keys to college success 2008

8/8/2019 Keys to College Success 2008

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Milwaukee School of Engineering Counseling Servic

Keys to College Succes


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www.msoe.edu


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Personal

Will MSOE be difficult? Sometimes.Will it require hard work? Yes.

Becoming a successful college student involves more than just studying and going to

classes; it also means succeeding in the school of life. In addition to increasedknowledge, you also will invariably gain greater personal self-understanding andawareness. Learning to be a college student is what this manual is all about.

By choosing to attend MSOE you have said something goodabout yourself. You have decided to help yourself become allyou are capable of being.

WhatsThis All About?

Table of Contents

Personal Keys A Matter of Attitude ..........................................................................................2

Making the Transition ........................................................................................3

Motivation and You ............................................................................................4

Planning+Goal Setting=Success ..........................................................................5

Sample Goals ......................................................................................................6

Managing Time ..................................................................................................7

Weekly Schedule ..............................................................................................10

Healthy Financial Planning ..............................................................................11

Academic KeysAcademic Skills for Success ..............................................................................14

Learning to Listen ............................................................................................15

Reading is Necessary ........................................................................................16

Exam KeysPreparing for Exams..........................................................................................17

The Day of the Exam........................................................................................18

Taking the Test..................................................................................................19

Support Keys

Learning from Mentors ....................................................................................20

Some Significant Extras ....................................................................................21

Another Type of Learning ................................................................................22

On-campus Referrals ........................................................................................23

Now Its Up to You


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Developing PurposeOf importance here are the tasks of

prioritizing interests, beliefs and values;determining career goals and lifestyle;defining your skills; and buildingcompetence. Challenges involved indeveloping purpose might includelearning effective decision-making;developing skills and resources to reachcompetency in a chosen area; learninghow to make the most of your abilities;and implementing your career choice.

Most assuredly, you will probablynot run into all of these passagesduring your freshman year. You will,however, tackle many of themthroughout your total collegeexperience. Whether you casually tosssome of these lessons aside or really

catch hold of them and learn aboutyourself is very much up to you. Asyou see some of these passagesapproach, it is our hope that you willtime and time again choose to do thelatter learn about yourself andutilize some of the ideas and resourcespresented in this manual to help youdo so.

As you can see, college is going tochallenge you. MSOE is going torequire that you become responsible foryour own development and well-being.Students who become personallyresponsible for the successes andfailures in their own lives feel incontrol of their lives. Developing ahealthy attitude about your newresponsibilities will help you positivelyinfluence what happens to you.

I n her book, Passages, GailSheehy asserts that life is aseries of passages throughwhich we must move, and that eachpassage involves its own tasks. As anew college student, you face threemajor developmental tasks thatmore formally identify some of thestated responsibilities:

Developing IdentityThis involves achieving independence,

clarifying personal beliefs, interests andvalues, and building a sense of integrity.Challenges you might encounter herecould involve redefining yourrelationship with your parents; dealing

with your feelings involved inseparation from your family, friendsand home environment; making youractions consistent with your beliefs;learning to trust your feelings; reducing

dependency upon others and increasingyour own independence; learning todeal with stress, anxiety anddisappointment; and developing self-confidence and self-esteem.

Developing MeaningfulRelationships

Building relationship skills, forminga sexual identity, and understandingand expressing feelings and emotionsare the relevant tasks in this category.

Challenges you will face might involvelearning skills to initiate, maintain andend relationships; learning to expressyourself clearly; developing intimacy

with another; learning to give andreceive in a relationship; conveying self-respect as well as respect for others; andlearning to be yourself preservingyour independence while being closeto another.

A Matter of Attitude

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Making the Transition

College is an exciting time,perhaps one of the mostexciting times in your life. Italso is a time of major adjustments,however, some of which can be verytrying. As we consider some of thedifferences between high school andcollege, youll begin to understandmore about the changes you will face in

the following weeks, and, we hope, feelbetter equipped to deal with them in apositive manner.

The most immediate change you willdiscover is a new-found sense of freedom.The single greatest problem collegestudents face is freedom too muchfreedom. As an MSOE freshman, you willenjoy an enormous amount of personalfreedom, probably more than you haveever had or will ever have in life. Theproblem of freedom and what you make

of it and how well you use it will have animpact on all other aspects of your collegecareer.

Lets take a look at some of theresponsibilities you suddenly have toconsider as a result of this new-foundcollege freedom: *

What kind of clothes you will wear

Eat breakfast or skip it

Attend classes or cut them

Study each day or only for exams

Start a paper two weeks before it isdue, or do it the night before

Eat properly balanced meals orjunk food

Use drugs or alcohol or not

Choosing friends

Join a fraternity or sorority or not

Exercise

Get 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 hours ofsleep per night

Keep your room clean or messy

Get romantically involved

Consider sexual involvement

See your academic advisor

See your professor for extra help

Drop a course or add a course

Choose a major

Choose your classes for the

next quarter Figure out how to do your laundry

Figure out what to do with the rest ofyour life

On Campus Remember how many car loads it took

to get all your stuff to your dorm orapartment, because it will take moretrips to move it all out.

Open door policy is the best way tofloor unity.

Set basic rules and agreements on dayone with your roommate(s). Itll help toalleviate the future disputes with setground rules.

If something is broken, report it rightaway without delay so that it can bereplaced faster.

Make sure to find out day one if yourroommate(s) drink, smoke, or do drugs,especially underage, and work out theground rules for that right away.

Floors have quiet hours but also set atime frame when loud noise in the

room would be unacceptable for sleepor studying purposes.

Find out what your roommate does forclubs and fun cause itll make thetransition into living together easier ifyou can at least try to enjoy similarthings.

Buy some Febreze because your roomwill smell eventually.

Everyone shares so dont bring yourentire house thinking youre going toneed it.

Create an atmosphere in your roomthats conducive to studying as well aschilling out with friends.

Dont be afraid to drop by otherpeoples rooms. Be sensitive andconsiderate (aka dont overstay your

welcome), but its safe to assume that ifyou like having people drop by to sayhi, then other people probably enjoy it

when you return the favor.

If youre in your room a lot, leave yourdoor open for at least an hour everyday. Make an effort to get to knowyour floormates.

