Student Success Statement

Student Success Statement

"It is our duty to concentrate all our influence to make popular that which is sound and good, and (to make) unpopular that which is unsound (and not good)."

Joseph Smith

Reflection: This man's quote's meaning is to let us know that he wants the best for us. The best thing for us is what what's unpopular, but we're the reason why we should bring it out. Most popular things to be done, are negative.. We should leave those bad, negative, popular habits behind and replace them by choosing the right.

Successful Students (9)

Successful Students 

9

9. . . .don't cram for exams. Successful students know that divided periods of study are more effective than cram sessions, and they practice it.

If there is one thing that study skills specialists agree on, it is that distributed study is better than massed, late-night, last-ditch efforts known as cramming. You'll learn more, remember more, and earn a higher grade by studying in four, one hour-a-night sessions for Friday's exam than studying for four hours straight on Thursday night. Short, concentrated preparatory efforts are more efficient and rewarding than wasteful, inattentive, last moment marathons. Yet, so many students fall to learn this lesson and end up repeating it over and over again until it becomes a wasteful habit. Not too clever, huh?

When you cram, you are taking the shortcut, and shortcuts never produce any real worthwhile results. Also, when you take shortcuts, you feel rather rotten knowing that you could have done better but didn't. Shortcuts cut you short. You can't plant watermelon seeds and harvest fresh watermelons the next day. Plus cramming for a test or project doesn't help you academically, so why even do it. Plan ahead, prepare ahead. Give yourself plenty of days and weeks to prepare for upcoming accountability opportunities.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!

Student Success Statement

Students Success Statement

"What's right isn't always popular. What's popular isn't always right." 

Howard Cosell

Reflection: What this quote means, is that most unpopular right things aren't always being done because nowadays people prefer to choose the wrong. But when something's popular and wrong, many people do it just to look as "good" as the rest. For example, doing drugs is obviously a horrific thing, but it's only popular because people would rather look "cool" than "boring".

Successful Students (7-8)

Successful Students 

7-8

7. . . .understand that actions affect learning. Successful students know their personal behavior affect their feelings and emotions which in turn can affect learning.

If you act in a certain way that normally produces particular feelings, you will begin to experience those feelings. Act like you're bored, and you'll become bored. Act like you're disinterested, and you'll become disinterested. So the next time you have trouble concentrating in the classroom, "act" like an interested person: lean forward, place your feet flat on the floor, maintain eye contact with the professor, nod occasionally, take notes and ask questions. Not only will you benefit directly from your actions, your classmates and professor may also get more excited and enthusiastic.

8. . .Talk about what they're learning. Successful students get to know something well enough that they can put into words. Talking about something, with friends or classmates, is not only good for checking whether or not you know something, it's a proven learning tool. Transferring ideas into words provides the most direct path from moving knowledge from short-term to long-term memory. You really don't "know" material until you can put it into words. So, next time you study, don't do it silently. Talk about notes, problems, reading, etc. with friends, recipe to chair, organize an oral study group, pretend you are teaching your peers. "talk-learning" produces a whole host of memory traces that result in more learning.

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Successful Students (5-6)

Successful Students

5-6

5. Don't sit in the back of the room. Successful students minimize classroom distractions that interfere with learning. Students want the best seat available for their entertainment dollars, but willingly seek the worst seat for their educational dollars. Students who sit in the back cannot possibly be their professor's teammate (see no. 4). Why do they expose themselves to the temptations of inactive classroom experiences and distractions of all the people between them and their instructor? Of course, we know they chose the back of the classroom because they seek invisibility or anonymity, both of which are antithetical to efficient and effective learning. If you are trying not to be part of the class, why, then, are you wasting your time?

6 . . . take good  notes. Successful students take notes that are understandable and organized, and review them often. Why put something into your notes you don't understand? Ask the questions now that are necessary to make your notes meaningful at some later time. A short review of your notes while the material is still fresh on your mind helps you learn more. The more you learn then, the less you'll have to learn later and the less time it will take because you won't have to include some deciphering time, also. The whole purpose of taking notes is to use them, and use them often. The more you use them, the more they improve.

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Student Success Statement

Student Success Statement 

"The time is always right to do what is right." 

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Reflection: The message that MLK tried to send with that quote is that no matter what you do, you can always make things better. It's always the right time to fix mistakes. You may be able to look back at your past and if you would like to fix damages, you can always find a way to make your future better. 

Successful Students (3-4)

Successful Students 3-4

3. . . .ask questions. Successful students ask questions to provide the quickest route between ignorance and knowledge. In addition to securing knowledge you seek, asking questions has at least two other extremely important benefits. The process helps you pay attention to your professor pay attention to you! Think about it, If you want something, go after it. Get the answer now, or fail a question later. There are no foolish questions, only foolish silence. It’s your choice.

4. . . .learn that a student and a professor make a team. Most instructors want exactly what you want: they would like for you to learn the material in their respective classes and earn a good grade.

            Successful students reflect well on the efforts of any teacher; if you have learned your material, the instructor takes some justifiable pride in teaching. Join forces with your instructor take some justifiable pride in teaching. Join forces with your instructor, they are not an enemy, you share the same interest, the same goals- in short, you’re teammates. Get to know your professor. You’re the most valuable players on the same team. Your jobs are to work together for mutual success. Neither wishes to chalk up a losing season. Be a team player!

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Sarah's Academic Succes (1)

Sarah’s Academic Success Story

Part 1

Time management became a key factor in my study skills for college. In high school, there were times I was able to study for an hour or two the night before a test and get away with it. This was not the case in college. I made sure in college I was prepared for each class. Sometimes that meant writing out the terms for the chapter we read (even if it wasn’t required) to better understand them. That way when the midterm or test comes around I was able to understand what I was studying. I started taking excellent notes in class in college. I may have done this in high school, but in college I started typing up the notes after class. This helped me remember what I just went over in class then when I had a test one week later I was more likely to remember then as well.

