The Course Syllabus: Your Best Friend

If you were fortunate to have a forward thinking high school teacher, you may have already been introduced to a course syllabus. Once you reach college, the syllabus is fairly universal. It is carefully constructed by the professor to include all pertinent information about his or her course for the whole semester. For larger classes, it is a way to cut down on answering repetitive questions. It includes a schedule for the semester of assignments, readings, tests, etc. It should list the required and recommended texts for the class. It will give an overview of the material to be covered over the semester. It will also include "housekeeping" information, such as attendance policies, grading procedures, and classroom expectations. Ultimately, the syllabus serves as the student's guide to the semester.

Once you have gathered all your courses' syllabi, you can start to map out your semester. Mark your personal calendar with all the important due dates from all of your courses. This will help you stay organized as you get deeper into each course. You can formulate a plan of attack in terms of the necessary time needed for major assignments. If you have a strong understanding of the schedules delineated in your syllabi, you can avoid being bogged down by the reading assignments as you can spread them out. Any time your professor announces a change to the syllabus, carefully mark down the adjustments on the syllabus itself and your calendar.

The "housekeeping" items in the syllabus give you a better understanding of the professor's expectations for the semester. You want to be aware of the attendance policy. As much as you may wish to never miss a class, unforeseen events always pop up over a semester. It could be an illness that keeps you out of class for a period of time or it could just be a day that you snooze through your alarm; regardless, you want to know what will happen if you miss a class. The attendance policy should always be listed and it eliminates the need to ask the embarrassing question about what happens if you miss a class. The professor will probably envision you as someone more concerned with partying than with studying.

Another important aspect of the syllabus is the breakdown of grades. You are no longer in high school where your teacher will send home a progress report to alert you and your parents if you are struggling. In college, you are expected to be more independent. Part of this lies in your taking ownership of your own progress. The syllabus should outline how much tests, quizzes, papers, and class participation count in your final grade. This will allow you to track where your grade is over the semester.

Your professor will probably go over the syllabus on the first day of class. Follow along and jot down any important notes that pop in your mind at this time. When you go home after class, read through it again so you can clear up any questions before the class really gets into motion.