Isabel Bustos/The Cougar
Freshmen often struggle in their first semester of college because they aren’t aware of the academic expectations their professors set. Research indicates that students who aren’t fully aware of their professors’ expectations tend to have low academic performance.
Here is a list of behaviors that professors expect from students:
Be independent
Freshmen should not expect the level of repetition and handholding they might have been exposed to in high school.
In a college class, instructors want students to learn new facts, new ways of thinking and to learn semi-independently based on the written and oral materials presented to them, said assistant professor of psychology Ben Tamber-Rosenau.
“You are ready for more advanced work or you would not be here and continued handholding undermines your development of the learn-to-learn skill that will serve you through college and the rest of your life,” Rosenau said.
Review the syllabus
Some strongly recommend that students review the syllabus for each of their courses and map out the dates for exams, major assignments and projects.
Mapping their syllabuses out helps students identify weeks that may require extra study time and allows them to plan ahead rather than feeling overwhelmed when deadlines approach, said psychology professor Heather Dial.
Don’t be afraid to reach out
If a student has a personal issue that is affecting their work and attendance or they find themselves struggling with a course’s content, then professors strongly recommend that students reach out to them or their teaching assistant.
Dial suggests that students who are having difficulties with their course attend their office hours. If they are unable to attend the scheduled office hours, then they should email their professor to arrange a time that works for both of them.
Since professors teach a lot of students, they may not realize or remember to check in on a specific student, so it is important that students take the initiative to reach out to their instructors, said English professor Alix Zachow.
“A lot of instructors are willing to work with students if they know there’s something else going on that’s affecting attendance or work quality but you need to inform them of that and continue to communicate with them about it,” Zachow said. “One email and then ghosting is not the method you should have when that sort of thing is happening.”
Build consistent study habits
Various professors appreciate students who diligently keep up with their studies. It is highly recommended that students dedicate two to three hours a week to studying, in addition to the standard hour of class. Instead of committing to a single, lengthy study session per week, students can review their course material daily in smaller chunks.
“I encourage students to set aside a little time each day for studying, even when they do not have an immediate assignment due,” Dial said. “Consistent study habits can make a significant difference in their understanding and retention of course material.”
Do the assigned reading
Students today tend to read a lot less of the assigned reading than students used to; that accounts for most of the struggle that students have, Rosenau said.
It may be long and tedious, but doing the assigned reading before class can reveal what topics students do and don’t know. Rosenau suggests that after the assigned reading, students should write any questions about difficult problems down so they can be prepared to ask about them in class.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
Remember that in college, making mistakes is how students learn.
“Mistakes are not the end of the world,” said accountancy and taxation professor Michael Newman. “If you make one, learn from it and move forward – don’t beat yourself up over something that is, at that point, in the past.”
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