Be a peacemaker on your floordonttake sides in squabbles.

Keep the door open when in your roomwhich allows you to meet others.

Dont be afraid to walk around andmeet others on your floor andother floors.

Be considerate of others (aka donthave music loud at night when othersare sleeping).

Off Campus Whether or not the previous tenants

cleaned their apartment, clean it againwhen you arrive just to be sure.

Commuting

When commuting, set the amount oftime you think it will take you to get toschool and give yourself an extra 15minutes or so based on how far awayyou coming from.

Get involved in a club or organizationto get connected with other students.

Whats the difference between high school and college?

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Personal Personal Keys

* From: College is only the Beginning, John N.Gardner and A. Jerome Jewler


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You are responsible for makingup your own mind about thevalue of college and what youwant to get out of it. Knowing whatyou want will help you succeed.

There are three major ingredients tosuccess in college:

Basic Intelligence

This is rarely enough by itself. Goodgrades in high school are no guaranteeof high grades in college. Remember its not the IQ, its the I WILL.

Ability to Work Constructively

Working constructively is differentfrom simply working hard, and oftenmakes the difference between passingand failing grades. Effective studyhabits are essential to using study timeconstructively; these skills can be

learned and developed like anyother behavior.

Will to Succeed

The major difference betweensuccess and failure in college is a well-defined and realistic goal. It is nearlyimpossible to work constructively

without a goal. If you can establishgoals, even temporary and provisionalones, your motivation to attain thesegoals will encourage you to gain theskills essential to success in college.

You can set up goals by evaluatingyourself, and your needs, interests andaptitudes. Assistance in this process canbe obtained through CounselingServices. Establishing goals today doesnot have to mean a final commitment,but it can provide you with direction.

Motivation and YouHow can I motivate myself to do well in my classes?

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Long-Range GoalsThese are concerned with the overall

style of life you wish to live, such as thetype of job you want, whether or notyou wish to be married, etc. Althoughyou should develop some overall ideaof what you are after, dont try to planlong-range goals in detail as too manychanges will come along. Have anoverall plan, but keep it flexible.

Medium-Range GoalsThese goals cover the next four to

five years, including the particular kindof training or education you are seeking.

You have more control over these goals,and you can tell along the way whetheryou are going to achieve them andmodify your plan accordingly.

Short-Range Goals

These goals cover approximately onequarter to one academic year. You canset these goals quite realistically byfollowing the programs laid out in theUndergraduate Academic Catalogor byconsulting with your academic advisor.

Mini-GoalsThese goals cover about one day to

one month. You can plan a studyschedule for the next week or a fitnessprogram for the next month. Whileyou always want to stretch yourself,

dont set impossible goals or you willbecome discouraged. Aim realistically,but try hard to achieve your goals.

Micro-GoalsThese goals cover the next 15

minutes to an hour. Realistically, theseare the only goals that you have directcontrol over. Because of this directcontrol, micro-goals, even though theyare modest in impact, are extraordinarily

important. It is only through these goalsthat you can attain your larger goals.

Characteristics of a well-chosen goal:

Its exciting: you can hardly wait toget started on it

Its definite: you know exactly whatit is you are aiming for

It fits you well: it enables you tomesh your interests, personalityand skills

Its challenging: it is not easy to reach,but it is reasonable and achievable

in the amount of time available Its satisfying: it will be personally

satisfying to reach, regardless ofwhat others may think

The final step in goal-setting isevaluation. You can determine whetheror not your goal has been achieved byidentifying tangible evidence of thegoals completion, such as a completedlab or a 3.10 on your grade report.

Setting goals, taking action andevaluating progress are ongoingprocesses. As you move through theyear, take time to realistically reevaluatechanging goals and the steps youretaking to achieve them to ensure thatyou are accomplishing what it is youset out to do.

When a person does not know whatharbor one is making, no wind is right.

(Source unknown)

Each accomplishment actuallyis the successful attainmentof a goal. We need goals toillustrate to ourselves and others where

we are going. Setting goals andcharting the necessary steps to reachthem are important elements in thesuccess of most endeavors. Oncedefinite goals have been established,specific plans should be made to reachthem. The goal is the target; the plan isthe path taken to reach it. If a goalcannot be attained, a new plan shouldbe adopted rather than setting a lowergoal. Many people aim too low whengoal-setting few aim too high.

Be honest and do some soul-searching as you set goals. Think about

what you really want to accomplish,rather than what you think others

would want for you. Once these goalshave been selected, commit to acarefully developed plan that will helpyou achieve them. Be diligent infollowing the plan. Do not undertakemore than you can reasonablyaccomplish at one time. Goals and plansshould be challenging yet realistic.

When you are thinking about goal-

setting, consider all the different areasin your life: school, family, personalrecreation, church, friendships and self-development. Try not to let one area ofyour daily life dominate to theexclusion of other areas. You need tokeep your life in balance to be happy.

Your planning should cover differenttime spans, such as one hour, one

week, one year or 10 years. Categorizeyour goals roughly as follows: *

Planning+GoalSetting=SuccessHow do I go about setting realistic goals for myself?

Personal Keys

* From: If You Dont Know Where Youre Going,Youll Probably End Up Somewhere Else, DavidCampbell


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Sample GoalsPersonal Keys

TimetableIn four to five years

After sophomore and junior yearsJoin one in sophomore and junior yearsObtain a 3.40 my freshman year and3.00 each year after

TimetableAfter one quarterOver the quarter

After first quarter

TimetableWednesdaySundayTuesday, Thursday and Saturday

WednesdayDailyDailyDaily

TimetableNoon-1:30 p.m.10:30-11 p.m.

At lunch9 a.m.-Noon, 2-6 p.m.

1:30-2 p.m.7-7:45 p.m.Midnight

Four- to Five-Year Goals

TaskGraduate with BSEE degree

Work two summers (one in my field)Join two clubsKeep a 3.10 GPA

First Quarter GoalsTaskObtain a 3.40 GPALearn about downtown areaLook for part-time job

One-Week Goals

TaskComplete physics lab reportCall home

Work out at the Kern Center

Play basketballKeep up in mathKeep up in englishKeep up in physics

Daily Goals

TaskRead math, chapter 2

Watch TVAsk Bob about basketball gameGo to classPick up notebook from bookstoreReview class notesGet adequate sleep

(Medium Range)

(Short Range)

(Mini)

(Micro)


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such as classes, labs and meetings.Next, develop a rough idea of whenyou intend to study, trying to schedulethis work for the hours when you are atyour best. Some people are sharpestand most efficient first thing in themorning, while others concentrate bestin the evening. Be sure to plan enoughtime to do justice to each subject.

