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Academic Success

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We are committed to your academic success. We are here to support you along your educational journey and want you to know about the resources available to you.

Please explore the following resources and the latest version of our Academic Success Guide to help you achieve your academic goals here at the University of Maryland.

Study hard, go to class, get enough sleep, and ask for help when needed. You've got this, Terps!

Fall 2023 Academic Success Guide - Finals Edition (pdf)

Fall 2023 Academic Success Guide - Midterms Edition (pdf)


Get Organized & Create a Study Plan

Once you assess your workload for the semester, you can make decisions to promote your academic success: 

  1. Set up a schedule for studying and project completion
  2. Determine how and where you need to study for each course
  3. Decide how you will hold yourself accountable to your organizational goals

Pro tip: The University of Minnesota Libraries have an assignment calculator that can help you keep track of assignment deadlines and breakdown assignments into manageable pieces. 

Committing to an organized semester will help you to stay motivated, keep stress levels down, and accomplish more in a short period of time. Try out some of the following suggestions to get and stay organized:

  • Set goals by month, week, and day that outline what you want to accomplish. Be specific!
  • Commit to specific studying times and hold yourself accountable. Building a routine is important. Commit to these times by adding them into your planner and/or calendar.
  • Set up your study space in a way that is clean, free from distractions, uncluttered, and comfortable. Make sure you have plenty of light.
  • Include all of your obligations on your digital calendar and ensure that you set alarms for items you might forget.
  • Determine a daily or weekly time to ensure that all of your notes and course materials are present, organized, and complete. Update when and where it is necessary.
  • Determine a daily or weekly time to ensure that your personal space is clean and tidy. Get rid of clutter and put everything in its designated spot. Choose one thing to deep clean each week (vacuuming counts as deep cleaning).
  • Keep a “to do” list and add everything that you need to complete. This list does not need to have details, but should include everything you need to do. You can use a note in your phone, a physical notebook, your phone’s “Reminder” application, or the tool of your choice. As long as it is easily accessible and can hold a list, you are on the right track.

Pro tip: Use the Counseling Center's goal setting worksheet to think about how to develop and accomplish your goals. 

You will likely not learn information through osmosis or last-minute cramming. Learning is a process that takes time, planning, and a good amount of effort. Creating a plan of attack for each of your courses, as well as for you as a whole student, is a great place to start the process of learning. For each of your courses, a study plan should include the following items:

  • Expectations set by your professor. Did your professor mention that they do not want to see any spelling or grammar errors in your papers or they will take points off? Did they mention that you need to have read carefully before class for discussions? Do they require you to solve problems the way they do in class?
  • A list of concepts that your professor will cover (get this from your syllabus).
  • An overview of due dates and test dates, and when you plan to complete the work or study for the exam. Be realistic and plan ahead.
  • A breakdown of the best ways to study and get work done for this course (e.g., doing practice problems, taking notes on the readings, creating and using flashcards, teaching others, reviewing past exams, using a test bank, attending a Guided Study Session, attending the Math Success Program, spending time in a lab, having a friend quiz you, etc.).
  • A timeline for studying information that includes consistent time for review, even if there is not a test or assignment coming up. Add this to your master calendar.
  • A location for studying. Try to get out of your room and use study spaces on campus. If you study in your room, avoid your bed! 
  • How you will hold yourself accountable for carrying out your plan. Do you need to plan library trips with a friend? Will you join a study group?

Pro tip: Use the Quiet Spaces Guide to start looking for alternative study spaces.


Helpful Resources

We've pulled together other campus resources to help set you up for success.

The Writing Center

Provides tutoring support to students at any stage of the writing process 

Learn more about the Writing Center

Tutoring & Academic Success

Provides a variety of tutoring and other academic resources to support student success

Learn more about tutoring services

Math Success Program

Provides free, drop-in math coaching and tutoring services for all undergraduate students

Learn more about the Math Success Program

The Counseling Center

Provides free and confidential therapy to help students manage personal, social, and academic challenges

Learn more about counseling services

Guided Study Sessions

Provides free, regularly scheduled group review sessions for students in traditionally difficult courses

Learn more about GSS

Oral Communications Center

Provides peer consulting for presentations and speeches, speech planning and practice assistance, and interactive workshops

Schedule an appointment

University Libraries

Provides plenty of resources including those for getting started on research as well as places to study.

Learn more about library hours

Student Learning Consultations

Provides academic counseling to students taking all levels of STEM courses

Schedule an appointment

Academic Success and Tutorial Services

Provides free peer tutoring to all students for over twenty 100- and 200-level general education courses

Learn more about ASTS

Keystone Center

Provides a space where you can go to work on homework or group projects, use the computer labs, or study for exams

Visit the Keystone Center

Math Test Bank

Provides past exams from the Math Department for tons of classes

View the Google Drive folder

Society of Physics Students

Provides a free online and in-person tutoring program for anyone taking an introductory physics course

Learn more about SPS tutoring

Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education

Provides free, walk-in tutorial programs that cover most key courses in Writing, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Economics, and more

Check out the OMSE tutoring schedule

Quiet Study Spaces

Offers great opportunities to explore campus and find new places to get your work done

View available spaces and guidelines
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