English 15 is an introductory writing course required for all Penn State students. Though it may seem easy on paper, it’s important to take it as seriously as all your other courses. We’ve compiled some tips from current Penn State English 15 instructors and previous students to help you succeed in the class!

College isn’t supposed to be easy…it’s supposed to help you grow. Learn how to handle frustration, recover from setbacks, and build resilience through small acts of persistence, self-compassion, and “connected independence.”

How you think about your abilities matters. This post explores how adopting a growth mindset, believing that you can improve through effort and feedback, helps college students stay motivated, learn from challenges, and keep progress in perspective.

College can feel like a list of never-ending choices: what to major in, which internships to pursue, how to prepare for a career that still feels light-years away. The good news is... You don’t have to navigate it alone. Finding a mentor can be one of the most powerful moves you make in college.

A mentor doesn’t have to be a professor, advisor, or even someone officially assigned to you. They’re simply someone who’s been where you are and is willing to share what they’ve learned. The right mentor helps you make better decisions, build confidence, and see possibilities you didn’t even know existed.

Once the initial excitement has worn off, many students find themselves overwhelmed with their classwork, homework, and complicated schedules. Adjusting to the planning and time management demands of college can be difficult and frustrating. At Tierney Education, our coaches help you feel confident and in control of your academic success! Our goal is to help you build the skills you need to do it all on your own. 

Starting college is both an exciting and nerve-wracking journey! New experiences await, but so do high expectations. Many students stress about their ability to thrive academically while also joining clubs and organizations and taking advantage of the social aspects of a full college life. One of the most effective ways to rise to those expectation is by honing your executive functioning skills. The good news is, executive functioning skills aren’t set in stone, you can grow them!

In college, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a constant flow of small assignments—quizzes, problem sets, discussion posts, and homework. Especially in STEM courses, these tasks are designed to help you build foundational knowledge. But many students fall into the trap of doing them just to earn points and check off a box. The real problem? When you focus solely on points, you miss the chance to turn these assignments into powerful learning tools.

Navigating college is a pivotal journey for many young adults, marking their first true taste of independence. This transition into the collegiate world is a leap from the structured support of high school to an environment where guidance is available yet requires active pursuit. The leap to university life, with its reduced oversight and increased personal accountability, can be seamless for some but daunting for others. The challenge of managing academic duties alongside personal responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming, leading to potential setbacks in both academic performance and well-being.

Penn State has an amazing faculty of advisors who are dedicated to helping students navigate their Penn State journey from their first day to their last. They act as resources for all things academic, but can also guide students through other challenges or questions they may have that pop up during the semester.

As one semester concludes, the anticipation for the next one begins. This blog aims to guide students in effective preparation, helping them harness essential skills and resources for a successful academic journey. Alongside strategies for note-taking, course selection, and technology utilization, consider the invaluable support that academic tutoring can offer as you embark on the upcoming semester.

Starting a new semester? Here are seven simple tools we recommend to help college students stay organized, manage their time, and study more effectively.