Admissions

Look for scholarships online, stick with a work study job if you get one, be prepared to read, & don't worry- this school is extremely balanced in terms of work/fun.

If you plan on attending Southwestern, I would suggest you have an idea of what you want to accomplish. You don't have to pick your major until your junior year, but it's ideal to have a general direction on which you would like to travel. Join academic clubs, play sports, and participate in intramurals, for these things can help you decide where you want to go in your life and aide in making life-long friendships. Southwestern is a very small school but the experiences you have here will be better than most any other college. As a small school, students are able to have strong one-on-one relationships with professors, easy access to career services, and many friends who will stick by you through thick and thin. If I had to pick one valuable life lesson that I have learned while attending my first year at this University, it would be that who you know out reaches what you know. Don't hesitate to talk to career services or to alumni; they know most about how to succeed in what they do. And most of all, students at Southwestern party hard, play hard, and study hard. We know that stress is not the only key to success.

Try to earn as many outside scholarships as possible. Always be friendly to the staff, and try to get to know them as well. They can help when problems come up.
Listen to the tour of the library at the beginning of the year; that place is priceless during midterms and finals.

Time management skills are absolutely necessary. There is time for job, school and friends, but only if you can manage your studies in your off time and understand your learning well enough to know how many hours of continuous writing or studying you need to accomplish before a due date or testing date. Also, have a study place that you really enjoy, but can usually be gentle and without distraction. A place outside can be really good. Fresh air helps you to enjoy your studies, and nature can either be a beautiful background image or a way for your mind to rest when you get stuck.

Make sure you have support and have fun!!! Feel free find me on Facebook for more tips.

Be aware of your money. People come out of this school with a LOT of loans if they're not careful. Be on the lookout for scholarships at all times, and work study is a great idea (depending on where you get it). I would suggest relying as little as possible on financial aid - pay as much out of pocket as you can for books, supplies, food, etc., and leave the fin aid for tuition and housing. This will save you money in the long run.

Also, breaking any procrastination habits would be very helpful to your workload, and learn to cook - the cafeteria staff are awesome, but the food... not so much.

When moving in be sure to communicate with your roommate to figure out what you are going to bring and what you will need. Don't over pack because moving each year will become hectic. When applying for a job on campus make sure to go and talk with the bosses early because a lot of students want jobs on campus. If you have bike you should bring it with you because even though the campus has Pirate Bikes they are not always around, and it allows you to jet to class if you need to (I'm not a morning person).