CENTRAL CAMPUS / JACKSON
MAY 2019 / VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 3
College moving to 7-week classes to improve student success Helping students complete their college degree faster and more efficiently and recognizing that accelerated, compressed terms work better for students, Jackson College is scheduling more and more class sections to take place over seven weeks in addition to courses that take place over a traditional 15 week time period. Seven-week classes will offer the same number of instructional hours and the same content, but in “What I found was that half the time students more quickly as a 15-week figured out that they needed class. Students to really dive in. There is not should enroll a lot of time to waste, you in half of their have to get yourself into registered gear right away, treat it like classes in the it’s two classes. They learn first 7-week quickly that either you keep term and the up or you have to let it go. other half of Overall, my students actually their classes did better in that class than in the second the semester-long class. 7-week term. – Instructor Aaron Ensley, This will allow economics. students to concentrate on one or two courses intently rather than spreading their attention over four classes per term. Some courses will remain in a 15-week format, but by fall 2019, a wide majority of our courses will be run in a 7-week format. Typically, a student enrolled in all 7-week courses will be in class for roughly the same amount of “Time management is time as if he/she probably most important. were enrolled Plan for the unplanned. in all 15-week You have to stay motivated classes. Should an because the workload emergency arise is a lot more than one at some point 14-week class. If you keep in the semester, procrastinating and lose persisting to motivation, the outcome complete in seven is probably not going to weeks would be good.” be much more – Carli Harrington, manageable. student enrolled in Total financial aid seven-week classes award eligibility will not change. In compressed scheduling, a student’s credit hours for the semester are divided between two seven-week terms.
Students should make sure that they are only taking one or two (a maximum of three) 7-week courses at a time. For part-time students who work a full-time job, it is strongly advised to only “If a student can keep very take one 7-week engaged throughout the course at a time. seven-week courses, they This is because should be fine. A tip that I 7-week courses would give student about are of the same the seven-week classes rigor and equate is do not procrastinate, to the same finish your homework and instructional study for your exams, and and required show up to class. It might study hours as seem challenging, but with 15-week classes. better time management, Students should everything should be prepared to work well.” manage their – Laurence Setiawan, time very wisely international student and carefully, so they do not miss classes and can stay current with the readings and assignments each week. Just as students should do when enrolling in any class, students should block off sufficient times each week outside of class to devote to studying. Taking a course in a 7-week format will not negatively impact the transferability of that class at all. A student’s transcript will look identical whether they
“It just depends on what course it is. I do enjoy the seven weeks, but I think it depends on the class. Stay diligent and don’t overload yourself with too many seven-week courses. That will give you adequate time to study.” – Cornell Sample, student
TIPS FOR SUCCESS • • • • • • •
Mangage your time wisely Be prepared to hit the ground running Don’t overload classes Do not procrastinate Show up for class Plan for work outside the classroom Stay motivated
take a course in a 7-week format or a 15-week format. Visits to other colleges and “I enjoyed how fastrelated research paced the class was. Due have shown dates were quick so you that students have to have good time who enroll in management. I did not compressed have any negatives.” terms have higher – Paige Lemay-Smith, course success dual-enrolled high rates, drop fewer school student courses, and progress more quickly to complete. Colleges that have moved to compressed terms have seen significant jumps in retention and student completion rates for all students, and especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Jackson College is pursuing 7-week terms as part of our Total Commitment to Student Success (TCS2).
MARK YOUR CALENDAR JUNE 8 Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists Rose Run Victor Cuiss Fieldhouse, 7:30 a.m.
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JUNE 13 – JUNE 27 Front Porch Concert Series (see page 8) JUNE 15 Juneteenth Celebration, CP Federal City Square (see page 8) JUNE 24 – JULY 4 Summer Band Camp, Potter Center (see page 8) AUGUST 9 HealthWise health screening event, Health Laboratory Center and Justin Whiting Hall, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
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