Factors that can contribute to Academic difficulty

A realistic assessment of the contributing factors that resulted in unsuccessful academic performance will be an important part of your efforts to improve your work in future semesters. It will be unlikely that you will be able to remedy difficulties and distractions unless you know exactly the nature of those distractions.

Generally, there are 5 main causes of academic difficulty:

Motivational Difficulties

Motivational difficulties can include difficulty adapting to and feeling a sense of belonging in a competitive academic environment.

Adjustment to College Life

Balancing study with the new freedoms and responsibilities of adult living can be a difficult challenge. For some, it will take practice to develop the personal discipline required to stay focused at a large institution with so many opportunities.

Study Skills

Students arrive at UNL with many levels of academic preparation. For some, the transition to UNL is seamless, for others, a real struggle. Weaknesses in academic preparation and an inability to organize study time can contribute to unsatisfactory academic performance.

Directions/Goals

Some students report having difficulty directing toward a course of study and or finding a subject matter that "fits" with their interests and abilities.

Personal Issues

At times and perhaps unexpectedly, personal issues can affect academic performance. For example, issues involving health, personal relationships, finances and family responsibilities may overwhelm a student's ability to perform well in classes.

How to Help Yourself Academically

• Attend every class and arrive on time;
• Sit up front;
• Be prepared for class by doing the homework and actively engaging with the material;
• Keep up with the required reading or, better yet, read ahead, so you're familiar with the concepts and subjects before they're discussed in class;
• Write up a summary of each chapter after reading and brainstorm in writing potential test questions from the chapter;
• Participate in class: take good notes; ask questions to clarify and push discussion further; make comments when you think of things to add to discussion;
• Select the best possible writing materials for note taking: sharp pen or pencil, eraser, your favorite line or unlined paper;
• Write up or rewrite lecture notes immediately after class or as soon after class as you can;
• Reread your class notes before the next class to make sure you don't have any outstanding questions you need to bring up;
• Reread your syllabus regularly to make sure you are on track;
• Save syllabus, handouts, and notes all together, in a logical order, in one notebook;
• Make a contact or two in the class so you can phone or email classmates for notes and assignments if you must miss a class;
• Go to instructor's/professor's/TA's office hours as often as you can and be prepared with questions to ask;
• Use residence hall tutoring;
• Attend any special study sessions organized by the professor, TA or department;
• Use any and all other support services available (residence hall programs, tutoring);
• Form your own study group from students in the class.

Tips for a Successful Semester

• Know the specific deadlines, policies, and procedures of the college and university and plan out your semester accordingly.
• Prioritize and organize your study and personal time into daily and weekly patterns of effectiveness. Maintain regular study hours and establish study environments in order to be productive throughout the entire semester.
• Develop timelines and keep semester, monthly and weekly calendars for dates when course assignments are due. Plan and prepare for exams and papers in advance.
• Go to office hours, ask questions, and talk with instructors to make the course material more alive.
• Anticipate, preview and review continuously in your courses. When you get exams and papers back discuss them thoroughly with your instructor or TA. Studying for final examinations begins now!
• Develop a network of resources. Make a list of phone numbers and email addresses of your faculty, TA's, advisers, tutors and at least 1 other student from each class.
• Communicate, collaborate and correspond with your family and friends as well as your campus support network.
• Bookmark the UNL website and explore the web sites of campus organizations that may be able to help you achieve your academic goals.