Sophomore/Junior/Senior
• 6 weeks
(June 21 - August 5, or June 21 - August 2 if you're enrolled in a writing class)
• 5-8 credits
Looking ahead, you know that college is going to be different from high school: new friends, more freedom, exciting social and extracurricular opportunities, and a whole lot more coursework. The skills you'll develop in CollegeSuccess can help you balance these responsibilities.
This six-week program is designed to introduce you to the critical thinking, effective reading, analytical writing, and research skills necessary for success in college.
You'll complete college-level work, focus on a contemporary novel, write major papers, keep a weekly journal, and participate in lectures, seminar discussions, weekly sections, individual conferences, and engaging activities in and out of the classroom.
You'll learn about the realities of academic life and begin to identify and overcome the obstacles to a successful college experience. The skills you'll learn and practice include:
- Critical thinking
- Cooperative learning through classroom study and discussions
- Analytical and creative writing
- The art of journal writing
- Research methods, source evaluation, and composition of research papers
- Effective reading and response skills for college-level texts
- Time management and organizational skills
- Computer-based learning technologies
By focusing all of your new strategies in this course or program and with our individualized help, you'll sharpen your academic skills to a fine edge.
To be eligible for this program, you must have completed your sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school by June 2008.
Courses
You'll be enrolled in Critical Reading and Thinking (HE 1000) (2 credits). This course meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:15 p.m., with discussion sections on Wednesdays, 1:30-5:30 p.m. and required office hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
For your second course, we strongly recommend a First-Year Writing Seminar (English 1131 or English 1132).
Juniors/Seniors:
If you would like to enroll in a course other than English 1131 or English 1132, you can select your second course from the more than sixty on this Web site (see course roster). If you’re up for a really demanding summer, you may enroll in a third course (with permission of the Summer College director). You may also audit a third course, which means attending the class but skipping the homework and course credit.Sophomores:
If you would like your second course to be something other than English 1131 or English 1132, see the courses section of this Web site. Also, tell us in your application statement, question four, why you’ve chosen one of these other courses.
Program leader
"From the philosophical discussions about Socrates' notion of the 'unexamined life' to living Wolfe's idea of contemporary university life, college is a time of tremendous personal growth and development. Being prepared for the many intellectual and social challenges one will encounter is critical. In my role as Director of the Undergraduate Admissions Office, I advise prospective students that developing one's capacity to learn is fundamental to intellectual development. CollegeSuccess will undoubtedly provide you with the framework necessary to succeed in the most challenging academic environments."
Program leader Jason Locke is director of undergraduate admissions for Cornell. Locke joined the university in 1997 after spending several years as an administrator at UVM in Burlington, Vermont. Although an avid historian, he chose a career in the academy as an administrator rather than an academician. Jason has worked with students across a range of areas, including first-year orientation, freshman seminar, advising, and admissions. His professional interests include organizational development, ethics and leadership, and issues of justice. Jason is also a member of Cornell's Health Careers Evaluation Committee and the Executive Mentor for the Meinig Family Cornell National Scholars.