1 Mindset for Success in University

Responsibility in University

It is all about You! You are expected to behave in accordance with policies set by the University. You need to take control and responsibility for what you do and don’t do, as well as for the consequences of your decisions.

Classes in University

It’s up to you to spend considerable time reading, deciphering, and completing the assigned materials (see the course syllabus). In-class work, essays, and projects proceed from the assumption that you’ve already done the other work before coming to class. You need to attend each class and interact with the instructor, materials, and fellow students.

Instructors/Professors at University

University is a learning environment in which you take responsibility for thinking through, applying what you have learned, and testing yourself on your knowledge. While you may be presented with and acquire facts and basic skills, you will also be required to go beyond the basics to create new knowledge.

Learning in University

Besides the basic learning levels of remembering, comprehension, and application, you will also need to spend the hours needed to analyze, evaluate, and creatively synthesize knowledge into new forms. This will then be transferred to the next courses in the same or related subject areas.

Writing in University

Previously, you will have learned the basic skills of expressing yourself in writing.
Academic writing, in the format required by your discipline, is a critical part of all courses and you will be taught and expected to research and cite correctly at all times.

Assessments in University

While you have been expected to reproduce what you were taught generally in the form in which it was presented to you, or to solve types of problems you were shown how to solve, success in university comes with your ability to apply what you are learning to new situations and to solve new kinds of problems. Self-testing is critical to ensure that you have learned. The knowledge from courses that you complete will be added to by new courses at higher levels.

Results in University

Results count and there will be multiple assessments to thoroughly examine what you know and can do. Though effort is important it will not substitute for actual results in the university grading process.