As they count down the final days of high school, most seniors can’t wait to move on to college. Yet college brings new challenges—so much so that 32 percent of students drop out during their freshmen year alone, and nearly 60 percent do not graduate within four years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

“The first year in college represents a social and developmental milestone for all college students, whatever their background or type of institution. This transition is often so difficult to negotiate that about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for their second year of college,” M. Lee Upcraft, researcher for the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said.

Don’t be among the dropouts. Prepare for the academic, financial and social rigors of college with this expert advice:

KNOW THE CAMPUS:

Become familiar with the campus and all it’s resources, such as the library or computer facilities. Taking a tour of the campus before starting school is a great way to learn the campus layout so getting lost on the first day isn’t an issue.

“Start planning for college at the beginning of summer,” Director of Counseling Cynthia Violett said. “Take another visit over the summer, and don’t skip the freshman orientation. It’s important.”

FIGURE OUT WHAT’S REQUIRED:

Every major has different requirements, and it’s a good idea to study the course catalog and talk to admissions counselors and professors early, before registration, to start developing a four-year plan. Register for required classes first.

MAKE STUDYING THE TOP PRIORITY:

What’s the top reason freshmen fail out?

College is difficult. According to Hugh Caldwell of the Georgia School of Technology, many freshmen arrive on campus unprepared for how difficult their classes will be. They have poor study habits, and they spend too little time studying and too much time partying.

GET INVOLVED:

Take some time away from school to get involved in campus athletics and clubs.

“Comparing similar students, the student who is an athlete is more likely to graduate than the student who is not an athlete,” Vicki McCracken, a professor at Washington State University, said.

Attending freshmen orientation can help when trying to meet new people, Violett suggests.
But don’t join a Greek organization just to meet people. Studies show that students who join fraternities and sororities have high rates of binge drinking—60 percent are heavy drinkers, one of the top reasons students struggle in college.

HAVE A MONTHLY BUDGET:

By the end of freshmen year, the average student has $1,301 in credit card debt. The problem is two-fold: freshmen have never tried to budget before and overspend, and credit card companies suck freshmen in because they don’t understand how debt compounds.

Avoid this pitfall by sitting down with parents this summer and creating a financial plan.

“Portion off your money by semester, only spending a certain amount first semester and a certain amount second semester,” Violett said. “Have your  parents keep your second semester money and save as much as you can.”

Set up a checking account, but don’t sign up for a credit card—use a debit card instead, which looks just like a credit card, but won’t let you spend more money than you have.

“My  parents aren’t paying for college, so I’m going to have to apply for a lot of scholarships and student loans,” senior Allie Grossmann said. “I’ll have to know how to handle my money.”