This document provides information on academic success in college. It defines academic success as completing a degree plan by meeting coursework and degree requirements. It compares studying in high school versus college, noting college requires more independent study time. Components of academic success discussed include critical thinking, metacognition, academic skills like time management and note taking. The document provides tips for these skills, such as using a planner, developing a study plan, and taking effective notes. The overall message is academic success in college requires independent study skills and time management.

1. cademic Success
Or how to be an Academic Rock Star!

2. What is Academic Success?
UA’s definition:
Completion of a college degree plan that signifies
that the student has mastered a coursework that
qualifies him or her to be conferred a degree in
their respective academic field and that the
student has meet all requirements and policies of
the granting institution.
What is your definition of Academic
Success?

3. Academic Success
High School vs. College
High School
• Requires more seat time in the
classroom (1,080 hours total)
• A lot of tests which are more
frequent and at the end of each
chapter
• Passing grade guarantees you
class standing
• Daily attendance as required by
law
• Information is provided to you in
class
College
• Requires more study time outside
of the classroom (classroom time
336 hours total)
• 2-4 tests per semester and they
cover many chapters
• Specific grades/GPA required to
take certain classes/majors
• You decide if you attend class
• Research outside of class is
required for better understanding
of information

4. What are some components of
Academic Success?
• Understanding Academic
Success- What is it?
• Re-thinking “Thinking”
• Critical & Creative thinking
• Metacognition
• Academic Skills
Development
• Study Methods
• Time management
• Study Plan
• Note taking

5. Am I ready for academic success?
• What is my current
preparation?
• Where do I want to
go?
• What is getting in my
way?
• Check your:
• Mindset
• Attitude
• Motivation

6. Re-thinking
“Thinking”
Critical Thinking
Metacognition
Using problem solving skills

7. Critical Thinking
As a college student, it is important to not
only know information, but to also be able to
work with the information you learn and
apply it to new situations.
A key component of critical thinking is to ask
questions and not simply accept what is
presented:
• Who?
• How?
• What if…?

8. Remember Bloom’s Taxonomy?
• A lot of important thought processes are rooted in Bloom’s
Taxonomy, which we are using in this course.
• Remind yourself of the six levels of learning/thinking:

9. Understanding Bloom’s in Real
Life – Working at Starbucks!
Adapted from: Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching
Create: Develop a unique Frappuccino
recipe based on your knowledge.
Evaluate: Critique a coworker’s
Frappuccino to assure it was made
properly.
Analyze: Differentiate a Caramel
Frappuccino from a regular coffee. (e.g.
calories, caffeine, sugar, etc.)
Apply: Make a Frappuccino.
Understand: Identify the steps
needed to make a Frappuccino.
Remember: List or state the
ingredients in a Caramel Frappuccino.

10. Metacognition
The ability to:
• think about how you are thinking
• be consciously aware of oneself as a
problem solver
• monitor and control one’s mental processing
(e.g. “Am I understanding this material?”)
• accurately judge one’s level of learning
(What level of Bloom’s am I using?)
Adapted from: McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate into Any Course to Improve
Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus

11. Effective Metacognitive Strategies
• Always solve problems and answer questions
without looking at an example or the
solution
• Memorize foundational knowledge
needed(e.g. polyatomic ions, math formulas,
time lines)
• Always ask why, how, and what if questions
• Test understanding by giving “mini lectures”
on concepts
Adapted from: McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate into Any Course
to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus

12. Effective Metacognitive Strategies
• Spend time on your classes every day
• Use the Study Cycle with Intense Study
Sessions
• Attend SI sessions with Think Tank on a
regular basis
• Aim for 100% mastery, not 90%!
Adapted from: McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate into Any Course
to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus

13. Decision Making & Critical
Thinking
• Effective decision making involves
thinking critically about the information
you have in order to make an informed
decision.
• Think about when you decided to attend
the University of Arizona.
• What types of questions did you ask?
• Did you make the decision on a whim or
thoroughly analyze it?
• Who did you talk to about the decision?

14. Time to get creative!
• It is important to foster critical and
creative thinking while in college,
regardless of the major you are going
into.
• To think creatively means you can look at
something with a different or new
perspective.

