Take inventory tests before you start college – A lot of counselors and people will tell you that you don’t need to have decided on a career or major when you go to college, that you will figure it out in college. This is not the case for everyone. After I graduated from UC Davis, I still had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. I talked to some of my friends and they also felt the same. Sometimes you don’t figure it out. That is why you must take inventory tests while in high school or college. An inventory test is a self-assessment tool that measures aptitudes, values, strengths, weaknesses, and interests and matches your personality to occupations and work environments. If you feel that you need to discover more about your strengths and improvements or you do not have any ideas of careers/majors, then an inventory test is a good place to start. Inventory tests reveal valuable information about you and they’re recommended even if you feel you know yourself well. Click here for more information and to take your first inventory test.
Organizing your work – It’s so important that you consider how you will organize the work you will receive from your classes. You will be receiving PowerPoint slides, reading experts, and other handouts. What will work best for you: a binder for all your classes? A binder for each class (but you will have to carry those binders)? Will you keep it all on your computer (you can scan your notes and all you would have to carry is your computer)? Will you use one big notebook for all your classes? Will you use separate notebooks for each class?
Note-taking skills that work best for your learning – You will be taking a lot of notes in college. Figure out how to efficiently take notes, while also listening and learning from the professor. Efficient notes promote efficient learning when you are reviewing your notes. Here are some questions to ask yourself: do I learn best from writing or typing notes? Do I learn best from reviewing notes on a computer, on printed PowerPoint slides, or notebook paper. Here are some note-taking strategies to experiment with.
