Using Your Summers for Success

While the Gregorian calendar cycles in December, and the Fiscal year starts July 1st, at UA May marks the end of the academic year. For many students May will contain a major milestone- graduation. For others, May finals may mark the end of their first year on their own or the first round of upper-level classes in their area of study. Continuing students may be considering summer courses, looking for internship opportunities, or have questions about moving forward in their chosen field. No matter what landmark a student is passing, questions and strong emotions abound as we head into Summer.

Some students may be looking to either change majors, add a second major, or add a minor. Other students may be questioning if they want to return in the fall at all. Checking in with academic advisors and discussing options is the ideal place to start, and there are plenty of other campus resources open during the summer to support a student with whatever may be on their mind.

• Looking for internship opportunities?  Student Engagement and Career Development (SECD) and Handshake aid with interviewing, resumes and cover letters, and finding open positions in different fields. Individual majors or colleges may also have their own internal career development support.
• Planning to get an advanced degree? THINK TANK offers great resources for GRE, LSAT, MCAT, and GMAT prep and the UA graduate college webpage is full of information.
• Interested in Study Abroad? It’s always worth checking out what Study Abroad and UA global have to offer, and for study abroad advance planning is important!
• Exploring new areas of study? Students should plan to meet with an advisor from that department to learn more –the Advising Resource Center site has a list of advisors by major.
• Looking for a new path altogether, but not sure what? Check out the A Center Major and Career Exploration page.
• Worried about graduating “on time”? Meet with your advisor to make long term plans and discuss if summer courses may be needed to stay on schedule.
• Concerned about meeting financial aid eligibility requirements? Contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid! Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals for federal funding require meeting with your advisor.

Whether celebrating a graduation or finding a new path, the best thing you can do to support your student is keep an open mind and approach discussions with a Growth Mindset.

What is “Growth Mindset”? This means focusing on the future, opportunities, and what can be done to help a student grow. Try to avoid fixating on what the student did not get done or is missing and instead think about what unique skills and experiences they have and the resources they can use to achieve their goals moving forward.

You asked, we answered!: “Where is the best place to get subject matter support for classes?”

Depending on the course, different resources are available on campus. To start - Most instructors hold office hours weekly.

For additional support, THINK TANK offers a number of FREE academic support services for all UA students. They offer drop-in tutoring for Math, Science (primarily Chemistry and Physics), French, and Spanish. Additionally, THINK TANK has a Writing Center. If there is a specific course from another department, or an especially difficult course in Math, Science, or Writing, THINK TANK has fee-based private tutoring for individuals or groups.

Some departments offer their own academic supports. For example, Computer Science employs a team of peer tutors who have previously completed the course they tutor. Academic Advisors will know if their department offers academic support within the major and where to find that help.

If a student has a learning or attention challenge and may benefit from consistent support and tutoring for multiple classes, they may want to explore the SALT Center.

Finally, one of the best ways to maintain accountability for studying and to gain understanding of material is to form a study group. Generally, a student is confused, they are not the only one. Talking things through and someone else in the class creates opportunity to find new ways to think about the subject matter – sometimes a way that makes more sense than what the instructor may have presented.