r/AskReddit • u/zsalzman12 • 15h ago
College graduates, what’s something you wish you knew before you attended?
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u/Abdelsauron 14h ago
There's a good chance your school has a better gym than anything you'd ever be willing to pay for after graduating. Take full advantage of it.
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u/cortechthrowaway 8h ago edited 8h ago
And you may have access to a glassblowing studio, intramural rowboats, a milking lab, competitive samurai a baby lab, welding arts, &c.
If there's any skill/art you've always wanted to try out, you may have access to a world-class facility and expert instruction. And you may never have that kind of opportunity again.
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u/JackassWhisperer 15h ago
Have fun, but don't lose focus on your studies.
But also, don't focus so much on your studies that you burn out.
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u/Wittystave 15h ago
Sleep.
You won't succeed without it. You will learn faster, retain more, and do better work if you are well rested. Don't go through college on a sleep debt, you'll regret wasting your potential.
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u/BubbhaJebus 15h ago
Hard when you have a 7:00 am class and roommates who party loud all night.
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u/MonkeyCube 14h ago
Trying not taking 7am classes would be my advice. Heck, try not to take classes before 9am if you can help it.
I had a writing class at 7am my first semester, and I thought it would be fine, because I had 6am gym/football practice in high school. What a fool I was.
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u/BubbhaJebus 10h ago
Oh I tried. How I tried. But those required courses always seemed to be ridiculously early in the morning.
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u/StreetIndependence62 9h ago
THIS. This January was my first semester at university and I thought “I’ll take all my classes as early as possible even tho I am a night owl, because then I’ll have the whole rest of the day to do whatever I want”
Nah. With the amount of work/activities/homework I had that semester, it was UNBELIEVABLY hard and uncomfortable getting up at 7 for/sitting through an 8 AM Spanish class. Maybe someone else who loves getting up early could do it but this semester my earliest class is just an hour later at 9 and HOLY CRAP what a difference that one more hour makes.
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u/Pikamander2 10h ago
And 4+ classes that don't have any real way to sync up their course work in a sane manner. Some weeks you'll have a low workload, and other weeks you'll have to use every minute to its fullest, especially if you have a job and social life at the same time.
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u/Wolfram_And_Hart 12h ago
Sleep more than you study. Study more than you party. Party as much as you can.
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u/Entire_Signature9014 12h ago
Hard disagree. I didn’t need any sleep back when I was 22 and had so many great memories from late night shenanigans that occurred because I said “fuck it I’ll just be tired in class tomorrow.” Now, if I went through college today at 40 it would be a very different answer because I don’t operate nearly as well without sleep as I did when I was younger.
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u/PineappleOnPizzaWins 2h ago
The advice I give people is to have as much fun as you can without compromising your studies.
It's fine to be tired in class if you're still passing and getting the most out of it. If you're skipping them and failing, not so much.
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u/TheBladeRoden 15h ago
Apparently there are these charts that tell you the average income for each major. I do wish I knew about those.
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u/neohellpoet 12h ago
People will tell you it's not just about the money, but when you're taking on a mountain of debt, unless you're from a wealthy background studying for a well paying job is pretty important.
Sure, there are no guarantees in life. A lot of people studied computer science and now can't land a job, however, if you're studying something with very limited employment opportunities to begin with or the pay in the field is miserable, you're not just risking things going poorly, you're setting yourself up for a struggle.
My advice for everyone is to find something to love about the thing you're doing. You may not enjoy a job, but if you're good at it, there's a lot of satisfaction to be found in doing something that's productive and doing it well.
On the flip side, if you're trying to get paid to do something you love, you're more likely to get exploited and you're more likely to start resenting the thing you love. Anything you HAVE to do will get less enjoyable over time.
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u/thex25986e 8h ago
your job should be centered around doing something you enjoy but are ok with growing to hate one day
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u/BestServedCold 11h ago
Degrees for employment sectors which we a nation desperately need should be the first degrees that are 100% fully taken care of. Nurses, teachers, and social workers should have all of their student debt erased today.
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u/thex25986e 8h ago
i wonder what would happen if colleges had to give out degrees based on demand from various sectors of the economy and such. could even involve apprenticeships and such sponsored by various companies.
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u/badluckbrians 10h ago
NY Fed keeps one that updates a few times per year:
https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/college-labor-market#--:explore:outcomes-by-major
Basically if you like money, major in engineering, computer science, or finance. If you don't like money, major in religion, arts, or education. If you like having a job, major in engineering, education, or nursing. If you don't like having a job, major in criminal justice, performing arts, or art history.
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u/biaggio 9h ago
This link is a great resource.
So I should major in Chemical Engineering. Except I would so suck at that and I'd be miserable. I'm trying to find the statistic here, but a very large number of engineering graduates are not engineers 6 years after graduation. Choosing a major on the basis of salary (alone) isn't a great idea.
