How to Get the Most out of College

The national average student loan debt upon graduation is $30,000. This is according to U.S. News & World Report. With all that money on the line, you may as well make the most of it. This post explains the many ways to get the most out of college. Let’s get started!

Go to Class

I know, I know. Few people enjoy marching off to class in the morning. I know I didn’t. However, it’s necessary for getting the most out of what you pay. Gaining knowledge is what you pay for. By not going to class, you’re devaluing for investment. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, go to class. And don’t pray the professor cancels. That doesn’t help you either.

Network!

Networking is tricky when done right (but it’s also fun and rewarding).

Most people are poor networkers. How most people network is just by hanging out with people. That’s a waste to time. You want to hang out with the right people. Figure out who the movers and shakers are on campus. Those should be your friends. These are the people who will be winning after college. They’ll help you excel in your career.

But don’t overlook the low profile leaders. These are the kids building software companies from their dorm rooms. They don’t eat during regular hours. They won’t be at the biggest parties. But it’s in your best interest to know them. Like Bill Gates once said, “Respect the nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.”

Max out Your Course Load

At most schools, you can take a maximum of 18 credits. If you have amazing grades, schools will sometimes let you take more. Take as many credits as you can handle.

The more work you put in, the more rewards you’ll reap. Scraping by with the bare minimum is a waste of money. Plus, if you take a lot of credits, you can graduate early. I graduate a semester early with relative ease. It saved me thousands of dollars. I truly believe that if you set your mind to it freshman year, almost anyone can graduate an entire year early. That’s like taking your loans from $30,000 to $22,500. How does that sound?

Take Advantage of Your Food Plan

A lot of college students get the meal plan but rarely use it. That’s crazy. When I was in school (I graduated 4 years ago) the price I paid for food was $7 per meal. I ate on campus almost exclusively. I didn’t want to spend money on top of those seven dollars.

Most colleges have ‘takeaway’ plans or coffee houses where you can grab a quick meal. You don’t always have to go to the cafeteria for a sit down meal. In fact, I rarely went to my cafeteria.

Go to Campus Events

I was part of an organization that was in charge of bringing talent to campus. We brought Tom from TOMS Shoes, the voice of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, and many others. What I found crazy was that not everyone came to these events! Being held elsewhere, tickets would have cost a lot of money. Seriously, most of our talents charged about $30,000 per appearance. As a student, you just flash your ID and walk on in.

Use Campus Assets

Use the tools at your disposal. Use campus computers, printers, library books… everything. A lot of people I knew bought their own printers to clutter up their dorm room… craziness. I just popped over to the library. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Bottom Line for Getting the Most out of College

Take advantage of college life. Experience everything (except for drugs – drugs are bad). You’re paying for it so you may as well use it. Remember also have some fun. That too should be included in the college experience!!!