The Syllabus

I have been in college for a little over two years, and I hold an Associate's Degree in accounting (I am retaking this class to improve my grade point average). Yes, that means I prefer numbers over words. Is a class like this kryptonite to me? Maybe it is. However, I will not let such a small obstacle block me from my main goal of obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in accounting. With the existence of other classes that I must pass, that do not directly deal with my area of study, I have found a way to gain a good grade in just about any class. It is easy as following the syllabus.

Each semester, I am bombarded with syllabuses. I used to just push them into my backpack or folder and forget about them. I figured that they were all the same. In fact, a lot of the same material is in different syllabuses, but the most important stuff is in there before, between, or after the repetition. Once I realized this, the syllabus ceased being a crumpled mess at the bottom of my book bag. With the syllabus of each class in hand, I can start my voyage towards a grade that I can be proud of.

The syllabus is phenomenal in the fact that it tells you what the future of the class holds. Most syllabuses have everything broken down by date. I know what will happen each day of class. Information is power. If I know what is going to happen, I can be well prepared for it. Since preparation is the first step in about anything I do, I have a jump on the class already. In preparing for a class, I look at the syllabus to find what the topics discussed will be. Then I find an interest in as many topics that I can. If I am interested in a subject, it is so much easier to learn about it. If it is easy to learn, then the good grade will come as easy. Now that the advantage is mine, it will be difficult to stop me.

After initially preparing for a class, I look more in depth at the syllabus. This is where I find the specific learning objectives and requirements. The professor explains exactly what they want from me in the class. So all I really have to do is follow the instructions. It is as easy as that. The work on the other hand is not "as easy as" that. Doing the actual work does take time and effort on my part. That is just effort that is put forth to follow the path laid out it the syllabus. The path may be bumpy, hilly, mountainous, or, if lucky, smooth. Whatever the terrain, the path will lead me to a fruitful grade.

However, sometimes the path changes while I am on it. That is just how life is. At times a professor will mention a change in the syllabus. Therefore, I have to keep my attention set to high during every class meeting. A change in the syllabus can throw me off, if I do not catch it. Furthermore, minor changes can be made without directly mentioning it. If I think one topic that we will be discussing has a certain meaning, I could be wrong. I need to pay attention thoroughly to make sure the information for each topic on the syllabus is correct. This ensures that my syllabus's meaning is true.

The syllabus is one of the most important tools for classroom success. After using the syllabus for preparation, knowing the expectations of the professor, and understanding the real meaning of information provided, I will produce the grade that I want. Since I am paying for all of this, I think I deserve a certain grade, and will work for it. Being an accounting major, I really do not like wasting money.