Blog: Achieving Academic Success

We’re getting closer to the middle of August, which means September is starting to appear on the horizon. That doesn’t mean summer is over. But this is a good time to spend 15–20 minutes doing something that can save you a surprising amount of stress later: create a September package for yourself. This can be […]

July is often the month when school feels furthest away. For many students, that’s exactly how it should be. After a year of deadlines, exams, projects, and busy schedules, it’s important to give yourself permission to simply enjoy summer. Whether you’re travelling, working, spending time with family, or just slowing down for a while, don’t […]

For many students, the school year is finally over. After months of classes, assignments, and exams, taking time to recharge is important. You’ve earned it. But before completely shifting into summer mode, there is one small task that can significantly reduce stress in the fall. Create a “future me” package. Over the years, I’ve found […]

I’ll admit it — I’m not much of a golfer! But one thing I’ve learned from golfers over the years is that the “short game” can make or break a round. You can hit a great drive off the tee, but if your putting and chipping struggle, your score will suffer. In many ways, academics […]

Late May is often when the high school year starts to feel the heaviest. At the beginning of the semester, June can seem far away. But by May 22, the reality starts to settle in: final assignments are due, projects are wrapping up, tests are increasing, and teachers are trying to complete coursework before final […]

Early May creates an interesting split in the academic calendar. For many college and university students, the winter term is now behind you. Exams are done, and there’s a brief window to reset before a new rhythm begins — whether that’s a spring/summer course, work, or a mix of both. At the same time, high […]

Exam period has its own rhythm — and no two schedules feel the same. Some students have exams stacked within a few days. Others have them spread out over one to two weeks. Both situations come with their own challenges, and neither is “easier” — just different. If your exams are close together, the pressure […]

Making it to the end of March is worth recognizing. This is typically the most demanding stretch of the term — the windstorm of deadlines, group work, midterms, and competing priorities. If you’ve navigated through it, even imperfectly, that’s something to endorse. Now the focus shifts. April isn’t about starting over — it’s about finishing […]

If you’ve made it past the halfway point of March, that’s worth acknowledging. March is often the windstorm month of the semester — a stretch where deadlines, projects, exams, and group work all seem to converge at once. Simply navigating this far into the month takes persistence, focus, and a lot of adjustment along the […]

For many students, March is where the semester truly changes pace. If January was about adjustment and February was about building momentum, March often feels like walking straight into a windstorm. Deadlines stack up. Midterms continue. Projects move from planning stages to final submission. Suddenly, multiple courses seem to demand attention at the same time. […]

One of the most underestimated academic tools isn’t an app, a planner, or a study technique. It’s simply asking for help. Many students wait far too long before checking in with a professor or TA. Not because they don’t care — but because assumptions quietly get in the way. We assume we should already understand. […]

Making it to February matters more than students often realize. The first month of the semester is rarely smooth, even when things look “fine” on the surface. January is about adjustment — new routines, new expectations, new demands on time and energy. If you’ve shown up, stayed engaged, and kept moving forward through the first […]

This week includes one of those deadlines that doesn’t feel urgent — until it’s gone. Add/Drop deadlines (for example, UBC’s this Friday) are often treated as paperwork. In reality, they’re strategic checkpoints. Once that date passes, your schedule is locked. If a course isn’t working, feels misaligned, or is already demanding more than you realistically […]

This week I’m preparing a series of learning strategist workshops for student advisors at a post-secondary campus. In other words, I’ll be coaching the coaches. If you’ve been following my blog, you will have a pretty good idea of the content of these workshops. As I’m preparing them, I’m reflecting on the college advisors I’ll […]

How far can we trust AI? We often just don’t know if AI is right, wrong, hallucinating, or biased.  OK. How can we tell when to trust, when to check? You can’t 100 per cent tell when AI is 100 per cent right–but you can reduce your risks while still gaining the tremendous benefits of […]

Why am I doing this? I was going to blog about using AI to reach academic goals. Then I thought, “Why would I blog about using AI when students can use AI to explore how to use AI to gain academic goals?” Then I thought, “Hm. Is there any learning strategy I can blog on […]

