from your English Department Advisors
Whether you are coming straight from high school or enrolling after years in the
workforce, the first semester of college will pose some challenges. The purpose of
this presentation is to help you anticipate some challenges, answer some common
questions, and help you understand ways in which the pace of college is different
from what you experienced in high school.
This set of slides is designed to give new students an overview of what to expect
during the first semester.
It is divided into four sections besides the introduction and appendix:
The First Day of
Classes
The First Six Weeks
The Second Six Weeks
The Last Weeks and
Exams
The whole set is posted as one presentation in the “For Students” section.
Individual section presentations are available for download or reading in the
“Advising” section.
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Students are assumed to be
minors, answerable to parents.
If you miss class, your parents
find out and you get in trouble.
Classes are all in one or two
buildings.
Most classes meet five days a
week.
Assignments are usually given
every day or maybe once a week.
Teachers will usually go over the
reading with you point by point.
Parents, teachers and others
share responsibility for your
education.
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Students are assumed to be
adults, answerable to themselves.
If you miss class, your grade may
be affected.
There are a lot of buildings. It can
be confusing at first.
Classes meet 3, 2 or only once a
week.
Most assignments are given in a
syllabus at the beginning of the
semester.
Professors expect you to read and
process information on your own.
You must take responsibility for
your own education.
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The most successful college students are
those who know how to learn independently.
They turn to professors and advisors for help,
but they take responsibility for their own
learning.
If you don’t have a lot of experience studying
on your own, the time to start is now.
Seek support systems-study groups, the
writing center- but don’t rely on others to do
your thinking and planning for you.
A full-time student ( enrolled in 12-15 credit hours or
more) should be spending 36-45 hours on studies.
The basic formula is 2 hours of outside-class work (24 to
30 hours if full-time) for each credit hour in addition to
the regular class contact time.
While you may be able to get by with less (especially in
introductory courses in subjects that you are good at) it is
better to budget more time than you’ll need than less.
Remember also that as the semester progresses, many
classes will become more demanding.
College classes meet
less often than high
school classes
because you are
expected to do more
concentrated
independent work.
Although many times
it may seem enough
to study one hour or
less for a class, you
will usually have to
make up the time
later.
Each semester credit
hour represents
about three hours of
study and/or class
attendance each
week.
Don’t assume that
because you
understand the basic
outline of a subject
you have mastered it.
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Attend classes regularly even when the
instructor doesn’t take attendance.
Don’t procrastinate on the reading or other
assignments.
Don’t wait until the day before the deadline
to begin a paper.
Don’t leave all your studying for the day
before the exam.
This isn’t high school.
If you are not coming to college
directly after high school, you may be
worried that you have forgotten what
you learned in high school and need to
relearn it.
You probably also have at least a
part-time job, family
responsibilities, and other
concerns besides studying.
Juggling different responsibilities
may make being a student a little
harder for you.
But the good news is that your
greater maturity and sense of
responsibility will often make you
a better student than you might
have been straight from high
school.
Returning students in particular
sometimes fear that asking questions
suggests incompetence or laziness.
The opposite is true.
In the university, asking
questions is part of the
learning process.
Admitting that you are not sure about
something is the first step towards
learning.
If you have to work (full-time or part-time) while attending school, you need to be realistic
about the possible consequences.
If you consistently choose work over school, your school performance will suffer. (In a
perfect world, you wouldn’t have to make this choice.)
Most professors will not excuse work-related absences or tardiness.
Budget your time carefully.
Be clear about your priorities.
Try to balance the different demands on your time.
 Being
a full-time student is a full-time job.
 If you have a demanding job, or if family or
community obligations take a lot of your
time, consider studying part-time.
 If you can afford not to work (or to work
only part-time) during your first year, try to
do so, especially if you have other
obligations.
 Many students successfully work and attend
school full-time (some of them even raise
families while doing so) but it is not easy.
Even if you are living at home when you are in college, you are
still assumed to be an independent adult.
Your instructors are not legally allowed to talk to your parents
about you.
Letters of “excuse” from your parents don’t count.
