There seems to be a growing trend of students self-studying for AP exams in order to rack up as many as possible — and I assume that the rationale is that these students think that they are positioning themselves better for highly selective admission. The truth is, it can have just the opposite effect.
10 Tips to Manage a Packed College Schedule
Waking up at 7 am to shower, get dressed, grab coffee (or for those more put-together than me, breakfast), and get to your 8 am class is hell on earth, there’s no good way to spin it. Sure, getting out of bed early and getting going does make you feel good and productive once you’ve done it, but the Pavlovian response to that alarm clock in the morning is just not worth it. How did I used to get up at 6 am every day for school at 6:40 am in high school and stay there until 7 pm? I have no idea. But busy days in college are very different from busy days in high school, and they require a different approach in order to maintain your sanity.
Here are a few tips and tricks from yours truly (a super-organized-not-messy-at-all person):
Eat breakfast. My roommate will say I’m a hypocrite for this one, but it’s a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of tip here. Most days I skip breakfast and feel extra anxious all day from it. Eating breakfast (or even just a quick banana) is guaranteed to make you feel awake and ready for classes, organization meetings, and homework - science says so. So get the coffee but grab something to eat with it.
Do your homework beforehand. And by beforehand, I do not mean the morning-of. Even the night before is fine, but the second you decide you’ll “get up early and do it” you’re screwing yourself over. I promise it’s more work than you think and that 30 minutes in the morning isn’t gonna cut it. Ideally, you’d (I’d) have it done a day or so in advance, but from personal experience, I know that is often unrealistic. But cut yourself off at 3 am.
Check your email and delete emails that are not relevant. Waiting until you have 200 unread emails that clog up your inbox and hide emails from professors is a mistake I have made many a time and it always ends poorly or in me taking forty-five minutes to sift through my inbox to find anything I actually need. Keep the inbox clean - professors email as often as your friends’ text.
Speaking of emails, respond to them as soon as you can. Don’t worry about responding too quickly, if you have time to bang out a response right when you read it, do that. It saves you tons of stress in the long run because nothing will be weighing on you and you won’t worry about forgetting to respond.
This one should be obvious but make a checklist every day. Buying a planner can help, but often you’re going to forget about it or not feel like pulling it out. So make a to-do list on your notes app or on a sticky note or a scrap of paper. Crossing out tasks will make you feel awesome.
If you have extra work to accomplish, don’t save it until the end of the day when you get back to your dorm — do it in between classes. Not only does being in study spaces help you stay focused, but when you get home at night, you’ll have so much less to worry about and you’ll thank yourself (you can go watch Outer Banks or something).
Use meal times as your breaks to see your friends. You really don’t want to be doing your lab science homework while you’re shoveling down the dining hall’s build-your-own-tacos between classes. Save that time to socialize and recharge before going back to your day.
If you have to write a paper, PLAN IT. College papers are going to be different from high school papers, and if you have a ten-page paper due, waiting until the day before it’s due to even think about it is a suicide mission. Make an outline, start your paper at least a few days in advance, even if it’s just the introduction paragraph. You’ll do better.
Ask for extensions if you need them. Obviously don’t do this TOO often, but most professors are pretty reasonable people and will give you an extension if you don’t ask the night before it’s due (sometimes even then if it’s urgent). There’s no shame in asking, and the worst they can say is no.
If you’re having trouble balancing your social life with school, do homework with friends (but don’t let it be too chatty). Doing homework with friends is simultaneously very helpful yet occasionally detrimental. It’s very easy to get distracted with your friends around, but if you and your friends can focus well enough, it can become more fun to accomplish your work.
Reflecting on these tips, I have been trying to incorporate these into my own life, especially in this upcoming junior year, and I wish I had done more of this freshman and sophomore year. Developing good organizational skills is key to succeeding in college, and even if these tips don’t work for you, you will eventually find your groove and ultimately balance your school and social life.
