COURSE PACKET

2016-2017Academic Year

FIRST YEAR FLORIDA

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Contents

Welcome Letter from the Dean of StudentsCulture of Care About First Year Florida The History of First Year Seminars First Year Florida Your First Year Florida Instructor Your First Year Florida Peer Leader Contacting Us: Dean of Students Office

Academic Success High School Versus College Managing Your Time Learning Preferences Note Taking Reading ComprehensionWriting/Grammar Test Preparation Test Taking

Academic AdvisingAdvisor-Student Partnership Where to Find Your Advisor? Exploratory Advising Pre-Health Advising Pre-Law AdvisingCritical Tracking RequirementsGeneral EducationElectives One.UF Advising FAQs

Ackowledgments

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Welcome

Welcome from the Dean of StudentsDear First-Year Student,

Welcome to the University of Florida! We are delighted to wel-come you into our culture of care. The University of Florida is the premier institution of higher education in the state of Florida and one of the finest public universities in the United States. Ev-ery day, we are generating innovative ideas through research, leadership and academics.

As a result, there are limitless possibilities and First Year Flor-ida will help you discover what they are. First Year Florida is designed to help you discover all the resources UF has to offer, achieve academic success and build important relationships with students, faculty and staff. FYF will provide you with all the necessary tools needed to succeed. Without a doubt, this will be one of the most meaningful, fun and memorable courses you will ever take as a college student.

We hope that in your own way, you contribute to UF’s legacy. Whether by assisting a fellow Gator in need, getting involved on campus, focusing on research, volunteering or working towards a goal –you can be a model for future Gators.

At the University of Florida, every Gator counts! If you, a friend or classmate are ever in need, please know that you can always contact us, 7 days a week, at UMatter@ufl.edu. If there is any-thing that I or the Dean of Students Office can do to support you, please let us know! I hope you have a wonderful first-year expe-rience and I wish you the very best.

Welcome & Go Gators!

Jen Day Shaw, Ph. D.

Dean of Students

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

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Welcome to the Gator First Year ExperienceThe Gator First Year Experience is a series of programs designed to assist new stu-dents in their transition. Programs such as First Year Florida, Common Reading Pro-gram and Weeks of Welcome embody the Gator First Year Experience. By offering programs at various points in time throughout the year, our goal is for you to utilize these resources when you need them.

Welcome

Culture of Care - umatter@ufl.eduOne resource that is available seven days a week is U Matter, We Care. U Matter, We Care serves as UF’s umbrella program for UF’s caring culture and provides stu-dents in distress with support and coordination for a wide variety of appropriate re-sources. You, your fellow classmates, family members and faculty can contact umatter@ufl.edu seven days to assist those in distress. Once an email or phone call has been sent, U Matter, We Care, we will reach out to you or the person you are refer-ring within 24 hours. From there, we will work to set up an appointment with the Care Team in the Dean of Students Office. Depending on the issue or problem the student is having, we will connect them with other offices to get them the support they need.

By being a support system for those in need, you are providing a culture of care. Ulti-mately, it is up to us to look out for one another and be each other’s support system. Throughout the semester, you will begin building your own support system in First Year Florida.

About First Year Florida

First Year Florida is a first-year seminar designed to assist new students make a suc-cessful transition at the University of Florida. Focusing on academic and personal suc-cess, this is a course unlike any other. First Year Florida is taught in small groups (ap-proximately 20-25 students) by a UF faculty or staff member, that has a special interest in supporting new students, and an undergraduate peer leader, who serves a mentor and role model. The small class size allows students to connect and learn from each other, while establishing a personal connection with their instructor and peer leader. The class focuses on discussion and interactive activities, which means attendance is imperative to students’ success in the course. Students are expected to participate dur-ing every class and be present for every class.

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The History of First Year Seminars

First- year seminars have been a part of the undergraduate curriculum for over 100 years. In 1882, Lee College in Kentucky offered the first for-credit first-year seminar. Throughout the years, popularity fluctuated with first-year seminars, initially tak-ing off in the mid-1970s. First-year seminars are now seen as a way to support new students and assist them in their academic and/or social transition from high school to college.

While each first-year seminar will vary in regards to why it is offered and the ulti-mate purpose, common goals include:

• Encouraging and demanding active student involvement in learning

• Introducing students to the culture and expectations of the institution

• Academic and social integration

• Persistence (continuing despite difficulties) and success

Since first-year seminars can vary from school to school in mission and goals there are a variety of different types of first-year seminars. Some will focus on academic success, others on career readiness and some will take a multipronged approach that focuses on resources, academics, career readiness and more.

First Year Florida

In 2001, Kara Kravetz Cupoli, Assistant Dean for Greek Life at the time, began a pilot program to teach a freshman year experience course to sorority and fraternity mem-bers. Kara traveled to the First Year Experience Conference, hosted by the National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition, and started the early stages of the program, including choosing the name of First Year Florida.

