What to expect in College

We want you to be successful! Read the information carefully to learn researched-based academic strategies that will help you be a prepared student.

Steps to Success

• Step One: Attend Every Class
• Step Two: Be Organized
• Step Three: Manage Your Time Well
• Step Four: Be Successful in the Classroom
• Step Five: Take Good Notes
• Step Six: How to Read a Textbook
• Step Seven: Study Smart
• Step Eight: Use Text-Taking Strategies
• Step Nine: Reduce Test Anxiety

Time Management

Support Services and Resources

Befriending Professors (And Earning Letters of Recommendation)

 

Steps to Success…What you need to know!

In most instances, people experience greater success when they know what to expect. In college, expect to find the following:

Varying Class Sizes
Class size varies depending on the course. While most classes have fewer than 40 students, larger introductory classes may have anywhere from 15-400 students. Intro classes tend to have large class sizes while upper-division classes are smaller.

The Need for Critical Thinking Skills
In college you will be expected to understand and remember what you read. You will also be asked to draw conclusions, form opinions, and evaluate the ideas of others.

Strong Emphasis on Tests and Less Busywork
Students who succeed do their assignments and keep up with their reading.

The Need for Personal Responsibility
In college, you have a tremendous amount of freedom. No one is monitoring your progress. No one is checking to see if you are going to class, and no one knows whether or not you’re doing your assignments. You are responsible for your own academic progress.

Consequences
UCSC has academic standards that students must meet in order to stay enrolled. Students may be placed on academic probation if their grades fall below a certain point. Students on probation must bring their grades up by a specified time. If they don’t, they are withdrawn from the university.

Less Time in Class and More Emphasis on Independent Study
In college, you are expected to do most of your learning on your own. The general rule is: For every one hour you spend in class, you should spend two hours out of class reading, studying, and completing assignments.

STEPS TO SUCCESS

STEP ONE: ATTEND EVERY CLASS

If you want to succeed and become a more active learner, you must attend every class– not almost every class, EVERY class.

The importance of regular class attendance cannot be emphasized enough. When you miss classes, you miss lectures, notes, class discussions, homework explanations, and assignments. You may also miss in-class quizzes and even tests.

It can be tempting to cut a class now and then, but don’t kid yourself into thinking that missing a class won’t make a difference, or that missing a class is okay as long as you get copies of the notes. Getting copies of someone’s notes is not the same as going to class, and it’s usually more of a hassle. You cannot make up what you miss, and you cannot get it from someone else.

STEP TWO: BE ORGANIZED

This section will give you several ideas about how to be organized.

Use an agenda or planner.
Take your assignment notebook to every class and record each assignment. When you’re given a large assignment, use your notebook to break down the assignment into smaller parts. For example, if a research paper is assigned on Feb. 1 and it’s due Feb. 21, give yourself deadlines like the ones listed below. Writing these deadlines in your assignment notebook will help keep you on track. It will also ensure that you do your big assignments over a period of time, not at the last minute.

Use three-ring binders for class notes.
Three-ring binders work well because you can easily insert handouts, and if you ever miss a class, you can copy someone else’s notes and insert them where they belong. Purchase a small three-hole puncher so that you can insert handouts into your binder as soon as you get them. Keep important information (your instructor’s office hours, the course syllabus, etc.) in the front of your notebook.

Keep returned papers, quizzes, and tests.
Keep all of your returned papers, quizzes, and tests in the same binder with your lecture notes. Old quizzes and tests can help you study for future tests; they can also come in handy if there is ever a question about your grade. Keep a record of all your grades for each class. Keeping a record of your grades eliminates surprises at the end of the term. If you are ever unsure as to how you are doing in a class, talk to your instructor.

Record phone numbers.
Make sure that you have a phone number or e-mail address of at least one person in each class. If you are absent, you will have someone you can contact to find out what you missed. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are also helpful when you have a question about an assignment or an upcoming test.

Maintain a neat and organized study space.
Set up a desk or study area so that it has everything you need. Keep this area neat and organized so that materials can be easily located.

Before you go to bed, gather everything you’ll need for the following day, and put everything else back in its place. If there’s anything you need to remember to do, write yourself a note so you won’t forget.

STEP THREE: MANAGE YOUR TIME WELL

Time management is important for all college students. It is, however, particularly important for students who have other commitments (a job, sports, etc.).

Do not overextend yourself.
The first step in time management is to look at your life in order to make sure that you’re not overextended. If you feel that you are doing more than you can handle, look for ways to make your life more manageable, and try to make some changes.

Plan ahead.
Take a look at what you need to do, think about how you can get it done most efficiently, and then write out a plan. (Don’t plan out more than three days at a time). Revise your plans as needed, and check things off as you accomplish them.

