A Professor's Guide: How To Be A Successful College Student

 

 

A Professor’s Guide:  How to Be a Superior College Student

 

This is a summary of what I’ve observed during 25 years as a college professor and student advisor. There are many online posts, YouTube videos, and books on how to be a good college student but most of them are mostly lists of generalities. This post is from a professor’s perspective (not usually made public). It gives specific, helpful hints on how to perform better as a student.

 

To be a superior student, you must become a skilled student, use your limited resource (time) efficiently, and understand your market – professors.

 

This post also discusses a strategic plan on how to finance college.

 

How to read a textbook

For each new chapter, look at the end-of-chapter summary (and any online summary) first. That tells you what’s important. Concentrate on this material.

 

Be an active reader. Underline. Make marginal notes. Talk to yourself (“What the hell does this mean?”) Have a page in the Notes section of your computer for each course. Keep it open while you are reading. Type in thoughts or questions as you are reading. These notes will probably be useful when starting to think about assignments or prepare for tests.

 

If you are well-organized, write down questions or problems you think are likely to be on the test. Answer them. Use chapter summaries, problem sets (problems on math exams are often variations of problem sets) and lectures as guides. (BTW, anticipating what someone will do or say is a crucial life skill. Particularly in competitive situations.)

 

How to write a term paper and other essays

Think of them as legal briefs or an argument in a debate. State one or two themes and spend the rest of the essay developing and supporting them. Have a concise introduction and conclusion. Maybe close with some conjectures but try to make them sound objective or logical extensions rather than personal or political.

            

It is not necessary to start your research with a theme. Major themes or issues will emerge from your research. Sometimes it’s easier to write the introduction last.

            

Cite sources of data and other information, including internet addresses. If you have a paragraph that summarized a source, place a footnote at the end of the paragraph. 

            

Have a good bibliography. Include any sources you looked at even if you didn’t use them in the paper. Quality sources. Profs know that good term papers are usually based on good sources.

 

It must be well-written. There is no excuse for misspelled words or bad grammar because of help from online tools. You might want to use a software program like Grammarly. Do not one-draft; edit and rewrite. If it is poorly written, profs will assume you don’t know what you’re talking about. If possible, have someone else read it and comment. (You can learn about 80% of what you need to know about clear writing by reading and consulting a small book - Strunk and White, Elements of Style.)

 

If you have no idea how to start, go to the library. Talk to a librarian. Also, libraries have resources that you will not find online, or would be hard to find. Use specialize and academic databases available online in library computers.

 

Use Google to find specific data, not good sources. Most searchers never go beyond the first or second page. If you use the same sources as everyone else, your prof will be unhappy or suspicious.

 

Studying

Do not study anywhere there are noises or distractions. In other words, not in your dorm. Also, do not listen to music with lyrics while studying. Your brain will get very confused.

 

Try to study at times of the day or night when you are mentally alert.

 

Not all courses are created equal. Spend more time and effort on more important courses, courses in your major or difficult courses. You should try to get an A in all the courses in your major (remember, you are going to graduate or professional school).

 

If you are taking a course you’re not interested in (it fulfills a graduation requirement), then it makes sense to spend less than the average time studying. Cram just before the exams. Develop good guessing skills, especially if the prof or school gives multiple-choice tests. Count on grade inflation to get at least a B in the course. Get as much of the material you think will be on the test into your short-term memory just before the test. After the test, you’ll probably forget most or all of it (it doesn’t make it to your long-term memory). Don’t worry about it – that’s how your brain works. Blame it on evolution. Use the time you’ve saved to spend more time and effort on more important courses. The ones that will get you into grad school.

 

How to answer essay questions on tests

Think about the prof reading answers – 20 or 30 answers to the same question. You must quickly indicate you know what you’re talking about. Avoid filler (“It’s a fact that…”). Be clear and concise, do not give long, meandering answers. Do not use a lot of big words; if you misuse them, you’re in trouble.

