The Office of Student Success

• Success List
• A few keys for your success
• The Student Success Seminar
• Overview of the Regents' Test
• A Guide for Studying

• Accept Responsibility – Remember that you alone are responsible for your academic achievement. Your instructor is your guide and your classmates may help you to understand your assignments; however, you are responsible for your own success.



• Discipline Yourself – Discipline yourself to study everyday at least two hours or until you understand your assignment. Study to know and to understand, not merely to get a particular grade. Remember, all future coursework and professional opportunities are based upon your understanding of what you learn now.



• Manage Your Time – Manage your time well, so that you allow time for your personal responsibilities and time to study. Remember procrastination is a subtle thief that will steal your academic success.



• Stay Ahead – Stay one or more chapters ahead in reading your textbook. Work ahead on assignments, it reduces stress, anxiety, and problems if either the project takes longer or something unexpected occurs.



• Help Yourself Then Ask for Help –If you are not keeping up in class, do all that you can do to help yourself to improve your academic performance. (For example: increase your study time, form a study group, study with a partner, and use all support services available to you at the AAC, including tutoring and the AIM program.) If you continue to experience difficulty, make an appointment with your instructors to talk about your academic performance. There are many services available and many people willing to help, but first you must ask.



• Be Present and Prompt – Avoid being absent or tardy. You are required to attend classes from the first day that classes begin for the semester. Good attendance will give you first-hand knowledge of your instructors; comments and responses to questions. Also, good attendance shows commitment, dedication, and effort.



• Don't Quit – Do not stop coming to class because of a personal crisis, problem, or frustration. The Student Development Services staff can help you determine how to manage or cope with these situations. They can tell you the best resource on campus to help you. If you stop coming to class you will earn an “F”; which will lower your GPA.



• Communicate with Instructors – If you cannot come to class because you are ill, notify your instructors. Try to make arrangements to make up your missed assignments. Faculty cannot help you if they do not know what is happening. Make an effort to speak with your instructors about any problems you are having in class. In the long run, such conversations could improve your understanding of the material and improve the class.



• Do Your Best – Only your best is good enough. Strive for A’s and B’s; even if you have never earned A’s and B’s. Remember that when you have given your all and can honestly say you have done your best, then you can live with yourself no matter the results. So always do your best so that there are no regrets.



• Diligently Work Until the End – Do not slow down after mid-semester. Work harder than you did at the beginning of the semester. Sustain your hard work until the end of the semester. It may seem easier to coast after midterm, but you are cheating yourself if you stop learning halfway through the term. Coasting can lead to poor grades and poor understanding of the material and that can make future courses more difficult.



• Use Support Services – Find out about ABAC’s support services and use them. (i.e. Academic Assistance Center, Student Development, Office of Student Success, and Student Affairs.) Make an effort to know who can help you and how they can help you.



• Stay Focused – Focus on your academic goals. As far as possible, eliminate negative influences and distractions that may prevent you from reaching your goals.

• Discernment – Judge whether something is good based upon the results of the activity.
• Optimism – See what is possible, work towards positive endeavors, but remember to be realistic. Not everything worthwhile is accomplished immediately.
• Responsibility – Own your mistakes as well as your successes. Focus on why and how something happened, not excuses. Find solutions to problems.
• Initiative – Take Action. Don't sit around waiting for change. If you want something to happen, do something to make it happen.
• Perseverance – Be Persistent not stubborn. Continuing in positive endeavors leads to positive results.
• Purpose – be unique not average.
• Sacrifice – seek wealth not riches. Often we think success comes without sacrifice, but the truth is we get out of life what we will settle for. So we need to be willing to give everything if we can hope to expect everything in return.

Choose: Ease or Opportunity?

• What is the Regents’ Exam?
  An examination to assess the reading and writing level of students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs throughout the University System of Georgia.



• Who has to take the test?
  ABAC requires transfer degree students to pass the Regents' Test in order to graduate.



• Can I fulfill the Regents' Reading Skills Test requirement without actually taking the Reading Test?
  Yes. If you made a National SAT Verbal score of 510 or National ACT Reading score of 23, you will have fulfilled the Regents' Test Reading Skills requirement.
  



• Can I fulfill the Regents' Writing Skills Test requirement without actually taking the Regents' Essay Test?
  Yes. Students may fulfill the Regents' Writing Skills requirement and not have to take the Essay Test with any of the following combinations.
  
  Please note: All SAT and ACT test scores must be from a National test administration and not the Institutional/On-Campus SAT or the Residual ACT.
  *SAT-I Verbal 530and an A in ENGL 1101 or
  *SAT-I Verbal 590 and a B in ENGL 1101 or
  *ACT English 23 and an A in ENGL 1101 or
  *ACT English 26 and a B in ENGL 1101
  *Not available for students entering the System Summer 2008 or later.
  SAT II Writing 650 or
  3 on AP English and Composition or
  3 on AP Literature and Composition or
  4 on International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level English or
  SAT Reasoning Test, Writing 560 (effective Spring 2007)
  



• How does a student sign up for the Regents' Test?
  Students sign up for the Regents' Test when they register for classes. Test schedules are listed in the Semester Schedule of Classes. On the day before the Regents' Test, students confirm their registration and clearance for the test by signing in at the Student Development Center. Test times and rooms are confirmed at that time. A student who registered for the test when registering for classes is guaranteed a test as long as that student has signed in, been cleared, and arrives for the test at the designated time. A picture ID is required. Students MUST confirm their registration and clearance for the test.

• Practice
• Take Notes
• Make vocabulary sheets
• Make formula sheets
• Review regularly
• Ask for help