FYI Frequently Asked Questions

 The primary differences between AC101/102 and the Academic Saturday workshops are: 

Time:AC101/102 are academic courses that will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for the first five weeks of the semester (AC101) and the final five weeks of the semester (AC102). There will be two sections. One section will meet from 0800-0850 and the second section will meet from 1300-1350. The Academic Saturday workshops are a series of one-time workshops that all new cadets (except the AC101/102 new cadets) will be required to attend. They will be held Sept. 1, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, and Dec. 8 from 0800-1000.

Size:AC101/102 will be in two sections of 25 new cadets each. The Academic Saturday workshops will be conducted either in two sections of 250 new cadets each or one section of the entire Rat Class.

Content and Intensity: While both AC101/102 and the Academic Saturday workshops share the fundamental content of time management and effective study skills as well as the opportunity to hear directly from successful upperclass cadets, AC101/102 will go into more detail, provide activities and opportunities to practice the skills that the new cadets need to develop, and be a richer experience than what a series of one-time workshops can offer.

Leadership Opportunity: Completion of AC101/102 will provide AC Rats with a unique opportunity to apply for an AC Cadet Facilitator position for the Fall 2013 semester. Attendance at the Academic Saturday will not provide a similar leadership opportunity.

Interaction with Teaching/Research faculty outside the Classroom: The instructional component of AC101/102 is a collaborative effort between the academic success program and the academic program. Therefore, new cadets in AC101/102 will have the opportunity to interact with professors from different departments and divisions. Academic Saturdays cannot include the participation of academic divisions due to professors’ responsibilities to the cadets in their classes and their research agenda.
 

• Academic Saturday Workshops (mandatory workshops for non-AC Rats)
• Operation Excel (mandatory semester-long program for ROTC Scholarship Rats not enrolled in AC101/102)
• Miller Academic Center programs (New cadets should read all emails from the MAC for up-to-the-minute information on academic success programs being offered)
• Individual consultations with Miller Academic Center staff (While making an appointment is the better strategy, staff will meet with new cadets on a walk-in basis) 

One of the primary goals of AC101/102 is to empower new cadets by teaching them effective time management skills that will result in more productive use of their time. They will gain much more than the three hours that they spend in class. In terms of time, two major challenges are (1) finding the time and (2) planning ahead so when the time presents itself the Rat is in a position to make the most of that time. 

AC101/102 will ensure that these new cadets have dedicated time to schedule their month, week, and days in a manner that recognizes priorities, sets well-designed goals, and continues to improve until a formula for success is identified.