Minority Engineering Recruitment and
Retention Program * 1251 Science and Engineering Offices * (312) 996-2201
Advice for Achieving Academic Success
- Always complete your homework. Simple. No
matter how little it's worth, homework keeps you on pace with the clas. Homework
is an indication of your commitment to the class; not doing homework indicates
you don’t have time or motivation to do well in the class.
If your grade is borderline, a consistent homework record will positively
benefit your grade.
- Study for tests by doing problems.
You won’t understand the material just by looking at the notes. Working out problems will allow you to apply
your knowledge of the material. Do
extra questions in your text. Time
yourself solving tests from previous years.
You should be able to solve them in 40 minutes.
- Form study groups. You should be able to do most of your homework on your own, but
for more challenging problems, work them out in a group after you’ve attempted
them yourself. Make sure you're not
just copying someone else's work. Explain
problems to others. This re-emphasizes
whether you know the material.
- Plan your schedule. Invest in a monthly/weekly calendar. Write down all test, quiz, labs, and paper due dates. When you have tests and programs due on consecutive
days, you'll know to start studying early.
- Study every day. Find a place on campus where you can do at least 4-5
hours of studying every day. Be on
campus on weekdays, for all your resources are located on campus. Be proactive. Study on weekends to get things done right away.
- Get to know your professors
and TAs. Sit in the first 4 rows in class and ask questions
in class. Don’t leave if you have
a question that can be answered there. See
your TA for help on problem sets. Grades
can be subjective therefore actively seeking help can positively affect your
grade. Also remember that most classes
have more than one section. If you
can’t understand or get along with your TA, change sections.
- Keep your priorities straight. Always do your academics first.
Whether you succeed academically or not is up to you. You need to find that balance where you're
doing well academically and taking care of your personal life.
Sources for Academic Support
Teaching Assistants.
Use your TA as your first resource. They know exactly what's going on in the
class, and should be able to provide the most help.
Instructor/Department
resources. Your course syllabus should outline different
resources provided by your professor or department. Use these resources; they
are set up with you in mind.
Honors College
Tutoring. Tutors are offered for most courses you that
will be taking your first three years. See
the Honors College in Burnham Hall for tutoring schedules and other information.
http://www.hc.uic.edu/
MERRP
Minority Engineering Recruitment
and Retention Program. You should
visit MERRP for academic, personal, career-related questions.