Home - College Skills - Advice for Freshmen

Complements of Dr. Livingston of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Alabama

Advice for Freshmen

• Do not miss class. Freshmen tend to skip class more often than do upper-level students. Students who have been around the University for several semesters, however, have learned that class attendance is necessary for success. If you are not attending class, you will have to teach the material to yourself, something that is not very easy to do in many college courses.
  
  
• Get organized. Use the planner that you received at summer orientation. You will need to write down your test dates, dates when assignments are due and other important dates. Check your planner frequently, make “to do” lists, and do not procrastinate.
  
  
• Develop a daily routine. Set aside specific times of the day for study. To do well academically, most UAH students need to devote twenty or more hours per week to out-of-class studying.
  
  
• Get enough rest. Many freshmen students find themselves sleep deprived. Lack of sleep can lead to a number of unfortunate consequences such as missing morning classes, being unable to concentrate while studying, and not being able to pay attention in class.
  
  
• Keep up with the required readings. Putting off required textbook reading is very common among beginning college students. Procrastination usually results in having to learn a huge amount of information in a small amount of time. The night before a test is not the time to catch up on reading.
  
  
• Do not let your interest in the course affect your grade in the course. All college students, from the Middle Ages until today, have had to take courses they found less than interesting. The bottom line is, however, that all college students will receive a grade at the end of the term. Grades remain on students’ transcripts forever and have long-term consequences. The mark of mature college students is that they do not let their opinions of the courses, course structures, or the instructors affect their performance. They study hard, learn the material, and do not make excuses for poor performance.
  
  
• Study for problem solving classes every day. Problem-solving classes (mathematics, some sciences, economics, engineering, etc.) require daily study in the form of practice problems and homework assignments. Just because an instructor does not collect or grade homework does not mean it can be ignored.
  
  
• Become involved in campus activities. There are over 100 clubs and organizations on campus. Becoming involved in campus activities is a good way to meet other students with similar interests.
  
  
• Get to know your instructors. Instructors are usually very willing to help motivated students who take an interest in the course.
  
  
• Learn to limit social activities. You cannot “go out” every night and expect to make good grades. Students can still have fun, but you will need to learn to limit your social activities to a few days per week.
  
  
• Learn how to manage your money. College students are faced with financial responsibilities that they did not have when they lived at home with their parents. Keep up with how much money you have and use credit cards wisely. Make sure that you pay your bills on time.
  
  
• Talk to your parents frequently. Keep the lines of communication open. Let your parents know how you are adjusting to living on your own and how you are doing in your classes. Let them know if you are experiencing problems.
  
  
• Seek out help if you need it. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. Talk to your instructor, go to see an advisor, seek out a tutor, and attend help sessions. You will be glad you did when grades are posted at the end of the semester.
  
  

What college instructors expect from students

Unwritten rules of the academic game—subscribed to by most college instructors—state that students who demonstrate the greatest amount of motivation, interest, and hard work should be rewarded with high grades. Conversely, trying to “get by” with little effort will usually result in poor grades. Below is a list of some of the behaviors that college instructors expect from students. As you can see, most of these behaviors involve the qualities listed above—motivation, interest, and hard work.

1. College instructors expect students to come to every class. Beginning freshmen miss more classes than any other group of students. Unfortunately, this fact has a direct impact on grades. Students who attend class regularly make better grades than do students who miss class frequently. Not attending class is a sign of lack of motivation and interest. Remember that college tests are structured to reward those who demonstrate these qualities.
   
   
2. College instructors expect students to put forth effort to understand the material and to be prepared for class. This means that college instructors expect students to study regularly and to keep up with the assigned readings. The conventional advice is that students should spend two hours studying for every hour spent in class. That means about thirty hours each week should be devoted to studying. Most beginning college freshmen cannot imagine studying thirty hours per week. In fact, most beginning students indicate that they expect to make a “B” average or better their first semester by studying less than ten hours per week. This discrepancy between instructor expectations and student behavior will often lead to disappointment when students receive their test grades.
   
   
3. College instructors expect students’ work to be of high quality. In order to produce high quality collegiate-level work, students must learn to avoid the natural tendency to procrastinate and must be aware of important dates and deadlines. An organized student will probably make better grades than a disorganized student. All college students need some sort of calendar or daily planner. They also need a system for organizing their study materials (notes, handouts, syllabi, etc). Finally, they must begin working on assignments and begin studying for tests far enough in advance so that their work will be of high quality. It is obvious to instructors when a student has waited until the last minute to complete an assignment, or has not prepared adequately for a test. The grades students receive often reflect this fairly accurately.
   
   
4. College instructors expect students to behave like mature adults. Be aware that faculty members frown upon immature or adolescent-like behavior. Examples of behaviors that annoy college professors would include sleeping in class, having your cell phone ring during class, coming to class late or leaving class early, packing up your books before class has ended, missing tests, missing appointments, and turning in assignments late. You want your professors to remember you because of your positive attributes, not for problems you might cause. Let your instructors know if you are experiencing problems that interfere with your schoolwork.

The Learning Enrichment Services can assist with the achievement of your academic goals. Contact the Programs Coordinator at 824-6731.