WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE
Congratulations you've been accepted to college! Between now and the day you move into your residence hall room you have a lot to do. Don't let your high school activities prevent you from doing the things you need to do to set a firm foundation for your college career. Remember, what you do at college will determine what you do for the rest of you life. As with every worthwhile thing, good preparation is important to getting started off right.
Read Every Piece of Mail (and respond when necessary)
Once you have been accepted at the college of your choice, your new college will want to prepare you for your first semester in a variety of ways. You will begin to receive mail from many different departments and offices. Be sure to open and read each mailing. Some of the mail will be topics in which you have no interest; however, sometimes important information is lost to the "round file" that might have serious consequences for you later.
First and foremost: be sure to read each letter carefully. You can save yourself many phone calls and hassles by carefully reading the mail you get.
Second and just as important: follow the instructions and complete the mail that will affect your life on campus like admission acceptance forms, housing information and deposit, dining hall deposits, health information forms, orientation dates, academic course schedule preferences, placement testing, semester tuition and fees, etc. Often students must submit a deposit to reserve a dorm room, space at an orientation session or for similar services. Don't be surprised that you don't have a place to live or can't register for classes if you were supposed to fill out some forms and send in a deposit and didn't do it.
Finally, some of the mail you get will be from companies that have items for rent/sale to students like refrigerators, microwaves, carpeting, freshman handbook information, etc. These are all available but not mandatory for students to purchase or lease. You might want to purchase these things at home. But before you select anything for your dorm room, contact your roommate. You can avoid an overcrowded room and unneeded expense by deciding who will bring what.
Contact Your Roommate
Most colleges will let you know who is going to be your roommate. If it is at all possible, get in touch with them before you get to campus. You can start getting to know the person(s) and you can compare what each of you have to contribute to your residence hall room.
Visit Campus
If you have the opportunity, go to campus during the summer for an orientation program or a private visit. You will get more information about the campus thus making you more comfortable once you arrive on campus in the fall. Be sure to check out your residence hall for an idea of how much "stuff" you can take with you, see how far you will have to walk between classes and how far the dining hall will be from your dorm.
Be Sure To Take Care of Your Health Concerns
Most colleges will require that you have proof of your inoculations. Also, they need to know if you have any special health concerns. Most college health centers will send you a form to provide them with your health history. It is very important that your provide them with this information; it could be vital if you have an accident or other problem.
Before you leave home, be sure to have written proof of all required inoculations and any other paperwork your college will need.
What Should I Take To College?
Most colleges will provide you with a list of items (besides personal items) they feel students might bring with them. Those lists vary from college to college but there are some items that all students need. The following is a list that is used by Slippery Rock University:
