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Your time is usually structured by others.
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You manage your own time.
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You can count on parents and teachers to remind you of your
responsibilities and to guide you in setting priorities.
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You will be faced with a large number of moral and ethical
decisions you have not had to face previously. You must
balance your responsibilities and set priorities
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Each day you proceed from one class directly to another.
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You often have hours between classes: class times vary
throughout the day and evening.
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You spend 6 hours each day - 30 hours a week - in class.
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You spend 12 to 16 hours each week in class.
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Teachers carefully monitor class attendance.
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Professors may not formally take roll, but they are still likely
to know whether or not you attend.
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Teachers check your completed homework.
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Professors may not always check completed homework, but they
will assume you can perform the same tasks on tests.
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Teachers approach you if they believe you need assistance.
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Professors are usually open and helpful, but most expect you to
initiate contact if you need assistance.
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Teachers often write information on the board to be copied
in your notes.
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Professors may lecture nonstop, expecting you to identify the
important points in your notes. When professors write on the
board, it may be to amplify the lecture, not to summarize it.
Good notes are a must.
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Teachers often take time to remind you of assignments and due
dates.
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Professors expect you to read, save, and consult the course
syllabus (outline); the syllabus spells out exactly what is
expected of you, whit it is due, and how you will be graded.
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You may study outside of class as little as 0 to 2 hours a week,
and this may be mostly last-minute test preparation.
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You need to study at least 2 to 3 hours outside of class for
each hour of class.
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You will usually be told in class what you needed to learn from
assigned readings.
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It's up to you to read and understand the assigned material;
lectures and assignments proceed from the assumption that you've
already done so.
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Testing is frequent and covers small amounts of material.
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Testing is usually infrequent and may be cumulative, covering
large amounts of material. You, not the professor, need to
organize the material to prepare for the test. A particular
course may have only 2 or 3 tests in a semester.
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Makeup tests are often available.
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Makeup tests are seldom an option; if they are, you need to
request them.
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Consistently good homework grades may help raise your overall
grade when test grades are low.
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Grades on tests and major papers usually provide most of the
course grade.
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Initial test grades, especially when they are low, may not have
adverse effect on your final grade.
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Watch out for the first tests. These are usually wake-up
call to let you know what is expected - but they also may account
for a substantial part of your course grade
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