Tips for Academic Success

University education is not like Secondary education What is a credit hour? Classroom time Hours outside class to study/prepare? Every class hour requires 2 hours outside of class How many credits do you take each semester? 30 What is GPA? Grade Point Average What GPA is required to renew Financial Aid? Scholarships – 3,2 GPA (merit); 2.7 GPA (need) What happens if my GPA falls below 2.0? Probation What is class rank? A percentage A measure of how a student's performance compares to other students in his or her class

Classroom expectations AUCA student agreement Code of Conduct Respect professors and classmates Come prepared for lectures, Seminars, Labs Be curious…ask questions…professors will appreciate it Learn “Active Listening” Attend class – it is part of your contract Actively participate in class - it is part of your grade Your cell phone will not get you an “A” Plagiarizing earns you an “F” grade AUCA offers resources to help students complete classroom assignments and projects

Classroom expectations Please remember: you are no longer a high school student No one will do the work for you You are expected to take responsibility and learn the material Professors will not monitor your progress Focus on your reading and writing skills You will be reading 2-3 times more than in high school Get help early – WARC, Advising

Plagiarism AUCA Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct: 2.1. Plagiarism. This includes handing in an assignment in which substantial portions were not written by the student, regardless of whether the original source(s) is a book or article, a thesis or dissertation (published or unpublished), an Internet article, a paper purchased from a paper mill, a paper written by another student, or any other source. Also, using data, images, charts and graphs without citation is plagiarism. If you are found to have plagiarized any portion of an assignment, you will fail that assignment. Multiple instances of plagiarism may result in the student failing the course. Let someone know – professor, tutor, advisor – if you do not know how to cite sources. It may save your grade.

Campus Resources Academic Advisors are on hand from the first week of school until the end of the semester Visit us in Room 110: Gulnur and Zarina Free Tutoring on campus: WARC helps students with Writing, Math, Accounting, Programming and Economics Visit warc.auca.kg to make an appointment Free Counselor Services at AUCA Email cs@auca.kg to make an appointment All discussion are confidential

Scholarship Renewal Do you have your Financial Aid/Scholarship award letter? The letter will provide the requirements to renew your award Renewal for donor scholarships vary Merit-based awards require students to maintain a 3.2 overall GPA Need-based awards require students to maintain a 2.7 GPA What happens if you do not meet renewal criteria?

GPA Calculation FYS grade A (4.0 x 6 credits) = 24 Quality Points GPA: # of quality points divided by the total # of GPA credit hours FYS grade A (4.0 x 6 credits) = 24 Quality Points ICP 100 B (3.0 x 3 credits) = 9 Quality Points COM 102 C (2.0 x 3 credits) = 6 Quality Points Russian B+(3.33 x 3 credits) = 9.99 Quality Points Kyrgyz F (0 x 3 credits) = 0 Quality Points Total Quality Points = 48.99/18 credits = 2.72 GPA Please note: Pass/Not pass courses do not count toward the GPA (Sports and some Arts classes)

Grading Scale Grade Quality Points A 4.0 A- 3.67 B+ 3.33 B 3.0 B- 2.67 F 0.00 * “W” (Withdrawal) grade does not impact GPA

Grade Forgiveness Policy If you receive an “F” in any required course at AUCA, you must repeat the course as soon as possible. Elective (non-required) courses cannot be repeated. If you pass the class the second time, grade forgiveness is applied (the “F” is removed from the GPA calculation). This policy helps to keep students in good academic standing with Financial Aid renewal. The “F” grade will stay on your transcript. If you earn an “F” two times for the identical course, it grounds for dismissal from AUCA.

Academic Leave and Withdraw Policy Academic Leave for up to two semesters is allowed without penalty. Reasons students take Academic Leave: Health of student; health of family member Financial difficulties Other - see your Professor, Department Office Manager, or advisor Withdraw Policy: Request must be made before the 10th week of the semester FALL 2018 the deadline: Friday, November 16, 2018

Components of an AUCA college degree Completion of all requirements in your Major (number of credits vary by department) Completion of all General Education requirements Academic Minor (please note: IBL, PSY, SFW majors are not able to complete a minor in 4 years) Electives

Course Evaluations Course Evaluation is very important tool for AUCA to measure institution success Your answers are completely anonymous Course evaluation is issued near the end of each semester Please make sure to take the time to complete this online evaluation Transcripts become available only after the evaluation is completed

Communicating with Faculty and Advisors When meeting with a professor or advisor, it is best to address them with respect Try not to just jump into a chair and start talking; ask if you can sit down Meet with faculty during regular office hours; emailing a request to meet is okay Email etiquette to impress: Show respect (Dear Professor …) Use proper grammar Discuss only academic and professional issues Sign off with your full name Do not expect to receive an answer immediately Why develop rapport with professors?

The Future Although you just started at AUCA, it is not too early to think about, and prepare for the future Your undergraduate academic record will impact your future career and graduate school plans Think carefully before you make decisions Ask for help when you have problems, plans, concerns, and any issues

Workshops Time-Management Stress-Management Learning Skills - Concentration Effective Reading Strategies Note-taking Techniques Presentation Skills Working in a Group

Career Services Three main objectives of AUCA Career Services: Career Exploration: empower students to do research and make well informed choices Pathways: steer AUCA students toward relevant careers – major and course selection, internships, volunteering, leadership Workplace Competencies: educate students on necessary skills – soft skills/communication, technology, market demand, organizational cultures – to make a smooth transition into the work place

Peer Advisors Peer Advisors (PAs) are students that assist the Academic Advising office, during the Orientation Week and throughout the Academic Year. PAs provide support related to academic curriculum, course requirements, and major options. PAs will also assist during the Online-registration period and in implementing the workshops aimed to improve academic performance