What Is This Book About?

1 student success manual

Peck Cho

2 What is this book about?

This book will help you achieve academic success. Why would you need help? Just look at facts.

FACT #1: Most of MTU students are smart.

83 77 % of first year students who rate themselves as above average or in the highest 10% male female

FACT #2: 40% of all first year students end up on academic probation (achieving a GPA less than 2.0 at the end of a semester)!

Being smart or having done well in high school is no guarantee that you will do well in college.

This book shows you what you need to do to ensure academic success.

This book tells you not so much about studying hard, but shows you how to study smart so that you can achieve academic success without having to sacrifice other benefits of college experience.

This book is not a generic book. This book has been written specifically for the first year students at Michigan Tech. This book has been written just for YOU!

3 Why you should read this book

The author of this book is Dr. Peck Cho. Why you should listen to what he has to say about academic success?

He knows how students learn.  He received MTU Distinguished Teaching Award twice.  He received the Outstanding Teaching Award from the American Society of Engineering Education.  He received the Teetor Educational Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers.  He wrote a book on teaching techniques.

He knows why students struggle in class.  He has trained Engineering Learning Center coaches.  He started a student assistance program Academic Care in Engineering (ACE).  He himself struggled when in college and overcame the struggle!

He knows successful students.  He is an advisor to Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honor society.  He is an advisor to Pi Tau Sigma, the national mechanical engineering honor society.  He is an advisor to Alpha Society, an engineering honor society for freshmen and sophomores.

He knows how to help.  He is the University Ombudsperson.

Finally, he knows snow.

4 How to use this book…

This book is an action book. Just reading the content is not going to be too useful. You need to DO the things this book tells you to do.

This book tells you what to do week by week, starting from the orientation week to the finals weeks.

Although you may read ahead, you need to do the action items in the sequence presented in this book in the designated week.

If you are ready to do that, please read and sign below.

I promise to do all action items included in this book sincerely and in a timely manner.

Signed

6 Who are you?

ACADEMIC APTITUDE

Note that the ability to be addressed here is academic only.

ACADEMIC ATTITUDE

7 COMPOSITE PICTURE

CHO’S STUDENT TYPES

8 Why are you in college? pursuit of happiness? success? job? enlightenment? growth?

As the figure on the right shows, these goals are pretty much interrelated.

It may be wise to look at your goals in terms of long, intermediate and short- term goals.

You need to keep in mind your long-term goal at all times. But you need to make sure your short-term goals are achieved first.

9 Long term success

SHORT TERM GOAL LONG TERM GOAL steps you need to take to reach takes a while to accomplish long term goals.

11 Short-term success

What grade do you want to get this semester?

H I expect my GPA for this semester to be . O P Now, be realistic by actually computing your GPA with the grade you E expect for each course you are taking. COURSE No. of LETTER GPA PT. NUMBER CR GRADE* CR x GR**

TOTAL x y

* The letter grade A is worth 4 pts, B is 3 pts, C is 2 pts., etc. The intermediate grade is worth 0.5 pts. (e.g., BC is 2.5 pts).

** GPA point is calculated by multiplying the credit by your letter grade. For example, if you got AB (3.5 pts) in Chemistry which is a 5 credit course, then the GPA point for the course is 5 x 3.5 = 17.5.

Your expected overall GPA is y/x.

12 How do you intend to achieve the expected/desired GPA?

How many hours a week did you study at home during your senior year in high school? hours per week

Is the number of hours is in a single digit or barely above a single digit? And you still placed in the top 10% of your class and did well enough to be admitted to college!

Think again. College is different. How well you did when you were in high school doesn’t matter anymore.

What do you have to do?

By now you must be sick of hearing that you need to study two hours for every credit that you are taking.

How many hours a week of studying would that be for you? hours per week

Compare this number to the number of hours you spent studying in high school. That’s right. You will have to change your lifestyle (habits) to set aside that many hours for studying. You simply cannot carry on like your high school times and still expect to do well in college.

Because time is very precious in college, you will have to manage your time. And the best way to manage your time is to set up a time schedule and stick to it!

13 A Set up your time schedule. Action item

Do the next six steps right now.

STEP 1: Estimate the number of hours per week that you spend on each activity and enter it here.

STEP 2: If you have other regular activities, enter them here.

STEP 3: Add up all the hours and enter it here.

STEP 4: Compare it to the total number of hours that you have accounted for from the previous page.

STEP 5: Go back to the activity-time table and adjust the hours such that the total comes out 168.

