November

 You’re in the home stretch! Keep up the hard work!
  1. The last day to withdraw from a course typically occurs early this month.  Update the grade calculations you made in October, and make sure to talk to an advisor before you drop any classes! You want to understand all the consequences of doing so, and while an advisor may not be able to answer ALL your questions, he or she should be able to refer you to the right resources (like Housing or Financial Aid).
  2. Start studying for Final Exams. Ideally, you have been making connections between the concepts that you learned in Week 1 to those you learned in Week 2, 3, 4, etc., by brushing up on these things on a regular basis. If you haven’t, START NOW! It will give you much more time to fully grasp the brand new material given to you in the days before Final Exams begin.
  3. Register for classes in a timely manner! For some majors, registering late can mean extending your graduation timeline. In order to register on time, you need to have done the following: see your academic advisor and receive advisement clearance; make sure that you have fulfilled all financial obligations to the University (this means late fees at the library, parking tickets, etc., as well as tuition); have no other holds on your account (health and judicial are the most common, after financial).  You can check for holds on your account by logging into myUMBC, and looking under “Alerts.”
  4. With Thanksgiving Break, this month is shorter than you think!  Will you need to work on papers or projects, or perhaps study for an exam, amidst the festivities – or can you get a few days ahead on your reading and other assignments to have free time?
  5. Do you want to have a summer internship or research experience?  Now is the time to think about it! The most competitive internship and research programs often have application deadlines in January or February.  The Office for Undergraduate Education, the Career Services Center, and the Shriver Center are all excellent sources of information – check out their web sites and look for workshops!

Download the Five Things To Do in November checklist here.