15. Myths about Creativity
Myth One: I’m born with a certain amount of creativity.
Myth busted: Creativity is a skill that can be
developed over time.
Myth Two: Creativity means I have to think free-form.
Myth busted: Creativity can occur this way, but it
also can have a structure to it, especially when
you look through the lens of problem solving.
Myth Three: Creativity involves creating “art.”
Myth busted: Although this can be a component
of creativity, creativity can be through a variety of
different means, such as a video, crafting a paper,
or even cooking!

16. Problem-Solving as a College Student
Critical and creative thinking both work in solving problems,
which can be a huge component of being a college student.
Regardless of how small or large the problem is, remember to
approach problems with these steps:
• Isolate the problem: What is causing the problem? What is
the issue the problem created? Try identifying the who,
what, when, and how here. Use your critical thinking skills
here!
• Narrow the problem: Are smaller problems part of the
overall problem? Can you break down the problem further?
This can be a mix of critical and creative thinking!
• Identify solutions: Once you know the problem and its
components, think of all possible solutions. Can the
solutions be combined? What are the pros and cons of the
solutions? This is an opportunity to be creative in your
thinking!

17. Study Methods

18. Studying in High School vs. College
Studying in High
School
• All content is controlled
and delivered by the
teacher.
• Study time may be 1-2
hours per day outside of
class (total=270 per
year).
• School is very
structured and study
time is directed.
Studying in
College
• Professor introduces the
content, student
researches further.
• Study time may be 3-5
hours per day outside of
lecture (total= 560 per
semester).
• Student is responsible for
structuring their course
schedule and time outside
of classroom.

19. Why is this important?
College courses are harder than HS
courses
• The courses move a lot faster
• The material is conceptually more difficult and
cumulative
• The problems and questions are more involved
• The tests are less straightforward and require
you to apply several concepts at one time
• You are being asked to use higher levels of
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Adapted from: McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate into Any Course
to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus

20. The Myth of Multi-tasking
• There is no such thing as multi-tasking! What is really
happening is task switching.
• Why task switching does not work:
• takes more time
• more prone to errors
• increased production of cortisol-stress hormone
• can lead to mental exhaustion
• has the same effects of sleep deprivation
• Science confirms that the human brain was not created to
multi-task!
Studying requires DEVOTED ATTENTION and DEDICATED
TIME. There are no short cuts to solidified learning of
information!

21. Studying with a Purpose
Adapted from: McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can
Incorporate into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation.
Sterling, VA: Stylus

22. Tips on Studying from
Your Notes
Step 1. Clean up your notes as soon as you have an opportunity.
Step 2. Fill in the gaps of any information missing from your notes.
Step 3. Pose questions about the note topics.
Step 4. Identify in information that could be on a test.
Step 5. Identify any information that you are confused about or where you need
more information.
Step 6. Seek help for understanding items and areas of the content that you are
struggling with.

23. Time
Management

24. Time Management vs.
Effective Use of Time
Myth: We can manage our time
Reality: We can prioritize and organize how
we use our time
We all have 24 hours in a day.
How do you use your 24 hours?

25. College Success Tool:
The Time Audit
Complete a time audit to see
when/where/how you use your time.
Your time audit will illuminate a few
things about how you use your time,
including:
• Missed opportunities to effectively
use your time
• Areas where you are spending too
much or too little time
• Where the majority of your time is
spent
• A realistic view of where and how
your time is being spent or wasted

26. Time Pirates
• Time pirates are people, places, or things
that divert your attention from your
academics.
• Time Pirates can include (but are not
limited to) the following:
• Electronics
• Social Butterfly syndrome
• Study method shortcuts
• Cramming
• Procrastination
• Not asking for help
How many time pirates did
you find on your time audit?

27. The Study Plan
Using your planner
Developing your study plan

28. Strategies to Improve
Effective Time Use
• Plan your time!
• Set priorities! Some things will have to wait.
• Learn to say NO!
• You cannot be everything for everybody or be everywhere.
• Get rid of time pirates.
• Determine what eats up the most of your time and develop
strategies to rid yourself of those distractions.
• Understand your learning style.
• How you learn and where you learn will help you to use your
time most efficiently!