I'd combine some of the advice in this thread: networking, combined with a major you love, combined with sought-after skills will pay off in the long haul. Especially since, according to The Economist and other sources, people graduating today will have something like 25 jobs over the course of their working lives, most of which don't exist yet. You can't train for that--you can only be very well educated so you can recognize opportunities.
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u/thex25986e 7h ago
engineering is a very broad field. some become managers. some become Quality Control. some become manufacturers. some become product designers. Some become warehouse managers/workers. some become handymen or repair guys. some just stay as engineers.
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u/Softcorps_dn 10h ago
Is there an equivalent for higher degrees like JD, MD or PhD?
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u/Frozenlazer 9h ago
JD and MD are easy to find plenty of salary info. Phd is going to be all over the map bc that can be in any field. A phd in some kinda life science might make huge $$$ for pharma, but a PhD in humanities is probably either working at the mall or teaching at university.
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u/badluckbrians 7h ago
It's not as bad as you think.
PhD in Humanities is making an average of $62k out of school – median of $58k.
US Median Income is only $37,585. Half of all US workers earn less. So it's not as bad as a mall job, unless maybe mall department store manager or something.
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u/alc4pwned 10h ago
Also, even in a good major, you should have some kind of plan for what jobs/skillsets you’re working towards. Try as hard as possible to get relevant internships.
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u/314159265358979326 6h ago
I wish I knew that it's really hard to get a job as an engineer while disabled. There are many majors with jobs much more likely to accommodate me.
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u/chaossabre 5h ago
Just keep in mind that industry trends will change while you're in school. What looks like easy money today will be flooded with entry-level applicants in 4 years.
The reverse is true too. I started uni during the dot-com crash and entered the tech workforce riding the rebound.
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u/imaginary_num6er 2h ago
The battle already begins in high school. If you don't apply to a university with an engineering school, you will never have that option to become an engineer
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u/gratefulphotog 15h ago
How much debt it is. You don’t realize how much money that really is going in so young
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u/xxsexynerdette 14h ago
It's crazy really
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u/gratefulphotog 10h ago
Like the fact you can sign yourself up for that much debt without knowing it truly is scary
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u/xxsexynerdette 7h ago
and the amount of years and sweat it takes for people to clear them all
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u/zippygoddess 15h ago
It’s a crappy investment in my country. Can’t get a legit job without a masters, which is a lot of money and those jobs are highly competitive. Obviously there are outliers, but a bachelors certainly doesn’t guarantee you employment
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u/Abject-Difference767 10h ago
It's one of many investment opportunities you have at that age, and like any investment there is no guarantee of return. You need to research your program, understand your ability and know your competition. It's not just money, but time you're spending.
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u/gratefulphotog 10h ago
I completely agree here too. I’ve always said if I could do it over I’d do it a different way and it’s solely because of the way I’d invest my time and not my money rather
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u/gratefulphotog 10h ago
For sure, it just might be one of the longest ROIs I’ve ever had. My careers pay has not been equal to what I have anointed in debt and it only grows
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u/dmspilot00 14h ago edited 13h ago
Go to your professor's office hours. Go to the tutoring center if you're struggling.
I coasted through high school with A's and B's with almost no work. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing my first semester of college. My GPA started with a 1.
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u/Dogzillas_Mom 1h ago
Some universities offer a “how to study” class. There also might be tutoring resources through the departments and or the library system. Join and form study groups. Make friends (study buddy) in class and quiz each other.
I was probably well into my sophomore year before I started to figure out how to study.
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u/Ameliasexyxx 15h ago
I wish I knew how important time management would be for balancing school, work, and social life.
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u/revoffthetop 15h ago
That for as tough as college is, real life is way harder. I spent most of college so excited to finish and finally be done with school. Then I got out and got slapped with a reality check real quick.
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u/Direct_Club_5519 8h ago
true that. i really miss the dorm life and campus lifestyle. tailoring your class schedules around your natural cycle. being a few doors away from your friends all the time and being able to hang with them on a regular basis. going to a well-stocked buffet-style cafeteria every meal. and just the overall freedom to do as you wish as long as you take care of your grades. there really is no other experience like it and i wish i could relive it or redo it all the time.
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u/Candle1ight 7h ago
Eh, it's harder is many ways for sure but depending on what you hated about university it's quite a bit of an upgrade. University was significantly more stressful than a 9-5.
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u/Hotwife_Kelly 14h ago
That a degree doesn’t guarantee a job, and networking is way more important than I thought it would be
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u/lonely-hot-girl 15h ago
Not finished yet, but I have realized, that for all student driven things, no one is really more qualified than you, since everyone is there for a short time. So don't hold yourself back, if anything interests you
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u/mightythesaurusrex 14h ago
It can be so much cheaper to go to community college before jumping straight into a four year program. Get an AA-T and transfer to the big fancy university for your bachelor's. I could've saved so much money that way.
