High school students who transition immediately over to college have the benefit of being familiar with an educational schedule as they attend six classes or more throughout their high school career. That being said, college is a bit different from high school in regards to the demands and expectations that you will have to meet in order to reap the rewards of higher education. If you’re looking to make sure that you have everything in order before you make the move to university, here’s an essential checklist that will help you prepare for college.
Prioritize getting everything you need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
During college, having all the right materials and tools for coursework and beyond is essential to getting a great start in your university setting. In many cases, this begins with stationery and organizational tools like custom pocket folders. Having multiple pocket folders for each class where you can store your syllabus, reference sheets, and class notes makes it easier for you to stay organized and access any vital class information when you need it.
Better yet, a custom folder can help you create a design for each folder indicative of its purpose. Alongside your durable folders, you will also need items like pens and pencils, journals, planners, regular notebooks, three-ring binders, and so on. Anything you would use in high school, bring to college.
Because college utilizes tech these days to streamline the education process, make sure that you also have all of your important electronics like a high-quality laptop, a tablet (if necessary), and additional items like headphones and a digital recorder if you don’t want to miss anything in your live lectures.
Compile a list of necessary resources to tap into throughout college.
College is so much more than education. For young adults, it’s their first foray into adulthood. As such, getting as much help as possible is vital to making it through college and life without feeling completely overwhelmed by the transition. Consider joining an organization like the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) for this kind of support.
A legitimate organization (there’s no NSHSS scam), the NSHSS is comprised of high school students who are motivated to excel in their academic journey and wish to continue improving themselves even after they graduate and move onto university. With a comprehensive number of resources like workshops to hone your professional skills, mental health resources to work through any difficulties you may be experiencing, and scholarship opportunities to afford your education, they have everything you need to get through college with ease.
Establish your ideal career path and college pathway as soon as possible.
Not everyone has a solid idea of what they want to do when they first go to college, but it’s best to come up with something as soon as possible. Why? Declaring your major allows you to map out the classes you will be taking during your four years (or more) during college to complete all the credits needed to graduate.
More importantly, once you’re accepted into your desired college, you will be able to confidently sign up for the classes you wish to take to work towards your degree. Choosing any degree requires a great deal of consideration, so it’s important that you think about this as soon as possible to be prepared for your move to college.
University and adulthood both rely on planning and preparation to get things done with fewer complications. If you know that you want to get your degree, use the tips in the checklist here to begin preparing for your college career and beyond.