Tips on How to Be a Successful College Student

  1. Memorize your college ID number; you will use it frequently.
  1. Set up and use your Techlink account. Tecklink is the primary communication method between the college and students. There are tutorials on the website to show you how to set up your Techlink account and college email.
  1. Set up your college email account before the semester begins. You do this through the college’s website and Techlink (
  1. Check your college email address at least once a day.
  1. Be sure you have read the attached sheet about important dates and deadlines.
  1. Read each course’s class syllabus at the beginning of the semester; this syllabus provides important information on course requirements, attendance, grading, assignments, etc. You will usually receive the course syllabus the first week of class. Remember that each course and instructor may have different standards and expectations.
  1. Communicate directly with your instructor, via email or through an appointment, if you have questions, concerns or issues. Do not wait nor ask your parent(s) to make these contacts. Because of federal FERPA laws, your parents are not allowed to contact your college instructors.
  1. Keep your high school counselor informed of your progress.
  1. Remember that you will probably earn fewer grades in your college classes, so every grade is important. Missing one assignment can damage your average beyond repair if the final grade is based on just 4-6 assignments.
  1. Absences can be deadly; you can only miss approximately 2 times in a semester; you can be dropped from a class with an F if you are absent too much.
  1. Keep up with any online components of courses, especially foreign language, math, and science. If your course has an online component, you must log-in daily in order to be counted present. If you get behind in your online work, you will face extreme challenges in catching back up. If you have trouble logging on to the online component, communicate IMMEDIATELY to your instructors of your issue so they can help correct the problem.
  1. Know and meet all class deadlines. Sometimes, college instructors will not remind students of looming deadlines: the information is on the course syllabus and the instructor must rely on students to keep up with the schedule.
  1. Turn all work in and complete any assigned homework; sometimes instructors check that, sometimes they don’t. Be prepared.
  1. Allow enough time to not only arrive on campus, but to find parking and get to your class location. Many times, high school students misjudge how long it will take to get to the college campus, park, and walk to the class building.
  1. Know each instructor’s policy on eating/drinking in classrooms. No food or drink is allowed in any computer lab.
  1. The college provides a wealth of resources for students who may struggle with coursework: tutor, and online tutoring: smart thinking are available for students.
  1. If you do not have access to computers/the internet at home, you may utilize the computers in the college or high school labs No matter whether you have reliable internet access at home or not, you are still required to complete all work on time. Open Lab times are posted outside each Lab.
  1. As a college student, you will follow Forsyth Tech’s calendar for holidays, breaks, etc. Remember, if winter weather arrives, you will follow what Forsyth Tech posts about delays and cancellations. Even if the school system is closed, if Forsyth Tech is operating, you are expected to attend class.
  1. Know your academic status in your class(s). Some instructors post your grades on your Blackboard account; for other instructors, you may need to ask them about your current grade, if you aren’t sure.
  1. Keep up each week; you are completing a semester’s worth of material in about 16 weeks; classes do not meet daily, as in high school, so instructors have to cover a lot of material in a limited time frame. It is impossible to pass if you wait until the last month of the semester to complete your work.
  1. Because of the limited number of meeting times, the instructors cannot cover EVERY course concept in detail during class time. Students must do more outside learning, studying and reading even when instructors don’t require students to read. Remember this equation: approximately 30% of the course material is covered/discussed during class; the over 70% of the material may never be discussed during class, but students are still responsible for knowing 100% of the material.
  1. Your final grade in college classes are included in your high school transcript and computations of final high school GPAs.
  1. You will see your final grade posted electronically on Techlink; you will NOT receive a print copy of your final grades.

Contact the office the College Liaison, Mrs. Moyer at these numbers with questions, concerns, or suggestions:

(336) 593-5402, ext. 1116 or email: 336-593-5402, ext. 1201 or Steve Hall, Principal email: