7 When first-year students arrive on campus, most of them have never experienced a life transition as major as beginning college. For most young people starting college, it is the first time living on their own and the first time they will have the freedom to set their own path, both in academics and in their day-to-day lives. But with the new responsibilities teens take on when beginning college come pitfalls that can arise while balancing classwork, independent living and maintaining a social life. Many steps can be taken to ensure the first-year experience is a good one, and no decision makes a bigger difference than selecting the right school for what a student wants and needs. No two schools are the same, which is why events such as NACAC National College Fairs are important tools for students picking the path that is best for them. “In terms of actually selecting a school, the most important thing is finding an institution where you’re comfortable on the campus and with the physical space,” said Justin Mohney, associate director of admission at Carnegie Mellon University and member of the 2017 Pittsburgh National College Fair committee. “I think the campus visit is an important part to try and get that feeling of ‘fit’ — finding where they can see themselves. I think that comfort level, in conjunction with an institution that has the right sort of majors and academic support for their needs, are the two most important things. If you have one, but don’t have a good fit on the other side, that’s when students struggle to acclimate.” Of course, time and money prohibit students from visiting every college, which is where a college fair comes in. By gathering representatives from schools of all kinds — urban and rural, public and private, technical and liberal arts — highschoolers can see a sampling of institutions where they can continue their education. But education is only part of the equation, and the basic questions about majors, courses offered and other academic concerns are often answered in materials distributed by schools or with a simple internet search. Instead, Mohney said, a fair should be a place where prospective students dig deeper than the raw numbers on a handout. “You can ask an admissions rep to describe a typical student or what the characteristics of students at that school are. Does it sound like the type of people you want to be around?” Mohney said. “Also, ask about a typical day or week in the life of a student on campus. Find out if it’s a place you would want to be when you’re outside of class.” Once on campus, students will have a level of independence unlike what they experienced in high school. Colleges know the transition can be overwhelming, which is why schools offer programs to help orient students and integrate them with the campus community. That said, it falls to the student to take the initiative. Each individual has to seek out the things that will get them acclimated to college life and make their experience the best, most fulfilling one. “I think all schools have extra programming at the start of the year to provide an opportunity to meet people,” said Sarah George, director of student engagement at Point Park University. “The students who struggle stay in their room a lot early on, and when they do start to go out, other students have already started forming friendships and there aren’t as many activities for them to get involved. I think socially, the most important thing is going to the events that are offered. Even if it sounds stupid or silly, there’s probably going to be other students you meet who think it sounded stupid and silly, and they can connect through that.” Though every school would like to have their students stay four years or beyond, no college has a 100-percent rate of retaining freshmen. Homesickness, a change in major or unforeseen personal matters can cause students to leave school or transfer elsewhere. While the need to change is unavoidable for some students, nearly every college provides free services such as counseling and tutoring that can help during challenging times. “A lot of students don’t ask for help soon enough. My advice is that it’s better to reach out in the first couple of weeks, but (students) wait until they’re having a really bad time, then it’s overwhelming and hard to get control,” George said. “Whether it’s here at Point Park, or Pitt, Duquense or any school, we all have support in place for students who need it.”
NACAC 2017
To see the actual publication please follow the link above