As exams approach, students are encouraged to make individual appointments at Wayne State’s Academic Success Center (ASC) to brush up on their study skills. The ASC provides year-round support to students looking to improve their study skills and techniques.
Free, on-campus appointments are available to all undergraduate students, allowing them to meet one-on-one with a learning specialist who can help them prepare for an exam, overcome test anxiety, study more efficiently, master course material, improve concentration, develop time management strategies, address academic concerns and more. ASC appointments can be scheduled here.
“During an individual session, a learning specialist will analyze the student’s current approach to navigating course material, and discuss with them where they’ve been experiencing difficulties,” said Angela Zanardelli Sickler, a learning specialist. “Based on what we discover, we’ll work with the student to create a study plan designed to meet their distinct needs. This is not a quick fix, but rather a long-term solution.”
In addition to individual study skills counseling, the ASC — located in the David Adamany Undergraduate Library — offers tutoring, financial literacy programs, course study groups, supplemental instruction, workshops, math literacy services and more.
The ASC also offers the First Year Seminar (FYS 1010), a one-credit, interactive course for first-year students. During the fall semester, participants meet for 50 minutes each week and cover a variety of topics such as brain-based study strategies, time management, health and wellness, and financial literacy. Zanardelli Sickler coordinates FYS 1010, which has grown exponentially since its launch in 2014.
“This class meets for less than an hour each week, yet students are taught techniques they can use through their entire college careers. The entire curriculum is based on the latest research on the science of learning,” she said. “This class doesn’t teach students what to learn, but instead how to learn.”
This year’s FYS 1010 included a final project that had students reflect on how they evolved as learners during the semester. Based on the course’s common read, Humans of New York: Stories, each student wrote individual “Humans of FYS” articles. Several noted that college was much harder than they initially imagined, and many struggled with their first semester even though they had breezed through high school. Many mentioned that they are grateful for FYS 1010 because it helped them manage their time and study more effectively.
While FYS 1010 is offered to first year students, all topics covered in the seminar are accessible to other students through services and events offered by ASC.
For more information on upcoming events at the Academic Success Center, visit their website. Students can see additional details about upcoming events, study tips and tricks by following @studyskillswsu on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.