Welcome to the

American Classroom!

HOW TO SEE AN INTERNATIONAL HOW TO SEE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADVISORSTUDENT ADVISOR

Come to the International Center Come to the International Center (Misenheimer campus, library, top floor)(Misenheimer campus, library, top floor)

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am–5 pmOffice Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am–5 pm Call 704-463-3368 for an appointment. Call 704-463-3368 for an appointment. The International Advisor has office hours The International Advisor has office hours

on the Charlotte campus twice a month. on the Charlotte campus twice a month. Watch for flyers announcing schedule.Watch for flyers announcing schedule.

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What to Expect in What to Expect in U.S. College ClassroomsU.S. College Classrooms

Informal classroom atmosphereInformal classroom atmosphereRequired attendanceRequired attendanceParticipation of students in class discussionsParticipation of students in class discussionsPrerequisite courses may be requiredPrerequisite courses may be requiredFrequent assignments and testsFrequent assignments and testsObjective tests and essays.Objective tests and essays.

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The American College ClassroomThe American College Classroom► The first time my The first time my

professor told me :professor told me :““I don’t know the I don’t know the answer-answer-I will have to look it up.” I will have to look it up.” I was shocked. I asked I was shocked. I asked myself, “Why is he myself, “Why is he teaching me?” teaching me?” In my country, a In my country, a professor would give a professor would give a wrong answer rather wrong answer rather than admit ignorance.”than admit ignorance.”

-A visitor from Iran-A visitor from Iran

The Course Syllabus:The Course Syllabus:Your Key to SuccessYour Key to Success

Review the course syllabus. It contains Review the course syllabus. It contains course objectives, assignment deadlines, course objectives, assignment deadlines, and instructor’s name with contact and instructor’s name with contact information.information.Contact your instructor if you are having Contact your instructor if you are having difficulty. Visits with instructors during difficulty. Visits with instructors during office hours are encouraged.office hours are encouraged.BewareBeware that acts of cheating and that acts of cheating and plagiarism will be subject to academic plagiarism will be subject to academic discipline.discipline.

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Cheating & PlagiarismCheating & Plagiarism

Cheating means using any method other than Cheating means using any method other than your your OWNOWN knowledge and skill to answer exam knowledge and skill to answer exam questions. Helping someone during an exam is questions. Helping someone during an exam is also considered also considered cheatingcheating..

Plagiarism is including ideas and language in a Plagiarism is including ideas and language in a paper you write that are not your own or paper you write that are not your own or submitting a paper someone else wrote.submitting a paper someone else wrote.

School Time Hours Per Week

• CLASS = 12 hours per week• STUDY = 24 hours per week• TOTAL = 36 hours per week

FULL TIME STUDY = SAME NUMBER OF HOURS AS FULL TIME JOB

Calculating GPA

Formula: total honor points divided by # of credit hours taken

Honor Points GPA scale :

A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0

Grades can affect your immigration status.

Time Management and StressTime Management and Stress

Successful students are good managers of time.Successful students are good managers of time.Develop a realistic plan for your day and follow it.Develop a realistic plan for your day and follow it.Include time for class, study hours, and SLEEP!Include time for class, study hours, and SLEEP!Socialize. Socialize. Spend time with friends.Spend time with friends.Exercise! Exercise!

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Support and Academic Assistance Support and Academic Assistance Available to all StudentsAvailable to all Students..

FREEFREE tutorial assistance is offered in the Learning Center tutorial assistance is offered in the Learning Center located on the Misenheimer campus. located on the Misenheimer campus.

Online tutorial assistance is also available through Online tutorial assistance is also available through SMARTHINKING. Contact SMARTHINKING. Contact Dr. Joanne ErnstDr. Joanne Ernst at 704-463- at 704-463-3367 for more information.3367 for more information.

Pamphlets on note-taking, test-taking, and time Pamphlets on note-taking, test-taking, and time management are also available from the Learning Center. management are also available from the Learning Center. Many of these are available online on the university’s Many of these are available online on the university’s website.website.

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ACADEMIC TERMS DEFINEDACADEMIC TERMS DEFINED

► Academic Advisor: A member of the university’s Academic Advisor: A member of the university’s faculty who helps and advises students solely on faculty who helps and advises students solely on academic matters.academic matters.

► Academic Year: The period of formal instruction, Academic Year: The period of formal instruction, usually August – May.usually August – May.

► Accreditation:Accreditation:Approval of the university by nationally Approval of the university by nationally recognized professional associations or regional recognized professional associations or regional accrediting bodies.accrediting bodies.

  ► Add/Drop: A process at the beginning of a term Add/Drop: A process at the beginning of a term

whereby students can delete and add classes with an whereby students can delete and add classes with an instructor’s permission.instructor’s permission.

► Audit: To take a class without receiving credit toward Audit: To take a class without receiving credit toward a degree.a degree.

Academic Terms (continued)Academic Terms (continued)► Bachelor’s Degree: Degree awarded upon completion of Bachelor’s Degree: Degree awarded upon completion of

approximately four years of full-time study in the liberal approximately four years of full-time study in the liberal arts or sciences.arts or sciences.

