This fall, SUNY Ulster is offering its first round of First Year Experience (FYE 101) classes. The course is designed to give new students the tools and resources they need to help transition from high school or the workforce to college life. It also introduces students to a number of career-building and community opportunities Ulster offers. The course, which will be offered on campus and online by several different Ulster professors, will try to give new students a well-rounded understanding of college as they prepare to Go Far. Since everyone first entering Ulster with less than 30 credits will be taking this class, here’s some more information about what new students will be learning about.
Ulster Navigation
The first few months at a new campus can seem completely overwhelming, especially if you’re new to taking college classes. FYE will try to ease this problem for new students. Aspects of FYE will cover not only the support and informational services available on campus, but also how to use different items of Ulster tech that can be difficult to adjust to, such as Blackboard and the portal. Common college terms and requirements will be covered, such as the pros and cons of online, blended, and on campus classes, transfer and career planning options, and elective choices. The course also covers the social aspects of college, like clubs, activities, and other campus opportunities for work and play.
Communication Skills
Clear communication is vital to college success, since it impacts every aspect of college (and graduate) life. From the emails students write to professors to word choice in an important essay, the way students communicate their thoughts becomes a deciding factor in the grades they receive, the financial awards they are offered, and their job prospects after college. FYE will help students consider factors that can improve their message content and delivery, as well as those that should be avoided.
Career and Finance Planning
Most first-time college students don’t know what they want to do career-wise, let alone know how to fund it. As a community college, Ulster is built around helping students discover what career paths might interest them. FYE will introduce not only the online and on campus resources for planning, but begins the process in class, by helping students identify career paths they might be interested in and the steps they would need to take to achieve them, including financial planning!
Study Strategies
From the Ulster placement tests to the last final exam before graduation, students find that tests are an all too frequent part of academic life. FYE will explain a number of options for study success, including methods for note-taking, studying, and test-taking, as well as how to select the method that best fits the individual student. Students will also learn how to manage the stress and anxiety that tends to come with these aspects of college life.
