Rhetoric 110 - 17
USF Has Your Back
Every high school student has their own views and can only imagine of how college will be like. One thought they may think is the endless partying and the alcohol, like in the movies, or on the other side of the spectrum, students boringly studying in the library all day. These are some of the common aspects high school students hear about college and they assume these misunderstandings before going. There are some aspects to both sides of these views which aren’t completely true, but yet, some aren’t completely false either. Personally, with three weeks into college, I can say that these are some common misconceptions about the college experience. In reality, the college experience cannot be fully explained or defined. Although most high school teachers tell their students that in college you won’t get the same amount of help as they got in high school, at USF, they provide a comfortable and effective learning environment and offer an impactful support that is accessible to all students.
One of the characteristics here at USF that stands out is the classroom environment. Here, classrooms hold a 14:1 student to teacher ratio. According to U.S. News, 47.6 percent of classes have fewer than 20 students. With a small teacher to student ratio, and with the small class size in general, the teacher and student relationship is more focused on each student. Unlike a classroom with more than a hundred students, each student gets noticed, and they can give feedback, which matters to the professor. This allows teachers to focus more on the students individually and allow them to strive in the classroom compared to a large lecture hall. There gives a lot more room for participation and more opportunity for students to voice their opinion. In this environment, the teacher can give the right amount of attention to each student and their learning styles. The learning environment at USF really promotes the students’ learning and their capabilities in the classroom.
In college, the work is more difficult, but students need to know how what resources are available to them when they need help. At USF, many counselors are ready to reach out to you and are always willing to give a helping hand. USF offers the Learning, Writing, and Speaking Centers. These services are offered to every student for free. Here they may receive tutoring for their classes, writing assistance, and communication support with a group or even one on one coaching. At the Learning Center, it gives students the opportunity to enhance their academic understanding. They tutor according to the student’s learning style have the goal to upgrade their performance throughout their years here. The Writing Center, like the Learning Center, offers extensive help to students who are looking to increase the skill of writing. Here, tutors help students become a better writer through organization and clarity in their own work. At the Speaking Center, USF also offers...
