1. The Essentials for College Success
In this class, we’ll discuss ways to make your college experience as successful as possible. Any questions before we get started?

2. The College Experience
What opportunities does college provide?
Higher wages
Better thinking skills
Basic skills training
Social and professional networking
Preparation for leadership roles
Preparation for continuing your education
Everyone attends college for different reasons – some students are here to learn specific skill sets, receive training for a specific job, and earn a certificate or diploma to work in a certain career. Some attend college to finish their associate degree, some plan to transfer to a four-year college, some come after a major life event. Others return for the sheer love of learning.
Regardless of your reasons for enrolling in college, you have joined more than 20 million other students enrolled in one of the 4,400 colleges in the US. By pursuing higher education, you are taking steps towards success regardless of your race, ethnic background, national origin, immigration status, family income level, or personal connection. College will provide you with numerous opportunities.
Two-year (and some four-year) colleges offer certificates, associate in arts (AA), associate in science (AS), associate in applied science (AAS), and bachelor in arts (BA) or science (BS) degree options.
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3. Earning Potential Education Pays See text p. 6
As you can see by this chart, a college education provides significant financial benefits. Students who pursue higher education are more likely to make a higher salary and less likely to be unemployed than those with less education.
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4. What is Your Purpose for Attending College
Purpose is essential for success
To discover your purpose, try to answer the question: Why am I here?
Without purpose, you won’t know where you’re going or how to get there. For many, purpose builds over time. College will help you clarify your purpose and achieve your goals. To discover your purpose, try to answer the question: why am I here? To study a subject that interests me? Develop new knowledge and ideas? Complete a certificate, diploma, or associate or bachelor’s degree? Prepare myself for employment or improve my skills for a preexisting job? Meet new people? Better serve my community and country? Better understand myself and society?
To that end, colleges provide support services to students. For example, most colleges have academic advisers, financial aid advisors, learning centers, and career centers.
In addition to taking advantage of your school’s resources, use your college success book. This course will help you avoid some of the mistakes many beginning students make. The topics covered will help you enjoy your time in college, graduate, and achieve your purpose and goals.
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5. Setting Goals for Achieving Your Purpose
Short-term vs. long-term goals
SMART
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, anchored to a Time period
Is the goal realistic?
To achieve your purpose and goals, consider your strengths. Do you make friends easily? Have you always been able to figure out how to fix things at home? Do you keep family and friends on track with their duties? Are you able to convince others that you’re right? Do you never give up? All these characteristics are strengths you can use as you set and achieve your goals.
It is important to set goals. Students who prefer to go with the flow are less likely to achieve success. Instead of just reacting, how can you take control over your choices?
One way is to follow the SMART goal setting guidelines:
Be specific about what you want to achieve, why, and when.
State your goal in measurable terms. How many steps will it take you to achieve, and how will you know when they’re complete?
Be sure the goal is attainable. Do you have the skills and resources to reach it?
Make the goal relevant to your life. How does it help your larger plan?
Consider whether the goal is achievable within a timeframe.
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6. Academic Planning Programs of Study Transfer Considerations
Choose a major
Required courses vs. electives
Transfer Considerations
Connecting to Careers
Know interests, skills, values and personality
Pay attention to grades
Explore career paths
Develop computer skills
Build communication skills
Take advantage of experiential learning
It’s ok to start college undecided about what you want to study, or to change your mind. Many students change their major. Even if you do start with a specific major planned, be sure to keep an open mind. You never know when you might find something you really enjoy!
If you’re considering transferring, it makes sense to choose your major early and to choose your courses based on the requirements the college or university to which you would like to transfer. This will allow you to save time and money. Make sure to visit your school’s transfer center to make sure that the courses you take will be transferable.
Exploring your interests will help you choose an academic major, as well as a career path. Working part-time and joining student organizations can help you learn about yourself and your interests.
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7. Working with an Academic Adviser
Work with an adviser to create an academic plan
Look at your course catalog and consider majors
Prepare materials
Map out timeframe and goals
Know the right questions to ask
Know what to take away from the meeting
Go for a mix of hard and easy courses
Know what to do if your adviser isn’t the right match
Set up subsequent meetings
Academic planning is necessary for college success. It should be an ongoing process throughout your time in college. You should create an academic plan, which lists the courses you need to take in your program of study to graduate with a degree.
Your academic advisor can help you create your academic plan and choose appropriate courses. You will have to make sure that you fulfill your prerequisites and co-requisites, as well as other requirements.
Meet with your adviser at least once a term, and be sure to make the meeting a valuable experience.
Look at the course catalog to see what classes are offered and which ones interest you.
Bring appropriate materials to the meeting to help your adviser get to know you.
Make a list of majors that appeal to you.
