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North Carolina Wesleyan College
Student
Success Guide
(252) 985-5131
College can be tough, especially the
first year. Friends and family have
told you, “College is totally different from high school,” but you still are
not certain what to expect and what it actually takes to be a successful college
student. Well, the only way to
answer these questions is to experience college life for yourself---just GO FOR
IT and jump right in! But before
you take the plunge, WAIT A MINUTE and read this guide.
The Student Support Center would like to offer you a way to get your feet
wet first, so that you know as much as possible about success in college before
you begin your college career. Information
is power—and after reading this guide you will have the information you need
to be successful. Remember—successful
college students are those who manage themselves well and take advantage of
available resources. What are those resources?
Well, DIVE IN the Student Success Guide and find out!
What
is the Student Support Center?
The Student Support Center provides
support to all students interested in achieving academic success—this means
YOU! The Center’s main function
is to provide academic advising to all first-year students.
Staff members help students by providing them with the information they
need to make educated decisions about academic matters during their first year.
The Center also offers students a variety of academic support services
aimed at helping them maximize their potential.
In other words—to help you do the BEST you can!
The Student Support Center is located
in room 188 of the Pearsall Classroom Building—directly across the hall from
the computer labs. The Center’s
facilities include staff offices and study rooms.
The study rooms are available to students for individual studying and
study groups (with and without a tutor). The
smaller study room has computers that may be used by students for writing
papers, doing research, using the Internet, and other course work.
In addition, the DISCOVER career assessment program is available on
computer to help students in career exploration.
Student Support Center Services:
·
Transfer Academic Orientation
Program
·
WesBridge
·
Project Success
Erma Hedgepeth,
Administrative
Assistant
(
985-5131
*
ehedgepeth@ncwc.edu
Wendy McFarland,
Pre-Major
Advisor/Coordinator of Disabilities
Lisa Nathan,
Pre-Major
Advisor, Coordinator for Project Success
(
985-5274
*
lnathan@ncwc.edu
John Trifilo,
Pre-Major
Advisor/Coordinator for WesBridge
(
985-5259
*
jtrifilo@ncwc.edu
Brad Wingo
Director,
Student Support Center
(
985-5106
*
bwingo@ncwc.edu
Pre-Major
Advising
As a first-year student, you will be
assigned a pre-major advisor who will provide assistance to you during your
first year at Wesleyan. Pre-major
advisors assist students in clarifying their values and goals as well as
understanding the nature and purpose of higher education.
In addition, advisors help students understand the College’s general
education requirements; prepare fall and spring term registrations; and assist
students with fulfilling college requirements.
The advising process involves planning an educational program consistent
with the student’s interests and abilities while providing accurate
information about educational options, requirements, policies, and procedures.
In addition to your advisor, you will
also have a resource in your cohort faculty and peers.
The cohort system is a learning community in which you attend two courses
(COL 101 and English) with the same group of students.
The purpose of the learning community is to facilitate your transition to
Wesleyan by providing you with a support group immediately upon your arrival to
campus.
Throughout the year, you will attend
group advising sessions as well as individual sessions with your advisor.
The date and time of your first individual advising appointment will be
scheduled once you arrive on campus.
Your advisor can answer the following
questions and many more!
(1)
Why do I need an advisor?
(2)
Do I need to make an appointment
to meet with my advisor?
(3)
How do I change my schedule if I
want to drop or add a class?
(4)
When do I declare my major?
(5)
How do I monitor my academic
progress?
(6)
Do I have to attend January
term?
(7)
Where do I go if I need . . . ?
(8)
What is the procedure for
repeating a course?
(9)
What is my Student ID number and
do I need to know it?
(10)
Do
I HAVE to take this class?
Get to know your pre-major advisor--
just call, e-mail, or come to the Student Support Center!
What is Supplemental Instruction?
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an
academic assistance program that targets historically difficult courses. The
purpose of Supplemental Instruction is to help students improve their
understanding of course material and improve their grades.