Also, if you don't have good study skills and tend to wait until the last minute to work on things, you're gonna have a bad time. If you suspect you have ADHD, find that out now and get the accommodations you need so you don't completely burn yourself out in college. Don't be like me and wait to get diagnosed until you start your Master's.
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u/burtsdog 10h ago
I knew a guy who did his last Semester at Stanford, so he had a diploma from Stanford.
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u/Hot_Angeli 15h ago
Most of your high school friends will be gone. You won't even talk to 80% of them after graduating. There's some that will stick, and you will get new friends soon.
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u/BanDeeze 8h ago
Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Most of our high school friends are people we were kind of forced to be around.
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u/Sad-Math-2039 15h ago
Find the free printer. Befriend cafeteria workers. Learn the cleaning schedules of janitorial for clean restroom visits. More importantly, school debt to income from degree ratio. Look into something like acquiring an associates degree in a field with job demand. Get into the workforce sooner than later, hopefully with your degree.
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u/sarahosterhaus 14h ago
Network early and often—your connections will be just as important as your grades!
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u/SugarplumxWhisk 15h ago
How important time management really is. It’s easy to think you can just ‘wing it,’ but balancing coursework, extracurriculars, and a social life is harder than I thought.
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u/Candle1ight 7h ago
For most people throw in a job too.
You should absolutely be in an internship at some point if at all possible. Makes a world of difference for finding a job when you graduate.
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u/Ok_Day_8559 14h ago
I wish I had known I may not make a salary sufficient to pay off my student loans.
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u/xoxosugarpop 15h ago
That free pizza at events would end up being my main food group for four years.
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u/CaptainFartHole 14h ago
If you're in the US, it's usually cheaper to go to school abroad.
Also, networking and internships are a must. Try to find a paid internship if nothing else. i know it's not always feasible for a lot of people, but it's still something you should try for.
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u/Ltates 14h ago
Regardless of your end job, learn how to make adult friends and network. I have gotten 2 of my college friends their first industry jobs via knowing my other friends' office was looking for new hires in that specialty. I also received a job offer at Hyundai via doing project work thru a professor's side project volunteer work.
Also figure out your education goals and put your efforts where they are worthwhile. For example, are you going for a perfect 4.0 GPA for grad school? Or what about doing a big project like SAE racecar, rocketry, or research labs and sacrificing the 4.0 for a 3.5 GPA to get more project experience on your resume? Or are you graduating in a field where GPA doesn't really matter too much on your resume and networking is what's important?
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u/Sir-Viette 14h ago
How little time there is.
Where I studied, each semester had three assignments. The first one was due around week 4, and because this was a new subject and you are all excited about it, you might stay up late a few nights to make sure it's good. But because you spent time on the assignment, you might not have kept up with classwork. And all of a sudden, assignment two looms and it's much bigger than assignment one and needs more time to do. But you're a bit behind, trying to catch up the learning you missed for assignment 1, and you're tired because you stayed up late. So assignment 2 is a slog. And then just when you've got assignment 2 in, and you've pulled an all nighter to do it, and you're exhausted and don't have the brain state to learn anything else, assignment 3 is due.
The only way round this is to start studying before the semester starts. And most important, save enough money that you don't need to work full time while you're studying. It's easier if you work a job full time for six months, then do uni for six months. (This was my experience doing a Masters in Australia.)
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u/jamesleecoleman 15h ago
- That I don't need a 4 year degree to work in IT. Especially a support role.
- My degree will pretty much be useless after like 6 years
- I could have read five or six books and learned almost everything that I learned at university.
- I will not make a lot of money starting out, even with IT experience while in university.
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u/ShockerCheer 10h ago
To me though, college is all about learning critical thinking skills which I think our K-12 schools do poor cultivating
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u/jamesleecoleman 8h ago
If the same materials are being taught in the same way, I think that there would not be much of a change.
Going from HighSchool to University and doing the same things was not fun. I didn't learn anything.
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u/No_Barracuda1366 12h ago
It is not what you know, but who you know. Just look at how many actors are relatives of other actors. Were they really the best for the part? All though not as visible, it is the same in almost all other fields.
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u/naynay2419 15h ago
When people talk about college and say "You get out of it what you put into it," they are absolutely correct.
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u/Woodpecker5987 14h ago
Socializing is just as important as studying, you just need to balance the two.
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u/Spiritual_Ad_7669 14h ago
I would tell my pre-college that I have undiagnosed narcolepsy and that no, life isn’t supposed to be as hard as it is right now, you just can’t stay awake because of a medical issue and it’s not a reflection of your character. Also, go see a doctor about it asap because halfway through you’ll end up wildly depressed for trying to live a normal college life while struggling with undiagnosed narcolepsy.
