Enhancing your academic performance

1. Enhancing your academic performance

2. Why did you choose to attend college? Reflect on these things so you can do something about it……. • I chose to attend college because: • What do you plan to do with your college degree after you graduate? • What kind of academic/personal concerns do you have about attending college? • Typically, it is much easier to achieve your goal when you know why you want to accomplish it

3. Time management/balance Total hours you need:__155_____ Number of hours in a week_168 Extra Hours:__13___ Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it adapted from: http://www.housing.sc.edu/ace/pdf/ASR/AcademicBalanceWorksheet.pdf

4. What is your learning style Reflect on these things then you can do something about it • VISUAL (SIGHT) • You like to see what you are learning (photographic memory) • Pictures, images, graphs, and/or colors help you understand ideas or organize information better than an explanation (i.e., lecturers use gestures/picturesque language) • AURAL • Prefer a spoken message • May need to hear your own voice to process information • READ/WRITE (most dominant in college level course) • Prefer reading and writing (taking notes, organizing materials on paper or computer) • KINESTHETIC • Tactile learner (you want to touch/experience what you are learning, “hands-on” learner) • Go to www.vark-learn.com to discover your learning style(s)

5. How do you study? Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it • Become familiar with your personal study habits • How can you improve your study habits? • How do you currently study? • (i.e., alone, in a group, with a friend/classmate, in my room/library, quite setting): • Introverts- usually study by themselves (no distractions) • Extraverts- usually study with others/with music(distractions can be a problem) • What is your ideal study environment? • What are your biggest challenges when you study? • Do you study better in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

6. LASSI(Learning and study strategy inventory) Organizes your responses into categories that have been shown to contribute to academic success Feel free to stop by the Student Success Center to take this inventory

7. Factors that can contribute to poor academic performance Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it • Alcohol (all research supports that the more you drink alcohol, the lower your GPA will be) • Drugs • Unhappy with Academic Major • Academically Underprepared • Difficulties with a Professor • Failing to Attend Class • Family Crisis • First Generation College Student • Homesickness • Illness • Learning Disability- not utilizing services such as the NOEL program • Over Involvement In Activities • Poor Time Management Skills • Relationship Problems • Roommate Problems • Taking Too Many Credit Hours • Working Too Many Hours • Financial Concerns

8. Create your personal academic support network • Do you have an encouraging Academic Support Network? • (i.e., family, friends, classmates, employer, professor, staff member, advisor) • Who is (or will be) a part of your academic support network? Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it

9. REFLECT ON YOUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it

10. HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE? Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it

11. SETTING ACADEMIC GOALS Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it

12. GRADE POINT AVERAGE CALCULATOR • What GPA do you hope to achieve this semester? ________________________ • http://gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-services/registrar/registration-records/gpa-calculator/index.html

13. Develop your four year plan

14. Know Gardner-webb academic policies • Institutional Attendance Policy • Academic Probation/Suspension • Adding or Dropping Courses • Academic Calendar • Withdrawing from a S ingle Course • Withdrawing from Gardner-Webb University

15. Factors in Successful student learning • Motivation: do you have academic/personal goals, direction, and interest? • Self-Concept: do you have confidence in your ability to succeed? • Habits: do you have the skills/behaviors necessary for academic/personal success? (i.e., involvement in class-asking questions is an important factor) • Personal Style: do you know your learning style, your academic strengths/weaknesses, how you study best? • Balance: do you maintain levels of physical, intellectual, social, emotional and mental behavior? • Support: do you have a family/social network? Are you utilizing campus resources? • Stability of Mood: are you able to control anxiety, depression, and/or frustration while enhancing relaxation? How are you able to deal with stress? This is the most significant variable in how you will perform while you are in school. • HOW YOU MANAGE THESE KINDS OF DIMENSIONS WILL REFLECT YOUR GRADE POINT AVERAGE

16. Self-efficacy • “The feeling or belief that you can do the work.” • This is a very predictable factor in student success • You must have self-efficacy to perform well • If you don’t believe in yourself, you will underperform • Being overconfident can be a problem • Freshmen tend to have high self-efficacy, but their study habits and behaviors are incongruent • As students mature, typically by their senior year, they are more certain about themselves

17. Student success • Early Warning Reports • Fall- Mid September • Spring- Mid February • Mid-Term Reports • Fall- End of October • Spring- End of March • Absences • University Policy- Must attend 75% of classes • MWF (cannot miss more than 11 classes) • TR (cannot miss more than 7 classes) • Professor can set a more stringent attendance policy • @F- what does this mean?

