ENHANCING YOUR ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO
ATTEND COLLEGE?
Reflect on these things so you can do something about it…….

TIME MANAGEMENT/BALANCE
ACTIVITIY TIME NEEDED PER
WEEK
15.5 hours Credit Hours of Class
Study Hours (2 hours for every hour spent in class)
(15.5 x 2)= 31.00 hours
Sleep (7 days x 8 hours/night) 56 hours (40% of college students do not get a reasonable
Meals amount of sleep each night)
(.30 x 21.00)= 6.30 hours
Practice/Work/Meetings
Shower/Getting Ready in the
AM or PM
Commute/Walking Time
Family/Phone Time
20 hours
7 hours
1 hour
2 hours
Internet Surfing Time
Time with Friends
Other
3 hours
8 hours
5 hours
Total hours you need:__155_____
Number of hours in a week_168
Extra Hours:__13___
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it adapted from: http://www.housing.sc.edu/ace/pdf/ASR/
AcademicBalanceWorksheet.pdf

WHAT IS YOUR LEARNING STYLE
• VISUAL (SIGHT)
• You like to see what you are learning (photographic memory)
Reflect on these things then you can do something about it
• Pictures, images, graphs, and/or colors help you understand ideas or organize information better than an explanation (i.e., lecturers use gestures/picturesque language)
• AURAL
• Prefer a spoken message
• May need to hear your own voice to process information
• READ/WRITE (most dominant in college level course)
• Prefer reading and writing (taking notes, organizing materials on paper or computer)
• KINESTHETIC
• Tactile learner (you want to touch/experience what you are learning, “hands-on” learner)
Go to www.vark-learn.com
to discover your learning style(s)

HOW DO YOU STUDY?
• Become familiar with your personal study habits
• How can you improve your study habits?
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it
How do you currently study?
(i.e., alone, in a group, with a friend/classmate, in my room/library, quite setting):
Introverts- usually study by themselves (no distractions)
Extraverts- usually study with others/with music (distractions can be a problem)
What is your ideal study environment?
What are your biggest challenges when you study?
Do you study better in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

LASSI
(LEARNING AND STUDY STRATEGY
INVENTORY)
SCALE
ANX: ANXIETY
ATT: ATTITUDE
CON: CONCENTRATION
INP: INFORMATION
PROCESSING
MOT: MOTIVATION
SFT: SELF-TESTING
SMI: SELECTING MAIN
IDEAS
STA: STUDY-AIDS
TMT: TIME MANAGMENT
TST: TEST STRATEGIES
SCORE If applicable, explain why this scale/strategy is weakness for you
Organizes your responses into categories that have been shown to contribute to academic success
Feel free to stop by the Student
Success Center to take this inventory

FACTORS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO
POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
• Alcohol (all research supports that the more you drink alcohol, the lower your GPA will be)
• Drugs
• Unhappy with Academic Major
• Academically Underprepared
• Difficulties with a Professor
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it
• Failing to Attend Class
• Family Crisis
• First Generation College Student
• Homesickness
• Illness
• Learning Disability- not utilizing services such as the NOEL program
• Over Involvement In Activities
• Poor Time Management Skills
• Relationship Problems
• Roommate Problems
• Taking Too Many Credit Hours
• Working Too Many Hours
• Financial Concerns

CREATE YOUR PERSONAL
ACADEMIC SUPPORT NETWORK
(
)
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it

REFLECT ON YOUR ACADEMIC
SUCCESS
Course/Grade
Chemistry/A
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it
Factors that contributed to my success
*Studied with a group of friends three times a week (each session was 1 hour)
*Rarely missed class
*Compared class notes with
Anna
*Enjoyed the class material
*Exercised routinely
*Established healthy eating habits
Strategies I used in this course that I should use again
*Talked with professor about questions I had in class
*Went over completed assignments with the professor
*Reviewed my notes daily (30 minutes a day)
*Made meaning of information rather than memorizing information
*Rewarded myself with a snickers bar and a cola after I studied

HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE?
Course/Grade
History/C
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it
Factors that contributed to the lower grade
What I could have done to improve my grade
• Did not take adequate class notes
(were not organized or meaningful)
• Did not pay attention during class
(not getting enough sleep)
• Did not go over returned exams
• Did not understand material in text book, and I did not ask questions about the material
• Went over completed exams with
Professor
• Highlighted information I didn’t understand, talked with professor about these areas
• Rearranged my study environment
• Sat in the front of the classroom
• Established a better sleeping pattern

SETTING ACADEMIC GOALS
Course
History 101
Reflect on these things and then you can do something about it
Realistic grade I hope to earn Specific study skills I will need in this class
Resources on campus to help me with this class
B Keep a time tracker/use phone to organize assignment due dates
Peer Tutoring
Professor Office Hours
Take organized noteshave the professor review my class notes
Writing Center
Ask the professor for practice test questions
Review class text or notes 30 minutes a day

GRADE POINT AVERAGE
CALCULATOR
What GPA do you hope to achieve this semester? ________________________ http://gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-services/registrar/registration-records/gpa-calculator/index.html