Your parents may be what is making it possible for you to go to
college and you should always be grateful.
But this is your education; not theirs.
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Meet with your academic advisor at least once
each semester.
You will need your advisor’s advice before
preregistration.
Don’t wait until preregistration to make an
appointment with your advisor.
Consult your advisor during the semester,
especially if you are doing poorly in a class
and want to decide whether to drop the class
or not.
Some words of wisdom
Don’t be late.
Do you know where your classes are? Make sure you know the building and how to get to your classroom in
advance, or else allow extra time on the first day to look for your class.
If you are driving into campus, plan on at least 15 minutes to find a (distant) parking space and 15-30
minutes to get from your parking space to your class.
Anticipate that the only available parking will be a long walk away from class. Don’t waste time circling,
hoping for a “better” spot. (If you want a good spot, come in at 7 AM and don’t move your car during the
day!)
Check the Raider Express route. Maybe you can save time by riding.
The professor will probably introduce himself/herself and put his/her
name on the board. This is the way the professor wants to be
addressed. Take note.
The professor will hand out a “syllabus.” A syllabus is a description of
the course and a schedule of assignments. Some professors may put
the assignments (or the whole syllabus) online. Either way, you are
responsible for reading and following the whole syllabus.
Professors usually take attendance at the beginning of class. If your
name is not called, make sure that the professor knows you are there.
This is a way to make sure that you are in the right class and that the
university has the record for your enrollment.
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Silence your cell phone.
Do not eat or drink unless professor allows it. (On the first day
of classes, assume the professor doesn’t allow it.)
Raise your hand to be recognized—unless the professor
invites/encourages “call-outs.”
If you don’t understand something, ask questions.
Listen respectfully to your classmates as well as the
professor.
Unless invited by a professor to address him/her by first
name, the correct form of address is “Professor Last Name” or
“Dr. Last Name.”
Never make any derogatory comments about other groups
even if you think the group isn’t represented in class.
Don’t carry out private conversations during class—this
includes texting people in or outside the class.
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English professors are generally friendly people who
want to help you.
Professors have a different role in your life than other
people you know.
Professors are not family, buddies, wait staff, coworkers, retail sales staff or police officers.
Professors are not your employers in the sense that
they do not pay you, but they have a similar role in
your life in that they assign work that you must
complete by a specific date.
Address your professors with the same respect and
consideration that you would show an employer.
Professors are usually happy to answer questions
both in and out of class.
Each professor will organize his/her syllabus
differently, but here are some things to look for:
1. Professor’s office, office hours, email and/or
phone number
2. Attendance and late work policy
3. Texts you need to buy/have access to
4. Class policies and expectations
5. Dates of major deadlines (exams, papers, etc.)
6. The reading and/or writing assignment for the
next class.
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Office hours are the times that a professor
sets aside for walk-in visits and/or
appointments.
Most professors are on campus (and even in
their offices) at other times, but the office
hours are the best time to get hold of them.
If a professor’s office hours don’t work for
you, ask for an appointment.
Most English professors are willing to meet
with students outside of office hours.
Attendance Policies
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Each syllabus should have the professor’s attendance
policy clearly stated. If you can’t find the attendance
policy on the syllabus, ask.
Most English instructors will have a hefty penalty for
missing more than a set number of classes. Make
sure you know the penalty before you start missing
classes.
In some classes, exceeding the allowed number of
absences may cause you to fail the class even if you
had a passing grade on all the work.
University excused absences (for specific university
activities, military service, etc.) are not subject to the
attendance policy. However, personal emergencies
and crises are not automatically excused.
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In English classes, you are expected to have a
current edition of the assigned text when you
come to class.
Most classes will not review the text for you
but will build on what you have read for the
purposes of discussion and/or further
development.
If your professor requires a folder, a blue
examination book, a thumb-drive or other
special equipment, get these while you still
have money.
Schedule of Assignments
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The reading assignments in English classes are
usually meant to be completed before you come
to class.
Make sure to mark major deadlines on your
personal calendar.
