Understanding College Grading

12th GradeKeys to Postsecondary Success #1

(Microsoft, 2011)

Objectives

• College Grading– Many grades are based on just a few tests or papers– 1st semester midterms are very important

• Tips for 1st year college students– Midterm grades and time management– Study strategies for midterms– Advice from an extremely successful college student

• Update Postsecondary Plan

College Grading

• Grades for some classes just based on– Midterm, research paper(s), final exam

• Many freshman are not prepared for– 1st semester midterms

• Students too often start poorly on midterms– Find it difficult to rebound from this bad grade

College Freshman: Dropout Rate

Starting College Strongly

• When 1st year college students are prepared– For the college grading system• They often do very well

• You will hear from successful college students– Share their strategies for 1st year success

Tips for 1st Year Students Video

• Watch the Tips for First Year College Students video –Pay special attention to • Priorities in college• Who can help you be responsible and accountable? • Difference between A & B students

College Tips for 1st Year Students • Find a good group of people who will keep you accountable– Join a first-year learning community

• Difference between A and B students – Students who go to office hours and work with the professor

• Prioritize your learning at college– Some students go out every night and party – Stay on top of your reading

• Easiest way to fall behind, most difficult to catch up– When you are organized and get things done early

• Can do so many things with the rest of your free time

Midterm Grades & Time ManagementVideo

• Watch the Midterm Grades and Time Management video–Pay special attention to • Keys to doing well on midterms• Time management strategies• Did poorly on 1st midterm, do not give up at that point

Midterm Grades & Time Management

• Cannot just put off work until the end – Do not do well on midterms, difficult to bring grades back up– Often have a lot time between classes, study during that time– Plan ahead, prioritize your tasks, use a planner

• Balance time being with friends and doing homework

• First test was midterm in psychology class, did not do well– Realized midterm cannot be my final grade, worked hard from there

• Show up awake for class & keep up with homework– You will do fine on midterm – Some tests are not that hard, can be a lot of info

• Professors expect you to know it

Studying for Midterms Video

• Watch the Studying for a Midterm video– Pay special attention to • Keeping up with daily work• Using folders• Synthesizing main points

Studying for Midterms• Keeping up with daily work – Read the textbook, highlight information, and take notes– Remember things better when I write down important points– Do not wait until the last minute, do readings when assigned• Days before midterm: Not enough time to read all the chapters/retain material

• Use a plain folder for your papers– So the papers are all in one place, papers not lost as easily– Make notes from Power Points for space reasons, outline option– Use cue cards or type key points on computer

• Synthesize main points– Put a few key bullet points underneath points

Trevor’s StoryTrevor wants to be a Psychology professor. Two of his most difficult classes in college were American Literature and Psychology 101. The American Literature class was a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday class from 8:00-9:00am. His Psychology 101 class was Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-11:00am. His classes were quite large. He thought his professors would not notice if he missed a class or two a week. Trevor liked going to late parties and sleeping until mid-morning. When it came time for his midterms, he did not know much of the material and received bad grades.

Alicia’s StoryAlicia wants to be an electrician. Her two most difficult classes in college were Western Civilization and Analyzing Electrical Systems. Her classroom attendance was very good. She really liked her Electrical System class and read the assigned material before every class. She thought Western Civilization was boring and rarely did the readings or took notes. She had good notes to study for her Electrical System midterm and tried to cram whatever she could for the Western Civilization test. She got an A on her Electrical System midterm and a D- on the Western Civilization test.

Jerome’s StoryJerome wants to be an aerospace engineer. His two most difficult classes in college were Linear Algebra and Intro to Aerospace Engineering. He went to class every day, did his assigned readings before class, and took good notes. Soon after every class, he would review his notes and synthesize them into key points on the computer. He used his planner to schedule his studying and fun time. Two weeks before his midterms, he developed strategies to retain the key points from his classes. He received A’s on both of his midterms.

Small Group Discussion

• Rate these 3 scenarios by most to least common–Give 2 reasons for each scenario rating

Harvard Grad Earns 4.0 GPA Video

• Watch the Harvard Graduate from Fresno earns 4.0 GPA video–Pay special attention to • Descriptions of this student• Her advice

Harvard Student Description & Advice

• One of the few Harvard grads with a 4.0 GPA– That is unlikely for most students– However, she provides good advice for new college students– Described as an energetic, disciplined, and smart person– Doing well in college makes students desired professionals

• Advice – Set small goals– Long-term goals can be overwhelming– Concentrate on what to do today & tomorrow– Small goals will lead to your big aspirations

Pair and Share

• What are your long-term goals?• What short-term goals will you set in college

to help you reach your long-term goals?

Update Postsecondary Plan

Update Your Postsecondary Plan

• Learning Style Section– Top 3 College Learning Strategies