► College Catalog: An official publication giving information College Catalog: An official publication giving information about a university’s academic programs, facilities, about a university’s academic programs, facilities, entrance requirements, and student life.entrance requirements, and student life.

  ► Commuter Student: A student who lives off-campus.Commuter Student: A student who lives off-campus.  ► Core Requirements: Mandatory courses required for Core Requirements: Mandatory courses required for

completion of the degree.completion of the degree.

► Course: Regularly scheduled class sessions of one to five Course: Regularly scheduled class sessions of one to five hours per week during a term. A degree program is made hours per week during a term. A degree program is made up of a specified number of required and elective courses.up of a specified number of required and elective courses.

Academic Terms (continued)Academic Terms (continued)► Credits: Units that universities use to record the completion of Credits: Units that universities use to record the completion of

courses (with passing grades) that are required for an academic courses (with passing grades) that are required for an academic degree. The catalog defines the number and kinds of credits that degree. The catalog defines the number and kinds of credits that are required for the university’s degrees.are required for the university’s degrees.

► Electives: Courses that students choose to take for credit toward Electives: Courses that students choose to take for credit toward their intended degree; these are different from courses that are their intended degree; these are different from courses that are required for the degree.required for the degree.

► Fees: An amount charged by universities, in addition to tuition, to Fees: An amount charged by universities, in addition to tuition, to cover costs of institutional services.cover costs of institutional services.

► Final:Final: A cumulative exam on a particular course subject covering A cumulative exam on a particular course subject covering all material covered throughout the duration of the class.all material covered throughout the duration of the class.

  ► Financial Aid:Financial Aid: A general term that includes all types of money, A general term that includes all types of money,

loans, and work/study programs offered to a student to help pay loans, and work/study programs offered to a student to help pay tuition, fees, and living expensestuition, fees, and living expenses..

Academic Terms (continued)Academic Terms (continued)

► Grade/Grading System: The evaluation of a student’s Grade/Grading System: The evaluation of a student’s academic work.academic work.

► GPA: Grade Point Average. A system of recording GPA: Grade Point Average. A system of recording achievement based on a numerical average of the grades achievement based on a numerical average of the grades attained in each course.attained in each course.

► Graduate: A student who has completed a course of study; a Graduate: A student who has completed a course of study; a graduate program at a university is a study course for graduate program at a university is a study course for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.

► High School:High School: The U.S. term for secondary school.The U.S. term for secondary school.

► Honors Program: A challenging program for students with Honors Program: A challenging program for students with high gradeshigh grades..

Academic Terms (continued)Academic Terms (continued)► Liberal Arts:Liberal Arts: A term referring to academic studies of subjects in A term referring to academic studies of subjects in

the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences.the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences.

► Major: The subject in which a student wishes to concentrate.Major: The subject in which a student wishes to concentrate.  ► Minor: A subject in which the student takes the second greatest Minor: A subject in which the student takes the second greatest

concentration of courses.concentration of courses.  ► Prerequisite:Prerequisite: Programs or courses that a student is required to Programs or courses that a student is required to

complete before being permitted to enroll in a more advanced complete before being permitted to enroll in a more advanced program or course.program or course.

► Registration:Registration: Process through which students select courses to be Process through which students select courses to be taken during a semester.taken during a semester.

  ► RA:RA: Resident Assistant. A person who assists the residence hall Resident Assistant. A person who assists the residence hall

director in campus residence halls and is usually the first point of director in campus residence halls and is usually the first point of contact for students with problems or questions. RA’s are students contact for students with problems or questions. RA’s are students at the college who receive free or reduced accommodations in at the college who receive free or reduced accommodations in return for their service.return for their service.

Academic Terms (continued)Academic Terms (continued)► Scholarship:Scholarship: A study grant of financial aid, usually given at the A study grant of financial aid, usually given at the

undergraduate level, that may take the form of a tuition waiver or undergraduate level, that may take the form of a tuition waiver or other fees.other fees.

► SAT:SAT: Scholastic Assessment Test. A primarily multiple-choice test Scholastic Assessment Test. A primarily multiple-choice test of mathematics and English abilities that is required by many U.S. of mathematics and English abilities that is required by many U.S. colleges and universities for admission into an undergraduate colleges and universities for admission into an undergraduate program. program.

► School: A general term for any place of education School: A general term for any place of education   ► Semester: Period of study lasting 16 weeks or ½ the academic year.Semester: Period of study lasting 16 weeks or ½ the academic year.  ► Syllabus: An outline of topics covered in an academic course Syllabus: An outline of topics covered in an academic course   ► TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language. An English language TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language. An English language

proficiency examination required of applicants whose native proficiency examination required of applicants whose native language is not English. language is not English.

Academic Terms (continued)Academic Terms (continued)

► Transcripts:Transcripts: A certified copy of a student’s educational A certified copy of a student’s educational record record

► Tuition: The money an institution charges for Tuition: The money an institution charges for instruction and training (does not include the cost of instruction and training (does not include the cost of books). books).

► University: A large post-secondary institution that University: A large post-secondary institution that offers both undergraduate and graduate degree offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. programs.