Academic Success Programs

Winter Term Only. Peer Academic Coaching Sessions (PACS) is a program designed specifically for first year students on the Waterloo campus and is an excellent opportunity to connect with a senior student academic coach and develop strong academic skills. Students will meet weekly for 80-minutes with their academic coach and will learn from their peers in small faculty-specific groups. Whether you're looking to meet fellow students in your faculty or just looking to upgrade your study skills, PACS is a great opportunity for you! 

Weekly PACS topics and activities will include:

• Time Management - creating semester, weekly, and daily schedules
• Procrastination - learn how to avoid procrastination and prioritize tasks 
• Note Taking Strategies - making useful and meaningful notes
• Reading Strategies - effective reading for online and text materials
• Preparing for Midterms and Finals - study smarter not harder and effective learning strategies 

Winter PACS registration will open in January 2022. Please email laurier101@wlu.ca for more information or questions about the PACS program. 

The Athlete Academic Success Program (AASP) provides Laurier’s varsity athletes with academic assistance regarding learning strategies and study skills in a manner that accommodates their training and competition schedule so that they can achieve their full academic potential.

This program includes study halls to assist student athletes with their studying, and workshops to assist student athletes with their learning strategies and study skills development.

Athlete academic coaches are your fellow varsity athletes who achieve success both in the classroom and on the field of play.

Academic Coaching for Athletes

• You can arrange academic coaching appointments with your academic coach during study halls.
• You can schedule appointments with a learning strategist through the Student Success Student Portal.

Note: You can track your attendance through the Student Success Student Portal. 

Winter Term Only. In this four-part workshop series, students will identify their academic strengths and challenges and develop a plan for success in BU121. Students will explore and implement study strategies to learn course material in a way that increases comprehension and decreases the need to cram for tests. Topics covered in the workshop series include time management, metacognition, reading and note taking strategies, avoiding procrastination, and how to prepare, study, and write midterm and final exams. Students who complete all four workshops in this series are eligible to add the opportunity to their Laurier Experience Record.

Students enrolled in BU121 in Winter 2022 will be added to the BU121 Academic Success Workshop MyLearningSpace course prior to the first workshop in January 2022. 

Managing Your Time for Success in BU121

In this workshop, you will learn more about your academic strengths and challenges and start developing a plan to mitigate these challenges and set yourself up for success in BU121. This workshop will focus on time management strategies and how to have a strong start to your semester. We'll cover long term planning, weekly scheduling, and daily task management. 

Learning How to Learn

In this workshop, you will learn how to engage in proper active learning techniques and higher order learning. This workshop will focus on reading and note taking strategies that will help you to learn course material in a way that increases comprehension and decreases the need to cram for tests. 

Study Smarter Not Harder

In this workshop, you will learn about metacognition and how to study and prepare for different types of exam questions. We'll cover the active study cycle, Bloom's Taxonomy, and how to anticipate content on your assessments. 

Avoid Procrastination and Finish the Term Strong 

In this workshop, you will learn how to reflect on previous tests and use that reflection to prepare for future tests by adapting your study strategies. This workshop will also focus on identifying procrastination triggers and how to keep focus while studying. 

Notes

• You will need: A computer, access to the Internet, access to MyLearningSpace.
• Prior to the first workshop, you will be added to the BU121 Academic Success Workshop MyLearningSpace course.
• Your eligibility to add the workshop series on your Laurier Experience Record will be determined at the end of the term. Students must attend all four sessions, actively participate, and complete the necessary activities to gain credit for the workshop series. 

For first year students only. The Faculty Mentorship Program is a new initiative to provide additional support for the 2020/21 academic year. By participating in this program, you will be paired with a faculty member who will act as your mentor throughout your first year and provide you with support as you adjust to university life. Whether you want to chat about career goals, study tips or your favorite Netflix documentaries, this program is a great opportunity to connect with a faculty member in an informal setting.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

• Foster relationships between faculty and first-year students in an informal setting.
• Assist students in adjusting to university life.
• Foster student retention by creating atmosphere where students feel supported by faculty.
• Create an atmosphere of support between students and faculty.
• Assist students in connecting with campus resources.

HOW IT WORKS

• The Faculty Mentorship Program is open to all first-year students (both undergraduate and graduate).
  • However, registration is required in order to participate.
• Connections by faculty will be prioritized, where possible.
• Individual mentor/mentee requests may not be accommodated. 
• Pairings will be matched and sent out at the beginning of October and you will be invited to one meeting per month by your faculty mentor.
• Mentor/mentee connections will occur from October 2020 to April 2021.
• An optional student Q&A session will be offered once pairings have been sent out to make sure that you are prepared for their first meeting.
• The goal of the program is to have at least one connection/meeting per month starting in October.
• Mentor/mentee connections will occur from October 2020 to April 2021.

BENEFITS

• Helps you to achieve various academic, professional and/or personal goals.
• Fosters an informal relationship between you and a faculty member who you may not have interacted with outside of this program.
• Provides you with the tools and resources to help you perform to your highest capability.
• Presents you with new perspectives, ideas and ways of thinking.
• Expands your network at the university.
• Receive real-life advice, encouragement and support from a qualified professional.
• Strengthens your communication, study and personal skills.
• Sets you up for success in your senior years.

WANT TO BE A STUDENT MENTEE?

If you’re interested in participating as a student mentee in this program, register by Sept. 30, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Kara McDowell, Transition & Retention Program Assistant, at kmcdowell@wlu.ca

Goals, Plans, Achievement!

Have you recently had a difficult term and want to get back on track?

Are you on academic probation and need to raise your over GPA?

Learning Skills and Development offers a support program for students who are struggling academically, have been removed from their program of study, or are on academic probation. Our specialized GPA Program support is designed to assist students improve their academic performance. Students can join the GPA Program at any point in the term.

As part of the GPA Program, students work with our team of peer mentors and professional staff for on-going support throughout the term. We will help students understand their strengths and areas of challenge when studying and writing and help them develop the skills they need to succeed academically.

If you think the GPA Program is the right level of support for you, book an initial meeting to meet with a professional staff member to discuss the program.

Strengthening Transitions through Educational Preparation (STEP) Program

You’re invited to register for a specialized support program developed for mature and transfer students. The STEP (Strengthening Transitions through Educational Preparation) Program is a free workshop that runs through Orientation Week. It is designed to help you prepare for the rigors of a university education, feel confident about your learning skills, and connect with other mature and transfer students. In a small group format, you will have the opportunity to discuss school-life balance, listening and note-taking, library research skills, reading strategies, preparing for exams, academic writing, personal goal-setting, and planning for year two.

Multilingual learners who would like language support in one of their courses can request to be matched with a peer through the Peer Language Support Program. The purpose of this program is to connect multilingual learners with classmates in order to receive course-specific support. Students meet once per week to discuss lectures, readings, and assignments.

For more information about the Peer Language Support Program, email lbwritelearn@wlu.ca.