student life

The pros and cons of taking honors courses

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 27, 2025

Key takeaways Honors courses are higher-level courses designed to challenge and engage advanced students. Taking honors classes can help your application stand out to colleges, as it shows that you are willing to push yourself and prepared for increased academic rigor. Weighing the pros of honors classes, like more engagement, boosted GPA, and stronger college …

student life

5 Ways College is Different than High School

By Kali SlaymakerLast updated on December 22, 2022

There are many ways college is different than high school. Many are good, some aren’t awesome, but regardless being prepared is a recipe for success. While some people will try to scare you and make college seem impossible, we are here to inform and encourage. Yes, college will likely be more difficult than high school. …

student life

Parental Do’s and Don’ts: Visiting Your Student at College

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

College is often the first time students can make a space entirely their own. They get to set their own rules, be clean or messy, go to sleep at 3 am (not that we recommend that), etc. It is a place for young adults to figure out what type of people they are. It also …

student life

Unique Sports on College Campuses

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022

Quidditch Maybe you’re the biggest Harry Potter fan known to our muggle world, or maybe you’re just a lover of original and competitive sports…either way, one of the unique sports you’ll find is quidditch! Based on the Harry Potter franchise, the game of quidditch is being brought to life at colleges around the nation. This coed, …

student life

Why You Should Visit Colleges in the Summer

By Kali SlaymakerLast updated on December 22, 2022

College visits are an excellent opportunity to get a “feel” for the colleges you are applying to. College visits aim to get you acclimated with the important aspects of choosing a school. They will take you on a tour of campus and residence halls, teach you about academic and student life opportunities, provide you with …

student life

35 Things You Must Do After You Find the Right College

By Katelyn McAdamLast updated on December 22, 2022

Being a freshman in college is an exciting time! Everything is new: your room, your friends, your classes and professors, the food you eat, and the amount of homework you receive. It’s very easy to get caught up in it all and forget what you’re actually there for. However, the opposite can also be said. …

student life

11 Ways To Get Involved and Meet People As A Transfer Student

By Katelyn McAdamLast updated on December 22, 2022

Deciding to transfer to a different school usually stems from one of two things: 1) some kind of bad experience or dissatisfaction with where you started, or 2) going from a community college to a 4-year college or university. Either way, being a transfer student is a big decision and a big change. I transferred …

student life

7 Easiest Ways to Make Friends on Campus

By Katelyn McAdamLast updated on December 22, 2022

Graduating from high school and moving away to college means you’re leaving home, but your childhood bedroom isn’t the only thing you’re leaving behind. In many cases, it also means that you’re saying goodbye to your friends and the high school you. College is a fresh start. Perhaps you’ve been waiting for this for a …

student life

What Are “Wellness Dorms”? They’re AWESOME.

By Kaeli Nieves-WhitmoreLast updated on December 22, 2022

You’ve decided on a college–or you’re close to it– and the next big decision you have to make is where you’re going to live. There are multiple different styles of living on most campuses, and the thought of making such a big decision when you haven’t had much choice about your living arrangements in the …

student life

Living Learning Communities (LLCs): What are they?

By Katelyn McAdamLast updated on August 3, 2023

You’ve chosen the college, now it’s time to choose where to live. In my experience, choosing the right dorm or being paired with a good roommate can have just as great of an impact on your mood/happiness/level of satisfaction (if not greater) than the actual school you attend. When I was a freshman in college, …