My overall study method: Structured. One thing I learned was I had to adapt or change my study method according to the class. I couldn’t study for a Religion Class the same way I studied for a Finance class. But making sure I had enough time to study for each class – even if it meant carrying a planner with me at all times was a big part of my success.

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Work Together (2)

Work Together

Part 2

English, math, foreign language tips: For math, all I can say is do the problems assigned. It is the only way to practice and that’s really all it is for math. It’s the same for chemistry; if you do the practice problems you will understand the material so much better because those subjects are not just memorization like history, you need to be able to apply what you have learned in practical situations. As for English, I am no longer taking it, but I would say to leave yourself plenty of time to write essays and papers. They take time to get all the information out of your head and onto the page, so don’t leave them until the last second.

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Work Together (1)

Work Together

Part 1

I can and will work as part of the team as long as everyone in the team is willing to do his work. I don’t like having to pick up the slack, but I will if I know that my grade will be harmed otherwise. My greatest academic success was in my first semester when I had to write a 10-12 page research paper. It was the longest paper I had ever been assigned and I was a little scared. Also, it was the first paper where they were like, here you go, just write about something. I had to argue in favor of or against something, but it could be anything from the sky is blue to hypnotism. I wrote mine on hypnotism. I worked on this paper for weeks and weeks. Every night I would be doing research or writing. I put so much effort into this paper. It ended up being just under 12 pages but it was full on information. I turned it in and when I got it back a week or so later, I had received the first A+ of my college career. All my hard work paid off because I got the grade I deserved. I was really happy and proud of myself.

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Student Success Statement

Student Success Statement

“Try a little harder to be a little better.”

Gordon B. Hinckely

Reflection: As long as you try, your work will eventually get better. Like that saying “practice makes perfect”, all you need is time. You can’t automatically do something perfectly without experience. Just be dedicated.

You Can Succeed Everyday (2)

You Can Succeed Everyday

Part 2

My strategies for written assignments: I try to outline before I write because otherwise I forget what I am supposed to be talking about. I try not to leave them until the last minute because then I will just write what I feel. Teachers like your opinion and if you can find something from the reading or research that relates specifically to your life, they like it even more because it allows you to take ownership of your work. I write things that I want others to read; not things that I have to write because the teacher said so.

How I succeed in team projects: Personally, I do not like working on group projects, especially ones that I worked on in high school. However, when it is required to work in a group, usually I try to lead. I like taking the lead because then I know that my grade will be a good one. I do well in school, I always have and I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon, so when I need to work with people who maybe don’t care as much as I do, or they have more time to waste on things other than the project, I try to be in charge. That way I know that things are going to get done on time and that I am going to get a good grade. If I am working in a group of people who all want to work, then it is a different story.

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Reflection

Reflection:  Having a famous and rich brother, Kevin Woods is disappointed because Tiger neglects him. I find it really surprising that his own brother doesn’t receive help nor attention from him. They should be there for each other throughout their whole lives, but many people can be selfish and uncaring. Tiger Woods is probably a very busy person, but he should try to find the time for his family. One day, he’ll probably need his brother Kevin as well.

You Can Succeed Everyday (1)

You Can Succeed Every Day

Part 1

My overall study method: I break up studying over several days and over the course of the evening and day. Cramming never works for me so I try not to do it. I will have no longer sessions on nights before tests. I know that if I take the test tired the next day I will not do as well as if I was rested.

How I’ve overcome an initial bad grade: I usually look over the test or paper to see what I did that the teacher did not want. Basically, I do not stress out about grades that much because for me they are not worth getting really upset about. I do well because I know that I know the material. However, if I do get a bad grade, or one lower than I expected, I make sure that next time a test is coming I study even more so that I won’t be surprised by the questions.

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Student Success Statement

Student Success Statement

“I shall pass through the life but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness I can show, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall never pass this way again.”

Etienne de Grellet

Reflection: What this quote means to me is that people shouldn’t be stopped from doing something good. If they want to help somebody in whatever way they’d like, then they should do what they want. They’re not always going to be around.. Helping others even if they don’t have enough for themselves, is a really kind thing to do.

Effective Study Methods (3)

Effective Study Methods

Part 3

How I deal with multiple projects/tests: When I have more than one test or project, I break up my studying. I will study for one test for 30 minutes or so and then switch to the other one. If there is some part of a project that I know it will not take me very long, I will do it when I don’t have much time. If I am really in a crunch for time on a specific day, I will study for one test in the  morning and the other in the afternoon or at night. By breaking up the studying into different sections, I feel like I get much more done. Cram sessions do not work for me. I need to study something for a shorter period of time more often for it to sink in.

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Effective Study Methods (2)

Effective Study Methods

Part 2

My time management secret: My secret is to use time wisely. I know that on certain days I do not have time to run errands or hang out with friends. Each minute of the day is used for something. One thing that works really well for me is to write everything down. I mean everything. I write down if I am going to email people, write letters, or study. It works for me to have a planner that goes by the day and shows me what I am going to be doing every day. Knowing what I have to do every day helps me plan out my week and my days. If I know that I won’t have time on Tuesday, I will try to get more things done on Monday or Sunday. I plan ahead, especially if I am going to be on the road for volleyball. When I am on the road, I bring my books and read on the bus./plane/ hotel room. Missing class is killer to make up from, but if you are upfront with your professors, they are usually nice about having to turn things in late or not being in class.

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