MAP-Works First-Year Fall Transition Report

Hello BRANDI BROCK!

University of South Carolina Upstate welcomes you to MAP-Works!

MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE

What does it look like?
MAP-Works is designed to help enhance your
abilities so you may reach your full potential and
embrace all the college experience has to offer.

This report is about you; it was created from your

responses to the MAP-Works Fall Transition Survey. An
interactive multimedia version of this report, Strategies for
Success, is available for you at https://uscupstate.map-
works.com/. This report summarizes the information in the
multimedia version. Please feel free to print this report or
download and save to your computer for future reference.

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 Earning the Grades You Expect
You indicated that you expect good or excellent grades this term. Did you know that nine out of ten freshmen think the
same way? But last year only 64% earned As and Bs, 19% earned Cs, and 17% earned grades lower than a C. You
must be willing to continue with hard work and dedication to ensure you earn the grades you want.

The following is a list of the important academic factors that contribute to your overall academic performance.
Beginning on the next page, we will explore your current status and help you discover ways to improve your academic
performance.

Basic Academic Behaviors Class Attendance

Basic Academic Skills Academic Self-Confidence

Time Management Course Difficulties

Connecting with Others

Connecting with others at University of South Carolina Upstate is a vital step on your road to graduation. We are
committed to helping you discover opportunities that will enhance your social, academic, and professional network
while in college.

The following are two factors that contribute to your overall social integration. In this report, we will explore your current
status and help you discover ways to build your social, academic, and professional network.

Sense of Belonging Campus Involvement

Paying for College

Getting good grades and feeling connected on campus is wonderful, but you also must be able to pay tuition/fees and
your monthly expenses to continue your college career. If you need help with financial issues, please contact any of
your Direct-Connect Faculty/Staff or your campus’ Financial Aid office.

Paying for College

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 TAKING ACTION
Now it’s your turn! In the following sections, we challenge you to develop steps to take to either improve your
current behaviors or change those behaviors in order to be more successful. We indicate areas of strength with
green icons and areas where improvement can be made by yellow or red icons. We also include a list of
Campus Resources that you can utilize in order to achieve your goals.

Areas of Strength (green icons)

● You have identified these skills/behaviors as your strengths. Now that you’re in college it is important to

build on your current skill/behavior level.

● You should find opportunities at school or work to utilize and improve your skills/behaviors.

Areas of Improvement (yellow & red icons)

● You should identify strategies to improve areas with yellow and red icons.

● Low scores on academic or financial issues need to be addressed. Please schedule time to a meet with

one of your Direct-Connect Faculty/Staff listed below.

● If you indicated a low “Sense of Belonging” or “Campus Involvement”, then this may be an opportunity for

self-reflection. There are recommendations under item you may want to consider because these
opportunities can greatly enhance your college experience and professional preparation.

Campus Resources
● There are many Campus Resources (listed below) available to help you be successful.

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 Basic Academic Behaviors
Green: You said you have excellent Basic Academic
Behaviors (i.e. taking notes, turning in homework,
recording your assignments, and spending sufficient
study time). Did you know that students like you earned,
on average, B grades during the first term? If this is lower
than you expected, then you’ll also need to have good
time management skills, perfect class attendance, and
get help quickly if you’re struggling with a course. That
combination will likely get you excellent grades.

Think about:
● Employing good academic behaviors sends a
message to your instructors that you care about your
performance.
● Making a commitment to employ good behaviors will
help you achieve your potential.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Buy a planner or install software on your
computer/phone that allows you to record all of your = You are here
assignments and their due date so that you’ll not
forget to turn in homework assignment.
● Block time each day to do your course work (i.e.
going to the library, reading assignments, practice time, homework problems, etc.) Don’t wait to do the work the
day before it’s due.
● Read a study skills book (find one on Amazon.com) or ask your academic advisor for a recommendation to a
study skills workshop. You can improve/change your academic behaviors in order to work smarter.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Class Attendance
Yellow: Your class attendance hasn’t been perfect.
You’re probably thinking that missing a class here or
there isn’t a big deal but our research shows that you’re
wrong. Did you know that students who missed a class
every once in awhile earn an average GPA nearly a letter
grade lower than students with perfect or near perfect
class attendance?

Think about:
● You paid for those classes – attend them!
● Attending your classes is one of the most important
indicators to faculty that you are committed to
academic success.
● Establishing good behaviors like consistent class
attendance will tie over to your professional career.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Buy an alarm clock that works! One of the number one
excuses given for missing class is oversleeping.
= You are here
● Get enough sleep. The average person needs eight
hours of sleep and over 60% of undergraduate
students experience sleep deprivation which affects
their academic performance.
● Make at least one friend in each class that will motivate you to attend class.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Basic Academic Skills
Yellow: You said you have moderate basic academic skills
(writing, reading, math, or problem-solving). It’s not
uncommon for students to get to college and feeling
underprepared. There are a variety of campus resources Writing composition
available to help you build these skills.

