I'm in! Now what?

Marian
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:29:30 +0000

Whether you accept this offer from an Ivy waitlist or go to whatever other college you had planned to attend, you may want to consider these suggestions:


Deliberately choose a relatively light courseload for your first semester. There’s a lot of change to adjust to in your first semester; it’s not the time to overload yourself academically. Don’t exceed the recommended number of courses or credits. Try to take mostly subjects that are comfortable for you, and if there’s a subject where you are more prepared than the average student (say, a subject where you got a 4 on the AP test but you can’t get credit because your college requires a 5), that might be a good choice for first semester. If there’s a particular subject or course that you feel intimidated about, let it wait until second semester or sophomore year if possible.
Use the resources of your college. You’re paying for them! There is academic help available, and there are plenty of counseling resources, too. Don’t let problems linger and grow. If you don’t know how to find help, a good place to start is with your RA (or whatever they are called at your college). They usually know what resources are available and can steer you in the right direction.
Don’t be intimidated by the people around you. Although there will be some superstars, most are in the same academic league that you are. That’s why you got admitted.