Will This Be on the Test?: What Your Professors Really Want You to Know about Succeeding in College

by Dana T. Johnson, Jennifer E. Price

Overview

The essential survival guide for college students

Getting into college takes plenty of hard work, but knowing what your professors expect of you once you get there can be even more challenging. Will This Be on the Test? is the essential survival guide for high-school students making the transition to college academics. In this entertaining and informative book, Dana Johnson shares wisdom and wit gleaned from her decades of experience as an award-winning teacher in the freshman classroom—lessons that will continue to serve you long after college graduation.

Johnson offers invaluable insights into how college academics differs from high school. She reveals how to maximize what you learn and develop good relationships with your professors, while explaining how you fit into the learning environment of college. Answering the questions that many new college students don’t think to ask, Johnson provides tactical tips on getting the most out of office hours, e-mailing your professor appropriately, and optimizing your performance on assignments and exams. She gives practical advice on using the syllabus to your advantage, knowing how to address your instructors, and making sure you’re not violating the academic ethics code. The book also offers invaluable advice about online courses and guidance for parents who want to help their children succeed.

Will This Be on the Test? shows you how to work with your professors to get the education, grades, and recommendations you need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691179537
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	04/23/2019
Series:	Skills for Scholars , #24
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	411,610
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dana T. Johnson taught for many years at the College of William and Mary, where she twice won the Simon Prize for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, and has three decades of experience teaching college freshmen. Jennifer E. Price is a biologist who has much experience teaching online as well as traditional college courses.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction: Why Are You Going to College? 1

Part I Getting the Big Picture

1 It's Not All about You 7

2 Just Kidding! It Is All about You: Personal Responsibility 17

3 Who Are Your Professors? 28

4 College as a Springboard to the Workplace, the Military, or Graduate School 37

Part II Inside YOUR College Classroom

5 The Written Rules of the Classroom: The Syllabus 49

6 The Unwritten Rules of the Classroom: Acceptable Classroom Behaviors 57

7 The Virtual Classroom: Special Considerations for Online Courses 68

Part III Communicating with Your Professor

6 Office Hours 81

9 Email Etiquette 93

10 Letters of Recommendation 102

Part IV More Advice for College Success

11 Getting the Best Grades You Can 115

12 Polishing Your Written Work 127

13 Managing Your Coursework and Your Time 141

14 Ethical Considerations 153

Part V Final Words of Wisdom

15 For Parents: Preparing, Supporting, and Understanding Your Student 167

16 Summing Up 175

Glossary of Academic Terms 179

References 185

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Will This Be on the Test? demystifies the 'hidden curriculum' of college. This book is a perfect gift for any college-bound high school graduate."—Tara DaPra, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

“Bookstores stock their shelves with scads of books on how to get into college, but scarce few on succeeding once there. Read Will This Be on the Test? and be prepared for clear, useful, and straightforward advice, so you can be prepared for success in your college career.”—Jeffrey Durso-Finley, director of college counseling, Lawrenceville School

“Much of today’s college talk revolves around getting in—but this book meaningfully shifts the focus to how to be successful once getting to college. Johnson provides expert advice to make this book an important and eye-opening read for high school students planning for college, current college students looking for help navigating the unfamiliar landscape, and the parents and school counselors who guide them.”—Sarah Graham, director of college counseling, Princeton Day School

"The most comprehensive, insightful, and honest guide to university life I have ever encountered. This incomparable book directly answers all the questions you're afraid to ask and equips you with the practical skills necessary not just to succeed in college but to shine in your life beyond. Dana Johnson recognizes the floundering that first-years endure and gives students the tools they need to teach themselves how to swim."—Sarah Eagan, student, Boston University

Editorial Reviews

"Will This Be on the Test? demystifies the 'hidden curriculum' of college. This book is a perfect gift for any college-bound high school graduate."—Tara DaPra, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay


“Bookstores stock their shelves with scads of books on how to get into college, but scarce few on succeeding once there. Read Will This Be on the Test? and be prepared for clear, useful, and straightforward advice, so you can be prepared for success in your college career.”—Jeffrey Durso-Finley, director of college counseling, Lawrenceville School


“Much of today’s college talk revolves around getting in—but this book meaningfully shifts the focus to how to be successful once getting to college. Johnson provides expert advice to make this book an important and eye-opening read for high school students planning for college, current college students looking for help navigating the unfamiliar landscape, and the parents and school counselors who guide them.”—Sarah Graham, director of college counseling, Princeton Day School


"The most comprehensive, insightful, and honest guide to university life I have ever encountered. This incomparable book directly answers all the questions you're afraid to ask and equips you with the practical skills necessary not just to succeed in college but to shine in your life beyond. Dana Johnson recognizes the floundering that first-years endure and gives students the tools they need to teach themselves how to swim."—Sarah Eagan, student, Boston University

From the Publisher