Kara worked with Meg Manning, Assistant Dean for Orientation, and Karan Schwartz and Carl Barfield, from the Provost Office, to fully begin a First Year Florida class available to students in their first semester, which was instituted in 2001. For that first year, students were randomly selected and enrolled into First Year Florida. Using this strategy, they were able to compare these students to a control group who did not take the class. After that first year, the class opened to all freshmen. A unique textbook was created and adapted for First Year Florida at the University of Florida.

Today, First Year Florida builds upon information you gathered during freshmen ori-entation, Preview. First Year Florida focuses on academic success, self-discovering and connecting to the University of Florida. With over 70 sections offered each year, there is something for everyone. Below are a few of the sections offered every year:

• Education: Designed for students interested in the education field. This sec-tion is open to any major.

• Human Health and Performance: Designed for students majoring within the College of Human Health and Performance. Objectives include connecting stu-dents with involvement opportunities and advisors.

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• Public Health and Health Professions: Designed for students majoring within the College of Public Health and Health Professions. Objectives include connect-ing students with involvement opportunities and advisors.

• Pre-Pharmacy: Designed for students interested in pursuing a career in Phar-macy. Specialized topics include pre-professional advising and making inten-tional decisions for Pharmacy School. This section is taught by a Pre-Profession-al Advisor.

• First-Generation: This section is for students who are the first to attend college in their family. Special attention will be given to answering questions about dif-ferent policies and procedures that students new to the college experience may have.

• Out of State: Students who are out-of-state Gators can enroll in this section. This section will focus on connecting students with campus resources and the Gainesville community to assist them in their transition.

• Housing Specific Sections: These sections are held in the residence hall where the student lives. Instructed by their Hall Director, students will build an even larger community in their residence halls. Current sections include: Beaty Tow-ers, Hume Hall, Graham Hall, Tolbert Area, Infinity Hall and Broward Hall.

• Exploratory: This section is helpful for students who are not sure about their intended major. The course completes many of the same activities as other sec-tions of FYF, but focuses on having students reflect on what they want out of UF. This class is beneficial for any student who is not fully aware or committed to a specific major or career field.

• Transfer: This section is for students who are transferring from one institution to another. This section focuses more on the expectations of the university and professional development for transfer students.

• Linked: These course a paired up with either MAC1147 or CHM1025. Students are expected to enroll in one of these courses in addition to First Year Florida. By enrolling in both, they will receive support from their First Year Florida instructor and have a built-in study group with their First Year Florida classmates.

Regardless of the section, all First Year Florida classes have common learning outcomes. This means that while each class is personalized to the students in the course, all First Year Florida students will learn the same things.

As a result of this course, students will:

• Connect with faculty, staff, and peers at the University of Florida.

• Identify university resources and services that contribute to their personal and educational goals.

• Recognize the purpose of reflection, critical thinking, and enriching education-al opportunities within and outside the classroom.

• Evaluate the effects of personal well-being on student success and engagement.

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Your First Year Florida Instructor

First Year Florida Instructors are university-affiliated faculty, staff or second-year graduate students. Instructors have gone through an extensive training on first-year student transition and ways to support students in and outside of the classroom. If you have any questions, your instructor is a great first-step. If they do not know the answer then they will refer you to a campus office or staff/faculty member that does.

Your First Year Florida Peer Leader

A First Year Florida Peer Leader is a second, third year or fourth year student that serves as a mentor and role model. They understand what it is like to be a new stu-dent on this campus and are here to help you. Do not hesitate to ask them for advice and learn from their experiences.

If after you have taken First Year Florida, you are interested in serving as a First Year Florida Peer Leader, we strongly encourage you to speak to your current or pervi-ous Peer Leader and Instructor. Applications are generally accepted from September through October, with interviews occurring October through November. Peer Leaders should have a desire to assist new students, a minimum 2.75 overall and semester GPA, and a willingness to learn and be adaptable.

Contacting Us: Dean of Students Office

First Year Florida is a part of New Student and Family Programs within the Dean of Students Office. Located in 202 Peabody Hall, the Dean of Students Office houses Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, Care Team, Disability Resource Center and New Student and Family Programs. The Dean of Students office is a great one stop shop for any questions or concerns you may have. To learn more about the services offered and about First Year Florida, please visit us Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Recognize the academic, conduct, and citizenship expectations of the Univer-sity of Florida.

• Develop an awareness and respect for being a part of a diverse global com-munity.

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Academic SuccessUniversity of Florida students are among the brightest in the nation. The average SAT score of an incoming first-year student is 1254. Part of your goal as a University of Florida student is to continue on the road to academic success. Your first year is integral to your academic success. The time management, study skills, note-tak-ing, learning preferences, reading comprehension, test preperation and test taking strategies you develop now will help chart your course to success.

High School Versus College

National research showed that 50.2% of student studied five or less hours per week in high school. In college, the average student spends 17 hours studying and prepar-ing for their classes. While the amount of time you spent studying in high school is less, you are now expected to not only study more but study better. What were your studying habits like in high school? Take a moment to complete the chart below to help you think about your past study habits.

During an average week of high school....

