Academic Adjustment

Two attributes particularly characterize our students: they are very capable, selected from the upper-fifth of the general college applicant population; and they are drawn from a broad spectrum of personal and social backgrounds. Approximately 16 percent of the student body is from Virginia. Most of the accepted students rank in the top 20 percent of their high school classes. The middle 50 percent of our most recent entering class has presented SAT scores between 1240 and 1370 (see the UR F irst-Year Student Profile for additional information). Clearly, our students are a competent, high-achieving group.

The Crunch

First of all, you should know that your student is likely to perform at a level lower than you or they expect. Data indicate that many students’ grades for the first semester probably will be lower than what they have achieved in the past. Are you seeing laziness or indifference? Not necessarily. Your son or daughter may well be as dismayed as you are. Remember, the climate has changed. Every student who was a “Big Wheel” in the past is now competing with other “Big Wheels”, which raises the standard for everyone. Many capable students glide along in high school with little difficulty, never having learned how to maximize their abilities, study efficiently, or organize their time effectively. (The Academic Skills Center can be a very beneficial resource for help in these areas). When competing with equally gifted people, resolving these issues takes time and understanding by both student and parent.

Shock Waves

With the crunch of competition, students may experience a kind of shock reaction: old habits fail, roommates get on their nerves, they can’t sit still, and they want to study but daydream instead. They may feel anxious, uncertain, and bewildered. They may call home and complain that they don’t like this place, when only two months previously they could hardly wait to get here.

This reaction is usually temporary. It is not helpful to belittle the student or provide quick solutions. Listen to the feelings and gently but honestly convey your reaction to their situation. The most important thing you can do is make the student know that you care, that you appreciate the difficulties being encountered, and that you have confidence that they will work things out. There is nothing “bad” about experiencing a rocky adjustment to a new environment, and your encouraging attitude can help prevent the aggravation of early difficulties.

Settling In

The biggest hurdle for the first-year student is to master the fundamentals. At college, this means developing a flexible routine of study that is productive and rewarding. This is not an automatic process insulated from the rest of the student’s life. Obviously, when a student is troubled about peer acceptance, adjustment to a different region of the U.S., illness in the family, separation from friends at home, or conflicts about relationships, stress is increased and the ability to concentrate is diminished. For all students, the transition from parental oversight to dependable self-discipline should continue to develop as they adapt to the academic environment. If this transition is delayed or resisted, it can lead to apathy or belligerence in attitude and conduct.

For some students, the problem is that of being “held captive”. These are students who are enrolled at college against their better judgment or against their personal desires. They are here because their parents insist they go to college, or to the University of Richmond in particular, to uphold family tradition, to prepare for a professional career, or in other ways to make their future secure. In reaction, some students comply with external authority and endure the college course. For others, the lack of personal goals and limited motivation create a sense of futility. These students seldom discover the delights of academic life and are likely to experience considerable confusion and frustration. Flunking out of school can be the result of unconscious resentments, which distract students from their studies in devious ways.

A frequent complaint voiced by first-year students is lack of time and the intensity of the work. Academic courses are challenging, and homework assignments are time-consuming. Many students tell us they never had to study very hard in high school. Now they need to begin doing so. Add to that the many co-curricular activities available and students can feel quite pressured. Many find it difficult to say “No” (or “not yet”) to some of the interesting opportunities available, and end up overcommitting themselves. They must discover through time and experience the most effective ways of facilitating their own progress. Help is available at the Academic Skills Center and at CAPS. Success will depend in part on each student’s academic aspirations, personal values, and the particular mix of social and academic opportunities chosen.

The second issue most students face is the discrepancy between what they envision and what they actually experience at college. Some students, anticipating an idealized kind of intellectual stimulation and personal excitement, are disappointed. No university, the University of Richmond included, can fulfill the dreams of all students. Every student confronts the reality that not all classes will be interesting, exciting, and motivating. While there will be times of intellectual excitement and personal stimulation, it is up to the student to seek out rewarding experiences in this educational venture.

Education means many things: wrestling with differences between desires and realities; testing ways of behaving; encountering new and unanticipated values and conflicts with friends and acquaintances; developing and pursuing objectives; altering goals based on new experience; and learning to deal with mistakes and even defeats. It helps to remember that disappointing events can often turn out to be creative and effective learning experiences.

Next Section: "Co-Curricular Adjustment"