Essay Assignment

A Letter to Next Semester's Students

This is the written portion of the final exam for this course. It is a reflection essay in letter form to next semester's college success students.

• The letter must be typed. It must be a minimum of two typed pages. 500-550 words (Please use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and double space.)

Write your letter in a friendly, conversational style, paying attention to correct spelling, grammar, and formatting. Illustrate general statements with specific examples whenever possible. Use logical transitions from one topic to another. Keep the entire letter in essay form, and try to be as clear and concise in your comments as possible. Use of the Writing Center is allowed and encouraged.

Your letter must include a discussion of the following items:

1. Introduction. Introduce yourself to next semester's student, explaining where you are from, your educational background up to now, why you chose Collin College, and what you are planning to study or major in while you are here. You may also include your plans for next semester.

(My major is Computer Science Name Dan Adams I am from in Texas,USA)

2. Transitions. Explain your most difficult transitions this semester. You might want to focus on adjusting to classroom expectations, managing your time, elevated stress levels, meeting new people, etc. In the process, note ways in which the college, fellow students, your College Success class, family/friends, or faculty have helped you make these transitions.

3. Collin Community. One goal of our course has been to discover and participate in the full range of extracurricular opportunities and support services available to students. Briefly explain the most important things you have learned about our college in these two categories. Included in this section should be a comment about why participation in the college community is an important part of the higher education experience.

4. Learning Strategies. Explain which learning strategies studied this semester helped you the most (please include at least three). Think about our course topics of goal setting, time management, memory/forgetting, information processing, learning styles, self-management, note-taking, and test-taking. Also explain how you plan to use these strategies in the future.

5. Becoming a Self-Aware Learner. Explain at least three ways in which you have changed over this past semester. This could be personally, academically, socially, in attitudes toward college, feelings toward others, understanding of how you learn, etc. What have you learned about yourself in the process? How have you changed as a student as a result of this semester?

6. Words of Wisdom. Conclude your essay with specific advice and "words of wisdom" for next semester's college success student. What would you recommend in order for them to experience a successful semester both in and out of class?