Imagine you’re about to embark on your higher education journey – you’re obviously excited and want to explore different options when it comes to colleges and courses before you zero in on one. However, you’re also bound to feel nervous, because college is nothing like high school and it comes with its own set of challenges.
Don’t worry. There are a number of college preparation courses that you can attend before you start college to help make it easier for you to navigate college life and prepare you for what lies ahead. We’ve collated a list of 5 free online college prep courses, that are absolutely free of cost! Read on to know more.
1. Understanding College and College Life
Offered by the University of Washington, this detailed course helps you to find your way in the maze of college information available on the internet. This course, fondly known as U1010, helps you understand how colleges function, the steps to choose a major, and the requirements to apply for financial aid, in case you are eligible for it.
The course also provides introductory lessons to student clubs, fraternities, and sororities, so that you don’t forget to have fun while in college. Moreover, you can learn study strategies that work and how you can succeed in your student life.
2. How to Apply to College
This course, offered by the University of Pennsylvania, assists students in the search and shortlisting process for colleges. When one applies for college, multiple aspects such as eligibility, costs involved, courses offered and application dates must be considered.
This course helps you understand all of these factors and can possibly guide you toward a college that’s right for you. The course can also help bust some myths around college application, thereby making this a useful course for both parents and potential students.
3. College Maths Foundation
Maths is a universal language, which is why having strong analytical and mathematical skills can help you in the long run. Preparing for it before you enter college is a wise decision. One course available online that can help build a strong foundation in the subject is College Maths Foundation.
Offered by the University of Georgia, this course offers detailed lessons in Mathematics via reading material, videos, interactive sessions, and quizzes. This course will prepare you well for college-level math classes by helping you work on your foundational math knowledge.
With this course, you’ll be able to learn the basics of algebraic manipulations, fractions, probability, and factoring, along with learning how to use the TI-84 Calculator and solve linear equations.
4. How to Write an Essay
Now that we’ve spoken about maths, let’s talk about languages. It’s an added advantage in college if you have a good command of the English language, both spoken and written. To better prepare you for the written part, UC Berkeley offers an advanced online course in essay writing.
Delivered via a series of readings and videos, this course is designed to help you with the basics of academic writing and focuses on essay development, different approaches for writing thesis statements, grammatical accuracy, and developing self-editing skills.
This course also highlights how you can write effective and precise sentences along with compelling and crisp introductions and conclusions. An amazing feature of this course is that students get a chance to engage in online discussions and peer reviews. Assessment of the course included writing an essay using your learnings and takeaways from the course.
5. Life Happens: Personal Finance from College to Career
When you enter college as a young adult, you might not be able to manage your finances very well. You either might spend too much and be broke by the end of the month, or you might spend on things that you probably don’t need and regret your decision later. Trust us, it’s okay.
There’s a course for learning how to manage your finances called Life Happens: Personal Finance from College to Career. This course is offered by Udemy and is dedicated to helping you become financially literate. The course aims to empower students like you to gain practical knowledge on finance via 80 video lessons that are full of information that might come in handy during your college life and beyond.
In this course, you will get a chance to understand how to choose the right credit card, assess student loans, and even protect against identity theft. Learning how to manage your finances early in life goes a long way in helping you plan and spend your money wisely.
Conclusion
Entering college life might seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be. With access to the right kind of information, you can prepare yourself for life at the college of your choice well in advance so that you don’t feel lost in your educational journey and can make the most of your experience in college. All the Best!
Key Takeaways
Read on to know all about 5 online college prep courses that are absolutely free!
- Understanding College and College Life from the University of Washington
- Fintech business analysis is a lucrative option, considering recent advancements in digital payments and cryptocurrency.
- How to Apply for College from the University of Pennsylvania
- College Maths Foundation from the University of Georgia
- How to Write an Essay from UC Berkeley
- Life Happens: Personal Finance from College to Career from Udemy