The first day of college was one of the scariest days of my life!

I showed up and I didn't know what to expect, and the first semester turned out to be killer. It was way worse than I expected and I wish I had someone who had been through it to give me a few tips ahead of time. That's why I'm writing this now. I want to give you a few tips so you don't have to go through your first semester totally unprepared. Because as it turned out, being unprepared Freshman year had a devastating effect on my 'all-important GPA' which in turn, stunted my budding social life.

The good new is your experience doesn't have to be as scary or stressful as it was for me.

Success At College!

The sad thing is, for many students entering college, these will not be the 'best years' of their life... in fact many leave school right after Freshman year. They just don't get very far with their grades or their social life because they just don't get 'college'.

They leave a fantastic opportunity to get good grades and an opportunity to have a terrific social life on the table for whatever reason - probably because no one has ever explained to them how to succeed. The truth is they end up getting caught wasting their time and becoming unproductive.

By following some basic guidelines, all that could be turned around. I want to show you how you can have it all!

You CAN be successful in college - I believe anyone can!

Success At College!

You are a senior in high school and you will be starting college soon. There will be some concerns you and your parents will need to look at before starting your first semester?

For parents, you can begin working on helping your student as early as August through December, before your child even graduates from high school. The first thing you want to begin focusing on is pulling together as much information for FASFA or the United States Department of Education Free Application for Federal Aid, as possible. You can begin by collecting documentation you will need to complete the FASFA application and you can even attend a financial aid presentation. Be sure to save your last pay stub for the year in December as well so that completing the FASFA paperwork will be easier. By January you will want to have the application completed and filed, the sooner the better as financial aid can run out.

As parents you also may want to prepare and file your federal income taxes as early as possible so that you can verify income for financial aid.

For seniors in high school, your responsibility starts with signing up for your SAT and ACT tests as early as August. Between August and December you will want to visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements. Start collecting personal references from teachers, school counselors or employers early in the year, or at least two weeks before application deadlines. Attend a college fair and begin applying for admission at the colleges you have chosen. Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college you have applied to and start the financial aid application process. Between January and May you will want to visit the colleges that have invited you to enroll. Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork and of course continue looking for scholarship opportunities.

College is an exciting time and as a freshman you may be wondering what it is you will need for your dorm.

To start, remember that dorm rooms are very small so take only the essentials. Freshmen typically get the worst rooms in the dorm as the upper classmen get to pick the best rooms before the year is over. Make sure you find out everything there is to know about your dorm and what it has and does not have. For instance, if the dorm does not have carpeting, you may need to take a rug. If the room isnâ%u20AC%u2122t air conditioned, taking a fan might be an option.

Find out what is allowed and not allowed in the dorms as well. Some schools do not allow microwaves, hot plates, candles and more. Most schools provide beds, some provide mattresses, and of course most require you to buy your own sheets. Types of items that you might consider taking include: TV, pillows, radio, rug, water filter, hangers, tape, tools and posters.

Freshmen are typically assigned roommates, so try contacting your roommate before the first semester. Moving in can be stressful and annoying so by talking to your roommate ahead of time you can find out what kind of person they are, what you have in common and what you each can bring or leave home.

Last, remember to save your money so that you have some spending cash. You will want to live frugally but there will be an occasion when you need your own money for those extra things.

By addressing all of your concerns before you arrive your first day of college, you wonâ%u20AC%u2122t find this large life transition so difficult.

About the Author

Kara Lilly, a Librarian for over 15 years in College Park, creates the Eduology for schoolwork.org, a leading provider of homework help, college directories with satellite maps and a comprehensive breakdown of student loans. For more information, please visit www.schoolwork.org.

Starting a new life, college life, can seem a bit strange and it is important that you learn a few tips and tricks to be sure you will survive as well as enjoy college life. The first thing and the most obvious is that money is going to be vital, so make sure you pay your essentials before spending for enjoyment.

The majority of students live in shared accommodations in their college life. Because this may be the first time they share space with non-family members, this is the time when college may either become enjoyable or hellish. If you can develop a boundary with your roomies, your success is guaranteed. Make sure you have the time to study for your exams undisturbed and then you can enjoy your new college life. Although you cannot change people around you, as long as you clean up after yourself, your life will be much easier.

In this new college life you will meet lots of new people, but don't let this affect your relationship with your family or those back home. Remember that you had a life before college and you will have one after it as well. Also, keeping the relationships with your friends from outside the college life can be a form of relaxation when your college life gets to be too much.

There aren't many rules that teach you how to settle into college life but you have to give it a chance. Don't rush back home every time you run into some difficulties because then you will find it harder to adapt in real life as well as in college life. Also, the best parts of college life happen on weekends, so don't miss them.

College life can be sometimes so exciting that you won't remember the most important things: to eat and sleep well and to take care of yourself. You should enjoy college but don't forget to rest and concentrate on your studies and exams.

Jordan Dunham is an expert on college student loan consolidation, visit http://www.students-loan-consolidation.org/ today for details.

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Starting college is a big milestone in anyone's life. In some families, starting college is almost like getting married - it's a big step, a giant move towards independence. Everything that happens during college counts towards the future - that's why it's so important for students to start college on the right footing.

First of all, see if you have everything all pinned down before you start college. If your college is going to be quite a distance away from home, you'll need to find a place to stay. And if you've already found a place to stay, you'll need to find roommates who can share the rent with you. You're only starting college and finances are going to be tight - with someone sharing the place with you, you can bring the expenses down.

The next thing that you have to decide on before starting college is the mode of transportation. Your options are%u2026college car, a motorcycle or a bicycle. The mode of transportation depends on how far you are going to be housed from the college. If you're within college campus, you can probably start with a bicycle. If you're located outside the college campus, you might need a car to get you around.

Next, go shopping for college clothes. A whole new wardrobe is necessary only if you are moving to a place where the weather is very different from where you live, for example, your home is in Maine and your college California. Otherwise, you can probably live with what you already have in your wardrobe. If you don't know the kind of clothes you will need for college, why not factor the cost of a new wardrobe into your starting college funds. You can go do some shopping when you've started college. Living on your own and starting college also means that you'll have to do some calculations on the use of kitchen utensils (getting some of your own is a good idea), and also some entertainment. Yes, you're starting college but you still need to have some fun once in a while.

Starting college means that you're probably going to need your own computer, printer and scanner too. Most colleges have these facilities in their college campus. The options are:- buy new ones if you can afford it before you start college, buy second-hand ones, loan one from your relatives or parents, use the ones available in college or pay for the services in Internet cafes where these facilities are widely available. Research the area near the college and see if there's a need to get your own electronics. If you can save the money for something else, you can start college without it and use the ones in the college first.

If you have reasons to want to move tables, beds, furniture and shelves from home, this could save your parents some money. Starting college is already ripping the bank accounts apart, so, if you can save on furniture, why not? If you're bringing the furniture from home, find a relocating service contractor to help you move the furniture to your new place.

Most importantly, before starting college, you'll need to get a list from your college so that you can purchase the books before college starts. It is best that you start college on the right footing, so, don't wait until all the books are gone.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.your-college-life.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

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