Having busy days (pretty much every day for some people) is just a part of being at school and it doesn’t have to be intimidating. My friends will sometimes take naps in academic buildings. No one is doing everything perfectly, and taking breaks is vital — even if that means sleeping in a study lounge for a quick minute. Eat, sleep, and complain about how busy you are to your friends. And do your homework probably.
All love,
Megan Adams, Syracuse ‘23
P.S. The syllabus is your friend. Your professors will usually remind you when deadlines are approaching but do NOT rely on them doing so. They expect you to follow the syllabus and be prepared every day. Printing out all your classes’ syllabi is extremely helpful.
The Dreaded First Week of College
Hi,
My name is Megan, and I am entering my junior year at Syracuse University as an Advertising major with a creative emphasis and a psychology minor in the Newhouse School of Public Communications. Anyways, now that you know me by the way I introduce myself in any classroom on the first day, I’ll tell you a little bit about my first week of college at Syracuse University.
First thing’s first - when your parents drop you off, it is fully acceptable to sob violently and be inconsolably upset. Most people are in a horrible mood their first day anyway, you’ll be in the majority. There’s a moment after your parents leave for the first time that it really hits you that you’re legitimately on your own. No friends, no family, just you and your comfort water bottle. (Sidebar: I got a free water bottle from ‘Cuse my first week from some orientation event and I have had it for two years now and it is still my favorite water bottle. It has housed every single beverage you can possibly think of and has given me an excuse to get up and leave class to fill it up if I got bored. Very useful.) Once you’re left to your own devices, parents gone, what next?
My next move, being strategic and courageous and independent of course, was to call my mom. On her drive home. After twenty minutes. I’m honestly impressed I lasted even that twenty minutes, but there was a lot of crying. I would like to state for the record there is no shame in calling your mom after 20 minutes or even 5 minutes. Do what you gotta do. But I can promise eventually you will not want to call your mom because you’ll actually be having fun.
Fun seems very impossible the first week and even the first whole semester of college, but I swear it’s possible. For context, I am an insanely introverted person and Syracuse is an insanely extroverted school. If you’ve visited Syracuse or even heard of Cuse Basketball, you know what I mean. School spirit out the you-know-where. Me? Not so much. At least I wasn’t like that my freshman year. But your first week is prime time to make friends — EVERYONE is desperate to make friends, so if you talk to even one stranger on your floor or at an orientation event, chances are you’ll end up getting dinner together because neither of you have any other friends. And as pathetic as that sounds, it WILL turn out to be a good time.
Another sidebar because I won’t shut up about myself: my dorm building freshman year (Sadler floor 6, shoutout) had a GroupMe. If yours doesn’t have one, I would highly recommend putting a link to make one in your Facebook group for your class. Very helpful. But I digress; I woke up the morning after my first night alone and I texted in the group asking if anyone wanted to get breakfast with me. Three girls answered and went with me to breakfast. This was hands-down the worst, most awkward breakfast of my entire life. Not only was I so socially insecure, but I also felt like I was the ugliest one there (this obviously was not true and I know that now, but all the other girls with me were skinny and blonde, so you can see where I would be a little insecure). I barely ate, and I did not make any friends at this gathering I had instigated. Good job, Megan. I left very defeated, but I can tell you a full two years after this happened, I am now coincidentally friends with one of the girls from that breakfast. She also remembers it as the breakfast from hell, which is a comfort to me.
Back to my main point. You will make friends, but it might not be right away and that’s ok. My two best friends were friends I made my sophomore year. Another reason your first week SUCKS. As an introvert I was physically FORCING myself to do stuff like invite people to breakfast (never again), go to little orientation events, and talk to people in my classes. This was so GD painful for me but somehow I muscled through and made a few friends on my floor and two of my best friends in an intro class where we bonded over reading Harry Potter (yes, I am embarrassed) instead of anything remotely intellectual like the rest of the class.