If a writing workshop or peer review is scheduled
for a particular date, absence may hurt more than
other absences. (Showing up unprepared will be
just as bad.) Mark those days on your personal
calendar also.
Changes to the schedule of assignments are
often necessary. If you miss a class, check with a
classmate about possible changes and/or new
assignments announced while you were away.
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The professor’s rules about the use of
computers, cell-phones and other electronic
devices are usually (but not always) stated in the
syllabus. If they are not, and you wish to use one
of these devices, ask permission.
Consumption of food is allowed in some classes
but strictly forbidden in others. If your syllabus
doesn’t say anything about food and drink, ask
the instructor.
Different instructors will have different late work
and make-up policies. The professor should
include this information in the syllabus.
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Most syllabi will include a section that gives you a
weight for each assignment. Look at this section
carefully. Not all assignments are worth the
same.
Most syllabi will include a section that gives you
the professor’s grading scale for that class. The
university does not have the same grading scale
for all classes.
At the end of the semester, the professor will
average your grades according to the weights
and grading scale stated in the syllabus and
convert to grades on the 4.00 scale.
No mistake on the first
day is so great that your
whole college career will
be ruined.
College is like high school
without training wheels. It may
take a few days (or weeks) to
find your balance, but soon
you’ll be as comfortable in
college as you were in high
school.
Remember that all the other
freshmen who just came from
high school are just as confused
and uncertain about things as
you are. (They may not act it-but
are you acting as confused as
you sometimes feel?)
If you pay attention to
instructions, ask questions
when unsure, and trust your
instincts, you will soon find
things a lot less confusing
and overwhelming.
In a couple of weeks, you’ll
know where important
things are, you’ll know
more people, and you’ll be
much more comfortable.
Staying on task
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Read the assignment ahead of time. Most syllabi
tell what is due on the day that the class meets,
not what you will read/do during or after class.
If you don’t have specific instructions on how to
prepare, one way is to take notes where you
summarize the main ideas as you understand
them and identify two or three questions for
further study.
Bring your book(s) to class every day. If you are
not sure which book you will need, bring them
all. Bring supplies you may need for in class
writing and/or taking notes. Don’t forget any
assignments that may be due.
In college classes, professors will not always go over everything
with you.
You are responsible for making connections between the
reading, the lecture and the class discussion.
You are responsible for reading and understanding the syllabus,
assignment instructions and remembering deadlines.
Even though the faculty will generally help and guide you, the
final responsibility is yours.
Read and think for yourself.
But don’t overlook instructions,
directions and advice intended to ensure
that you satisfy class or program
requirements.
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Most English classes value and encourage class
participation.
You may participate by asking questions, answering
questions or making comments that are appropriate and
relevant to the subject.
If you just sit in the back and drowse, you will not be
participating.
Energetic note taking is not really participating.
Always pay more attention to what others are saying than
to what you are reading or eating (even if the teacher
allows eating).
Always be respectful of other people, even when you
disagree.
Don’t take disagreement or corrections personally. In
academic dialogue, disagreement is sometimes the
beginning of new learning.
Have you ever thought how much each
class costs?
Let’s do
the math.
Including
fees, each
in-state
student pays
approximately
$300 per
credit hour.
Therefore,
for in-state
students a 3
credit hour
class costs
roughly $900.
A typical
semester is
15 weeks long.
That’s
$60 a week
for each
3-credit class.
For a class that meets twice a
week, if you miss one class or
don’t do the work, you are
wasting $30. What else could
you be doing with that
money?
Who is paying your tuition?
When you waste your time at school,
you are wasting money also.
Do the reading.
Do the writing.
Come to class.
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Contact a classmate for information about
what you missed. In particular, make sure you
didn’t miss any new assignments.
E-mail professor with a brief apology.
If you needed to be assigned a partner, pick a
topic, get a particular form, etc. ask the
professor how you can catch up before you
come to the next class.
The responsibility for finding out and
doing what was assigned when you
were absent is yours.
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In many English classes, especially writing classes, group
work of some sort is part of the classroom environment.
It is very important to use group time to do what your
instructor assigned you to do. Don’t waste time chatting
and then have to make the work up after class on your
own.
