Unlocking academic success with the Student Success Center

You are not alone if you struggle with exams, whether that is due to anxiety, study prep, motivation, memory, or feeling overwhelmed.

That’s why the Student Success Center is staffed with experts to help. 

“Most students have never been taught to study, and we can teach them to study,”  said Coordinator of Academic Support Chelsea Plunkett. “It’s very natural to seek help.”

The Student Success Center kicked off a year of events with an Exam Preparation Workshop on Sept. 12. That was just the beginning of many workshops and opportunities for students to learn to tackle those study skills and find success in their classes.

During the workshop, students learned about creating their own study guides and understanding the importance of explaining concepts in their own words.

“In general, students need to study actively and constantly. That’s the key,” Plunkett said. “It’s not something that should be reserved for the night before the exam. That makes it harder, causes more stress, and students usually don’t remember the material.”

Plunkett says data shows that you will lose 47% of what you learn within 20 minutes if you don’t take notes and 98% within two weeks if you aren’t reviewing your notes. 

“The idea behind that is not meant to scare anyone, it’s that you are making it harder on yourself and you’ll have much more to catch up on if you don’t look at your notes from class. The message here is ongoing studying.”

Plus, students can schedule individual consultations with the Success Center. The staff will meet one-on-one with students and tailor the sessions to meet each student’s individual needs.

“We are trained to assess each student and respond,” Plunkett said.

The Student Success Center is located in the Thomas Commons, next to the Berry Career Institute and near the Orange Carpet. Students can schedule meetings with staff members online or can stop by from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The team also offers an adjunct class each spring, Learn Smarter: Skills for Academic Success, a course focused on study skills that covers everything from note-taking to stress management and self-care. Students can earn .25 credit without a grade for successfully completing this course.