Graduate Programs – Tips for Success
Starting a new semester (or graduate program!) can be overwhelming and a change of pace. We are here to help! Throughout September, we asked students, faculty, and staff to submit their favorite “Tips for Success.” We are thrilled with the response and hope you find these tips as helpful as we do.
Have a tip you’d like to share for an upcoming issue of The Insider? Send us an email at hegsa@shu.edu.
Student, Faculty & Staff Tips for Success
“Be open to engaging with your classmates and professors. This is the most supportive academic environment that I have ever encountered. You’ll find that most of your classmates are happy to get a bite to eat, grab a drink, or talk about class assignments or readings. The professors are approachable and outgoing, so don’t be shy!” – Ryan Westman
“When preparing for the qualifying exam (start early!), spend time organizing different readings and syllabi into ‘big-picture’ categories” – Erin Zielenbach
“Leverage your contacts through social media, like LinkedIn. LinkedIn helped me stay connected and engaged with former and new colleagues in the industry. I’ve found the groups, blogs, and news updates helpful in keeping up with higher education trends” – Monica Burnette
“Write, write, write. Graduate courses require a lot of writing, and dissertations are often 100 or more pages. Try to write at least 30 minute each day, working on being clear and concise” – Dr. Kelchen
“Start early! It might be difficult to decide on your dissertation topic when you just started your program, but sooner is better. At least identify an area of interest and use class assignments to expand on that interest. Professors are so cooperative and flexible and will provide generous support and guidance, so don’t hesitate to ask for their help. If you follow this advice, at the end of the academic year you will be surprised at how productive you’ve been” – Tagi Alhaddab
“Map your every move into a calendar app, like Outlook or Google Calendar. Make sure you are clear as to what you expect of yourself during that time. Include study time, when you’ll be reading what, response time, and even time for taking notes. Be sure to include time for eating, staying fit, and relaxation/social time! If you need more time, you can easily manipulate the entry or create repeating entries for a weekly routine” – Sarah Andrews
“Live for doing assignments in advance! For instance, when an assignment is due in a month, start today. It can be overwhelming when you are taking three classes and all of them have final papers due the same week.” – Daria Pizzuto
“Plan to be two weeks ahead on all reading, and use the “Due minus one” rule for all assignments. Take the date it’s due, and subtract 1 month, 1 week, or 1 day (depending on time factors and your ability to complete assignments). You’ll always be ahead (which decreases stress)! If you do “fall behind” one week, you still have a week’s buffer, or two, which won’t mean you’re behind at all. Plus, you’ll get your work done a lot quicker and have extra time to relax at the end of the semester so you can focus on end-of-semester activities.” – Sarah Andrews
“Read InsideHigherEd.com daily! It keeps students well informed of current, hot topics in the industry. It’s also a great help when writing papers and taking exams” – Marie Gioiosa
“Take the program plan seriously, and pay attention to when courses are offered. Most courses are not offered every semester, so try to plan your future schedule with course availability in mind.” – Dr. Kelchen
“Get involved with professional associations, like ASHE. Also, work on building concrete and lasting academic/professional relationships. Build a network of “writing buddies.” – Reuel Mebuin
“Always include your student ID number when sending emails – especially when requesting your registration PIN number. It helps expedites the process. Also, always your SHU email address for correspondence.” – Jill Dippman
“Color-code everything! Pick a color to associate with each class. Use that color when selecting your calendar events, your pens, your notebooks, and your binders. Three courses mean three different colors. Your brain will more easily be able to jump from one subject to the next when you study, as it associates different courses with different colors” – Sarah Andrews
“Take advantage of the resources available at the library. Library staff are happy to meet with students for individual consultations regarding literature searches and Seton Hall’s resources” – Dr. Kelchen
“Cultivate a mentor/mentee relationship with faculty members. Seek support and build a coaching network throughout the program. Don’t just wait for the dissertation.” – Reuel Mebuin
“Go to all of the programming/events you can on campus – you are just as much a part of the community at Seton Hall as the undergraduates. You’ll get to network, have fun, and maybe even some freebies!” – Sarah Andrews
“Ask a lot of questions! As faculty, we’re here to help, but we don’t always know when you don’t understand material unless you let us know.” – Dr. Kelchen