Welcome Back and Check Out Five Top Tips for Student Success This Fall
Welcome or welcome back to the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences!
“We’re so looking forward to this academic year on The Hill and are committed to helping our students succeed as they join our Fulbright College family,” said Kathy Sloan, interim dean of Fulbright College.
“As part of Fulbright College, you belong to the academic heart and soul of the University of Arkansas,” she added. “And it is here — this fall semester and beyond — that our new and returning students will forge their path into the future.”
With three schools, 16 academic departments and more than 40 academic centers, Sloan said our college offers a multitude of degrees in the fine arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences to satisfy nearly any academic interest.
To help our students across all these degrees succeed, Sloan asked the college’s instructor coaches — mentors who work one-on-one with students — to share their top five tips for student success.
These tips and many more, like how to email your professors and practical tips on what planner to choose, are also available in the new Fulbright College Student Success Guide.
For an excellent semester ahead:
Determine your priorities.
What steps need to be taken to earn your degree? How much do you need to study to earn an A on your next test? What makes you a good friend, classmate or roommate? How far can you extend yourself without feeling burnt out? Think about your goals and what steps you must take to reach them.
Introduce yourself to your professors, instructors or teaching assistants (TAs).
Talking to professors, instructors and TAs one-on-one might seem scary at first, but it becomes far less so when you remember that these folks want you to succeed. However, professors aren’t mind readers. As a student, you must advocate for yourself and communicate your needs.
Keep your syllabus handy to track course expectations.
The first day of class — aka Syllabus Day — gives your professor an opportunity to lay out expectations, address major assignments and answer questions. But with so much information presented at once, it can be hard to know what questions you will have throughout the course. This is where keeping your syllabus nearby and referring to it often comes in handy.
Develop planning strategies that work for you.
Planning in college can be stressful — no doubt about it. Some people do well with just creating a daily to-do list. Others schedule their time hour by hour, assigning a task to specific times of the day. If you are not sure what works best for you, take a couple of weeks to try these methods and more, then evaluate and tailor your best method to your needs.
Remember: Attending class is key to being an engaged student.
Skipping class happens in college, but if you’re considering skipping often, remember your priorities. Attending class, whether or not you’re graded on attendance, has more benefits than you may realize. And attending class means more than just occupying a desk — it also means engaging with the material in ways that work best for you.
These tips come recommended by Fulbright College instructor coaches Olivia Inez, Emma Jones and Zach Payton, three of 20 instructor coaches on the Fulbright College Student Success Team, whose mentoring includes helping students with everything from campus maneuverability, to their class experiences, to encouraging them to participate in various on-campus programs and more.
In addition to these tips, “don’t forget to explore the many scholarship opportunities available to students, including our Fulbright College Dean’s Emergency Fund,” Sloan said.
“And, if you have any questions concerning your academic plans, the Fulbright College Advising Center is here to help,” she added.
Likewise, visiting fulbright.uark.edu and the college’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram as well as subscribing to the Fulbright REVIEW can help keep you up-to-date on all things Fulbright College.
“Once again — welcome to Fulbright College! We’re so excited to have you here and to help you thrive, learn and grow in any way that we can,” Sloan said.
Kaleb Turner
Assistant Director of Communications,
Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
479-575-2130 // kat022@uark.edu