Hours spent doing homework

Hours spent studying (not homework)

Hours spent in class

Hours spent in sports/involvement

Hours spent in a job

College-level courses have different expectations and requirements than high school classroom experiences. Whether preparing for an exam, a quiz, writing a paper or keeping up with homework, it is necessary that you focus on improving your study skills. In other words, your performance in the classroom is related to the amount of time spent studying and spent working, ouside of the classroom. It is important for you to understand how ability, motivation, study time and work patterns influence academic performance. This section will cover:

• Time Management • Test Preparation

• Learning Styles • Test Taking

• Note Taking • Reading Comprehension

• Writing and Grammar

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Managing Your Time

Your college experience is a great time to learn new things about yourself. Undoubt-edly, one of the first things you will learn is how to manage your academic, social, and involvement life. University of Florida students are among the brightest and most involved students. In order to be successful in your academics and involvement, it is important to know how to balance it all.

We already discussed how the academic rigor at UF will require more of your time than it did high school. Similarly, your schedule at UF will be very different than what you may have experienced in high school. In high school you were probably used to sticking with a schedule. Often times this included going to class for a certain time period Monday through Friday. Before or after school you would either participate in a sport, club or activity. In college however, you have the ability to create and form a schedule that works for you. There may be days where you have no classes, days with 3 classes or days with countless involvement meetings/events. This is where it is important for you to learn how to manage your time. Let’s take some time to think about what your schedule looks like now. Fill the chart on the next page with your weekly commitments such as classes, work, involvement, sports, etc.

Knowing where and when you have to be somewhere is half the battle. A helpful tip is to get a scheduling device to help keep track of your commitments. Most students find it helpful to have a planner, electronic calendar, set email alerts or use applica-tions on their phone/tablet to track their commitments. Below are some helpful tools to schedule your college life.

• Class Syllabus:

o Class syllabi provide an overview of important dates and deadlines. They contain a breakdown of course assignments and a course calendar with exams, quizzes and homework dues dates. Take time to go through all your syllabi and start filling out important information and dates. This should include exams and assignment due dates. Making a list or entering it into a planner/calendar will help give you an overview of what you can expect this semester.

• Planner and Calendar

o Planners and calendars give you an overview of what you can expect day-to-day, week-to-week or month-to month. You can choose to use elec-tronic planners and calendars, such as those on your phone or use tradi-tional hand written planners and calendars. Given the wide range, planners and calendars are great for those beginning their organization journey.

• To-Do Lists

o To-Do lists are a great way to prioritize what you need to do inside and outside of the classroom. You can organize assignments, subjects you need to study, meetings, errands, etc. based on the day or week. These can be handwritten or electronically inputted into phone and tablet applica-tions or laptop desktops.

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Ultimately, managing your time is going to be a little bit of trial and error. The best thing to do is to find what works best for you. Everyone will prioritize and value their time differently, it is up to you to identify what works best for you.

Hint: Make sure to inclue things like sleep, meals, exercise and even laundry.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

7:00 a.m.

8:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

4;00 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

9:00 p.m.

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Note Taking

Every course you take at UF—from “What is the Good Life?” your freshman year, to the upper-division/seminar-style course you take your senior year will involve a sub-stantial amount of note-taking. It is the foundation of every course. Some students like to organize their notes in a unique, methodical way that they know works for them. Taking quality notes is a skill that takes a lot of practice and you may find that depending on the nature of the class you might want to change the style of notes you are taking. There are many different formats to successfully take notes, below is a list of 5 that have been proven to be extremely helpful. It is also important to recog-nize that these styles and formats can be mixed and matched to find a method that is going to work best for you.

Styles

1. Cornell Method: The Cornell Notes method provides a logical format for con-densing and organizing notes you may take in lecture or on readings. It is a great way to take effective and intentional notes during class, as well as during reading assignments!

2. Outlining Method: Utilize this method to outline reading material, break down lectures that have major topics into small subcategories, or a great way to review course material in preparation for an exam.

Outlining is a great method that is well organized, making it easy to record and relate concepts, however, it does take a bit more thought and may be difficult during a fast paced lecture.

3. Charting Method: Use this method when topics with information, dates, people, events, etc. are being discussed such as in a history or science course. It can reduce the amount of writing that is necessary but you may find that you are having to fill in areas after the lecture is complete.

Learning PreferencesTake a moment to think about things you really enjoy? What are they? Why do you enjoy them? Now let’s think about those things that you absolutely do not like doing? What are they and why?

Similar to how we have activities, people and interests that we naturally gravitate to-wards, we also have learning preferences that can assist us in processing and acquir-ing information. Throughout the years, many researchers have studied the ways in which students learn. While research about the effects learning styles can have on students varies, there are different types of learning modalities based on senses that students can use interchangeably depending on the task. The four modalities are:

• Visual • Auditory

• Read/Write • Kinesthetic

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Key concept or topic of the section your professors lecture

On the right side, you will want to summarize the main point with cue words or phrases.

When your professor moves on to new ideas or concepts, skip a line. It is also very helpful to use bullets, indenta-tions or underlining to highlight key compo-nents or words.

At the bottom of the page, leave area for a brief 5-7 sentence summary of the notes.