Exams this month for high school students and spring printers: I run this checklist at the end of each term, so if it looks familiar, this could be a quick refresher, just to be sure that you don’t overlook the obvious!  First, endorse yourself for getting this far. Endorse for each quiz, each class attended, […]

Today I’m thinking of high school students, with a shout out to college students in spring session. Spring is a real challenge time for many high school students. Yes, you know finals are next month. Yes, you know college admissions look at the last two years of high school. Okay, okay. But the sun is […]

Exams are done! Take that reward! And end of term is the time I have my students review–what were the successes? What went right? How did you make that happen? What went not so well? What were the hitches and glitches? What did you learn about your study patterns? Your time management? Your strengths? Your […]

I run this checklist at the end of each term, so if it looks familiar, this could be a quick refresher, just to be sure that you don’t overlook the obvious!  First, endorse yourself for getting this far. Endorse for each quiz, each class attended, each problem set that did get done, each piece of […]

The last lab, the last class, the final paper, the group presentation—it all happens in the next week to ten days. Plus there are the end-of-term complexities such as moving, maybe getting ready for grad, and finalizing your summer job. It’s a good time to take a breath, congratulate yourself for getting this far in […]

Motivation in March is more of a problem for many students than it is earlier in the term.  It doesn’t seem logical that procrastination sometimes peaks close to the end of the term when we really don’t have that much time left to deal with whatever it is we put off. But there it is. […]

Midterms are over, reading week has passed, and there are a few days left in February. What’s next? What’s next can hit hard, especially if this is your first year in college or your first year in grad school. It can hit hard like the storms across the continent last week, except the academic windstorm […]

Next week is Reading Week for many of you, and many of you fall into four different categories: Maybe you’ve thought several times since September about what you’ll catch up with in your coursework. Maybe you’ve planned Reading Week as Spring Break, heavy on the break with a full getaway trip. Maybe you’ve scheduled every […]

Students who are used to doing it on their own, successful through earlier years without tutors or coaches can really stall on getting help if, for some reason, their academics start to take a bit of a hit. The “shoulds” take over: “I should just study harder. I should be able to do this.” The […]

Last week’s tip was to select your group members and schedule your first meeting. Why that priority, this soon?  Because group projects are the most complained about, most disliked type of work across all disciplines and all levels of schooling. However, there are some steps you can take to gain the best collaboration and get […]

You made it through to the end. Please congratulate yourself. Regardless of your grades or the state of your academic career, you made it through the term! Pause now in this hiatus of short days and holidays. Take time for a few hours to pause and to reflect on what went well. Reflect on what […]

I run this checklist at the end of each term, so if it looks familiar, this could be a quick refresher, just to be sure that you don’t overlook the obvious!  First, endorse yourself for getting this far. Endorse for each quiz, each class attended, each problem set that did get done, each piece of […]

You’ve almost survived the November windstorm–just one week left to wrap the course up and get ready for finals. Congratulate yourself for making it this far! I’ve blogged before about the detail in preparing final presentations, polishing term assignment -ministrivia that isn’t so trivial (see https://www.stevevogel.net/a-successful-term-end/ for a refresher). This week I’m going to address […]

Many of you have your midterms back now, and there is a chance, a very large chance, that some of you are not happy with the mark you got. What to do? At first, do nothing. Take time to cool off. Take time to analyze. Take time to strategize. Taking action in the heat of […]

Whether you’re an undergrad or graduate student, whether you’re in business school, engineering, arts, education, or just about any program offered, you likely have a group project or two assigned by now. And you may have had previous group projects that did not go well. Group work is the single most complained about aspect of […]

You’ve been going to class for a few weeks now and have likely settled into some patterns that will carry you through the term up to exams. You likely have enough variation in terms of labs, presentations, group projects and quizzes that dull routine is not a problem. The routine patterns can be taken for […]

If you’re reading this close to when I’m posting it, you’ll be ready and into the golden long weekend of the year. Summer’s almost over–but not quite. Work and academic commitments are on hold. There isn’t the high excitement and celebration of the July national holiday. There isn’t the obligatory family gathering and food fest […]

