THE RISE
HOW TO SUCCEED AT
UC SAN DIEGO
( when you ’ re already trying )
BY JUDY PIERCEY
If you think it ’ s hard to get into UC San Diego , you ’ re right . Only about one-third of freshman applicants were admitted this past fall , with an average GPA above 4.0 . But as any Triton who ’ s survived a quarter will know , getting in is just the start of the work .
“ Students admitted to UC San Diego have robust academic credentials but differ widely in their personal background and classroom experiences . Teaching effectively in the face of this variation is challenging ,” says Gabriele Wienhausen , faculty director for the UC San Diego Teaching + Learning Commons , which recently received a permanent space in Geisel Library .
The campus launched the Teaching + Learning Commons in 2015 to improve and advance how we teach and learn . For undergraduate students , access to a suite of learning tools and services helps ensure their success at our campus , and beyond .
Stop by The Commons on most afternoons , and you ’ ll see a blur of activity . There are tutors — all of them students themselves — working one-onone with undergraduates seeking help with math and writing , peer-facilitated study groups to boost achievement in challenging courses , and new study coaches being trained to handle the growing influx of students . Since fall , The Commons has booked over 14,000 appointments and visits from students taking advantage of the services .
“ We admit smart students ,” Wienhausen adds , “ and now we have built a structure to continue their success at the university level .”
A big part of that structure relies on students themselves — those who have proven proficient in certain subjects are made available to help their peers .
Known as the Supplemental-to-Instruction program , these peer-facilitated study groups are resounding with students who like the approachability and personalized attention .
The program is a complement to all lower-division math courses — courses that a majority of UC San Diego students must pass . Undergraduates who have been successful students in math are trained to be peer facilitation leaders and guide other students in strategies for learning course content .
“ It ’ s not a program for struggling students . It ’ s a program targeting challenging courses ,” says Susan Renaldi , director of the Triton Achievement Hub , which oversees the program .
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM , The Commons uses new , innovative tools developed by UC San Diego that help students make the most of their college experiences . As the first university in the country to offer such resources , UC San Diego created a unique family of four Engaged Learning Tools that is changing the way our campus educates by offering
20 TRITON | SPRING 2017