At STC you have a wealth of resources to help you grow into a successful student, if you simply know where to look and are willing to take advantage of them. We’ve left no stone unturned in collecting the following tips to help you make the most of your time in college.
- Read and understand the course syllabus. It will tell you what the professor expects, what his/her priorities are for your learning, attendance policies and what/when assignments are due. If anything is unclear to you, ask your professor for clarification.
- Build a “master calendar.” Include all your work and school obligations in this schedule. Be sure to include blocks of time for study and research/writing. This will help you see in advance and plan for two tests on one day, for example. It will help you to be proactive rather than reactive in approaching your academic assignments.
- Don’t skip class – EVER (unless you are really sick or have a real emergency). Attendance does count, even on the first day of classes. You paid for your college education. Don’t rob yourself by missing classes.
- Do all readings and assignments on schedule. Falling behind is self-perpetuating, and coming to class unprepared makes you less able to understand the new material and ask useful questions.
- Talk to your instructor. Your instructor was a student once, and the advice and tips he/she can give you will be priceless. Become acquainted with your instructors’ office hours, and visit them during these hours to request clarification on course material, course expectations, or just to become acquainted.
- Ask about/investigate student support services. Tutoring, computer labs, writing and language labs, advising and counseling services, library resources, career development services, etc. are all available free of charge. Use them early and often to strengthen your work.
- Review often. Study your notes and review highlights from the text frequently rather than waiting until the day before a test.
- Don’t withdraw from a course without first talking to your instructor and an academic advisor/counselor. There may be solutions to your difficulties that you do not see on your own, or there may be consequences to withdrawing from a course that you don’t know.
- Set measurable academic and personal goals each term. A major difference between students who do well and those who don’t is that students who succeed have clearly defined goals.
- Accept personal responsibility for your academic progress. Successful students tend to be realistic and recognize that their success or failure is primarily determined by their efforts. Students who are not successful often blame outside forces (professors, work, family) for their lack of progress.
- Get to know your classmates. Make friends with one or two students with whom you enjoy working. Exchange phone numbers and consider studying together. If you miss class, call them and find out what you have missed.
- Be respectful of others. This includes the professor, your peers and any visiting lecturers/speakers in your classroom. One way to do this is to turn off any electronics that could interrupt the class. Doing so will show your professor that you’re interested and show your classmates that you respect them.