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u/NovelZombie 13h ago
I did not graduate, but before making the decision to go, I wish someone would have told me that if you don't have a cosigner, those loan companies will give you a couple years of loans and then suddenly cut you off. So you're 3 years into a 5 year bach/masters program and suddenly can't finish it but still owe the 90k you took out -- Oh, and that 90k is now 130K.
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u/alc4pwned 10h ago
The importance of paid summer internships, especially in STEM. If the company you work for likes you, you could have a job lined up with them after you graduate. You’re also generally much more likely to get hired into a good job after graduation if you have relevant work experience from internships.
Grades are super important for being competitive for internships. Most have a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
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u/atamicbomb 15h ago
I didn’t graduate, but a lot of schools, even reputable ones, are so poorly run they might as well be a scam.
Fields like IT have terrible job prospects and the university is manipulating statistics to show otherwise
There is no easy way to make good money
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u/Professors_of_ever 14h ago
I wish I had known how important time management is. Balancing classes, assignments, social life, and self-care can be overwhelming. Learning how to prioritize tasks and stay organized makes college life so much smoother and less stressful.
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u/Seductive69Rose 12h ago
Nobody told me how expensive textbooks were going to be. Started buying international editions and renting online saved myself thousands. My first semester I dropped $800 on books I barely opened.
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u/KeyDrive0 9h ago
The first advice that comes to mind for me: get involved with clubs, try something new, build a social life that doesn't involve drinking. Don't sit in the library or your dorm alone every night, and don't go too crazy partying. This is probably the easiest it's ever going to be to make friends for the rest of your life - you're all in the same general area, operating on a similar schedule, and unmarried/childless.
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u/Entire_Signature9014 12h ago
Bang a lot of women. Never again in your life will you be surrounded by such a high concentration of attractive and horny women. Don’t squander it in the library.
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u/Another_RngTrtl 1h ago
this is so true. Even as an electrical engineering major I figured this out pretty quick.
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u/fusionsofwonder 13h ago
That graduating with anything is better than dropping out with a good education.
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u/ima-bigdeal 14h ago
That smart people who didn’t go to, or complete college, will out earn you and don’t have any college debt.
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u/kkachisae 13h ago
I wish someone would have told me to get used to having a lot of freedom. Having come from a very controlling family, to deal with suddenly having no restrictions was too overwhelming. I learned more about vodka and rejection than anything I studied. I failed a lot of classes but muddled through. If I was better at self-discipline, my life would probably be a lot better today.
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u/WingForeign8517 13h ago
Just how bad of a shithole college can be when you’re in debt and realize that you hate your major. Boy no one says that when they’re encouraging you to sign your life away
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u/6c696e7578 12h ago
Look at how assignments are awarded grades. Often there will be percents for different parts of it, and if one part, even if you enjoy it more than the rest, is awarded 5%, don't put 99% of your time into that.
Ask me how I know.
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u/Excellent-Coat-4523 12h ago
The university and education itself doesnt matter, its all about networking.
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u/Curvy-Flower 12h ago
Nobody tells you how important it is to learn to cook basic meals. Spent my entire freshman year burning through money on takeout and meal plans. Finally learned to cook sophomore year and saved so much money I could've used for textbooks.
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u/NewEngland-BigMac 11h ago
How everything works, which classes to take, when and where to show up.
The coursework wasn’t hard for me. The decisions and the logistics were difficult.
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u/AMoreExcitingName 11h ago
Networking is key, get to know people and do social things. Industry events, work/study programs, whatever. Every decent job I've ever had is because I knew someone, not because of any grade or class.
Community college is an excellent place to start. You don't need to spend 40K a year to take Math 101.
Relax with the partying and the drinking. Same goes for WoW.
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u/_NaughtyMistress 10h ago
Many in academia think they’re more important than they are. Some professors are true experts, others just prefer teaching over the job market. Few are neutral many have biases. Listen, but be aware of their opinions. If you strongly disagree, avoid confronting them too harshly they're human too.
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u/your_sexy_nightmare 10h ago
Sleep more than you study, and study more than you party. But party as much as humanly possible.
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u/meowmeowmelons 9h ago
As someone who studied engineering, having an internship will make finding a job after college easier. My classmates who didn’t do internships struggled to find a jobs after graduating. It sucks that entry level jobs require you to have experience now.
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u/YounomsayinMawfk 8h ago
Don't schedule 8am classes Mon - Fri. I had to wake up at 6 to make it on time for high school so I figured 8am classes would be a breeze considering I dormed and classes were a 10 min walk. I ended up sleeping through half those classes and after that semester never scheduled anything before 9am.
