Many students face the moment in their college career where they cannot wrap their head around a course and as a result, fail it.
Interim Executive Director of Student Engagement and Director of Academic Records and Registrar Brandy Cartmell said that the most common failed courses are math and science courses.
Examples of these classes include Calculus 1, Human Anatomy and Physiology and Trigonometry.
“Math and science require a firm foundation before [moving on to] the next course in the sequence,” Cartmell said.
The reasons students fail these classes are varied, but Cartmell said that it is often because they lack a basic understanding of information upon graduating from high school and before moving on to college, forcing students to take remedial classes.
“The foundation must begin in high school. Many students do not experience enough rigor in high school in math and science to be prepared for the rigors of a university level course,” Cartmell said.
How should students who are already taking these classes better prepare themselves, however?
For those taking these harder courses and encountering difficulties, students are advised to take extra help and supplemental instruction sessions provided by the instructors if they find themselves struggling in understanding the material.
“For every hour spent in class, at least two hours should be spent out of class studying. They should not wait until their grade suffers to begin putting in the time needed to understand the material,” Cartmell said.
Other strategies for students include balancing their schedule, forming study groups with their classmates early on or meeting with their academic adviser to come up with better methods of studying. The Student Success Center also provides Math and Writing Centers in Humanities free of charge to those students wanting to increase their understanding or check on their progress on class assignments.
Cartmell also advises students who require assistance with their classes to seek help immediately rather than waiting at the last minute to increase their chances of catching up.
“Students should begin with the instructor. Many times supplemental instruction sessions are offered, as are tutoring sessions. Students can also contact the Student Success Center to inquire about small-group tutoring and individual tutoring. There is also the Math Lab and Writing Centers that are available to students, free of charge. However, do not wait until it is so far into the semester to seek help that there is no catching up,” Cartmell said.
For more information, contact the Student Success Center at 731-881-7744 or success@utm.edu.
