Success at UNL

 

Connect with Others

     We encourage students to think of academic advisers as being a part of their educational team, which may also include faculty and other academic professionals. Advisers are tapped into most of what is going on at UNL, and in general, know how things work. We encourage students to connect early and stay connected with an adviser. We recommend students meet at least two or three times each semester with an adviser. In short, students should contact their adviser anytime they have questions or concerns.

 

Talk with faculty

     They may sometimes be intimidating, but faculty are here at UNL because they love their discipline enough to spend their lives learning more about it and passing that knowledge onto students. Take advantage of their office hours, get involved in research and get the most out of this tremendous resource.

     Students who experience difficulty and must miss class should talk to their instructor. Instructors can suggest ideas for catching up on missed work and can give general advice about how students can experience success in the course.

Connect with the Community

     Student Involvement Service-Learning program uses the S.E.R.V.E. model in all areas of volunteer service including Community Challenges and civic engagement. The S.E.R.V.E model, developed at the University of Nebraska, outlines the important elements of a quality service-learning project .

Join Student Groups

     Student Involvement encourages students to join a Registered Student Organization (RSO) or participate in student government, and take full advantage of opportunities to enrich the cultural, social, recreational and political life of campus. Currently, there are more than 450 RSOs available for students to get involved with at UNL.

Participate in Student Government

     Be a leader! The Association of Students at the University of Nebraska (ASUN) serves as the representative voice for UNL students, working to gather input from all students, advocate student concerns to administration, and provide student services in an effort to improve the campus and enhance student life.

 

Keep Academics Strong

Find Help Early

     Making a transition to a new school can be difficult. UNL may be a larger learning environment than the school you previously attended, but there are services that can help with this adjustment. Students who find themselves falling behind should seek help early. Whether it is help with writing, math, chemistry or another subject, UNL likely offers a service which can help students. Students should learn to seek help before the situation they are expereincing becomes a crisis.

Work on Study Skills

     The study skills that students obtained while in high school may not work as well in college. It is very common for students to adjust how they study and to learn new study skills to cope with the rigors of college academics. The UNL Educational Psychology department offers a course which can assist students to acquire the skills necessary to be successful at the college level. The course EDPS 209: Strategies for Academic Success may be helpful to students who want to work on adjusting their study skills to the college environment.

Take Advantage of Resources

     Every semester students pay fees. Many of these fees go toward providing services to students to help them be academically successful. These services do not cost extra:

  • Supplemental Instruction (SI)  is an assistance program that increases student performance and retention. The program provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer-facilitated sessions for certain sections of typical high-risk courses.

Academic Resource Centers are available in a number of subject areas:

  • Math Resource Center is the primary facility for undergraduate students who have questions related to any precalculus or calculus course offered by the department. Students can ask for assistance with the following Math courses: 100A, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107. The Center also provides an excellent location for students to meet and work together on assignments or group projects.
  • Writing Center consultants work with undergraduate and graduate students on a wide variety of academic and creative writing projects as well as on resumes, cover letters, application essays for program or graduate school admissions. They work with faculty on writing assignment design as well as with faculty writing for publication.
  • Computer Science and Engineering Student Resource Center is intended to provide UNL Computer Science and Computer Engineering majors who are new to the program with a set of resources that provides technical support to students, assists with course work and assignments, offers encouragement, advice and a sympathetic ear, and provides support to students by sharing their enthusiasm for science and technology.

Plan Ahead

Go to the Career Center

     The UNL Careers Services Office offers counseling and workshops for students at every stage of career exploration. Career counselors assist students in developing a job or internship search plan, managing progress toward career goals and learning the skills to successfully find a job and/or make a career transition. Students may research job fields, learn to write a resume targeted to their intended field, and practice interviewing and much more. The Career Services website also has links to many great on-line resources.

Attend Career Fairs

     Career Services hosts several career fairs, and many other events each semester to assist students with major exploration and career preparation. Students can learn what employers are looking for by attending a fair.

Connect with Employers

     One of the best ways to learn about a career is to talk to someone who does the work. Job shadowing and informational interviewing can help students connect with employers. The Career Services counselors can help students organize these experiences.

 

Planning for a Major

   It is very important that students begin preparation for their UNL major as early as possible in their academic career.  Most degree programs at UNL are 4-year programs if the student successfully completes 15-16 hours each semester.

     Some UNL majors take more than four years to complete. For example, architecture majors spend four years earning the undergraduate degree and then two additional years to earn the professional degree.

      Many UNL majors have admission requirements. In addition, some of these programs admit students only once a year. Again, if students choose one of these majors and have not started the coursework for the major within their first year of study, it may take them longer to graduate than four years.

     Most students try several majors before they find the subject they enjoy most. Students should give themselves time to do this exploration by starting to investigate potential majors early. We encourage students to try an exploration course every time they register. Doing so will help them not only identify a major that fits sooner, but will help students keep on track with prerequisite requirements.

    Advice for Students:

  • 1.  Seek assistance from advisers.
  • 2.  Utilize Career Services early.

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