Academics 101

ACADEMICS 101

An overview for 1st-year students

How to have a positive experience and get good grades

Welcome to Queen’s! Congratulations on making the leap from high school to university.

This primer will give you an overview of some of the new approaches and ways of thinking that successful students use at Queen’s. The strategies you used in high school worked in that situation, but most students discover that university is a different ball game, with new expectations, demands and pitfalls.

Adapting to the educational style of university can be easier if you have an idea of what to expect and what is expected of you. Some aspects of university stand out, like the fast pace of learning new material, and the complexity and volume of material to be learned. Other significant features of university education are the high degree of independence you need to manage your learning, your social life, and your routines while away from home.

Please review the following Academics 101 modules:

1. The First Six Weeks: A how-to manual
2. New Academic Expectations
3. New Skills
4. New Independence
5. Additional Information