You might think that you're all set for school, but when you arrive, you find
out you have a late fee to pay because you didn't sign a form. You probably want
to avoid these kinds of problems. Checking things out in advance can help you do
that. The following guide will outline the important details to double-check
prior to the start of school.
Bills
Your school bills should be up
to date before you get to school. If they aren't, you may find that there is a
hold placed on your account, preventing you from doing things like registering
for classes. Most schools allow you to access your school finances online, but
you can always contact the bursar's office as well.
Financial aid
adds another layer of complexity to your college finances. All of your
scholarships and loans will need to be accepted by you (usually online) before
they can be applied to your account. If you're unsure of how to check on your
financial aid, call or stop by your school's financial aid office.
Housing and Meal Plans
If you're staying on campus (a
requirement for freshmen at some schools), you'll need to make sure that you've
applied for on-campus housing, gotten a room assignment, and filled out all the
necessary paperwork prior to
moving
in.
The process usually begins (after being accepted) with a housing
questionnaire, which will be used to pair you with one or more roommates. You
should get a letter or e-mail telling you about your room assignment. Anything
else you need to do will be different depending on your school, but your
individual should provide you with the relevant information and forms. Just make
sure you do what they say, and, if you're unsure about something, contact the
school's residential life office.
Sometimes your meal plan and housing
are connected. There may be different meal plan requirements and limitations
depending on where you're living. For example, you may have restrictions if you
live
off-campus.
Conversely, there may be a minimum meal plan requirement if you live on-campus.
Find out about your school's meal plans, and make sure you're signed up for one
(if you want or are required to have one).
Class Registration and Books
Classes are what college is all
about, so be sure that you're signed up for everything you want to be taking in
the coming semester. You can usually add and drop courses into the first couple
weeks of the semester, but being sure of what you'll be taking ahead of time
will give you a chance to purchase books and other supplies you may
need.
It's usually pretty easy to get books from your campus bookstore.
If you go this route, they'll provide you with a list of all the books you'll
need, helping to make sure you don't miss anything. Alternatively, you may
choose to purchase books from other sources in order to save some money. If this
is the case, you'll need to be a little more thorough in your research, making
sure the books you're getting are in good condition and are the most up-to-date
editions.
Transportation
Many colleges don't allow freshmen to have cars.
While that may be a source of some dissatisfaction, it can make things simpler,
since you won't have to worry about parking passes and other vehicle
considerations. If, however, you will have a car on campus, find out if you need
a parking pass and what regulations apply to you (e.g., what lots you can and
cannot park in). The same applies if you're going to be living off-campus.
Should you decide to take public transportation to campus, you'll want to know
about the bus or train schedules as well as information regarding
fares.
College is a lot of work, even before you arrive. Double-checking
on all these things, however, is well worth it, helping to ensure you don't have
any problems when you arrive at school. If everything is in order, your
transition into college life should be much smoother.