 

Never leave a question unanswered, even if you are uncertain. Think about what you do know, maybe related material, and reason to possible answer. The prof doesn’t know whether you understand the material, understand some of it, or just got lucky. 

 

Add a thought or fact that is not likely to be in other students’ answers. 

 

Don’t answer the essay questions in order. First do the ones you think you know best. The prof might give you the benefit of the doubt on the more uncertain answers to the other questions. This is also often a good strategy on multiple-choice tests.

 

A hint on how to take a test. Before starting, close your eyes and take deep breathes for about a minute. I saw two undergraduate students do this; both were later accepted at Harvard Law School.

 

Do not plagiarize or cheat

Profs have seen it all. There is software to detect plagiarism. Some profs don’t want to go through the hassle of the review process, especially if they are not tenured. So even if you think you’ve gotten away with it, you probably haven’t. You will pay.

 

Profs gossip about students. If you plagiarize or cheat, other profs will learn about it.

 

No benefit of the doubt in the future. Profs usually have a lot of leeway on grading tests and other material. 

 

They will not write you a recommendation for grad school.

 

Do not use commercial “study guides” for essays or other assignments. Other students have used them before you; professors will recognize the source. 

 

Online Courses

Need self-discipline.

 

Usually more structured than inclass courses. Little discussion or explanation of the material. Scheduled tests and assignments during entire course. Must stay current. Must meet deadlines.

 

My experience has been that most traditional-aged students should not take online courses. Avoid them if possible for difficult courses and courses in your major. You will usually learn less in an online course than in a comparable inclass course.

 

Bad reasons for picking courses

It fits your schedule.

 

No classes on Monday or Friday.

 

Easy grader. Probably means you won’t learn much.  

 

Why you should go to class

Listen to prof’s lectures. Even if they don’t add much to what you’re learning, they tell you what the prof thinks is important. This is a good indication of what will be on the tests.

 

Taking notes vs. listening. Most students take too many notes. When writing/typing, they are not listening. Take fewer notes and listen. Record lectures for later review (with prof’s permission)

 

Photo boards with cell phone.

 

Write up (on laptop) short summary right after class.

 

Possible outside academic assistance

Alternative sources of information, especially for new or difficult subjects.

Wikipedia and Google Search (Scholar).

YouTube lectures on technical subjects.

Podcasts.

 

Great Courses – online lecture series on most college topics.

            The quality of the profs giving these courses is very high.

 

Professional Development

Try to do Internships, independent studies and prof-directed research projects.

            Looks good on grad school application.

            

Helps with good prof recommendations.

 

Credits and possible source of income. One way to tell if you’re really interested in a possible career.

 

Subscribe to a newspaper, magazine, or technical journal in your field. Much of this is now online. Follow organizations or individuals on Twitter. Join a professional association – shows serious intent and looks good on grad school application. Go to professional association meetings. Network.

 

General Education

If I were to recommend one “skills” course for all students, it would be applied statistics. Not a course in probability theory or a course taught in the math department. You will need to understand and analyze statistical data regardless of the field you go into. Also, it will make you more critical of so-called statistical evidence in arguments about diet, health, climate change and just about any other controversial or public issue.

 

If possible, pick courses you’re interested in. Or related to your major; for example, Philosophy of Science or History of Mathematics if you’re a science or math major.

 

If there is a science requirement in the liberal arts curriculum, I would suggest a survey course in molecular biology/genetics/genomics. This is an exciting and important area of research and discovery. If for no other reason, many of the most sensitive public and ethical questions in the future and in your life will be in this area.

 

If you want one source for a general education of what’s going on in the world, read The Economist magazine. Excellent for global politics and current topics like climate change. Covers a wide range of topics, well beyond what the title suggests. (I’ve learned more about the basics of molecular (cell) biology (DNA, mRNA, gene therapy, proteomics, how drugs work, biotechnology) than from any other source.) Extraordinarily well-written so pay attention to prose style.

 

General Comments

The hardest year is the first because of the adjustment from high school to college. Less structure, more “free” time. Lots of reasons (and temptations) to procrastinate. Lots of decisions to make.

