from your English Department Advisors

The whole set is posted as one presentation entitled “Tips for New Students” in the “For Students” section. (The “Year by Year Checklist” in the Advising section is the Appendix to the “Tips for New Students.) It is divided into four sections besides the introduction: The First Day of Classes The First Six WeeksThe Second Six Weeks The Last Weeks and Exams This is the introduction to a set of slides designed to give new students an overview of what to expect during the first semester.

Whether you are coming straight from high school or enrolling after years in the workforce, the first semester of college will pose some challenges. The purpose of this presentation is to help you anticipate some challenges, answer some common questions, and help you understand ways in which the pace of college is different from what you experienced in high school.

High School vs College High School vs College  Students are assumed to be minors, answerable to parents.  If you miss class, your parents find out and you get in trouble.  Classes are all in one or two buildings.  Most classes meet five days a week.  Assignments are usually given every day or maybe once a week.  Teachers will usually go over the reading with you point by point.  Parents, teachers and others share responsibility for your education.  Students are assumed to be adults, answerable to themselves.  If you miss class, your grade may be affected.  There are a lot of buildings. It can be confusing at first.  Classes meet 3, 2 or only once a week.  Most assignments are given in a syllabus at the beginning of the semester.  Professors expect you to read and process information on your own.  You must take responsibility for your own education.

 The most successful college students are those who know how to learn independently.  They turn to professors and advisors for help, but they take responsibility for their own learning.  If you don’t have a lot of experience studying on your own, the time to start is now.  Seek support systems-study groups, the writing center- but don’t rely on others to do your thinking and planning for you.

A full-time student ( enrolled in credit hours or more) should be spending hours on studies. The basic formula is 2 hours of outside-class work (24 to 40 hours if full-time) for each credit hour in addition to the regular class contact time. While you may be able to get by with less (especially in introductory courses in subjects that you are good at) it is better to budget more time than you’ll need than less. Remember also that as the semester progresses, many classes will become more demanding.

College classes meet less often than high school classes because you are expected to do more concentrated independent work. Each semester credit hour represents about three hours of study and/or class attendance each week. Although many times it may seem enough to study one hour or less for a class, you will usually have to make up the time later. Don’t assume that because you understand the basic outline of a subject you have mastered it.

 Attend classes regularly even when the instructor doesn’t take attendance.  Don’t procrastinate on the reading or other assignments.  Don’t wait until the day before the deadline to begin a paper.  Don’t leave all your studying for the day before the exam.  This isn’t high school.

If you are not coming to college directly after high school, you may be worried that you have forgotten what you learned in high school and need to relearn it. You probably also have at least a part-time job, family responsibilities, and other concerns besides studying. Juggling different responsibilities may make being a student a little harder for you. But the good news is that your greater maturity and sense of responsibility will often make you a better student than you might have been straight from high school.

Returning students in particular sometimes fear that asking questions suggests incompetence or laziness. The opposite is true. In the university, asking questions is part of the learning process. Admitting that you are not sure about something is the first step towards learning.

If you have to work (full-time or part-time) while attending school, you need to be realistic about the possible consequences. If you consistently choose work over school, your school performance will suffer. (In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to make this choice.) Most professors will not excuse work-related absences or tardiness.Budget your time carefully.Be clear about your priorities.Try to balance the different demands on your time.

 Being a full-time student is a full-time job.  If you have a demanding job, or if family or community obligations take a lot of your time, consider studying part-time.  If you can afford not to work (or to work only part-time) during your first year, try to do so, especially if you have other obligations.  Many students successfully work and attend school full-time (some of them even raise families while doing so) but it is not easy.

Even if you are living at home when you are in college, you are still assumed to be an independent adult. Your instructors are not legally allowed to talk to your parents about you. Letters of “excuse” from your parents don’t count. Your parents may be what is making it possible for you to go to college and you should always be grateful. But this is your education; not theirs.

 Meet with your academic advisor at least once each semester.  You will need your advisor’s advice before preregistration.  Don’t wait until preregistration to make an appointment with your advisor.  Consult your advisor during the semester, especially if you are doing poorly in a class and want to decide whether to drop the class or not.

You’ll feel at home in no time.