The Extra Mile

“Go the extra mile, it’s not crowded.” 

This is from an ad for a fitness club, but it also applies to academics.  Most people do “just enough” to get by.  Successful people do a little bit more – they go the extra mile.  This applies to your studying in a variety of ways:

* Start early to prepare for an exam.

* Ask questions if you do not understand something.

* Review your notes after every class.

* Use a variety of active learning strategies – do more than just “reread” and “review.”

* Read AND outline the textbook chapter, then coordinate with lecture notes.

* Take advantage of tutoring, review sessions, workshops about studying, etc.

* Talk to your professors outside of class if possible.

* Sit in the front of the lecture hall and away from distractions such as friends and windows.

* If the professor gives a study guide for an exam, do the whole thing yourself – don’t divide it up and share with friends.  AND write the answers out, don’t just think about them.  Perhaps put them on study cards and then quiz yourself.

There are many more, but you get the idea.  Go above and beyond doing just enough to get by! 

*****

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

Dealing With Academic Probation

The last post dealt with reacting to your grades, both positive and negative outcomes.  What if the worst case scenario happens and you find yourself on probation.  Now what?

First:

*Find out the procedures at your institution.  At mine you generally have one semester to recover and get back into academic good-standing (at IUP that is a 2.0 cumulative grade point average [GPA] or a C average for all classes combined).  Also, at IUP classes taken at other institutions transfer credits, but not the grade.  (This is important to know.)

Second:

*Look at your fall schedule.   Are your scheduled for any classes that have a prerequisite that you took this semester and failed?  If so, you will need to change your fall schedule.  

*Are there any classes you can repeat next semester?  The fastest way to get back in academic good standing is to replace a low grade with a higher grade.  (There is probably paperwork to file for this.)

Third:

*Reconsider you major.  Are you in an area that interests you and motivates you to study?  Are the courses you are required to take in an area where you skills and knowledge are deficient? (If this is the case, move to #4.)

Fourth:

*Can you take summer classes at home or online classes in an area where your knowledge is deficient?  Or is there some way you can increase your skills in these areas with independent study?  (In this case you are not worried about transferring credits or grades.)

Fifth:

*Can you take summer classes at your institution that will help increase your cumulative GPA?

Finally:

*Reflect back on the previous semester.  What did you do well?  What worked?  AND what did not work?  What changes can you make next semester?

*Think ahead and plan specifically when and how you will study next semester.  Consider writing this down and putting it somewhere so you will find and read it in the future.

***The important thing is to do things DIFFERENTLY and BETTER.  Changes are necessary.  Over the summer look for motivation and resolve to do what needs to be done to be successful.  You can do it!

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

The Semester Is Over…Now What?

By now the spring semester is over and you have received your grades.  So now what?  Here are two scenarios – one for grades you are happy with and the other for disappointing grades:

If you are happy with your grades –

*Take a few moments to feel good and proud of yourself.  You deserve it!  Succeeding at college-level work requires hard work and dedication.

*Think about what you did to set yourself up for success.   Where and when did you study?  How did you handle distractions?  What study and learning strategies did you use? 

*Look ahead to the next time you will be taking classes and think about how your successful strategies from this semester will transfer to the future.

If you are disappointed with your grades –

*Be realistic and examine your study habits from the last semester.  Did you put in enough time?  Did you use a variety of strategies?  Did you seek help when needed?

*What did you do that worked?  Think about a time when you were successful.  What did you do?  What strategies did you use?

*Think about a student you know who is successful.  What do they do that you do not?

*Think about what you did well, what you could have done differently, and resolve to change your habits in the fall.  (Consider writing this down and packing it away with your things so you will read it in the fall!)

*The important thing now is to look ahead.  The next time you are taking classes, what can you do differently?  You might consider taking a learning strategies class over the summer or buying a book about learning and college success (I know a good one listed at the bottom of this post!!). 

 The next post will deal with probation – how to get back in academic good standing as quickly as possible.

Wherever you are – think about what worked, how you can improve, and resolve to move forward!

Enjoy the summer!

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

Six Strategies for Success

I am going to a book signing this afternoon and have been asked to briefly (5 minutes!) share success strategies for college students.  It is hard to narrow it down, but here are my top “Six Strategies for Success” for college students:

Go to class.  College is very different from high school!    You are on your own with no one else to tell you what to do.  Be sure to go to class every day.  It is very easy to miss one day, and then the next, and the next…..

Review and learn your notes after every class using active learning strategies such as rewriting; reorganizing into study guides, study cards, questions and answers; or saying the information out loud.

Read the textbook with intention to remember and active reading strategies such as margin notes, separate notes, or underlining.

Practice recitation (restating in your own words from memory); restate what you have read or studied in your notes in your own words before moving on to the next section.  If you cannot do this, reread the textbook or lecture notes section!

Remember that, unlike high school, most of the learning happens outside of class and that you are the person responsible for making it happen.

Habit – get into positive academic habits at the very beginning of the semester.

The spring semester is either over or almost over.  Take a minute to reflect back – which of these strategies did you use?  Which ones could you add during your next semester?

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.