Northcutt ’97 Co-Edits College Advice Guide

Frances Northcutt ’97 is the co-editor with Scott Silverman of the newly revised 5th edition of How to Survive Your Freshman Year (Hundreds of Heads Books), which offers tips and advice directly from students on today’s campuses. This guide for those heading off to college was compiled from interviews with hundreds of students at more than 120 colleges across the country. Northcutt, who most recently has been an honors advisor and admissions reader for Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York, contributes her expert guidance and helpful commentary.

Chapters of the book are devoted to such topics as what to take to college, leaving home, roommates, choosing classes, how to study, working and finances, fashion and laundry, food issues, dating and sex, vacations and study abroad, and keeping in touch and setting boundaries with family members.

In her biography at the end of the book, Northcutt notes that “it was her work-study job at the Wesleyan University campus post office that first inspired her to seek a career in student affairs. She loved working at the post office window, where she explained all the complicated postage options to students, faculty, and staff … During her senior year, she made the move from the post office to the registrar’s office. She also helped to start a peer advising program.”