Leeton's Country Universities Centre gears up for busy year

Whether recent high school graduates are keen to get into higher education, or mature-age students looking for a change of pace or scenery, plenty will now be looking at university options for 2024 and the CUC are ready for them.

The centre will be hosting special 'Settling into University' seminars for new students, offering a quick look into the challenges and potential triumphs of university courses and how studying remotely can look.

Centre Manager Shiron Kirkman said that they were estimating seeing around 200 students in the first semester, and was looking forward to helping new and returning students settling into uni life.

"From the looks of it, it's going to be a big semester again," she said.

Student services advisor Maddi Ramponi encouraged new students to come along to the session and get engaged with the various programs to help them adjust.

"For first year students, it's just getting them settled into what uni looks like and how it's different to high school ... Just trying to prepare them as best we can for modern life."

Ms Kirkman said that first-year students had the highest attrition rate, as the adjustment can feel overwhelming or a lack of support can lead to drop-outs - which is what the CUC are attempting to prevent.

"We have such a broad range of students. Those just out of HSC to mature-age students," she said.

"Often with mature age students, it's digital literacy and then for younger students, it's about time management and confidence."

Centre co-oordinator Oumi Karenga-Hewitt emphasised that the centre couldn't offer specific help on coursework, but were always available to help with general academic support - whether that be essay-writing, referencing or life management.

"It's all structured around building academic skills, and also some life skills," she said.

"Universities have the content for the courses, but we don't want students failing because they don't know how to reference."

Ms Kirkman added with such a wide range of programs, students could engage as much or as little as they wanted but encouraged new students not to feel self-conscious.

The Griffith 'Settling into University' will be held at the Griffith Country Universities Centre on January 18, at 5.30pm while Leeton's will be held a week later on January 25, at the Leeton centre at 5.30pm.