Preparing for College

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Student in background

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW

You are about to make that all-important leap into adulthood, via college.  It can be overwhelming so it is important to prepare yourself. It’s important for you to build a good relationship with your academic advisor and other representatives that you interact with along the way. Making those contacts early can lead to wonderful networking opportunities in the future.

Additional things that can be done to prepare for college:

  • Explore a variety of career choices.
  • Explore major choices at SIU.
  • Visit SIU.
  • Learn more about Carbondale.
  • Learn more about the Exploratory program.

Valuable skills to practice for college:

  • Time management
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Critical Thinking
  • Researching
  • Networking
  • Financial Literacy
  • Communication
  • Adaptability

Advice from former Exploratory Students

"Wake up every day and go to class! When you start to miss class, you fall behind quickly. Also, after each class spend at least 5 minutes reviewing your notes so they can get stuck in your head."

 

 "The advice I would give the freshmen, is to manage your time effectively. Everything is time consuming, so make sure you prioritize. Time is important, so manage it wisely."

 

"Get involved! But make sure you can manage what ‘you want to do’ with what ‘you have to do’. If you can successfully do that, your time in college will be less stressful."

 

"Try to do all your homework the day you get it because no one likes to be stuck inside on the weekends."

 

"Get ready because college is no joke."

 

"Don’t skip any classes and go to all your required academic coaching and/or mentoring sessions."

 

"Attend all your classes. Don’t let the partying get the best of you, you are paying thousands of dollars for education; why waste that kind of money."

 

"If you are unsure about your assignments, make sure you talk to your instructors."

 

"Being away from home can be lonely and overwhelming; so, don’t forget to talk to someone either here at school or at home. You don’t have to feel alone."