Tips for

Academic Success
University education is not like
Secondary education
• What is a credit hour? Classroom time is 50 minutes
• Hours outside class to study/prepare?
• Every class hour requires 2 hours outside of class. In most cases the majority of the
total course work is allocated to independent preparation – about 60%.
• How many credits do you take each semester? 30
• What is class rank? A percentage
• A measure of how a student's performance compares to other students in his or her class
 Classroom expectations
• AUCA student agreement
• Code of Conduct
• Respect professors and classmates
• Come prepared for Lectures, Seminars, Labs
• Be curious…ask questions…professors will appreciate it
• Learn “Active Listening”
• Attend class – it is part of your contract
• Actively participate in class - it is part of your grade
• Your cell phone will not get you an “A”
• Plagiarizing earns you an “F” grade
• AUCA offers resources to help students complete classroom
assignments and projects
 Classroom expectations
• Please remember: you are no longer a high school student
o No one will do the work for you
o You are expected to take responsibility and learn the material
o Professors will not monitor your progress
o Focus on your reading and writing skills
o You will be reading 2-3 times more than in high school
o Get help early – WARC, Advising
 Plagiarism
• AUCA Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct:
o 2.1. Plagiarism. This includes handing in an assignment in which substantial portions
were not written by the student, regardless of whether the original source(s) is a book or
article, a thesis or dissertation (published or unpublished), an Internet article, a paper
purchased from a paper mill, a paper written by another student, or any other source.
Also, using data, images, charts and graphs without citation is plagiarism.
• If you are found to have plagiarized any portion of an assignment, you
will fail that assignment. Multiple instances of plagiarism may result in the
student failing the course.
• Let someone know – professor, tutor, advisor – if you do not know how to
cite sources. It may save your grade.
 Campus Resources
• Academic Advisors are on hand from the first week
of school until the end of the semester
• Visit us in Room 341: Gulnur, Zarina and Gulnura
• Free Tutoring on campus: WARC helps students
with Writing, Math, and Economics
• Visit warc.auca.kg to make an appointment
• Free Counselor Services at AUCA
• Email cs@auca.kg to make an appointment
• All discussion are confidential
 Scholarship Renewal
• Do you have your Financial Aid/Scholarship award
letter?
o The letter will provide the requirements to renew your award
o Renewal for donor scholarships vary
• Merit-based awards require students to maintain a 3.2
overall GPA
• Need-based awards require students to maintain a 2.7
GPA
• What happens if you do not meet renewal criteria?
Please visit fin aid office
 GPA
• What is GPA? It is Grade Point Average. It is calculated by adding up all
accumulated final grades and dividing that figure by the number of grades awarded
• What GPA is required to renew Financial Aid?
• Scholarships – 3,2 GPA (merit); 2.7 GPA (need)
• What happens if my GPA falls below 2.0? Probation:
https://auca.kg/en/reg_academic_probation/
 GPA Calculation
• GPA: # of quality points divided by the total # of GPA credit hours

• FYS grade A (4.0 x 6 credits) = 24 Quality Points

ICP 100 B (3.0 x 3 credits) = 9 Quality Points
COM 102 C (2.0 x 3 credits) = 6 Quality Points
Russian B+(3.33 x 3 credits) = 9.99 Quality Points
Kyrgyz F (0 x 3 credits) = 0 Quality Points
Total Quality Points = 48.99/18 credits = 2.72 GPA

Please note: Pass/Not pass courses do not count toward the GPA
(Sports and some Arts classes)
 Grading Scale
Grade Quality Points
A 4.0
A- 3.67
B+ 3.33
B 3.0
B- 2.67
C+ 2.33
C 2.0
C- 1.67
D+ 1.33
D 1.0
D- 0.67
F 0.00
* “W” (Withdrawal) grade does not impact GPA
 Grade Forgiveness Policy
• If you receive an “F” in any required course at AUCA, you must
repeat the course as soon as possible. Elective (non-required)
courses cannot be repeated.
• If you pass the class the second time, grade forgiveness is applied
(the “F” is removed from the GPA calculation).
• This policy helps to keep students in good academic standing with
Financial Aid renewal.
• The “F” grade will stay on your transcript.
• If you earn an “F” two times for the identical course, it is grounds
for dismissal from AUCA.
 Academic Leave and
Withdraw Policy
• Academic Leave for up to two semesters is allowed without
penalty.