If you are peer-editing or reviewing, be sure to be
thorough in your comments. Be supportive, but think
about comments that will help the other person, not just
flatter or reassure. And don’t be upset by criticism. If we
don’t receive criticism, we don’t learn.
If group work means a group grade, and one or more of
your fellow group members is slacking off, it is your
obligation to alert the teacher to the problem before the
group work is graded.
Instructors will have specific instructions for their
assignments, but here is an overview of the process:
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Familiarize yourself with your subject.
Think about your topic—brainstorm.
Outline and/or write a rough draft.
Revise your rough draft or flesh out your outline.
Leave it alone– preferably a few days- so when you come
back, the text is new. But don’t stop thinking about the
topic.
Revise again as many times as necessary until you are
satisfied or the deadline arrives.
Proofread. Watch out for spell checker errors. Make sure
you followed all instructions.
Have the paper ready to submit according to instructions
before class begins.
As in high school, some teachers will give small assessments in the form of
quizzes. These may be announced or not, according to the teacher’s practice.
A test usually focuses on an area of the subject while an examination-especially
a midterm or final examination will cover material from a specific period. Tests
and exams should be listed on your syllabus or announced in class.
If you have been keeping up with the work, attending class, doing the reading
and required writing, etc. and you don’t do as well as you expected in early
quizzes, tests or writing assignments, TALK TO THE TEACHER.
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Midterm exams, essays, projects and other deadlines will
generally hit around the same time.
Prepare for this by keeping up with your work and planning
ahead.
When facing “the crunch” don’t take it for granted that because
you have been doing well in one subject, you don’t need to study
or prepare as hard for that subject. You may be unpleasantly
surprised.
Do everything you can to avoid turning work in late. However, if
you are really unable to complete a task on time, talk to your
instructor about turning the work in late. Even though you will
lose points for tardiness it will be better than not turning in the
assignment at all.
Hang in there. Even if you don’t do as well as you want on
midterm exams and projects, you will have the second half of the
semester to do better.
In addition to your professor, here are some
good resources:
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The University Writing Center
(for help with writing, mechanics, etc.)
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The Learning Resource Center
( for videos and audio books)
The Library (for books and materials)
The University Counseling Center
(for personal crises, time-management help, etc.)
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Your academic advisor
(for academic guidance and
also to steer you through the university experience.)
Taking stock.
Planning for Deadlines.
Preregistration.
Attendance—how many classes have you missed?
(How many are you allowed to miss?)
Assignments—how many assignments have you
turned in late or missed altogether?
Are you satisfied that you are coming to class
well-prepared? Can you improve your preparation
in some way?
Have you checked the dates of major exams and
deadlines?
Taking into account the different weights of
specific assignments, do you have some idea what
your grade in each class may be?
What have you learned?
How can you make good use of the rest of the
semester?
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You have had trouble with
attendance and/or
submission of assignments.
Your grade is a D or worse
and you don’t see a strong
likelihood that you will
improve it.
You don’t enjoy/don’t feel
you are getting much from
the class.
Dropping will not hurt your
financial aid status.
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Attendance has not been a
problem and/or you have
stopped having attendance
problems.
Your grade is a C or better.
You believe you are learning
in the class.
You have a chance of
improving your grade if you
work hard.
Dropping will hurt your
financial aid status and/or
delay your graduation.
Drop
Don’t Drop
(but consult your advisor first)
(and keep working hard)
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Whether the problem is that you think you
should drop a class or that you think you
want to kill your roommate, your advisor will
usually be glad to talk through your concerns.
Remember that each advisor usually has 90
or more other advisees (and is also teaching)
so don’t be discouraged if you can’t see him
or her immediately.
Your advisor wants to see you. If you can’t
see him/her during office hours, e-mail or
phone for an appointment.
Preregistration is the period during which students may sign up for courses
that they plan to take during the next term.
At MTSU, students are assigned registration dates, based on how near they
are to graduation and other factors.
Meet with your advisor at least two weeks before your scheduled
preregistration date.