Be organized.
Being organized is a tremendous time saver. When you’re organized, you know what you have to do, and you have the information and materials that you need.

Make efficient use of your time.
Consciously make choices about how you will use your time. For example, decide to limit yourself to one hour of TV or socializing on weeknights. Also look for ways to streamline and combine tasks (studying while you’re doing your laundry, get your exercise by jogging to the library, etc.).

STEP FOUR: BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM

You’ll be more happy and successful in college if you follow these tips.

Learn how to adapt to different instructors.
One instructor may encourage discussions and the open exchange of ideas; another instructor may expect students to listen to the lecture and to take notes. Part of your education is to learn how to adapt to different personalities, teaching styles, and expectations.

Be prepared for each class.
You’ll get much more out of your classes if you have your assignments completed before you go to class. Lectures will be easier to follow; you’ll be able to understand class discussions, etc. As soon as each class begins, focus on the presentation or lecture. Of course, to be physically and mentally alert, you need to eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep.

Sit in the front of class whenever possible.
It’s easier to pay attention when you sit in the front of classrooms. With the rest of the class behind you, there are fewer distractions and it’s easier to hear the instructor. It’s also easier to ask questions and easier to see the board, television, and overheads. If you can choose your seat, sit up front. If you’ve been assigned a seat in the back of the classroom, ask your instructor if it would be possible for you to move to the front.

Communicate with your instructors.
Most instructors will give you their phone numbers, e-mail address, and/or office hours at the beginning of the quarter. Do not hesitate to contact an instructor whenever you have a concern, problem, or question. For example, if you have a paper to write and you’re having a difficult time determining how to approach the subject, talk to your instructor. While most instructors will be happy to help you, you must initiate the contact. You should, of course, respect your instructors’ privacy and personal time; talk to them after class, call or see them during their office hours, or send an e-mail.

Be on time to class.
Whenever possible, arrive early to class. You’ll be more relaxed, and you can use the time to look over your notes, and/or speak with your instructor. When you are late to a class, you miss announcements and introductory remarks. Your tardiness also tells your instructor that being on time to his/her class is not a priority for you.

Instructors often summarize the lecture and/or discuss assignments during the last 5-10 minutes of class. It is therefore important not to leave class early. If you must leave early, tell your instructor before class starts.

Participate in class.
Whenever there are discussions, projects, or labs, it is important to be an active and willing participant. The class will be more enjoyable and you’ll learn more. When you participate in class, you show your instructor that you know the material and that you’re interested in the course.

Be a good group member.
The number one reason people get fired from their jobs is because they cannot get along with their coworkers. It is therefore not surprising that businesses and industries encourage educators to teach students how to work together in small groups. Here are a few things to remember when you have to do a group project:

• Do your share of the work and do it well.
• Accept that everyone is different and be open to new ideas.
• Have a positive attitude, and support the other group members.

STEP FIVE: TAKE GOOD NOTES

Tests usually cover material that the instructor has presented in class. It is therefore important to have good classroom notes from which to study.

Be an active listener.
In order to take good notes you must be an active listener. When you are actively listening in class, you don’t just hear the words the instructor is saying, you are also thinking about and trying to understand the information that is being presented.

Take notes to help you pay attention.
You can think faster than anyone can talk. This is one of the reasons that your mind sometimes wanders when you’re listening to lectures. When you take notes, however, your mind has something to focus on, and you don’t have time to think about anything else. Taking notes therefore helps you pay attention and to stay focused.

Recognize important information.
You often hear a change in your instructor’s voice when s/he says something that is important for you to know. Instructors often speak louder, speak slower, or they give verbal cues like “the most significant outcome,” “the main point,” “the most important reason,” “the three causes,” etc.

Anything your instructor takes the time to write on the board or overhead should be considered very important. Double-underline or put a star beside this information (or any information that’s very important) so that you’ll know to give it special attention when you’re studying later.

Go over your notes as soon as possible.
While the information is still fresh in your mind, go over your notes. Clarify anything that was confusing, and make sure that you have key words written in the margins of your notes. You might also want to highlight important points. Of course, while you are going over your notes, you are also fixing this information in your memory.

If you are serious about learning, completely rewrite your notes. Eliminate unimportant information, and rewrite the rest of your notes using your words. Your notes will be clearer, and as you rewrite them, you will also be learning the material. This is time consuming, but it pays off.

Get the lecture notes if you are absent.
When you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. Be sure to get copies of the class notes and handouts as soon as possible.

The Cornell Note-Taking System
Developed forty years ago at Cornell University, this system will keep your notes neat, complete, and well-organized, especially in math and sciences. It will also save you time when studying for exams.