18. Academic probation • You are placed on Academic Probation when your Gardner-Webb Grade Point Averagefalls below the minimum standards listed below: • Freshmen 0 to 29 hours- 1.5Sophomores 30 to 59 hours- 1.7Juniors 60 to 89 hours- 1.9Seniors 90 hours and above- 2.0 • During the Probationary Semester: • You cannot register for more than 15.5 hours • You must achieve the minimum required cumulative grade point average to be removed from Academic Probation • You must achieve the minimum required semester grade point average to avoid Academic Suspension

19. ACADEMIC SUSPENSION • Academic Suspension • While on Academic Probation , if you do not meet the required minimum grade point average at the end of the semester, you will be Academically Suspended • Freshmen 0 to 29 hours- 1.5Sophomores 30 to 59 hours- 1.7Juniors 60 to 89 hours- 1.9Seniors 90 hours and above- 2.0 • First Academic Suspension: • Cannot register for GWU classes during the semester of suspension • Transfer credit cannot be used to improve your academic standing • Reapply for admission- if approved, return on academic probation • Second Academic Suspension • Cannot register for GWU classes for two semesters • Transfer credit cannot be used to improve your academic standing • Must reapply for admission- if approved, return on probation

20. Repeating courses • Gardner Webb allows six repeats for courses in which you earned a D or F • Repeated courses must be taken at GWU • Should I repeat a course where I received an F or a D? • Contact your Academic Advisor • Generally speaking, you should repeat a course in which you have received a failing grade • How soon should I repeat a course? • You don't gain anything by postponing the inevitable • All the material you remember from the first time should help you do better the second time

21. Gardner- webb University On-campus resources • Professor Office Hours • Ask questions that may not have been answered in class • You can use the time to review tests and quizzes with the professor • Communicating regularly about your academic work can help you identify and address problems before they become insurmountable • Building a relationship with your professor can help ease class anxiety • Academic Advisor • (Log into the Web Connect portal to get this information) • Register for classes • Review your four year plan • Student Success Center (Academic Advising) • (http://www.gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-development/undergraduate-advising/index.html) • Location: 3rd floor- Tucker Student Center • Phone: (704) 406-4563

22. Resources • Career Services • (http://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/student-services/career-services/index.html) • Location: 3rd floor-Tucker Student Center • Phone: (704) 406-2170 • Counseling Center • (http://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/student-services/counseling-services/index.html) • Location: 3rdfloor-Tucker Student Center • Phone: (704) 406-4563 • Noel Program/Disability Services • (http://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/student-services/counseling-services/index.html) • Location: Frank Nanney Hall (behind Craig Hall (English Building)) • Phone: (704) 406-4270

23. Resources • Peer Tutoring/LEAP • (http://gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-development/learning-enrichment-and-assistance-program/index.html) • Location: 3rd floor- Tucker Student Center • Phone: (704) 406-4390E-mail: leap@gardner-webb.edu • Writing Center • (http://gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-development/writing-center/index.html) • Location: 2nd floor-Tucker Student Center • Phone: (704) 406-4393E-mail: writingcenter@gardner-webb.edu • Campus Ministries/Pastoral Care Counselor • (http://www.gardner-webb.edu/student-life/christian-life-and-service/pastoral-care/index.html) • Location: 2nd floor- Tucker Student Center • Phone: (704) 406-2176 • Library • (http://www.gardner-webb.edu/library/index-2.html) • Location: in front of the Suttle Wellness Center • Phone: (704) 406-4298

24. Readiness to change • ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A CHANGE?

25. QUESTIONS? • Contact Meredith Garrett • 704-406-4396 • mpgarrett@gardner-webb.edu • Student Success Center within the Tucker Student Center (3rd floor)