U101: Understanding College and College Life from Coursera

College can be confusing and intimidating, but U101 can help. If you were just admitted to college and are nervous about what the next step in life might look like, this course is for you. If you are the parent of a newly admitted college student and curious about what college life is like, this course is also for you.

While your specific college will, no doubt, provide additional orientation material, we wanted to give some basic information about what life might be like at a large American University. You might be years away from college or enrolled right now; either way, U101 has some excellent advice from college students, professors, administrators, and staff.

At the conclusion of the course, learners should:

1. Understand the basics of how colleges and universities operate.

2. Identify and describe what faculty are looking for in college-level academic work.

3. List some effective study strategies.

4. Identify some strategies for exploring and selecting a major.

5. Identify the various types of grants and scholarships available and describe the steps involved in applying to these.

6. Discuss the college life, with special attention to the benefits/limitations of living on or off campus.

7. Identify some strategies for getting the most out of campus life activities (investigating student clubs, fraternities, sororities, etc.).

The course is divided into 4 weeks/8 lessons, which provide an overview of the different aspects of college life. If you were just watching the videos and looking at some of the links, the whole course would take about 4-5 hours.

Week 1

Lesson 1. Welcome to U101!

Lesson 2. Understanding the Nature of College

Week 2

Lesson 3. Succeeding as a Student

Lesson 4. Building Your Major

Week 3

Lesson 5. Financing Your Education

Lesson 6. Living On and Off Campus

Week 4

Lesson 7. Getting Involved in Campus Life

Lesson 8. Conclusion

Please join us for a short exploration of modern American Colleges. Hopefully, this course can help demystify your upcoming college experience.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to U101!

Welcome to University 101. This short course will help you get the most out of your college experience. We want to help incoming undergraduates understand their universities. This opening module lays out what the course is and how you will navigate this online space.

Understanding the Nature of College

Now that we have discussed the basic approach in this course, we can dive into the material. A good place to start would be understanding how the university operates. Modern universities are large, complex organizations employing thousands of different teaching and researching faculty, all of who have slightly different roles. College isn’t simply larger than high school, it is structured differently.

Succeeding as a Student

You’re coming to college to get an education. Classes will take up a significant amount of your time, so we should discuss some strategies for success. As discussed in the last module, high school differs significantly from college. Incoming freshmen are often most worried about the classes. You have much more flexible time, but that time needs to be filled with self-directed study. In this unit, we’ll talk a bit about how understanding these classes and studying effectively for them.

Building Your Education

One of your big questions at college is, “What should I major in?” This module will tackle this question head on. In all honesty, what you major in matters less than how you prepare yourself to be an expert in an area. This requires you to move beyond simply your major and take ownership of your intellectual and professional development during your college years.

Financing Your Education

Paying for college is a challenge. This module will talk about some strategies for budgeting your money while at college and all the options available to you for funding. There are so many different resources out there to help you pay for college. Regrettably, these are so broad that students remain unaware of them. This module should direct you to some of the most fruitful areas for finding funding.

Living On and Off Campus

Are you going to live on-campus or off? There are strengths and benefits to doing both. This module will talk to some students about their experiences living on and off campus. Wherever you live while at college, odds are that you will experience homesickness at some point. This is entirely natural. We’ll talk a bit about why this happens and identify a few strategies for effectively dealing with homesickness.

Getting Involved in Campus Life

Going to your classes is probably the most important thing you’ll do during your time here. But it won’t be the only thing. Campus clubs and groups offer you a great opportunity to experience new things and ideas during your time here. They can introduce you to lifelong friends and enrich your education in untold ways. This module will talk about some options for getting involved in campus life.

Conclusion

Here we are at the end of this online orientation. Thank you for participating. This module will recap the key themes from the course and help you figure out what to do next as you prepare to enroll in college. Good Luck!