Follow this by listing essentials such asmeals and sleep, and finally, divideyour remaining time among otheractivities such as socializing or exercise.

In addition to using a weekly schedule,you also might wish to use a termcalendar to assist you in your planningand preparation. This calendar allowsyou some perspective on work due inall your classes simultaneously over anentire quarter.

Using a day planner or MicrosoftOutlook, copy important test or duedates from your class syllabi into thecorresponding spaces on your calendar(you may wish to color code taskslisted by class) as soon as possible in

Learning to manage yourtime is a major goal in itself.Because it requires constantdaily attention, effective timemanagement is a crucial part of yourexperience as an MSOE student, fromyour first week of class as a newfreshman until your graduation.Tackling this major task head-on from

the start can help to develop a patternfor success that will last throughoutyour college career. Your main goal isto complete your assignments on timeand not let yourself fall behind.

If you have never planned studytime, you have probably had theuncomfortable experience of falling

behind in one or more subjects.Because there always is new work to bedone, it is difficult to catch up. Youstruggle along, and just before examtime, you try to make up backassignments and cram by staying upnights. Exam week finds youexhausted, and you take your testsfatigued and nervous.

Probably everyone has experiencedthis type of disappointment to a certaindegree. However, it can be avoided by alittle time spent planning a studyschedule. In the beginning, thisplanning may seem difficult, but afteryour first efforts, it will become easierand more natural with each succeedingquarter. You will discover throughcareful planning you can finish yourdaily work and still have leisure time.

Use the chart on page nine to startbudgeting your time. Begin by listing,hour by hour, your daily obligations,

Managing TimeWhere does all my time go?

One of the most dangerous threats to reaching goals is procrastination.

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Procrastination: What is it?*

One of the most dangerous threatsto reaching goals is procrastination.

You can procrastinate in many ways;the most obvious is going to the

movies instead of working out thosechemistry equations. A subtler form ofprocrastination, however, is when youdont carefully consider the realimportance of various tasks. Forexample, you could spend a whole day

working on a challenging extra creditproblem given by your calculusprofessor instead of getting started onthat term paper for psychology thatsdue next week. You would have beenbetter off to have spent some time onthe extra credit after you had spent atleast two hours working on the paper.

Some procrastination may fall intothe normal or healthy category,consisting of a legitimate delay that

actually may help you completeprojects or tasks more satisfactorily.Rarely is this the case, however. Most

procrastination is a deliberate, oftenhabitual postponement of some task

that should be done. Problems arisewhen we let the tasks become sooverwhelming that we can do nothingat all. Procrastination has distinct self-defeating aspects, and can lead tofeelings of anxiety, guilt and evendepression.

The first step involved in climbingout of a procrastination rut is to admitthat youre in one. Simply put,procrastination is an unpleasant routinethat is keeping you from reaching yourgoals. Make up your mind that youregoing to stop.

the new quarter. Continue to fill in thecalendar as the quarter progresses.

When planning for the writing of a

paper, for example, set one date forhaving the research completed, anotherdate for completion of the rough draft

and a third date for the completedpaper. Watch for times when manytasks fall due on or about the samedate, and do some special planning forpreparation or study time accordinglyto avoid cramming and all-nighters.Often hanging these calendar pages

side by side in some prominent placecan provide you with an importantvisual sense of your quarters obligations.

Some other helpful tips forsuccessful time management:

Leave some free hours each week toprovide for the extra study timethat may be required in a

particular subject.

When you complete a goal or projecton time, be sure to reward yourself.

Utilize odd hours during the dayfor studying; scattered hoursbetween classes easily are wastedand could add up to free time atother times in the week.

Revise your schedule during mid-termand final exam periods to allowtime for planned review sessions.

Practice using your schedule just asyou practice any other habit youwant to acquire. If it does notwork well, revise it. Its purpose isto provide you with efficient use of

study time as well as leisure time.So, is managing your time as simple

as all that? Of course not! If it were, wewould all accomplish a lot more thanwe do. You will often fail as you try tolive up to your plan, but if you look atthe things that make you fail, you willlearn something valuable about yourself,the distractions in your life and yourreal priorities. You can then use thisinformation to help make a betterschedule and stick to it in the future.

When you complete a goal or project on time, be sure to reward yourself.

Personal Keys

* Adapted from: Stop Procrastinating Do It!,James R. Sherman


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Personal

Escape

Sometimes people will try to escapefrom unpleasant tasks so they can get

their thoughts in order, but theycannot escape from their deadlines.Their stress, tension and fatigue willcontinue to grow until their tasks arecompleted and the deadlines are gone.Those who have tried to escape mustcontinue to search for ways to finishtheir tasks, otherwise theyll justcompound the conditions that madethem escape in the first place.

With some of these ideas in mind,take a look at what you can do to stop

procrastinating. Find a suitable solutionbased on your own personal reasons foryour habit:

Study Your Task

Get involved with your task. Thesearch for information can serve as themomentum you need to get off to agood start. Your interest will increase asyou learn more. Youll be able to finishyour task more quickly and easily byapplying your new knowledge.

AnalyzeTry to thoroughly analyze everything

you have to do. On one side of a sheetof paper, list all the reasons you havefor finishing a task. On the other side,list all the reasons you have forpostponing it. Then, compare the twolists. Youll come up with more reasonsfor doing than delaying if its reallyimportant.

Be Decisive

Start working on a task as soon asyou have everything you need, makingadjustments as you go. If you discoverlater that youd like to make revisionsto your original work, do so and go on.Come to terms with your task. Makeyour decision to go ahead or leave italone. Whatever you decide, it will atleast help you avoid the anxiety andindecision that would come fromprocrastination.

