Emory University News Release

Release date: June 23, 2003
Contact: Deb Hammacher, Associate Director, University Media Relations,
at 404-727-0644 or dhammac@emory.edu

Students Can Take Steps Toward Academic Success

Academic success is no accident, and there are some common sense steps students can take to maximize their chances for succeeding, according to John Ford, senior vice president and dean of campus life at Emory University. From his nearly 30 years in higher education, Ford offers some advice that most students are aware of, but often overlook.

• Learn time management skills. "It’s more than saying ‘I’m not going to get behind.’ There are real time management skills that can be taught about planning an academic schedule and extracurricular activities," says Ford.

• Make the best use of study groups. If a teacher or professor allows or requires group work, students need to make the best use of those situations. Study groups don’t work for every course, but courses that have a lot of reading assignments or a lot of data collection can be good opportunities for group work. "If the professor says it’s OK, sharing information and ideas on assignments and test preparation can be a good way to deepen a student’s knowledge of the subject matter."

• Learn now to balance academic and other work with having a life. Some students go too far in one direction or another toward work or socializing and having a balance between those areas is one key to success, according to Ford.

• Get close to a faculty mentor. A student should seek out someone who can guide the student on academic choices plus serve as a big brother/big sister, an advisor and a helper. Such a mentor ultimately will be able to write a meaningful letter of recommendation, whether for a college or grad school application or for a job reference. "Too often students haven’t forged a close relationship with a faculty member and then find they have no teacher who knows them well enough personally to write a letter of recommendation with the conviction and enthusiasm a reader will be looking for."