Probation

For Students in Academic Difficulty

Index

Information
Advice
Internet Links
Books & Media
Other

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS FROM ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
If you are on academic probation or in other academic difficulty in your university, avoiding disqualification and getting all the necessary grade averages above required minimum should become a top priority goal if you want a college degree.

ADVICE
1. INFORMATION ABOUT PROBATION. Get information about the rules related to probation. Understand how you got on probation and exactly how to get off probation. In some cases gaining this understanding is not easy. Go to the appropriate center on your campus and get help. Just getting into special help program gives you special help and may give you special privileges that help prevent or delay disqualification.

2. SELF-ASSESSMENT. Then do some serious self-assessment to understand WHY you got into academic difficulty in the first place. Following are some questions to ask yourself how much each of the following was a factor:

	MOTIVATION. Was lack of clear career direction or academic goals a factor? Were there personal or other problems that interfered? If so, talking to a personal counselor may help.
	POOR LEARNING SKILLS AND STUDY HABITS.
	TAKING CLASSES YOU WEREN'T READY FOR.
	TAKING TOO HEAVY OF A LOAD OR WORKING TOO MUCH.
	TOO MANY FAMILY OR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.
	PLAYING TOO MUCH.
	TEST ANXIETY, LACK OF CONCENTRATION, ETC.
	PROCRASTINATION OR POOR TIME-MANAGEMENT.
	YOU NAME IT--WHAT WAS UNIQUE TO YOUR SITUATION?

Use the CARES Self-Assessment (see below) to get some objective feedback and recommendations for ways you can improve.

3. ACTION. After completing the self-assessment, then follow some of the key recommendations and self-insights that will make a difference for achieving academic success in the future. If you are not so good at setting goals, planning, and following through yourself, then it may be imperative that you get help or support from others such as a mentor, counselor, advisor, a family member, peers who are successful in college, or a special program related to your major. Be honest with them and JUST ASK for their help, most will be happy to give you some extra time.

Return to Index

INTERNET LINKS

Help With Problems That May Have Caused You To Be On Probation (for students at any institution)

To get help understanding why you are having academic difficulty--whether motivational or problems with time-management, learning skills, study habits, etc., complete our SHAQ CARES Self-Assessment Questionnaire. Click on below.
SHAQ CARES Self-Assessment Questionnaire start page

To look for advice and Internet links to help you with common problems like learning and study skills, time-management, procrastination, concentration problems, test anxiety, and many other possible interfering factors, go to our Internet Resources Academic area page.
Internet Links and Advice for Academic Success

Return to Index

BOOKS & MEDIA

GO TO: book_sites.htm

Return to Index

CAMPUS REFERRALS

IMPORTANT! See if your university has a Learning Assistance Center, a Math Assistance Center, a Writing Center, an English as a Second Language (ESL) Center, a Science or Engineering Assistance Center, a Counseling Center, a Disabled Student Services Center, or other center that may give you special help that fits your special needs.

Please bookmark this web site and tell others

Success and Happiness Home Page
Success and Happiness Attributes Questionnaire (SHAQ) to assess self on many factors
Self-Help Internet Links (List only sites with useful FREE information)

Free, full-length self-help manuals. Psychologist Dr.Tom Stevens' Web Site at www.csulb.edu/~tstevens
Free, chapters from Dr. Stevens book, You Can Choose To Be Happy
Index of FREE SELF-HELP materials available on Dr. Stevens' web site

Email feedback to Dr. Tom Stevens at tstevens@csulb.edu (We appreciate the feedback.)

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)
CSULB Division of Student Services