Think about:
● It takes time and effort to improve your academic skills, Reading comprehension
but it’s worth it regardless of your current skill level.
● There are Campus Resources (listed below) available to
help you improve your academic skills. Math ability

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● If you indicated any low basic academic skills, talk to
Problem-solving skills
your academic advisor about opportunities for academic
assistance like tutoring.
● Practice, practice, practice! If you are weak in a certain
major area of study like math or writing, the best way to
improve is to work math problems or write. Avoiding your
weaknesses will further delay your improvement.
● Explore opportunities for courses, workshops, or any
other opportunities to improve these skills. *Gray bars indicate 2/3 of your peers

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Academic Self-Confidence
Green: You have high confidence in your academic abilities.
Feeling confident will help you persevere on projects even
when there are challenges. Confident students are also
more likely to connect with their instructors and get the
most out of each class. They also tend to earn higher
grades.

Think about:
● Academic confidence comes from your small successes.
Doing extra math problems, reading supplemental
materials, talking through concepts with your instructor,
and even being able to explain a class topic to your
roommate or friend not in the class, are ways to improve
your academic confidence.
● Some students struggle with perfectionism, feeling that they have to be perfect in their classes. This often gets in
the way of doing your best. Talk with one of your Direct-Connect Faculty/Staff (listed below) if you feel this is a
problem for you.
● Self-reflection on what has allowed you to be successful before and how you can improve next time can increase
your self-confidence and your ability to complete tasks successfully.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Practice if you want to build your academic self-confidence. Write multiple drafts, take practice exams/quizzes,
read additional information, do extra math problems, and take every opportunity you have to use and build your
skills.
● Put together a study group of classmates who support each other, provide good feedback, and are motivated to
improve their skills.
● Ask your instructors for specific feedback instead of just a letter grade. In addition, ask for examples of excellent
work and review it carefully.
● Seek out workshops or other opportunities to learn to deal with issues like test anxiety, stage fright, or other
stressful situations if you are experiencing nervousness before a test or academic challenge. Nervousness does
not reflect on your academic abilities.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Time Management
Yellow: You said you need to improve your time
management skills (showing up on time, planning out your
time, making “to-do lists”, and balancing academic and
social time). Good time management skills are linked to
higher GPAs. Also, keep in mind students with good time
management skills have more free time so they can have
more fun!

Think about:
● Practicing good time management skills is essential to
your success. These skills allow you to accomplish more
by working smarter, not harder.
● Time management is a skill that can be learned and
improved. The ability to manage your time efficiently will
benefit you long after college.
● Those with good time management skills generally end up with more free time and can have more fun in college.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Consider attending a workshop on time management to learn new tips – you can never have too many. Reach out
to your academic advisor for suggestions on workshops.
● Read a time management book, get tips from time management websites, or get advice from students who seem
to be good at managing their time.
● Buy a planner and carry it with you or install calendar software on your computer/phone. Copy all the dates from
your class syllabi into your planner so that you’ll know when major tests/projects are due.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Course Difficulties
Yellow: You indicated that you’re struggling in a course.
You can turn things around but you have to be willing to
reach out for help. First thing you need to do is talk to that
instructor of that course and your academic advisor about
how to perform well.

Think about:
● If you’re struggling with a class, chances are that others
have as well. Your academic advisor or instructor can
lead you to resources that have helped previous students.
● If you’re not struggling with a class then stay on-track.
That’s one less class to worry about.
● All students struggle at some point. Seeking assistance
is a sign of maturity, not of failure.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● If you’re struggling in a class, contact the instructor today and discuss steps you can take now to turn things
around. Also, make an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss resources such as tutoring.
● Stay current on all of your readings and assignments; do not get behind. The common complaint from new
college students is learning to juggle all of their courses.
● Form a study group with classmates; you’ll learn more and make new friends.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Sense of Belonging
Red: You said that you feel you don’t belong or fit in at this
institution. It’s likely that you have not yet connected with
people who share your interests, values, or professional
goals. There are opportunities (social/professional
organizations, intramural sports, community service) to
meet people on your campus with whom you share common
interests.

Think about:
● Making connections often takes time. Your Direct-
Connect Faculty/Staff (see list below) can point out
strategies that have helped other students in a similar
situation.
● College can be a time to meet people from places, cultures, and backgrounds that are different from yours. Don’t
miss this opportunity to explore common interests.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Reach out to others who may be struggling to make a connection and be open to building friendships with those
who reach out to you.
● Consider joining a social/professional organization, activity, intramural sport, or volunteer your time to a cause.
You’ll make friends and learn skills that will extend beyond college and may link to your professional career.
● If your institution doesn’t have a club that matches your interest, consider developing one. Contact your
institution’s student activities/student life department.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Campus Involvement
Red: You said that you are not interested in getting involved
on campus. Did you know that campus activities can
develop leadership skills, enhance your resume, and provide
opportunities to begin building a professional network?
Going to one meeting does not commit you to lifelong
involvement. Explore a variety of opportunities on campus
such as social/professional organizations, intramural sports,
and community service.

