Tips For Surviving College

Get A Good Start

Most people who are entering the college environment will need to take an assessment called the Compass. Brush up on the basics in English and Math beforehand. That information does not always stay with you, unless you use it on a regular basis, and going over it beforehand can save you months of ‘remedial’ classes.

Math help: www.khanacademy.org/

Don’t let the thought of school intimidate you, I worked for 30 years before re-entering the school environment and did not have a good grasp on algebra in high school. I had been convinced for most of my life that math simply wasn’t my subject. Fortunately, math teachers have learned a lot of useful tools for teaching and for recognizing the different ways people think. You can do this!

Once You’ve Enrolled

Financial aid is not all it’s cracked up to be. The interest rate is high, both on the federal loans and the private loans you will need simply to pay for tuition and supplies. If you do not have parents or a significant other to support you, you will need to keep your class hours low enough to afford also working a job. There are some scholarships you can apply for, not as many as most people think though.

Be prepared for bureaucratic red tape and understand that you will be dealing with people who seemingly know nothing about their jobs. Most of the people who work in administration have their hands tied with too much of a work load to really learn all the information necessary to deal with the problems that crop up, plus there doesn’t seem to be a manual for them to refer to when a question crops up. Seek advice from teachers who have been at the college for a while and from more experienced students. No matter what problem you encounter, someone else has been there and has found some form of a solution. Talk with others, post of the school bulletin board (in blackboard). Even if you are a private person, it is through talking with complete strangers that you will solve most of the problems you encounter.

Do not purchase your books from the book store unless you have lots of disposable income. Bless their hearts, these stores are private organizations who are out to make a profit and they do. It is perfectly alright to go to class on the first day without a text book. Some of the instructors will supply a syllabus before class starts on the blackboard site, if they use a blackboard companion site, and if so; they have the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) of the text book on the syllabus. Put that number into a Google search and buy the book at its lowest price possible. If not; you will receive a syllabus on the first day of class. Also, some classes may not require a book; some of them use computer programs. Make it a point to ask the instructor! If you do purchase from the bookstore, check your receipt against the shelf price; I’ve found a few times when they have mistakenly over charged me.

College is a bit different from University. In the University atmosphere, most often one encounters large numbers of people in each class and instructors who may not have time to deal with students on a personal level. In the College environment the classes may start out with 20 people and within a week usually weed down to a number between 10 and 15. The instructors try to help you out as much as they can. They may have a tough attendance policy and might seem to be intimidating, but in reality every one of them wants each student enrolled in their class on the first day to stay enrolled and to succeed in their class. Talk with them; most of them will go out of their way to help you out.

Match The Instructor To Your Learning Style

Ask your advisor or the department chair(s) about the teaching styles/ personalities of the different instructors. If there is still a conflict, ask if the course is offered on-line. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that an on-line course will be easier; they require more self-discipline and usually are double the work of a classroom course.

Basic Stuff

Give yourself a little extra time to check out the locations. Locate bathrooms and vending machines near your classrooms. Check the charts for fire routine paths. Locate the various offices on campus including the lunch room. Talk to the welcome desk and find out where the student labs are, where the bad weather shelter is located and how to get a campus parking pass and student ID.

Relationships are work, they live, transform, grow, flourish, and falter. Relationships need to be nourished. Spend time with the people who are important in your life or they will feel neglected and you might find them wandering away from you. If you are lucky and have picked the right people, the relationship will continue to grow. Don’t become so overwhelmed with school that you neglect family and friends.

Cincinnati State Specific

If you’re a coffee drinker I personally recommend the bakery on the second floor of the ATLC building. They have quality baked goods and excellent coffee, including espresso. The surge card office location is a must know.

I know nothing about the men’s bathrooms, but will say that there are a number of women’s bathrooms with automatic features. The automatic flushers in the main building are awful. Not only do they flush with little or no provocation, and then refuse to flush when you’re finished, but they spray your butt while you are seated. This is offensive and a waste of water. The second floor bathroom furthest away from the ATLC building is the worst of these offenders. The non-automatic flushers are located on the second floor nearest the ATLC building. The best bathrooms are located in the ATLC building between the bakery and the gourmet restaurant. They seem to have the automatic functions tooled in correctly and are the cleanest with the best lighting. The support staff does a great job of keeping the bathrooms supplied and cleaned; most of the staff I’ve seen are students.

We have a weight room/exercise room and a swimming pool. Use them!