions or receive clarification about an assignment. However, further academic hurdles may best be solved by a tutor, often in a college’s academic success center. Many colleges have drop-in or appointment-based tutoring services — often peer-led, one-on-one sessions — in various subject areas, like math, science and foreign languages. “Students think, ‘If I’m (in) tutoring, that means I’m not smart,'” says Connie Carson, vice president for student life at Furman University in South Carolina. “No, tutoring is there intentionally — college is rigorous and different.”
Faculty members
Faculty members are a highly underutilized resource for students, particularly as students are “transitioning and learning how to read a syllabus and navigating a college course,” says Cristina Lawson, assistant dean of college programs at Tulane University in Louisiana. ?Instructors can give advice about picking a major or minor and discuss research and career opportunities. Professors have special drop-in office hours, but students can also schedule an appointment by email or reach out in person before or after class. When connecting with faculty, however, be sure to think through email etiquette. “They want to be approachable, but also want be treated with authority and respect,” Lawson says.
Writing center
Another common academic resource on college campuses is a writing center. Students are paired with a trained peer to assist with any part of a writing assignment, such as brainstorming, creating an outline or reviewing a draft. ?Writing centers “help students learn how to strengthen their own voice, their own writing skills,” Carson says. For any type of academic challenge, seek help early — don’t wait until it’s too late, says Kathy Adams Riester, associate vice chancellor for student life and dean of students at Indiana University–Bloomington. “Sometimes by the time you’re willing to admit that you’re really struggling, you might have done a good amount of academic damage.”
Career center or services
Staff at a college’s career center can point you in the right direction as you start your job search by helping with industry exploration and providing information about available alumni networks. However, “a lot of times, students don’t realize that career services is not just about when you graduate,” Brown says. “It’s also about looking for internship opportunities or research opportunities, and all the different ways that they can help you not only find those opportunities but prepare for them.” For instance, many assist with writing resumes and cover letters, interview preparation, salary negotiations and graduate school applications.
Health center
Students can visit their on-campus health center for ailments or minor injuries. Some health centers include mental health counseling — other times that’s housed in a separate on-campus building. When transitioning from high school to college,?”there’s a lot of core requirements in terms of paperwork that needs to be completed around vaccines and insurance, but then also general health information,” Lawson says. All of that information typically needs to be provided to a college’s health center. ?”People have accidents, they may develop some condition, they may get ill, and we want parents to understand that these services are well-resourced,” Carson says.
Basic needs hubs
Six in 10 college students “experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity,” with rates especially high among Indigenous and Black students, according to a survey by The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs at Temple University in Pennsylvania. To support students facing food or housing insecurities, some colleges have on-campus food pantries, meal donation programs or short-term emergency housing. Towson University in Maryland, for instance, offers the Tiger Threads clothing closet, which allows students, staff and faculty members to take up to two articles of donated clothing every week. ?
Residence life staff
Many colleges require on-campus living, especially for first-year students.? “Housing is a great resource for students as they’re considering what their housing looks like, who their roommate might be, how to live on campus and how to be a contributing member to a community,” Lawson says. College residence life offices typically encompass full-time, professional staff and resident assistants, trained upperclassmen who live in and help manage dorm communities. RAs, for instance, help plan dorm events to build peer connections, introduce students to other on-campus resources and assist with roommate conflicts.
Other tips for first-year student success
Learn more about ways to succeed as a first-year student and get advice about making the college decision by connecting with U.S. News Education on Facebook and X/Twitter.
On-campus resources
— Peer tutoring
— Faculty members
— Writing center
— Career center or services
— Health center
— Basic needs hubs
— Residence life staff
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7 Campus Resources to Know About as a First-Year College Student originally appeared on usnews.com