Despite finally being able to make friends on campus, I wanted to share the MOST pathetic part of my first week at college, who knows, maybe this will make other people feel better! Or worse, who can tell. Anyways, it was my very first night alone and after a full day of moving in and then sobbing on my bed having a pity party, I was wiped out and I just wanted to sleep. I got my pajamas on and got in bed, my roommate hadn’t moved in yet, so I was alone alone. My brain decided sleeping was actually very dangerous and not ok for me to do in any circumstance. Locked door? Doesn’t matter. We’re on the sixth floor? Irrelevant. I will be murdered tonight. I decided since I had been trying to fall asleep for three hours, it was time to just pull an all-nighter because clearly I wasn’t sleeping. I watched YouTube videos for a long time, debated calling my mom but didn’t want to wake her up, and none of my home friends would be awake, so there I was. Suddenly, an idea struck me. An idea that I am proud of but was probably very weird of me to do. At 4 am, I decided, let me hop in the shower. Why you ask? I raise you, why NOT? I cried a lot during this entire experience, just for context, and the shower was not an exception. But when I got out, I felt so much better, though I’m not sure the science behind that. I’m in communications so if anyone would explain it to me, I’d happily accept. So I guess what I’m saying is, crying in the shower at 4 am is acceptable and even encouraged behavior. It does help if you’re truly out of options on what to do with yourself.
I guess I should wrap this up because if there’s a word count, I have definitely exceeded it. I’ll leave you with a few first-week tips:
Go to every orientation event you can — you will make friends there. Drag your roommate with you!
Find out about club/organization applications ASAP. I found out about a specific club application 30 minutes before it was due and the org now consists of all my best friends.
No one is judging you like you’re judging yourself. Everyone is a self-involved narcissist, so don’t even worry about “saying the wrong thing.” Chances are, they’re trying to figure what to say back to YOU.
If you’re introverted or just a nervous person (both me), drag your roommate with you to things first week. You’ll both benefit, it’s easier meeting new people with someone else, and you and your roommate will get to get to know each other.
Not liking your roommate is not the end of the world AS LONG AS you can cohabit the same space and be polite to each other. You absolutely don’t have to be besties with your freshman year roommate.
Congrats to you on getting into college, and I wish you the very best of luck. And if you’re going to Syracuse specifically, I’m psyched for you. Have blast wherever you end up, I promise it gets better than that first week.
All love,
Megan Adams, Syracuse ‘23
Do These Things to Get Along with Your College Roommate
The college dorm experience is an exciting one. Finally, you have some newfound independence and a number of like-minded peers living close to you. Of course, no one will be living closer to you in distance than your roommate. We’ve put together some simple, but very important strategies to help you with the transition of having a roommate.
Be Transparent with Your Roommate—Starting from Day One
Set some expectations or a few key rules that you and your roommate both follow. Like to keep your room clean? Maybe the two of you can agree that Wednesdays and Sundays are your cleaning days. Assign roles so that you’re both contributing. Is Friday your night in and Saturday your night out? Then designate Saturday nights for when you two can have guests over. These are important conversations to have from the very beginning. As new situations arise, continue to be transparent so issues don’t bubble up. This is a skill you’ll need not only for dorm living, but for life. You’ll never know unless you ask, and your roommate will never know unless you speak up. If you need an outside opinion, contact your RA for guidance.
Be Considerate of Each Other’s Circumstances
Whether you and your roommate are best friends or not, it would be nice to regularly ask them about their day and how they’re doing. This could help build a stronger connection and make you both more empathetic in your room. For example, if your roommate’s responsibility on Sunday is to vacuum and you know he has two big tests that Monday, you could step up and take on vacuuming duties that day. If he’s been frustrated at how difficult it’s been to make friends, ask him to come to the dining hall with you and your friends. Having some basic understanding of each other’s lives can lead to small and meaningful actions.
Roommates Versus Best Friends
In an ideal world, you have a great roommate who is also your best friend. However, this isn’t always the case. Understand that you can have a great roommate who isn’t your best friend or a best friend who isn’t a great roommate. There will be plenty of chances to live with other people in the future if this isn’t the perfect living match. No matter what, be respectful and responsible during the year you’re living together. It will be nice for each of you to have a friendly face around campus when you inevitably see each other again.
