Undergraduate Admission

You have a fixed schedule that is the same from Monday to Friday. You begin at 8am , end at 4pm , and you move from class-to-class with your classmates.

Each day is a different schedule. You usually have spare hours between courses, and sometimes your schedule even runs late into the evening.

-Use any spare time you have during the day to work on assignments or to catch up on reading.

-Always go to class – even if you have a 3-hour break before your next one begins.

Tests are a regular occurrence and often cover small amounts of the course material.

Tests are usually referred to as ‘midterms’ or ‘exams’ and are staggered throughout the term. They cover large amounts of the course material and are often worth a big chunk of your final mark.

- Make sure you have covered all the required course material, and start studying well in advance.

- Prioritize studying based on the percentages of the exams for each course.

A course runs for 4 months at a slower pace and typically covers only parts of the textbook.

A course runs for 12 weeks at a fast pace, and typically covers the entire textbook…even the chapters you don’t talk about during class time.

- Keep up with the readings!

- Try to stay one chapter ahead of the class lectures.

An assignment might be marked out of 20 and could be worth 3% of your final grade.

An assignment might be marked out of 100 and could be worth 50% of your final grade.

- Be aware of how much each assignment is worth. The heavier the weight, the more time and effort you should be putting into the assignment.

You graduate as long as you have passed all the required courses, with a minimum grade of ‘D’.

You graduate only if your Grade Point Average (GPA) is a 1.67 (C-) or higher.

- It isn’t acceptable to just ‘slide by’ with a low mark.

- If your GPA falls below 2.0, you’re put under academic probation and can’t graduate.

RESPONSIBILITY

You’re expected to go to class, and will be marked down or penalized if you don’t.

Most professors don’t take attendance, so it’s your responsibility to go to class.

- For each hour of class you miss, you’re wasting almost $50 of your money.

- Gaps in your notes don’t help when it comes to studying for exams - GO TO CLASS.

Your course schedule is made for you every year, based on your selections from a small list of courses. The Principal’s Office keeps track of your completed courses to make sure you can graduate.

You make your own course selections and are responsible for making sure that your schedule is accurate and complete. You keep track of your own completed courses in order to graduate.

- Make sure your schedule is accurate before you start the semester.

- If you drop or fail a course, be sure to fill the gap before you forget.

- Make sure you have all the prerequisites to a course, or you’ll finish the course and won’t get a credit for it.

Teachers remind you when assignments and homework are due, and tend to collect and grade your work.

Professors don’t always remind you about upcoming due dates, nor do they mark your homework or collect all your assignments.

- Keep a planner and/or calendar of all your due dates.

- Do ALL the assigned work, even if the professor won’t be collecting it. It’s been assigned for a reason.

LEARNING

Your understanding of a subject is based on how much content you can memorize and reproduce for your teacher.

Your understanding of a subject is usually reflected in your ability to apply what you’ve learned to new situations or problems.

- When you memorize things, the information is stored for only a short time.

- Aim to UNDERSTAND the material so that you’re less likely to forget it.

There is minimal material to learn and you are often given class time to read and understand it.

The amount of course content for each class is overwhelming and you are given almost no time to learn it.

- Join forces with other students in your class to form a study group.

- Get a ‘Learning Buddy’ who you can do homework with on a regular basis. Things are easier to understand when you have someone to bounce ideas off of.

Teachers give you lists of available resources for your assignments and guide you for much of the way.

You are expected to decide on an appropriate topic, find your own resources, and know how to reference accurately.

- Run your project outline by your professor as soon as you have something substantial – it might be the only guidance you get.

- Spend the extra time to learn how to reference properly. The consequences for plagiarism are HUGE.

SELF-MANAGEMENT & BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

You might study for two or three hours a week, or even not at all.

You need to study for at least two or three hours outside of class, for every hour you spend in class.

- Even if you think you have no homework, you should be reviewing class notes and keeping up with the reading.

You can easily study all the course material the night before the test.

It isn’t possible to learn and study all the course material the night before a midterm or exam. You definitely have to get started days in advance.

- Use your calendar and plan out when you’re going to study for each subject, and for how long. This makes it easier when it comes to studying for up to 6 exams at once.

- Keep reading the material on a regular basis, and you’ll have less to learn during your study sessions.

Everyday, you have a period of time designated for your lunch.

You could have a full day of classes without a substantial break. Sometimes it’s difficult to sit down and eat lunch.

- Try to maintain regular eating habits. Look at your schedule and plan out when you can eat lunch, while taking a break from your other responsibilities. It’s important to your mind and body to maintain and regular and balanced diet.

The only expenses you have are on clothes, going to movies, and other leisurely activities.

You’d be surprised how much money you spend in a year of university. After tuition, you still have books, school supplies, rent, bills, food, transportation, leisurely activities, and so on. It’s VERY difficult to keep money in the bank.

- Make a budget so that you get a general idea of how much money you should be spending on each category.

- Try to control how many times you go out in a week, and how much extra money you blow on the convenience of fast food.

With only a few hours of homework every night, there isn’t really a need to take breaks from your work.

Since you’ll likely be doing homework for up to 10 hours of the day, it’s incredibly important to take breaks.

- For every hour of studying or working, you should be taking at least one ten -minute break.

- Without regular breaks, your mind and body become overwhelmed and are unable to work as effectively as before. Regular breaks help you to understand and retain the material in front of you.