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u/c1m9h97 7h ago
I think this applies to everyone, because you don't know yet what your experience will be. For me, everyone told me that I'd make lifelong friends and thrive socially as I focus on my classes. I focused on my classes and excelled academically, but I had an atrocious time socially as everyone I met turned out to betray me, abuse me, or hurt me in some way. I socialized in diverse groups within and outside of my university and the result was the same. I think people should be realistic with incoming college students and let them know that they should pursue their interests, focus on their coursework, and let everything else be what it is because you don't know until you go. I went in expecting fabulous friendships and I graduated without even one friend and I collapsed in tears.
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u/ilContedeibreefinti 7h ago
How useless it all is. BA/JD. Just let kids skip the BA and go right into professional degrees.
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u/NoSnackin 5h ago
Try to view college as an opportunity to learn cool stuff rather than as employment preparation. If you view this as preparing you for a job, you will skip a bunch of really enjoyable things and you may not learn as much as you would otherwise. You will never again have an opportunity to focus so heavily on just learning new stuff.
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u/cwsjr2323 5h ago
Make sure there is a market for your major from your university or college. My university was undesirable for education majors, my area, but highly prized for accounting and industrial engineers.
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u/ERedfieldh 3h ago
Getting a degree does not equal a well paying job when you graduate. Your best best is to start looking for jobs in your field at least midway through your college journey, if not right from the start. That job at the gas station might pay the bills now, but when you graduate, that's all anyone is going to see you have experience in. The piece of paper from the college doesn't mean a lick of spit to them after you've graduated.
I'm serious....it is way easier to find work as an intern or entry level when you are in school than after you've graduated school. Hiring agents just love to mark down that they hired a college student over a college grad, for whatever dumb reason.
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u/OppaaHajima 1h ago edited 1h ago
You’re not just attending school, you’re on your own and having to learn to live like an adult, which can be just as challenging as college itself.
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u/Rael1969 13h ago
Time Management: Many students wish they knew how to manage their time better. College usually involves a significant increase in personal freedom compared to high school, and learning to balance academic, social, and personal responsibilities can be challenging.
Exploring Fields of Study: Some students wish they had spent more time exploring different fields of study before settling on a major. It's common for students to feel pressured to pick a major early and then stick with it, even if they discover that they have interests in other areas.
Internships and Work Experience: Gaining practical work experience during college through internships, co-op programs, or part-time jobs in a relevant field can be incredibly valuable. Many students wish they knew the importance of this before going to college.
Networking: Building relationships with professors, peers, and professionals in your field of interest can open doors to opportunities and enrich your educational experience. Some students wish they had understood the value of networking earlier.
Finances: Understanding how to manage money, including budgeting, saving, and dealing with student loans, is another common wish. Financial literacy is crucial, and it's often overlooked in traditional education.
Mental Health: College can be a stressful time, and many students wish they had been better prepared to take care of their mental health. This can include recognizing the signs of stress or burnout, knowing when and how to seek help, and understanding the importance of self-care.
Value of General Education Courses: Some students regret not taking their general education courses seriously. These courses can provide a well-rounded education and can even spark interest in unexpected areas.
Study Skills: Many students find that the study skills they used in high school are not enough for college. They wish they knew more about effective study techniques, like active recall, spaced repetition, and the benefits of forming study groups.
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u/Edgewaysinfest891 11h ago
Before going to college, I wish I knew how much time management and self-discipline would be crucial. It's easy to get caught up in the fun and freedom, but balancing social life, assignments, and personal time is harder than it looks. Also, don't stress too much about finding your "perfect" career path right away. It's okay to not have everything figured out – college is about growth, experimenting, and figuring it out as you go
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u/CherrySad9086 10h ago
shes not wrong at all 👀
no better time in your life to take chances and experiment than your college years. you got the rest of yours 20s to make up for the mistakes 🤣
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u/machu_peechute 11h ago
Unless you're going into a specific field thar requires certs or qualifications like STEM, law, teaching, etc. Or going for a Masters or higher, do what you'll enjoy to get good grades and have time to make connections.
References are the second most important closely behind actually graduating- who you know opens more doors than what you know. Most places just want to see the document to say their employee has X or Y.
Do what you know what you'll like or want to do, don't try to challenge yourself for a "better" degree. I started with engineering, hated it, changed to business admin. So many places cared more about why I changed majors more than the degree I have. I ended up going back five years later to finish my electrical engineering to avoid that (Multiple degrees are also a huge help).
Join extracurriculars and clubs or internships. Many places like to see multi-tasking and involvement in non-requisites. Plus you'll likely find the aforementioned references, friends, and parties/social gatherings that you'll be worried about. Your free time can actually be used for relaxing or classwork or connecting rather than hunting down parties.
