Summer is an exciting and perfect time to visit prospective college campuses. Application season is fast approaching for seniors. It’s helpful to plan for informal college visits to the schools on your list. Stepping on campus and seeing where you’ll call home can help you decide whether or not the school is a strong fit. If you don’t can’t travel to schools, there’s still lots of ways to check out campuses. Some students may decide to only take official campus visits. These tours and visits put their best foot forward. We want to stress why it’s important to take unofficial visits, which will help you get a more realistic view of the place you may call home.

For rising juniors and seniors, summer is a time to start your college search afresh or solidify your shortlist. If you’re looking out of state, the feasibility of visiting or ‘trying out’ prospective colleges will likely be out of reach and not beneficial until you’ve narrowed your list to two to three possibilities. One way to gain tremendous insight about a prospective college is to visit the website.

As an incoming college freshman, you probably have a lot of preconceived ideas about what college will be like. AP courses, college advising, television, your peers, and the internet probably have given you a good idea of what to expect on your first day of classes. Although all these sources may be a good foundation, here are some common misconceptions about college courses we have debunked.

The best way into a teacher's heart is to be a good student. A good student shows respect, pays attention, participates in class, works hard, asks questions, and turns in assignments on time. Teachers appreciate it when people recognize their efforts. By showing up as a good student, you show that you value the class and respect the time and effort the teacher puts in.

Despite everything I've learned about composition theory and practice over a few decades, the system that makes the most sense is the first one I learned. I think that's pretty incredible. Even better, you don't have to choose between paper and digital notes — the system works. For the sake of time and space, I'm assuming that you already have a strong topic and working thesis and have already found and verified valid sources.

Caring for your health in college proves challenging for many students—particularly those struggling to adjust to a new schedule and lifestyle away from home. Moving into adulthood, allowing physical and mental wellness to become a low priority can have adverse consequences.

The blank page of a fresh start, whether in the form of a new roommate or living in off-campus housing for the first time, starting courses in your major, working at your first internship position, or even setting the intention to make the Dean’s List, can all morph into unexpected stressors. We may feel bombarded by internal and external pressure, and when that happens, our enthusiasm fades, and a feeling of overwhelm kicks in.

After enduring a tough semester, you may feel hesitation or anxiety about being in the classroom. Here are three ways to mentally and emotionally prepare for a successful return to college.

Being kind and loving to yourself is a direct route to healing and emotional health. Here are several tips to support your emotional wellness when you are dealing with life's ups and downs.

One of the most rewarding ways to begin your college career is by starting it in high school. It may be worth exploring the offer if there is an opportunity to gain college experience and credit while still in high school.