The program offers assistance to students in these courses by providing
the students with a trained peer leader who can assist them with the subject
matter. SI leaders are sophomores,
juniors, and seniors who have at least a 3.0 GPA and have displayed competency
in a particular subject. They must
have received an A or A- in the course they facilitate and have the
recommendation of a faculty member. Currently,
SI is provided in about 20 courses each semester.
How does Supplemental Instruction work?
SI leaders are assigned to a course and
attend all class sessions. Two to
three times each week, SI leaders conduct regularly scheduled, out-of-class
study sessions that focus on specific course content and learning skills.
SI leaders provide materials such as practice worksheets, study guides,
and sample quizzes and tests to students during the SI sessions.
SI provides a forum for students to compare notes and discuss subject
matter with other students in the class. SI
sessions are free, voluntary, and are open to all students in the course.
Research indicates that students who attend SI sessions on a regular
basis achieve grades of ½ to 1 full letter grade higher than those students who
do not participate.
How do I know if I am enrolled in a
course that offers SI?
If you would like to know if you are
enrolled in a course with SI, you can do one of three things: (1) Look in the Supplemental
Instruction Brochure. This
brochure has a listing of all of the courses that offer SI by subject, section,
and instructor. Compare your
schedule to the list! (2) Call your advisor in the Student Support Center.
If you are pre-registered, your advisor will be able to tell you if you
are enrolled in a course with SI. (3)
Wait until the first day of class. If
you are enrolled in a course with SI, the SI leader will introduce
himself/herself and provide you with a brochure on this day.
Also, your professor may have included information about SI in the course
syllabus.
If I am enrolled in a course with SI,
how do I make the most of this resource?
There are many things you should do if
you are enrolled in a course that offers SI, including the following
suggestions:
(1)
Get to know your SI leader. Your
SI leader has been in your shoes before and has been successful!
He or she has a unique advantage in helping you because they can show you
the ropes! Your SI leader can share
with you what he/she already knows as well as help you understand what is going
on each day in your class.
(2)
Make time in your schedule to attend at least ONE SI session each week.
SI sessions are scheduled at times that are most convenient for students
in your class according to a survey that the class completes on the first day.
Try to balance your work schedule, practice time, and social time so that
you can devote at least ONE HOUR each week to SI.
(3)
Start attending SI sessions the first week they begin. Your SI leader will begin conducting SI sessions during the
second week of the semester. Don’t
wait until your first test to attend SI! You
will benefit the most by attending SI sessions on a REGULAR basis.
What have you got to lose? SI
is guaranteed study time!
(4)
Give feedback to your SI leader. Tell
your SI leader what has helped you the most, what you would like more of, or
what you need and are not receiving. Help
your SI leader help you!
Students
with Disabilities
YOU
ARE THE ONE IN CHARGE!
The increasing sense of empowerment for
students with disabilities has opened the doors to higher education, and the
Coordinator of Disabilities, whose office is located in the Student Support
Center, is available to assist you.
Remember, each person’s situation is
unique! This section is intended to
supplement the Handbook for Students with Disabilities, which you will
receive upon arrival at North Carolina Wesleyan College.
It is your responsibility to take
charge of your education at North Carolina Wesleyan College, but the following
tips may help you.
·
Disclose your disability to the
Coordinator of Disabilities as soon as possible, and provide the Coordinator
with documentation. Don’t be
afraid to ask for assistance; let the Coordinator help you assess your needs and
work out an accommodation plan for each semester.
·
Understand the type of
assistance the Coordinator of Disabilities can provide, as well as your
responsibilities as a student.
·
Try to accept and use
accommodations available for the classroom, laboratories, and testing
situations, as well as tutoring options.
·
Do not be ashamed or embarrassed
about having a disability. Asking
for assistance is NOT a sign of weakness.
·
Balance time needed for
non-academic, personal responsibilities and the time needed for learning course
material.
·
Work on improving your
organizational and time management skills, as well as your basic skills in
reading comprehension, mathematics, and writing.
FAQ:
FUNCTION OF DISABILITIES SUPPORT SERVICES AT NCWC
What is the function of the
Disabilities Support Services at North Carolina Wesleyan College?
