In my experience speaking at and consulting with over 50 universities, I’ve noticed something you probably already know: Colleges typically don't "get" military students. Despite the fact that some reports now say over 40% of the student population is "non-traditional" (read: older), most college and university marketing materials are geared toward either A) students in high school, or B) parents with students in high school. Worse yet, college orientation programs often feel shockingly elementary (read: like a high school pep rally).

But what about military students who have served their country, gained perspective, and now decided to return to or attend college for the first time?

If you’re looking at college you’re probably older and wiser than the typical student, with a lot of hard earned experience under your belt. So how can you jump back in and survive all the while mixing and mingling with all those bright-eyed 17 and 18-year-olds?

Here are the top 6 tips I share at The College Success Bootcamp for older, "battle-tested" students:

1. Live on campus (or nearby). If you are single, and it’s possible, live on campus. If you’re married, move in nearby. If you’re on base and going to college, get to campus as often as possible. Why? Because the best parts of college life happen outside of the classroom. It’s in the quad, the student union, the library and the hallways where real debates, relationships and learning often take place.

2. Don’t dumb it down. Listen, you’ve earned your experience and you should be proud to share it. Many non-traditional students try so hard to fit-in that they either try to act younger (which just makes them look silly), or, more commonly, they hold back their expertise in the classroom. If you have something to contribute to a classroom discussion or study group, speak out. The class can learn a lot from you and, despite popular myth, younger students actually value "old school" wisdom. (But read point 3 below).

3. Get your marching orders from your professors. Before your first class, visit all of your professors and ask, "How can a non-traditional student like me best contribute to your class, especially during open discussions." Why ask? Because professors have taught the class hundreds of times before and they know how students respond to older students. They also know which parts of the semester might be of particular interest to you, and which classroom requirements you might find most difficult.

4. Join study groups. It’s probably been quite a while since you jumped headfirst into an academic textbook, and you probably aren’t even sure what today’s college exams look like. So, within the first month of school, join a study group for a refresher course on learning. You can find study groups posted on bulletin boards around campus, but don’t forget to take the initiative and try and form one with the students in your own classes.

5. Find comrades. You are not the only person on campus who has been in the military. So look for military study groups and extracurricular clubs. Most of your memories about college years from now will be about the friendships you built, not about the tests you took. So be proactive and look for people you already relate to: other military students who do "get" you. Don’t forget to be adventurous, though, and challenge yourself to mix and mingle outside of your age (and income) bracket.

6. Keep fit and healthy. Over 60% of student on campus report feeling so depressed at some point in the last few months that they had trouble functioning. It’s no surprise that many of those students are also overweight or obese. (Depression has long been tied, even if loosely, to lack of physical vibrancy). The good news is that the military kept you in shape, and it probably helped you maintain energy, confidence, and a positive outlook. But the bad news is once you’re back in college, there’s no one reminding you to do your pushups. In the first month of school, then, you should set yourself up on a steady workout schedule. Also, try to choose foods that fuel you rather than simply fill you. Sorry, anything that sounds like beer and pizza won’t make you sharp for the next day’s exam.