I. This first level is for new topic/ideas/concepts and is extremely general.

a. Your next level would be infor-mation related back to your gen-eral topic (I)

i. This information could be additional supporting facts relating back to (a)

b. If you had another idea or con-cept that is new, however, still re-lates to (I)

II. This would be a new concept or idea the professor is discussing in the lecture.

Cornell Method Outlining Method

The following diagrams illustrate the various notetaking styles listed on page 12. These visual representations help to demonstrated the different methods.

4. Mapping Method: This method allows for more free form note taking and can be good in a lecture where the topics and concepts are discussed beforehand. If you are worried about getting caught up in the details of your notes, this is a great method to break down details of the lecture, move onto new topics and have the ability to return to a concept, in order to add more later in the lecture or when you are reading support-ive text.

5. Sentence Method:

a. This method looks exactly like it sounds.

b. You simply write a new sentence for each new topic or concept during the lec-ture.

c. This can be a great method when there is a lot of information and you’re not sure how it all fits together.

d. It is more organized than attempting to write paragraphs and stops you from trying to write down everything the professor is saying.

e. However, it can be hard to determine what the main points are versus sub cat-egories and information may run together.

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Charting Method

How Advantages Disadvantages

Set up your paper in columns and label your related head-ings.

Encourages you to pull out relevant, consistent information about each listed topic.

You will need to know the topics and content of the lecture before begin-ning.

The first column is typically reserved for main ideas, phrases, con-cepts, etc. and each addi-tional column would be the information you wish to pull from the topic.

Provides a visually easy way to review notes for memorizing facts, com-parisons, etc.

Mapping Method

How it works: Main topic or con-cept in the center with supporting details branching off the center.

Advantages: Easy to visually track your notes, easily edited, less organization allowing better classroom partici-pation

Mapping

These are just some methods that have been proven to be helpful to students in the past and remember you may choose to use a combination. Do not be afraid to experi-ment with different note-taking styles. There is no “one-size-fits-all” strategy. You could change your note taking style based on the type of class, the professor you have and the way you like to study for the subject.

Here are additional tips and tricks that you might find useful:

• “There is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it”. Maintain this attitude when you are taking your notes. It is important to under-stand the difference between just memorizing a fact, and “knowing” its theory and application.

• Make sure your note taking style is fluid for you. If you are having trouble under-standing the organization of your notes, be sure to switch styles to see what works for you!

• Take notes in class, and then re-write them into a separate notebook in a neat-fashion. Re-writing something can help with organization and memorizing! This tip is helpful if you have fast-talking professors. Sometimes you must compro-mise neat-handwriting to ensure all notes are taken in class.

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Reading ComprehensionCollege is a unique intellectual growing experience. You will be exposed to new and ex-citing concepts, and have the opportunity to learn alongside your peers while studying some of the most influential thinkers and writers to ever live. With these new experi-ences comes a heightened work-load and standard of expectation. When learning all this new material, you will find yourself, more likely than not, assigned more reading assign-ments than you had in high school. Readings may be longer, textbooks and materials may be denser, and you may find yourself overwhelmed once in a while. Luckily, there are many tips and tricks to help ease this portion of your academic transition and with practice and diligence—you can be an effective, productive and intentional reader!

Tips & Tricks:

• It may go without saying, but ensure you are in a quiet, appropriate environment to be studying/reading. Having loud noises, music, friends, etc. around you can alter your ability to focus, so make sure you have a routine “quiet” space to fully devote to your reading.

• Don’t be afraid to do some brief research on the subject you intend to read about prior to the actual reading assignment. Having a knowledge base for the material prior to in-taking new information is only to your benefit—as you will realize you already know several key points about the subject.

• While you’re reading, stop ever so often and ask yourself a few content-based questions, and attempt to answer them as close-to-correct as possible. Addition-ally, after reading a paragraph, try to verbally (or mentally) re-explain what you just read to yourself. According to “The Learning Pyramid Theory”, true mastery of subject matter is attained when you are able to explain what you are studying to someone else.

• Going off of tip #3, find a friend/classmate and practice explaining reading ma-terials to each other! This is a great way to master academic material, and spend time with a new friend!

• Time permitting, write or type a brief study guide! Outlining your reading ma-terials provides a coherent and logical approach to organizing your thoughts, and proves to be only to your benefit!

• Learn how to take Cornell Notes. Based on comprehensive memorization stud-ies, Cornell Notes offer a unique “note-taking style”, proved to help students retain information with more depth. Find an example of “Cornell Notes” on page 10.

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Writing and GrammarGrammar and fluid writing are arguably the two most important concepts you will ever use, especially while in college. You will be writing extensively during your un-dergraduate years and papers are not just graded for content. Your ability to fluidly write a paper with proper grammar, syntax and writing stylistics is an integral skill necessary of all undergraduate students, regardless of major or field of study. Gone are the days where essays were reserved only for students of certain majors. Now more than ever, effective written communication and writing composition abilities are needed for any job or career. The ability to articulate yourself through language is a life-skill that will go beyond writing that paper for your composition general education class.