Set Priorities

Arrange your tasks in order ofimportance. In his book, Getting

Things Done: The ABCs of TimeManagement, Edwin Bliss providesthese excellent guidelines:

Important and Urgent - youve gotto do these tasks right away or youwill suffer serious consequences.

Important But Not Urgent - thesetasks are easily ignored becausethey can be postponed.

Urgent But Not Important thesetasks are high on other peoples lists.

Busy Work - these tasks provide awelcome relief from difficulttasks if you control them.

Wasted Time - this group of tasksshould be excluded from your listof priorities.

Know Yourself

Think about your capabilities andlimitations, and the levels of achieve-ment that are open to you. Examineyour goals and objectives to see if

theyre really attainable. Recall yourhistory of successes and failures. Learnto recognize and understand yourmoods. As you learn more aboutyourself, youll probably discover somethings that can be improved upon andhelp you avoid a pattern ofprocrastination.

The final step is to decide on anappropriate plan of action based on theabove information, and to make aconscious decision to carry out that

plan. If you find yourself strugglingregularly with procrastination, you may

wish to seek assistance throughCounseling Services. Oftentimes,talking with another individual canhelp you analyze more objectively yourreasons for procrastinating, or help youcommit more firmly to doingsomething about this problem.

Next, find out as much as you canabout why you procrastinate. Take aclose look at why you avoid certaintasks; does a pattern develop? Onceyou have a general idea of what mightbe keeping you from achieving your

goals, youll know better how toconfront the problem with a fittingsolution. Listed below are somecommon reasons why many peopleprocrastinate.

Confusion

Sometimes people procrastinatebecause theyre confused and uncertainabout what to do next. Theyre usuallyoverwhelmed by the size andcomplexity of a task. People who areconfused usually fail to analyze thethings they have to do well enough toknow where to begin.

Priorities

Lack of priorities is one of the mostcommon causes of procrastination. Ifpeople fail to attach priorities to their

work, they have a tendency to jumpfrom task to task without gettinganything done. These people also findit difficult to say no if they cannot setpriorities; it is difficult for them to

know what is important and what is not.

Forgetfulness

If a task is really forgotten, a personwont remember anything about it even if its right in front of them.Procrastination in this case, however, ismore typically a case of subconsciousdisregard. Instead of being completed,these tasks are intentionally shoved intolow priority corners where they aremore easily forgotten.

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Date:

10

We ekly Sch e du le Week #

Notes:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

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p.m.

a.m.

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quarter, try keeping a record of all yourtypes of expenses; this will help you toliterally see how efficiently orinefficiently you are spending yourcash. Based on your record, you willthen know how much you may need totemper your spending habits, as well ashow much money to budget for suchexpenses each quarter.

Should your personal expenses tendto run consistently over budget, or ifyoud just like to have some extrapocket change, you may want toconsider a part-time job. The HumanResources Department and the

Placement Office can assist you withseveral good leads for employment. Werecommend, however, not to jumpright into a new job your first quarterat MSOE.

Remember why youre here; yourclasses need to take precedence over a

work commitment. Many studentswho carry a full academic load workup to 10 hours a week at the most.Students who try to work more inaddition to a full course load can findthemselves burned out by mid-quarter.Use your best judgment whenconsidering this option.

Worrying about money canuse up a lot of energy.Even worse, mismanagementof your money could easily lead to anabrupt end to your college career. Likeeffective time management, managingyour finances takes some seriousattention at the beginning of yourcollege experience as well as a

conscientious attitude throughout.Whether or not youre footing the billsyourself or receiving some type ofassistance, developing a healthy respectfor money and good spending habits incollege will help you lay someimportant groundwork for yourself inthe future.

Attending college costs seriousmoney today. Tuition, residence hallliving, meals, books, and even pencilsand pens enter into the total picture. Inorder for you to meet your financialneed, you are probably receiving somefinancial assistance through MSOE, afederal grant, a private loan, from yourparents, your own resources, college

work-study or some combination ofthese. Recognizing your anticipatedcosts and budgeting your moneyaccordingly will ensure successfulfinancial management.

Begin budgeting your money bylisting known expenses. Do this firstfor the academic year, then break these

figures down further by quarter.

Figure in whatever type of aid youmight be receiving to offset some ofthese costs, and use the remainingbalance as an adjusted listing of yourannual and quarterly expenses.

Anticipating fixed expenses is onlyhalf the budget battle. Estimating andcontrolling your personal spending isthe real test. For at least the first

Healthy Financial PlanningWhat do I need to know about managing my money?

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GET INVOLVED ...


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BECOME A PART OF THINGS!


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Another likely reason for lack ofconcentration has to do with poordefinition of the task at hand, enoughso that you might be unsure as toexactly what it is you should beconcentrating on. Or, you may not bedoing the most important thing onyour priority list. If you are working onthe least important thing on your list

before the most important, chances areyou will find it difficult to concentrate;in the back of your mind you will be

worrying about that more importanttask. If you do more important thingsfirst, you will probably complete themmore efficiently and with more energythan if you get to them later. Try torecognize when you are avoiding adifficult or important task by keepingbusy at something that is less so.

Other reasons for

poor concentrationmight be as simple asa noisy workenvironment,sleepiness or notenough to eat. Acombination ofcommon sense as

well as some specificattempts atmoderating yourhabits will providesome solutions in

these situations. Tryto work in a place

where distractionsare at a minimum; ifthe residence hallsare too noisy find anempty classroom orcampus lounge. Thestudent center andlibrary are alwaysgood options.

Studying in a well-lit and well-ventilated room can do much toalleviate feeling tired, but also try togive yourself some short breaks. Abalanced diet is essential tomaintaining energy, so make sure youare feeding yourself regularly. If youfeel your stomach growling in themiddle of your evening study session,

find yourself a healthy snack and getback to work.

Making effective use of your studytime by setting goals for each sessionalso will go a long way towardenhancing your ability to concentrate.Plan ahead exactly what you wish toaccomplish in a study session, focus onthat goal specifically and work toachieve it.

A lthough the facts and theoriesyou are learning in collegeare significant, of equalimportance are the insights you shouldgain about the learning process itself.This is perhaps the single most valuablething you can get from your collegeexperience. This is what makes youmore intelligent, rather than simply

being better informed. This abilityto learn, if learned well, will last youa lifetime.