Tips for the College-Bound Homeschooler
Thinking about homeschooling your high school student? We’ve been working with homeschooled students for over a decade. Here are some thoughts to get you started.
Most colleges welcome homeschoolers. Their academic records are often strong, they are frequently more mature, and they are distinctive and therefore add to the diversity of the institution.
Colleges will require letters of recommendation from a home-schooled student. Generally, the parent (or primary instructor) will write the principal/guidance counselor letter for the student. Most colleges also recommend that the student submit two outside letters of reference. If a student has taken college courses, asking those professors would be appropriate. Additionally, a letter of recommendation from a community organization, or a private instructor for music, language, or science could also be an appropriate choice.
College reps are sometimes hazy about admission requirements for homeschoolers; it pays to double-check with the homeschool expert in the admissions office. Many colleges offer a separate section with homeschool guidelines on their website.
Colleges expect homeschoolers to have studied the same subjects with the same rigor expected of other students. There are canned homeschool curricula, but students don't necessarily have to follow them. AP courses are offered online as are other college-level courses.
Many colleges expect a portfolio from a homeschooled student. While there's no standard, common expectations include a transcript (issued by the school district or some other authority), course syllabi (descriptions, texts read, scientific experiments conducted), sample academic papers, outside reading list. Colleges are asking homeschooled students to provide concrete evidence of what they’ve done academically, and to include information that will help colleges know the student in other ways.
Colleges want outside confirmation of students' abilities. Hence standardized tests may carry more weight. They may require tests (e.g. SAT II) or an interview, requirements that would be optional for other applicants.
States vary in regulations for homeschooled students. It's a good idea to include a copy of your state's regulations with the application.
Some homeschooled students choose to take the GED since many colleges already accept it and are familiar with how to evaluate it. Other families reject taking a GED on principle: their student is not a high school dropout after all! Many home-school organizations grant diplomas, so that can be a route to explore as well. That being said, we have worked with many successful college applicants that do not have a high school diploma.
Enrolling in courses at a community college or in a college summer program can demonstrate how well a homeschooled student can perform in college-level coursework. They can also introduce students to learning environments they'll encounter in college.
While we have found quite the opposite, the bias seems to still exist that homeschooled students must lack social skills. Therefore, colleges may look for good socializing experiences on the student’s resume. They want students who can interact well with peers and non-family adults, who know about and can respond to competition (often absent from a home-school setting) and who can adjust to being one of many (compared to the 1:1 of most homeschool instruction.)
Because there's no school guidance office with established procedures, homeschool families have to be vigilant and thorough in pursuing the process and checking that applications are complete.
Extracurricular Planning in the Time of COVID-19
You’ll still be juggling your extracurriculars… but maybe in a new way.
In a recent discussion, when asked about the role of extracurriculars in evaluating pandemic applicants, a college admission dean quipped, “Doing nothing isn’t an option.”
We couldn’t agree more!
For some students, doing something means helping keep their household running: watching younger siblings or aging grandparents while their parents are at work, making meals, or working to help supplement family income. But many students are fortunate to have had minimal disruptions to their way of life. Now, I’m not minimizing the loss of time with friends, cancellations of athletics and clubs, and increased anxiety about the future. Those are certainly real!
But we’ve found that the students that are thriving in this time have adopted the outlook that in loss there is opportunity. They are taking control of an uncontrollable situation through action. Doing what, you ask? Here are a few ideas:
Adopt a grandparent. Our seniors are suffering from the same isolation that you are!
Volunteer at your local food pantry. The pandemic has only exacerbated food insecurity for many.
Get out the vote. Or make phone calls for your favorite politician.
Help out at a local community garden or adopt a nature trail for upkeep.
Get involved in crowdsourcing. Lots of researchers rely on community volunteers.
Tutor a neighborhood kid who is struggling.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Still stumped as to what to do, give us a call! We’re here to help!
