Advice to newcomers
By Mary Prickett
[email protected]
Staff Writer
Starting college is a very big deal. For some of you new students, it’s the chance to improve yourself and get a better career after you graduate. Higher education for others is something that has been planned for many years. Still, no matter who you are or where you come from, cutting through the red tape that first semester can seem like more trouble than it’s worth.
Financial aid in itself can seem like more a problem than a blessing at times. The best thing to do with financial aid is to be informed. Make sure that you know how to access the resources given to you.
The FAFSA application has a website (www.fafsa.ed.gov) and a toll free number (1-800-433-3243) to assist students who have questions about the status of their application and other questions that may be more general. The Financial Aid Office can also give you other types of information, for example if you don’t have everything you need to complete your application.
Loans can also be very confusing. The best thing to do about loans is call the company that you chose to get a loan from, especially if you applied online for a loan through the college’s website. Make sure to write down the lender code and the phone number. That way you can call the company directly.
When it comes to classes, talk to your adviser. If you don’t know who your adviser is, then you can contact Eileen Walker in the Advising Office in the Walraven Building on the Floyd campus. Walker can help point you in the right direction or you can attend the Advising Daze, when advisers from each field of study will be able to assist you.
This is the best time to get more information on your field of study and it is available on all the campuses.
Registering for classes can seem very hard, but once you have talked to your adviser, it will get much simpler. You can register online for your classes through SCORE, as long as you don’t have any holds on your record.
Holds can range from academic to financial reasons. Your SCORE will tell you what the holds are as well.
When it comes time for early registration, you can register online as well. There will be signs telling when you can register for spring, and printed schedules of available classes will be in the Advising Office and the Admissions Office. You can also look up courses online through SCORE.
No matter how stressed you may feel, there are people in the Counseling and Career Office in the Administration Building on the Floyd campus that you can talk to.
Enjoy your first semester in college. Like most experiences you only get to do it one time. Make the most of it, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
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