Resources for Undergraduate Students


Expectations in College and University Courses

In colleges and universities there are certain expectations of students in terms of both education and behavior. Unfortunately, these expectations are usually not explicitly stated, and many students are unaware or unprepared for what is required of them.

In my opinion, these misunderstandings are one of the biggest obstacles to student success.

To make the details of these expectations more explicit, the links below include a number of pages providing advice and information on various academic issues. Most of the information in these links can be summarized in two maxims:
  1. Take responsibility for your own learning; and
  2. Treat your professors and your classmates in a professional and respectful manner.
The information in the links below goes into specifics and greater detail on various issues. Some of this advice may seem like common sense, and some of the descriptions may seem a bit pedantic --- if that is the case for you, then that is good; it means you already have a good understanding of what is expected of you. However, if anything you read seems surprising or different from what you thought to be true, you should think more carefully about those issues.



Advice for Undergraduates

The purpose of the following advice is to help you. The goal of this information is to make you more aware of some attitudes and behaviors that may be hindering your education, and provide constructive suggestions on how to avoid and overcome obstacles.





Note: The New York Times published an article "U Can't Talk to Ur Professor Like This" (also available here) discussing etiquette in academia and linking to some of the resources on this page.



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