Academic Success Strategies

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Approach is a key factor in any professional
  career preparation.
• A good approach is to work hard and smart.
• Working smart involves
• Structuring your life situation
• Seeking help when you need it
• Making good use of educational opportunities
• Making good use of your professors
• Avoiding certain behaviors
• Demonstrating certain winning behaviors
• Utilizing student services
• Developing good study habits
• Using good test taking skills
• Managing you time wisely

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Structure you life situation
• Living arrangements - On or near campus is best.
• Balance work and school - both cant be full
  time!
• Typical lecture course is 3 credits (3 hrs/wk)
• Lab course is 4 credits (lecture plus 1 sch lab)
• 10 hrs/wk - Full Load, 15-18 sch, 5-6 courses
• 20 hrs/wk - Min. Full Load, 12 sch, 4 courses
• 40 hrs/wk - Part-Time, 6 - 8 sch, 2 courses
• Obviously, fewer courses, more years of study!
• Influence of family and friends
• Family and friends can provide a support
  structure
• The more stable, the better

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Dont hesitate to seek help.
• Your peers - friends and study groups
• Your professors
• Find out how to get in touch - phone email
• Office hours
• SWTJC Ace Lab
• Help with math, science, English, etc.
• Plato Learning System
• SWTJC library - information and research
• Most successful students participate in a variety
  of activities with peers and professors.
• You must learn to communicate and interact
  effectively, both now and when you go to work.

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Make good use of your educational opportunities.
• Teaching modes
• Large lecture - 300 students
• Small lecture - 25 to 30 students
• Recitations - Teaching assistant and 8-10
  students
• One-on-one tutoring
• Subject expert teaches a neophyte
• Learning with these modes is limited!
• Teaching modes dont matter if learning modes are
  not engaged

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Make good use of your educational opportunities.
• Learning modes
• Solitary, the lone wolf approach
• Collaborative - Most effective!
• Come early to class and talk to other students.
• Hang around the sub and library, talk to students
  you recognize.
• Organize a study group.
• Include a brain in the group.
• Ask the prof to attend a study session.

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Make good use of your professors.
• Provide one-on-one instruction - office hours.
• Provide academic and career advising.
• Monitor your progress and hold you accountable.
• Help you find a summer job.
• Serve as a reference when you look for a job.
• Nominate you for a scholarship or award.
• It pays to win over you professor! How?
• Show respect.
• Show interest and pay attention in class.
• Be responsible.
• Dont make excuses!

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Behaviors to avoid
• Coming in late to class.
• Sleeping in class.
• Not paying attention - surfing the Internet.
• Doing homework in class.
• Leaving class early.
• Failing to do homework or preparing for exams.
• Asking Did I miss anything?
• Correcting his/her mistakes in an antagonistic
  manner.
• General complaining...grades, exams, homework.
• Sending non-verbal messages.

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Winning behaviors
• Be on time to class.
• Pay attention and show interest.
• Ask meaningful questions.
• Apply yourself to the job at hand.
• Offer compliments and constructive criticism.
• Show an interest in things the prof is interested
  in.

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Utilize other student services.
• Tutoring services.
• ACE labs
• Student Support Services
• Career center
• Financial aid office.
• Health office
• Library
• Counseling advising

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Develop good study habits.
• Study ahead. Getting behind is the Kiss of
  death.
• Master the material from a previous class before
  the next class.
• Begin doing the reading and homework assignments
  immediately. Dont cram!
• Problem solutions always look easy when the
  prof does it in class.
• Recopy your notes. Keep all your work!
• Rework all examples.
• Rework exam problems you miss.
• Sit up front in lecture and focus your
  attention.
• Ask questions. Dont ever gloss over things you
  dont understand.

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Develop test taking strategies.
• The harder you work as you go, the less cramming
  will be needed.
• On a test, go through it and work the easy
  problems first. Then go back and work the ones
  you are unsure of.
• If you get stuck, go on and come back to it.
• Check you answers!!!
• Apply the reasonableness test. In the first
  two year of college, there are no stupid
  questions, but Ive seen lots of stupid answers
  on tests and homework!
• Never leave a question blank, you might get lucky!

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Manage your time.
• Study at least two hours outside of class for
  every hour in class. (Example ENGR 1201 - 4
  hrs/wk)
• Make up a weekly schedule and stick to it.
• Make a serious commitment to study time. Study
  first and play last!
• Use a long term planner. Dont let exams and
  major assignments slip up on you.

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Academic Success Strategies
SWTJC STEM ENGR 1201

• Again, plan to work hard and smart.
• There are no guarantees in life, but you can
  increase the odds in your favor!

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