Summer Start
Message for Summer Start students
Congratulations on your decision to attend the Shippensburg University Summer Start Program! We realize that you have various options, and we are honored that you have selected Shippensburg University. You will find at SHIP a caring community in which you, the student, are center. Shippensburg University is committed to your success. Below are a few thoughts to help you get ready for Summer Start.
- College will be a different world than the one you’re coming from. You may have been an excellent student in high school, but to succeed in college will demand that you develop new personal, social, and academic skills. One of the main differences is that in college you are responsible for creating your own success. No one is going to hand it to you. We will give you the opportunity to succeed, but you must take advantage of it. Ultimately, your success at SHIP is your responsibility.
- Your number one priority during the summer must be to make good grades. This will not only ensure your continuing enrollment at SHIP but will also give you more options about possible major selections.
- Classes begin bright and early, 8:00 am, Monday, July 14. It is crucial to come to campus ready to go from day one. Your professors are going to hit the ground running from the first minute of class, and they probably will not be able to take time to slow down if you fall behind. Your course grades may be determined by only a few graded assignments/ exams. Professors will not allow “do-overs” if you blow an exam. It is vitally important to do your very best on every graded assignment/exam.
- There is no substitute for attending class. There is a university policy that if a student misses the first day of class (in any semester) the professor may elect to drop the student from the course. Various professors may factor class attendance in the final grade, or they may have a policy that after so many absences a student automatically fails the course. Put simply, if you want to pass, go to class every day.
- College is a learning environment; not party central. Succeeding as a student must be your number one priority. Those who come to college just to get away from home, to just hang out because there was nothing better to do, or with the intention to party until they drop are those who waste thousands of dollars in tuition and watch graduation ceremonies from the sidelines. Don’t get me wrong. College is not all books and libraries. Academics is only half of the college experience. Just keep in mind why you are here—to be a student—and then use the parties to celebrate your successes.
- Sometimes, being away at college can seem to be a lonely experience. Indeed, you may be leaving family, friends, and all that was familiar, and feelings of homesickness may tempt you to pack your bags and go home. But, you are not alone. Other students will feel the same way. At SHIP, you will be a part of a supportive community. Your professors and university staff care about you and your experiences. The Summer Start experience will give you the opportunity to become familiar with the campus and to make new friends. If you need someone to talk to, your group leader and academic advisor are here for you.
- Remember, there will be various summer programs running concurrently, and each program is putting out various bits of information that may become confusing. Pay close attention to what pertains to Summer Start.
- The Summer Start staff looks forward to having you on campus and being partners in your success. We will see you July 12!