"I Never Check My Email": A Cautionary Tale
“I never check my email!” is a refrain we hear all too often from students. They generally use social media and texting to communicate with family and friends. However, it’s essential to know that colleges will use email to communicate with prospective applicants and accepted students! They will use email to track and gauge a prospective student’s interest in their institution. Has the student opened the emails sent by the college? When and how often? They will use email to communicate if anything is missing to complete a student’s application. They will notify students of valuable information about events, registration, housing, financial aid, and a multitude of other things via email. They may even inform their applicants of acceptance, deferral, or denial by email.
So, here’s some advice: high school students should set up an email by junior year to use for all college-related communication. Don’t use a school email as there are often security firewalls that may prevent messages from getting through. Additionally, students won’t have access to their school emails after they graduate. If possible, choose an email that incorporates the student’s name, and that is appropriate for the young adult world of colleges, internships, and job searches, one to use for many years to come. Ditch the one that refers to a personal trait or cute nickname.
And then start getting in the habit of checking that email often!
Students Still Want the Real College Experience
There is so much uncertainty in the time of COVID-19 and news outlets are proclaiming the end of college as we know it. But the reality is that most families are still committed to the traditional college experience for their students. They understand the benefits of on-campus learning: the connections you make, the confidence you gain, the learning that takes place outside of the classroom.
So don’t panic! Things will return to normalcy. There may very well be some corrections (less money spent on lazy rivers and climbing walls would be OK with me), but corrections can be a good thing.
Online college is OK. But real college still matters!
Colleges Still Accepting Applications
Didn’t end up with the college choices that you were aiming for? There may be good news.
Every year, after the May 1 decision date, the National Association for College Admission Counseling polls institutions to determine which still have space and would consider an application at this time.
Appearing on the list does not mean that they will take anyone. Applicants must meet the general qualifications to be considered. Take a look. You might just find the perfect school for you!
Reality Check: Prepare for a Denial Ahead of Time
You’ve worked hard, researched colleges and demonstrated interest, conscientiously prepared your applications. One more thing: keep in mind that you will most likely be denied by at least one of the schools you really want to attend.
The best responses come with preparation. Everyone – with very, very few exceptions – will be denied by at least one school to which they apply. Often the denial comes from one (or more) of the “reach” schools at the top of the list, but sometimes from one (or more) of the “target” or even “safety” schools. Often, the student is qualified to do the work there, but isn’t among the strongest applicants or doesn’t meet a specific enrollment profile that the college is targeting that year. In an increasingly competitive landscape, many selective schools are denying more students. Preparing mentally and emotionally for this reality ahead of time can help ease the pain and reframe your response so it is healing and more productive.
Being denied by a college you really want to go to hurts and it’s hard to not take it personally. When it happens, take some time to feel disappointed and process the pain. Do something that makes you feel better: punch your pillow, cry, eat chocolate or ice cream, go for a run and scream. Then remember that that “perfect” college isn’t perfect. There is no “perfect” place. Each college has strengths and weaknesses and you will find what you are looking for at another school. Most students who are devastated go on to “love” another school. Ask the tour guides when looking at colleges and older siblings and friends. Many don’t enroll at their “first choice” schools and end up sincerely saying they are happy where they are and are glad things worked out the way they did. So, mentally prepare yourself for some disappointment and be ready to pivot to another option.
Research shows that students who thrive in and after college are those that engage in their community fully. Take measure of the relationships you’ve built in high school, in your community, through your family and other activities. If you actively engage in learning and are building connections in the college community you become part of, you will find rewards, support, enrichment, and success.
Resilience and the ability to adapt are like muscles to flex and strengthen and they come into play in important ways in the college application process. Preparing now for the possibility that you may have to pivot to the next best option will set you up for an easier path emotionally as colleges release admissions decisions.
So, keep in mind this preparation for when you are denied at a favorite school:
1.) Take time to process the disappointment, it does stink
2.) Try not to take it personally – it’s a numbers game – there is no shame in it
3.) Pivot to another option remembering there’s not just one “perfect” college
4.) Embrace that new community when you get there (holding a grudge or being that person who can’t move on and complains that this wasn’t their first choice won’t serve you well)
5.) Recognize that being adaptable and resilient is a necessary lifelong skill and doing it well will help to guarantee your future success!