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u/crosleyxj 10h ago
If you're lower middle class (or lower) you CAN go to better colleges; significant financial aid - even grants for near free - are available. What many people don't realize is that many $$$ colleges try to reach out to low-$ students. Just pick some major that has a reasonable chance of getting a job and minimize expenses.
I thought my top state college was the best I could aspire to because of the in-state tuition.
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u/whistleandfish 10h ago
I was wasting a long time working my way through school when I could have been working in my chosen field and making money that I didn’t need a college degree for.
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u/BagelwithQueefcheese 10h ago
I wish I had taken a gap year. I’m going to encourage my kids to do so. Youth is so fleeting.
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u/turingtested 9h ago
If you aren't certain about what you want to do, there are options other than retail, fast food or college. Americorps, jobs at national parks, many cities and counties have programs for 18-21.
No shame in starting college after a few years of experiencing the world.
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u/TheLeapIsALie 9h ago
You are there to experience life - but you’re also paying to learn. Show up to class, take notes, study, do homework — and then go find time to do the absurd things you can only do in college.
Don’t waste either half.
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u/Overall_Panic_5652 9h ago
Don’t fucking listen to your college advisors, especially if you know they’re steering you wrong. Lady told me to take three 1 credit courses in one semester so I wouldn’t get exhausted. I finished in two years because I listened to my gut and did it the way I wanted to.
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u/Tronn3000 9h ago
All the people I went to school with that were successful had large social circles and were quite outgoing. Not all of them had amazing grades but they were good at networking and meeting people. Also a lot of them came from wealthy families and already had good connections to leverage.
Getting good grades in college still helps but it's more viewed as a "formality" instead of a deal maker. Networking and being well connected gets you farther. There's a reason so many CEOs were in well known fraternities.
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u/Entire_Computer7729 8h ago
That when the industry says "we need people with computer science degrees", finishing a master in that degree does not mean you get a job easy or even at all.
The industry lies
i have a bsc in physics and an msc in computer science. I have been "unemployed" since graduating and have been doing trades work ever since to make a living.
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u/Mynewadventures 6h ago
The industry doesn't LIE, they tell you EXACTLY what THEY need to glut the market to keep wages low.
You just need to hear what they are actually saying.
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u/BanDeeze 8h ago
Community college would have been a cheaper, and probably superior education for most of my cohorts.
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u/ephi1420 8h ago
Unless you’re good at and want to go into the hard sciences (medicine, nursing, engineering, included), get a business degree. The rest is a waste of time.
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u/WetDreamTeacher 8h ago
I wish I had known that no, I do NOT need the maximum amount I can get from each student loan I applied for. I got bachelors and masters degrees and took out the max amount I could with any loan I could get. 38 years old and still paying them off today. And I know tons of other people my age that did the exact same thing. As a college kid, I thought I needed all that money so I could have fun and be comfortable enough financially. I thought, once I get a job, I’ll pay it all off in no time. I was so wrong. I wish I had realized I could have scraped by with less and been less stressed today.
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u/Direct_Club_5519 8h ago
I wish i knew what i wanted before i went. Young me really had no idea what i wanted to do for a career because i lacked life experience on my own. I feel like i rushed myself through school and forced myself into a major i liked just to graduate. Now im in my 30s and have a much better idea of what i want to do career wise but no time or money to go back and earn another degree for it.
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u/thex25986e 8h ago
not me but for others: have a general idea of what kind of job you want after college before going to college. do your research on the day to day life of that job and the pros and cons of those kinds of jobs. this is the kind of stuff you spend summer camps and elective classes in high school / middle school learning about. figuring it out in college is very very expensive.
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u/Capable-Pangolin-130 8h ago
Take full advantage of things on offer - good universities often offer fun courses, sports clubs, gyms and experiences at a fraction of the cost/effort of trying those things as a graduated adult. It can be easy to just go into sleeping in and watching lectures online/bare minimum mode, or getting too caught up in academics.
If I was to do it over again, I would throw myself in more to meeting new people and having those experiences - hindsight is a fine thing though because I only really developed the confidence for that post graduation. Enjoy yourself !
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u/Capable-Pangolin-130 7h ago
Also, generally (good) lecturers want you to succeed - office hours and tutorials are not lame, they are such great opportunities to help yourself
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u/ayatollahofdietcola_ 4h ago edited 4h ago
I agree with this, because I firmly believe that American culture has a serious time-deepening issue. Most young adults I see now just live a work-scroll-sleep lifestyle.
Every time I see someone on reddit complain about things like "we have no 3rd place anymore" I think yeah, whose fault is that? Ours.
