Coming with a 4.0 and 45 credits from a community college in Minnesota, I enrolled in 2 classes here. I work full time and have 2 young children. At the beginning of the semester, I told my professor that I would be late to 2 classes due to a monthly meeting I had at work. She told me to drop the class. My other professor refused to work with my learning disability for tests and quizzes so I had to drop that class too. When I spoke with financial aid they said it wouldn't be a problem and I wouldn't be charged, then I got a collections notice in the mail 2 months later for the semesters worth of tuition. I've never been late on a payment for anything in my life and now my credit score dropped over 100 points. The attitude that I got from the higher ups while trying to work this out is that they couldn't care less about me, my grades, my life, my hopes for a degree, nothing. This is a Community College. They can be as awful as they want and people will still go here because it's cheap and they have no other options. I cannot say that I have spoken with a single helpful person since enrolling here.

Have some idea of what you want to study. You can jump from one thing to another as much as you want but there is so much to choose from, some basic idea is recommended.

Effort is key. Showing up on-time to class, turning in homework on-time, and communicating with teacher are the best strategies for getting good grades. Spending time in the atriums and doing homework in the libraries or study labs is the best way to make friends.

Get your books and/or supplies before the books run out in the bookstore, and get be organized before college starts. This college encourage you to do the placement test in where you are in your degree.

Keep in touch with their counselors and teachers so you don't fall behind. Check out the financial aid it could be very helpful to you and others. Check daily bulletins which can also be helpful. Visit the campus so you know it's the right place for you. Get into a daily routine that you're comfortable with that fits around your schedule.