Table of Contents
The Top 10 Things to Do During Your First Year of College 10
Introduction 11
1 Choosing a College 15
Information Sources 16
Campus Visits 18
Questions to Ask 20
Campus Visit Notes 21
Should You Stay or Should You Go? 30
Who to Contact with Questions 32
Plan to Keep in Touch 34
2 Financing Your Education 39
Financial Aid 101: Offices and Forms 40
Finding Scholarships and Grants 41
Leadership Development Awards 45
Work-Study Aid and Other Jobs 46
Loans 48
Cost Versus Value 50
Financial Aid Tracker 52
3 Preparations Before Heading to Campus 57
Advice on Bills and Financial Materials 58
Health Insurance Basics 59
Safety and Your New Room or Apartment 62
Housing How-Tos 63
Students with Disabilities 66
Orientation 67
4 The Big Move 73
Packing for a College Room 74
Bathroom Essentials and Medications 78
What to Wear 81
Making It Feel Like Home 84
Moving Out and Summer Storage 89
5 Roommates and Dorms 91
Roommate Selection 92
Meet Your Roommate 93
Moving In 99
Roommate Agreements 101
Managing Conflicts 104
6 Personal Finance at College 109
Cash, School Charge Card, Check, Debit, or Credit 110
Should You Get a Credit Card? 112
Finding a Local Bank 115
Balancing Your Checkbook 118
Living on a Budget 120
7 Keeping Clean 125
Keeping a Clean Room 126
Laundry Lessons 101 128
Campus Laundry Services 133
Final Laundry Thoughts 133
8 Choosing Classes and a Major 135
Advisement 136
Balance Your Schedule 138
Core Requirements 141
Declaring a Major 144
Minors and Double Majors 147
Studying Abroad 148
9 Time Management 157
Create a Master Calendar 158
Trading Time Blocks 161
Combining Tasks 162
Planners and Calendars 164
Cramming Warning 166
Time Management Checklist 167
10 Effective Study Skills 169
Taking Notes in Class 170
Organization Tips 172
Study Groups 174
Flash Cards 176
Effective Reading 177
Study Skills Summary 179
11 Researching Papers 181
Conducting Research 182
Research Is a Process 184
Where to Find Possible Sources 185
Keeping Track of Sources 190
Taking Notes 191
Using Note Cards 193
Plagiarism 101 195
12 Writing a Paper 197
Plan Your Attack 198
Write the First Draft 201
The Structure of Your Paper 202
Polishing a Rough Draft 209
Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! 212
13 Internships and Summer Jobs 215
Meaningful Work 216
Internship Basics 217
Finding Internships 219
Reflections on Your Experience 226
Appendix A Internet Resources for College Students 229
Appendix B Strategic Timelines for Choosing a Major 239
Appendix C Internet Resources for Finding a Major 245
Index 249