Tips for Academic Success
Attend class:
This is essential to your success as a student; you will not succeed on the block plan if you do not take your studies seriously. On the rare occasion when you must miss class, inform your professor before you miss the class and ask how you should handle missed tests or deadlines.
Take yourself seriously as a student:
Remember the reason you are at Cornell and be proud of the fact that you were selected as one of a class of thoughtful, creative, intellectually ambitious students at this liberal arts college.
Take your academic work seriously:
Expect a 40-hour work week.
Take delight in learning:
This is very likely the only time in your life when you will have four full years in which you can concentrate on good books, world-shaping ideas, provocative questions and critical issues in the company of academically engaged peers and a dedicated faculty. Talk with your peers about your philosophy assignment; attend lectures and concerts; participate in luncheons with distinguished visitors; find faculty mentors; travel; learn languages; read books that challenge your assumptions.
Think of your Cornell education as an opportunity for self-discovery:
Cultivate your interests; pay attention to the character you are establishing with your every choice, your every action. Reflect upon your values, your goals and your priorities in life.
Learn to think critically, analytically and creatively:
Practice the good habits of thoughtful inquiry, critical questioning, effective speaking, clear and concise writing, creative problem-solving and passionate engagement with ideas. You are here to cultivate the life of the mind.
Study both alone and in groups. Find ‘your' study spaces, the nooks and crannies where you can best concentrate on your work.
Take careful notes in class and during meetings.
Take advantage of the academic support resources, counseling support, Career Engagement, and other resources available at Cornell.
Understand the drop/add policy, including the 15-day withdrawal policy.
Keep the appointments you make:
Reply to invitations and requests. Be a courteous and thoughtful adult in your interactions with others.
E-mail is our official communication tool:
Check it at least once a day.
Check your mail box frequently.
Maintain a balance:
Be involved in the life of the college both in and out of the classroom.