Academic Advice for Students
For advice on approaching your natural sciences, engineering and math courses, please visit the NSE (Natural Sciences and Engineering) Success Toolkit.
The following advice sheets were developed collaboratively by Student Academic Mentors, professors and the Office of Academic Success staff:
Adjusting to Remote Learning
Communicate with your professors
This is a unique mode of learning and you will have questions along the way. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your professors if you are unsure about expectations, encounter difficulties or need help with the course material. Read and respond to your email every day. Attend online office hours, if possible.
Manage your time
Make and follow a weekly schedule in Google Calendar, mapping out the times that you have scheduled activities (class, professors’ office hours, support clinics), deadlines, time to work on short- and long-term assignments and down-time. Build in time for self care and connecting with friends. Try strategies for managing screen fatigue.
Study Space: Communicate Your Needs
You may have found yourself in a crowded space or somewhere where it is only quiet during late hours when others are asleep. Try to make a schedule with your household members or roommates that reflects when each of you needs a private space or quiet time to conduct work, especially work that requires video or audio conferencing. If there are conflicts that make it difficult for you to have a private space to study or attend class, reach out to your professor or your assigned dean.
Connect to Your Support Network
Reach out to SAMs, WAs, your assigned student dean, tutors, Health Sciences and Pre-Law Advising, Student Disability Services, and academic department peer support groups (e.g. Math/Stats Pi-Rates). They are available to support you during this transition. Take time to talk with friends to stay connected and to take breaks.
If you experience computer or technical difficulties, email the ITS department at support@swarthmore.edu.
If you need new or adjusted accommodations for a documented disability or chronic medical condition or if you have questions about disability accommodations, please contact Director of Student Disability Services Monica Vance (mvance1@swarthmore.edu).
Academic Workshops
In partnership with students, faculty and staff, the Office of Academic Success offers workshops on time management, study skills, class participation, and other topics. Recent workshop topics included time management and effective class participation strategies.
The workshops are a collaborative effort of the dean's staff, faculty, and the Student Academic Mentors (SAMs). If you have ideas for new programming, please let us know.