The University of Arkansas can be a big place and you can sometimes get disoriented. There are many things to keep in mind when you are at the U of A. My tips will hopefully keep you up-to-date and oriented toward your goals.
Don’t forget to change your U of A password.
Keeping up with your password is a very important aspect of U of A life because you need your password to access every university account and blackboard. Failing to renew your password will prohibit you from accessing these accounts. Fortunately, the university system reminds you about it a month in advance and every day in the 7 days period prior to password expiry. My advice is to change it 7 days prior to expiry. Also, generate a password system that is easy to remember as the U of A system does not allow you to use the same password again at any moment so it can get difficult coming up with ideas.
Never miss class.
If you are ever going to miss class, miss because of something really important. Otherwise, attend lectures because you can get withdraw from a class. Apart from being impolite to your professor, it will also disorient you as you no longer will be updated on the class’s current progress, and you will end up having to rush and have a hard time trying to recover from bad grades, or even worse failing. Also, some professors take into account attendance – while others don’t, but in any case – if you are absent too much your professor can report you to the registrar’s office and you can get withdrawn from the class.
Consult your advisor/professor about a subject.
University classes get harder as you advance on your academic plan. This is why you need to get the best semester schedule possible. Classes are classified by levels – they range from 1000 level (less complex) to 5000 or more (highly complex). Academic plans are organized in a way that you have to meet the lower level classes before reaching the top classes. However, the academic plan is not always followed, especially by international students who take classes during the summer. This is why you have to play with your options and consult your advisor who will give you the best combination of classes. Also, sometimes to get enrolled you will need a class override because the class is already full. Your advisor can get the override lifted, or if the class is full your advisor can open extra spots and enroll you. So never give up on class!!
Make use of study groups and CLASS+ (Center for Learning and Student Success).
Semesters get more and more complicated as you go, and the most important thing is to never wait till the end to find help. Look for help at the beginning. No one better than you knows your own progress, and only by recognizing where you are failing is where you can find help and improve in the class. It is very complex to save a certain class for the end of the semester, so go to CLASS+ and make friends in class that you can study with. Also, be sure to use the tutoring opportunities on campus.
-Luis, Panama