Tips & Tricks:

• No matter how tempting it may be, do not start your papers/essays the night before they are do. While you can absolutely do great on your essays, make sure you start them with plenty of time to critically think about the prompt and what you want to include/argue in your essay.

• Most of the papers you will write in college are argumentative papers. For these papers, make sure you are staying true to your argument, and following the rules of logic and proper, civil argumentation. In these, you are simply dis-secting arguments to their core, and either affirming their validity or calling part of the arguments reasoning into question. In both of these instances, pro-viding evidence to support your claims remains imperative.

• Invest in a writing style book. “The Elements of Style” by Willian Strunk, and “A Rulebook for Arguments” by Anthony Weston are very reasonably priced and useful throughout your entire educational career.

• Your writing style says a lot about you, so take it seriously! Make sure you take some time to revise and edit your paper for both content and grammar!

• After you do self-editing, do not be afraid to ask a friend to look over your papers! Having a fresh set of eyes never helps! Feel free to enlist any friends you have that are especially adept at proof-reading or have a strong grasp on writing fundamentals, too!

• Utilize the UF Writing Program and Studio to learn writing techniques and practice proofreading skills. For more information, visit the program’s website at http://writing.ufl.edu/ and learn about more on-campus resources.

• Pay special attention to ensuring the following are always used correctly: your/you’re, there/their/they’re, and are/our.

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Test PreparationPreparing for exams is one of the most important things to learn and master in your first year. Good preparation will lead to great test taking and hopefully even better results. Test preparation allows you to focus on your classes while managing your activities, involvement, social life and personal wellness. Below are some tips to assist you along your journey:

• Schedule your exams: In an agenda, calendar or scheduling device list all your exams. It is strongly recommended that you do this at the start of the semester. Knowing when your exams are occurring, how frequently and the timing will en-sure that you are getting off to a great start.

• Figure out what’s covered: Before you begin studying, you need to understand what you are studying for. Below are some general questions you should know the answer to:

o Date, Time, Location

o Chapters/Sections you are being tested on

o Testing format: Is it multiple choice, free response, essay questions, etc.?

o Number of questions

o Are there sample review tests or questions?

• Divide and Conquer: Once you know the details of our exam, ask yourself how much time you will need to study. One easy way to do this is to study a section a day. For example, if there are 5 sections you should probably begin studying 5 days before the exam. Then each day you will review one new section.

• Create a plan: Do you have multiple exams around the same time? That’s okay! Just create a study plan. One great way to do this is to use 5 days to study for your exams. You can view a sample of a 5 day study plan on the next page.

• Utilize Office Hours: Meet your professor (or TA) and go over any questions you have. Besides asking for the actual questions exam, your professors or TA can be a great resource. Potential questions to ask include:

o Suggested study techniques

o Ways to practice/comprehend material

o Sample past exams

o Study guides

o General exam questions such as question type, material covered, etc.

Overall, test preparation is exactly that, preparation. Often times, students will underesti-mate the amount of time they need to study for an exam and they find themselves try-ing to catch-up just days before the exam. With advance preparation you can take time to study and enjoy yourself, it is all about finding a balance.

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Day Material to Cover Time Allotted

Day 1 Chemistry Chapter 1 1 hour

Anthropology Chapter 1 1 hour

Day 2 Chemistry Chapter 2 1 hour

Anthropology Chapter 2 1 hour

Chemistry Chapter 3 30 min

Anthropology Chapter 1 30 min

Day 3 Chemistry Chapter 3 1 hour

Anthropology Chapter 3 1 hour

Chemistry Chapter 1 & 2 40 min

Anthropology Chapter 1 & 2 40 min

Day 4 Chemistry Chapter 4 1 hour

Anthropology Chapter 4 1 hour

Chemistry Chapter 1, 2 & 3 40 min

Anthropology Chapter 1, 2 & 3 40 min

Day 5 Chemistry Chapter 5 1 hour

Anthropology Chapter 5 1 hour

Chemistry Chapter 1, 2, 3 & 4 40 min

Anthropology Chapter 1, 2, 3 & 4 40 min

Day of the Exam Review Chemistry Chapters 1-5 1 hour

Review Anthropology Chapters 1-5 1 hour

Test Taking

Taking tests is something that you have been doing for as long as I am sure you can re-member. Tests are tools that professors will continue to use into your college academic setting, however it is not the only means. You will find that not all classes use assess-ments like a quiz, test, exam, etc. to measure your academic knowledge, professors may use labs, papers, projects, etc. to capture your understanding. However, during your time here at UF you are more than likely going to have to sit down, flip over a test and get started. If you have prepared and know some good test taking strategies, this process doesn’t have to be a daunting as it sounds. Take a look at these test taking tips before entering your next exam:

General Tips:

• RELAX! Breathe deeply and be sure to take your time.

• Look through the entire exam before beginning and budget out your time.

• Read through everything very carefully, including the instructions. If you have time read each question several times.

• Stuck on a question, move on and return to it later.

• Mark questions that you’re unsure of, there may be other parts of the exam that

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help answer the question. This way you can return to the question quickly.

• If you have time, review the questions at the end of the exam. It might seem nice to get out of the class early but you will kick yourself later if you made silly mis-takes.

