Academic Fitness (AF)

What is the Academic Fitness Program?

Eligible Participants

Getting Registered

Benefits

What students have to say about the
Academic Fitness Program

Alternatives to the Academic Fitness Program

 

What is the Academic Fitness Program?
The Academic Fitness Program is an 8-week class teaching essential study skills such as test taking, procrastination causes, time management, note taking, efficient textbook use, stress management, and goal setting.  The course is offered for one credit with a letter grade.  The class requires no textbook and no exams but is graded on consistent attendance and short homework assignments.  The class will appear on students' transcripts as PDEV 111 (Personal Development 111 - Academic Success Strategies), although Academic Fitness differs considerably from the traditional PDEV 111 class.

Eligible Participants
Only students on academic probation may enroll in the Academic Fitness Program.  The class is designed as a support program exclusively for this group of students and their specific academic needs.

NOTE: Any student who has taken the traditional PDEV 111 OR Academic Fitness for credit in the past, and who has received a grade of C or higher in either course, is NOT eligible to take the Academic Fitness class. 

 

Getting Registered
To enroll, contact Kathryn Estee, Academic Fitness Program Coordinator, or Janet Aarness, Director of Academic Support Programs. Eligible students on academic probation will usually receive a letter from both Kathryn Estee and Janet Aarness during the first few weeks of a semester, instructing them on how to register for Academic Fitness.  The Program offers three or four class sections per semester, one of which is an evening class.  Classes meet for two hours each week.  The Program runs for 8 weeks and begins a few weeks into the semester.  The class is offered for one credit and is letter-graded.

 

Benefits
Program research shows that students who complete this program have significantly higher rates for succeeding in college. A textbook is not required for this class, and the homework for the course consists of worksheets, short reflective personal-experience writing, and some external activities.  Most students do learn how to become more successful college students if they apply the techniques taught in Academic Fitness.  A major advantage of enrolling in this program is that students who complete the program will be allowed to pre-register for the following semester at their regular time.  Students on academic probation who do not take Academic Fitness must wait to register until all other MSUM students have completed registration - making many classes unavailable to them. 

 

What students have to say about the Academic Fitness Program

  • "This program taught me how to study, manage my time, and take notes. I can use everything I learned in this class and apply it to my academic life."

  • "The course made me think of ways to improve my habits, and I realized I was in school for me and not for anybody else."

  • "The evaluations of our study skills were great because I had not realized how bad I was at using my time usefully and efficiently."

  • "I felt the people in this class were going through the same things as me -- I wasn't alone."

  • "I only joined this class so that I could pre-register. I had no plans of actually learning anything. I thought I already knew all the techniques. I was wrong. It turned out that I had a lot to learn. The class also made me more motivated to use the techniques." 

 

Alternatives to the Academic Fitness Program
All MSUM students are encouraged to meet individually with Kathryn Estee, Academic Fitness Coordinator, for one-on-one tutoring in study skills (phone 477-2247).  However, this will not allow probationary students to pre-register on schedule, and they cannot receive credit for individual tutoring.

Probationary students may take the traditional PDEV 111 - Academic Success Strategies course.  This course differs substantially from the Academic Fitness Program, and may require a textbook, exams, and longer homework assignments.  Both classes cover basic college-level study skills.  The traditional class, however, will not allow students to pre-register on schedule. 


Click below to connect with other study skill courses: 

 

 

 

 

 



Updated 2/13/07