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ORIENTATION
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During your student’s transition through the first year of college, there may be several highs
and lows you experience as your student calls and texts home throughout a day, week or month.
Ultimately, we want the same outcome as you — for your student to be safe, healthy and successful at
Clemson University. The information gathered in the next several sections is designed to help you
understand the transitional experience and how Clemson assists students through
the process.
KEYS TO THEIR SUCCESS
At Clemson, we found the following four practices are key strategies for persistence through higher
education and academic performance:
1. Attending Class
Today, so many high schools have different attendance policies; therefore, it is easy to see why
students have different points of view on attending class. In higher education, class attendance
is the number one way to stay on track with academic progression and engage with faculty.
2. Time Management
Time management is something students constantly experience throughout their time in college.
Time can get away from students, trying to balance a full course load, maintain friendships or make
new ones, stay involved on campus and perhaps work part-time. All of this combined can cause
concern for anyone attempting to manage time wisely. Attending college should be treated as if
it were a full-time job. A full-time job requires roughly 40 hours a week. An average course load
is 15 hours per semester, so you could look at it this way:
30 hours of study + 15 hours of class = 45 hours per week
3. Communication with Faculty
At Clemson, we found that faculty-student interactions significantly support academic success and
performance. Faculty are excited about their field of study and want to engage students in the field.
Faculty also administer the grades each semester, so a student who takes their time to get to know
their faculty member will stand out and become known to them.
4. Encouraging Students to Seek Help Early
One of the best ways to combat getting into trouble with grades is by asking for help. Encouraging
your student to seek help will not only improve their classroom experience, but likely their personal
life as well. There are many places to look for help at Clemson: Resident Assistants (RAs), academic
advisers, faculty members, Student Affairs staff members and Counseling and Psychological Services
FIRST YEAR
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT
• Ask your student if they have been
going to class.
• Ask about their classes.
• If you have concerns, contact the
Office of Advocacy and Success.
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT
• Encourage your student to start a
schedule to use on the weekdays,
allowing time to work between
classes.
• If your student is struggling,
have conversations with them
about their schedule and how
they are balancing their social
and academic life.