Harvey Mudd College

Academics aren't everything. You can skip a homework assignment, and it won't be the end of the world. You can get good grades without being perfect. Learning how to fail is something every student at Mudd has to come to terms with at one point or another.

Learn how to manage your time. If you do that before coming to college, everything will be a thousand times easier.

Bring a plant. They will give you oxygen, and keep you company when you're pulling an all-nighter.

Bring lots of quarters. You will make friends very easily if you have quarters.

Don't be afraid to try things that you might not do well in.

Get rid of those competitive notions. High school may be all about the top two percent, but college is about learning and having fun. Half of the students are going to be below average, and it may well be you. Know that being valedictorian in high school means nothing once you get to college. Plenty of valedictorians fail out of Mudd. So don't try to compete, try to help other people, and get help from other people.

Get to know people in-depth. It's easier in college, since you're living across the hall from them. Everyone has an interesting story to tell.

Don't date your suitemates and don't date roommates. Also, long-distance relationships almost never work, so say goodbye to your high school sweetheart, at least for college. People in long-distance relationships often don't meet enough new people, because they're talking online with their significant other.