College is cool beans. Columbia student here. I like and agree with a lot of the college advice given here. I'd say that some of the important lessons I've learned thus far are:
1) You're not the brightest bulb. Honestly, if you go to any good school, don't go in thinking you're the smartest kid ever. I can't tell you how many people I know who were utterly crushed when their effortless As in high school became barely Bs in college. The sooner one gets off of one's high horse, the more enjoyable life will be.
2) Be social. Networking is an amazing tool in college. Getting to know your peers and professors is something that will be useful as time passes. Those connections can lead to future internships or research opportunities, as well as info about other fields. If you're a wallflower, well, try not to be. I'm an antisocial guy myself, but I make the effort to smile and get my name out there because a simple "hello" could alter your life for the better.
3) Dorm. Do it. If you don't have the money, get some scholarships. The only people I know who aren't enjoying their college experience are the people who live at home. There are few things greater than the freedom college dorming grants you. TRUST ME.
4) Be responsible. OMG if you can't hold your liquor/do stupid shit when you drink then control yourself! If a girl tells you she doesn't like the feel of a condom, tell her to stfu and deal with it. If you do drugs (or I guess in my school's case, deal drugs lol), don't get caught. Why is this concept so hard to grasp. Just don't become an idiot college statistic, please. Be responsible in everything that you do.
5) Have fun. You are young, and you won't get these years back. I'm not saying you shouldn't be studious, but will you be happy knowing that you spent 4+ years of your life shut up in your room or a library, not experiencing at least some of what life had in store for you? In addition, constant studying might just make you stressed and worn out. Try to relax from time to time, in whatever way makes you happiest.
I think that's all I had to say.
I did my undergrad at Vanderbilt, with a summer at Harvard.
I completely agree with everything you said, especially 2 and 3. College will teach you a lot of information, yes, but it is also your first opportunity to be "on your own" and make some mistakes. Live in the dorms, get involved in the social scene, hell, take a road trip. If you are getting money from your parents, ask them to set it up as an allowance or lump sum, rather than reimbursing you for things, so you can get a feel for actually managing a fixed budget. This is a crucial aspect of college.
I would also like to reiterate what people have said about finding a good department. This goes beyond just "good engineering school" or "good liberal arts school." MIT is the tops for engineering, no doubt, but they built that reputation on a few key disciplines, mostly computers and EE. If you want to build bridges, the University of Illinois is better. Similarly, the University of Chicago is one of the top political science programs, but it is based on international relations and game theory. If you want to study America, you are better off at Vanderbilt or the University of Michigan. Research this.
@Erazor
I just graduated from law school. The biggest thing I can suggest is this: law school classes teach more in a shorter period of time than any other type of class, even medical school (I have heard this from multiple JD-MDs). You should work TOO HARD your first semester. Push the limit of what you are willing to do. Then look at your grades and see where you are. That will allow you to get a feel for the amount of work you will need to do in order to get the grades you want from now on.
I don't know how it works in your country, but in the US, grades are more important in law school than they are pretty much everywhere else. Here, you are evaluated based on class rank rather than GPA. This means that if your class is unusually high-achieving, you may have to work even harder to have the "same" performance. In my graduating class, the Top 50% cutoff was a 2.9 out of 4.0. In the class that will graduate next year, the Top 50% cutoff is a 2.6, with a 2.9 almost in the top third. Employers will glance at the 2.9, but the fact is that they will hire a Top 33% student over a Top 50% student even with the same GPA, or even if the Top 50% actually has a HIGHER GPA.
The other big suggestion is to be social, both—and this is the key—with your law school friends and some non-law school friends. Social networking is the key to advancing a legal career. I said that firms will prefer a better class rank, but what they will prefer even more is a friend of a friend. It's not like other disciplines where nepotism is an ace in the hole. In the legal profession, nepotism is the basic currency. In my graduating class of around 130, I can name off the top of my head just 1 person who got a private sector job by actually applying and interviewing with someone he had never met. It's almost unheard-of.
But you must also socialize outside of law school. One of the biggest problems is that as you study, you will find yourself turning to other people in the same situation for support. Complaining about law school will replace sports or the weather as "buffer" topics. Then, as you advance, your vocabulary will start to change. You will see lawsuits and police abuses everywhere you look. Since your classmates will see them too, they will be easier to talk to.
Do not fall into this trap. You need a reality check from people who don't care about that stuff in order to stay sane. Please trust me on this.
I am also not sure if your country will use "case method" teaching. In the US, law schools teach by making you read judicial opinions instead of laws or textbooks. You learn how it works by seeing how it worked before, in litigation. If you use it, know that while it has advantages, it has major weaknesses. I highly recommend supplemental materials, books called things like, "Get an Easy A in Criminal Procedure."
Law school teaches what is useful, but tests pointless memorization. This creates a disconnect between your class and your exam. Supplements are written to help you take tests instead of to help you be a good lawyer. Using such books will save you tons of headaches at the end of the semester.
I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you have, also.