1. Draw a vertical line down the paper to divide the left hand CUE column (2 ½ inches), and the right hand LECTURE NOTES.
2. Save the bottom 2 inches of the paper for SUMMARY space.
3. During class record information only in the LECTURE NOTES area, and only on the front side of the paper.
4. Leave blank areas where you are unsure. Ask questions in class or get clarification during instructors’ office hours.
5. Within 24 hours review and recite from the notes. Use the CUE column to write study questions, key terms, or theorems, etc.
6. In the SUMMARY space, reduce your page of notes into a one or two sentence summary or mnemonic trick.
7. Quiz yourself during weekly review. Remove notepapers from binder and spread them on a table in sequential order. Line them up so you can see only the CUE columns. Check answers in LECTURE NOTES.

STEP SIX: HOW TO READ A TEXTBOOK

When you know how to read a textbook, you are able to comprehend and remember what you read.

Textbook authors have already done a lot of your work for you. They’ve inserted boldface subtitles that tell you exactly what you are going to be reading. They’ve put all of the important words in bold or italic print, and they’ve added pictures, charts, graphs, lists of vocabulary words, summaries, and review questions. The textbook authors have done all of this to make it easier for you to learn and retain information.

In this section, you will discover how to use these “learning tools”. You will also learn how to 1)Scan, 2)Read, and 3)Review. Once you understand how to scan, read, and review, you’ll be able to comprehend and remember what you read in a textbook the first time through.

Scan
Scanning gives you a quick overview of the materials you’re going to read. To scan, read the title, the subtitles, and everything in bold and italic print. Look at all of the pictures, graphs, charts, and read the introduction, the review questions, and the summary.

Scanning provides you with a great deal of information in a very short amount of time. In addition to providing you with an excellent overview of the text, scanning also provides you with a kind of “information framework”. Having this framework of main ideas, vocabulary words, etc. makes it easier for you to read and understand the more detailed information.

Read
When your reading has a purpose, your comprehension improves, it’s easier to stay focused, and you can identify important information. To give your reading a purpose, try turning each boldface subtitle into a question. Keep your question in mind as you continue to read. At the end of each section, see if you can answer it. Your question gives you something specific to look for, and helps keep your mind from wandering. Therefore, you can remember more of what you read.

Before you start to read a section, look to see if there are any vocabulary words, names, places, or events in bold or italic print, and then ask yourself, “Why is this word, person, place, or event important?” You should, of course, have an answer to that question when you finish reading the section.

STEP SEVEN: STUDY SMART

Students who “study smart” find that they spend less time studying and get better grades.

Find a good place to study
Although it’s usually best to have one place to study regularly, it doesn’t matter where you study as long as the area is well-lit and comfortable and there’s a surface for writing. Before you start to study, figure out how to avoid or eliminate anything that could interrupt your concentration (loud music, telephone calls, the TV, etc.)

Some students need silence when they study; others can study with music playing. If you like to listen to music when you study, consider listening to classical music. Research has shown that classical music can actually improve your concentration.

Get Started
The hardest part about studying is getting started. Don’t put your studying off until later, don’t make excuses, and don’t wait until you’re “in the mood”. Begin with something simple or a subject that you like, and just get started. We all learn differently. Think about how you learn and adjust how you study accordingly.

STEP EIGHT: USE TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES

In order to do well on any test or exam, you must study hard and be prepared. Having done that, you can further improve your test performance by using these test-taking strategies.

Get off to a good start
Arrive early for a test. Bring all of the necessary supplies. As soon as you get the exam, write anything you want to remember in light pencil at the top of your paper. Read or listen to all instructions carefully.

Develop a plan
Before you begin, look over the entire test and develop a plan. For example, if the test has 25 multiple choice questions and 2 essay questions, you might plan 15 minutes for the multiple-choice section and 15 minutes for each essay question. Allow yourself time to go over the test.

Mark questions that you want to review
After you have gone through all of the questions, go back to the ones you’ve marked and try them again. When you’re not sure about an answer, go with your first instinct. Don’t panic if you don’t know the answers to the first few questions. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for your brain to get in gear. Chances are you’ll know the answers when you come back to them.

STEP NINE: REDUCE TEST ANXIETY

While a little anxiety before a test improves concentration and alertness, excessive worry, or test anxiety, will lower one’s scores.

It’s possible for students with test anxiety to get themselves so worked up that they can’t think clearly. The brain is like a computer in that it contains a great deal of information. This information is useless, however, if you’re not able to access it when you need it. Having test anxiety is like having the password to your computer. The information is there, but you can’t access it.

To reduce test anxiety, study enough to feel confident that you know the material. Then try to replace the worry and negative thinking with thoughts that are positive and relaxing. Some of the following suggestions will help you.

 

 

 

 

Source: University of California, Santa Cruz