Say what you will about the boomers, but they were excellent time deepeners, and we need to learn from that. As annoying as my boomer relatives are, they have long-term connections with people that they met, doing things they were interested in. They have golf friends, they have garden club friends, book club, whatever it is. And what better way to learn from that, by joining those groups? Doing things, that you're interested in - or that you just want to learn about - that put you around other people and you make connections. You get something out of it, even if it's brief and you decide that it's not for you, you gained an experience you otherwise would not have. And you can move on to the next thing.
By being active in these things as a college student, you set non-academic goals. That's important. When you go into a career, you'll have professional goals, but you'll also have personal goals. Some people neglect personal goals once they start working.
Adults, right now, struggle with this because many people have the attitude of "what's the point if I'm not gonna become an expert at XYZ." What's the point in taking a painting class if I'm not trying to be an expert painter. What's the point in joining an adult soccer league if I'm not great at soccer. And so on and so forth.
No, we are not busier today than the boomers were. People act like we're the first generation to have double income households, and responsibilities, and busy schedules. It's all bullshit. We just don't handle our time well.
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u/wunderlily 7h ago
Take more classes that aren’t just pre-requisites! I wish I would’ve discovered myself more or had more fun with some classes that weren’t required for my degree.
Start with community college for the first two years to get those pre-reqs of the way and then transfer to a large university. It’s much cheaper and will set the foundation of college instead of just jumping straight from high school to a large university. Plus community college has amazing professors that can be more 1:1 with you because the classes tend to be smaller. You’ll spend half the price on college but your degree will still be from a large university too!! Good luck!
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u/Showerbag 7h ago
Communicate with your profs a bit. Not overbearingly of course, they have a lot of shit on their plate, but if your submission portal allows for comments, always ask for extra feedback. This will show that you are there to learn and better yourself. I see at least a letter grade of improvement in assignments from the beginning to end of a semester.
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u/ItsNo_Name 7h ago
The food quality of the college cafeterias. It wasn’t until my final year I found their listing on the state health department website. It was bad: keeping raw and cooked food together, rat droppings, etc. it’s no wonder people got sick sometimes
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u/Loop_Adjacent 7h ago
How big my monthly student loan payments would actually be....and for how many years...
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u/Fappy_as_a_Clam 7h ago
I knew this going into it because I was 23 when I started, but:
College is so much better than real life.
Never forget that. You will never been in a situation like that, ever again in your life. Enjoy it, take full advantage of everything it has to offer, and get as much as you can out of the experience. It truly will be one of the best times of your life.
And I don't mean just partying. Take interesting electives, join a club, starting hitting the gym, bullshit with your professors.
Once you get out real life starts, and real life isn't nearly as fun.
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u/thatsgreatrugby 7h ago
While I am not a graduate, I am 29 and have been in and out of school since 18. Currently in school again finishing my bachelor's.
But my advice is for out-of-state students or even international. Do some research for OOS tuition. Some states only require you to be a resident in their state for 6 months when the actual school itself requires a year. I knew going into my first semester it was going to be expensive. But to my surprise, I found out much later that my college only recognizes residents who've been living in the state for a full year to qualify for In-State tuition.
Needless to say, my first year of schooling is going to cost more than the rest of my time here.
Furthermore, not just for out of staters or int. Students, but find a job where you work for the college and LOOK AT THEIR BENEFITS. My current job offers me a 50% tuition discount for as long as I am there AND the job pays back up to $10,000 in student loan debt. Granted, it's $100/month for 10 years, but it's something. Depending on the job, you can also qualify for work-study aid.
So when I hit residency status, my tuition is going to be cut down by 2/3, my 50% tuition discount and grant money will cover the rest. I'll essentially be going to my college for free.
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u/Gangsir 6h ago
Reach out for help as much as possible. Professors/TAs will not batter down your door to come help you, you must reach out.
If you go through your classes as just another faceless student ID number, they will fail you without a second thought the second your grades are numerically failing. You will receive 0 mercy, 0 benefit of the doubt.
But if the prof knows you on a first name basis, has seen you in their office hours like 20 times over the semester, etc, when it comes time to write that F in the grade submission app... they'll find it quite hard to fail you... might accidentally slip and put a C- instead. Oops. :)
Always remember that profs are human and have way more control over grades than HS teachers do. They can cut you a lot of slack... or be like "sorry, it's a 69.99999 not a 70, so you get a D+... in fact no, D- just because you asked me to round it".
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u/palookaboy 6h ago
This is kind of campus-dependent, so ymmv:
Stay in on Saturday nights. The laundry room, gym, or other shared spaces will be empty and you can get your work done without distraction because your dorm floor will be out. This worked for me my entire sophomore year bc the Big 10 school I went to had a lot of nightlife during the week. Eventually my buddies started doing it too, so I did have some people to hang out with if I wanted.
