New to Ò×ʤ²©¹ÙÍø

Welcome to Ò×ʤ²©¹ÙÍø first-year students and transfers.  We are glad you're here!  Below are some hot tips on how to navigate your new academic culture!

Picture of academic mentors at Ò×ʤ²©¹ÙÍø admitted students resource fair

Mentors share key takeaways

  •  CFAR peer academic mentors share what they wish they had known once arriving on campus!
  • Remember, you don't need to figure it all out by yourself.

Why work with CFAR?

  • CFAR knows the best ways to study for classes at the university level and we want to see you succeed in all facets of being a Wildcat!

What I wish I knew: actionable videos from Quinnipiac University

Transitioning Academically

  • How to create a routine

Transitioning Socially

Your first year is more than grade 13

This information is borrowed from the University of Delaware's . CFAR can assist with your transition to Ò×ʤ²©¹ÙÍø and make sure it's as smooth as possible!  Expand the sections below to learn more about the differences between high school and college:

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In High School… In College…
  • Will update you on what to expect throughout the course.
  • Will provide a syllabus at the beginning of the semester with all course information, policies and due dates for you to regularly reference. 
  • Will check your completed homework.
  • Will assume you have mastered your homework for exams. 
  • Will remind you of incomplete work. 
  • Will not remind you of incomplete work. 
  • Will approach you if they think you need help.
  • Will ask you to initiate contact if you need help.
  • Will be available before, during and after class for questions.
  • Will request that you come to office hours or set up an appointment if you have questions. 
  • Will provide you with information you miss when absent.
  • Will expect that you to get notes from others when you’ve missed class.
  • Will present material to help you understand the textbook.
  • Will not follow the text, but require you to read and relate it to in-class material. 
  • Will write information on the board to be copied as your notes. 
  • Will trust you to decide what needs to be written down. 
  • Will supply facts and help you process and make connections to material.
  • Will expect you to think about/synthesize seemingly unrelated topics

In High School… In College…
  • Can be accomplished in a few hours per week.
  • Can take 2-3 hours per credit every week, or approximately 30-45 hours per week for a 15-credit semester.
  • Can be completed in one sitting because material is less detailed. 
  • Can involve regular review of information on an ongoing basis because material is more detailed.
  • Can require short assignments that are discussed and often re-taught in class. 
  • Can require substantial reading and writing that may not be revisited in class. 

In High School… In College…
  • Are frequent and cover small amounts of material.
  • Are usually only given 2-3 times and may be cumulative or cover large amounts of material. 
  • Are accompanied by study guides. 
  • Are not accompanied by study guides. Instead, professors expect you to organize the material and prepare yourself.
  • Are often able to be made-up if you missed the original date. 
  • Are rarely able to be made-up.
  • Are frequently rearranged to avoid conflict with school events.
  • Are usually scheduled without regard to demands of other courses or activities.
  • Are successfully completed if you can remember facts and information as it was provided to you.
  • Are successfully completed if you can apply what you’ve learned to real situations or to solving new kinds of problems.

In High School… In College…
  • Are given to most assigned work.
  • Are limited to major projects and exams.
  • Are supplemented by extra credit projects to help raise your grade. 
  • Are not supplemented by extra credit. 
  • Are based on the guiding principle that effort counts.
  • Are based on the guiding principle that results count.

In High School… In College…
  • Is facilitated by anyone who sees you need it, whether or not you want it. 
  • Is available when you ask your professors or other on-campus offices.  

In High School… In College…
  • School is mandatory and free.
  • School is voluntary and expensive.
  • Time is planned by others. 
  • Time is managed by you. 
  • Responsibilities and priorities are set and managed with the help of family and teachers.
  • Responsibilities and priorities are set and managed by you. 
  • Behavior is corrected by family and teachers, minimizing the consequences of bad decisions. 
  • Behavior is not corrected by others, meaning that you must take responsibility for your actions or inactions and face the consequences. 

Advice for new Ò×ʤ²©¹ÙÍø Wildcats

  • Get yourself out there
  • Be open to change
  • Lean on others
  • Be willing to say "yes!"
  • Get involved with clubs and orgs!
  • Connect with your professors
  • Don't procrastinate 
  • Remain open-minded!

Student Accessibility Services

If you are a student with a documented disability: medical, physical, learning, or mood disorder, check out the services available through Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Learn more about the accommodation process here!  For students (and their families) impacted by learning disabilities and/or executive functioning diagnoses, check out Landmark College's ""  This great resource acts as a skills inventory in five foundational areas: academic skills, self-understanding (metacognition), self-advocacy, executive function, and motivation and confidence!