Multiple Choice Test Tips:

• Read the question before the answer

• Read each answer before selecting your answer(s)

• If you are positive an answer choice is incorrect, cross it off

• Trust your gut, don’t keep changing your answer

• The correct answer is usually the one with the most information

• Carefully read through all of the answer choices if “all of the above” or “none of the above” are choices

• If “all of the above” is an option and you know that at least two of the choices are correct select the “all of the above” choice.

True/False Test Tips:

• If there is no guessing penalty, guess. You have a 50% chance of getting the an-swer correct.

• Usually there are more true answers than false

• Qualifiers like “usually, sometimes, and generally” mean that if the statement can be considered true or false depending on the circumstances. Usually these type of qualifiers lead to an answer of true.

• Qualifiers like “never”, “only”, “always”, and “every” mean that the statement must be true all of the time. Usually these type of qualifiers lead to a false answer.

• If part of the statement is true, that does not mean the entire statement is true. However, if part of the statement is false, the entire statement will then be false.

Short Answer Test Tips:

• If you are unsure of the answer try not to leave it blank, partial credit is often awarded, even if you don’t get the answer right.

• Read the question carefully to ensure that you have answered all parts of the question.

Essay Test Tips:

• Be sure to thoroughly read all of the directions, pay close attention to whether or not you are supposed to answer all of the prompt or select 1 or 2.

• Understand the question before answering, and if you are confused ask your professor.

• Create an outline of your answer before starting.

• Spend a bulk of your time on answering the question(s), not on the introductions

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and conclusions.

• Focus on one main idea per paragraph.

• If you have time at the end, proofread your work and correct any errors. You may find it helpful to periodically stop and read through your response to check the flow of your response.

Ultimately, when you arrive to take the exam the best thing you can do is stay calm and take your time to review. Being able to reduce the stress or anxiety during an exam can make the difference in a grade. One study found that students who experience low lev-els of testing anxiety had a cumulative GPA ranging from 3.22-3.35, whereas those with high levels of testing anxiety had a cumulative GPA ranging from 2.97-3.12.

The big take away? Being able to remain calm, read directions and utilize test-taking strategies during an exam can impact your grade in a positive way. Our goal is for you to achieve the best grade possible.

References

Chapell, Mark S., Z. Benjamin Blanding, Michael E. Silverstein, Masami Takahashi, Brian Newman, Aaron Gubi, and Nicole McCann. 2005. “Test Anxiety and Academic Performance in Undergraduate and Graduate Students.” Journal of Educational Psychology 97 (2): 268–274.

Eagan, K., Stolzenberg, E. B., Bates, A. K., Aragon, M. C., Suchard, M. R., & Rios-Aguilar, C. (2015). The Ameri-can freshman: National norms fall 2015. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA

Five Notetaking Methods. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2016, from http://www.redlands.edu/globalassets/depts/student-life/academic-success/skills-worksheets/test-taking-tips-new.pdf

Test Taking Tips. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2016, from http://www.redlands.edu/globalassets/depts/student-life/academic-success/skills-worksheets/test-taking-tips-new.pdf

Pierre, K. (2014). How much do you study? Apparently 17 hours a week is the norm. Retrieved June 17, 2016, from http://college.usatoday.com/2014/08/18/how-much-do-you-study-apparently-17-hours-a-week-is-

the-norm/

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Academic AdvisingAcademic advising is an important resource for students at UF. Academic advisors provide academic guidance and support to all undergraduate students. They can help you develop and evaluate your educational plans and provide you with accu-rate information about UF policies, procedures, resources and programs.

Advisors will work with you to help you determine your degree requirements, change majors, drop courses, choose classes, handle registration issues, and iden-tify needed resources. To ensure a timely graduation and to develop a relationship with your advisor, you are encouraged to:

• Meet with your advisor once per semester.

• Regularly review your degree audit through the Student Self Service portal, student.ufl.edu.

• Seek the assistance of an advisor right away if you are experiencing per-sonal or academic difficulties.

• Routinely check your GatorLink e-mail account for important messages from the University and your advisor.

Advisor-Student PartnershipAcademic advising is a collaborative effort between the advisor and the student. In order to help foster this collaborative effort, there are a certain set of responsibilities that both the advisor and student must live up to.

Student Responsibilities:

1. Come to advising early and often. Advising wait times are longest during drop/add and advance registration, so plan accordingly.

2. Write down your questions prior to coming (so you don’t forget to ask some-thing) and bring something to write down the answers.

3. Bring all necessary forms and paperwork with you.

4. Be open and honest with how you are performing in your classes. The more openness you provide, the more help an advisor can give.

5. Become knowledgeable about college programs, policies and procedures.

6. Actively check and read your GatorLink e-mail as it is the way advisors and UF will relay important information to you.

7. Follow through on the things that you and your advisor discuss.

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Where to Find Your Adivsor?

Advising at UF is divided by college, and each college coordinates advising in differ-ent ways. Some colleges on campus, such as the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, employ a centralized model of advising in which all of their advisors are located in one office. Other colleges, such as the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, have a decentralized model of advising in which each department within the college has its own advisor(s) responsible for advising students majoring within their department.

