General Class Tips
- Your professors will not usually remind you when things are due. They put it on the syllabus and then expect you to keep track of due dates. Refer to your syllabus all the time! Don’t let a paper or a test sneak up on you. One good way to do this is to put assignments and tests on your calendar or in your planner well in advance. We often take the first weekend of the semester to put all of our major deadlines and tests on our Google Calendar.
- It is well worth your time to make a friend or two in each of your classes--or if not a friend, at least an acquaintance who'd be willing to share notes and get you up to speed when you miss class. Be willing to return the favor if others need your help too.
- We feel a bit like hypocrites saying this, but you really should try and get an early start on big projects. In some classes, a major paper can be worth nearly half of your grade--in some classes we took, it was our entire class grade. Starting early allows you to go to your professor for advice, work with your TA on revising drafts, and get the assignment turned in on time without having to resort to a 48-hour writing marathon. (It's not an enjoyable time; take our word for it.)
- At some point during your college career, you may find yourself struggling in or hating a class so much that your academic and emotional survival requires you to abandon it. Such a decision should not be taken lightly, but if you've thought things through and decided that it's for the best, you can withdraw from a class (as long as it's before the withdraw deadline, which is usually about 3/4 the way through the semester). You can do this on MyMAP. However, make sure that withdrawing doesn't put you below the number of credits required to keep your scholarship (usually 14) or to be a full-time student (12). Also be aware that the class will appear with a 'W' grade on your transcript, which won't affect your GPA but may look bad on graduate school applications.
Study Tips
- There's a wide variety of opinions about study groups. Some people thrive working with others to memorize facts and hone skills. Others do better reviewing material on their own. The effectiveness of a study group can also vary depending on the subject of the class and how well those in your group can focus. That being said, a good study group can be a godsend in some difficult classes. (We've had great experiences with study groups in language classes and history classes.) For some good tips on organizing study groups, visit this link: http://ctl.byu.edu/single-article/how-organize-and-conduct-effective-study-groups.
- Take advantage of your short breaks in-between classes to get homework done, instead of just goofing off on your smartphone or meandering around campus. The more you can get done during the day, the more time you have to relax in the evening.
- Take advantage of the help your TAs offer. They can really help you with questions about material, tests/papers, class policies, etc.
- Form study groups with people in your classes. Studying with other people is a great way to make sure that you didn’t miss any information from class and that you understand things well
- Study on campus. When you’re at your dorm/apartment, you’ll want to party. Get things done on campus and go home to relax.
Tests
- At BYU, many of your tests will be taken in the Heber J. Grant building, commonly known as the Testing Center. The Testing Center is located at the southwest end of campus, between the Joseph Smith Building and the Maeser Memorial. To take a test here, you'll need to bring your student ID and a writing utensil of your choice (they'll sell you a pencil for 30 cents, if you need one). You'll also want to make sure you're following the dress and grooming standards to a T: they frequently turn away students for not being clean shaven or for wearing short shorts.
- Give yourself enough time to complete your test. The Testing Center is usually open until 10:00pm on weekdays and 4:00 on Saturdays, but it sometimes has different hours, so check the website before you go (testing.byu.edu). On the website you can also see a live video feed of the current line conditions, so you'll have an idea of how long you'll be waiting in line. Also be aware that the Testing Center stops distributing tests an hour before closing time.
- If you work best with a little bit of background noise, there's a room on the top floor of the testing center that plays soft instrumental music. To reach it, turn left when you enter the main test hall, walk to the wall, then go up the stairs to your left.
- It is 100% okay to bring in food to snack on during your Testing Center tests. Bring a water bottle and something to snack on, particularly if you anticipate your test taking a while. (However, for the sake of everyone, please do not bring loud snacks, or snacks in loud bags. Nothing is more irritating than the guy or girl in front of you munching on baby carrots while you're struggling to take a test.)
- Teachers will often give you several days during which you can take their test at the Testing Center. The last of these days is often a "late day." If you wait for the late day to take your test, the Testing Center will charge $5 to your student account. We recommend that you avoid becoming a habitual late day test-taker. Those $5 fees can add up quickly if you have to pay them every time you take a test. Plus, taking a test is miserable enough--why pay your torturers money? That being said, there will come times when $5 is a small price to pay for an extra day of study. Use good judgment.