STEP 6: Construct your weekly time schedule

14 STEP 1: Estimate the number of hours per week that you spend on each activity and enter it here.

Activity Estimate Adjustment ( HRS PER WK) no adjustment Class allowed no adjustment H Study no. CR x 2 = allowed

Extra-curricular Act. O P Socialize

Relax E

Exercise

Personal Hygiene

Cleaning

Transportation

Church

Errands

STEP 2: If you have other regular activities, enter them here.

STEP 3: Add up all the hours and enter it here.

15 STEP 4: Compare it to the total number of hours that you have accounted for from the previous page.

How many hours are there in a week?

24 X 7 = 168 hours

 My total is less than 168 hours by hours. If you cannot account for all 168 hours, then you are probably wasting your time!

 My total is greater than 168 hours by hours. You are trying to do too much. Need to cut down something!

STEP 5: Go back to the activity-time table and adjust the hours such that the total comes out 168. In the process, make sure you include:

 Sleep 7 ~ 9 hours per day. Do it on the daily basis, not four or five hours per day during the weekdays and then 12 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

 Exercise Do something physical every day. Exercise need not be time consuming. Walking up the stairs to get to your classes or your instructor’s office can be a great way to incorporate a bit of exercise in your daily routine without setting aside a big chunk of time. Also, getting involved in intramural sports is a wonderful way to exercise and socialize at the same time.

 Study 2 hours for every credit you are taking. Absolutely no if’s or but’s.

16 STEP 6: Construct your weekly time schedule (shown in the next page). TIPS for constructing your weekly time schedule

1. Enter the activities that are FIXED and MUST DO.  your classes  meals  personal hygiene  sleep  church (if you do attend one)

2. Enter the activities that are NICE TO DO but FIXED.  pre-scheduled extra-curricular activities (keep it to the minimum)  work (it may be a “must do” item for some of you)

3. Then enter other activities that you MUST DO but FLEXIBLE.  study  exercise

4. Now, look at the available time blocks and enter the rest of the activities.  socializing  relaxing  cleaning (laundry, etc.)

17 My Weekly Time Schedule 1 MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN AM 12 12 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 PM 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11

18 Use colored pens to highlight the classes and study time blocks to indicate your priority.

Students frequently misuse their time and end up acquiring bad habits.

BAD HABITS  I am always behind my schoolwork.  I am so busy that I even don’t have time to eat.  I am so sleep deprived that I can’t function properly.  I don’t do my best in my class because somehow exams and quizzes and projects come all at once.  I skip classes to study for an exam in another course.  I miss classes because I frequently oversleep.  I drop classes because I can’t handle the workload (not because they are too difficult or irrelevant to me.)

But, remember:

The only thing that is fair in life is that everyone gets 24 hours per day.

How well you do in life depends on what you do with your 24 hours each day.

High-paying job means your time is valuable.

The best way to prepare for a high-paying job in the future is for you to start to value your time now.

19 REMEMBER that your full time job is being a student!

If you are taking 16 credits, then you need to spend about a total of 48 hours per week studying, including going to classes. A full time job usually means a commitment of forty hours per week on the job. That is, you need to look at your studying as a full time job!

If you need to work to support yourself financially, then try to get work that you can include in your resume.

20 21 1

Where are you in class?

22 Class attendance

When I skip a class I say to myself:  I learn nothing from the lecture. H  The instructor is soooo~ boring. O  The class meets too early in the morning and I am not fully awake. P  I’ve already learned the material from my high school. E  I am going home and my ride leaves a day early.  I have exam in another course that I need to study for.

Don’t be tempted with one of the above excuses for skipping your class. If you find yourself entertaining these thoughts, then you should ask the following questions:  If I am learning nothing from the lecture, do I know well enough to teach it?  If the instructor is really that boring how do other students in the class stay awake?  If I am not fully awake by the class time, need I go to bed earlier?  Although the subject matter is something I learned in high school, is the depth (or maturity of understanding) required the same?  Do I really have to go home?  If I skip one class to study for another class, wouldn’t it be a vicious cycle that I am creating for myself?

Don’t ever give yourself any excuse for skipping a class. The only valid time is when you are too sick to get up. Hopefully, if you follow this manual, you will not get sick.

A Go to all classes. Action item

23 Where do you usually sit?

Imagine the diagram below is your classroom. Indicate the location(s) where you usually sit. H O P E

window

instructo r

blackbo ard

If you were at a concert, you would want to be in a front row seat. If you were at a basketball game, you would want to be in a courtside (front row) seat. If you were at a boxing match, you would want to be at a ringside (front row) seat. If you were at an IMAX theater, you would want to be at a center seat. If you were at a football game, you would want to be at the 50-yard line (the center of the field).

