Almost all colleges have a set of required courses for all students – sometimes called General Education or Distribution courses. They’re designed to expose students to a variety of different subjects and disciplines. But what happens when that particular area or course is especially challenging for a student? How do they face this mandatory course that can seem so daunting? Some students may assume or wish that they might receive an accommodation that will waive the course, exempt them from having to take it, or at least modify the course to help them be more successful. But that rarely happens. In this episode Elizabeth and Vicki talk about how students can tackle these tough classes head-on. With the right strategies, such as sequencing courses carefully, engaging with professors, and seeking early tutoring, students can not only survive, but thrive in these challenging environments. We share practical tips for staying organized and proactive to overcome these potential academic hurdles.
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This episode is all about helping students tackle those required courses that can seem so daunting they don’t think they can manage. Almost all students will encounter one – or several – of these courses throughout their college career. Although student may wish they would go away, if they want their degree they’ll have to face them. But students don’t need to plow in and hope for the best. There are tips and strategies that can help students make even these daunting courses successful.
Some of the information in this podcast episode was inspired by a blog post on Elizabeth’s website, LDAdvisory.com. If you want to read more, check out her post, Strategies to Fulfill Challenging Requirements on her website. Although Elizabeth’s article is focused on students with Learning Disabilities, so many of her suggestions apply to all students that we decided to unpack them in a podcast episode.
We covered a lot of ground. We talked about knowing your options, taking classes at another institution, investigating Pass/Fail options, tackling the course during summer break, taking a reduced courseload, thinking about course sequencing, and applying plain old best practices, such as working closely with the professor, getting a tutor, staying organized – and just getting the work done.
There’s lots in this episode you’ll want to share with your student.
If you’re trying to help your student learn how to learn better, we recommend the book Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make it Easy by Daniel Willingham. Every student should have a copy of this!
If you want to explore further, here are a couple of articles that can help.
Eight Benefits of Taking Difficult Courses in College
Tutoring Can Help Your College Student Succeed: Twelve Reasons to Start Early
Why College Peer Tutoring Works
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