This month, newly graduated high school seniors from Boston and Worcester, MA, attended Training Camps at Bottom Line’s Boston office, UMass Boston, and Worcester State University. Each Training Camp featured four workshops designed to prepare these incoming freshman for college. Here’s a recap of the advice that we gave to these students:
Be engaged during class.
If you sit up front, listen, take notes, and raise your hand during class, chances are that you’ll get a much better grade than the student who comes in late, sits in back, texts, browses the internet, and falls asleep during lectures. Not only do many professors count class participation as part of your grade, but your professor is more likely to remember you if you speak up. When your professor learns about a scholarship, research opportunity, or job, he or she may think of you! And don’t forget, you’re spending time and money to be in college: you don’t want to be paying for an F.
Read and understand your class syllabi.
A class syllabus contains pertinent information about what a professor expects of you in his or her class, including the number of allowable absences; what books you need to rent or buy; what assignments you’ll be completing, when they’re due, and how much each will contribute to your final grade. A syllabus will also list your professor’s contact information and office hours, so you can reach out or meet with him or her if you need extra help!
Manage your time.
College is busy, exciting, and full of expectations. You may need to fit class, homework assignments, studying, sports practice, theater rehearsal, work, family obligations, and your social life into one week. To ensure that you meet all of your commitments and keep up on your class work, you should use a planner, whiteboard, Google calendar, or other tool of your choice to block off your time during the week. This will keep you organized, on task, and on time!
Be open to your college’s community but also prepared to encounter cultural differences. The community at your college may or may not be completely different from the place that you grew up or the high school you attended. Entering college with an open mind will help you meet new people and feel connected to life on campus. Should you encounter jarring class, race, or religious differences, just remember that you are all part of the same community and pursuing the same goal: a college degree. Should you ever feel maligned based on your background, speak up! Colleges are supposed to be learning environments where it’s safe to explore differences and learn about new cultures.
With these tips, our students will be better prepared to tackle college life and academics this fall!
Sarah Place
Program Director – MA
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