8. Accept responsibility for your decisions and actions.

Advisor Responsibilities:

1. Create a safe and respectful environment that allows students to address their questions, concerns and interests in a confidential manner.

2. Understand and effectively communicate State of Florida, University of Flor-ida, and college rules, regulations and requirements.

3. Assist and support students in exploring and making academic plans and decisions that are consistent with their interests, abilities, goals and values.

4. Always provide both sides to every choice, without pushing one over the other, so the student can make an informed decision that fits his/her needs.

5. Assist students in developing strategies that will enable them to be aca-demically and personally successful.

6. Provide appropriate resources and referrals.

College/School Location WebsiteAgricultural and Life Sci-ences

Varies by Department http://cals.ufl.edu/students/un-dergraduate-majors-contacts.php

School of Art & Art His-tory

108 Fine Arts Building C (FAC)

http://www.arts.ufl.edu/pro-grams/

School of Music 106 Music Building (MUB)

http://www.arts.ufl.edu/pro-grams/

School of Theatre and Dance

233 McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion

http://www.arts.ufl.edu/pro-grams/

Digital Worlds Institute 207 University Audito-rium

http://www.arts.ufl.edu/pro-grams/

Fisher School of Account-ing

210 Gerson Hall (GER) http://warrington.ufl.edu/ac-counting/myfisher/advising.asp

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Heavener School of Busi-ness

233 Bryan Hall (BRY) http://warrington.ufl.edu/un-dergraduate/advising/

Design, Construction and Planning

331 Architecture Building (ARH)

http://dcp.ufl.edu/academics/academic-advising

Education G416 Norman Hall (NRN) http://education.ufl.edu/stu-dent-services

Engineering 204 Weil Hall (WEIL) http://www.eng.ufl.edu/stu-dents/

Applied Physiology and Kinesiology; Athletic Training

190E Florida Gym (FLG) http://hhp.ufl.edu/index.php/current-students/current-stu-dents/academic-advising/

Health Education and Be-havior

6 Florida Gym (FLG) http://hhp.ufl.edu/index.php/current-students/current-stu-dents/academic-advising/

Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management

330 Florida Gym (FLG) http://hhp.ufl.edu/index.php/current-students/current-stu-dents/academic-advising/

Journalism and Communi-cations

1060 Weimer Hall (WEIM) http://www.jou.ufl.edu/aca-demics/bachelors/resources-for-undergraduate-students/office-for-undergraduate-af-fairsadvising/

Liberal Arts and Sciences 100 Farrior Hall (AAC) http://www.advising.ufl.edu

Nursing G205 Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy Building (HPNP)

http://admissions.nursing.ufl.edu/degrees/undergraduate/generic-bsn/

Pharmacy G205 Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy Building (HPNP)

Publis Health and Health Professions

G205 Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy Building (HPNP)

http://phhp-bahealthscience.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/files/2011/05/Undergraduate-Academic-Advisement1.pdf

Innovation Academy 321 Infirmary Building http://innovationacademy.ufl.edu/advising/

University Honors Pro-gram

343 Infirmary Building http://www.honors.ufl.edu/

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Exploratory AdvisingStudents who are unsure about what major to declare, or who are considering multiple majors, can declare ‘Exploratory’ while they actively investigate what major they would like to declare. Students who declare Exploratory have multiple resources available to them to help narrow down the many options of majors available at UF.

Tips for Exploratory Students:

• To declare exploratory, or receive general advising, visit with an Exploratory Ad-visor in Farrior Hall.

• To learn more about a major or program you are interested in changing to, visit with an advisor in that program.

• Take advantage of the Exploratory Workshops offered through the College of Lib-eral Arts & Sciences Academic Advising Center — https://www.advising.ufl.edu/exploratory/workshops/.

• Complete CHOMP (Career Help or Major Planning), an online tool through the Career Resource Center designed to help you explore majors, your interests and po-tential career paths — https://www.crc.ufl.edu/students/explore-majors-careers/.

Pre-Health AdvisingFor students interested in pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, pharmacy, physician assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Academic Advising Center offers pre-health advis-ing, workshops, resources and more. Pursuing pre-health is something students typi-cally do in addition to their major. It includes taking specific classes, getting involved in research, leadership and service and developing your resume holistically, not just aca-demically. If you are considering pursuing a career in a health related field, you should utilize the workshops offered by the Pre-Health Advising Team, including the Pre-Health 101 Workshop, which can be viewed online — https://www.advising.ufl.edu/pre-health/pre-health-resources/workshops/.

Pre-Law AdvisingThe College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Academic Advising Center also offers Pre-Law Advising, for students considering applying for law school. To prepare for law school, students will want to take classes that help them develop strong reading, writing and critical thinking skills. If you are interested in learning more, you should visit the Pre-Law Advising website and register for the Pre-Law listserv — https://www.advising.ufl.edu/pre-law/.

