Your First Day of College
Summer may be over, but the first day of school is here! What can you expect on your first day?
You get to meet professors! During this time, get a feel on their specific teaching style. Some professors will jump right into the material while others may spend time introducing themselves and the syllabus.The syllabus should be given to you by each professor and is very important to hold onto! It is a contract between students and professors. Many syllabuses will have the following information and more:
- Professor’s contact information
- Professor’s office hours and office location
- Required materials for the course
- Dates of tests/homework/projects
- Course grading scale
Here are a few suggested items to bring to class on the first day:
- Class schedule
- Notebook
- Pen/pencil
- Florida Tech ID card
Don’t be afraid to ask for directions! All students and faculty are friendly, helpful, and were once in your shoes.
The first day is not too early to start studying! During the first year at college, it is extremely important to instill proper time management skills. These skills help make the first year a smooth one!
Inside the Classroom
Average major-dependent class sizes range from 25-30 students while more general class sizes range from 50-75 students. These classes include General Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, etc. Laboratory class sizes are usually no larger than 20 students.
Professors teach the lectures and Graduate Student Assistants teach the labs. Not all professors take attendance but is the student’s responsibility to attend class and complete assignments. Attendance is required for all labs and failure to attend can result in a failing grade for the lab course.
Some professors put more emphasis on tests than homework while some are equal. Homework is given to help students learn and know material for the course. But, be aware extra credit is not a common occurrence among courses.
Learning is not limited to time in class. Quite a bit of learning is done outside of the classroom and an average of five to eight hours a week of studying should be done for every course. It is extremely important to stay on top of schoolwork and grades! Failure to stay above a grade point average of 2.00 can result in academic probation. Never be afraid to approach a professor for help! Faculty here at Florida Tech take a genuine interest in the success of their students and are always willing to help.
There are many resources available that help with academics. The Academic Support Center on campus is a free tutoring service for students that gives a variety of course help. The Mathematical Support Center is a free tutoring service specifically geared towards mathematical courses. These are just two examples of resources available.
