The Foreign Service Journal, June 2017

66 JUNE 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Plan Your Academics Academics are at the core of the college experience, and while TCKs are typically academically successful, these tips can help make the first semester truly great. Enjoy exploring. Most colleges have an exploratory or undecided option for a good reason: many 18-year-olds are still unsure of what they want to study. Academic advisers will assist students in scheduling their first semester while at orientation and even recommend cam- pus-related opportunities to help students in their exploration of various majors. Apply for academic opportunities. College acceptance letters are just the beginning of the process. Students are encouraged to apply for further academic opportunities such as honors programs, department fellowships, scholarship programs, research assistantships and summer transition programs. These programs typically have an aca- demic focus, and many include benefits such as small scholarships or stipends, one-on-one mentoring and individual- ized college planning. Scheduling courses and understand- ing “free time.” The life of a TCK can be very structured and rigid, while college can seem flexible. Understanding course work requirements—the general rule of thumb is that an hour in class requires three hours of outside work—and other commitments is important. Dr. Wood recommends students schedule their college time wisely, because in college, “life is not structured for you.” Chen suggests students under- stand that academic schedules do not always align with athletics or other com- mitments, which can shorten holiday or summer breaks. College success seminars. Students should register for a First Year seminar or College Success class. These one-credit