Strategies for Academic Success
We want you to succeed in your studies here in the Leeds School of Business. There are many resources out there to help you make the most of your time here and to support your academic endeavors. Plus, we have some seasoned advice from other students who have spent time in our halls. Please take time to read through these tips and resources. If you have further questions, come see an academic advisor.
Tips from Students
- Attend every class and arrive on time
- Sit up front
- Be prepared for class by doing the homework and actively engaging with the material
- Keep up with the required reading or, better yet, read ahead, so you're familiar with the concepts and subjects before they're discussed in class
- Write up a summary of each chapter after reading and brainstorm in writing potential test questions from the chapter
- Participate in class: take good notes, ask questions to clarify and push discussion further, make comments when you think of things to add to discussion
- Select the best possible writing materials for note taking: sharp pen or pencil, eraser, your favorite line or unlined paper
- Write up or rewrite lecture notes immediately after class or as soon after class as you can
- Reread your class notes before the next class to make sure you don't have any outstanding questions you need to bring up
- Reread your syllabus regularly to make sure you are on track and that you haven’t forgotten any assignments
- Save syllabus, handouts, and notes all together, in a logical order, in one notebook
- Make a contact or two in the class so you can phone or email classmates for notes and assignments if you must miss a class
- Go to instructor's/professor's/TA's office hours as often as you can and be prepared with questions to ask
- Use residence hall tutoring
- Attend any special study sessions organized by the professor, TA or department
- Form your own study group from students in the class
- Use any and all other support services available. (See “Campus Resources.")
Campus Resources
BUSINESS ADVISORS
Personal academic advising, degree progress evaluation, resource referral. | Koelbel, Rm 115
Contact Us |
| ARTS AND SCIENCES DEPARTMENTAL TUTORING | http://www.colorado.edu/ArtsSciences/aacforstudents/academicsupportprogs.html |
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Confidential professional counseling, crisis services. Walk-in hours: Monday-Friday 9-11:30 and 1-3:30 | Willard Hall, Rm 134
Phone: (303) 492-6766
Appointments: (303) 492-6766
Website: http://www.colorado.edu/sacs/counseling/ |
DISABILITY SERVICES
Accommodations regarding testing, assessments and services for students with disabilities. | Phone: (303) 492-8671
Website: www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices |
LIVING IN A RESIDENCE HALL?
Contact your Academic Support Assistance Program (ASAP) for study groups, tutoring and other services. | Phone: (303) 735-3303
E-mail: asap@colorado.edu
Website : http://housing.colorado.edu/housing/a_asap.cfm |
PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISING Pre-health, Pre-law planning | Old Main 1B-90 Phone: 303-735-3000 |
STUDENT ACADEMIC SERVICES CENTER
Study sessions, tutoring, career exploration, English as second language program, education specialists, writing program, winning at math workshops. | Willard Hall, Room 320
Phone: (303) 492-1416
E-mail: SASC@colorado.edu
Website : www.colorado.edu/SASC |
STUDY SKILLS WEBSITES Study Guides and Strategieswww.studygs.net Virginia Tech www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html | Site includes such topics as Thinking Like a Genius, Influencing Teachers, Using Feedback, and learning exercises and games. Site includes note taking methods and strategies for improving test performance. |
WARDENBURG HEALTH CENTER
Personal health care services, health information, wellness programs. | Phone: (303)492-5101
Website: www.colorado.edu/healthcenter |
THE WRITING CENTER
Advice for paper writing,
assistance in the writing process. | Norlin library, E-156
Website: www.colorado.edu/pwr/writingcenter.html |
How to Create a Study Group
- Take Initiative. Do not wait for a study group to appear from nowhere-create one on your own. Find other interested students by asking classmates you know if they are interested, questioning those you may not know, talking to your Professor/TA , or announcing the formation of a study group at the beginning of class.
- Delineate Responsibility. Take responsibility for the first study session yourself. During the first session, discuss with others who will be responsible for all planned sessions. Make a list, giving different group members responsibility for facilitating a session. Discuss administrative-type details at the first meeting such as where the group will meet, what content will be covered, what the facilitator should plan (study questions, homework reviews, old or sample tests, etc.), and if possible, create an email and telephone list.
- Create 'ground rules' for sessions. Be on time, be respectful of others' ideas/beliefs, be prepared, have homework, study guides, sample tests, etc. completed before session, have questions about subject ready to discuss, and bring class notes to study sessions.
- Meeting regularly. Plan ahead and find regular meeting times that work for most students in group. Do not meet sporadically. Create weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly sessions and stick to the schedule.
When Instructors Talk Fast
- Leave large empty spaces in your notes. Leave plenty of room for filling in information you missed. Use a signal or symbol that means you missed something so you will remember to come back to it. Make the space obvious.
- Be willing to make choices. When an instructor talks fast, focus your attention on key points. Do not try to write everything down. Choose what you think is important and do not panic. Sometimes students paralyze themselves with fear that they are missing something important. Occasionally you will make a wrong choice and neglect an important point. Worse things could happen. Stay with the lecture, write down key words, and revise your notes immediately after class.
- Exchange photocopies of notes with classmates. Your fellow students might write down something you missed, and your notes might help them. Compare notes and if this is the case, make an agreement to exchange notes regularly.
- Take more time to prepare for class. Familiarity with a subject increases your ability to pick out important points. If an instructor lectures quickly or is difficult to understand, make a point of conducting a thorough preview of material to be covered. Set the stage for the lecture.
- See the instructor after class. Take your class notes with you and show the instructor what you missed. Most instructors appreciate visits from students. You can also ask questions you did not ask in class.
- Ask the instructor to slow down. We saved the obvious for last. You can simply ask her to slow or, if that seems inappropriate, ask him to repeat what you missed.
FAQs
Click here to review our Frequently Asked Questions section.
Contact your Academic Advisors