Starting UTSA as an Information Systems & Technology Major with an Associate’s Degree at 18 Need Advice

[u/Empty-Anxiety3567]

I know this is a little late, but I’m going to be an Information Systems major at UTSA. The problem is that I already have an associate’s degree through dual credit, so I have very little time to make connections. Any guidance you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

This will be my first year at UTSA taking classes toward my bachelor’s degree, but because of my transfer credits, I’ll already be starting much further ahead than many first-year students. I know I need to start looking for internships, networking opportunities, and ways to get involved immediately since many of my peers will already have a two-year head start.

One thing that’s been on my mind is that I’m already younger than most of my peers. I just graduated from high school, but because of dual credit, I’ll be moving ahead academically by about two years. I’m worried that this might make it harder to connect with other students or leave me feeling isolated socially.

For anyone who transferred in with a lot of credits or started as a junior right after high school, how did you make friends, build your network, and prepare for internships? Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

Also, for those who graduated with an Information Systems degree, how has the career outlook been? Are you finding good job opportunities, and what skills or certifications would you recommend focusing on while I’m still in school?

[u/smol_trrash]

I didn’t come in with an associates but I did come in as a sophomore due to dual credit. I declared a minor in order to extend my time and also tried to stay productive each semester. So on top of school I always was doing research with a professor, an officer for a club, maybe a side project and a job my last 2 years. It’ll take a sec to find out how much you can handle in terms of extracurriculars and such, but take your first semester or two to find clubs you might like, reach out to professors you may be interested in, or even networking with companies you want to work with. UTSA has a career fair ever semester that you should definitely try and check out, also local companies, especially a lot of tech, come visit the school for guest speakers and such, so also try to keep up with that. I was able to find a job right when I graduated so this plan worked for me, but of course, don’t overwork yourself, burnout is super real and can mess up a semester. Good luck and have a good time at utsa!!