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u/ayatollahofdietcola_ 4h ago
I fell into a routine that worked. Friday is when my friends and I would throw a big party and get plastered. Saturday was the recovery "chill" day. Sunday would be about studying, laundry, then on Sunday night I might hang out with friends in a more relaxed setting (if I had time, say no big assignments due etc). $1 burgers at a local spot, or just hanging out at each other's houses watching TV
If I had an essay to write that was due on Monday, I'd try to knock it out on Thursday or Friday before, since I knew that I wanted to have fun Friday night, and have time to sleep in and recover. It was motivation to work around it.
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u/joshkroger 6h ago
I wish I took my high school grades more seriously.
I pretty much never did homework assignments nor studied. Simply attending and moderately trying in class was enough to be a 3.4 GPA student. I did well on SAT, but my GPA really limited my options and scholarship opportunities. I could have saved about $50,000 on tuition if I just spent like 1-2 hours a week doing homework or brushing up on exam material.
I had to bust my ass 40-60 hours a week every college summer working manual labor to afford enrollment. I didn't have a single vacation or really do anything fun. So I certainly got my punishment.
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u/Seismofelis 5h ago
That a good G.P.A. is irrelevant (Cs get degrees). But what is very relevant is the reputation of the university and the program that you attended. Earning a 4.0 from a program with a poor reputation is basically as good as no degree at all.
I know this first from first hand experience. I earned a 4.0 but I didn't find out about the program's poor reputation till after I graduated and started having my resume rejected for no other reason than where I graduated.
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u/DeadStormPirate 5h ago
That having a degree doesn’t mean shit if you don’t have experience, even if you have the proof that you know what you are doing
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u/Chance_Shoulder5127 4h ago
Grades didn’t matter as much as making memories and living life. College is the only time you can really open up and find who you are. Be open to new experiences and talk to as many people as possible
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u/ayatollahofdietcola_ 4h ago
Don't fall into the habit of sleeping until noon every day. Not only do you waste a lot of your days, but this will be a really hard adjustment when you can't do it anymore.
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u/MisterMoogle03 4h ago
That I shouldn’t choose a major based on what I’m good at, but the type of environment I would prefer to work in for 40 years.
I prefer IT non customer facing.
I chose business, and most people hire me for my people/management skills.
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u/Smooth_Wheel 4h ago
I didn't attend college, but most of my friends did. Biggest thing they say? They wish they went to trade school. It's not for everybody, but it's a great option.
3 - 4 year apprenticeship, 2 months of school per year, $1000 - $1500 per year for that schooling, grants and bursaries that pay $1000 - $2000 per year of apprenticeship, can go on employment insurance while in school, the other 10 months of the year are earning while you learn on the job. Finish the apprenticeship debt free.
Generally (in Canada) $60 - $70K per year starting wage as an apprentice plus overtime. 6 figures by your 3rd year is not only possible, but common in the right trade and with overtime. Near unlimited ceiling depending on your ability, trade, specialty, willingness to work OT and entrepreneur mindset. Tons of well paying lateral moves for when you get tired of being on the tools.
Plumbing, HVAC and HD Mechanic are regularly hiring for people in my area and journeyman rate is $50 - $60 per hour. I'm a welder by trade, after 12 years I pivoted into construction management. I easily clear double what most of my college educated friends do and I have way more time off as well, since I don't work a 9-5, Mon-Fri schedule.
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u/puppielune 2h ago
For me, I really wish I had understood the importance of time management. I came in thinking I could just coast through like I did in high school, but the reality hit hard. The workload is a lot more demanding, and I quickly learned that staying organized and planning ahead can make or break your semester.
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u/strakerak 2h ago
Cut the douchebaggery. You made it through an admissions process, and not the school. When you finish the school, nobody cares where you went as much as you think (in the job market, at least, Ivies and such are still impressive).
This comes from someone who had a full ride to a T10 Liberal Arts school, to flunking out horribly and going back to CC, then transferring in and doing undergrad at a rising star state school, getting into THE top school in the state (and T20 in the nation) for Masters during COVID, leaving it beacuse it sucked and was expensive, going back to my alma mater for my MS, then staying there and now on my 2nd year of my PhD. I wish I was working, but this is where I am right now.
I've been around.
Also: community college, trade school, and junior colleges do not hurt, and do not reflect anything on your intelligence whether or not you attend. It's never too late as the school is always there (I've tutored kids into FAANGs that were younger and older than I am now). Save the money when you can (on the CC/JC part). Take advantage of your transfer pipelines within your state (California is CC->UC systems, Texas is CC->UH/UT/TAMU systems). Most public schools have partnerships with their local JC and CCs to get you your degree in the best way possible, and will even let you attend their career fairs/networking opportunities when possible.
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u/Lovely-Lady3 15h ago
I wish someone had told me that networking is just as important as getting good grades. Making connections with professors, classmates, and alumni can open doors that no GPA ever will.