Interpersonal learning can enrich students' college experience. Students bring different, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds to campus. Before arriving they often have had very limited experiences with people from a variety of backgrounds. A key to getting the most out of college, then, is for students to interact both inside and outside the classroom. Courses on world religions, African American history, and the Holocaust, to name a few, can help students understand themselves and the world around them.
Diversity among students pays off in many areas. Black students in my political science classes, for example, frequently report instances of racial profiling. They describe the hurt and anger when their vehicles were stopped by police for no apparent reason. (The bad joke is that they were stopped for DWB - driving while black). These drivers reported that they were often treated shabbily. Virtually every African American student, over several semesters, had a personal story of bias and discrimination. Class discussions were revealing. Many white students believed that because there is legal, or de jure, equality, there is also social and economic, de facto, equality. In other words, "why all the fuss?" Black students in turn were annoyed, if not angry, that their white counterparts did not have an understanding of either historical or contemporary injustices. Why do white students often ignore racial injustice? Why, they ask, are white political leaders silent about discrimination and inequality?
Racial understanding, of course, does not come easy. Class discussions help. Taking a variety of courses is also very important. But the real gains in tolerance and open-mindedness probably come from interacting in clubs, dormitories, and intramural fields. Time spent together by different racial, religious, and ethnic groups can destroy stereotypes and change attitudes. A recognition of diversity on campus, then, can encourage future graduates to be better citizens.
Best classes? Wrong question. Do not select class titles, choose professors. They make the course. Class titles, by contrast, can be deceptive. One of my students, for example, took a class in dinosaurs. He earned an "F." He did not know that "dinosaurs" was a catchy title for paleontology.
It is excellent advice for college students to ferret-out the best teaching professors. If students are selective they can get a "blue chip" $144,000 four-year education for about $44,000. Stated differently, selective students may be able to receive an "Ivy League" quality education at state college bargain basement prices.
Why select the best professor? There are several reasons. In truth, many college classes are taught by very poor teachers. Some are just lazy; others are indifferent to teaching. Still others spend most of their energy on research and publication. At large universities, students may confront Teaching Assistants (T.A's). They have little or no teaching experiences. T.A's are graduate students who have heavy course schedules themselves. Try to avoid them.
Every institution, small or large, has a critical mass of outstanding classroom teachers. How does a student find a superior teaching professor? Talk to fellow students. They can provide excellent information. Visit professors before classes begin and ask for a syllabus. Go to the campus bookstore and look at the books that are assigned. Talk to an academic advisor. Ask to sit in on one or two lectures, which will provide a first-hand look at an instructor's teaching style. Ask further if there is a publication available that evaluates professors. Some colleges and universities publish an annual guide of student evaluations of professors. Double check. Evaluations may not be accurate. Professors can be imperious like John Hausman in the movie Paper Chase. Hausman was cold, insensitive, even mean to students. Once, for example, he began a lecture by saying to all his students, "Your mind is mush." Other professors are of the Mr. Chips genre: kind, attentive, and helpful. Both ideal types may be great or awful teachers. Teaching styles differ widely. But it is very much in a student's interest to try to distinguish between the two in advance. But how?
It is extremely difficult to evaluate a professor. Most first year college students do not have a glimmer of what criteria to use. Here are a few useful ones. Great teachers love their subject and spend an enormous amount of time studying. They care about students, feel privileged to teach and reach out to assist them. Further, they have passion for their subject. An old proverb states: "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." Great teachers also demonstrate they know their students as individuals and care about them. These great professors invent ways to get students actively involved in learning. They create a friendly, positive environment for learning, and for asking questions. These professors encourage students to enjoy learning. Three summary keys to teaching excellence are: substantive (rich material is presented), interesting (students are kept alert and enjoy lectures), challenging (students are coaxed, cajoled, or even inspired to go beyond merely memorizing material or simply passing the course).
In attempting to ferret-out the best teachers, you may also get to know some professors personally. And there are many additional pay-offs from that. They are often excellent coaches, cheerleaders, and salespersons for excellence. They can steer students to think about graduate school, inspire them to consider different careers, help them to become better writers. Further, professors are often excellent role models, and would gladly provide guidance. Students should get to know their professors. Professors, in turn, often want to get to know their students. Surprisingly, students rarely show up for office hours. Professors sit alone grading essays or preparing for class. There are ample opportunities to meet professors outside the classroom.