This week is the week I share my exam checklist. That checklist has evolved since the first exam session under COVID lockdown, and keeps getting tweaked and modified with feedback from students and readings of current research. First, endorse yourself for getting this far in the very fast-paced summer term. Endorse for each quiz, each […]

It’s mid-summer session and I see students sorting out into three categories: If you’re in life-as-usual mode, good on you and carry on! If you’re in panic mode, check in with  your support system–your counsellor, student services, your strategist. I’ll be blogging on that next week, but today, attend to the self care that is […]

That most glorious weekend of summer: exams are done, done, done!! Whether you’re a high school student or a college student, it’s great to wrap it up! Let’s do that! Administrivia: Return borrowed books; file away notes; back up hard drive notes and work. Get your lab deposit back. Make sure you get the best […]

You’re into June, the month of finals. You may already be starting to check out, even noticing that some of your teachers are checking out, too. June is less heavy academically than the rest of the year. You’ve taken care of the bulk of the content. Motivation can be tough. Last week, I blogged on […]

The intensity and pace of spring term courses provide a challenge, for sure. That challenge includes  My number one recommendation for dealing with these traps isn’t very exciting or dramatic. It doesn’t require a great deal of change or learning of new skills. It is simply that you maintain the structure that has worked for […]

Exam week is here. I am torn between providing a checklist and addressing two issues that can be students’ biggest concerns about writing exams. So I’ll do both. First, the checklist I’ve developed that my students report works well for them is now pretty much the same from term to term, now that campuses are […]

Last week, I invited you to note the tools that were working for you to ensure that you gave yourself credit where credit was due, and would keep on using what worked. This week I’m going to share what other students have found keeps them motivated through the stub end of the term through to […]

This is my twentieth blog on group projects–a never ending source of frustration for students at all stages of their academic careers. Curious about what AI could do in assisting me as a blogger, I revisited last year’s blog on what to do at this time of year if a group project is circling the […]

March: In many ways, this is the most challenging month of the term. But first: about that Reading Week. I hope you had time just for you. If you’re like most students, you also had academic work planned. If you’re like most students, you didn’t get it all done! Now, take a moment. What went […]

Many campuses are on Reading Week starting this Friday and back 10 to class days later. Some will come back refreshed; some will come back wiped, and others will fall on all increments between these extremes.log Some will come back caught up on coursework with a head start on the rest of the term; some […]

Everyone knows about the importance of lectures, labs, seminars, tutorials, library resources, and textbooks. I continue to be surprised how many students leave money on the table (that’s marks there for the taking) by leaving unused academic tools that really give an advantage to those who use them over those who don’t. What’s in your […]

On the one hand, we’re halfway through January–that’s cool. On the other hand, there are all of those resolutions we made, especially that big one, and yet . . . we didn’t go to the gym every day. We didn’t study 5 hours each day; we haven’t got all of our thank you notes written, […]

Writing this Christmas Eve . . .  Whatever your holiday, take joy with friends, family, the meaning this holiday has for you, and the place you have in it . . .  Food, songs, music, spirituality, moments of quiet, spaces of celebration . . . Make memories . . . and I’ll see you in […]

I should have called this blog “The Day Before Exam Day And The Next 24 Hours,” because preparation for writing your best exam does start the evening before.That prep is aside from your study and review of the material. Let’s think about what you will need to be on track during the exam. You will […]

The last seven to ten days of class are here, then finals. You want no surprises once finals start, so what can you get done before class ends?  The three areas to attend to ensure you are in shape right up to the finish line are (a) being in condition for the last laps, (b) […]

Reading days are over, and we’re back in the thick of the term. It’s a good time of the term to take stock and ensure that you’re doing what you need to do to be ready for the final week of due dates, presentations, and getting ready for finals. From here on in, it’s about […]

I think of November as the windstorm of the term: Classes, seminars, labs and quizzes continue while due dates are becoming closer and closer for papers, projects and presentations. There are a few things you can do now to manage your courses as deadlines crowd in, but first, here are some traps to avoid. Tempting […]

Every year by mid-October many students find themselves not where they thought they would be. The excitement of starting a new year, maybe a new program or a new school, meeting new friends, and then here we are. For many students it is a wake-up call: How did so much pile up? How am I […]

