Who’s in the Driver’s Seat On the Road to College Success?
Helping Your Student Navigate the Road to College Success
Julia MearsAssistant Director of Academic Assistance
Rachel BudayAssistant Director of Disability Services
__________________________________ Office of Student Success
What is the Destination?
How do students define college success?
• Personal Growth
• Engagement in Purposeful Activities
• Acquisition of Skills and Knowledge
• Academic Achievement
• Career and Professional Development (preparation for post-college success)
• Satisfaction“What Matters to Student Success: A Literature Review”. Kuh et al, 2006
Encountering Bumps Along the Way
Many students struggle with these challenges as they transition from high school to college:
Managing Time Prioritizing the Workload Juggling Commitments Monitoring Progress Seeking Out Support Taking Responsibility for
Academic Successes and Non-Successes
Syllabus:•Many high schools don’t use syllabi•If they do, many of these do not cover the entire semester, but rather are distributed week-to-week
Syllabus: The college syllabus is a guide and contract created by each faculty member, and stipulates important course components like attendance policies, assignment deadlines, class expectations, and grade calculations•Students will receive a syllabus for each course•Semester-Long Document
Class Time & Attendance:•1,080 hours each school year•Many “excused” absences allowed
Class Time & Attendance:•360-450 hours each school year•No such thing as an “excused” absence
Type of Work:•Regular homework assignments, handouts, essays, presentations, projects •Tests/ Quizzes given weekly
Type of Work:•Journal entries, presentations, projects, some problem sets in math or science, and MANY MORE PAPERS•Tests/ Quizzes given less frequently (2-3/semester)
Satisfactory Progress:•Attend school regularly•Pass classes (D- or above)
Satisfactory Progress:•Abide by attendance policy in the syllabus•Professors will expect students to be prepared for class•Maintain good academic standing (C or above)•Just passing is not usually enough: Most professional programs will require higher GPA’s
Grades: Quantitative •Attendance, numerous tests/quizzes, quantity of homework assignments completed
Grades: Qualitative •All students must meet the same standards as stipulated in the course syllabus
How is College Different from High School? High School College
Sample Class Schedule…
MONDAY
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
8:00 (or 8:30)-9:40
ENG 1208:00-9:40 (or 11:20)
8:00 (or 8:30)-9:40
ENG 1208:00-9:40 (or 11:20)
8:30-9:40
ENG 120
9:50-11:30 (or 11:00)
9:50-11:30
Human Growth& Development
9:50-11:30 (or 11:00)
9:50-11:30
Human Growth& Development
9:50-11:00
11:40-1:20 (or 12:50)
11:40-1:20
11:40-1:20 (or 12:50)
Field Placement for HGD
11:40-1:20
11:40-1:20 (or 12:50)
1:30- 3:10 (or 2:40)
Solar System1:30-4:50
OPEN 1:30-3:10
Solar System OPEN
3:20-5:00 (or 4:30)
3:20-5:00
First-Year Seminar3:20-5:00 (or 4:30)
3:20-5:00
First-Year Seminar3:20-5:00 (or 4:30)
5:10-8:45 (or 9:00)
5:10-8:30
5:10-8:30
5:10-8:30
By Mid-Semester…
MONDAY
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
8:00 (or 8:30)-9:40
ENG 1208:00-9:40 (or 11:20)
Study Time in Library 8:00 (or 8:30)-9:40
ENG 1208:00-9:40 (or 11:20)
Study Time in Library 8:30-9:40
ENG 120
9:50-11:30 (or 11:00)
Study Time in Library
9:50-11:30
Human Growth& Development
9:50-11:30 (or 11:00)
Study Time in Library 9:50-11:30
Human Growth& Development
9:50-11:00
Work Study Job
11:40-1:20 (or 12:50)
Meeting with Professor11:40-1:20
Work Study Job11:40-1:20 (or 12:50)
Field Placement for HGD
11:40-1:20
Group Project Meeting11:40-1:20 (or 12:50)
1:30- 3:10 (or 2:40)
Solar System1:30-4:50
OPEN 1:30-3:10
Solar System OPEN
3:20-5:00 (or 4:30)
Study Time in Library 3:20-5:00
First-Year Seminar3:20-5:00 (or 4:30)
Study Time in Library 3:20-5:00
First-Year Seminar3:20-5:00 (or 4:30)
Laundry
5:10-8:45 (or 9:00)
Field Hockey Practice5:10-8:30
Field Hockey Practice5:10-8:30
Field Hockey Practice5:10-8:30
Field Hockey Practice Socializing
Who’s Supporting Your Student at Wheelock?
Academic Assistance, Writing Center and Disability Services• Professional Learning Specialists• Peer Tutors • Writing Consultants
Academic Advisors The Faculty Counseling Center Staff Residence Life Staff Coaches and Athletic Staff Student Leaders
Disability Services
Students with documented disabilities may be eligible to receive services under state and federal laws.
Learning, physical/medical and psychiatric disabilities These services may include:
• Testing Accommodations • Priority Course Selection• Electronic Text Resources• Weekly Meetings with a Professional Learning Specialist
Students Must: • Provide appropriate, updated, disability documentation
from qualified professionals• Disclose the disability and request services through an
intake process with the Office of Disability Services (ODS)• Meet with ODS at the beginning of each semester in which
accommodations are requested to receive accommodation letters for faculty
The Wheelock COMPASSHelping Students Stay On Course
• Compass Referral SystemFaculty alert students and The Compass Response Team to concerns they have about students. These concerns may be about attendance, test performance, quality of written work, professionalism at Field Placement, and classroom behavior, etc.
• Mid- Semester EvaluationEach professor enters a “grade” of “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” at the mid-term to indicate a student’s progress in meeting the goals and objectives of the class. Students with unsatisfactory grades will automatically be reviewed by the Compass Response Team and/or the Student Outreach Task Force
• Compass Response Team & Student Outreach Task ForceCollaborative, responsive, and timely outreach and support to students at risk
• Scholastic Review BoardMonitors the academic status of all students and applies academic policies
Getting Your Student into the Driver’s Seat: Learning the Rules of the Road
The course syllabus is the primary academic document your student must follow as it includes all course requirements as stipulated by each faculty member
• The primary mode of communication from the Wheelock community to students is through their Wheelock email, so it should be checked daily
• Systems like Moodle are also used to manage weekly assignments and course expectations
Students must be proactive! They should not wait until they are in trouble to get help!
• Most first-year students try to “make it on their own” during their first semester, which can hurt them
Getting Your Student into the Driver’s Seat: Learning the Rules of the Road (continued)
MyCompass
Faculty
Support Staff
Writing Center
If your student is having difficulty in a course, the professor (and our staff) will assume that s/he will seek extra help
• Your student is responsible for monitoring his/her own progress
Parents do not have access to information without the student’s permission (FERPA)
• There are no team meetings or parent/teacher conferences
It’s your student’s job to keep you in the loop, so encourage that communication with them
• When they do, encourage them to communicate with their professors and support staff if they need help
Office of Academic Assistance andDisability Services
Julia MearsAssistant Director of Academic Assistance(617) 879-2179
Rachel BudayAssistant Director of Disability Services(617) 879-2030
The Wheelock College Library, Suite 205200 The Riverway, Boston, MA 02215Fax: (617) 879-2163http://www.wheelock.edu/academics/academic-services