Alma College Student Success Manual
“In high school, I never had much homework. My grades were great if I hit the books the night before the test. College was completely different for me. Everything came up so fast, and I had a hard time with exams. I guess I didn’t learn how to study effectively in high school.”
We bring our history to every new thing we try; the same is true for college. This site contains an abundance of strategies for managing the transition to college life and becoming a “master” student. Check back to see what’s been added and don’t forget the “Real words from real students” pages (which will be posted throughout the year).
You might already know some of the life skills here. Congrats! Sometimes success is just pushing a little deeper than you have previously. College requires more effort than high school, but the “Study smarter, not harder” maxim can work for you, especially with active participation in your learning.
All the files in this site are loaded as .pdf files. They will either load to your page, or download automatically, depending on how you have set your browser preferences. Plan to print out the most important ones so you can study them or post them in a handy location. Happy hunting!
SYLLABUS FOR COLLEGE 101: Use this website over a term! (.pdf download)
Major Subpages (select from sidebar navigation)
- Learning How to Learn (general techniques and info about learning)
- Organization/Balance/Goal-setting (such as time management, procrastination)
- Developing Your Academic “Smarts” (reading, listening, note-taking skills, etc.)
- Preparing for Exams: That Study Thing (effective study, prep for exams of all kinds)
- Additional Life Skills (dealing with laundry, a budget and other things)
- Links to other useful sites (within the College and elsewhere)
All the documents on this site were created by Dr. Kay Grimnes, Professor of Biology, unless a page specifically says otherwise. I’m always looking for potential profiles for our “Real words from real students” section and suggestions for the “tips” pages, so send them to me at grimnes@alma.edu. Check the site to make sure your ideas aren’t already here. Together we can make a great resource!