The Art of ConcentrationOne of the most common problems

reported by college students isconcentration. You should first beaware that concentration meansdifferent things to different people.Some students mean they are unable tostick with a subject or assignment longenough to master it; others think first

of one thing, then another, but rarelythe content of what they are studying;still others do not comprehend thematerial despite persistence and theprevention of mind-wandering. Likeprocrastination, it is important todiscover just what causes your lackof concentration so you can attemptto decrease the difficulty with asuitable strategy.

More frequently than not, lack ofconcentration represents some form of

conflict between other desires andacademic goals. You might want to be

watching a favorite television programrather than completing a lengthy labreport; or you might be worried aboutroommate problems while trying tostudy for an exam. If such a conflictexists, you can try to remedy thesituation by looking at one problem ata time, or by deferring attention to atleast one of the problems to a moreopportune time.

Academic Skills for SuccessIf you are going to be successful, there is hardly any

career that doesnt involve continued learning.

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to develop? Any background youhave acquired in preparation for thelecture will help you answer thesequestions. From the moment thespeaker begins, concentrate onfinding the main ideas.

3.While listening, take notes.Youshould prepare for class by doingsome reading and concentrating oneverything the instructor says, andcheck out the main ideas. Now youshould keep a record of those ideasyou have worked so hard to obtain.

Your notes will not be of much useto you if they are not as complete asyou can make them. All the mainpoints as well as important detailsshould go into them. In order to takereally usable notes, try to write downthe following four items when

listening to a talk: a) main ideas,b) key points under main ideas,c) specific words, names, equations,dates, and other data that seemsimportant and d) any important

words whose meanings you areunsure of.

It is not as easy to take orderly noteswhile listening as while reading. Youneed to do two things at once: youhave to write down what has beensaid and at the same time listen to

the following points and comments.However, you can think faster thanthe speaker can talk; this gives youtime to think back and ahead whilelistening. By taking full advantage ofthis time difference, you can learn tomake each note a solid bridge

between what was just said and whatseems to be coming.

4.Revise notes later. Unless the lectureis exceptionally well-organized, yournotes will not be in ideal order. Thesooner you can go over your notesafter class and revise them, the easierand more quickly you can clarifythem. There may be omissions inyour notes that you can supply frommemory if you dont wait until thecues are stale.

Some other helpful tips for note-taking:

Develop and apply a consistentmethod of note-taking.

Store notes in a three-ring binder forgreater mobility.

Record everything written on theblackboard or an overhead projection.

Record any assignments and theirdue dates accurately.

There is a good deal more tolistening than just hearingsounds. Good listening is anactive process. The good listener isconstantly thinking, evaluating andmaking connections. Good listening isan essential study skill; you can make asubstantial improvement as a studentby improving as a good listener.

When in class, you have to absorbeverything that is said. Your instructorsand classmates will present material andexplanations that you may not find inyour textbooks. You cannot always relyon the help of your friends for somepoint of information you have missedin class. No one else can listen for you.

Although good listening is veryuseful, it is not always easy. Goodlistening can be difficult for a variety ofreasons. The speakers pace may not beyours. When listening, you have to

travel mentally at the speed of theperson who is speaking, rather than atyour own. The speaker may talk toorapidly for you to take in everythingthat is being said, or may speak tooslowly for you to concentrate wellenough on the subject. There may bedistractions in the classroom.

You can train yourself to be a goodlistener by utilizing some of thefollowing suggestions: *

1.Prepare for listening.When youknow the subject of a lecture or

discussion in advance, you canprepare to get the most out of it intwo ways: review what you alreadyknow about the subject and read asmuch additional information aboutit as you can.

2.While listening, search for mainideas. Try to determine from thevery beginning of a lecture ordiscussion where the speaker isheaded. What is the professorspurpose? What ideas is he/she trying

Learning to ListenWhen should I take notes, and when should I listen?

Academic Keys

* Adapted From: How to Study, Ralph C.Preston and Morten Botel


18/2716

Put Things in YourOwn Words

Stop after each section or difficultparagraph and try to put what theauthor says into your own words. This

will help you see that complicatedstatements often contain simple ideasand will let you check out whether you

have understood the materialpresented. Being able to repeat thesame words back is not a true measureof comprehension.

Sort Out Fact FromInterpretation

Any chapter usually can be separatedinto two types of information: facts orevidence and interpretation or opinion.Sometimes, its not easy to sort outthese two things, but you will bereading more intelligently and activelyif you remember that both fact andinterpretation are almost always there.

Try to Solve it YourselfIf the text poses a question or

problem, try to answer it beforereading on. When you are told themethod to apply or the answer to theproblem, it often seems obvious. Youmay think you know how to do thatkind of problem because you couldeasily follow the answer provided in the

text. However, if you try to figure itout first, you get the opportunity todiscover that you may not know thematerial well enough after all. Onceyouve struggled with somethingyourself for a while and then get thecorrect answer, you are more likely toremember the solution and to have realinsight that can help you when solvingsimilar problems.

Use Your DictionaryIt isnt always worth the time to look

up every unfamiliar word you comeacross. Often, you can get the generalidea from the rest of the sentence orthe passage. However, there are times

when you will miss something veryimportant if you dont find out what a

word means. Have a dictionary handyto record meanings of words in themargin next to the text. You willgradually build a vocabulary that willmake your reading easier as well.

What About Highlighting?Highlighting the most important

points while you are reading helps keepyour attention on the page and allowsyou to read more actively. You have toseparate out the points to highlightfrom those not to highlight. If you are

highlighting too much, youre notbeing selective enough. If youre onlyhighlighting a few things, either thereisnt enough information in thechapter, or you are missing theinformation that is there. In additionto highlighting, make notes in themargins to cue you to main ideas andto help you find points to review.

When to ReadYou cannot do active reading in a

rush at the last minute before an exam.

Therefore, read regularly as thematerial is covered in class or as theassignments are listed on the courseoutline. In addition, reading relevantinformation just after or just before itsdiscussed in class makes both thelecture and the reading easier tounderstand.