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores the essentials of college life at a large American university, which is helpful for new students and their parents

Taught by Dr. Matt McGarrity, who is an experienced First Year Programs instructor

Teaches core skills, such as budgeting, time management, and navigating campus resources, which are essential for a successful college experience

Provides comprehensive coverage of topics like choosing a major, finding funding, and balancing academic and social life, which are important aspects of college

Requires students to have a high level of self-motivation and time-management skills, which may not be suitable for all learners

The course is limited to introducing students to different aspects of college life rather than providing specialized knowledge or skills

Reviews summary

Excellent college intro course

Learners say U101: Understanding College and College Life is a largely positive introductory course for students and provides engaging assignments with a well received focus on studying at college. Reviews praise in-depth lectures about the tools, resources, and upcoming challenges students can expect. The course also covers how and where to find financial aid at American universities.

Discusses financial aid options for students.

"It's really helpful for Undergrats to know more about University. Especially for students who wants to know how to use the resources or financial aid."

"It is a course about how a american university works. How to apply, how is the life in campuses, how to manage money and others matters are in the course."

Provides insights into life at university.

"Great Course for students"

"A great introduction course for university life and I had gain a lot of ideas and picture about college and universities."

Informative lectures on college tools and resources.

"A great course with the right tools to start the student life at college"

"this course is amazing in case of handle the situation arising in college life"

"This is a wonderful course with in-depth guidelines. It will be very beneficial for anyone going to college, university, or already in there."

Offers engaging and informative assignments.

"I thought this course was excellent. If you are starting out in college, this course is for you."

"I thought it was really useful for anyone who is preparing to go to school or is already there but maybe having a tough time figuring out how college works."

"Actually, am currently an under graduate students. I joined this course by the title , but the course shows an awreness program to the first year grad ..but after that the course shows to maximize your potential and enjoy your academics and involve in many activities and build connections... its a good course .and also it gives good information for people who pursuing degree in abroad..appreciate your time and effort ...Thank u "

Provides a thorough overview of college life.

"It was a great introduction to college and college life. I enjoyed taking this course."

"This Course has helped me get a clear understanding about College life in American Universities."

"I think is the good aspect to share with student who is the freshman to college. In this class, you can get lots of information and it is really useful if you want to know how to enjoy your college life!"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in U101: Understanding College and College Life with these activities:

Watch video tutorials on college success and time management

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Learn from experts about strategies for success in college, including time management, study habits, and test-taking skills.

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Search for video tutorials on college success and time management on platforms like YouTube or Coursera.
Watch the tutorials and take notes on the key points.
Implement the strategies you learn into your own study routine.

Read 'Modern American College' by Jacob Karmel

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Start your college path off right by learning more about the current state of higher education in the United States and how to get the most out of your experience.

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Purchase and obtain a copy of 'Modern American College' by Jacob Karmel.
Set a realistic reading schedule for yourself and begin reading the book.
Take notes on important passages and concepts.
Discuss the book's contents with friends, family, or classmates.

Join a study group to discuss course materials

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Enhance your understanding of the course material by discussing it with other students who are also taking the course.

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Reach out to classmates and see if anyone is interested in forming a study group.
Decide on a regular meeting time and location.
Come to each meeting prepared to discuss the assigned material.

Show all three activities

Career center

Learners who complete U101: Understanding College and College Life will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Financial Aid Counselor

Financial aid counselors help students find and apply for financial aid. Responsibilities may include advising students on financial aid options, completing financial aid applications, and packaging financial aid awards. This course would be helpful for a financial aid counselor because it provides an overview of the different types of financial aid available to students. This knowledge would be valuable for a financial aid counselor, who needs to be able to provide students with information about financial aid.

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Academic Advisor

Academic advisors help students plan their academic programs. Responsibilities may include advising students on course selection, major selection, and career planning. This course would be helpful for an academic advisor because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for an academic advisor, who needs to be able to provide students with information about the college.

