A Letter from the Assistant Dean, LS&A Student Academic Affairs

Welcome to LS&A

Dear Parent:

The college years: Exciting. Challenging. Stressful. College is a time for exploration. As your student embarks on a college education, you might encounter changes in his or her thought processes, behavior, maturity, and decision-making skills.

Some students have more difficulty than others adjusting to the transition from high school to college; therefore, it might be helpful to talk with your student about what it takes to be successful at the University of Michigan. Some basics to consider for academic success:

• First and foremost, go to class! The significance of attendance cannot be emphasized enough. It is difficult, if not impossible, to master the material if your student is not in class.
• Avoid procrastination. Waiting until the last day or hour to complete an assignment may have worked in high school, but procrastination can have serious consequences for college-level work. Remind your student that his or her college classmates all got A's and B's in high school but that not everyone at Michigan will receive A's and B's. Everyone at the University is bright and has the potential to be successful here. To ensure success, your student should employ consistent study habits rather than wait for last-minute inspiration. For every credit
  he or she takes, your student should be prepared to spend three hours outside class in preparation. For example, if your student takes 15 credits at Michigan, he or she should count on spending approximately 45 hours per week doing work related to those classes.
• Your student must be willing to set goals and be realistic enough to evaluate those goals over time to make sure that they remain compatible with his or her interests and intellectual strengths. We hope that students will explore many areas of interest and receive the broadest possible liberal arts education, but setting goals for performance and selecting courses that match their curiosity and interests are strategies that will increase the likelihood of a successful academic experience. It is central to Academic Advising's mission to help students make important decisions about exciting opportunities, from choosing a concentration or finding a wonderful internship through deciding what medical school or law school best suits their needs. We encourage students to stay in touch with their academic advisor.
• If your student experiences any problem in a class, he or she should meet with the instructor immediately. Seeking assistance is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of active intellectual engagement, and UM faculty are more
  than willing to help a student better understand the material. If your student needs help resolving a problem in or out of class, he or she should contact the LS&A Academic Advising Center at (734) 764-0332 and make an appointment with his or her academic advisor.

Your student should know that our college expects students to take full responsibility for his or her actions both in and out of the classroom; that we will treat them as adults (even as we recognize that they are still maturing); and that we will expect them to take the initiative in making their college education a successful, productive and positive experience.

To help you support your student make the transition from high school to college, we have put together this Parent Handbook. If you have questions that are not answered by this handbook, please contact the LS&A Academic Advising Center:

phone: (734) 764-0332

e-mail: ask.lsa.advising@umich.edu
web: www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/

Esrold A. Nurse, Ph.D.,
Assistant Dean

LS&A Student Academic Affairs