How to survive?  That is a question that many college students often find themselves asking as they come to the realization of what college life is really all about.  As you begin your college education many will need to make changes to the way you have approached education in the past.  Many of us did not find the need to develop strong study skills or time management strategies.  In the past, you have been told what to do and when to do it.  Now that you are in college, you will not have your parents and teachers always looking over your shoulder to make sure that you accomplish what you need to get done when it needs to be completed.  Some were even able to complete the required work during school hours so they never had to bring the work home.  That is all about to change.  

            One of the biggest changes new college students need to deal with is the amount of out-of-the-classroom work that will be assigned by the faculty members.  It is typically to be expected that faculty members will require 2 - 3 hours of out-of-the-classroom work for every hour in the classroom.  When you think about it, that explains why 12 credits per semester is considered full-time.  Each credit is atleast 1 hour a week in the classroom, so with the additional 2 - 3 hours out-of-the-classroom, that amounts to 36 - 48 hours a week which is a full-time job.  Add to this all of the challenges of being in a new environment, making new friends, paying for college, and still dealing with home/family issues, new college students are under alot of pressure from alot of different angles.

            Another area which differs at the college level is the way disabilities, physical/psychological/learning, are handled.  All students are expected to meet the same standards regardless.  However, some disabilities are amplified by all of the new pressures of college life.  Penn State Altoona provides a number of support services to help students succeed both in and out of the classroom.  One of the hardest things for some students that have a nonapparent disability is taking the first step in getting the services they should.  They think that they have gotten this far in life without such services or fear the stigmatism that it may bring now that they are in college.  These services are not only for those students that have a history of disability, but also for any students that develope the need for these services for dealing with the pressures of college.  It is encouraged that all students that may need these services, atleast check them out for the short term to help them make the adjustment to college.

            In an effort to assist you with that transition various resources have been pulled together in one place to help you have a strong first semester and begin developing the tools to make your entire college experience and transition to the work force successful.

            Please take the time to review and use the resources which will help you.  Also, please share with other students.