First Year Success Series

Available in PDF format:

Book 2: A LOT TO DO

Class Strategies: No doubt about it, you'll probably find that college classes are very different from high school ones. In this book are strategies for dealing with college classes - from small to auditorium-sized.
Organizing Information (Notetaking): You've probably been taking notes since elementary school. But with college comes a new style of teaching and a new style of learning - and a whole new concept in notetaking.
Working with Faculty and Teaching Assistants: Compared to many other schools, Carnegie Mellon is small and therefore has more of a community feel to it. It's only natural that you talk to - and get to know - members of that small community. And that even includes - gasp! - your professors.

Optimizing Your Time: There are lots of different ways to optimize your time and get your work (and play) done, but here are some tips that may work for you.
Managing Coursework and Readings: College presents a challenge in many ways, but mainly because the work is very different than it was in high school - and there is so much more of it! If you know what to expect, and use some of these tips to help you through it all, you will be up to the challenge and can tackle it easily.

Understanding the Material: Different kinds of courses will require different kinds of approaches to understanding. The comprehension and study strategies that are required may differ as well.
Studying and Study Groups: From where to study to when to study to whether or not to study in group, discovering early on what works for you will make the process easier and more effective.
Taking Tests: Remember in high school when your math/history/biology teacher told you exactly what was going to be on the test? Well, it's a little different in college.

Understanding Grades: Grades are a pretty good indication of how well you are absorbing the material in a course. But grades only indicate a sampling of what you've learned. During your first college semester, you will be learning how to interpret grades - and using that information to maintain or change your study and work habits.
Academic Integrity: Copying someone else's homework, taking crib notes to tests - you know those things are wrong. But in difficult situations, students sometimes make the wrong decisions.
Getting Help If You Need It: Sometimes a problem you are experiencing can seem overwhelming, and often a little outside perspective and non-judgmental advice can put you back on the right track. If you feel that you need someone to provide that kind of help, you should contact Counseling and Psychological Services at 412-268-2922. They offer confidential services free of charge. http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/counseling/