Lecture 1

Introduction: Making the Academic Adjustment to College

False Assumptions

We often assume, falsely, that, because students who come to Notre Dame are intelligent and very talented, they will automatically adjust to the demands of college learning. If we think of learning skills, we tend to think of them as a series of mechanical tools that are useful for less able students but unnecessary for the “truly talented.” In fact, learning strategies can be especially useful for students to whom things have always come easily. Often, bright students need help in finding their own personal heuristic or paradigm that allows them to develop as scholars with a passion for learning and research. There are two areas where students need special help: understanding the academic disciplines and reading.

Success in College

Students often equate success in college with getting passing grades. Although passing grades are important, other factors need to be considered. Students need to understand that the time spent at a college or university is time which is connected not only to academic development but also to emotional and psychological development as well as a time to focus attention on both short term and long term goals. The time spent in college should be viewed, in some sense, as a voyage of exploration. It is a time to strike out into "the undiscovered country." The students who gain most from their education are those who are willing to open themselves to new ideas and let go of a dependence on a need to know the "right" answers to problems. College provides an opportunity to stretch the mind and develop an intellectual life that will continue to develop even after graduation. The successful student is the one who at the outset of this journey does so with a willingness to actively participate in all that is offered and to open the mind to new ways of looking at "old" ideas. In the words of Marcel Proust: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."

Transition vs. Adjustment

As you begin your college career, it is important to begin this “voyage of discovery” early. Let’s begin this journey by considering some basic definitions. As you made plans throughout high school and set your goals to attend a college or university, you were likely given much encouragement by parents, other relatives, teachers, and friends. Such encouragement often was presented in some variation of the following statement. “You’ll love college. It will provide a great transition as you prepare for your career. Of course, you’ll need to make some adjustments, but that should be no problem for you. You’re so bright!” Let’s start by looking at two of the words used here: “transition” and “adjustment.” The dictionary defines a transition as “a passage from one state, stage, subject, or place; a change.” Keep in mind that change is “from” one thing “to” another. Obviously, experience makes it a little easier to consider the “from” aspect of that equation. You’re coming “from” your home and “from” high school. The “to” aspect is perhaps a little more nebulous. You know living conditions will be different (living in a dorm, having a roommate, etc.). As far as the “college” aspect is concerned you may only have the general impression that college will be like high school, only “harder.”

Questions to Ask

To effectively orient yourself to the academic experience of the college classroom, you might want to consider the following questions that were formulated by Dr. Holly Martin, Assistant Dean in the First Year of Studies, and which formed the basis for a Faculty Symposium held in the spring of 2007 called “Academic Orientation in the Classroom: The First Twenty Minutes”:

1. How are the questions asked in college-level science, humanities, architecture, and business courses different from those covered in high school courses? How is the study of science, humanities, architecture, and business different from what you experienced in high school? What strategies help students understand this change and adjust to it?

2. What adjustments in thinking and study must be made to accommodate the changed nature of the endeavor in college courses? What new expectations are there for students in their preparation, in their classroom or lab participation, in their interaction with the material and with their instructors?

3. • It will be useful to take the time to read Mortimer Adler’s reflections on learning which are applicable to these adjustments that need to be made: Reading as Learning by Discovery.

4. How is the evaluation of your progress going to be different from what you experienced in high school? What signs should you look for to know that you have talent worth developing in a particular college or field? How can students adjust with resilience to this change in evaluation in order to get the most out of a course?

If you look at these questions, you will note the emphasis of the words “adjust” and “adjustment.” Again, students need to clearly understand what are fairly common concepts. According to the dictionary, the verb “adjust” means “to make correspondent or conformable; to adapt.” It also means “to achieve mental and behavioral balance between one’s own needs and the demands of others.” For our purposes, although the first definition is important, the second gets to the heart of the problem. Achieving “mental and behavioral balance” requires conscious effort. It doesn’t simply happen automatically.

Reasons Why Students Fail 

No one comes to a college or university expecting to fail.  As you work through the various exercises in this program, be aware that the material presented here is not intended to be exhaustive.  The exercises as well as  the quizzes and surveys you are asked to complete will help you to identify areas where you might benefit from further assistance.  When you start your own personal journey in college, become familiar with the services provided by your institution and make use of them.  Remember, to borrow a cliché, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (You may also want to refer to the Introduction to Study Skills Online.)

Having made some general observations, it may be useful to consider why students who have always succeeded and, perhaps, excelled, suddenly find themselves struggling. Although there are many reasons why students fail, three reasons are particularly cogent:

• Having an inadequate conception of the work involved in succeeding
• Failing to assume responsibility for one’s own learning
• Lacking an understanding of the standards for high quality performance.