In order to earn a four-year college degree, most students will be required to take 40 three-credit courses, with more than two dozen different professors. What if a student gets a jerk as a professor? (i.e., someone who is unorganized, unprepared, and uninteresting).
Most institutions have a "drop/add" period where a student can drop a course and add another. "Drop" the ineffective professor quickly. If, to use a different example, an instructor has great difficulty speaking English, drop the course. There are occasionally T.A's, who struggle mightily with the language. They are excellent graduate students, but may lack teaching skills.
Standard requirements at many institutions are for every first-year student to take a freshman seminar and/or a freshman composition course. There are multiple sections of each taught by different professors. Students often assume their assigned section is unchangeable. Wrong. Here, again, if a student gets a mean-spirited, incompetent instructor, drop/add. Adding a new section may require diplomatic skills. Courses taught by excellent professors "fill" fast (no more seats). Visit the new professor and present a strong case to add his/her course. A personal visit is often more persuasive than a telephone call. Students should always talk about the quality of the course; never that it is scheduled in a convenient time slot.
This professor "shopping" is common at institutions. Another version of seeking excellent professors used by a few students is to register for six classes and drop the one they like the least. There is usually no financial penalty if a course is dropped within the first week of class.
What if a "terrible" course is required for your major and you cannot drop it? Your professor may be very boring. Your textbook may read like a telephone directory. The substance of the course may be "touchy-feely" nonsense. Class assignments may strike you as inane.
What to do? First, the academic world is far from perfect. Second, no sniveling or whining. No excuses. Sit up front, stay alert, take detailed notes. Study harder and longer for this course. Remember the "X" factor. Every college graduate has at least one "horror story" describing a painful class. Basically, you must teach yourself.
What if, after putting tremendous effort into a class, you are still failing? Withdraw with a "W" grade. Many colleges have liberal withdrawal policies. A student must complete a form and submit it to the registrar. Sometimes a professor's signature is required. But there is always a prescribed time limit during the semester when a student can withdraw. Check with the registrar.
One of the most counter-productive academic moves a student who is failing a course can make is simply to quit. Over the years dozens of my advisees, many whom had severe personal problems and were failing courses, simply stopped attending class. They did not go to their professor, or come to me, to ask for advice, nor did they understand the withdrawal policy. Consequently, they have an "F" on their permanent record.
A college degree is not an entitlement. It must be earned. Courses should be challenging. Earning a C or even a D may document that challenge. Further, core or required courses may be very rigorous. Professors may even try to separate out outstanding students from marginal ones. The former students may be invited to become "majors"; the latter must look elsewhere. For example, at a large midwestern university, physical chemistry was required for students majoring in Chemical Engineering. The course was brutal. The professor gave students no quarter. Students receiving a "C" celebrated wildly as if they had won the lottery. From 30% to 40% of the class flunked. Another 10% to 20% got "D's." Both groups had to re-take the course or switch majors.
In class. Attend class. This point was previously mentioned, but it is central to success in college for three reasons. Early lectures explain the professor's syllabus and "rules of the game." A majority of the material covered on tests is presented in lectures and, finally, there is a strong relationship between class attendance, good grades, and survival in college.
To repeat important points, sit up front. Stay alert. Take notes in outline form. Remember in taking excellent notes you are, in effect, preparing for an exam. Try to participate. Students are often shy. They do not give themselves enough credit for their ideas. The only "bad" question a student has is the one he never asks. There are no bad questions! Very few students - fewer than 25% - ever ask questions in class. Professors are very appreciative -- even delighted -- that you show interest in the material. Class participation is often rewarded in your final grade. Asking questions and participating in class discussions forces students to think. Further, questions help students understand the material. They also slow down the professors' rapid-fire lectures so that teaching points can be elaborated on.
