Collage of confident young students with our best advice logo

Our Best Advice for Freshman Year of College

Freshman year is the start of a great new adventure! Head off for your first semester ready with all the advice you could possibly need to get through the year.

You’re a new college freshman starting your first semester soon. Congratulations! This is an important time of change, growth, and amazing opportunities—but it can also be a difficult and overwhelming transition. After all, it’s likely your first time away from home, academics will be harder, and you have to start over with making friends. But don’t let any of this scare you, because we’ve got you covered with all the advice you could possibly need for all these situations! Written by experts, fellow students, and more, the articles and advice below cover everything from starting the semester on a strong note to finding help for specific needs you may have on campus. Do yourself a favor and start your college career armed with knowledge and confidence that you’re going to have an amazing journey ahead of you.

Starting the semester off right

Adjusting to dorm life and roommates

Acing your first college classes

Learning from upperclassmen

Making friends and the most of your time

Finding help for specific needs and circumstances

Find more advice on everything from dealing with roommates and surviving dorm life to making friends and finding fun with the blogs and articles in our Student Life section. 

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

About CollegeXpress

CollegeXpress

Welcome to CollegeXpress, your one-stop college shop! We’re a free college planning website used by millions of college-bound students, parents, and counselors—anyone who needs help navigating the college search and application process, financial aid opportunities, and more. 

You’ll find comprehensive College Search and Scholarship Search tools, tons of articles and expert advice, unique college Lists & Rankings, and lots of other resources to help make your life easier. Teen Vogue even named us one of the 7 Best College Search Websites!

Current college students and recent grads also love CollegeXpress for our Graduate Program Search tool and endless information on student life, internships, and beyond. We really have something for everyone, no matter where you are in your college journey.

Create a free CollegeXpress account to start connecting with colleges, winning scholarships, and simplifying your life as a student!

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Ohio University

Athens, OH


Laura Wallace

Laura Wallace

High School Class of 2019

My favorite part of CollegeXpress is that it features student writers so I get an inside perspective from students slightly older and farther along than me. I realize that other college websites also utilize student writers; however, I relate the most to the college writers that I read articles from on CollegeXpress.

Caitlin Eaton

Caitlin Eaton

$10,000 Scholarship Winner, 2021

I first discovered CollegeXpress during my sophomore year of high school while researching colleges that interested me. My SAT prep class the following year further familiarized me with the opportunities available through the organization. CX has personally helped me by exposing me to a diverse selection of schools as well as scholarships and life tips that have provided valuable guidance in my college search.

This scholarship will help me adjust to college life without worrying as much about tuition. This gives me more room to truly explore and benefit from all aspects of higher education. I plan to study Conservation Biology and work protecting species/ecosystems. I’m looking forward to getting field experience and seeing firsthand the problems research is solving.

Daniel Ogunlokun

Daniel Ogunlokun

High School Class of 2022

When I started looking at colleges in the beginning of my senior year, I was conflicted about which ones I wanted to attend based on safety, tuition costs, location, academic rigor, and prestige. Searching the internet and getting more questions than answers, I came across CollegeXpress, which made all the steps I had taken look like a minor issue. Everything was summarized and detailed, and I couldn't be more thankful and appreciative.

Damian Rangel

Damian Rangel

September 2021 Mini Scholarship Winner, High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me tackle college expenses, which will allow me to put more of my time and effort into my studies without the need of worrying as much about finances.

Kyla McClain

Kyla McClain

High School Class of 2024

I found CollegeXpress when you partnered with Bold.org for a scholarship. I found your website, put my information in, and got connected. I only wanted to stay in North Carolina [for college] and not move far from home, but you all opened a door up for me. I started researching colleges you suggested for me. On your social media platforms, you also give really good test-taking tips that I used and suggested others to do the same. It helped me a lot on my exams, so thank you.