Three and a half years! Looking back to that first blog so much has happened since then! It seems like a lifetime ago! How did we get through? We got through by being creative when we couldn’t have what we wanted the way we wanted it. For the first time, students, professors, institutions, offices, and […]

How can you live a balanced life when you’re pulled in many directions–and all of them are important! Achieving balance is one of the most common challenges my clients mention, and was mentioned across the campuses I interviewed this spring. Can the SMART goal approach help you live a balanced student life? That’s where the […]

Last week I promised to start on turning hopes into accomplishments by setting SMART goals. SMART goals are making concrete the abstract, setting out clearly what we want as the first steps toward planning the actions that will get us there. First, for those of you who haven’t run across the SMART goals acronym in […]

Exciting time of the year–last weeks to enjoy summer sun, friends, plus anticipation of the new year to come. Thoughts of new school clothes, maybe tablets and phone and laptops, maybe new friends . . . a fresh beginning! It’s exciting whether you’re going on to the next year, a new program or your first […]

It’s a long weekend here in Canada, looking into the last day of class for many of you, with exams starting this week and next. It can be hard, in the peak of summer sun, barbecues, family, and friends, to maintain focus on polishing off term work and preparing for finals. This can be a […]

Sorry for the lack of posts this week and last. Stay tuned for a new blog post on Sunday!

This week we celebrate Canada Day and July 4th–Happy Celebrations to us all! And for those taking courses this summer session, it’s into the deep end right away! You’ve got your registration done, the texts and materials, any accommodations arranged, have reviewed the syllabus (haven’t you?) and may even have had your first class. If […]

Last week I talked about dealing with the pressure of the finals that high school students and spring session college students are in the midst of now. For some students, however, the problem of finals is at the other end of the extreme. With the pressure and structure of regular classes and labs off, there […]

After last week’s blog on evidence that AI sometimes fakes information, I’m getting back to the Learning Specialists Conference, where the keynote presentation was on AI in the education setting. Yes, as you may have expected, the issue of cheating was mentioned. Determining exactly what cheating is in this context isn’t always clearly defined. Of […]

Checking in this week–I just got back from the National Conference of the Learning Specialists Association of Canada. It was great! In particular, the keynote presentation on AI as an Ethical Learning Technology had perspectives, questions, and different technologies that we are all keen on using–and protecting ourselves from misuse and abuse. Also, I’ll be […]

Last week I promised to talk about getting a lot done in a short time, which is, after all, the definition of spring and summer sessions. Six weeks from start to finals–and one of those weeks is gone!  The First Week–Check! Check the first week’s tasks: Complete documentation, including accommodation and funding paperwork, if any. […]

Last week I focused on building and maintaining the structure that can see you through exam weeks, and touched briefly on staying the course. For many students, that can be a major challenge. Even with all of the timetabling, scheduling, building in study time, building in rewards, sometimes, and I quote more than one student […]

Some time over the next couple of weeks, you may face a make-or-break exam–the exam that is worth 40 percent or 50 percent or 60 percent—or even 100 percent of your grade for a course. Most of us would rather do a project, an extensive assignment, or even a group project than one of these […]

When we think about exam anxiety, we think about what happens while we are actually writing an exam–choking, freezing, unable to think, to recall. However, there’s an article in last week’s BPS Research Digest that points toward the effect that exam anxiety can have weeks before exam week: Exam anxiety can reduce the effectiveness of […]

Midterms are over. There are four or five weeks before finals. That least-liked type of assignment, the group project, needs to be completed and presented before the last day of class. I’ve blogged earlier about setting up a group project for success. This week, I’m going to address the Dark Side. If your group project […]

Back from reading week and of course you are refreshed, recharged, got all caught up, everything done . . . “Steve you’re kidding me! I didn’t get anything done and I’m so far behind that I’ll never catch up!” I hear that. Sometimes not quite that extreme, but the disappointment about what didn’t get done […]

Whoa! The term just started, and here we are–midterms! How did that happen so quickly? If you’re like most students (self-included when I was a student), you get a bit to quite a bit of an adrenaline jolt when you realize that this is going to happen soon. Unlike final exams, midterms can overlap in […]

