NYU Resources Update: The Academic Resource Center (ARC)

As an update to the post from October 2011, The Office of Academic Advising wanted to encourage you to get familiar with your campus resources. The Academic Resource Center is a great campus space on the square! Now that the semester is upon us you should check out the new ARC website!

The New York University Academic Resource Center offers excellent services to the Traditional and Transfer undergraduate populations. Some of which include:

• Cross School Advising
• Study Spaces
• Argo Tea Cafe
• Tutoring (in conjunction with the University Learning Center)

As a nursing student, you should always communicate with the Office of Academic Advising and Learning Development if you are having and issue. We work very closely with the ARC and will be able to make a referral if needed. When you have academic navigation questions and you are not sure where to go, you may need to try the ARC! From the SMART Bar to the peer tutoring services, the academic assistance you need, in addition to the services we offer here, may be at 18 Washington Place.

Feel free to reach out to Donald Brown, Academic Advisor, with any of your ARC related inquiries.

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting!

As the semester approaches, the Office of Academic Advising would like to remind you of a strategy that we strongly support. Often, we encourage students to make use of S.M.A.R.T. goal setting! We want you to not only plan to set goals, but to apply this strategy to your study habits as well as you are managing your time this semester. Not sure where to begin? Think of the acronym.

S-Specific
Being specific is helpful because it forces you to clearly define what is you want to do, why you want to do it, and how you are going to get it done. Specificity focuses your efforts, which is essential in the NYUCN program because there is a lot to do and not much time to get it all done.


M-Measurable
Setting measurable goals is tied closely to your goal being specific. You want to ensure that you can have a means to measure progress and watch the change happen. Then, you can determine if the goal you set needs to be adjusted or if you were able to successfully complete it. For instance, when studying, you could include the chapter numbers as well as the number of pages you want to complete within a given time (ex. I will read pages 127-145 of chapter 7 in one hour).


A-Attainable
When setting goals you want to make sure that you are able to keep yourself motivated to continuously achieve. Setting goals that stretch you slightly is the best way to do it. If you set a goal that you know is unachievable you won't be motivated to achieve it--your commitment to the goal will be hard to maintain. In contrast, setting attainable goals helps you develop a skill set to make the impossible possible by way of small, measurable steps!

R-Realistic This is not to say that the goals you set should be easy . Much like setting attainable goals, your goals should also be realistic. You want to ensure that you are challenging yourself enough but that you also have the support in place, currently, to be able to meet the challenge/goal you set for yourself. Set goals for where you are and as you meet them, adjust them and set new goals.

T-Timely
 Be sure that you set a clear time frame with an endpoint to work toward. Based on the goal, give yourself a period, one week, two weeks, etc. Make sure the time frame you choose is measurable, attainable, and realistic!

 
As you can see, many of the steps in this method are interrelated. They all work together to assist you in setting excellent goals so that you can  meet your mark and excel in school and in nursing.

If you have any questions about how to re-work you goals or your study strategies to implement these steps, make an appointment with a member of the Administrative Advising Team! We are here to help.

Campus Resources: The Inside Scoop to Writing Right!

Did you know that NYU's College of Arts and Science maintains a Writing Center?

In conjunction with the Expository Writing Program, the NYU Writing Center serves as a resource to all NYU students needing assistance with writing assignments (as long as they aren't exams). Students are able to receive one-on-one help with all stages of the writing process! You should think of them as your writing consultants.

Students are able to both schedule appointments and stop by for a walk-in appointment. Appointments are 40-45 minutes in duration and can be scheduled online here: http://www.rich15.com/nyu/

If you're thinking about scheduling you first appointment, here are some helpful tips from the Writing Center so you can be prepared:

• Bring two copies of your paper
• If you are preparing a piece of writing for a specific assignment, bring the assignment
• Bring any feedback that you have received on the piece from your professor or instructor(s)
• Bring your research items to the session. This includes notes, previous writings on the topic, and texts related to what you will be writing.