Make sure your advisor knows your timeframe and goals – are you full or part-time? What degree do you plan on graduating with? Are you considering transferring?
Know what questions to ask.
How many credits should you take each term?
What are the prerequisites for your major? The co-requisites?
Can you use AP or other credit to fulfill major requirements?
What career opportunities will you have in this field?
Leave with a current course schedule and plans for next term and beyond.
Understand how to select courses.
Make sure they don’t overlap.
Register early, as some courses fill up quickly.
Schedule an manageable workload.
Plan in study time.
Go for a mix of hard and easy courses, especially at the beginning, as you may not realize how much work some classes can be.
Know how to change advisers. Your adviser is supposed to support you. If you feel like you aren’t getting good guidance, it is your right to ask for alternate advising.
Set up more meetings. Your academic adviser is your guide to navigating course selection and your academic plan, so it’s important to work closely with them, and check in frequently!
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8. Making the Transition by Connecting with Others
Distinct differences between high school and college
Challenges for online learners
Managing time and connecting with peers
Challenges and opportunities for adult and returning students
Less freedom and managing time
It will take some initiative to find places at college where you feel you belong. Expectations are different from high school, and there will be new challenges. Investing time and energy into forming relationships will help you adjust to college, and to find your place there.
If you are taking online courses, you will have to be particularly on top of your time management, as you can have more flexibility in when you watch lectures. You may also find it harder to make friends with your classmates. Take advantage of online “chat” features to connect with others.
Likewise, if you are a returning student, you may face a lack of freedom because of multiple competing responsibilities – you family, a job, a long commute, for example. However, many instructors value working with returning students, because your experiences have shown you the value of your education, and instructors are likely to find you motivated, mature, and focused.
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9. High School vs. College: What’s the difference?
Known many of your classmates for years
Parents and teachers made sure you were in school every day
Regular tests and quizzes
Parents and teachers gave a lot of guidance
Generally short reading assignments
Good grades were often easy to get, if you paid attention in class
More diverse classmates
Attendance may be up to you, and managing your time may be difficult at first
Fewer tests
Nobody treats you like a kid anymore
Much more reading
Good grades are hard to get and require a lot of study
You will likely find that college is a very different place than high school. Your peers will be more diverse, in a variety of ways such as race, age, religion, political opinion, and life experiences. You will be responsible for managing your time and may find the amount of freedom – and responsibility – overwhelming at first. You will have to work hard for good grades, and take initiative in seeking guidance when you’re lost. Though it can be a large adjustment, there are many opportunities to take advantage of.
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10. Building Relationships with Your Instructors
Instructor-student relationship should be based on mutual respect and reasonable expectations
Know and meet expectations
Arrive on time
Do assigned work
Listen and participate
Persevere
Pay attention to the syllabus
Take advantage of office hours
One of the most important types of relationship to cultivate is with your instructors. You will be expected to be independent and to seek advice and assistance when you need it.
Your instructors will have a lot of expectations that you will have to meet: that you arrive on time, do the assigned work, listen and participate, work hard, and pay attention to the course requirements as laid out in the syllabus.
They will also expect honesty and openness. Instructors will invite you to express your feelings about the course, and are looking for feedback to help them continue teach better – you’re not the only one who can learn in your courses!
Be sure to take advantage of office hours to ask questions, get help, and connect with your instructors. You might find that one of your instructors becomes a lifelong mentor and friend. Instructors can write you letters of recommendation may help you when you are applying for a transfer or a job.
If you have a problem with your instructor, ask for a meeting to see if you can work things out. If your instructor refuses, go to someone higher in the department. Remember, though, your instructor has the right to assign you a grade, and no one can force him or her to change your grade. However, discussing your grades with instructors helps you learn from your mistakes and improve your future grades. It also shows that you care about your college experience!
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11. Tech Tip: Have Netiquette
ing an instructor
Make the subject line informative
Address your instructor with respect
Sign with your full name and course number
When attaching files, use widely accepted formats and include your last name in the file name
Online video communication
Use during office hours or by appointment
Choose an appropriate place free of interruptions
Electronic communication is both common and important: your instructors may use to send you files and updates. is also a way to contact your instructor to set up a meeting, or turn in your work. Sending professional, respectful s will make working with your instructor easier, and ensure they receive your communications.
When ing an instructor, provide the course and your reason for ing in the subject line, so that your instructor can identify you. Some instructors may have hundreds of students, after all!
Be sure to address your instructor with respect, using the same form of address as you do in class or as is provided on the syllabus. Sign your with all the details the instructor might need to reply to you.
If you are attaching files, use widely accepted formats such as .doc, .docx, or .pdf, so that your instructor can access your file. Include your last name in the file name, to help your instructor recognize who the file is from.
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