How to Succeed at Concordia

10 Tips on How to Succeed at Concordia

1. Find at least one person you can rely on for information and advice about university rules, regulations, and resources-and who cares about whether you succeed at Concordia.
2. Make some friends. It’s hard to motivate yourself if you feel disconnected from everyone in your surroundings.
3. Learn about and use Concordia’s helping resources. Don’t know how to use the library? Health problems? Want to apply for financial aid? Let us help you to inform yourself about the great variety of helping services offered at Concordia.
4. Make sure that your Major is appropriate for you. Talk to your academic advisor about your program and course choices - and if you think you may be studying the wrong program, a Student Success Centre (SSC) staff person can tell you about the vocational tests, the Career Computer Lab, and all the other resources we have to help you choose the right major.
5. Improve your study habits. Ask at the SSC about the many Counselling & Development resources to help you learn more effective study skills.
6. Don’t skip classes! The professor’s lectures, comments and hints are by far the best guide to what’s going to be on the exams.
7. Don't work more than 20 hrs. per week if you're a full-time student. You need to spend 2-3 hours on school work outside of class for every hour in class. So, if you’re full-time, you already have a 45-60 hr. per week job - being in school.
8. Learn to deal with stress. For your whole career as a student you’re going to have deadlines, tests, and grades - as well as all the other challenges life is always throwing our way. A good way to learn how to cope with stress is through Counselling and Development’s Stress Management workshops and individualized stress management training. Ask about these services while you’re at the SSC.
9. Have a clear, coherent career plan. What kind of work are you going to do when you leave Concordia? How are you are preparing for that occupation now? We’ll direct you to the people and places within the university who can answer all your questions about career planning and job search.
10. Don’t wait until it's too late! Use the Student Success Check-up to evaluate how you're doing and get the help you need to stay on track for success.