Successful reading of anassignment, like listening,requires active thinking. Yourfirst job is to understand the material,and understanding frequently requiresquite a bit of mental effort. It helps todo some of the following things. *

Get an Overview

When you first read a chapter, flipthrough it quickly, looking at all theheadings and subheadings, pictures,and tables and graphs. Also glancequickly at the introduction and thesummary. This will give you anoverview or an idea of what the chapteris about, or what the author hopes totell you. Spend a few minutes trying tofigure out beforehand what the mainpoint seems to be. These few minutes

will help you develop someorganization for the information you

are about to read.

Ask QuestionsTry to come up with some questions

that are directed specifically at whatyou are reading. There are severalthings the headings in the chapter cantell you, and several questions theymight make you ask. Some headingsare pretty straightforward, but othersmay be more complicated and havemany subheadings. Try to relate all thisinformation back to the original intent

of the chapter.

Take NotesAs you read, take notes and try to

make the organization of what youread clear from the way you arrangeyour notes. Put the main topic at thetop of the page, the major subtopics atthe next level, ideas within eachsubtopic at the next and so on. Fill inmore detail as you read.

Reading is NecessaryDo I really have to read everything thats assigned?

Academic Keys

* From: How to F, Marcia K. Johnson, Sally P.Springer and Sarah Hall Sternglanz


19/2717

1.Plan a definite examination studyschedule and stick to it.You shouldmodify your typical study schedulefor a week to two weeks preceding amajor exam. This special preparationis very worthwhile in that it will saveyou from frenzied, last-minutecramming and help you to be morerelaxed and confident at exam time.

2.Prepare and study a master outlineof the subject. During your firstreview period for your exam, make amaster outline of the material youhave dealt with. This outline is acondensed version of all your notes,combining class notes on lecturesand discussions, notes you made

when reading your textbook andnotes from any other supplementaryreading. The act of making a masteroutline is in itself an excellent review.

3.Make up a practice examinationfor yourself and then take it. Findout from your instructor whether ornot he or she plans to give an essayexam or an objective exam.

An essay exam is one that requireswritten discussion in answers to itsquestions. You have to supply thefacts, organize them in logicalfashion and write them up in a well-rounded essay. Creative thinking,ability to organize and careful writingare necessary in order to do well on

an essay exam. You also have tounderstand main ideas andremember detail-related facts. Whenmaking and taking your own essayexam for practice, you do not needto write out the answers in full,rather outline the answers informally.

An objective exam asks for bare factsand is made up of different types ofquestions: true-false, multiple choice,matching and sentence completion.It requires little writing and mainlytests the ability to recognize truestatements of facts and concepts.Draw ideas for your own sample testquestions from main concepts and

their related supporting information.4.Pay special attention to points that

are troublesome for you. Making asample test will help you identifyyour weak spots. Make a list of theseand work to commit the informationto memory through constantrepetition. Using flash cards or

writing out the information arehelpful tactics.

5.Cram as the last step. If you haveever crammed frantically most of the

night or even the last few momentsbefore an exam, you might have feltyou made a mistake leaving yourstudying until the last minute. If youstay up later than usual or pull anall-nighter, you are probably not veryfit to take the exam. Then why cram?Cramming before an exam can behelpful as a final review of materialthat you have studied and reviewed ifyou have followed the other taskssuggested in this manual. Cram thelast day and evening before an exam

to cinch the more troublesomepoints in the information you havebeen reviewing then go to bed atyour usual time so your mind will beclear and your body refreshed for theexamination.

Your best preparation forexaminations is regularday-to-day study. If you applythe skills described in the previoussections of this manual, you will findyourself well-prepared for exams as yougo along. You will be reviewing a littleat a time instead of waiting to beginuntil the night or even the week beforethe exam. You will have prepared forthem all term as you study yourdaily assignments.

However, you will still have to solvethe problem of recalling, late in aquarter, what was covered at thebeginning. If you leave this materialuntil exam time, you will have torelearn much of it. Instructorssometimes help with periodic reviews,but it is your job as a student to keepup with material presented throughoutthe course. Try to review your textbookand notes regularly.

In addition to these regular reviews,you will want to do some special review

work immediately prior to exam time.

Take some of the followingsuggestions into consideration as youplan your preparation: *

Preparing for ExamsWhat should I be doing to get ready for a big test?

Exam Keys

* Adapted From: How to Study, Ralph C.Preston and Morten Botel


20/2718

Try to get to the location whereyour test is being given at least fiveminutes before the scheduled starttime, and sit in your usual seat.Get out everything you will needfor the exam and put everythingelse out of the way.

Find a spot on the wall in front ofyou to be your memory-triggeringspot. When you experience troubleremembering something, focus onthis spot, and it may just cometo mind.

When the test is distributed, writeyour name on it right away. Thenstretch, relax, take a few deepbreaths and begin.

void eating a large meal ordrinking caffeinatedbeverages before an exam.

A heavy meal can make you feelunusually sluggish. Too muchcaffeine can make you feel wired;the anxiety associated with takingexams should be enough to keepyou sufficiently alert without

much help. Stop all studying at least a half

hour before test time. If you arenot prepared by then, an extra halfhour wont help you it couldactually heighten your anxiety levelinstead as you try to cram right upto the last minute.

Have the materials you will need totake with you into the exam ready.Sharpen your pencils, clean youreraser, make sure your calculator is

operating well and find some cleanpaper to use for scratch.

The Day of the ExamExam Keys

A


21/2719

to give to answering each question.Usually it is not wise to give equal timeto all questions. Some questions can beanswered quickly while others may taketime to think out carefully. You may

want to jot down beside each questionthe amount of time you have budgetedfor it. Often questions will be weighteddifferently; you should budget more

time for those questions weighted moreheavily than others. Allow time at thebeginning of the test to follow the abovesuggestions as well as time at the end ofthe exam to proofread your answers.

When writing an essay exam, beginby outlining your answer to eachquestion. Answer the easiest questionfirst. Write out key words and phrasesto make an informal outline of yourproposed answer. Use whatever scratchpaper is available for this purpose.

With your outline before you, beginwriting your answers. Write as clearlyand concisely as possible. Goodorganization is particularly important.Begin a new paragraph for each point;if a paragraph includes too many ideas,

your instructor may think you have notbothered to take the time to thinkthrough the answers.

