Helpful hints for freshmen.

• Position: College freshmen

Although the anonymity of large lecture rooms may be comforting for some students, those who really want to get the most out of their college educations must strive to connect with their professors, according to Stanford University provost Condoleezza Rice. "Go up to professors and tell them that you'd like to find out more about their research and would like to find a way to participate. Keep in mind that many professors are very interested in your interest in research and are willing to take you on." She also offers incoming freshmen other tips:

* "Don't get locked into what others think you ought to be or to what you think you ought to be right now. If you find that for some reason a course really turns you on, go ahead and explore it in depth. You'll never get another chance to go back."

* Don't be afraid to take on something difficult. "Not everybody is a mathematical genius; not everybody writes like T.S. Eliot. It's still OK to take that course in economics or creative writing. Even if it's not your strength, you will emerge better than when you entered, because you will have taken on something about...