With Fall 2025 just days away, the John V. Roach Honors College convened four seasoned
academic advisors—Shannon Cooper, Justine Grace, Melinda Santos, and Cecily Weir—to
offer candid, practical guidance for incoming first-year students. Through this Q&A,
they tackle the questions new students ask most. Their perspectives come from real
experiences and are aimed at helping you thrive from day one.
Q: What is one piece of overall advice you have for incoming students?
Shannon Cooper: Take the initiative to get out of your comfort zone; be open to explore what TCU has to offer. As a TCU community, we offer many extracurricular activities; you can find your place and your people!
Justine Grace: It’s OK if everything doesn’t go according to plan. This is the perfect time and place to try something new and to meet new people, and sometimes along the way the plan you had for yourself changes. And that’s what college is for! We here at TCU and in Roach Honors are here to support you along the way.
Melinda Santos: Get out and meet new people—this is a new experience and an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone, strike up a conversation, or have lunch with someone new. If you’re uncomfortable doing that, others may be as well, and someone must break the ice. Remember, the more people you meet, the easier it will be to find the people you are most comfortable around.
Cecily Weir: It’s completely okay for your carefully planned major to change! College is a time for growth, exploration, and discovering new passions. Changing your path doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it means you’re learning more about who you are and what truly excites you.
Q: What is the best piece of advice regarding managing time and classwork you have for incoming students?
Justine Grace: Dedicate time to go over notes and do your readings. Your schedule is about to be PACKED. A good rule to thumb is to set aside the same number of hours you meet in class for time to review and study outside of class. You won’t use that exact formula every week, but it’s a helpful start.
Cecily Weir: Schedule your time intentionally, not just your classes. Prioritize deep work over busy work, quality of thinking more than quantity of notes. Focus on understanding concepts deeply, asking good questions, and making connections between classes.
Melinda Santos: Find the right balance early; create your plan and if it’s not working for you think about what parts work and don’t work and refine it until it does. Setting time on a calendar for different obligations often helps one keep those commitments.
Shannon Cooper: When it comes to managing time and classwork I tell students: don’t be afraid to ask questions! We want to support you and direct you to resources. Whether that’s how to communicate with a professor, going to office hours, finding study groups, setting up a google calendar! There are ways to figure out what works for you, and your learning style.
Q: What is the best piece of advice regarding campus life you have for incoming students?
Melinda Santos: Explore and try something new—you might just find a new passion you didn’t realize you had or at the very least you’ll expand your network as you meet new people.
Justine Grace: Branch out! Be open to saying yes and putting yourself out there but remember that you don’t have to do everything. The balance is tricky, and you won’t get it at the beginning of the year, but you’ll find out what works best for you as you go along.
Cecily Weir: It’s ok to say no to things! Choose a few things to go deep in (clubs, research, leadership) and protect your time. You don’t need to do everything. If you’re interested in expanding your horizons, I would recommend joining 1 academic organization, 1 socially oriented organization, and 1 community/cause-driven organization. This gives you a balanced social network, plus chances to grow in different ways.
Q: What is the most unique piece of advice you have for incoming students?
Shannon Cooper: The most unique piece of advice I would have for an incoming student would be: don’t be so hard on yourself; high school is different than college. This is your time to grow and mature; learning ways to manage time effectively can be a process, so give yourself grace.
Melinda Santos: Be kind to yourself, this is a new experience that may take some adjustment. Seek out someone to talk with, like an RA, if need be.
Justine Grace: This is, to be fair, not unique and very simple: Go to class! Introduce yourself to your professors! Use your resources! (Sorry to be boring, but it had to be said!) On a more fun note, as a TCU Student, you can get a membership to the Fort Worth Library system. Free books, e-books, movies, and so many other benefits!!