29. Do I really need a planner?
• A planner is a necessity in college and comes in many
forms, such as:
• Electronic Planner
• Traditional paper planner
• Planner app
• Wall Calendar
• Find what works for you!
• Planner essentials
• Monthly calendar
• Day or week sections to keep track of important dates, assignments,
and priorities
A planner will help you to keep track of the important dates and
deadlines that your brain may not always hold on to. Get a planner!

30. College Success Tool:
The Study Plan
• When will you study?
• When and how long will you study?
• What exact study activities will you
complete?
Study plans should include three levels
of vision.
• A semester plan- Monthly calendar or Semester
at a glance
• A weekly plan- Week at a glance appointment
page
• A daily session plan- Study session ticket

31. Organization Systems in
Real Life
Planners do not work if you do not use them!
Find a system that works for you and USE IT!

32. Semester-at-a-glance
• What does my semester look like?
• What are the major assignments that I
will have to complete this semester?
Semester planning can be completed on a
monthly or by semester calendar.
Highlights
several months
at one glance.
Provides an
overview of the
semester
The monthly view
gives an overview
for the month.
This gives greater
detail of the
semester and
allows you to
focus on 30 days
at a time.

33. Week-at-a-glance
The week-at-a-glance allows you to
plan out your week day by day.
You can create general to-do list
from a week-at-a-glance planner
page that allows you to prioritize
what you need to complete.
You can create weekly studying
appointments based on your week
overview.

34. Daily Study Planning – A
Reminder
Adapted from: McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate
into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus

35. Notetaking and
Notetaking
Systems

36. Goals of Notetaking
• Document what was covered in lecture or
lab.
• Identify important concepts within the
subject matter.
• Helps to process information
• Helps to focus attention in a lecture
• Keeps ideas organized

37. Notetaking 101
Do this!
• Write down the main
topic with supporting
details.
• Put the information in
your own words.
• Always take your own
notes!
• Be ready to hear and
record information in
your lecture.
• Review notes to check
for holes in information.
Do not do this!
• Do not copy power point
slides or lecture notes word-
for-word.
• Do not rely on your
memory.
• Do not rely on your friend,
peer, or office hours.
• Do not rely on electronics to
capture the nuances of the
lecture.
• Do not wait until the next
lecture to complete your
notes.

38. Notetaking Systems: Cornell
Notes
• Lecture Label- Name,
course, date, page number
• Note-Taking Column- Use
this section during the lecture
• Cue Column- this section
will be used after class. Use
column to write trigger words
or questions that correspond
to the notes adjacent to the
cue.
• Summary Area- summarize
in 5-7 sentences the notes on
the page

39. Notetaking Systems:
Outline System
• Lecture Topic
• Subtopics
• Supporting
Details/Evidence
Tips
• Leave space to fill in gaps
• Note items that will be on
exams
• Star important concepts

40. Notetaking Systems:
Notes on Printed PowerPoint
• Fill in supporting
details
• Note concepts that
you need to
research
• Note test/exam
items
• Write clarifying
questions

41. Notetaking Systems:
Mindmap
• Create a mindmap for
major topics
• Make and visualize
connections
throughout the lecture
• This works well for
visual learners and
professors who jump
between topics

42. Other Notetaking Strategies
• Though the previous slides contain
traditional notetaking systems, each
student is different.
• Trial and Error: Find what
strategies work best for you
• Check out this unique method which
may be beneficial for some of your
more difficult classes

43. Taking Notes from a
Textbook
How to tackle the college reading
assignment:
1. How long will this take to read?
• # of Pages x 5 min = Avg. Time
2. The Chunk System- no more than 10
pages at a time.
3. Ask questions and note concerns/opinions
of the text.
Cornell College Academic Support

44. Revisiting Academic
Success

45. How do I maintain academic
success?
• Review your plan
• Revise if necessary
• Implementation
• Am I consistent?
• Is this relevant?
• Will this help me to reach my goal?
• Who can help?
• What are my go to resources?
• Have I asked for help?
• Re-evaluating my beliefs
• Now that I have done this, how is it working for me?
• Do I need to do something different?
• Do I need help?

46. GOLDEN RULE
WHEN IN DOUBT,
CONTACT YOUR
ADVISOR!
CLAS Academic Advising Center
Bear Down Gym
Phone: 520-621-7763