Think about:
● There are student activities on campus that fit all time
schedules, availability, and commitment levels. You can
be involved in as much or little as you want, but it is
important to find your niche.
● Getting involved in student activities, volunteer work, or intramural sports is important for your overall academic
and professional success.
● Don’t be afraid to explore new activities.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Attend an activity like a social/professional student organization meeting, community service project or
athletic/cultural event. You will find something that interests you.
● Explore the list of organizations on your campus. Visit your campus website or student activities/student life
department.
● Talk to your friends or classmates to find about their involvement. Ask if they would attend an activity with you.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Paying for College
Green: You have indicated that you are not concerned
about your ability to pay for college. That’s great news! If it
changes, there are people and resources on campus to
help.

Think about:
● Financial issues can plague all of us at any time,
especially in times of economic recession. There are
resources available if you need them. If you need help
with financial issues, please contact any of your Direct-
Connect Faculty/Staff or your campus’ Financial Aid
office.
● Students might face financial issues for all sorts of
reasons which can contribute additional stresses. Some examples are: family difficulties, relocation, and
unexpected expenses. Speaking with a counselor or advisor about these stresses can reduce the impact of
financial stress on your academic performance.
● Having a job while being a student may help in some ways, but may also spread a student’s time too thin. Speak
with one of your Direct-Connect Faculty/Staff to learn about a realistic balance and possible opportunities.

Examples of concrete steps you could take:

● Make an appointment with your Financial Aid office to discuss opportunities.
● Take a workshop or a class in personal finance to learn more about budgeting.
● Find a book (search online or visit your college library) on personal finance.

First Steps:

Setting specific goals will likely create positive outcomes. List three steps you’ll take to improve/change:

1) When:

2) When:

3) When:

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 Campus Resources
The following is a list of resources available to assist you at University of South Carolina Upstate:

Academic Support Center (includes Tutoring) Advising Center

Phone: 503-5392 Phone: 503-5392
Website: Website:
http://www.uscupstate.edu/academics/academic_suppo Email: rboggs@uscupstate.edu
rt/student_success Location: Rampey Center
Email: swaldrop@uscupstate.edu
Location: Rampey Center (small building on the corner
of N. Campus Blvd & Hodge Dr)

Alcohol & Drug Education Program (AOD) Career Center

Phone: 503-5195 Phone: 503-5392
Website: Website: http:// www.uscupstate.edu/career_center
http://www.uscupstate.edu/campus_life/student_dev/ Email: smcadams@uscupstate.edu
drug/ Location: Rampey Center
Email: fjarratt-hortis@uscupstate.edu
Location: Campus Life Center , Suite 224

Child Development Center Counseling Services

Phone: 503-5315 Phone: 503-5195
Website: Website:
http://www.uscupstate.edu/academics/education/chil http://www.uscupstate.edu/campus_life/student_dev
d_development /counseling
Email: hfrom@uscupstate.edu Email: fjarratt-hortis@uscupstate.edu
Location: Burroughs Child Development Center Location: Campus Life Center, Suite 224

Dean of Students Disability Services

Phone: 503-5107 Phone: 503-5199
Website: http://www.uscupstate.edu/campus_life/dean/ Website:
Email: lpuckett-boler@uscupstate.edu http://www.uscupstate.edu/campus_life/student_dev/
Location: Campus Life Center, Room 303 disability
Email: mcamp@uscupstate.edu
Location: Campus Life Center, Suite 107

Financial Aid Foreign Langage Lab

Phone: 503-5340 Phone: 503-5647
Website: Website:
http://www.uscupstate.edu/enrollment_services/fina http://www.uscupstate.edu/academics/arts_sciences/
ncial_aid languages_literature/default.aspx?id=2079
Email: finaid@uscupstate.edu Email:
Location: Health Education Center - Suite 2081 Location: HPAC 234

Health Services Mathematics Tutoring

Phone: 503-5191 Phone:
Website: Website:
http://www.uscupstate.edu/campus_services/health Email:
Email: lweber@uscupstate.edu Location: Hodge 242
Location:

My Spartan Job Registrar's Office (records)

Phone: Phone: 503-5220
Website: www.myspartanjob.com Website:

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 Email: http://www.uscupstate.edu/enrollment_services/regi
Location: strar
Email:

University Writing Center

Phone: 503-5883
Website:
http://www.uscupstate.edu/academics/arts_sciences/
languages_literature/default.aspx?id=2080
Email:
Location: HPAC 136

Direct Connect Faculty/Staff

The following is a list of faculty/staff available to assist you at University of South Carolina
Upstate:

Morgan, Erin
(SUNV W101: SUNV W101 020)
emorgan@uscupstate.edu

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