My college life so far has become a disaster. I am in my 4th year of college in a 5 year program studying for my bachelors. My GPA is low, I don't know if I can finish my college financially, and I am not sure if I will be able to get a job in my field when I graduate. Because of this, I now have to spend an extra year in school. My parents will be upset and I haven't told them yet. I think this is the best for me, with my GPA I don't think I would have been able to get a job after graduation. This extra year will help me improve my GPA and allow me to get an extra minor and/or find an employer that will hire me full time when I graduate.
These are the few things that I would change:
1. Start college with a financial plan. Imagine for the worst case scenario, meaning don't expect your parents to contribute anything to financing your education. This was the biggest mistake that I made. I decided to go to a private college without a scholarship because it was the best university that accepted me. Huge mistake. My life would have been much less stressful if I had gone to a public college like Temple. Now I have already missed two semesters of college and have taken about 53 thousand dollars loans. Life becomes more stressful, your grades will suffer and you won't get the best seats for classes.
2. Study. Attend all classes. Complete all assignments. This is a huge mistake that I made. You should review your books before class, review what the teacher has taught you after class, and attempt your homework at least 3 days before its due. If you spend at least two hours a week studying for your class and 3 hours completing assignments and doing problems, you should be able to get a B in your class. It's that simple. Homework and lab assignments are usually the easiest points you will get in the class. Don't mess it up.
3. Seek help when you need it. Stop being a coward and don't let your pride get in the way. Talk to your financial aid rep when you need extra money for college. Talk to your parents if you need their help paying for school. Arrange time with your TA or professor if you need extra help in understanding your course material.
4. Be prepared. Start your assignments at least 3 days before it's due. Read and understand the theory before attempting problems. Study until you understand how to do all of the problems thoroughly. Don't go into a test thinking that you'll be able to wing it. You won't and you'll fail.
5. Make friends. You will need them for extra help when you are completing assignments. They make life easier. Studying will become a two street. They will help you solve problems and you will help them with theirs. I have also noticed that when I explain problems to my friends, I understand the material better.
6. Go to the gym. It makes you feel better. It keeps you healthy and it helps relieve stress. Make a commitment to go to gym for at least 3 hours a week.
7. Try to live near school. I live at home and it makes my life 10x harder. I waste 2 hours a day commuting and I have to wake up atleast 2 and half hours before my class starts. I also have to put up with my parents, who want to me to be their ambassador for birthday parties, communions, weddings, and prayer services. They also expect me to do chores and projects around the house that consume a lot of time.
8. Make a schedule. You'll have a lot of free time in college. So you need to make sure that you spend that time wisely. Make a list of things you need to accomplish for that day and keep to it. If you don't, you'll end up wasting the whole day browsing the internet.
All of this is easier said than done. Hopefully I can stick to this for the next 1.5 years of college that I have left.
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