DEVELOP YOUR FOUR YEAR PLAN

KNOW GARDNER-WEBB
ACADEMIC POLICIES
•
•
•
•
•
•

FACTORS IN SUCCESSFUL
STUDENT LEARNING
• Motivation: do you have academic/personal goals, direction, and interest?
• Self-Concept: do you have confidence in your ability to succeed?
• Habits: do you have the skills/behaviors necessary for academic/personal success? (i.e., involvement in class-asking questions is an important factor)
• Personal Style: do you know your learning style, your academic strengths/weaknesses, how you study best?
• Balance: do you maintain levels of physical, intellectual, social, emotional and mental behavior?
• Support: do you have a family/social network? Are you utilizing campus resources?
• Stability of Mood: are you able to control anxiety, depression, and/or frustration while enhancing relaxation? How are you able to deal with stress?
This is the most significant variable in how you will perform while you are in school.
HOW YOU MANAGE THESE KINDS OF DIMENSIONS WILL
REFLECT YOUR GRADE POINT AVERAGE

SELF-EFFICACY
“The feeling or belief that you can do the work.”
This is a very predictable factor in student success
1.
You must have self-efficacy to perform well
2.
If you don’t believe in yourself, you will underperform
3.
Being overconfident can be a problem
4.
Freshmen tend to have high self-efficacy, but their study habits and behaviors are incongruent
5.
As students mature, typically by their senior year, they are more certain about themselves

STUDENT SUCCESS
• Early Warning Reports
Fall- Mid September
Spring- Mid February
• Mid-Term Reports
Fall- End of October
Spring- End of March
• Absences
University Policy- Must attend 75% of classes
MWF (cannot miss more than 11 classes)
TR (cannot miss more than 7 classes)
Professor can set a more stringent attendance policy
@F- what does this mean?

ACADEMIC PROBATION
You are placed on Academic Probation when your Gardner-Webb Grade Point
Average falls below the minimum standards listed below:
Freshmen 0 to 29 hours- 1.5
Sophomores 30 to 59 hours- 1.7
Juniors 60 to 89 hours- 1.9
Seniors 90 hours and above- 2.0
During the Probationary Semester:
You cannot register for more than 15.5 hours
You must achieve the minimum required cumulative grade point average to be removed from Academic Probation
You must achieve the minimum required semester grade point average to avoid
Academic Suspension

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
Academic Suspension
While on Academic Probation , if you do not meet the required minimum grade point average at the end of the semester, you will be Academically Suspended
Freshmen 0 to 29 hours- 1.5
Sophomores 30 to 59 hours- 1.7
Juniors 60 to 89 hours- 1.9
Seniors 90 hours and above- 2.0
First Academic Suspension:
Cannot register for GWU classes during the semester of suspension
Transfer credit cannot be used to improve your academic standing
Reapply for admission- if approved, return on academic probation
Second Academic Suspension
Cannot register for GWU classes for two semesters
Transfer credit cannot be used to improve your academic standing
Must reapply for admission- if approved, return on probation

REPEATING COURSES
Gardner Webb allows six repeats for courses in which you earned a D or F
Repeated courses must be taken at GWU
Should I repeat a course where I received an F or a D?
Contact your Academic Advisor
Generally speaking, you should repeat a course in which you have received a failing grade
How soon should I repeat a course?
You don't gain anything by postponing the inevitable
All the material you remember from the first time should help you do better the second time

GARDNER- WEBB UNIVERSITY
ON-CAMPUS RESOURCES
Professor Office Hours
Ask questions that may not have been answered in class
You can use the time to review tests and quizzes with the professor
Communicating regularly about your academic work can help you identify and address problems before they become insurmountable
Building a relationship with your professor can help ease class anxiety
Academic Advisor
(Log into the Web Connect portal to get this information)
Register for classes
Review your four year plan
Student Success Center (Academic Advising)
( http://www.gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-development/undergraduateadvising/index.html
)
Location: 3 rd floor- Tucker Student Center
Phone: (704) 406-4563

RESOURCES
Career Services
( http://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/student-services/career-services/index.html
)
Location: 3 rd floor-Tucker Student Center
Phone: (704) 406-2170
Counseling Center
( http://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/student-services/counseling-services/index.html
)
Location: 3 rd floor-Tucker Student Center
Phone: (704) 406-4563
Noel Program/Disability Services
( http://gardner-webb.edu/student-life/student-services/counseling-services/index.html
)
Location: Frank Nanney Hall (behind Craig Hall (English Building))
Phone: (704) 406-4270

RESOURCES
Peer Tutoring/LEAP
( http://gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-development/learning-enrichment-and-assistanceprogram/index.html
)
Location: 3 rd floor- Tucker Student Center
Phone: (704) 406-4390
E-mail: leap@gardner-webb.edu
Writing Center
( http://gardner-webb.edu/academics/academic-development/writing-center/index.html
)
Location: 2 nd floor-Tucker Student Center
Phone: (704) 406-4393
E-mail: writingcenter@gardner-webb.edu
Campus Ministries/Pastoral Care Counselor
( http://www.gardner-webb.edu/student-life/christian-life-and-service/pastoral-care/index.html
)
Location: 2 nd floor- Tucker Student Center
Phone: (704) 406-2176
Library
( http://www.gardner-webb.edu/library/index-2.html
)
Location: in front of the Suttle Wellness Center
Phone: (704) 406-4298

READINESS TO CHANGE
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A CHANGE?

QUESTIONS?
Contact Meredith Garrett
704-406-4396 mpgarrett@gardner-webb.edu
Student Success Center within the Tucker Student Center (3 rd floor)