college 101
college transition
Secrets to Student Success
High School and Beyond
As a high school senior, Christlyn had a lot on
her plate—academics, club meetings, sports, a
part-time job, and trying to make time for fam-
ily and friends. She also decided to start taking
college classes for dual credit while still in high
school through UA Early College at The University
of Alabama. ing the ‘right’ material,” Christlyn recalled. “Not until taking the
art history class did I really begin to understand how to discern
the relevant concepts. I found using notecards to study was one
of the better tactics that helped me really learn and connect the
concepts.” The coordinator also guided Christlyn toward many
other (free!) resources she had access to as a UA Early College
student, including the UA Writing Center, the Career Center, and
the UA Libraries, among others.
Learning the Balance Christlyn learned three important things that
helped her as she transitioned into her freshman
year of college:
Even though Christlyn was excited to be taking college classes,
she knew her schedule would be busy, and she felt stressed about
balancing everything. But as it turned out, her first UA Early
College course—the four-week UAEC 200 College Readiness
Course—put her mind at ease. “UAEC 200 teaches you how to be
better at all the things that make you a successful student,” said
Christlyn. The course focuses on time management and reading
and understanding college textbook material, as well as prepar-
ing for college tests. After taking that course, Christlyn felt more
prepared for her first full-semester college course.
Applying the Skills
Not only was Christlyn able to implement these new habits in
her college classes, she found they helped her excel in her high
school classes, too. Things were going well, until Christlyn
enrolled in Art History 252, a survey of art history, and then she
started to feel stressed again. She just wasn’t learning the mate-
rial. Christlyn was nervous about asking for help, but eventually
she reached out to the UA Early College student success coordi-
nator for guidance.
Seeking Out Assistance
1 Always be willing to ask for guidance. Faculty and staff
can point you to more helpful resources than you might
even have known were available.
2 Realize college will be different. College classes will
offer a new level of academic rigor. Dedicate more time to
your studies to ensure you will be successful in your classes.
3 Establish your own study habits. Each semester, your
schedule and classes will change, but finding out early the
best study environment and strategies that work for you will
help you in the long run.
To learn more about UA Early College and the
academic opportunities available to high school
The student success coordinator helped Christlyn find the tutor-
ing assistance she needed through UA’s Capstone Center for Stu-
dent Success. “In high school, I studied a lot, but I wasn’t study-
students through this premier program, visit
uaearlycollege.ua.edu or call 205-348-7083.
www.potentialmagazine.com
Spring 2020 |
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