Many students have heard that their marks might drop 10-12% in the first year at university. Is that myth true? Well, yes and no. It’s true that the average marks of all first-year U of G students are about 10 to 12% lower than their average marks in high school. But keep in mind that it’s simply an average. 

You might find that your marks are lower in a new type of course – such as Philosophy or Engineering – and higher in course subjects that are familiar to you, such as Biology or French. Sometimes marks go down if you’re taking a course that’s set up very differently from those in high school. For example, some students have lower marks in courses with just one midterm and a final exam because they’re used to high school courses which include presentations, essays and quizzes, in addition to final exams.   

On the other hand, some students love the independence, intellectual challenge, and the subject material in their university courses. Their marks may stay similar to those they received in high school or even go up. And many students’ marks rise steadily as they progress through their program.

No matter what your marks were in high school or will be at university, there are a lot of programs and services in place to help you make the adjustment as smooth as possible. One place to start this summer is the Guide for University Learning. In this online “mini-course,” you can experience part of a university course by listening to part of a Psychology lecture, seeing pages from a sample textbook, and reviewing a multiple-choice exam. It’s full of strategies and advice from University of Guelph students, and includes information on everything from on-campus bookstores to the pros & cons of bringing a laptop to class.

Want to know more about how to succeed in your university courses? Check out First, a collection of all of the Library’s and Learning Commons’ resources, services and technologies designed to help you make a smooth transition to the University of Guelph.

Joannah O’Hatnick, Learning Services

The Learning Commons