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Tips for Success

Attend Every Class. Participate As Much As Possible. Complete All Assignments On Or Before The Deadline.

Reports show that class attendance is the number 1 variable that leads to successful grades. At the same time, failure to attend class is the leading cause of students dropping out of college. There is no substitute for "being there".

You can not expect your instructor to be sympathetic when you ask for help if you don't attend class regularly. You can not expect to keep up with your class. If you miss a lecture, if you are ill or have a personal problem that prevents you from going to class, be sure to notify your instructor. Health Services will send a notice to your instructors if you give them some documentation of illness. The Office of Academic Services is also available for this type of notification.

Participation

Class participation is an important part of the classroom experience. Many instructors encourage it and even factor class participation into your grade. Class participation means answering questions when the instructor asks one or voluntarily answering questions in class. This usually requires that you have prepared for the class by completing any assignments previously given. It also means asking your instructor questions when you are not clear about something. This is important because if you hesitate you may miss an important point. You should never feel embarrassed to ask questions since other students probably have similar questions. Ask your instructor to explain his/her policy on participation at the beginning of each semester and how it will impact your final grade.

Class Assignments

Always have your assignments prepared on time and ready to be passed in when required. Just because you may not be required to submit a homework assignment, you should still complete it as if you were. Remember assignments are also a part of your course grade.

At the end of the semester when you receive your grade report you will be better able to make judgments on how well you are doing. If you receive A's and B's, congratulations, you are on the right track. Grades of "C"tell you that you might need to work a little harder in some areas. If you receive a "D"or "F"you may want to rethink your study strategies and your academic objectives.

Some Suggestions:

Consult your advisor. Make a series of appointments with your advisor. Work out an improvement program and monitor your progress during these meetings. Your advisor will help, but he or she cannot do your work for you. At the first appointment, offer your perspective and then ask for help. The advisor will apply past experience in similar situations to help with your plan.

Look into Tutoring. A Student Association financed program makes qualified student tutors available to University of Hartford students. This service is available without change. Information is available through the Student Association Office located Gengras Student Union, Room 209. Consult individual departments within the Barney School for tutoring in Business School classes. Many departments offer tutoring without charge.

Work with other students. Your fellow students are available classroom resources. If you have to miss a class, make arrangements to get the lecture notes from someone who takes good notes. Go over them as soon as possible so you can ask questions. Remember that this is not a substitute for "being there". Try to get a study group together to go over the reading assignments and lecture notes.

Don't get discouraged. Keep attending class even if you feel lost. Perseverance is the key. Ask questions.

Adjust your schedule. If you are in academic difficulty you have learned something very important. Your approach needs to change. Be flexible. Cut back on your work hours if you have a job. Do you need to study in a place that is more conducive to learning? If necessary, allocate less time to extracurricular and social activities. While friendship and fun are an important part of your college life, remember that your main objective for coming to the University is to leave here with the best education you can possibly get. As the years pass this will become more important to you. Remember that success is the result of perseverance and adjusting your plan until you achieve the desired outcome.

Don't overlook any sources of help. The University maintains a wide variety of support services to help students deal with many difficulties, academic and personal. If your academic difficulty is rooted in personal problems or is related to problems with dormitory life, or a chronic health problem, don't let the situation continue. Read the resources guide section of this handbook for a listing of contacts for special problems. Faculty and staff can also refer you to appropriate offices.

Don't forget your parents. Most students are in college because their parents are providing at least part, if not most, of the resources. While the University respects the student's right to privacy concerning academics according to Federal Law, we recognize that parents will be concerned in most cases. Communicate with your parents and involve them in the planning process. Parental support and encouragement can be a major factor in tuning a situation around.