Preregister as soon as you are allowed, so that you can get the best choice
of courses.
Don’t forget to follow up preregistration with registration (paying bill,
confirming courses, etc.) or you will lose the courses you preregistered for.
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Don’t expect to “get it right” the first time.
If you make a mistake, rejoice in the great
learning opportunity.
If you concentrate on learning, you will be a
winner even if you don’t get the highest grade in
the class.
Even if you feel you are getting worse grades
than you “should,” keep working.
Don’t be a slacker, but don’t get obsessed about
doing perfect work. Perfection is impossible. If
you shoot too high, you doom yourself to failure.
Set realistic goals for your success.
And then there are exams
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During the last few weeks of the semester,
you may be torn between wanting the
semester to end right away so you can rest
and wanting the semester to last longer so
you can finish all your work.
During the fall semester, Thanksgiving may
feel like the end of the semester, but it isn’t.
In the spring, the sunshine may beckon, but
you have to keep studying.
But then, after exams, you will have a break.
Hang in there!
IMPORTANT: Most final assignments will be due
around the same date.
Plan ahead so that if three or four things are due in the same week, you can
do your best work for each of them. Sometimes it helps to set deadlines
for yourself, that are earlier than assignment deadlines.
Just because you did well in one subject before the midterm, don’t slack off
on that subject to concentrate on others.
Make sure you get enough sleep and that you eat adequately. You will do
better work if your energy levels are at their peak.
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Find out if the exam is cumulative or if it
covers only the work since the last exam.
Put together some method for review.
For most English classes, memorization will
not be the best way to study.
When preparing for an essay exam, asking
yourself questions and taking time to write
out answers is a great way to review.
Study/review a little every day.
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Confirm all your exam dates and times at least a
month in advance. Put them on your personal
planner.
Note that final exams last two hours.
Note that your exam may not be at the same time
as the beginning of your class.
Make sure you have whatever you need to bring
to the exam.
Plan ahead for parking. If you are late to the
exam, you don’t get extra time.
Get enough rest and food so you can concentrate
on the exam.
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You survived finals.
You completed at least 12
hours with a C average or
better.
You are not in danger of losing
your scholarship.
You missed more classes than
you should have or otherwise
“blew” a class.
You made a lot of mistakes.
You are preregistered for next
semester.
Guess what?
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Terrific!
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Not bad!
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Wonderful.
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Next semester you won’t.
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And learned from them.
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You’re doing just fine.
You had a normal first year.
An Appendix
 1.
Did you meet with your advisor both
semesters?
 2. Have you completed all your prescribed
courses and any high school deficiencies?
 3. Have you completed English 1010 and 1020?
 4. Have you made progress in taking Gen Ed and
foreign language courses?
 5. Have you stayed on top of all your deadlines?
 6. Have you identified specific questions or
concerns to discuss with your advisor?
1. Have you reviewed your degree plan with academic
advisor?
 2. Have you chosen a minor or minors?
 3. Are you completing the number of hours and
keeping up with the GPA requirement of your
scholarship and/or the program you wish to enter?
 4. If you are a licensure student, have you completed
the process to be admitted to the licensure
program?
 5. Have you completed English 2020/2030 and
English 3000?
 6. Have you completed your foreign language
requirement?
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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
Have you reviewed your degree plan with
academic advisor?
Have you filed an upper-division form and an
intent to graduate?
Have you finished the foreign language requirement
and all the general education requirements?
If you are a licensure student, have you met with your
YOED advisor and made necessary arrangements for
placement during the residency
year?
If you are not a licensure student, have you begun
to explore career opportunities and ways in which
you may want to use your degree?
(Have you looked into internships, graduate programs,
career fairs, etc.)
1. Have you met with the College Graduation
Coordinator before preregistration for your last
semester?
 2. Have you contacted your advisor at least once this
academic year?
 3. Did you take the Major Field Test and/or any other
required exams?
 4. If you are a licensure student, are you on schedule
with all the residency-year requirements?
 5. Are you up to date with paying your MTSU bills
(including parking tickets) and taking care of
anything else that may keep you from graduating?