 

During freshman year, I would recommend limiting extracurricular activities. If you must work, try to limit it to a maximum of 10 hours per week. Try to work on campus to limit travel time. Do not have a car on campus. Alternatives – work full-time during summers and/or winter break. Extreme alternative – take a year off to make lots of money.

 

The most important (and difficult) habits you should develop are self-discipline and perseverance. More important than "intelligence."

 

How to get a higher grade – put in about 10% more time and effort.

 

If you go to a small college or after you are admitted to a department, profs will start forming an opinion about you. This may be important to how well you do in college, educational opportunities outside of class, chances for going to a good grad school (personal recommendations to a prof’s grad school profs carry weight), and even future job opportunities (many profs, especially in technical or professional fields, do outside consulting with corporations or other institutions).

 

Exercise, eat right and sleep. Develop a routine. Don’t procrastinate. Yes, I know everyone says this and students often don’t do it. Bad habits will affect your academic performance, especially in the frantic period at the end of the semester. I’ve seen too many students come apart mentally or physically in the last week of the semester or during finals.

 

If you ask for any type of extension, especially at the end of the semester, you better have a good reason rather than a good excuse. Profs will assume the real reason is that you’re not prepared.

 

Some colleges let you develop an independent major. Check student handbook.

 

Getting Help

Think as if you hired yourself to manage your education and your life while a student. You would use the resources available. You wouldn’t try to do everything yourself. You would try to be as efficient or productive as possible in a fixed amount of time.  

 

Know which professors you can talk to after class or during office hours. Be specific, focus.

 

Fellow students (study groups or a few close friends).

 

Tutoring services, especially for introductory or technical courses.

 

Support services – if you are having a personal problem, talk to someone, preferably a professional. Get help early.

 

Introduction to Financing Your College Education

Student loans. Avoid if at all possible (see strategies below). If necessary, try to limit the amount. But you better graduate or you are really screwed. If you cannot meet monthly payments (the average is around $400/month), you will learn about the quickly rising cost of compound interest. Even if you later declare personal bankruptcy and get rid of most of your other debt, you will probably still owe on your student loans. Forever. Don’t count on student loan forgiveness in the future.

 

DO NOT CARRY OVER MONTHLY BALANCES ON CREDIT CARDS. If you can’t do this, at least pay all of the monthly interest expense. Compounding interest costs are brutal. This is the closest thing to slavery in our society.

 

Strategic Plan

You should realize early that after you graduate, you will probably be going to graduate school or professional school. One reason this is important, almost a necessity, is that a high percentage of your generation will get an undergraduate degree. In your country and globally. Pay attention in your Economics course to what happens when there is a big increase in supply. 

 

You should have a personal strategic plan that includes finances. Here is one possibility. Start at a community college. In some states, no tuition or tuition lower than at a four-year state college and much lower than at a private college. You also save on room and board (minus gas and auto insurance). Total savings around $40,000 compared to two years at a four-year public college or university and living on-campus. Which is about the average balance of undergraduate student loans. Also, you will probably need a student loan when you go to grad school. (For example, if you go to law school and take out student loans, the average is around $150,000.) 

 

In some states, community college graduates with decent grades are automatically accepted at a four-year state college or university and all credits transfer. With undergraduate enrollment trending down, you are virtually sure to be accepted at a four-year college or university. Some states have special tuition discounts (aka scholarships) for community college graduates going to four-year colleges.

 

The main idea here is not to take out any student loans to pay for your undergraduate degree. You may need to borrow for graduate or professional school. Since it is your advanced degree that will make you a valuable employee (higher paid), this may make sense as a financial decision.

 

Some variations on how to get an undergraduate degree without student debt.

           Take a year off between high school and college. Save money.

 

Go to work for a company or government agency that will pay your college tuition. You might learn some valuable skills (how to brew a mean cup of coffee) and appreciate why you are going to college.

            

Be nice to your grandparents.

            

Become an excellent poker player.