College freshman Krysty Rego received academic credit for learning her way around Florida International University’s campus. She was also graded for her note-taking abilities and for how well she managed her time. The class wasn’t exactly advanced physics, but Rego says the structured class did help her adjust to life on a campus that has 32,000 students and more than 180 academic majors.
Understanding campus resources, developing academic skills and appreciating differences are some of the topics covered in the Freshman Exper-ience Seminar Rego and 8,000 other FIU freshmen were required to take. This type of seminar, designed to help new students acclimate themselves to college and succeed academically, is now offered on approximately 70 percent of the nation’s college campuses. The seminar and classes like it is one way the higher-education community is battling the increasing numbers of college students who drop out.
Approximately one-third of all students do not make it to their sophomore years, according to the National Resource Center for the Freshman Year Experience at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Colleges and universities are creating more supports for freshmen, from freshman-year seminars, campus counseling and tutoring centers to offices devoted to the needs of new students. This is good news for you, who faces more challenges and choices than students of the past.
Start your orientation this summer “Students now have so many responsibilities—it’s not like it was 20 or 30 years ago,” says Linda Raheem, assistant dean of the College of Business at FIU. “They work to pay for school and sometimes to support their families. Or they may even be the first in their family to attend college, and they don’t have role models and don’t know what to expect.” One way to learn what to expect is to attend your school’s summer orientation.
At the University of Texas at Austin’s three-day orientation program, freshmen receive a copy of the New Student Guide, which details the course registration processes, placement-testing information and campus resources. Throughout the three days, students meet with academic advisors, take placement exams and attend workshops about majors and careers. Both the guide and the orientation program are produced by the New Student Services office, which also maintains a Web site of information targeted to new students and their parents. “It’s a dramatic transition from high school to college, particularly to one of our size,” says John Ruszkiewicz, chairman of the department of rhetoric and composition at the University of Texas at Austin, a school with 50,000 students. “Orientation certainly helps, and we hope students continue to take advantage of advising services once they arrive on campus.”
Get familiar with your professors and advisors Ruszkiewicz says that freshmen are surprised when he welcomes them to his office for help with their papers. “After performing the administrative functions of the job, seeing students is a welcome part of the day—they are the reason why we’re here,” he says. The number-one piece of advice Ruszkiewicz has for freshmen is to understand that college really does differ from high school. But even though you’ll be responsible for your own learning, there are plenty of resources on campus to help: faculty and teaching assistants, advising and tutoring centers and specialized workshops about academic issues.
“Students need to pay attention to course syllabi, attend classes faithfully, keep up with readings and assignments and get to know their instructors or teaching assistants,” he says. “It becomes particularly important to be more than just a face in the crowd in a large lecture of 200 students.” Lukeman Ogunyinka, a senior at Baruch College in New York City, remembers being apprehensive about those very responsibilities. But getting to know his advisors and professors proved to be a huge motivation to succeed. “I worried about the freedoms I would have in college—no one to make me go to class, study, pass exams. But when you have someone else invested in your schoolwork, it’s almost like you’d be letting them down, too, if you fail.”
Learn about special resources College can be overwhelming for even the most prepared student. On many campuses, an introduction to campus resources is delivered to students through an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). EOP offices provide academic supports to low-income or first-generation college students. Program components, such as freshman orientation, counseling, tutoring, supplemental instruction and financial aid has helped Ogunyinka succeed in his college career, he says. “I was assigned to a counselor who was always up-to-date on college events and resources—there was no way I couldn’t know what was going on,” he says. “My counselor stressed the importance of career-related activities, so I joined the National Association of Black Accountants. Through the organization, I made contacts that led to an internship with Phillip Morris and a full-time job at PricewaterhouseCoopers. I’m ahead of the curve.”
California State University at Chico senior Helen Turner was also accepted through the EOP program. Initially, the financial help was most attractive. But what became really important was the tutoring and study skills development. “Without EOP, I might have learned about the campus tutoring services when it was too late,” she says. “We were required to attend university wellness workshops where we learned about time management and test-taking, and I made fewer mistakes because of them. That led to me being less apprehensive about being away from home. After my first school break, I couldn’t wait to get back to Chico.”
Become part of the community Raheem notes that freshmen seminars aren’t required courses at every school. But her advice? Don’t skip the chance. Such seminars introduce you to the opportunities through which they can get involved in campus life. “Without the freshman seminar, I wouldn’t be as involved in school as I am now—and that has definitely contributed to my academic success,” Rego says. “Because I feel a part of the community, I feel more committed to doing well.” Guest speakers in her seminar provided the class with an overview of activities and organizations on campus, which opened doors for her. “I’ve improved my social skills and learned how to deal with a range of personalities,” she says.
Ruszkiewicz agrees about the extended benefits of campus involvement. “Four years of college offers endless opportunities for learning and growing,” he says. “Students should seek out and welcome those opportunities, take challenging courses, attend lectures and presentations and arts performances and join clubs and organizations that will stretch their talents. If they treat college as an active experience, they will succeed.