24 That’s right. The best seat in your classroom is also the front or center of the classroom. Since you are charged one same price for any seat in the classroom, it’s entirely up to you to get the best seat for yourself.

Where you sit in your classroom can make a difference! It is a known fact that the students sitting in front or center tend to do very well in class.

If the lecture is boring to you, then avoid sitting in the back corner.

If you daydream a lot, then avoid sitting in the back rows.

If you get easily distracted, then don’t The seats by a wall sit by a window can give you a false sense of security and comfort

Instructor

instructor

A Sit in the front or center of the classroom. Action item

25 Complete the weekly self-assessment in the next page.

Do this on Sunday evening just before you are ready to go to bed. H

 Part 1 is assessing your performance during the week. O P  Part 2 is previewing the coming week. E  Part 3 is keeping track of progress.

26 WEEKLY ASSESSMENT Week # 1

CLASS PARTICIPATION GRADE Attended all class on time F D C B A Sat in front and center F D C B A Was attentive throughout lecture F D C B A Asked / answered questions F D C B A

INTERACTION Talked in person with my instructor times/week Other contacts (tel., e-mail, etc.) times/week

STUDY HABIT Previewed lecture material F D C B A Reviewed lecture material F D C B A Done all homework F D C B A

MAINTENANCE Had enough sleep F D C B A Ate regularly F D C B A

Ate wisely F D C B A Exercised regularly F D C B A

OVERALL Number of hours studied this week hours Stuck to my schedule F D C B A

You and your instructor

Friend or foe?

28 Know your instructor

How much do you know about your instructor?

He/she knows class my instructor’s name is his/her office is. who I am. H O yes no P yes no E yes no

yes no

By now you should know who your instructors are and where their offices are. Also, it’s important that you have made personal contacts with your instructors. If you could not complete the above with “yes” in each line, what’s your excuse?

excuse comment I have no reason to visit my instructor. That impossible!  I have no question to ask. If you don’t have any question, why are you taking the course?

I am an introvert. I am too shy to talk Are you going to be too shy to  to my professors. introduce yourself to a potential employer when you look for a job?

I just don’t feel up to it. Do you enjoy being a number? If not,  make yourself known.

29 A Make yourself known to your instructors. Action Visit your instructor during the office hour. item

When you paid your tuition, you did not buy knowledge. The information you need to know is in textbooks, which you purchased separately!

What you are “buying” is essentially your instructor’s time. Make the best use of it.

Don’t remain anonymous to your instructor. Don’t be a number to your instructor.

Visit your instructor during his/her office hours. Introduce yourself and ask a question.

A good question to ask would be:

 Could you explain ?  I know how this works in this case. What if …?  Could you recommend any additional problems?  What is the best way to study for this class?

Don’t ask:

 Is this going to be on the exam?  Do I really have to read this section?  Can I turn the assignment late?

MAINTENANCE Had enough sleep F D C B A

Ate regularly F D C B A Ate wisely F D C B A Exercised regularly F D C B A

Learning Centers

32 STUDY CYCLE

This study cycle is to be repeated for each lecture for every course you are taking. The black dotted action items are mandatory for each lecture period. The white dotted action items are recommended at a regular interval, such as weekly or bi-weekly. Preview

Do homework Attend lecture

Review

Preview:

Review:

Group study:

33 Preview

Visit learning center

Do homework problems Attend lecture

Meet with instructor Ask questions

Do example Review problems

34 35 A Visit Learning Centers. Action item

37 38 4

39 Kelly address

EDUCATION MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY Houghton, MI BS Mechanical Engineering, November 1997 GPA: 3.90 – Graduated Summa Cum Laude Passed the EIT

EXPERIENCE 6/97 – 8/97 GENERAL ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT ENGINES Cincinnati, OH Summer Intern, CF6 Airline Support Engineering  Provided Airline Customer Technical Support  Completed Many Small Technical Projects Including Limit Investigations, Failure Predictions, Hardware Life Tracking  Completed a Jet Engines Concepts Class and Public Speaking Training

6/96 – 8/96 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Minneapolis, MN Summer Research Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Department  Designed a Lacrimal Intubation System, Classified Surgical Equipment Kinematically  Poster Presentation

5/95 – 8/95 NASA LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER Cleveland, OH Summer Intern, Microgravity Combustion Branch  Equipment Design, Computer Programming, Data Acquisition and Compilation, Measurements of Velocity Profiles in Flow Ducts  Poster Presentation

HONORS Pi Tau Sigma – Vice President and Social Chair – National Mechanical Engineering Honor Society – Host of 1996 National Convention Tau Beta Pi – National Engineering Honor Society Alpha Society – Freshman and Sophomore Honor Society Dean’s List – Every Term Board of Control Scholarship, Gust K. Newberg Engineering Scholarship, Verle Klungness Academic Scholarship

