The Answer Is ….

By Joanne Goldwater, Associate Dean for Retention & Student Success/

Seahawk Family Liaison

“Part of being successful is about asking questions and listening to the answers.” (Anne Burrell) As parents and family members of SMCM students, we guarantee that your student will ask you some challenging questions. To help you prepare, we put together some potential questions and appropriate responses.

If your student asks:

1. “What can I do to raise my grade?”
   1. The answer is: Do the work. Go to class everyday. “Don’t ask for extra credit when you didn’t do the regular credit.” (Dr. Aaron Dinin)
2. Why are professors so strict about deadlines?
   1. The answer is: Professors (and administrators) are trying to help students prepare for graduate school and/or future careers. Deadlines in college and beyond are rarely as flexible as they were in high school. If you don’t turn in your work by the due date when you are on the job, chances are, you won’t have that job for long. It is important for students to learn how to manage their time so they can submit their work on time.
3. What’s the point of talking to the professor in a class I’m struggling with?
   1. The answer is: Ideally, you should be talking with the professor during office hours before you are struggling in a course. The point of talking to your professor is to get support. Your professor can explain confusing material, suggest strategies to improve, and may connect you with resources to help you succeed. It also shows you care about learning, which professors usually appreciate.
4. How should I study for a course in which I’m not doing well?
   1. The answer is: Focus on the basics: review your notes regularly, practice with examples or past problems, ask questions in class or office hours, and study a little each day instead of cramming. Form a study group, use flashcards, get a free tutor at the Office of Student Success Services (OS3). Get help with time management, study skills, getting organized, creating an academic action plan by working with a Peer Academic Success Strategies (PASS) Specialist or a staff member in OS3.
5. Should I choose a major/career in a field that is likely to be fairly stable and well paying but I’m not really excited about the work, or a field that may be more risky but I really enjoy it?
   1. The answer is: There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Please remember that your student will have opportunities to explore various fields of interest. They are not “locked into” a major. They have to be satisfied/happy with the choices they make since they will be the ones working in their chosen field for at least 40 or so years. It is all about what THEY need and want, not what you would like them to do.
6. I’m behind/feeling overwhelmed. What should I do?
   1. The answer is: First, take 4-5 long, slow, deep breaths. Then meet with the instructor to discuss what’s going on and what you need to do to get caught up. Then, schedule an appointment with a staff member in the Office of Student Success Services to get help on creating an academic action plan, discuss time management, sleep management, and getting back on track.
7. What’s the point of going to office hours?
   1. The answer is: Meeting with your instructors during their office hours (a.k.a. student visiting hours) is a great opportunity to get to know each other, ask questions, review materials discussed in class, find out what format will be used for an upcoming quiz/exam, ask the instructor about the grading rubric (that is, how the instructor will grade an assignment/quiz/exam), discuss feedback given on a paper/quiz/exam, learn more about possible internships/graduate programs/jobs after graduation, discuss the course/major/field of study.
8. Do I really need to do the homework/reading, especially if it won’t help my grade?
   1. The answer is: Absolutely! Instructors give homework to help you learn the material, gain confidence, build your foundational knowledge, and have the ability to actively participate in class discussions.
9. OMG! I missed the exam! What should I do?
   1. The answer is: Contact your instructor immediately and explain what happened. Beg for forgiveness and see if you can reschedule the exam (even if a penalty is given, that is still better than a 0). Then, figure out what caused you to miss this exam. Did you forget to set an alarm? Did you sleep through the alarm? Did you simply forget about the exam? Did you lose track of time? Learn from this and take steps to avoid missing future exams.
10. What can I do to make friends?
    1. The answer is: Get out of your comfort zone. Knock on your neighbor’s door and introduce yourself. Invite someone in your hall or in your class to join you for a beverage at Brew’d Awakening or the Daily Grind, or to eat a meal in the Great Room. Attend a club or SGA meeting. Volunteer for a community service activity at the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. Start or join an intramural team. Attend a varsity sports event or a dance/musical/play performance, or lecture or Voices Reading, or a residence hall or Programs Board activity. Go to the Boyden Gallery Art Gallery in Montgomery Hall. Hang out at the Waterfront (wear sunscreen and water shoes!). Wander over to Historic St. Mary’s City, or go with someone to find the Hidden Grave at the Trinity Church cemetery, or head down to Church Point at sunset. Help out at the Kate Campus Farm. Take the River Runner bus into town. Catch a movie in Cole Cinema. There are lots of ways to meet people who can become your friend.

When (not if!) you get questions that you can’t answer or don’t know a good answer, please contact the Seahawk Family Liaison (families@smcm.edu) or a staff member in the Office of Student Success Services (240-895-4388). We’re here to help!