More Tips and Truths for College Freshmen and their Parents

3 Common Misconceptions About College

 1.  Everyone can get a degree in four years without taking summer classes or going an extra semester.      It is rare for a student to be able to fit everything just right into eight semesters (4 years) and that is without switching majors.

2.  Everyone must have a major to start.  With or without a major, it is best to take basics at the very start.  If students jump into classes for a major in the beginning, and they change later, then that delays graduation even more.  Those basics have to be taken some time and it is best to take them at the start when college adjustment is going on.  Sometimes, jumping into a major at the start forces students into harder classes and can make for a tougher adjustment period.  Plus, those basics still have to be taken, even if it is senior year.

3.  If you don't pledge a Greek organization your first semester, you cannot later.  A student can go through the Greek process at any point in their college career.  

3 Common Mistakes

1.  Making class or schedule changes without the advice of an Advisor.  While the student is ultimately responsible for all class decisions, it is the job of an Advisor to make them aware of school policies, class rotations, graduation requirements, etc.  Not taking classes in the proper rotation can cause a student to have to wait a whole year for a certain class to be offered again. 

2.  Dropping one or more classes that puts them below what is classified a fulltime students (Usually 12 hours).  Not being classified a fulltime student can make insurance invalid, scholarships null and void and even possibly not be allowed to live in school housing.  I know of a situation where a student dropped a class putting her below 12 hours.  Heading home that weekend, she had a fender bender and the insurance company said her insurance was not in force due to her no longer being a full time student.

3.  Failing to drop a class properly and then receiving an F on your transcript at the end of the semester..  Students decide to drop a class and  sometimes just stop going and forget that they have not officially gotten out of the class.  It is a hard reminder when that F pops up on the grades at the end of the semester.

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