Special Challenges for First-Year-Students

BearBucks | Making a Strong Start | Prioritizing Study Time | Attending Class | Handling Paperwork

Overlooking Key Resources | Managing Time | Working Part Time | Hanging on to the Past

Avoiding Debt | Checking Out Career Services | Misusing Alcohol | Other Health Concerns

UCA Laptop Initiative | Staying on Track for Graduation | Parent Orientation

Student Discount Card | If Your Child Has Been Accepted to the University College

Overlooking Key Resources

Many first-year-students suffer because they are unaware of what resources are available to help if their initial grades are not what they expected. Students may feel they do not have time to find this information for themselves, so parents can help by having this knowledge. Students face a much heavier workload and higher standards than they have before, so it’s natural that freshmen may feel they can't do the work required, or don't know *how* to do the work. At UCA we have many support systems in place, including

• UCA Writing Center: (www.uca.edu/cfac/writing/owl/). Formerly the Writing Center, they provide one-on-one help with writing papers and preparing speeches, and they also have a helpful website for after-hours.
• The Language Lab: ( http://www.uca.edu/wlan/lab/). They provide dictionaries, language learning software, and free tutoring to assist students in foreign language classes.
• Tutoring: (www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/undergradstudies/Tutoring.html). See this site for a complete list of the departments at UCA that provide free tutoring to students.
• The Counseling Center: (www.uca.edu/counseling/). For students who may need more guidance to succeed, the Counseling Center can also be a valuable resource.
• Learning Communities: Students may also want to consider joining a learning community. The Honors College, University College, traditional Learning Communities, and Residential Colleges are among the available learning communities at UCA and can be important avenues for academic and social success at UCA. For more information, contact Jayme Millsap Stone at jaymes@uca.edu or (501)450-5148.
• The Academic AdvisingCenter : (www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/undergradstudies/advising/). In the first year, a major key for adjustment and achievement is for students to have a strong relationship with their advisors. All first year students are registered over the summer through the Academic Advising Center and assigned an advisor for the first year, or longer if students have not declared a major by their second year. Check out their website for more information.