Issue 26(2)
Smart
Start: A Survival Guide for First Year College Students (and Their
Parents Too!). (2005). Melinda Dalgarn. Kingston
Springs , TN: College Survival Guides. Interactive CD. Price $14.95.
Order: http://www.collegesurvivalguides.com/index.php
.
Review by: Nadine
G. Huyck
TRiO
Student Support Services
South
Dakota State
University
High School
students who plan to enter college (and their parents) will find
this interactive CD very useful. This survival guide explores
the many transitions that occur from high school to college -
including a frank discussion of the feelings involved - as it
explores student experiences.
Author
Melinda Dalgarn crafts chapters that offer the reader a wealth
of information that is as easy-to-read as it is bright and cheerful.
The reader can use the interactive format to explore a variety
of college experiences from discussions of the unique relationships
students will build - including a list of questions to discuss
with roommates - to the importance of connecting with an academic
advisor and attending class. Study skills and resources are provided
to increase time management and organization. There is even a
checklist of items to bring to college.
Students
are provided with important information such as "research suggests
that nearly 90% of first year students arrive on campus never
having shared a bedroom." Statistics such as this can help students
understand some of the feelings that might arise during the first
weeks of college. Quotes from various authors and famous people
catch students' attention. Readers will find that the "Things
to Think About" section at the end of each chapter poses questions
that students can consider and discuss with their parents before
entering college.
The
strongest chapter (among several) is "Healthful Living." Here
students are made aware of college depression rates, meningococcal
meningitis risks, and the warning signs of stress, pregnancy and
sexually transmitted diseases. Dalgarn pulls no punches in the
succeeding chapter that explores the effects of drinking including,
"1,400 college students die from alcohol-related causes and 1,100
of these deaths involve drinking and driving." A checklist is
provided to distinguish a problem drinker from a social drinker
and considers how non-drinkers are affected by the drinker's behavior.
The
CD addresses virtually every aspect of the first year college
experience and provides an opportunity for students and their
parents to discuss values prior to entering college. Thus new
college students are less likely to be exposed to situations they
have not previously discussed.
While academic
advisors may not gain a lot of new information from this survival
guide, the checklists could provide a useful place to begin some
student discussions. As a Retention Advisor, I highly recommend
this book to high school students, their parent, and even non-traditional
students entering college for the first time.
