CLASS LOCATION AND TIME

Going to class is important. This may seem obvious but can be taken for granted. It is the BARE MINIMUM. Many students believe skipping class and using that time to read the textbook and study is more efficient. This is rarely the case. You may read material that is not needed and professors usually give hints and examples that they may use for the test. Going to class helps you focus on the things you need to know which results in saving time and effort. Other benefits may include:

• Developing rapport with your professor. This can be advantageous when you need help or need a recommendation letter.

• Developing relationships and camaraderie with classmates and creating a "safety network" that can help if you miss class, need help on assignments, etc.

INSTRUCTOR INFO

• Instructor's Name and Title: Know the name and title of your professor just out of common decency and respect. These things may seem small but they help build rapport and relationships with your professors. This in turn, can lead to opportunities such as recommendation letters or research positions.
• Office Location and Hours: Know their office location and hours info. They should be one of the first people you seek when you are having difficulties in class. Many of us got near perfect assignment grades by taking advantage of their availability to the fullest. We'd complete as much of an assignment as soon as possible, go to the professor's office hours to verify the ones we did were more or less correct and get guidance on the ones we did not know how to even start. This was repeated until the assignment was completed. Often our diligence was rewarded and built a good rapport with the professor. This would then lead to recommendation letters, research positions, etc. Know the same information for the TA as the professor. Sometimes only the TA will be available or more approachable.
• Contact: Know the preferred methods of contact with your professors for addressing concerns and questions. Professors oftentimes teach multiple classes, so simple questions, concerns or messages can be addressed without having to come in during office hours. Also, unforeseeable situations may arise that may make it difficult to come in.

Required Textbook

Most of us have never read an entire chapter in our textbooks for the courses covered on this website. We used the textbook as reference, to expand notes, or clarify our understanding and largely as a supplement to the class. The focus was primarily on the problems and examples given in class as they were likely to appear on tests and other assignments. Understand that there are a so many resources at your disposal and it doesn't matter how you obtain the knowledge. If you find another textbook, YouTube video or other resource that is easier to understand, go for it. Do not be so inflexible to believe the required textbook is the be all end all.

CLASS POLICIES

This is one of the most important sections on the syllabus. It gives you information on what is allowed and the operating procedures for the class. Find out what you are allowed and not allowed to do and use. Know what you have to your disposal and what to do to make the effort of getting the grade you want, easier. Here are some things to look out for:

• Attendance
• Exams: use of calculators (and the type allowed) for exams. Formula or cheat sheets. Open or close book. Re-grades Make-up exams Drop exams
• Assignments: make-up or late assignments, allowed to work in groups or not, drop assignments
• Quizzes
• Drop Dates

Grades

Understanding what constitutes an A, B, etc. and how you are graded is arguably the most important section of the syllabus. Learn all parts of this section, understand it, internalize it! Doing so will give you an internal barometer to gauge where you're at from the grade you want as the semester progresses. In fact, many of us made spreadsheets to consistently keep track of our grades. Below we further elaborate on items typically used to calculate your final grade.

• Attendance: If this is part of your grade, always show up. These are FREE points earned just for showing up.
• Assignments: These are considered semi-free points because you will have multiple resources in which you can draw from such as friends, the internet, textbook etc. You will have a longer time frame in which they are due, and thus more time to study/complete them. However, try to complete these as soon as you can in order utilize office hours and maximize your grade as mentioned above.
• Exams: This will be the largest and most important percentage of your grade. Professors often use similar questions from semester to semester and year to year. Try looking for past exams (Google, former students, etc). These can give you an idea of the style and type of questions that the exams will focus on.
• Grading Breakdown and Scale: You will need to understand what defines one grade from another. That is, how many points are required to get an A compared to an A- or a B. Also, understand how grading is divided between assignments, quizzes, exams, etc. This will help you develop strategies in regards to what you need to earn and focus on in order to compensate or strike a "balance" between other components. For example, some components of the class will be more difficult. Maximizing your points from an easier component (e.g., attendance) can help compensate out another component that is more difficult (e.g., exams).

Class Calendar

Know the important dates so you can plan your strategy appropriately. Set reminders, put alarms on your phone and mark your calendar days in advance. This will also give you ample time to deal with the intangibles such as an illness, accident, etc. Below are just some of the things you should keep track of:

• Registration Dates/Times
• Drop Dates
• Exam Dates
• Quiz Dates
• Assignment Due Dates
• Project Due Dates
• Tuition Due Dates