ACTIVITIES Biomedical Engineering Society – President Student Advisory Committee – Mechanical Engineering Department Big Sister in the local Big Brothers / Big Sisters Program Grader – Thermodynamics Professor

SKILLS  Leadership  Teamwork  Training in CADKEY and I-DEAS  Knowledge of DOS, Windows, and MAC based programs

REFERENCES Available upon request

40 Kelly’s GPA is very good. That’s why she placed her GPA early and highlighted in bold Kelly

EDUCATION MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY Houghton, MI BS Mechanical Engineering, November 1997 GPA: 3.90 – Graduated Summa Cum Laude Passed the EIT

EXPERIENCE 6/97 – 8/97 GENERAL ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT ENGINES Cincinnati, OH Summer Intern, CF6 Airline Support Engineering  Provided Airline Customer Technical Support Great work experience.  Completed Many Small Technical Projects Including Limit Investigations, Failure Predictions, Hardware Life Tracking Relevant to engineering.  Completed a Jet Engines Concepts Class and Public Speaking Training Includes sufficient but

6/96 – 8/96 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Minneapolis, MN brief explanation to Summer Research Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Department  Designed a Lacrimal Intubation System, Classified indicate that the job was Surgical Equipment Kinematically  Poster Presentation technically oriented.

5/95 – 8/95 NASA LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER Cleveland, OH Primed for R&D type job. Summer Intern, Microgravity Combustion Branch  Equipment Design, Computer Programming, Data Acquisition and Compilation, Measurements of Velocity Profiles in Flow Ducts  Poster Presentation

HONORS Pi Tau Sigma – Vice President and Social Chair – National Mechanical Engineerin Honor Society – Host of 1996 National Convention Tau Beta Pi – National Engineering Honor Society Alpha Society – Freshman and Sophomore Honor Society Dean’s List – Every Term Board of Control Scholarship, Gust K. Newberg Engineering Scholarship,Verle Klungness Academic Scholarship

ACTIVITIES Biomedical Engineering Society – President Student Advisory Committee – Mechanical Engineering Department Big Sister in the local Big Brothers / Big Sisters Program Grader – Thermodynamics Professor

SKILLS  Leadership  Teamwork  Training in CADKEY and I-DEAS Kelly is showing her  Knowledge of DOS, Windows, and MAC basedleadership qualities here. programs She is also stressing REFERENCES Available upon request teamwork skills. (Teamwork skills is one of the skills

41 John

Objective Seeking employment in software or systems engineering.

Computer Hardware Systems Languages Experience • Sun Workstations • SunOS 4.1 • Pascal • IBM PC family • VM/CMS • BASIC • Apple Macintosh • MS-DOS • Assembly • Sequent Balance • Sequent Dynix • Mac Applications • IBM System/370

Work General Dynamics, Sterling Heights, MI; May 1992 – Aug. 1992 Experience Vehicle Electronics Systems Engineer  Defined requirements for real time inter-vehicle digital communications system (IVIS), including integration of thermal viewer, fire control unit, and display.  Supported initial hardware / software integration for M1A2 IVIS system, Bradley IVIS system, and the Combat Vehicle Command and Control IVIS system.  Responsible for testing and determining the functionality of new software releases.  Downloaded and tested software for U.S. Army vehicle field test while at Fort Hood, TX.  Wrote and executed formal test procedures, in both the vehicle and the lab.  Retested and updated the status of existing system trouble reports.  Programmed Loral SBA 100F Data Bus Analyzer to simulate bus controllers and remote terminals, as well as to monitor system data transfer.  Participated in system functionality demonstrations for client VIP representatives.  Trained other employees on Loral Data Bus Analyzer use and IVIS functionality. WMTU Radio Station, Houghton, MI; 1989 – 1992 Senior Staff – Programming Director; Volunteer  Hired, trained, and managed music directors, station supervisor, record librarians, and disc jockeys.  Formatted individual radio shows.  Interacted with record companies and promoters.

Education Michigan Technological University; Sept. 1989 – Present B.S. in Electrical Engineering – Computer Engineering Option Expected Graduation: Feb. 1993 GPA 3.44/4.00 Overall; 3.53/4.00 in Major

Electronics courses include Computer Engineering, Power, Electromagnetics, Network Analysis, Computer – Aided Circuit Analysis and Design, Logic Design, Systems Engineering, Communications, Electronics, Microcomputer Interfacing, VLSI Design, Computer Networks, Microcomputer Architecture, and Pascal.