Freshmen sometimes make three rookie errors in class. They assume that when a professor asks a question, there is an answer. Second, they assume the professor knows it. Finally, if they wait long enough the professor will surely tell you the answer. Wrong. The professor may be encouraging students to think. For example, I might ask students what if Ralph Nader was elected in the 2000 instead of George W. Bush? How would Mr. Nader deal with Congress? Another example: Who would be hurt or helped if the federal government passed a flat tax? Another question: Why doesn't the government pay for college in the United States? Professors, then, have two in-class loves: participating and thinking. They reward both. Participation and thinking require a great deal of effort. Smart students -- "A" students -- spend many hours preparing for class and "thinking" about their assignment. Students must understand that sharpening or honing thinking skills is a long arduous process. The teaching point is that academic skills can be developed. They are within the grasp of students who are committed to excellence.
Review your class notes often; twice a week if possible. Supplement your outlines, or rough notes, with material you did not have time to write down. This review should occur on the same day as the lecture. Try to marry your class notes with outside reading assignments from your textbook. Systematic review of your notes is essential.
Another, less obvious, route to academic success is to make-up an essay question, as if you were the professor. Then write an essay -- for 30 to 35 minutes -- answering the question without looking at your notes. Then show courage. Visit your professor during office hours and ask the person to read and evaluate your essay. What grade is it worth and why? How could you make it better? Bang! You have leaped ahead of 95% of the class. Writing generic essays provides excellent preparation for the real test. Students are forced to think, to distill or condense large quantities of material into a coherent essay in a limited time frame.
Reading texts. An important component in the ability to bring large quantities of material under control is being able to master textbooks. Most students underline too much. Save for strengthening wrist muscles, it is passive. A better suggestion would be to underline and then take limited notes on your underlining. A student must cut reading assignments down to a digestible size. This translates into taking down main ideas and supporting evidence. Specifically, on a 30-page chapter, 2 or 3 pages of notes are sufficient. What is the central theme or idea in the chapter? Since students must condense, they are forced to think about what is important. Students should take notes in their own words. Condensing and summarizing, even reciting out loud, hone the thinking process and increases your ability to remember. If the learning keys in class are taking notes and participating, the keys outside class are reviewing lectures, taking notes on the texts and reviewing again. Spike passivity.
Essay Examinations. Much of taking essay tests may be "old hat." Reading the questions carefully and budgeting time are common to high school and college. Yet two suggestions beyond what was previously discussed may strengthen essay writing skills: making outlines before you start writing and integrating information. Making a brief outline on the inside cover of the "blue book" (examination book that most colleges use) may be useful. The outline helps you to organize your thoughts. It is a convenient road map where you can also jot down data, facts and examples. Further, your mind is racing. Students cannot possibly remember all the "nuggets" that flash in and out. When a thought or important point "flashes," immediately jot it down in your outline. After material is incorporated in an essay draw a line through it.
The second suggestion deals with the necessity of integrating information from different sources - lectures, texts, field trips, and films. Integrating information tells your professor that you understand the material and know how it "fits." Professors assign textbooks to supplement their lectures. They must see evidence that this material is included in your essay. Integrating information is a thinking skill that is highly rewarded.
After reading thousands of examinations over the years, I find three overlapping shortcomings emerge: a lack of specificity, a lack of evidence that students understood the reading assignments, and little indication that students have thought about the subject.
Students must learn to punctuate their essays with "hard" data. Excellent students flash their intellectual firepower by drawing their own conclusions, organizing related ideas into more general concepts, and/or arguing both sides of an issue. Again, professors reward essays which present evidence (from both the lectures and texts) and indicate that students have presented their own ideas. Professors are delighted to see evidence that students have thought about the material and have staked out a position. This added emphasis on "hard" evidence and thinking skills distinguishes many school-level essays from those acceptable on a college level.
Many professors will not spend any time in teaching students how to write an essay. Indeed, they may give only a mid-term and final grade. Classes are often large and professors have heavy teaching loads. As a result, students may face serious essay writing challenges in their first semester which the above tips on essay writing may help them to meet.
In these exams several possible choices are presented. Students must master a great deal of information. Many facts must be memorized. A few "nuts and bolts" suggestions may have some merit.
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