In an objective exam, you have twogoals: to answer as many questions asyou can and to answer them correctly.Go through the exam quickly, markingthe items where you are sure of theanswers. Mark the more difficult itemsin the margins for easier spotting whenyou return to them. Try to interpret

items with common sense. The moreyou labor over an objective item, themore likely you are to read somethinginto it that your instructor did not intend.

You also can use easy items as cluesto help you answer those items youfind more difficult. Consider yourhunches with caution.

When you have finished the entireexamination, read over what you have

written or answered to try to catch andcorrect careless mistakes. Errors on

essay tests could include lack of clarity,misstatements, vagueness, variousgrammatical or punctuation errors, orillegibility. When proofing youranswers to objective tests, make sureyou answered all the questionscompletely, as you intended, and thatyour answers are clearly legible. Be sureto go back over some of the moretroublesome items.

Knowing your subject isonly part of your preparationfor exams. You also will haveto know how to write an exam. Thereare several things you can do thatmight make the difference between afair mark and an excellent one. Someof these concern getting started,making a wise choice of questions,

organizing your answers and catchingcareless errors.

It is extremely important to followdirections exactly. Before you writeanything, read the whole examcarefully, making sure you understandevery question, and underline key

words in the directions and questions.This will direct your attention toimportant words, focus your thinkingon the exam, clear your mind and getyou off to a good start. It also will

prevent your trying to write before youare settled and organized. If there issomething you do not understand, askthe instructor to clarify it for you.

Before you begin writing an exam,decide how much time you can afford

Taking the TestAre there some particular strategies that I should know about?

Exam Keys


22/2720

B y now you are aware of themany challenges of startingcollege. While you havegotten some tips on how to handlethese new responsibilities, you may stillhave a lot of questions. Should I join aprofessional organization or maybe asocial fraternity or sorority? Whereshould I study? What if I dont get

along with my roommate or dont likethe food? How do I get some exercise?What if Im not sure of my careerchoice or major? One way to help findanswers to all these questions is to use asupport network through mentoring.

Especially as a freshman, beingmentored is a critical tool for studentsuccess. Sometimes students think of amentor as a faculty advisor, but amentor is much more than that. Amentoring relationship is a personal, as

well as professional, relationship. In itsbroadest sense, anyone who takes aninterest in helping another person besuccessful could be referred to as amentor: a coach, a teacher, anotherstudent, a tutor and so on. If you wantto have guidance and supportthroughout your academic journey, you

will need to find and developmentoring relationships.

Some of the benefits of mentoringinclude having someone to turn to forquestions about school, career and

adjustment issues; having a ready-madesystem of support; gaining knowledgefrom someone whos been through it;and making connections with people

who can further your career. Especiallyin the engineering and science fields, amentor can assist your socializationinto that particular discipline.

An effective mentoring relationshipinvolves mutual respect, trust,understanding and empathy. A mentorcan give you advice, support andguidance. Someone who is able to sharelife experiences, listen well, andproblem solve with you would make agood mentor. But how do you findsuch a person? At MSOE, you can joinan already established program.Students can also take advantage ofMentorNet, a networking Web-basedprogram designed for women, that canbe accessed at www.mentornet.net.

Take advantage of all the supportyou can get to make your journey asmooth and successful one!

MSOE Mentor Program

The MSOE Mentor Program wasestablished more than 10 years ago as away to help incoming students adjustto college. Throughout the year,activities between mentors and menteesvary depending upon the interests ofpeople in each mentee group. Theunderlying purpose of any activity is tohelp new students feel connected to theMSOE community, to develop special

bonds with MSOE faculty, staff andfellow students, and to make the firstyear of college a positive one.

Each mentor/peer mentor team isassigned several new student mentees.

After your first meeting, youimmediately have a new group of

friends!Mentors and peer mentors are

friendly and helpful resources who canprovide answers to the many questionsyou will have as you begin college.

In addition to the activities ofindividual mentor/mentee groups, theMentor Program organizes educationaland fun activities, events and programsthat all mentees are encouraged to takepart in. Participation in the MentorProgram can help you establish a very

helpful network that you can maintainthroughout your career at MSOE.

For additional information,including how to become a part of theMSOE Mentor Program, please sendan e-mail to [email protected] [email protected], or call Brian Burkeat (414) 277-7266 or Cindy Kotlarekat (414) 277-7336.

Learning from MentorsSupport Keys

Who else can I turn to for advice?


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Health Development andWellness Programs

Counseling Services sponsors avariety of workshops throughout theacademic year designed to help studentsdevelop new skills or address issuesprevalent in their lives. Many of thetopics already presented in this manual,

such as study skills or timemanagement, are discussed in greaterdetail through these presentations.

Additional programs are offered,however, and we encourage you tocheck these out as well: test anxiety,stress management, self-esteem, careerdevelopment and many others. Contactthe Counseling Services Office formore information about when and

where these workshops will bepresented throughout the year.

Counselors also are available for you tospeak with on an individual basis aboutthese or any other concerns. SeeCounseling Services staff at K230 orcall (414) 277-7590.

TRiO Programs

Our nation has asserted acommitment to providing educationalopportunities for all Americansregardless of race, ethic background, oreconomic circumstance. In support of

this commitment, Congress establisheda series of programs to help low-income

Americans enter college and graduate.These programs are funded under TitleIV of the Higher Education Act of1965 and are referred to as the TRiOPrograms (initially just three programs).

While student financial aid programshelp students overcome financialbarriers to higher education, TRiO

Programs help students overcome class,social, academic and cultural barriers tohigher education. See the TRiO staff in

CC-27, or call (414) 277-7265.Learning Resource Center

(LRC) offers a wide variety ofservices to students. The LRC givesstudents the opportunity to assess theiracademic needs by gaining anunderstanding of their learning stylesand study habits. In order to helpstudents build better reading and

writing skills, the lab offersconsultation with a specialist in each ofthese areas. Peer tutoring on a

continuing or long-term basis isobtainable through the LRC, andfaculty members teach support classesas a means to supplement your in-classinstruction. See the LRC staff inCC-02 (ground floor), or call

(414) 277-7266.

Some Significant ExtrasWhere can I get extra help?

