1. Of all the requirements for a successful college career, especially freshman year, brains are fairly low on the list.  There are several things that are much more important.  I am going to classify them into two areas: where and who to go to for help and study skills.

HELP! Almost every college today have "labs" (help rooms) for most major courses.  Grad students will help you understand assignments, point you in the right direction, and help, to a degree, with actually doing assignments.  Find out where these labs are and what hours they are open; visit them frequently.  Next, professors have to post office hours; go and ask for help if you need it.  Some will even glance at a paper if you have it early.  Third, buy the software that will automatically format your paper into the proper style, works cited pages, parenthetical documentation, inches from the top, everything.  It will save you a great deal of work and help your grades. Some come in software and as downloads; get both.  If you get only one, get the software in case your hard drive crashes or your laptop is stolen. eBay sells many of these. LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT! Go to the library and find the reference room.  Sit down and watch the reference librarians until you find one who actually helps people.  Go to that person and tell him/her that you have been told that reference librarians are the most important people on campus.  They know where all the information is and how to get it-quickly.  They can turn a research paper into a minor annoyance rather than a hard, challenging assisgnment in the blink of an eye.

Study Skills: First, ask yourself, "Do I get the same grades in math and science as I do in English and social studies with the same amount of effort?"  Most people don't.  But the college wants to budget for GTA's and classroom space, and all the details of labs and hours.  You want to have a good first year.  When you sign up for first semester courses, take only those you do well.  They will lie to you and say you have to take one science, one math, one English, one social studies, etc.  They will tell you to get these courses out of the way.  Then they will sign you up for a typical high school year except at light speed and with no one looking over your work every day to help you in the rough subjects.  Take what will get you the best GPA while you get adjusted to college.  DO THIS!!  It's impoprtant and it really works.  Next, start assignments the day you get them. Period.  Or you will already be behind.  Never hand in anything late.  Find a place and time to study- really study, not just sit and shoot the breeze- and go there every day.  Use the textbook; there's a reason it has colors and bold letters and bullets; the authors are saying,"Here's the outline of this material and what's important."  Many of them sell software to make tests based on the text that the professors use. You can find study guides for almost any subject on eBay.

Finally, do the work every day, ask for help, and be organized.  If your freshman year is good and you have good grades, the rest is much easier.  After all, how many of you would like to re-do your high school freshman year for the grades?