Part 1. Midterm Check In
Introduction
Activity Objective:
At the beginning of this term, you made one of the most important transitions a person can make for a rewarding life: starting college. You’ve now reached a milestone; in higher education, this milestone is called “midterm.” Many colleges issue midterm grades to students; many instructors give midterm exams.
At this point in the term, some of you might have lost motivation and started asking yourselves, “Should I have gone to college? How is this working out for me?” Midterm is an important time for you to “check in” on how you’re doing and make good choices so that the second part of the term goes smoothly.
Consider each of the pointers provided on the following slides, which are designed to help you finish the term successfully; then answer the accompanying questions to take action on each suggested item.
Let’s get started! Click the forward and backward arrows to navigate through the slides. You may also click the above outline button to skip to certain slides.
This activity may be saved and completed at a later time. Please note that you cannot change your answers after you submit them.
Know Your Course Standings
It’s important to figure out, as precisely as you can, how you’re performing in each course. Look at the syllabus, and review the section that describes how your final grade will be calculated. Estimate your overall grade in the course at this point using the grades you have received so far.
What is your best estimate of your current grade in each of your courses?
Please select the best response for each of your current courses. If you are taking fewer than five courses, simply respond “Not applicable” where appropriate.
Develop Strategies to Improve or Maintain Grades
Develop strategies for improving or maintaining your grades in each course. Ask your instructors and your adviser for advice on how to improve or maintain your grades. You may also want to get help from the campus learning center or tutoring center. If your college success class includes a peer leader, ask this person, too.
Use the spaces below to answer the following questions.
6. List three steps you will take to improve or maintain your grades.
7. Now list the name of a person you trust—for example, an adviser, an instructor, a peer leader, or a tutor—whom you can ask to provide feedback on your plan.
See Your Academic Adviser/Counselor
Are you getting to know your academic adviser or counselor? If the two of you have a relationship, how is it working out? If you want or need to change advisers or counselors, now is the time. Within the next few weeks, you will need to see this person to decide what courses to take next term.
Use the spaces below to answer the following questions.
8. List the name and office location of your adviser/counselor.
9. Have you met with your adviser/counselor already? If so, do you want to keep or change this person moving forward?
10. Have you made an appointment to discuss your courses for next term? If not, when will you make this appointment?
Remember to Register
As soon as you can, register for next term. The earlier you register, the more course options and section times will be open to you.
Use the spaces below to answer the following questions.
11. What is the opening date for registration for next term?
12. Have you registered yet? Why or why not?
Know Important Deadlines
There are many important deadlines in college, from advising and registration to fee payments, financial aid, and on-campus housing. Your college might not send reminders (or you might miss them). It’s up to you to take responsibility for learning and remembering these deadlines.
Fill in the deadlines below so you won’t forget them. (Add them into your phone or calendar as well.) If a particular deadline doesn’t apply to you—for example, if you live off campus, you won’t need the housing deadline—simply respond “Not applicable.”
13. Academic advising deadline
14. Registration deadline
15. Fee payments deadline
16. Financial aid/scholarships deadline
17. Housing deadline
Review Your Time-Management Strategies
Are you tracking how you spend your time? Are you making regular use of a personal calendar—either on paper or online? Consider your personal time-management system and record your responses below.
Please select a response for each question.
Maintain Your Motivation
Keep pumping yourself up. Spend time with other positive students. Go back and review earlier portions of this book that deal with motivation, goal setting, and purpose.
Please select a response for each question.
Be Mindful of Remaining Course Requirements
Be mindful of the most important course requirements remaining this term. What are the major exams, papers, or projects that you must complete successfully? When are they due?
Enter the most important course requirements still to come this term and the due dates for each.
24. Requirement 1 and due date
25. Requirement 2 and due date
26. Requirement 3 and due date
27. Requirement 4 and due date
Monitor Your Anxiety or Stress Level
Are you feeling overwhelmed and struggling to cope? Lots of college students benefit from counseling. This is normal, and it’s confidential and free.
Use the spaces below to answer the following questions.
28. What is your current level of anxiety or stress? Is it high, medium, or low?
29. Do you feel that you could you benefit from counseling right now? Please explain. (If you don’t feel comfortable sharing this information, you can note this in your response.)
30. What is the location of the counseling center on campus? What are the center’s hours?
Conclusion
Thank you for completing this activity! Please click here to print or save a summary of your responses: