Good morning Champions! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!
Today I want to talk to everyone about the adjustment that I went through when taking classes in highschool, compared to classes in college. First a little background about me; I went to a vocational high school. So while I was learning just as much as students from “normal” schools, I was also learning a vocation. I was being prepped for the workforce, not for college. So studying was something that I never did during high school. I did not have a lot of homework either, the homework that I did have was something I had time to complete in class.
So, for me, when classes started my first year here, it was a very big adjustment for me. I had to teach myself how to study, I had to learn how to juggle assignments outside of class on top of having a job. I am not going to lie, it was a tough adjustment for me, but once I was able to figure it out, I was able to do really well. Once I figured out how I could study for exams, it was much easier then when I started. Now that I am going into my fourth year here I am confident in how I handle my assignments on top of everything else I have going on. As an education major, I have to complete time in classrooms, which means fitting that in on top of holding 2 jobs. My life is busy, but I would not change it. I like being busy, I work well under pressure. But not everyone does, and that’s okay!
Hopefully your students will be able to adjust to college level classes pretty easily. For those of you that have students that have already taken college level classes, I give them props! I do not think I would have been able to take college level classes in high school.
One big thing I have learned through my time in college is that a lot of professors use the syllabus. My sister went to a different college, and she says the opposite, that the syllabus is a waste of time. But, from my own experiences, the professors that I have had use the syllabus a lot. They thankfully also include a schedule for the semester, of course some changes might happen, but for the most part the schedule that is included in the syllabus is reliable. This way, I can be prepared for when exams and tests will happen.
Also included in the syllabus is textbook information! There is a way for your student to look up textbook information before the semester begins, but I suggest that they wait to purchase books until they receive their syllabus. This way, they know they are getting the right textbook. Also, I have learned that sometimes if you buy a textbook before the semester starts, you won’t always end up using it. For a class I had last semester I needed a book for one class that I was only going to be using for the first 2 weeks of the semester. After those first 2 weeks, I never used it again. If I had purchased a print version of that book, it would have been a waste of money. Please tell your students to look into online versions of books and also to rent them! It is a huge money saver. I use outside sources like Amazon and Chegg to buy books. They have saved me in the long run(money wise). So please, tell them to wait to purchase their books until the first week of classes when they receive their syllabus!
Of course you do not have to listen to me, but from my experience as a student this is the best way to go!
One big thing that I don’t think is talked about enough is attendance policies in college. Some people come into college expecting to never go to class, I can assure you that here that is not something to easily do. The majority of professors count attendance. The most common policy I have seen is that each student is allowed 3 unexcused absences. After that, points start to be deducted from your final grade. So hopefully your students will be scared to lose points on their final grades and decide not to skip classes.
Also the majority of classes involve some note taking. Your student is allowed to use different methods for note taking. I have used a variety of options, notebooks, writing notes on my laptop, and also writing notes on my ipad. Whatever your student would rather! It is really a personal preference. But just prepare them that there will be note taking in college.
A huge part of my life is my planner. If you could see the size of that thing you’d be shocked. I think you all would also be a little weirded out at the amount of color coding I use in order to function daily. Not every student is at this level of obsessive planning AND THAT IS OKAY. Whatever works for your student! Even using a virtual planner through either their Outlook account or through Google. This is really another personal preference type of thing. But, I would recommend some type of planner/calendar for your students to use.
I hope some of these tips have helped, and your students will learn the swing of things pretty quickly and what works for them!
-Lindsey
Lindsey Bak(She/Her/Hers)
Student Coordinator of the Champions Network