Читать книгу How to Succeed At University--International Edition - Danton O'Day - Страница 4

The academic year begins. Around the world first-year students embark on the journey of a lifetime as they start their life at university. This journey varies from country to country but fundamentally the sequence of stages and the things that students need to know are universal. In general, students undertake three or four years of undergraduate studies to earn their Bachelor’s degrees. The fourth year is often an Honours year which consists of a research project and thesis writing in addition to coursework. Following the completion of a Bachelor's degree, some students will pursue graduate studies to earn a Master's or Doctoral degree.

Did You Know?

There is some variation in the educational systems, the degrees available, and how they are granted from country to country. In the United Kingdom, for example, undergraduate Master’s degrees are available in addition to the three- or four-year Bachelor’s degree. These integrated Master’s degrees may be completed as an alternative to an Honours Bachelor’s degree; they involve an extended programme where the final year of study is at the Master’s level but are distinct from postgraduate Master’s degrees.

Universities in some countries may adhere to completely different degree systems; however, these are being phased out in favour of conforming to international standards (i.e., a three- or four-year Bachelor’s degree). Later, we’ll talk more about how long it is actually taking students to get their undergraduate degree these days.

Did You Know?

The Bologna Process is a measure promoting reforms in European higher education. Its objective is to harmonise the higher education systems between European countries and establish a “European Higher Education Area”. One of its aims is the implementation of the “three-cycle system” of degree structure (i.e., Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate) in institutions that don’t yet have it in place. ¹

Regardless of the country or the person, first-year students are almost always enthusiastic; they are excited about their new life at the university. They have great hope for academic success. But, without help or guidance, the challenges for many will be next to insurmountable. It has been well established that the first year at university is a challenge that many students cannot meet. Often as the first year begins to end, the situation is tense and students are somewhat less than enthusiastic. Where did the time go?

All of a sudden the year is over and reality has returned. Plans to acquire a Bachelor’s degree can now seem like a distant dream. Many will have failed a class or two or received bad grades that may put them at risk for dismissal from the university. They will have to face another year of some of the same classes, the same material—another year of the same things. All of this could have been avoided if the students had had some guidelines in the beginning. But it doesn’t have to be so.

That’s one reason why we wrote this book: to give incoming students a guide to success not only in their first year at university but in the years that follow. This book will spell out in black and white what you have to do to survive your first year and to continue as a successful student in subsequent years at university. It will give you advice that no one else will. There’s a second reason for this volume. We have succeeded and we want to tell you how we did it. Together we can give you the insight gained from being university students as well as the additional unique insight that years of teaching at university have given us. University can be a struggle but we believe that all incoming students can do the same. All you need is the sincere desire to succeed. After all, the university accepted you; now it’s up to you to validate that acceptance.

Professor O’Day’s Experience with Pursuing Success at University

My pre-university years in North Vancouver, Canada, were totally lacking in academic merit. The majority of my grades were well below average in the early years of secondary school. In grade nine I was told to enter the non-academic (manual arts) programme. However, my parents decided that I should stay in the university-oriented programme and they encouraged me to work harder. After that my high school grades did improve, but they never became exceptional.

In those days Canadian universities had entrance examinations, which all incoming students had to write. Counsellors used the results to advise students which career they should pursue. Many weeks after writing my entrance exams at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, I was summoned to the counsellor’s office and informed of my underwhelming success. Apparently I had demonstrated no academic potential whatsoever. The counsellor was aghast at my poor showing. (I guess he was wondering how I had gotten that far.)

“I think that you should forget the idea of going to this or any other university. You simply don’t seem to have the aptitude or the inclination to make it,” he said, more or less repeating the words that had been spoken by another counsellor several years before.

“You mean that I can’t begin my studies this fall?” I asked, fearful for my future.

“No—I’m just offering you sound advice. You appear to have no academic future. University would undoubtedly be a waste of time.”

I enrolled in the fall despite the learned man’s pessimistic appraisal and I emerged from the University of British Columbia’s hallowed halls four years later with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology. My first year at the university had been shaky, but I persevered and my last year’s average was only a percent below first-class. I had wanted to go to university and along the way I had discovered the keys to success. The essential habits that enabled me to succeed in my undergraduate studies are outlined throughout the following chapters.