How to Succeed At University--Canadian Edition. Danton O'Day

areas like the sciences include many courses that require hands-on laboratory or tutorial work. In addition, studies suggest that employers prefer degrees obtained the “traditional” way. One survey of hiring executives found that given the choice between a candidate with a traditional degree and a candidate with an online degree, 96% of employers would hire the applicant with a traditional degree.⁸ Some reasons given for this choice include the candidate’s lack of peer interaction and practical classroom experience, the employer’s perception that an online education is less demanding and the potential for academic dishonesty.

      Some courses are entirely web-based, without the need to attend classes. Lectures, readings and all other course materials are made available on a dedicated portal. Other features these courses offer include discussion boards where you can interact with other students. Assignments and quizzes are submitted online. Note that some online courses may still require taking supervised exams at a campus location.

      The Registrar’s Office

      The registrar’s office is one of the most valuable resources for students that the university has to offer. When you first register you will find that you will be inundated with reams and reams of paper. Don’t throw this stuff away! Read it before you recycle it. Of particular interest to you will be information about academic counselling services. It would be very wise of you to talk over your program with a counsellor to make sure that it is in order. You would be amazed at the number of students who have to scramble around in their third or fourth year to get a complete, acceptable program for graduation.

      At the registrar’s office you can also get detailed information about recent course changes, existing specialty programs and scholarships. The registrar’s office is also a centre for career counselling and job placement (or if not will tell you where the facilities exist).

      The registrar’s office is important for other reasons. If you have specific problems with your courses, the registrar and other staff in this office can help you. Often it’s left up to you to make sure that you are enrolled in all the courses you think you are. The registrar’s office can tell you if you are. If things aren’t going well, the staff can also give you the lowdown on how many courses you can fail and still be admitted next year or what you have to avoid doing grade-wise to prevent being placed on probation, or worse, being given the boot.

      The Library: Your Resource Centre

      The library is the most valuable aid for your education. Nevertheless, most students drastically underuse it. Don’t be one of them. If you intend to succeed at university, it is imperative that you use the library to the fullest. But to use it to the fullest you must know what facilities are available and you must learn how to use the place to your advantage.

      All university librarians want you to use the facility that they have striven to perfect. As a result they continually work towards educating the library user. There is a lot more to using the library than simply looking up a book or author in the catalogue and then going to the shelves (or stacks, as they are called) and picking out the book.

      University libraries purchase journals as well as books. Journals will be invaluable to you in the preparation of essays, book reports and laboratory write-ups. The more familiar you become with journals the easier your research for a paper will become. Another source of data will be clipping files. Relevant articles from certain newspapers are clipped out and filed under their respective topics. For some disciplines there will also be indexes that divide books and journals into subject areas. These will greatly aid you in finding relevant material rapidly. Some libraries even supply lists of basic library resources for certain disciplines, so the major sources of information for the student are clearly laid out.

      Depending on your university’s financial resources, most of the major journals (which you will use increasingly in your later years) and some books will be available online. This is great because you can search for articles and then download them for use in reports, essays and talks, among other things. Online catalogues can also save time in searching for materials. Some university libraries also oversee training in the use of specific computer programs for writing, analyzing data or presenting talks.

      There are so many other sources of information that the library provides (e.g., video and audio media) that it is impossible to describe them all. I can guarantee that your library will have regular, detailed tours of its facilities. You must attend one if you intend to get good grades. If you miss the tours, then have one of the librarians show you the facilities. I haven’t met a librarian yet who wasn’t interested in showing off his or her domain.

      Student Liaison Office

      Students who are intending to go to university will most likely make their first contact with either the registrar’s office or the student liaison office. As its name implies, the student liaison office provides people who act as a go-between for students and the university. They will provide you will details on the specific university they work for. Most often, you will encounter these people during university recruitment days at your high school. They will be extolling the positive aspects of their particular school. If you are having trouble deciding which university to attend, they may help you make up your mind.

      In addition to travelling to high schools on behalf of their university, the liaison officers also organize tours of their university campus. Remember, the liaison officer is there to get your body into their institution so make sure you don’t fall prey to good salesmanship. Ask questions and be critical to make sure you make the right choice.

      Others in Your Academic World

      Each major division of your university will have a dean. The dean is a professor (usually) who administers (tells others what to do, decides where the money will be spent, etc.). If you run into any academic hassles, the dean will be able to help you sort them out. The student is well protected from any misevaluation or other academic mistreatment, as will be discussed in Chapter 12. There is usually confidential help for any physical or psychological problems at your university’s health centre and often even a clinic to help you overcome exam anxiety (see Chapter 8). Many universities also have a career centre, which provides resources that can help you find a job or volunteer work both before and after graduation. Here you can check job postings, get help with resume or cover letter writing and obtain guidance about your career path.

      There are lots of other people at the university so try to learn about them. Then someday when they run out of paper towels in the washroom you’ll know to whom to complain!

      Chapter 2 Summary

      1.Take time to look over Canada’s universities and select one that is recognized for its specialization in your area of interest.

      2.The most useful sources of information on Canadian universities are university calendars, websites, brochures and university student recruitment nights held by some high schools.

      3.The university calendar is your academic bible and complete information guide—use it!

      4.Select your courses wisely to produce a balanced program that provides the proper credits at the proper time for your degree requirements. Extension courses can be used to make up deficiencies.

      5.In Canada, admission to university depends mainly on your high school grades; however, other criteria may also be evaluated.

      6.Lectures are the most common form of communicating information at university, but they can vary greatly in format.

      7.The registrar’s office has everything you need to know about your academic program. It provides counselling, details about courses, admission requirements and registration procedures, job possibilities and job placement opportunities, scholarships and awards and much, much more.

      8.Learn how to use the library. It will be invaluable to you in your quest