what to expect from your first college course

What to Expect from Your First Semester of College

1. Classes & Books. By the time you move into your dorm or apartment, you most likely have already chosen your classes.
2. Roommates. With a few tips, your first semester and year will be a breeze! Whether you get paired with someone you...
3. Environment & Surroundings. If you have moved from your hometown to a new...

Full Answer

What should I expect in my first semester of Community College?

Aug 01, 2019 · Vital information will come your way the first day – use this to your advantage to map out your game plan for the course. You can use the first day to feel out the professor, the course material and, often times, the professor will divulge information about the exam formats, quizzes and other class policies. This is all important information you don’t want to miss – so …

What should I know before taking my first college class?

You will receive a syllabus on the first day of class. This document outlines the semester’s calendar, expectations, attendance policy, grading policy, exam/paper schedule, and more. If you realize that a class isn’t going to work out after the first day, go talk to …

What happens on the first day of college classes?

What To Expect The First Year Of College 1. You’ll have independence and flexibility like never before. No longer are you stuck to the 8am to 3pm school-hour... 2. Introduction classes are boring, but required. Part of freshmen year is taking general education classes that you... 3. …

Are you prepared for your first year of college?

Jan 06, 2021 · Enrolling in your first semester of community college marks an important milestone in your professional career. Building your academic accomplishments and technical skills creates the springboard for your future working endeavors. However, for many students, the first semester of community college is not met with flying colors.

How do I prepare for my first college class?

Follow these tips to feel more confident and excited for your first day of class in college.Plan to Get There Early. ... Review Your Class Schedule and Syllabi Beforehand. ... Familiarize Yourself With Important Locations. ... Prepare to Take Notes. ... Get Ready to Pay Attention. ... Anticipate Making New Connections.Oct 5, 2021

What do you gain from a college course?

Here are 7 skills that you can look to gain during your time at college:Project management. ... Personal development. ... Teamwork. ... Creativity and critical thinking. ... A sense of duty to the community. ... Communication. ... Networking.

Is the first month of college the hardest?

There is no question that the first semester of the freshman year of college is the most critical. Many studies show that freshman year is the time when students most likely drop out of college – if not permanently, then temporarily.Jul 11, 2011

Why should I take a course?

The process of learning something new encourages soft-skill development such as time-management, communication and self-confidence, which all employers love. Training courses are also great because they provide a way to enhance your current job or career path, thus enabling opportunities for progression.

What do students want out of college?

MEANING: Students want to learn, they want to grow and the vast majority want to get a high quality education, all while not going into a massive amount of debt in the process.Oct 11, 2018

How do I survive my first semester of college?

Here are four ways to best survive your first semester at college.Test Multiple Study Areas. Not all study spaces are built alike. ... Acquaint Yourself to Professors. ... Save—and Back Up. ... Make Class Attendance a Habit.

Should I work my first year of college?

The first semester of college is the most important, and if it is not an extreme financial hardship, it is usually better that a freshman doesn't work. Being new to school and needing to study more is much of a job in itself.

What happens if you fail a class in college?

The Consequences of Failing a Class A failing grade will likely hurt your GPA (unless you took the course pass/fail), which could jeopardize your financial aid. The failure will end up on your college transcripts and could hurt your chances of getting into graduate school or graduating when you originally planned to.May 8, 2020

Syllabus Shock

Most high school courses don’t begin with the teacher handing a syllabus that details every homework assignment, project and test for the entire semester, but that’s exactly what happens at the beginning of each college class.

Academic Anxiety

With few exceptions, you’ll find that college means more difficult coursework and a more rigorous assignment schedule than high school. With the impact your academic success has on your chosen career, it can create a great deal of pressure for high academic achievement.

Meeting New People

From professors and peers in your classes to the extracurricular activities you are part of, you're going to meet a lot of new people in your first semester.

Getting to Know Professors

Taking the time to get to know your professors is an important aspect of your time in college - even in your first semester. If you are only in class to passively take notes, you'll be missing out on many advantages, including getting additional help with difficult concepts and building a mentorship relationship.

What is the difference between academic writing and blogging?

“Flowery” language is the type of language you would see in blogging, where the writer might be writing the way they actually speak in person, and/or, writes strictly from their point of view. Whereas academic writing favors conciseness. Your essay shouldn’t merely present your point of view, but it should also contain evidence to support your arguments and claims.

What is the most important tool for college writing?