Support Keys


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SOE encourages the development of thetotal person, including mental, emotional,physical and social well-being. To promote

this, students can take advantage of the many types of co-curricular activities that are offered at MSOE.

While you are attending MSOE, there are many ways inwhich you will learn. The learning that takes place in theclassroom and laboratories is very important. You will learnfrom your living environment, whether that is the residencehalls, an apartment or home. You also will grow and learn fromactivities, student organizations and programs that are availableto you. The Student Life Office strongly encourages you totake advantage of these opportunities!

How do You Get Involved?You can join a student organization. There are service groups,

social fraternities and sororities, honor societies, intramural andintercollegiate athletic teams, and groups with a commoninterest like MAGE (gaming, anime, sci-fi and chess club).There are professional societies to aid you in developingcontacts within your academic department as well as for your

future career. There are governmental groups that representstudent viewpoints to the administration. In addition to theaspect of experiential learning, all of the organizations promiseto offer FUN! For more information visit

www.msoe.edu/st_orgs/

Attend SeminarsThroughout the academic year, there is a wide variety of

programs offered to you, including leadership developmentseminars, career information workshops, business and technicalspeakers, and wellness information. Take advantage of them.

Attend Special EventsThere are a wide variety of special events that occur on

campus. MSOE offers fun-filled Homecoming festivities, St.Pats week and Sub-zero days, to name a few. Take part in theseevents you are sure to enjoy them!

Intranet and MyMSOEAs a student, youll find much of the information you need

on the Campus Intranet (inside.msoe.edu) or network. Theseresources provide the tools and information you need such ascomputer technology FAQs, Webmail, technical support chat,an online student directory and information on all of ourprograms. Course registration, grades, student accountspayments and more is available on the campus informationsystem called myMSOE (my.msoe.edu).

Campus E-mailsEach e-mail is an invitation to you to get involved, as well as

an opportunity to keep up with current campus events. Takeadvantage of the opportunity to get the most out of yourcollege experience. Be sure you are signed up for a variety ofcampus mailing lists.

AnotherType of LearningWhats there to do besides going to class and studying?

22

Support Keys

M


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On-Campus ReferralsOn-Campus Referrals (Area Code 414)

Academic Advising

Architectural Engineering andBuilding Construction Department CC-69 277-7301

Architectural Engineering (BS)Construction Management (BS)Environmental Engineering (MS)Structural Engineering (MS)

Rader School of Business R-106 277-7279Business (BS)International Business (BS)Management (BS)Management Information Systems (BS)

Engineering Management (MS)Marketing and Export Management (MS)Medical Informatics (MS)New Product Management (MS)

Electrical Engineering andComputer Science Department L-350 277-7323

Biomedical Engineering (BS)Cardiovascular Studies (MS)Computer Engineering (BS)Electrical Engineering (BS)Electrical Engineering Technology (BS)Engineering (MS)Perfusion (MS)Software Engineering (BS)

General Studies Department GM-218 277-7351Technical Communication (BS/BA)

Mathematics Department L-328 277-7452

Mechanical Engineering Department S-110 277-7375Engineering (BS)Industrial Engineering (BS)Mechanical Engineering (BS)Mechanical Engineering Technology (BS)

School of Nursing S-201 277-7158Nursing (BS and MS)

RN to BSNPhysics and Chemistry S-236 277-7349

Athletics K-328 277-4552Intercollegiate, intramural and club sports, vans

Bookstore CC (Third floor) 277-7173Textbook sales, general merchandise, used books

Counseling Services K-230 277-7225Personal, educational and career counseling on an individual or

group basisChief Student Life Officer/ CC-377 277-7226

Dean of StudentsConflict resolution, student grievance process, discipline and judicialprocedures

Enrollment Management CC-302 277-6763Admission advising for all classes 277-7200

Financial Assistance CC-431 (mezzanine) 277-7223Grants, scholarships, loans, work study

Health Services K-250 277-7590Treatment of minor illnesses, first aid, referrals, diagnosis and

treatment of urgent care needs, management of chronic illnessesand health care screenings.

Learning Resource Center (LRC) CC-02 277-7274Academic tutoring, support classes

LibraryWalter Schroeder Library, second level, 277-7180Books, reference materials, periodicals, audio-visual resources, inter-library loan, electronic access to resources

Mentor Program CC-02 (LRC) 277-7266Helping new students adjust to MSOE life

Career Placement Office CC-370 277-7120Student and alumni employment, internships, on-campusrecruiting, resumes

Public Safety MLH (ground floor) 277-7169

EMERGENCY: 277-7159Campus security, parking, shuttle service

Registrar CC-365 277-7215Scheduling, add/drop, student records, registration

Residence Life RWJ (ground floor) 277-7400On-campus housing and food services

Servant-Leadership K-240 277-7373Student Accounts CC-437 (mezzanine) 277-7130Financial records, payments

Student Activities CC-377 277-7225Student organizations, activity programming, campus events, roomreservations for student organizationsTRiO Programs CC-27 277-7265

Academic/personal support to eligible nontraditional students aswell as those with disabilities and learning disorders


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What weve tried toaccomplish with thismanual is to offer yousome basic suggestions for collegesuccess. Wed also like to grab you bythe shoulders, look you straight in theeye and say, Try some of these things,they really do work! Unfortunately, wecant follow you around and make youdo things that much is up to you.

If there is one thing wed like you totake away from this manual, its theidea that you can do a lot to determine

whats going to happen to you. Wewant you to believe that if things arenot always going the way you want,you can almost always do something tochange them. This is especially hard toremember when you find yourself in acomplicated situation like college, andeverything is coming at you at once.Even if you find yourself at the point

where youre overwhelmed, its almostalways possible to pause and say, Waita minute, and then take a lookaround. Usually when you do, you willfind some options to consider. Shouldthings get beyond you, use your bestsurvival instincts and grab a lifelinefrom Counseling Services.

Counseling Services

(414) 277-7590

Now Its Up to You

Be kind to yourself as you reach the end of this quarter.

Dont be overly critical if youre not yet making the grades

you want to make or believe you can make.

Whats important is to make the best effort possible

and to be persistent in that effort. Give yourself a

little credit for the life lessons youve learned

thus far, too for learning to be a college student.

Meanwhile, good luck.


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keys to college success 2008

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