COB Freshman

Finding Your Way

Welcome to ECU and the College of Business! Your first year is an exciting time full of changes! You have probably already realized that things aren’t like they were in high school or even the community college.

There are plenty of opportunities and challenges ahead. You are going to learn a lot about yourself and your world. We are here to provide assistance as you make personal and academic decisions. As you move forward, remember to THINK, VALUE, COMMUNICATE, and LEAD!

Think

We have a lot of academic policies and procedures here at ECU, both at the university level and in the COB. It can be a bit overwhelming, but knowing about them can really help you.

Did you pick one of the following majors: Accounting, Finance, Management, MIS, or Marketing? If so, it is critical that you understand the declaration requirements. As a freshman, you will start working to meet those requirements.

We hope you find success in all your classes, but you may find some to me more challenging than expected. If that happens, two policies to know about are the course withdrawal and grade replacement policies.

Check out the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising Collaborative web sites for more information on academic policies. Have questions? Ask your advisor!

 

Value

Money can be tight when you’re a college student, but the one commodity that you do have is time. Make the most of your time.

  • Realize that college is not like high school.
    • Most of your day is not planned for you.
    • You will be in class about 15 hours per week, not 35+.
    • College professors will not remind you constantly about due dates, like your high school teachers did.
    • It is on you to go to class.
  • When you aren’t in class, find ways to make the best use of your time.
    • College courses require a lot more of you than high school. The Pirate Academic Success Center is a great resource for both academic skill building and tutoring. Whether you are trying to make an A or just survive a course, connect with them early!
    • Practice good self-management. Some students live the planner life, putting pen to paper. Others keep track using their Outlook calendar or other calendar or to-do list apps. Find what works for you.

 

Communicate

Use your ECU email. Put it on your phone. Check it at least twice daily. It is how we at ECU will send you information and it is how we expect you to communicate with us.

Tip: Use your ECU email just for ECU stuff as much as possible. That will help keep your inbox free of too much junk.

Communicate regularly with your advisor. Make an appointment early in the semester by using Scheduler in PiratePort. Your advisor can help you in so many ways, including

  • Learning about the tools used to manage your academic career (e.g. Degree Works)
  • Discussing courses and course sequencing
  • Serving as a contact person when you need help finding the right campus resource

If you are thinking that your advisor can be a big help, you’re right! Your advisor is like Google Maps, Siri, and TripAdvisor all in one.

 

Lead

In the COB, we build leaders. Even in your first year, we want you to start thinking about ways you can lead. One way you can be a leader is to be a responsible citizen of Pirate Nation. Be sure you are familiar with the Student Code of Conduct and academic integrity (PDF) policy. If you have questions about your rights and responsibilities as an ECU student, please contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Check out the student organizations we have. Being involved on campus can help you make new friends, discover and build new skills, and find out what really excites and motivates you, i.e. purpose. Don’t overload yourself, but active membership in a student organization in your first year can give you the experience and connections for a leadership position in following years.