Being a Computer Science student you have the opportunity to be given extra help during your course of study. I have been given a small amount of extra assistance in the past that has really helped me out tremendously. The kind of extra help a student needs when starting a new course of study is being prepared for a test. I started my Computer Science class in the fall of my sophomore year at a community college and my advisor was a fantastic instructor. He explained what the tests would be and gave me some practice questions to answer so that I did not get really nervous before answering.

This helped me out immensely. The next semester I took the test in the fall of my sophomore year and it was a breeze. My advisor was there to help as well, of course, but he already knew how the class was going to work. This gave me confidence going into the test that I had already prepared myself to pass.

Now having achieved my computer studies major, I still have a few bumps on my road to success. I have taken some courses where the student status has been affected because I have not been doing well and needed extra help. One of these classes required that I take a programming course in addition to math, so I thought I would get an extra boost there by taking a more advanced class. I did quite well in the course and enjoyed it, but the Computer Science student status influenced the way my grades were written.

A little bit of reflection on why I failed the assignment and some self-reflection on how I could have done better would have gone a long way in helping me succeed on the class next semester. It certainly would have helped if I had asked my advisor for additional help. There are times when a student needs an extra pair of eyes to help with their homework. When I’m struggling with a problem or have a question, I go to the computer lab and do my assignment on my own. Sometimes asking for help is the best solution and this can sometimes be overlooked by instructors.

One thing that all instructors should do is make sure that they communicate with their students about their assignments, even if they don’t have online classes. Many students find it hard to focus on homework and getting an A or even B because they’re distracted by other students and they websites don’t feel like the instructor is communicating with them. My advisor even used a software program to show me my average times for assignments by sitting down and completing the assignments in my order. It made a big difference and made it easier for me to keep on track with my time allotment.

Instructors should also be encouraging students to do their assignments outside of class. This can be as simple as helping them create an outline and then following the outline until it is completed. Doing an independent study also helps students become more knowledgeable about concepts. When I first took classes, I found that I struggled in a lot of the basic topics; when I did an independent study, I could learn the concepts easily and at the same time understand the material better. For example, in one class, we used an online calculator to solve basic quadratic equations. Before the instructor showed me the calculator, I had never even heard of it; once I understood how to use it, I was able to do my assignments with it much faster than I would have done them before.

Another good thing to do as a computer science student is to network with people who are in the same course as you. In my classes, I have created a small community of about 15 students who regularly email me and ask questions about my assignments, topics, and any advice that I can give them. Through this process, we have built trust as fellow students and through this we have built rapport as well. I know that this has helped me to not only get better grades, but I know that it has also helped me make connections with other students who are in the same position as myself. This has allowed me to expand my network and to meet new friends in my course who may be willing to help me with my projects, or just to talk more about the courses themselves.

Having my own student status has also allowed me to participate in many events in the community. I have been able to work on the local newspaper’s community page, which allow me to write about my classes, talk about my projects, and comment on issues that are facing the school district. Through this, I have gained valuable knowledge about the issues facing the students of my district and how they can be best served. Being able to show others that I have some knowledge about computer science, and that I take pride in learning it, has helped me succeed in getting many grants and fellowships, which allow me to further my education and my community.