Any college tips?

[Mikiba]

Honestly, the best way to go about it is to take classes that you think will benefit you after you leave. Make sure you have good communication with your professors as well...if you ever have a problem, you'll want to be able to get in touch with them. The short time I attended I had both of my professors' emails and such so I could email them if I had a problem. :3  

[freaxy]

-moved to the advice subforums-

carry on  

[Nikolai Tesla]

Do what you love.  

[Patron with a Mission]

1.) As others have posted, take advantage of the tutors, extra hours, credits, and anything else you can get your hands on.

2.) Give yourself at least an hour or so between classes, hour and half for lunch. Trust me, you'll need it.

3.) If permitted, pack small snacks to nibble on during class. You need an alert mind to suceed, and if your stomach is growling, there's not much alertness you'll have.

4.) Make friends with the people near you. You'll need them for extra notes, socializing before class, and covering for you when you're absent.

5.) This college may have been given to you, but you are the one who determines just how much you get out of it.

6.) Professors usually don't give a damn if you're sick, tired, or overworked. They want you to pay attention, and they act like people are only there for them. Be aware of this and be prepared to think and reflect on what they say.  

[charamath]

I saw someone using this trick in a very tough art history class. Helps if you don't have the greatest memory (certainly helped her, she was one of the four of us who got A's). Use a tape recorder during lectures. There are even nifty programs that'll have your laptop type it out.  

[Wixandrettas]

One thing I still do 13 years later in my line of work..

Good studying + clean study environment + well rested and nourished=optimal educational performance.

Stress is a contagious element in the learning process. Remember to eat proper nourishment: healthful foods encourage proper brain function and retention of information. Stay properly hydrated with the right kinds of fluids: especially the night before any test or exam. Stay away from alcohol and high carbohydrate foods. They tend to hinder the brain's ability to retain and process information

Sleep is so very important. If youre well-rested, your body has the ability to recharge for the next day's tasks at hand. If you find yourself exhausted, you will not focus very well

Where ever you choose to study or work on class-work, make sure the table/desk or where you are is clean and orderly. I read articles that my Dermatologist gave me on recent studies showing how your environment can greatly affect your ability to work. It is very important that your work space be free and clear of all unnecessary clutter. There are psychological factors involved that show if you have a cluttered work area, you will have a cluttered mind while working.

All these elements will give you the necessary skills for well-planned studying.

Everyone here has given some wonderful information as well!

I follow this system in my job with Medical Billing, Collections and Accounts Receivable. I handle over 40 different insurance plans alone and you wouldnt even think that if you were to see how clean and orderly my desk is. We just got the new AR Report for the month to work on, and out of a total of 97 pages, I have already completed 35 today. Most of the other staff members have only dented in about 8.... and their desks looks like you would need a passport to get from one area to the other while jumping through hurdles of paperwork... I honestly dont know how they can concentrate with such a cluttered desk...

Good luck and keep us all posted! It sounds like you are really doing well and you have alot to be proud of!  

[Areashine]

Get involved with your professors outside of class. Get to know them, work with them on their projects. Not only will they learn your name and maybe help with writing letters of recommendation, but you'll get the learn tricks of the trade and further enjoy your studies. Learning doesn't end when your class does.  

[iggies]

For me honesty, open communication with my Profs worked. I took classes that may have been hard (Japanese) but I thrived. If a class was a bit too easy, I could find a way to challenge myself.

But, please, try not to learn how to BS your way through life. I know some people that did, now they think all life should be BSed through.

Take good notes, show up to class, and try not to cram. Allow yourself to not be perfect, but try to be your best. Find monets to rest and play.... For me my house was always cleaned going into finals... funny how that little pile only bugged me then (well I know/knew why later, but have since forgotten redface )  

[Harbone]

Here's a peice of advice that helped me:

The first year is the wash-out year. The year you will be tested.
Expect to work hardest your first year on overcoming temptations, if nothing else. The main thing you want to concentrate on in your first year of college is working hard and holding on... you'll have plenty of time to invent yourself in the years that follow... but that first one is crucial.

So, yeah, study. Do the projects. Go to class (even when they say you don't have to go.) Talk to the professors. SHOW INTEREST.

A lot of what you'll cover in that first year, especially at university, you've already covered in high school. Just stick with it.  

[innocentidealist]

Go to class, even if you really want to skip--remember that you're paying for it anyway. I'm finishing my MA in 1 year and I definitely back up the person who said to take classes that challenge you, I'm having trouble because I am so bored. Also, take good notes or make friends with someone in your class who does.  

[Namyria]

I have a friend who went to devry for a business degree. she had a lot of group work. make sure you keep your a** covered. there are a lot of flaky people who may not pull their weight in a group.
go to class because each class crams a lot in and missing one could really set you back.  

[Oshousama_Raistlin]

1. Study regularly so that you aren't cramming at the end. This means less stress and more sleep come exam time.

2. Start applying for work experience early in the year, and applying for graduate jobs early in the year as well.

3. If you're friends with the lecturer, they may know someone in the industry who might hire you. *wink*

4. Don't just study alone. Make sure you network as well: organize study groups, have lunch together, pull your weight in group assignments, be friendly. Networks are an important asset, and it is true (sadly) that it is often who you know rather than what you know that gets you places.  

[Invisible Nightengale]

1. If it's on the board, it should be in your notes.

2. Try not to schedule classes every day of the week. That way you have homework days.

3. Your teachers DO think theirs is the only class you're taking, so pay close attention to #2.

4. When studying for an exam: in the off-chance that there is a summary of the chapter at the end of every chapter, or at least a summary of the section, take out your notes and copy it down, even if it's in your notes once already.

5. Every history class has an essay exam. Consider yourself forewarned!

6. Split each assignment into parts as much as possible. Assign different parts to different days. This will keep you from being overwhelmed, and help organize a schedule.

7. Some teachers will call you out on EVERY mistake on your major assignments in the middle of class, so never turn in second-rate work.

8. If you have a choice between playing games on the Internet and sleep at night, take the sleep. Seriously, it's a good idea to be in bed by, like, 9:30 or 10:30 as a general rule. (I have trouble following this during school weeks, and believe me, I've paid for it.)

9. When taking an online class, check with the class EVERY DAY. That way you don't miss a due date. And...

10. Don't freak out if your grades take a while to post for online classes. The instructors for your class alone have several hundred assignments to grade, and it takes time. If the end of the semester comes, and you have no idea how you're doing, however, ask. Ask frequently.