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Tips for first-time college students

First-time college students can save time and stress if they plan ahead for college this summer.

It may be tempting to put off the gritty details. After all, you are probably relieved to have decided where you are going to school. You want to relax and enjoy the summer. But waiting until August could mean a scramble.

“Starting school is stressful enough, and if you can relieve stress on the front end, you should,” says Steve Helfgot, vice chancellor for student and community affairs for Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona.

Here are simple things to do through August:

Now

• Orientation: Many colleges and universities have orientations where you meet with an academic adviser and then prepare to register for classes. While orientations aren’t mandatory at every college, they are highly recommended so you get a good start to the school year. After orientation, you can take care of a bunch of housekeeping details: buy parking decals, pay tuition and send your official transcript.

• Register: While universities and colleges often advertise class registration as “ongoing” over the summer, you have the best chance of getting good class times by registering as soon as possible. Scheduling can be especially important for students who have work or family commitments, Helfgot said. “If you wind up with a schedule that doesn’t work for you, that’s going to be disruptive.”

Seats in first-year courses often fill up quickly, and courses that require lab work also fill up fast because of limited lab space.

• Housing: Make arrangements for on-campus housing. Some schools don’t have enough dorms to house all freshmen, so it’s crucial to sign up as soon as possible. If you aren’t 100 percent certain you will attend a school, sign up for housing anyway. You may lose your deposit if you go elsewhere, but you at least will have a spot if you attend that school.

• Tour: Take a guided tour of the university or college if you have not. College and university officials say students who live in the school’s area sometimes don’t bother with a tour because they have already been to the campus. But a tour will give you more insight into the campus as well as give you information on special services the college may offer such as tutoring.

• Contact roommate: In late June or early July, students who live on campus likely will get their room and roommate assignments.

“I always encourage students to get in contact with that person beforehand to figure out who has the better TV, better stereo and if they are going to color-coordinate,” says Michael Coakley, Arizona State University’s associate dean of student affairs and executive director of university housing.

• Budget: Now is the time to start saving for college expenses, especially textbooks. Books can run almost $1,000 a year at some schools, so thinking ahead will help ease the pain when it comes to book-buying time. If you work part time, you may want to ask your boss for extra hours.

July

• Banking: If you are living on campus or moving to another state, you will need a bank account nearby. If you are a young student and will rely on money from Mom and Dad, consider a branch that will allow them to easily make deposits into your account, Coakley says.

• Car or no car? Students who live on campus should decide if they are bringing a car with them. Unless you have an off-campus job or family responsibilities, you may want to leave it at home and save on the parking money. ASU officials say that 72 percent of students who lived on campus last year reported using their car once a week or less.

• Clarify goals: Write out what your college goals are. For instance, if your goal is to get a bachelor’s degree in four years, what do you need to do each year? Will you have to attend summer school, or can you finish the requirements during the regular year? Talk to your college adviser. College officials say students with good, solid goals are more likely to succeed.

“That’s true for anything in life,” Helfgot said.

August

• Pack: Closet space in dorms is limited, so think twice about what clothes to bring, said ASU’s Coakley. You don’t need as many warm clothes in milder climates. Most dorms are equipped with a bed, desk, desk chair and some sort of chest of drawers. Many dorms have their room layout available online.

• Prepare to move in: Arrive on the day or days the university sets aside for move-in. Residence halls offer special orientations and activities that week that are designed to help you meet people and get acquainted with the university. You need time to adjust, meet people and explore campus. “Arriving the night before classes begin is way too stressful,” ASU’s Coakley said.

• Walk the campus: One of the biggest stresses the first week of school is finding your classes on campus. Take your class schedule and walk the campus the week before school starts. Find out where your classes will be, and how much time it takes to get between buildings. If you drive to school, scope out the parking lots ahead of time. Look for “backup” parking lots as well in case your first choice is full the first day of class.