Welcome to your one-stop-shop for college success strategies. Listed here are some tried and true strategies that will help you to be more successful. Of course, social distancing is required and many of these strategies can be applied virtually. Please share this page with as many friends as you can – even if they are still in high school or going to another college! These strategies can help anyone who is in college or about to go to college. Take a look at the following helpful hints and try to put them into practice. You’ll be glad you did.
Prepare for Placement Exams
Taking placement exams is one of the first things you do as you enroll at UCC. Placement exams help start you in the right level of classes in Reading, Writing, and Math.
Preparing for placement exams can save you valuable time. For example, if the program you choose requires Math 111 and you only place into Math 65, it could take you 6-9 months to reach Math 111. However, if you prepare for your placement exam, you may be able to place directly into Math 111 and start your program without any delays.
Save months of time by taking a few hours to prepare for your placement exam! Here are a few resources:
Attend College Full-Time
Statistic show that students who attend college full-time, even for one semester, have a higher rate of graduating. Additionally, there are more financial aid opportunities like scholarships and grants for students that go to college full-time. That means that full-time students tend to have less debt too.
“By looking at transcript data of 17,085 students from 28 community colleges, the center found that 34 percent of students who went full-time for at least some time earned an associate degree or a certificate, compared to only 23 percent who enrolled part-time throughout their community college experience.” – Inside Higher Ed
Of course, you can still be successful as a part-time college student. Consider going full-time by taking 12 credits or more in your first term. That will cover a lot of ground in your college journey.
Become a Dual Credit Student
Dual credit (aka High School Connections) students go to UCC and high school at the same time. Don’t worry. You don’t take double the classes! Dual credit classes you take at UCC count for high school AND college credit at the same time. That saves you time because you can start prerequisites and core classes towards a UCC degree and/or certificate programs while you are still in high school. One word of caution is you have to be a serious student because the classes you take have double the importance. So passing classes becomes quite critical.
Some dual credit students finish high school with an Associate degree! Other students graduate high school with a UCC certificate or a good chunk of their UCC classes that are on the way to a degree or a certificate.
The bottom line is becoming a dual credit student can help you to save time and be more successful.
Build Your Team
Success does not happen alone – like in team sports! Putting together a team can help everyone in the group. Having people around you who are serious about their studies is one of the top success strategies that can pay off big. No doubt, everyone in the group has strong and weak points. In a group, each one fills in the other’s gaps in knowledge and perspective.
How do you form your team? Look around in your classes – even in Zoom. Select the people who ask questions, help others, and take their studies seriously. You can also talk to your professors, Peer Mentors, Student Ambassadors, and ASUCC officers for team ideas and more.
Also, your team can be made up of those who simply support you in your college journey. These can be your spouse, significant other, kids, relatives, professors, advisors, or anyone who makes your college journey a little easier. Keep them close and don’t forget to thank them!
Seek Tutoring
Tutoring is coordinated by the Tutoring Center. It is a key strategy to success when you don’t understand your course materials. Tutors are generally masters of the course that you need help in. Of course, your professors are a great resource but the next best thing is signing up for tutoring. You can always lookup a YouTube video and a video might just do the trick but you can’t ask a video a question. Take advantage of tutoring. It’s a great resource.
Ready? Contact the Tutoring Center. Additionally, online tutoring is provided by SmarThinking.com.
See Your Academic Advisor
Wondering what classes you need to complete your degree and graduate? You are not alone. When you see your academic advisor, you’ll get a class planner that will help you to stay on track. Is life getting in the way of your studies? It happens. See your advisor whenever you need to change things. Planning is part of being successful.
Advisors can also connect you with resources that can help you get through a rough patch or temporary challenge. Everyone needs help from time to time. Don’t be worried about asking for some help. We want to help you to be successful.
Advising is free and accessible. Please schedule an appointment in Advisortrac.
Additionally, advising guides are available for almost all of our Transfer and CTE programs. Advising guides give you a layout of classes on a term-by-term basis for a particular program. You can also learn about prerequisites for certain classes, which electives are available, and credit loads for each class. They are REALLY useful especially if you are going to school part-time. Download the advising guide for your program and keep it handy!
Go to a Workshop
The Admissions, Library, Tutoring Center, Career Services, and Peer Mentors departments offer workshops or drop-in help every term. Learn about enrolling, online learning, time management, financial aid, classroom technology, job seeking, research skills, citations, and enhancing your study skills.
In addition, you may need to build more in-depth reading, time management, and study skills. For that, you can take learning skills classes. Talk to your academic advisor or simply register.
Use a Computer Lab
UCC has a number of computer labs with open lab times. That means you can just stop in during open lab hours, simply sit down, and use one of the lab computers. Many lab computers are set up with applications that are required for particular classes around campus. For example, students taking drafting classes can use UCC computers to complete drafting assignments. Additionally, the computer labs are also equipped with printers for added convenience.
Take a look at the Open Computer Labs web page for the latest info on available computer labs. Ask the computer lab aides about the applications installed on the computers in the lab.
Join a Study Group
The Tutoring Center coordinates virtual study groups. Study groups are dedicated meetings with an academic coach. A typical study group consists of one or more students and a qualified student academic coach. You get the benefit of one-to-one coaching and being able to help other students in a small group setting.
In addition, you may need to build more in-depth reading, time management, and/or study skills. For that, you can take learning skills classes. Talk to your academic advisor or simply register.