Alice F. Randall Writing Center

CENTER FOR

ACADEMIC SUCCESS

The Center for Academic Success (CAS) develops and facilitates services to support the academic success of students. The CAS includes the Alice K. Randall Writing Center, Tutoring Services and Student Success. Using a holistic approach that fosters independent learning, the CAS helps students identify obstacles or challenges to academic success, plus develop strategies to overcome them. It also provides support systems and resources to become academically successful.

LOCATION

Christopher Newport Hall, Suite 124

The transition to college academics can be challenging, as even the brightest students need to adopt a more active learning style. Why?

• Course content is delivered at a much faster pace than in high school or community college • Reading and learning outside of class is expected to provide background for material that may or may not be covered in class • Testing usually includes both what students learn independently and what is covered in class • Information can no longer be merely memorized as college exams ask students to apply material learned by solving new, unique problems while under pressure of time • Students must learn to structure and self-monitor study time with the general rule of thumb being 25-30 hours per week • The level and/or volume of work required, coupled with higher expectations from faculty, can make earning good grades more challenging

Often the structure and routine of a student’s previous academic experiences contributed greatly to successful performance, such as regular (mandatory) attendance, ongoing review of material needed to be learned, frequent reminders of pending assignments, the ability to do some work in class, and access to personal assistance before, during, or after class. In addition, one other key component surely played a role: parents, who stayed up to date on homework and study time.