42 John decided to John emphasize his address computer Objective Seeking employment in software or systems engineering. background. This

Computer Hardware Systems Languages is his strength. Experience • Sun Workstations • SunOS 4.1 • Pascal • IBM PC family • VM/CMS • BASIC • Apple Macintosh • MS-DOS • Assembly • Sequent Balance • Sequent Dynix • Mac Applications • IBM System/370

Work General Dynamics, Sterling Heights, MI; May 1992 – Aug. 1992 Experience Vehicle Electronics Systems Engineer  Defined requirements for real time inter-vehicle digital communications system (IVIS), including integration of thermal viewer, fire control unit, and display. Work experience  Supported initial hardware / software integration for M1A2 IVIS system, Bradley IVIS system, and the Combat Vehicle Command and covers both Control IVIS system.  Responsible for testing and determining the technical functionality of new software releases.  Downloaded and tested software for U.S. Army vehicle as well as “soft” field test while at Fort Hood, TX.  Wrote and executed formal test procedures, in both the skills. vehicle and the lab.  Retested and updated the status of existing system trouble reports.  Programmed Loral SBA 100F Data Bus Analyzer to simulate bus controllers and remote terminals, as well as to monitor system data transfer.  Participated in system functionality demonstrations for client VIP representatives.  Trained other employees on Loral Data Bus Analyzer use and IVIS functionality.  WMTU Radio Station, Houghton, MI; 1989 – 1992 Senior Staff – Programming Director; Volunteer  Hired, trained, and managed music directors, station supervisor, record librarians, and disc jockeys.  Formatted individual radio shows.  Interacted with record companies and promoters. John is Education Michigan Technological University; Sept. 1989 – Present highlighting his B.S. in Electrical Engineering – Computer Engineering Option GPA in major Expected Graduation: Feb. 1993 GPA 3.44/4.00 Overall; 3.53/4.00 in Major which is better

Electronics courses include Computer Engineering, Power, Electromagnetics, Network than his overall Analysis, Computer – Aided Circuit Analysis and Design, Logic Design, Systems Engineering, Communications, Electronics, Microcomputer Interfacing, VLSI Design, GPA. Computer Networks, Microcomputer Architecture, and Pascal.

Construct your future resume. O A P Action item E

This is what you want your resume to look like by the time you graduate.

44 Your resume expected at graduation

NAME ADDRESS TEL.

EDUCATION MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY Houghton, Michigan BS in GPA:

EXPERIENCE

HONORS

ACTIVITIES

SKILLS

REFERNECES Available upon request

Keep track of your achievements. O A P Action item E

This is what your resume looks like right now.

Don’t worry if this page is quite empty.

Come back to this page from time to time and update your resume.

46 CURRENT

NAME ADDRESS TEL.

EDUCATION MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY Houghton, Michigan BS in GPA:

EXPERIENCE

HONORS

ACTIVITIES

SKILLS

REFERNECES Available upon request

MAINTENANCE Had enough sleep F D C B A Ate regularly F D C B A Ate wisely F D C B A

Exercised regularly F D C B A

MAINTENANCE Had enough sleep F D C B A

Ate regularly F D C B A Ate wisely F D C B A Exercised regularly F D C B A

53 H O MID SEMESTER ASSESSMENT P Did I achieve all my short-term goals?  YES  NO E If yes, what is my new short-term goal(s)?

If not, how do I intend to attain them this semester?

Reflections

What are plausible reasons (bad habits) for failing to achieve my goal(s)?

1.being lazy or seeking comfort  2.being hyper-active and talkative  3.succumbing to peer pressure 

4.being conceited or driven by praise 

5.drinking and partying excessively  6.seeking pleasure or addicted to trivial competitiveness  7.being envious of others or ashamed of oneself  8.being greedy 

54 55 SMART and WISE goals

Goal statement needs to be SMART.

NOT SMART BEING SMART

Specific I intend to do much better.

Measurable I will study very hard. I plan to get A in Physics

by studying two hours for each Action-oriented class.

Realistic Would I really be able to spend two hours for every lecture?

I will get at least 80% in the Timely third exam and then at least 90% for the final exam.

When executing the goals, be WISE.

Willingness You really have to want it. Otherwise, you are going to give it up half way.

Initiative Don’t wait until everything’s just right. If you want to achieve your goal, then you have to create the conditions needed to achieve your goals.

Stamina You need to be persistent.

Enthusiasm If you are going to do something, then you might as well do it with enthusiasm.

58 59 WEEKLY ASSESSMENT Week # 8

69 student-centered learning-centered education

homogeneous – diverse life-long