I didn’t know how to title this blog, because if I’d just titled it “flashcards,” the chances are you’d respond the way many of my clients do: “Oh, I tried those and they don’t work,” or, “Yeah, sure, my Mom said I should try those.” Then my clients adapt how they may have been using […]

If you’ve done group projects before, you may not be surprised to hear that the Group Project is the Number One source of frustration identified by students across the board. I’ve put together some tips for setting up that can reduce your chances of putting in a lot of work then having the grade slide […]

We’re back from Christmas break, and I’m writing this on the first day of the New Year. Many campuses open today and have classes beginning this week or next. Your thoughts are likely moving forward to the coming term with some combination of eagerness and apprehension. A core key for long-term academic success There are […]

I’ve blogged earlier and extensively on exam strategies, from open book to online to in-person, multiple choice, essay, and short answer. Today, I’m going to focus on a 24-hour routine that can get you through each exam with less wear and tear, less exam anxiety and less chance of leaving marks on the table. The […]

We’re at the last full week of class for many of you. Before we think about end-of-term checklists, take a moment, look ahead to the end of term, and think of the reward that you are going to award yourself for getting through. After the last exam, what will you do to mark the success […]

Reading days are over, and with one-third of the term left, the end is in sight. Most likely you are not as far ahead on every assignment in every course as you had originally planned. You may be tempted to put on an extra super-push. Stop. You need to make sure you have enough gas […]

Sometimes this happens: Your paper is handed back. You see the number circled at the top. WHAT’S THIS?!!! Trigger–instant feelings–stomach sinking, or anger! [Are you still with me?] What to do right away First advice–do nothing right away! Acting in anger or fear will be far less likely to gain you an improved grade, and […]

Last week I ended the blog reminding you to plan a reward for when you finished midterms. This week I’m putting forth support for a strong, “No!” to the contention that the reward for effort is solely in the result.   I’ve blogged before about using rewards and reinforcers to keep yourself motivated over the long […]

If I were to count the most frequent complaints I hear from my clients, the top winner would be Group Projects! Not only in terms of the number of complaints but also in terms of sheer blood-pressure boosting frustration. I’ve blogged before on doing good group. This go-around, rather than my usual positive focus, I’m […]

Now is a sweet spot in the academic year. Classes have started, you know what’s ahead, you’ve formed your groups for class projects, you’ve lined up your sign-ons, you’ve got your texts–you’ve settled in and are looking ahead. What a contrast to the last week in November that is coming up way sooner than you […]

A whole new school year! For most of us, some things have changed, some not have not–one thing we all share is the knowledge that we can continue to expect change and surprise. We don’t know what the semester will bring, but we know that we’re ahead of where we were two-and-a-half years ago! We […]

I hope everyone is gaining the best from these last weeks of summer. Exams are over and fall term is on the near horizon. Next term, I’ll be blogging again about strategies for meeting academic goals–time management, goal setting, goal achievement, group projects, relationships with professors, writing exams, dealing with the unexpected, learning and retaining […]

This week is for summer sprinters. You’re heading into the final week or two of the term, and some of you may find yourselves under the gun with more to get done than you may feel possible to accomplish.  It can happen, especially if this is a first go at the fast-paced intersession courses. Here’s […]

Summer session is in full swing for some of you, with midterms and prep for presentations. Some of you are working, some are travelling, and some are just chilling out. It may seem way early to be thinking about the fall term. Yet next weekend is the August long weekend, and after that, campuses will […]

This is especially for those of you in the summer sprint–you have either just written or will soon write a mid-term. I’ve blogged extensively on preparing for exams and writing them–this week I’m going to share the single most effective tactic in preparing for an exam.  First, I’m assuming that you have reviewed the material […]

This weekend is a turning point for many–the academic spring sprint is over, the summer sprint starts for many tomorrow. For high school students, finals are over, grad is done. The student cohort is all over the map for the summer: Some of you are gearing up for another academic session, some of you are […]

When we think about what impacts achieving our goals, it’s the major factors that come to mind first–the project worth 40%, making the Dean’s List, or conversely, the unpleasant interview with the Dean. Breaking down self-assessment to the more immediate time frame, when we consider what we get done in the day, in the week, […]

This is the time of year I look back on the academic year, summarize, learn, and begin planning and revising for September. I’ve shared some student successes with you in earlier blogs, and as I review more of them, some common themes come up. How did these students get the best from our work together? […]

I will be back next week with success story from an expert, one of my students!

