The Ultimate To-Do List for Your Second Semester of College

The Ultimate To-Do List for Your Second Semester of College With one full semester under your belt, as a second-semester freshmen you have begun to figure it out. Your habits are set, you know your way around campus, and you have a regular group of friends to eat lunch with. First semester flew by in a rush of learning new things on the fly, but your learning experiences are far from over. Use your second semester of college to continue to learn and grow, as a student and as a person. 1. Determine your field of study Although it does not need to be set in stone, use this semester to declare a major if you havent already. You should have taken classes in a few different departments during your first semester, so youll have a good idea of the classes you enjoy and excel at. Deciding on a major early will ensure that you can meet prerequisites and start taking higher level classes earlier, all helping to make sure you can graduate in a timely fashion. You could even consider designing your own college major! 2. Pick one activity to get involved with Odds are, you spent most of your first semester figuring out your study schedule and your way around campus. Take your second semester of college to expand your campus involvement. Find one club or extracurricular that is related to your major or that simply interests you. Extracurricular activities can help you make new friends, gain experiences outside the classroom, and refine your interests. [RELATED: How to Make the Most of College Extracurriculars] 3. Expand your friend group The friends you have met during your first semester are irreplaceable; they were there with you struggling through the firsts of college. However, expanding your friend group second semester is encouraged. Meet new friends in your classes to form a study group, or meet a group of friends in your new activity (see above!). The more connections you make in college, the better. 4. Start a steady workout regime Staying healthy might have been last on your to-do list during first semester, which is understandable as you were mainly focusing on getting adjusted to campus life. Since there wont be as big of a learning curve this semester, take some time to take care of yourself. Consider using exercise as a healthy study break between classes, either by working out outside or at the campus gym. Exercise has great effects on not only your body but your brain as well, so do both a favor! 5. Explore outside campus If youre at a large campus, you probably have everything you need within a few blocks. You have places to study, to grab coffee, and definitely to get food. One exciting part of college is (potentially) being in a new city, so you should take some time to explore it! Getting off campus is an exciting opportunity, and it will make your college definitely seem more like home. You may even stumble upon some exciting job, internship, or volunteer opportunities. [RELATED: Popular Jobs that Can Help You Explore College Majors] 6. Find a mentor Whether it be a teacher, a coach, or an upperclassman, find someone who can serve as your mentor. Your mentor should be someone who can help you, whether its with connections, a letter or recommendation, or even just advice. People like this who can help you through the college experience are invaluable. Second semester of college is a great time to take advantage of all the opportunities that your school offers you. As you continue to focus on your school work, use some of your extra time to do some extra activities and make more memories.

Ask an Admissions Expert Dr. Joan Martin

Ask an Admissions Expert Dr. Joan Martin Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Joan Martin, Ph.D., has been helping students gain admission to their first choice colleges in the U.S. and Europe for two decades. She is the founder of CollegeStartOnline.com and has written two eBooks, Writing the Common Application and How to Jumpstart the College Application Process. Dr. Martin holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and MIT. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Joan: My best suggestion is to start writing the Common Application essay a few days after the junior year has ended. The few days will give the student time to decompress and relax. If the student sets up a well-defined time to write the Personal Essay early in the summer, he will be able to give it a weeks rest and then go back to edit it. Magical things happen when the essay is given a rest; the student brings new ideas to the subject and can also better edit it without being pressed for time. The bonus to this schedule is the student can enjoy his summer because the stressful writing phrase has been completed. Essays should not read like they have been rushed; start early and you will have well-conceived and written essays, the best chance for writing Essay Gold. VT: What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Joan: Essay Gold occurs when the student is truly passionate about a subject because the excitement about the topic shines through. Usually students have one story or experience that is sticking in their mind. They should analyze the story to make sure it is positive and will bring out their best traits. So, prior to any writing, the students should list these traits and then analyze the original story to see if those traits are evident, if not, go to another experience. The way in which the student analyzes the experience and makes his personality shine are what makes an essay purposeful and Essay Gold. The topic is important but not as important as the passion and analysis. VT: Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Joan: In my eBook, Writing the Common Application, I list 21 essay topics to avoid. Always avoid anything that is negative such as drinking, eating disorders, or getting into trouble in any way, even it becomes a turning point. What you write is what they will remember about you. The best advice I can give though, is not to use an experience that your parents have paid for, use an experience that you have created through initiative and determination. The new Common Application, 2013, asks very specific questions, so you must be able to use an experience that can be crafted to answer the question. VT: What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Joan: The biggest mistake a student can ever make when writing an application is not sounding like a 17-year-old has written it. When a students parent edits his essay, it sounds like a 48 year old lawyer, teacher, or businessman. Those essays jump out when read by an admissions officer and are promptly marked DDI (Daddy Did It) and go to the reject pile. Sound your age, include your quirkiness, but do correct spelling and grammar. VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Joan: The application is first scanned for GPA and SAT/ACT scores; if they fall into the colleges acceptance range, the application is further read. The rigor of the courses the student has taken is also considered. What comes next is subjective. Does the application read like their typical, successful student? This question is answered by the essays, the extracurricular activities, and the recommendations. Admissions officers know what type of student can be successful within their curriculum and then go on to become outstanding citizens and alumni. They can literally smell a great candidate even if they are reading the application at 1 am, eating pizza, and have read 50 others prior to this. VT: What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Joan: Consistency, initiative, and passion are the traits that should be presented in a students application starting with the extracurricular activities right through the Personal Essay and the Supplement Questions. Declare how you have stayed with a project or organization through many years, put your own stamp on it, and truly loved doing it. That is the definition of leadership and determination. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of the university, and whether they would be a good fit? Joan: The best way to determine the culture of a college is to visit it during the school year, sit in the cafeteria, look around at the students and talk to them. Additionally, the student should contact other students from his high school who are currently enrolled; those students tend to give the best inside information. Websites today provide an excellent way in which to determine the fit between the students college goals and the mission of the college itself. If the student can successfully answer the question, why do I want to go there, it is probably a good fit. Within this answer is usually some program, professor, or courses that the student is attracted to this is what determines a good academic fit. VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisionsWith so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Joan: I recommend that the student apply to his first choice college as Early Decision and several safety colleges as Early Action. If the student does not get accepted Early Decision to his first choice, but does get accepted to Early Action colleges, a lot of pressure will be eliminated he will be going someplace. The other colleges on his list can be Regular Decision. If a student needs financial aid, never apply to any binding decision option. Wait until all acceptances and financial aid packages have been presented in order to make a decision. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Joan: Grades are the number one criterion, then SAT/ACT scores. A minimum Academic Index, GPA/SAT/class rank, is enlisted at all colleges. Once a student has passed that threshold, essays and extracurricular activities demonstrating consistency, initiative, and passion come into play. If a student can make the written part of the application truly sparkle, he can beat out someone with a higher SAT score. Make the essay shine! VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Joan: Present each teacher with a large envelope containing a copy of your Common Application (extracurricular activities and essays), a list of the colleges to which you are applying, and a short paragraph about your goals for college and career. Ask the teacher politely (in person and not through email) if he would write a recommendation. If he accepts, the teacher will be impressed that you have organized everything into one envelope and will probably give you an even better recommendation than he would have before. Always send a hand written thank you note. Visit CollegeStartOnline for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.