• Reasons students take Academic Leave:

o Health of student; health of family member
o Financial difficulties
o Other - see your Professor, Department Office Manager, or advisor

• Withdraw Policy: Request must be made before the 10th

week of the semester
 Components of an
AUCA college degree
• Completion of all requirements in your Major (number of
credits vary by department)

• Completion of all General Education requirements

• Academic Minor (please note: IBL, PSY, SFW majors are not
able to complete a minor in 4 years)

• Electives
 Minor
A minor is a secondary area of study on which the student may
choose to concentrate, in addition to the major. It can be earned
during 8 semesters of your study.
Please visit the following web page at: https://auca.kg/en/reg_minor/
 Double Major
Students approved to enroll in two programs must complete all
course requirements for both majors, which will most likely
require students to extend their graduation beyond four years.
Please visit the following web page to learn the details:
https://auca.kg/en/reg_double_major/
 Course and Advisor
Evaluations
• Course and Advisor Evaluations are very important tools for
AUCA to measure institution success
• Your answers are completely anonymous
• Course and Advisor evaluations are issued near the end of
each semester
• Please make sure to take the time to complete these online
evaluations
• Transcripts become available only after the evaluations are
completed
 Communicating with
Faculty and Advisors
• When meeting with a professor or advisor, it is best to address
them with respect
• Try not to just jump into a chair and start talking; ask if you
can sit down
• Meet with faculty during regular office hours; emailing a
request to meet is okay
• Email etiquette to impress:
o Show respect (Dear Professor …)
o Use proper grammar
o Discuss only academic and professional issues
o Sign off with your full name
o Do not expect to receive an answer immediately
• Why develop rapport with professors?
 The Future
• Although you just started at AUCA, it is not too early to
think about, and prepare for the future

• Your undergraduate academic record will impact your future

career and graduate school plans

• Think carefully before you make decisions

• Ask for help when you have problems, plans, concerns, and
any issues
 Workshops by Academic
Advising Office
• Time-Management
• Concentration skills
• Learning Skills
• Effective Reading Strategies
• Note-taking Techniques
• Presentation Skills
• Working in a Group
• Independent Learning skills
• Adaptability
• Participation in Discussion
• Online Etiquette
 Academic Clubs
• Presentation Club
• Writing Club
• Reading Club
 Peer Advisors
• Peer Advisors (PAs) are students that assist the Academic
Advising office, during the Orientation Week and
throughout the Academic Year.

• PAs provide support related to academic curriculum,

course requirements, and major options.

• PAs will also assist during the Online-registration period

and in implementing the workshops aimed to improve
academic performance
 Academic Advising
Contact information

If you have questions Please e-mail advising@auca.kg or call and

send a whatsapp messages to:

🙡 Gulnur Esenalieva 0770 777529 ,

🙡 Zarina Beishenbaeva 0777 999 740,
🙡 Gulnur Abdyrakunova 0777 999 820
 From Senior to Freshman
Time-Management:
● Visit all the classes. Do not
miss any class. If you missed
catch up immediately without
procrastination.
● Submit all assignments on
time! Do not rely on the
deadline prolong.
● Do not let yourself to be lazy
and procrastinate!
FOCUS:
Classes: Student-professor
● Do not overload yourself with Relationship:
unnecessary classes (Minor, ● Do not hesitate to go to
concentration, exchange, professors with grades’
combination) or with too clarification.
difficult classes at once. ● If professor is not strict, it
● Do not sacrifice one course for does not mean you will
another one. have a good grade. Don’t
● Get prepared for exams even if get relaxed!
you did great during the course ● Do not challenge
duration. professor’s patience.
● Do not assume that by
withdrawing one class you can
improve your grades for another
classes.
● Prioritize classes if you want a
good GPA.
● Be a team-player in group works.
Take responsibility.