North Carolina Wesleyan College is
responsible for complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
which states that “no qualified individual with disabilities shall, on the
basis of their disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the
benefits of or be subject to discrimination under any postsecondary program or
activity receiving federal financial assistance."
How are students with disabilities
identified?
In order to offer services to students
with disabilities, the Coordinator of Disabilities must have documentation of
the student’s disability on file. Documentation
guidelines are available through the Coordinator of Disabilities.
Once a student has been identified as a
student with disabilities, and has provided documentation to support this
disability, all documentation remains in the possession of the Coordinator of
Disabilities. It is important for
the Coordinator of Disabilities to maintain the confidentiality of all
information regarding a student and his disability.
The student will need to sign a release form for written information to
be sent to a professor. Each
student also signs a release form allowing this office to send an accommodation
plan to faculty.
What is the student’s role in the
design of accommodation plans?
Students are entitled to reasonable
access to programs and services, but they are NOT guaranteed success in academic
efforts. It is the student’s
responsibility
to provide appropriate documentation of the existence of a disability to the
Coordinator of Disabilities. The
student should also meet with each of his faculty members to discuss how to
implement the accommodation plan.
What
are the types of accommodations a student might request?
Students with disabilities are
otherwise qualified individuals who experience substantial limitations that call
for an adaptation of materials, methods, or environments to facilitate the
student’s learning. Accommodations
vary from one student to another, because no two disabilities are exactly the
same.
How can I talk with my professors about
my accommodation plan?
Talking with your professors about a
disability is always a difficult task, but once you have taken on this
challenge, you have also acknowledged that you are willing to seek help in that
professor’s class. It is best to
introduce yourself to the professor before or immediately after the first class
and make an appointment to speak with the professor during his or her office
hours regarding your accommodation plan.
The following tips might be helpful
when talking with your professor:
1.
Be
on time for your appointment.
2.
Explain
how your disability affects you. For
example, you might say, “I cannot take my own notes because I have to watch
your lips to understand what you are
saying,” or “I become easily distracted in class.”
If your disability affects your reading and writing comprehension, you
might inform the professor that sometimes words look different than they
actually are, or that you may have trouble concentrating in class.
3.
Tell
the instructor what types of accommodations work best for you, particularly if
you will need to see the professor’s face at all times to read his/her lips,
or if you need notetaking assistance, or to use a tape recorder in class.
The
most important item to remember is that it is YOUR responsibility to seek
assistance. Please contact the
Coordinator for Disabilities regarding the receipt of documentation and the
arrangement of accommodation plans.
Tutoring
What is it and how can it help?
Would you like to better understand
your course material? Are you
dissatisfied with your current grade? Do
you want to maintain, or improve, your course grade?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then tutoring is the
answer for you! Tutoring is a free
service offered to ALL North Carolina Wesleyan College students.
The Student Support Center offers both individual and group assistance by
trained Peer Tutors and/or Professional Tutors.
FACT:
During the 2001-2002 school year, 73% of all students who attended more
than three tutorial sessions earned a grade of a C or better in the course in
which they received assistance.
Who are Peer/Professional Tutors?
A Peer Tutor is a student who has a GPA of 2.8 or better and has received
a B+ or better in the course for which they are providing assistance.
Peer Tutors go through monthly training and developmental activities that
will better prepare them to help you achieve your goals!
A Professional Tutor is a community
member with a bachelor degree (master degree preferred) in the specific subject
that they are tutoring. Professional
Tutors work in the field of their degree.
FACT:
Faculty often recommend Peer Tutors to provide assistance in a subject.
How do I sign up for a tutor?
Please stop by the Student Support Center, Pearsall 188, and fill out a Request
for Tutoring Form. Once you
have completed and returned the Request
for Tutoring Form, a tutor will be assigned to you within two working days.
FACT: Over 225 NCWC students requested a tutor during the 2001/2002 school
year.
What should I expect when I have handed
in the Request for Tutoring Form?
FACT:
Most tutorial sessions occur in the Student Support Center or the
Pearsall Library.
What
can I expect from the Tutorial Sessions?
