Are you nervous about the rigors of college academics? Does graduating from college seem like an impossible dream? If so, A Student's Guide to Acing College is for you! This motivational and insightful guide walks you step-by-step along the path toward academic success. Inside, you will find a multitude of tips, tools, and strategies designed to help you develop the essential skills necessary to succeed in college. You will also be introduced to several resources unique to the college experience that can assist you in achieving top grades. A Student's Guide to Acing College gives you the tools to conquer the world of college academics and fulfill your dreams! "Directly from the trenches: after having successfully navigated two challenging academic programs simultaneously, Jeffrey Vaske has provided a succinct and extremely useful guide for college students. Essentially, he demystifies the academic skills that students need to do well. If you have a child starting college, get him or her this book." - Dr. Katharina Tumpek-Kjellmark, Chair, History Department, Grand View University

A Student's Guide To Acing College

Tips, Tools, and Strategies for Academic SuccessBy Jeffrey Vaske

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Jeffrey Vaske
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-0120-0

Contents

Introduction..................................................................ixChapter 1: You Do Not Have to Be a Genius.....................................1Chapter 2: Mind Over Matter...................................................5Chapter 3: Live an Organized Life.............................................9Chapter 4: Go to Class (and Apply Yourself)...................................15Chapter 5: Establish a Good Rapport with Your Instructors.....................23Chapter 6: Maximize Your Study Time...........................................31Chapter 7: Succeed Under Pressure—Taking Tests..........................37Chapter 8: Write Great Papers.................................................47Chapter 9: Take Charge of Group Projects......................................55Chapter 10: Understand Online Courses.........................................63Chapter 11: If All Else Fails.................................................71Chapter 12: Stay Active and Have Fun..........................................77Chapter 13: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.......................................81Chapter 14: Life After College................................................83Closing Remarks...............................................................87Appendix A: Ten More Academic Tidbits.........................................89Appendix B: Poem and Prayer...................................................93Appendix C: Reference List....................................................97

Chapter One

You Do Not Have to Be a Genius

A common misconception is that you have to be extraordinarily intelligent to achieve academic success in college. Some people might say that this accomplishment requires a photographic memory or a natural writing ability that puts one well above his or her peers. Certainly, both of these qualities help. However, for the vast majority of students, these abilities just do not exist. So let me be the first to tell you that you do not have to be a genius to achieve academic success in college.

You are probably thinking to yourself, "Sure, you might not be a genius or have a photographic memory, but you probably got a 33 on your ACT or a 2200 on your SAT." Once again, not true in my case. I took the ACT three times, and the highest score I earned was a 25, with an average score of 23.3. This score is nothing special and identifies me as being about average, so I must be an average student, right? Wrong again. I, and I am sure many other students along the way, have long felt that the standardized tests that colleges use to evaluate students for admission (i.e., the ACT and SAT) are flawed.

First of all, some students are simply not good at taking tests, especially when it comes to standardized tests. Standardized tests cover a broad range of material related to general topics like reading, science, and math. Even though I took preparatory courses and went over hundreds of practice questions, I found it very difficult to study for and do well on standardized tests. On the other hand, if given a pretty good idea of what to study, I could always prepare myself well enough to succeed on classroom tests as they related to specific course material.

The other issue I have with standardized tests is that many people falsely believe that they are a measure of intelligence. In reality, they are a measurement of one's educational development, not one's intellegence. Certainly some students are, by either nature or nurture, smarter than others and will score higher on standardized tests. However, what do you (and all other students) do when you do not know the answer to a particular question? You test the laws of probability and guess, hoping that luck will be on your side.

Now I do not know about you, but I can honestly say that I guessed on about 40 percent of the questions each time that I took the ACT. I am sure that I answered a few of those questions correctly, but the laws of probability would dictate that I answered the majority of them incorrectly. The only reason I raised my ACT score from a 21 to a 24 and then from a 24 to a 25 on the third attempt was probably because I just guessed a little better each time. So do not get discouraged if you did not score well on the ACT or SAT. They are not a true measure of your intelligence.

Finally and perhaps most noteworthy, is that standardized tests are not predictors of academic success. This is a tough pill to swallow for some admissions counselors who turn away very capable students every year due to low test scores on the ACT or SAT. In fact, I was discriminated against during my college application process because I only scored a 25 on the ACT. Reality check: just because someone scores a 33 on the ACT or a 2200 on the SAT, it does not guarantee that he or she will succeed in college academics. Certainly, there must be a process for colleges to evaluate potential students before admitting them, but I challenge all admissions counselors to focus less on these numbers and more on the individual profiles of each prospective student.

As I will discuss throughout this book, achieving academic success in college involves much more than simply scoring well on a standardized test. Academic success is achieved by constantly developing, improving, and properly utilizing a multitude of skills over the course of one's college career. Indeed, a student might have scored a 33 on their ACT, but he or she must still possess strong organizational and time management skills. That person must also 1) go to class every day, 2) establish sound relationships with their instructors, 3) practice good study habits, 4) improve his or her test-taking abilities, 5) work to become a proficient writer, 6) understand the dynamics of group projects, and 7) exploit valuable campus resources.

In conclusion, you do not have to be a genius to achieve academic success in college. Even if your high school grades were not the greatest or you scored low on the ACT or SAT, it does not mean that you cannot succeed at the highest level in college academics. Furthermore, do not let these perceived shortcomings deter you from pursuing a particular field of study or the profession that you desire most in life.

If you want to become a pharmacist, a lawyer, a teacher, a nurse, or anything else that your heart desires, pursue that goal with all of your might. Do not let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do, and do not settle for anything less than what you want. Finally, remember that college is a marathon, not a sprint, and that you must develop the right frame of mind to make it to the finish line.

Key Points:

• You do not have to be a genius to achieve academic success in college.

• Do not dwell upon standardized test scores: the ACT and SAT are not predictors of academic success.

• Do not settle for anything less than what you want in life.

Chapter Two

Mind Over Matter

With a goal of obtaining your associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, the thought of spending the next several years of your life working toward a college degree can be very overwhelming. You might feel as if you are a hiker standing at the base of a large mountain, looking straight up at the...