For all the time and energy focused on class sizes, academic programs, internships, and dining halls in the college selection process, very few students are willing to give voice to their #1 worry: will they make friends at this college? This is a righteous concern, as human connections are essential to happiness.

Taking notes is a crucial academic skill. Many high schools do not teach students how to take notes effectively. Even if there was some instruction, taking notes in a class of 25 students is really different from taking notes in a large lecture. Note-taking is highly personal; trial and error will be helpful in the process of finding your best strategy. Here are a few essential tips:

Walking into a new professor’s office is intimidating for almost every student. Here are some common concerns I hear:

The professor will think I am not a good student if I don’t know everything about the course or its content.

The opposite is true: professors expect students to know very little, especially in their first semester of college and in the first weeks of the semester.

To state the obvious: your classes are the reason you go to college. Every college and program and major has different requirements, so I cannot address them all here. That said, building a good class schedule each semester is more art than science. Here are a few general tips that apply to every college:

Time management is one of the three most important things you can do in college if you want to be successful (along with getting to know a professor and SLEEP). With a few exceptions for college athletes, your weekly schedule in college will be very different than your weekly schedule in high school.

Much of your learning takes place outside of the classroom in college. Whether it is participating in a student organization, listening to a guest speaker, or learning about a new culture from a friend, everything you do on campus enriches your education.

The following is a list of my suggestions on how to get good, personal, and detailed letters of recommendation written for you, by any professor or professional contact.