My students fall into three categories at this time of year: (a) college students who are heading into the first week of spring session (100-metre sprint!), (b) high school students who are finishing up the academic year (final sprint!), and (c) students who are on academic break–working, reflecting, taking time off. This week–The Spring Session […]

Exam stress . . . Exam tension . . . Exam anxiety . . . Exam panic: It is the toughest time of the year. Every campus has student support resources. I urge you to be aware of them and to make use of them. What I’m going to discuss today is not clinical support […]

For most of you, this is the last week of class. March Madness has morphed into April—which is not, I hope, the cruellest month! You’re clearing the decks for finals. You will be getting that last assignment in, finishing journals and lab write-ups for submission, attending last lectures, checking to see that your grades for […]

The term is coming to a wrap; group projects are almost complete, and it’s time for your group to strut its stuff! I’m assuming your group has ironed the kinks out of the challenges of group work. Some of you will be presenting in person, some over ZOOM. Regardless, there are some tactics that experienced […]

Recap from last week: You’ve made an appointment with the instructor to discuss an unsatisfactory grade on a paper or exam. Preparing for The Meeting. Following on from last week, you have Dealt with feelings of anger, frustration and fear and moved to a solution-focused mindset Reviewed the syllabus and rubrics Analyzed your work to […]

It happens to most of us. We’ve put in a fair effort, made what we feel is a creditable accounting of ourselves . . . and we don’t get a fair grade! If I had a free ticket to a Canucks game for every time I’ve heard, “It’s not fair!” I’d have a lifetime season’s […]

This week I’m focusing on the individual as opposed to the group project. These projects can be a portfolio, a grant proposal, a research proposal, a presentation, a summary journal–the list goes on. All of these types of projects have several key elements in common: They count significantly toward the final grade. They require research. […]

Last week I shared What Can Go Wrong in the minefield called “The Group Project.” I’ve blogged extensively on the good, the bad and the ugly in group work. This week I’m sharing a checklist of steps that you can take to increase your chances—and your group’s chances—of avoiding disaster and successfully completing a project […]

This is the week most of you are starting winter term classes. Some of you are online, some in on-campus classes, and some in a hybrid mix. The rules and requirements are all over the map and subject to change. Whatever your particular COVID-defined variables are, there are some commonalities across campuses and courses, some […]

The crunch of last term is over. Classes start for some of you in January, for others the week after. This is the week between, the eye of the storm.  I’d encourage you to take time for yourself to do some of the things you’ve been putting off because you had other tasks needing attention, […]

The next ten days are exam week for most post-secondary schools. I’ve blogged every term on exams, as they do seem to come up every term. Check out these earlier blogs Exam Week Survival 1, 2, and 3, Checklists for Exam Weeks, Exam Week Q&A, and Exam Checklist if this is your first exam week […]

Looking at the last few blogs, I see I’ve dwelt on coping with stressful challenges quite a bit this term. I wondered if I were becoming a Debbie Downer. Then I read some of the data on the effects of COVID on adolescents. The effects are real. As I’m writing this, students in my part […]

Especially “Et Cetera.” Everyone’s challenges are unique to them, and the challenges are constantly changing with the globally shifting COVID knowledge, rules, opinions . . .  I outlined a mix of the pluses and minuses to the new COVID normals in different campuses and promised to share ways to deal with some of them this […]

November is the month to get ready for finals. Most of you have finished at least one mid-term, several assignments, and may be working on a group project–and most of you are behind on at least one set of readings or assignments. That is human and very average (in a good sense) for people targeting […]

If you’re consistently a 4.0 student, I’ll see you next week. For most students, however, there is that paper, that quiz, that midterm that got handed back, and you looked at the grade and were disappointed. Shocked, maybe, surprised (or maybe not) but definitely disappointed. What to do? First, do nothing. Focus on the rest […]