Have you been accepted to IU? Congratulations! Did you submit your housing application? Great job! Are you unsure of what to do next? Here are some steps you can take while you wait to hear back about your housing assignment.
- Apply for scholarships
Most IU scholarship deadlines fall between January and March, but I encourage you to apply for external scholarships as well. A quick Google search can help you find scholarship opportunities based on hometown, ethnicity, academics, extracurriculars, and so much more. I hear there is even a scholarship offered only to left-handed people. Find these lesser-known applications and fill them out; you will have a better chance of receiving money! My advice: DO NOT apply for any scholarship that requires a fee to apply or submit; you shouldn’t have to pay for the chance of getting money.
- Sign up for orientation
Attending New Student Orientation is required for all incoming students, so make sure you sign up! My advice: if possible, choose an orientation date towards the beginning of June. Why? Everyone signs up for courses at orientation, and there are only so many seats per class. You want to get your GenEd and COLL Case requirements out of the way as soon as possible, right? Well, if all the spots are filled in the class, you will have to wait until next semester to take it. In summary, the sooner you go to orientation, the better the chance you have of getting all your class preferences.
- Start looking through course listings
Start browsing through the classes you might be interested in taking, and write them down. Check out the website of the school or department of your intended major and see what core classes are required in order to advance to higher level courses.
If you are confused about the course selection process, do not freak out or get frustrated. You will go more in-depth with this during orientation, and an adviser will be there to help with your scheduling.
Check out the Office of the Registrar website to see offered classes: http://registrar.indiana.edu/browser/index.shtml
- Review/pay fees
Make sure you have paid your housing, intent to enroll, and other fees or deposits. For more information on payments, go to the Student Central website: https://studentcentral.indiana.edu/pay-for-college/index.html
- Submit your final transcript
Your school’s guidance counselor or college adviser should take care of this for you, but you need to request that they submit your final transcript to IU. You should also send in any AP or other college credit that you’ve accumulated in high school so that you can start obtaining college credit for all your hard work.
- Complete required forms/courses
There are various forms that need to be filled out before arriving in B-Town. Check your email often so you don’t miss anything. My advice: once it opens, complete ‘My Student Body’ as soon as possible. This is basically an online course that teaches you about alcohol, drug use, and sexual harassment, and how to deal with these things if problems should arise during college.
This should give you enough to do while you anticipate your housing placement. Finish your senior year strong, and we will see you soon in Bloomington!
