Academic Life
By Kelci Lynn, About.com Guide to College Life
Although your college life probably includes much more than just academics, staying on top of your academic requirements is the key to your ultimate goal: graduation. Learn how to stay focused, stay balanced, and make the most of your time in the classroom.
- Handling the Workload
- Choosing Your Academic Path
- Interacting with Professors
- Overcoming Challenges Along the Way
Handling the Workload
Lecture. Discussion. Reading. Homework. Lab time. Lab reports. Papers. Research. Midterms. Group work. Finals. How's a college student to handle it all?
- Time Management Tips for College Students
- How to Control and Manage College Stress
- Tips for Working on Group Assignments
- Citation Resources for College Papers
- 10 Good Places to Study on Campus
- How to Plan for a Major Research Paper or Project
- How to Ask for an Extension
Choosing Your Academic Path
From picking classes to picking a major, the array of academic options available to college students can sometimes seem overwhelming. Figure out how to narrow down your choices and create an academic experience that's exactly what you want.
- How to Pick Your Classes
- What to Do If a Class Is Full
- How to Pick a Major
- Should I Double Major?
- How Important Is a College Minor?
Interacting with Professors
They may seem intimidating at first, but most college professors are interesting, engaging people who want to help. Knowing how to make the most of your interactions with them can have a significant and long-lasting impact on your academic experience.
- How to Get to Know Your Professors
- What to Do If You Have a Bad Professor
- How to Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation
- How to Approach a Professor About Working Together
- The Skinny on Faculty-Ranking Websites
Overcoming Challenges Along the Way
While balancing the usual college requirements can be hard enough, life sometimes gets in the way. And while things can sometimes seem completely overwhelming (if not darned near impossible), there is almost always a way to figure out how to stay on track academically despite your circumstances.
- What to Do If You're Failing a Class
- What to Do If You've Failed a Class
- How to Petition for a Grade Change
- What to Do If You're Placed on Academic Probation
- What to Do If You're Charged with Plagiarism
- How to Add or Drop a Class
- When to Take a Class As Pass/Fail
- Having a Learning Disability in College
- How to Handle an Unexpected Illness or Personal Situation
- How to Handle a Financial Emergency
Finding Balance
True, you may be able to get everything done during your time in school, but it may not be pretty. Finding and maintaining balance amidst the chaos of your college life can be a challenge, but it also can become crucial for preventing burnout and sustaining yourself until graduation day.
- 4 Tips for Balancing a College Job and Academics
- Be Politically Active And Still Get Your Homework Done
- How to Manage Your Homework Over a College Break
- 5 Smart Ways to Spend Your College Summers
Studying Abroad
The perfect academic complement to anyone's college experience, studying abroad can be the highlight of your time in school. From what it costs to how it can help your career after you graduate, make sure you've thought and planned everything through before boarding the plane.
- Is Studying Abroad Right for Me?
- Studying Abroad If You're a Science Major
- Financial Considerations of Studying Abroad
- How Study Abroad Can Help You Prepare for Graduate School
- How Study Abroad Can Help You Prepare for Your Career
- 5 Domestic Off-Campus Study Programs
The Value of a College Degree
Earning a college degree provides you with a lifetime of benefits: intellectual, academic, social, financial, personal, professional. Remembering why you're working so hard for that one piece of paper can be a challenge sometimes, however.