Critical Tracking RequirementsEach major at UF has critical tracking requirements that must be met each semester in order to maintain good standing within the major. These tracking requirements apply to the first 5 semester within each major. Tracking requirements include things such as:

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• Specific courses

• Your GPA within those courses (and other courses for your major)

• Your overall UF GPA

To check your critical requirements, you can view your degree audit on the Student Self Services portal — student.ufl.edu. If you have questions about these requirements, you should consult with your academic advisor.

General EducationThe General Education Program (Gen Ed) supports the mission of the University of Flor-ida by providing undergraduate students with common collective knowledge about the world in which they live. The curriculum enables students to think creatively, reason critically, communicate effectively, and make informed decisions that affect all aspects of their lives.

Students will take classes in 8 specific General Education categories:

• Composition (C)

• Mathematics (M)

• Humanities (H)

• Social & Behavioral Science (S)

• Biological Science (B)

• Physical Science (P)

• International (N)

• Diversity (D)

Things to considering when completing your General Education requirements

• As part of the State Core requirement, there are specific courses within each cat-egory that must be completed. You can review that list of classes on the UF General Education website — http://gened.aa.ufl.edu/state-gen-ed-core.aspx

• A minimum grade of C is required for general education credit.

• Some majors require or recommend specific general education courses. You should consult with your academic advisor on this.

• Certain classes are approved to count for multiple general education program areas. Students can count a general education course toward one area only except for (D) and (N) credits, which must be earned concurrently with another area. For example, a course designated as HD can count toward both the H and D require-ments, but a course designated CH can count only as C or H.

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ElectivesIn order to get to the minimum 120 credits needed to graduate, so will need to take a cer-tain number of elective hours. This number will vary by student, but the average number of elective credits needed will be 10-15 hours. Taking classes as electives can be good ways to explore majors, minors, career opportunities or to just take classes for fun.

One.UFThe One.UF – one.uf.edu – portal is a central portal for accessing self-service functional-ities at UF. Through One.UF students can:

• Access the Student Self Services page, where you will check transcripts and final grades, review your degree audit and financial aid, and more

• Register for classes through the Register/My Schedule tool

• Check your Holds

• Review the Schedule of Courses for the upcoming term

Advising FAQs

How do I change my major?

If you’re interested in changing your major, you should talk to an advisor in the college/school of the major you’re interested in changing to. They will help you review the track-ing requirements for the new major to help you identify if you are on track or can easily get on track.

What classes do I register for next semester?

When you meet with your academic advisor, they can help you review what degree re-quirements you have remaining. Things you should consider are, what are my next criti-cal tracking classes, what general education courses do I still, and what electives do I want to register for to do some exploring? You can review your critical tracking and gen-eral education classes by checking your degree audit on student.ufl.edu.

How do I register for classes?

You will register for classes through the Student Self Services – student.ufl.edu – portal. On the left, under ‘Registration’ you can check your holds and verify your registration time through the ‘registration prep’ link. When it is actually time to register, select the appropriate term from the ‘register now’ menu.

When should I drop a class?

If you have made it through mid-point of the semester, and you don’t feel like can earn at least a ‘C’ you may want to discuss with your advisor the possibility of dropping a class.

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It is also helpful to meet with your financial aid advisor to review how dropping a class may impact an aid you are receiving. Please be aware that there are specific deadlines to dropping classes. If your success in class is suffering due to distress, contact umat-ter@ufl.edu.

I’m not enjoying my major classes. What should I do?

It may be worth exploring the possibility of changing to a different major, or even declar-ing Exploratory for a time while you research other majors. Two-thirds of UF students will change their major at least once by the end of their second year, so it’s perfectly normal to consider other major options. Utilize the resources under the Exploratory Advising section if you want to begin looking at alternatives.

How do I take transient classes at another school? Will those classes count to-wards my summer requirement?

If you are interested in taking classes at another institution during the summer, you should consider what you might want to take, where you are interested in taking them, and then discuss it with your advisor. Classes taken at one of the 12 State University System institutions — http://www.flbog.edu/universities/ — will count towards your State of Florida summer hour requirement.

How do I double major or minor?

Students interested in double major or minoring should talk with their advisor about how this may fit with your academic plan. You cannot extend graduation to add a dou-ble major or minor. But if you’re able to maintain progress towards and on time gradu-ation, then it can be a great option to diversify your academic experience. You can find a complete list of minors here — https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/Pages/minors.aspx.

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First Year Florida Course Packet 2016-2017 EditionNew Student and Family Programs • Dean of Students Office • University of Florida

Acknowledgments: We would like to acknolwedge the special contribution of our dedicated and knowledge-able authors without whom we could not produce this publication:

Welcome: Jen Day Shaw, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students Jackie Bonilla, Assistant Director, New Student and Family Programs Jeanna Mastrodicasa, Associate Vice President for Operations, IFAS

Academic Success: Tara Scruggs, Assistant Director, Disability Resource Centrer Jackie Bonilla, Assistant Director, New Student and Family Programs Matthew Solomon, Student Assistant, New Student and Family Programs

Academic Advising: Kris Klann, Associate Director New Student and Family Programs

Design, Layout, Editing: Emily Cardinal, Intern, New Student and Family Programs