A crucial college writing tool you must have is a plagiarism checker. While you’re expected to elevate your writing to university-level, your professors don’t expect you to write with the skill of someone who’s completed their Ph.D. and has had groundbreaking discoveries.

What to do when you feel homesick?

You are not the only student who feels homesick; most everyone does! Call your family when you’re feeling homesick, lean on a new friend, talk to a counselor, or make your living space feel as much like home as you can.

How to keep focus on class?

Some students find that wearing headphones with a mic helps to keep focus. Log in a few minutes before your class begins.

Can you drop a class on financial aid?

Adding or dropping a class as soon as possible will allow you to rework your schedule comfortably, and will be less likely to impact your financial aid. Pro-Tip: Adding/dropping classes can impact your financial aid, so be sure to consult with your academic advisor first.

What to expect in the first year of college?

Your college preparation probably only focuses on finding a roommate, picking a meal plan, bringing dorm supplies, and packing clothes.

How to get to know your professor?

However, you can control one thing: making an effort to get to know your professor. Start by introducing yourself on the first day. Then stop in office hours to discuss an assignment, talk about your future, or ask questions about their life.

What happens if you treat your RA with respect?

If you treat your RA with respect, you’re most likely going to get the benefit of the doubt. For example, when he hears loud noises (during a pregame) in your room Friday night at 11pm, he will text you to keep it down and walk back to his room.

What to do when you go away to college?

You’re probably going to miss something about home when you go away to college. Before you get too emotional, acknowledge the feeling of worry as natural. Then replace your worry by thinking about all the new experiences you would miss at school, if you stayed at home.

What is the most exciting thing about community college?

An exciting element of community college is the social interaction; with the plethora of clubs and organizations, you can easily find friends who share your interests. Many freshmen in their first semester become overwhelmed with the social activities – especially considering that this is the first time parents cannot dictate curfews or schedules.

How to work and attend community college?

If you work, adjusting to your first semester of community college requires you to carefully plan your schedule – both formally and informally. Create a calendar that maps out your specific time commitments, including work and class schedules. Then, you should allocate time slots for all of your academic tasks, such as reading course literature, attending a study group, or preparing for your mid-term.

Is community college easy?

Despite the contrary misperception, community college is not the 13 th grade, and the classes are not easy. You must be willing to commit to your education to succeed – which means attending all your classes, reading the course literature, participating in discussions, and studying for your exams.

1. Be on time (which means early)

One of the quickest ways to get behind in your college courses is to show up late for class. This is even more detrimental on the first day because not being on time gives the instructor (and other students) the impression that you’re either irresponsible, disorganized, disinterested, or a combination of all of these.

2. Show up prepared

If you showed up to a cooking class without the required ingredients, how successful would you be at baking the dessert of the day? Not very. That’s why you always want to be prepared.

3. Connect with other students

Talk to any successful person and they’ll tell you that they didn’t get where they are without help. That’s why it is so important on your first day of college to make connections with other students. Together, you can all propel each other forward as the class progresses.

4. Ask questions

Speaking of asking questions, if there is anything at all you are unclear about on your first day of class, ask. The sooner you clear up any misunderstandings, the better because the last thing you want to do is be halfway through an exercise or project just to learn that you are way off course.

5. Map out a plan

Finally, at the end of your first day of class, take the time to map out a plan for the remainder of the course. Create a calendar or timeline so you know when you should be working on which pieces of homework or projects, noting important deadlines so you don’t miss one by mistake.

What does it mean to be in high school first day?

In high school, the first day of classes usually meant playing a few ice-breaker games and going over the class syllabus. While those two things may still occur on the first day of college classes, they will be sped through in order to begin the aforementioned work, so be sure to have your academic mindset ready.

Do you get blindsided by a professor?

Don't be the one who gets blindsided when the professor jumps into a discussion about the assigned reading you didn't know was assigned. It is common for college professors to expect you to have an assignment completed for the first day of class, as they often like to get right into the material.

What is the first day of college class?

Professors may explain what their teaching method is like, how to best contact them with questions or what opportunities they offer for extra credit. These pieces of information can be some of the most important factors in succeeding in a particular professor's class.

Should I bring my laptop to class?

Bring your laptop — if you can handle it. While using your laptop in class is often frowned upon in high school, it isn't so taboo in college — in fact, many professors encourage it. Using your laptop is a fast and simple way to take notes, keep up with PowerPoint slides and look up key information for discussion.