Success Tips

• Explore your career and major options early.  Take a Career Planning course or see a counselor to help you decide.

• Determine your educational goals, you can talk to a counselor who will assist you in developing an educational plan.

• Pay attention to course prerequisites.  If you do not have the course or skills required to enroll in that class, the registration system will not let you register.  If you have met the prerequisite at another college or university, you will need to bring a copy of a transcript to a counselor for review.

• Pay attention to deadlines.  The current schedule of classes list all the deadlines such as deadlines to register and drop courses, graduation petition deadlines and final exams to name a few.

• Keep in mind that 12 units is a full time student.  Some students needs to be full time if they want to be considered for financial aid, are covered under a parent or guardians medical insurance, or are an athlete in the athletic program.

• If you are unsure of which classes to take enroll in math and English courses.

• Keep an organizer to help manage your time.  This organizer would contain a calendar that would include important dates such as test days, due dates for papers, exams. 

• Keep a schedule in your organizer for class times and do not forget to schedule in any work hours, personal time, travel time and study times needed for each of your classes.

• Use a binder to keep all important handouts that your instructors give out.  This includes syllabuses and study guides.

• Keep up with your reading by setting time aside each day for each course.  Remember for each hour you are in class you should spend 2-3 hours of studying.

• If you are having difficulties keeping up with the work in the class or are having trouble with passing exams, talk with your instructor early so he/she can make suggestions.  You made need tutoring, or may need to go down to a lower level class or may need other assistance.

• Get to know your classmates in your class, if you have to miss a class they may be able to pass on notes that you have missed.  Classmates are also great study mates.
• Get involved with college activities such as associated students or student government.  Attend events or join or create new club.