The semester is approaching quickly. Identify your resources and plan to use them! It is never too soon to get a head start on writing well.

NYU Writing Center Website

Study Strategies: NYUCN OAALD Endorses the 5 Day Test Prep!

The Stanford University Center for Teaching and Learning offers a review of what students should be doing to prepare when they are a week away from their exams. This strategy should be used in conjunction with sustained, structured study time, and offers a set system that you can use to keep your self on the right track until exam time comes.

5 Day Test Prep

Five days before: Organize

Organize and review your class notes and text notes carefully. Prepare a list of all topics that will be on the exam. List them in order of importance so you can focus your attention accordingly.

Four days before: Review and Recall

Review your notes thoroughly, but don’t just look at them. Explain them to yourself. Don’t mistake familiarity for comprehension. Concentrate on the topics that are more difficult for you to understand. Use mnemonic devices or visualization to organize the material as a “breadcrumb trail” back to the big ideas.

Three days before: Rewrite

Briefly rewrite all important information. Review these notes repeatedly. Trying to recall your own explanations will be more effective than trying to recall what the text and your professors have said.

Two days before: Question

Make a list of questions that might be on the exam and answer them in as much detail as possible.

One day before: Prepare
Review your notes and rewritten notes a few hours before the exam. Take time to relax before the exam. If you are afraid you will forget information or "blank out" when you receive the exam, write reminders on the back that you can come back to during the exam.

A handout with this information is available for pick up in the Office of Academic Advising, it is also available here: Stanford 5 Day Test Prep

The Office of Academic Advising & Learning Development is here to support you! If you want to discuss more study strategies or have a question about the 5 Day test prep method, feel free to reach out. You can make an appointment with a member of the advising staff as well as speak to your assigned academic advisor.

Important Reminder for Sequence II Students: Summer 2012 Tutoring!!

Remember that the Office of Academic Advising offers free tutoring services this summer for students in the second sequence of clinical courses (Adult & Elder Nursing II and Pharmacotherapeutics)! This group tutoring format allows you to have your questions answered as well as hear other topics that your peers are having trouble with.

The NYUCN tutoring data support the tutoring format and confirm that continued attendance leads to the best result(s)!! We're committed to your academic success and want you to get the best results.

NYUCN Summer Tutoring Schedule

We sincerely encourage you to attend the last two sessions of the semester on July 30th and August 6th. Times and location are provided on the schedule at the link above.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Leadership Development Seminars

Dr. Ann Marie Mauro, an academic advisor in the undergraduate program, will be coordinating the following Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Leadership Development Seminars. All BS students are invited and should plan to attend these sessions!

Ethical and Critical Decision Making

Presented by Professor Barbara Gallo

Date: Wed 7/18/12 from 5:15pm-6:15pm

Location: Nursing Conference Center, 726 Broadway, 10^th Floor

No RSVP necessary

Interprofessional Communication & Team Work

Presented by Dr. Maja Djukic

Date: Wed 8/8/12 from 5:00pm-6:15pm

Location: Nursing Conference Center, 726 Broadway, 10^th Floor

No RSVP necessary

Questions about the RWJF seminars should be directed to Dr. Mauro at annmarie.mauro@nyu.edu.

Test-Taking Strategies Review

If you were unable to make it to the workshop last week we certainly hope you will plan to attend in the future. Many students found the session to be very helpful and they plan to implement the strategies discussed with Professor Brody.

The workshop reviewed strategies and concepts discussed in Dr. Ea's workshop held during the spring semester. For a brief review refer to our blog post from February detailing some Effective Strategies for Test-Taking. Additionally, stop by the Office of Academic Advising & Learning Development to pick up a copy of the PowerPoint presentation.

As an NYU Nursing student, you are always able to meet with a member of the administrative advising team to discuss strategies for test-taking as well as time management and study skills. Feel free to email nursingadvising@nyu.edu to set up an appointment today!