Beginning College 101: How to Achieve Real Success in College

Beginning College 101: How to Achieve Real Success in College, J.B. Robson, The College and Future Company, 2001

Going away to college is one of the biggest, and sometimes the most traumatic, moments of any person's life. This book attempts to answer some of the questions on the mind of every incoming freshman.

If the school is close enough, one of the first questions to be answered is: To live on campus or to commute? Living on campus presents much greater opportunities for meeting people and getting involved in school activities, but finances may dictate otherwise. Then comes dealing with your roommate(s), who may be a different religion or skin color, or even from another country. If you and your best friend go to the same college, just because you get along as friends doesn't mean you'll get along as roommates.

Once you're settled, you will find out very quickly just how independent a person you really are. Can you really take care of yourself, or do you still depend on your parents for cooking, laundry and to wake you up in the morning? If the latter, be ready for a sharp learning curve. The author also looks at alcohol (occasional partying is alright, constant partying is not) and sex (practice safe sex and take control of your own body) on campus.

If possible, declare your major early; if not possible, don't worry, you have plenty of time. You are not limited in your course selection because of your major. For instance, an undergraduate degree in business is not required, or even preferred, in order to get an MBA. A skill that all successful college students learn very quickly is time management, when to study and when to relax. In college, much more of the work is done outside the classroom than in high school, so the worst thing a person can do is to put things off until the last minute. The author also looks at ways to get a head start on your career. Try an internship or study abroad for a year. Many colleges have a Career Services office; use it. Money is a subject near and dear to the heart of every college student, both qualifying for financial aid and managing finances while at school. Also covered here are personal safety, ways to reduce stress and how not to be a victim of the freshman fifteen (pounds, that is).

Any college looking for a book to give their incoming freshmen on what to expect in college would do very well to start right here. The sections are short and full of information and the author knows what he's talking about. It's well worth reading.