What resources do colleges offer? How do I find out?
Resources to look for
While academics are a vital factor in choosing a school, every single person that we talked with about this project mentioned the importance of a school’s resources. But what exactly are those? And what should I be looking for?
Tutoring
College is hard academically for a multitude of reasons; there are challenging classes, and you may have to relearn (or learn for the first time) how to take effective notes and study. Whatever it may be, it is always helpful to have someone in your corner. Turuoing may seem daunting or an admission of failure, but it’s anything but! It’s just working with someone who has a different perspective and wants to help you succeed! Find out if your school offers in-house tutoring and if it’s covered in your tuition and fees or paid out of pocket.
Writing Center
One thing that every single major has in common - you will have to write at least one paper. Whether that’s a main source of your grades, or simply required in your general education credits, papers are in your future! No one can fully proofread their own paper because you’re unconsciously reading it in your own words. A writing center can help get another pair of eyes on your paper to make sure it’s the best it can be!
Math Center
There are few people in the world (at least that we know of!) that identify math as their strong suit - especially learning new math. A math help center is there to help walk you through the problems, learn equations, and do anything else you may need to ace your next math test. The important thing to look out for is making sure they’re teaching you how to go about solving them, rather than solving them for you. Having someone solve that hard equation may seem great until it appears on your next exam!
Speaking Center
Another rarity when it comes to people loving - public speaking. Giving speeches and presentations can be daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. Chances are, however, similar to papers, you’ll need to give them no matter the major. Speaking centers can help with tips and tricks to calm those nerves, point out some things you do that you may not notice (like fidgeting or using filler words), and help you practice your presentation or speech until you feel more comfortable with it.
Gym/Wellness Center
Sometimes the best way to get out of a funk of not being able to write that paper that’s due, or make headway on your project is to get up and move a little. You certainly don’t have to be training to become a world athlete to benefit from a school that has some treadmills or weights to lift. Exercise can be a great way to handle the stress that may come your way over your time at college.
Student Health Center
Probably the last thing you should do if you’re feeling under the weather is walking a few miles to get to the nearest hospital. See if there’s a health center located on your campus for check-ups, vaccinations, or medication refills (and go ahead and see the closest pharmacy too!)
Mental Health Center
Mental health should be taken just as seriously as physical health. Going to college comes with a lot of change which can be difficult to manage at some times. See if your school has any connections to mental health services on campus or in the surrounding areas. Don’t ever suffer alone.
Career Services
A diploma doesn’t help us much if we don’t have a job! And nothing can overshadow graduation more than not having an answer for everyone asking where you’re working after you graduate. A career service office can help you with your resume and CV, as well as help you draft a cover letter. Some offices offer mock interviews or headshots to help you stand out amongst other applicants. They may also host an internship or career fair where companies in the surrounding areas come and talk to people looking to apply. It’s never a bad time to go to one of those; even if you may not be looking for a job right away, practice makes perfect!
Library
Libraries on campus often serve a multitude of resources. They may have textbooks or other required materials that you can check out, some more modern libraries are starting to have the technology you can check out, as well as some research liaisons who can help point you in the direction of where to start your research project. It also often serves as the perfect place to hunker down and study right before a big test, or where to go if you have a mountain of work to get done and need to limit distractions.
IT/Technical Help
With a major shift in online learning in response to the pandemic, lots of classes still have an online component, like project submission, even if the class is held entirely online. This means an error screen on your computer can be fatal. With no time to take it to a Geek Squad counter, some schools have residential IT departments that can help with any technical issues you may be experiencing.
Child Care
In an effort to help return adult students or young parents, lots of schools are starting to offer child care services on campus for parents to utilize while on campus or in classes. Check to see what kind of help your school offers to parent students!
Disability/Accommodations
There is a range of things that can make the college experience difficult, and it can be more difficult for some individuals than others. Offices of accessibility are here to help break down some barriers one may face with getting an education. If you feel you may qualify for this assistance, it’s always best to check in with those offices sooner rather than later to see what the process is like to get the necessary accommodations.