Helping students transition from high school to college “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore” Presented by Meg Radunich, Jeff Peters & Dave Belt

High school to College

What do students say? “Homework was a big thing in high school and counted for a lot of points. In college your grades are based on tests, not homework.” “In high school, you were a dork if you got good grades and cared about what was going on in your classes. In college, you’re a dork if you don’t.” “Even if I didn’t pass the tests in high school, I could still pass the class as long as I did my homework.” Student video clip

“College teachers don’t tell you what you’re supposed to do “College teachers don’t tell you what you’re supposed to do. They just expect you to do it. High school teachers tell you about five times what you are supposed to do.” “College teachers expect their students to read the syllabus and the classroom is set up to where it is sink or swim. Do the work or fail. High school teachers reminded us about the deadlines for our projects everyday and tried to help us if we were struggling.” “I thought I killed the final; but the final killed me.”

“College professors aren’t as personable as high school teachers “College professors aren’t as personable as high school teachers. I could stop into my high school teachers’ offices and sit there for 30 minutes to just hang out.”

What Are Some Differences Between High School and College Academics? Instructors may not be trained in education Students may have a TA or GA as an instructor Students may have an international instructor (thick accent, difficult to understand) Lecture and readings may not overlap 100% In High School… Academic expectations are not always high, and good grades can often be obtained with minimum effort, especially for bright students who have discovered they don’t have to expend much effort to earn high grades. In College… Academic expectations are much higher, and minimum effort usually produces poor grades.

What Are Some Differences Between High School and College Academics? Students are responsible for their own learning & behavior Have a certain instructor for a few months Instructors don’t tell you exactly what notes to take Dropping a class is an option

Not to mention… Students may be living on their own for the first time…Dorm life! They may have a job They may be making new friends They may be in a relationship/ break ups They may be in a new setting/ city They may be involved in lots of extra activities They may be managing their own finances for the first time Different language to learn in college (words like credit hours, matriculation and class standing) Students think in terms of “How many classes should I take”. VS “How many credit hours should I take”> Many students think “I took 7 classes per day in high school, so I should be in 7 classes in college too.”

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT High School vs. College THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Students are no longer a passive learner Students are expected to have an opinion Class participation is key to success Students can voice their thoughts and disagree; this is not deviant behavior If something is unclear see the professor during office hours

Successful college freshmen are those who live up to faculty expectations by acting as responsible adult learners.

Conditions of Retention Expectations Support Feedback Involvement Learning Source: Tinto, V. (1999). Taking Retention Seriously: Rethinking the First Year of College. NACADA Journal,19(2), fall, 5-9

“To sum up, students are more likely to persist when they find themselves in settings that are committed to their success, hold high expectations for their learning, provide needed academic and social support, and frequent feedback about their performance, and actively involve them with other students and faculty in learning. The key concept is that of educational community and the capacity of institutions to establish educational communities that actively involve students with other members of the institution. – Vincent Tinto

Campus Resources Especially for First-Year Students Student Academic Support Services Counseling & Testing Center, Assess for Success Office of Services for Students with Disabilities Career Services Others?

College is The Best Time of Your Life It is time to be involved in everything your college or university will have to offer. College is a time when: The “cool kids” disappear Who you eat lunch with does not define you as a person There is no such thing as “un-cool” New concept: “Your are an adult”

So What? How does knowing this information make us more effective advisors?

Let’s take a look at the data… Depending on the cohort, the difference between average grades of the two groups during the first term is approximately 0.6 to 0.7 points.

Advisor Relevance Most every advisor will work with freshmen students. TIP: Don’t assume your students understand how “college” works(expectations, how much time to spend studying, how to ask for help). Discuss terms like: credit hour, general education, articulation, class standing. TIP: Don’t assume your students know what these terms mean (even if they attended orientation). THESE ARE GOOD DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE!

If advising is teaching, what do advisors teach? Advising as teaching If advising is teaching, what do advisors teach? According to Mathie (1993), active learning takes place when students participate dynamically in the learning process; are stimulated to learn at higher cognitive levels; and understand the relevance of learning activities to the specific subject matter being taught, to other contents of the course, and to the events in their own lives. Rooney (1994) supported these principles within an advising context when he said “the student cannot simply be a passive receptacle of information. Instead, the student must be a partner in the teaching and learning process” (p. 35). Developmental advisers engage their advisees in exactly this manner. Mathie's third strategy to increase active learning is to empower students by helping them understand that they can make choices in the classroom and that the consequences of these choices can have profound effects on their post-baccalaureate aspirations. Many students are unaccustomed to this type of freedom because their past educational experiences have been chosen for them by others (e.g., parents or counselors), so it is important not to overwhelm them with too many choices at first. A developmental adviser is in a perfect position to introduce advisees to their new freedom in a gradual manner that motivates them to exercise their choices with enthusiasm.

Teaching topic: “Three Easy Steps to Connect with Your Professors”

Step #1 Get Noticed... …in a positive manner and help that instructor form the impression that you are an active, interested, responsible, and motivated student.

Some ways to get noticed as a “good” college student. Read and understand the class syllabus. Follow the directions in the syllabus. Come to all class meetings. Come to class on time. Come to class prepared. Participate actively in class. Ask questions about unclear material. Take advantage of your professors’ office hours.

Some ways to get noticed as a “not-so-good” college student. Carry on side conversations with your fellow students during class. Let your cell phone ring in class or—worse yet—take a call and carry on a conversation in class. Text under your desk (yes, they see you…) Behave as if you are bored by what your teacher is trying to teach (e.g., read the newspaper or text-message in class). Pack up your books noisily before class is over.

Step #2 Perform Well … which means earning high grades on tests, producing written work that is professional in both content and appearance, and speaking in a clear and articulate manner. .

Students who perform well are those who… Are savvy  rather than clueless. know what their teachers expect them to do and then actually follow through and do it seek help when they need it Work hard  rather than be a slacker. don’t just do the minimum required to pass the class-- make it a point to work harder than their classmates Assume an active role in the learning process Rather than sitting back and passively expecting to be taught, they become actively involved in the teaching-learning process-- learning is not a spectator sport

Stage #3 Just Do It! Get involved with faculty, staff, other students: Serve as a Tutor Serve as a Club or Organization Officer Serve as a Work-Study Student Join Student Government Form Study Groups in your classes

Approachable faculty and staff: First Year Experience Instructors Librarians Academic advisors Club or organization advisors Faculty members in introductory classes Members of academic support services ALSO: Ask other students about “approachable” faculty Take advantage of service learning opportunities and internships

Meet other students Encourage students to: make friends with the other students in their classes. Form study groups. Get involved in at least one student club, organization, or activity. NOT be a PCP (Parking Lot  Classroom  Parking Lot) student. TIP: tell your experience about how you got involved when you were a student and what it did for you.

Extra Hints Teach students: If they must work, see if it is possible to work on campus. See the relevance of what they are learning in their classes so they don’t take classes just to “get them out of the way.” TIP: Have a good attitude about general ed classes

Resources Appleby, D. (2001). The Teaching-Advising Connection. The Mentor. Gordon, V. N., Habley, W. R., & Grites, T. J. (Eds.). (2008). Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Tinto, V. (1999). Taking Retention Seriously: Rethinking the First Year of College. NACADA Journal,19(2), fall, 5-9 University of Utah, Offices of Budget & Planning, Institutional Analysis, & Data Management & Visualization.