Academic Success Guide - Fall 2021 Edition

ACADEMIC SUCCESS GUIDE RESIDENT LIFE | Fall 2021

Dear Student, We hope you are settling into your fall semester classes and acclimating well to your new academic experiences during these continued challenging times. At this point in the semester, it is an opportune time to reflect on your current academic situation and determine the best way to finish out the semester strong. The transition back to in-person classes may have caused you to struggle in some of your classes. You still have plenty of time to make adjustments, challenge yourself, and create educational opportunities. You also have the ability to turn the semester around if you have not done well on your first assignments or have not truly committed to your academics.

Please explore the following resources and tips to help you succeed academically and prepare for any upcoming midterms.

We are always here to help you succeed!

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Tips for Success

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EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKING: Note taking is an incredibly important part of being a student. Everyone takes notes a little bit differently, but here are a few best practices that you can apply to taking notes that are effective for concurrent lecture learning and later study.

• The best note taking style for you depends on how you learn. Check out the How to Take Useful Notes website to find a note taking method that works best for your learning style.

• Read about the course content to be covered before class.

• Take notes by hand. When you take notes by hand, your brain is forced to process information and decide what is important on the spot. When typing, your brain does not need to process the information which takes away a learning opportunity.

• After class, write down questions that you can utilize to quiz yourself later when studying. These questions should cover key topics that your professor highlighted in class.

• Take 5 minutes after class to polish your notes. Your brain is programmed to forget information quickly, so get everything down on paper ASAP!

LEARNING EQUIPMENT LOAN PROGRAM: Did you know that you can check out different types of equipment from the Terrapin Learning Commons? You can check out projectors to yoga mats as well as calculators and other study materials. More information is available on the Terrapin Learning Commons website.

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Study Tips: 1. You can improve your focus while reading by turning chapter headings into questions. Your focus improves because you are reading to answer the question.

2. Create a study plan and stick to it. Studying at random, unplanned times tends to be ineffective as it is sporadic and not guaranteed to occur. Treat study time like a class time. Committing to your school work and studying is one of the first steps towards academic success.

3. Take breaks during study times and engage in activities that allow your mind to wander. Activities such as doing laundry, working out, and coloring are great break-time activities. Try to avoid activities like watching TV or playing video games where your brain is required to focus.

4. Keep track of academic deadlines and other important academic opportunities by downloading the Academic Success Calendar.

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HELPFUL RESOURCES

MATH SUCCESS PROGRAM

The Math Success Program offers free, drop-in math coaching and tutoring services for all UMD undergraduate students. The program is open Sunday Thursday from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. in Oakland Hall. Visit the Math Success Program website to get more information and access the program.

TUTORING.UMD.EDU

The University is committed to academic excellence, and provides a variety of tutoring and other academic resources to support student success -- available on campus, from our peer institutions, and other non-university websites.

To learn more about the available resources, visit the Tutoring & Academic Success website.

GUIDED STUDY SESSIONS

The Guided Study Sessions (GSS) program offers FREE, regularly scheduled group review sessions for students in traditionally difficult courses. GSS Leaders have previously taken your course and earned an A, so they know what it takes to stay on track in lectures and prepare for exams. Go once, a few times, or attend every session—it’s never too late to start attending GSS. For the Fall 2021 semester, some Guided Study Sessions will be conducted in-person and others will be conducted virtually through Zoom. To access a specific virtual session, please contact your GSS Leader or email gss@umd.edu from a University email address. Visit the GSS Program Website to view the available sessions.

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HELPFUL RESOURCES

THE WRITING CENTER

The Writing Center provides opportunities for UMD’s diverse undergraduate student body to improve their writing, research, and critical thinking skills in preparation for successful academic, professional, and civic lives. In a supportive atmosphere, trained consultants from a variety of backgrounds and majors assist writers in-person and online throughout the writing process.

Visit the Writing Center’s website to schedule an appointment.

QUIET STUDY SPACES

These spaces offer some great opportunities to safely explore campus and find new places to get your work done. Please visit the Quiet Study Spaces list to view the spaces that are available, as well as the guidelines around using the spaces.

*Some of this content has been adapted from various sources including but not limited to The Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, The Counseling Center, and The UMD Keep Learning website.

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Wishing you a successful fall semester, Terps!

Study hard, go to class, get enough sleep and ask for help when needed.

You’ve got this!

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