Your first session with your tutor will
be one of getting acquainted. Your
tutor will assess your situation in order to assist you in becoming the most
successful student you can be. Once
a tutor feels that he/she understands how to provide you the best assistance
possible, they will begin the actual tutoring session.
At the end of each session the tutor
will complete a Tutoring Report Form.
The form will cover the topics, chapters or problems you and the tutor
reviewed as well as highlight your strengths and weaknesses.
A copy of the form will go to your advisor, instructor and to your tutor.
FACT:
Many students who receive tutoring assistance in one subject enjoy it so
much they ask for help with other classes!
What can I do to be prepared for our
sessions?
You will want to do the following in preparation for working with your
tutor:
1)
Read
the chapters in your textbook(s) before coming to your session.
2)
Do
as much of the homework as you can prior to your session.
This means working on your math problems, creating an outline of the
paper you are writing, etc.
3)
Bring
your syllabus, class-notes, textbooks, quizzes and other assignments with you to
your session.
4)
Prepare
a list of questions concerning the material in which you would like assistance.
It
is important to realize that tutoring is additional assistance for you and that
the tutor will not do the work for you!
FACT:
The more seriously you take your studies the more likely you will achieve
academic success!
Academic
Skills Enhancement
Much of your success in college is due to time management and motivation.
If anyone has told you that you can get through college without studying,
they were wrong! Success in college
requires effort, which means you must be willing to set aside time for studying.
Typical workshops might cover topics such as time management, study
skills, stress, note taking, test anxiety, motivation, or writing skills.
For example, in a stress management
workshop, the staff members might ask the following questions: (1) Do you get
easily frustrated? (2)
Do you have trouble remembering things?
(3) Are you concerned about becoming burned out?
(4) Do you have trouble
sleeping? (5)
Do you rely on drugs or alcohol to cope?
The staff members would then provide you with some helpful techniques to
cope with your high stress levels.
Another workshop might cover study
skills, and could provide valuable study tips, including some of the following:
(1)
Location, location, location!!
Where you choose to study is extremely important!
(2)
Work a little everyday –
dividing your study time into small “chunks” or blocks is better than
cramming all of your studying into one night!
(3)
Seek help!! Work with a tutor, or attend a SI session.
Even “A” students go for tutoring and SI.
(4)
Write down dates!
(5)
Go to class prepared, and take
notes while in class. You never
know when you may see this information again!
(6)
Learn the “big picture.”
Look for bold print words, subject headings, or explanations for
illustrations in the textbook.
Please contact the Student Support
Center staff at 985-5131 for more information.
Transfer
Academic Orientation Program
The
Transfer Academic Orientation Program is offered to all students transferring to
Wesleyan from other institutions. If
you are new to Wesleyan, but not to college, plan to attend the Transfer
Academic Orientation Program. You
will learn about major/minor requirements, Degree Completion Advisories (DCA),
referral resources, campus organizations, helpful hints for Wesleyan students,
and much more! This will be a great
time for you to ask Student Support Center staff all of the questions you may
have about Wesleyan in general or the College’s policies and procedures.
See you there!
WesBridge
WesBridge
is designed to promote student success, improve the level of preparedness for
college work, and promote behaviors that will allow the student to monitor his/
her academic success while attending North Carolina Wesleyan College.
Benefits
of WesBridge include:
·
Ten day early orientation program
involving both academic and social activities
·
Individualized assistance and placement
in reading, writing, and mathematics
·
Development of a comprehensive,
individualized action plan (IAP) to enhance success at NCWC
·
Regular meeting with the WesBridge
director to ensure successful progression in coursework
You
will be a success!
You
have the brains! You have the
power! And now you have the support
you need to be a successful college student at North Carolina Wesleyan!
Take advantage of the resources described in this guide to help you
achieve the goals you want---good grades, a good job, a bright future!
The Student Support Center welcomes you!
We are glad you have chosen to be a part of North Carolina Wesleyan
College!
STUDENT
SUPPORT CENTER
188
PEARSALL CLASSROOM BUILDING
(252)
985-5131
Fax
(252) 985-5399
HOURS:
Monday-Thursday
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.