Academic Communication and Success

As Academic Advisors, we have worked with thousands of students to achieve college success in and out of the classroom. For many, this includes managing their own academic information, asking questions and responding to communication from others.

Right now, first-year and sophomore students are continuing to gain their footing in college and in their majors. Seniors, juniors and some sophomores are looking ahead toward study abroad, degree completion, internships, graduate school and starting work. Developing strong communication skills will help all students gain more from their academic experiences.

There are constant opportunities to practice these skills and use available resources: responding promptly to email and phone messages, accessing the tremendous amount of information on the CSB and SJU web site, developing academic plans, reviewing transcript and DegreeWorks information and reaching out to faculty and other resources.

Students may welcome a conversation about how best to keep track of their academic information, organize and respond to email and seek information. A good starting question might be, “have you checked your email during the break?” If you haven’t discussed grades, this might be a good time to do so before the start of the semester.

Some important deadlines to be aware of in the coming weeks which you might remind your Bennie or Johnnie are:

• Jan. 17 — Spring Term opens (no Class on January 16, Martin Luther King holiday)
• Jan. 23 — Last day to add a full-term course
• Feb. 10 —Last day to drop any course WITHOUT a transcript entry (permanent drop)