Course selection has a great impact on the happiness of studying abroad. If the course selection is unreasonable, students will be in a hurry throughout the semester, and may even fail due to insufficient review time!
So, how should we choose courses wisely when studying in Australia? How to choose courses to make our new semester busy but not chaotic? This article tells you all.
Tip 1: Step by Step
How many courses should I take in one semester? You can often get reliable answers by consulting your seniors about this question. However, we would like to remind everyone that you must consider your own reality before making a decision.
For example, when we first came into contact with all-English teaching, our communication skills were weak and essay writing was relatively unfamiliar. At this time, we should not take too many courses.
A reasonable approach is to reduce 1-2 courses within the scope allowed by the school. In this way, we can not only be more comfortable in our studies, but also get more time to adapt to college life and make friends.
With such a good start, we will gradually increase our self-confidence, and our future study abroad life will be smoother.
Tip 2: Focus on grade composition
When looking at the syllabus, students often pay special attention to the class time, reading list, credits and so on. In fact, there is another point worthy of our attention, that is the composition of final grades (Assessment).
In Australia, there is a big gap in the Assessment of different courses. In some courses, the usual grades + classroom discussion + presentation accounted for the vast majority of the final grades, and there was not even a final exam.
On the contrary, in some classes, the results of the final exam accounted for the majority of everyone’s final grades, almost “one test determines the winner or loser”. Our suggestion to everyone is that these two types of courses should be chosen in combination.
In other words, the number of the two types of courses in our course selection list should be relatively balanced. In this way, we can avoid the rush at the end of the term, and the study pressure will be “distributed” to the whole semester.
Tip 3: Focus on your professor
No matter how objective the grading standards are, the marks are given by people. We have to get to know our professors well before class. One of the most simple and direct methods is to Google the name of the professor.
What we need to know is his research field and educational background. If his research field is consistent with your interests, you can’t go wrong with taking his courses. You tend to have higher participation and better final grades in his classes.
Of course, it is also important to inquire about his teaching style and grades from seniors.
Tip 4: Don’t miss the audition + tutoring session
In the first week when freshmen enroll, the college often holds a course selection counseling meeting. It is recommended that everyone attend this event on time. The course selection guidance for everyone is all the doctoral students of the college, and you will gain something after listening.
In addition to the course selection counseling meeting, you must also actively participate in the course audition, and it is recommended that you do not miss a class. The focus of this audition is not just to listen to the lectures, but to experience the learning and life rhythm of the new semester within a complete teaching week.
During this week, students will find problems that could not be found before, such as “the two teaching buildings are too far apart, and they can’t catch up between classes”, “the lunch time is not enough, and I will be hungry in the afternoon”…. So, don’t miss the audition~
Tip 5: Respect the routine of work and rest
For many students who are used to going to bed late and waking up late, it is not wise to choose early morning courses. Even if we can get up at 7 o’clock, the mental state of the whole morning cannot be guaranteed, which is very detrimental to the efficiency of listening.
For students who are used to going to bed early and getting up early, choosing a course that ends after 9 pm will disrupt our biological clock. When I go back and write my homework, it is often 12 o’clock in the middle of the night, and it is midnight when I play with my mobile phone and take a shower.
Therefore, before choosing courses, you should also consider your own work and rest rules to ensure that you are in a good mental state during class time.
