Academic Difficulty

What You Can Do if You Experience Academic Difficult

Go to class. Pay attention. Avoid distractions by silencing your phone and closing apps that are not required while in class. Ask questions if you don’t understand something the professor is saying. Take thorough notes.

Seek out the professor. Take advantage of your professor’s office hours. Every professor publishes office hours on the syllabus or posts them on their office door. They are there to support you and look forward to meeting with you during their office hours. However, do not wait until the last minute. Be prepared when you go to ask questions you need to understand the topic, to get suggestions on how to improve your grade in class, or to make sure you understand the assignments. Getting to know your professors by regularly visiting office hours can help you participate actively during class. Professors are tremendous resources when applying for internships, jobs, graduate school, and general networking.

Seek out your academic adviser. Freshmen are assigned to an FYE adviser with whom they can discuss their difficulties. Non-freshmen are assigned an adviser in their major department. Open major upper-class students will be advised in the Academic Advising, Retention & Completion (AARC) Office, Cook Library, The Academic Commons Suite 343. Your adviser can make suggestions on how to approach your class work and can suggest other helpful tips on becoming a better student. The AARC website offers additional information. 

Attend workshops provided by the Tutoring & Learning Center. The TLC conducts STEM and academic skills workshops during each term designed to assist you with studying more effectively, improving concentration, and being better prepared to take exams. These are free and open to all students. The TLC is located in Cook Library, The Academic Commons Suite 347. The TLC website offers additional information. Select TLC workshops will be offered at the Towson University in Northeastern Maryland (TUNE) facility each term.

Meet with a peer academic coach. The Tutoring & Learning Center offers free academic coaching. Peer academic coaches meet 1-on-1 with students to help them achieve their academic goals by enhancing their learning and study skills, promoting independent learning, and providing accountability. Visit the TLC in Cook Library, The Academic Commons Suite 347, call 410-704-2291, or go to the TLC website to make an appointment.

Receive assistance from a peer tutor. Tutors are available for many courses through the Tutoring & Learning Center and the Writing Center. Contact our offices or visit our websites to check availability for appointment-based or drop-in tutoring. These services are available for free. For tutoring assistance either visit the TLC in Cook Library, The Academic Commons Suite 347, call 410-704-2291, or got to the TLC website to learn more. For more information about writing assistance either visit the Writing Center in the Liberal Arts Building Room 5330, call 410-704-3426, or go to the Writing Center website to make an appointment.

Form a study group with three or four students in the same class. Study groups can improve a student’s understanding of the material by sharing information and filling in knowledge gaps. In reviewing information with other students, you become more familiar with the material, you hear the information presented in a different way, and you can ask questions to deepen your learning.

Increase your study time. Collective wisdom indicates that for every hour spent in class, three hours outside of class is required to prepare for assignments, read materials and texts, write papers, and study for exams. If you are taking a three-credit class, be prepared to spend nine hours a week. Develop a study schedule in your calendar/planner.

Potential Academic Challenges for Transferring Students

In their first term, transferring students are not only transitioning from their previous institutions to TU, many are also transitioning from lower-level/division courses (100–299) to upper-level/division courses (300–499). In general, most upper-level courses require a different type of focus, an increase in the amount of study time required for success and more preparation than is required in most lower-level courses. Only courses taken at TU are calculated in your GPA.

Some aspects may require a change in your study approach:

• Fewer grades factor into the final grade. Rather than frequent homework assignments and quizzes, your grade often depends on one or two tests and a final exam or one test, a paper, and a final exam. This means that you must attend class regularly and keep up with the readings and other assignments.
• Some upper-level courses require a significant amount of writing, and most professors expect you to have good fundamental college writing skills.
• Generally, especially in upper-level courses, there are no extra credit options or second chances.
• Assess your need for services early on. TU offers free tutoring, academic coaching, writing support, counselling, health services, etc. While many faculty and staff are eager to help students, it is your responsibility to ask for help and seek assistance.
• Upper-level courses require more work/study/preparation than they did in lower-level courses. For new transferring students, it is important to think carefully about other aspects of their lives such as commuting to campus and working during the term.

Comparing Lower- vs. Upper-Level Courses

Lower-level courses (100–299) generally have one or more of the following characteristics:

-Breadth: Students gain some understanding of the extent of a field or discipline; OR students learn how one field fits into or relates to other fields.

-Foundation: Students become acquainted with principles, terms, methods and perspectives of a discipline or professional field, as a basis for more advanced or specialized study. Lower-level courses are those that majors are expected to complete in their first two years of study in the subject.

-General Education: Students develop essential skills, attitudes and practices (e.g., basics of critical thinking, numeracy, communication, problem solving) important in many different fields of higher education (e.g., lower-level Core Curriculum) and perhaps in everyday life.

-Preparation: Lower-level courses may assume some basic entry-level knowledge, such as high school preparation in the field.

Upper-level courses (300–400) generally have one or more of the following characteristics:

-Depth/Focus: Students make in-depth study of a discipline’s theories and methods, developing an understanding of the applications and limitations of those theories.

-Specialization: Students develop specific intellectual and professional abilities that will enable them to succeed or progress in a particular field or professional practice.

-Refinement: Students build upon the general education background noted above, applying these skills more discerningly or in more challenging contexts.

-Preparation: Prerequisites may include more general courses, student class standing, GPA requirements or admission to a pre-professional program. Thus, majors and minors generally take upper-level courses in their junior and senior years.

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