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Admissions Counselor

Admissions counselors help students apply to college. Responsibilities may include evaluating applications, conducting interviews, and providing information about the college. This course would be helpful for an admissions counselor because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for an admissions counselor, who needs to be able to provide students with information about the college.

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College Professor

College professors teach and research at colleges and universities. Responsibilities may include teaching classes, conducting research, and advising students. This course would be helpful for a college professor because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a college professor, who needs to be able to understand the needs of students.

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Career Counselor

Career counselors help people find and get jobs. Responsibilities may include providing career counseling, writing resumes and cover letters, and conducting job search workshops. This course would be helpful for a career counselor because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a career counselor, who needs to be able to provide clients with information about college.

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College Career Counselor

This course is designed to provide an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a college career counselor, who needs to be able to advise students on all aspects of their college experience. The course covers a wide range of topics, including how to succeed in college, how to choose a major, and how to get involved in campus life. This information would be helpful for a college career counselor, who needs to be able to provide students with guidance on how to make the most of their college experience.

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Higher Education Administrator

Higher education administrators oversee the day-to-day operations of colleges and universities. Responsibilities may include managing the budget, overseeing academic programs, and providing support to students and faculty. This course would be helpful for a higher education administrator because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a higher education administrator, who needs to be able to understand the needs of students and faculty.

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Instructional Designer

Instructional designers develop and deliver educational materials. Responsibilities may include creating online courses, designing training programs, and developing multimedia presentations. This course would be helpful for an instructional designer because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including student learning, faculty development, and institutional effectiveness. This knowledge would be valuable for an instructional designer, who needs to be able to understand the different factors that affect college students.

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Student Affairs Professional

Student affairs professionals provide support to students outside of the classroom. Responsibilities may include advising students on academic and personal matters, managing student activities, and providing counseling services. This course would be helpful for a student affairs professional because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a student affairs professional, who needs to be able to understand the needs of students.

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Education Policy Analyst

Education policy analysts study and evaluate education policies. Responsibilities may include analyzing data, writing reports, and making recommendations to policymakers. This course would be helpful for an education policy analyst because it provides an overview of the different aspects of higher education, including student success, faculty development, and institutional effectiveness. This knowledge would be valuable for an education policy analyst, who needs to be able to understand the different factors that affect higher education.

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Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialists manage the public image of organizations. Responsibilities may include writing press releases, managing social media accounts, and organizing events. This course would be helpful for a public relations specialist because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a public relations specialist, who needs to be able to understand the needs of students and faculty.

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Higher Education Researcher

Higher education researchers study the different aspects of higher education, including student success, faculty development, and institutional effectiveness. This course would be helpful for a higher education researcher because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a higher education researcher, who needs to be able to understand the different factors that affect college students.

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Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit managers oversee the operations of nonprofit organizations. Responsibilities may include managing the budget, fundraising, and providing support to staff and volunteers. This course would be helpful for a nonprofit manager because it provides an overview of the different aspects of higher education, including student success, faculty development, and institutional effectiveness. This knowledge would be valuable for a nonprofit manager, who needs to be able to understand the different factors that affect higher education.

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Philanthropy Officer

Philanthropy officers raise money for nonprofit organizations. Responsibilities may include developing fundraising strategies, writing grant proposals, and managing donor relationships. This course would be helpful for a philanthropy officer because it provides an overview of the different aspects of higher education, including student success, faculty development, and institutional effectiveness. This knowledge would be valuable for a philanthropy officer, who needs to be able to understand the different factors that affect higher education.

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College Administrator

A college administrator oversees the day-to-day operations of a college or university. Responsibilities may include managing the budget, overseeing academic programs, and providing support to students and faculty. This course would be helpful for a college administrator because it provides an overview of the different aspects of college life, including academics, student life, and financial aid. This knowledge would be valuable for a college administrator, who needs to be able to understand the needs of students and faculty.

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