News

Guest lecturer outlines how to get straight A’s

By LeeAnne Duda

Posted on Feb. 22, 2010, at 2:25 a.m.

A Harvard University professor came to the University of Maine to teach students through his lecture, “How to Get Straight A’s in College.”

Jonathan Farley, who was invited to UMaine by the computer science department, is giving lectures throughout February as part of the Visiting Libra Diversity Professorship. The professorship is awarded “to identify, recognize and honor those individuals, units and organizations that are committed to diversity work,” according to the institute’s Web site.

“He’s interested in many subjects — done work, inquired or had connections in a wide variety of subjects,” said George Markowsky, chairman of the department of computer science.

Farley said he first attempted his “Straight A’s” lecture in the 1990s for a class at the University of California, Berkley.

“Initially it was crafted for African Americans at Berkley, some of which were student activists who had been previously neglecting their grades,” Farley said. His goal was for them to “realize the importance of keeping up with their grades.”

Twenty years later, during his first appearance at UMaine, Farley shared his success strategy for how he got straight A’s at Harvard University.

The lecture was held in Room 113 of Neville Hall and lasted roughly an hour, during which Farley examined the fundamental principles he believed made him successful. These elements included choosing the right classes, preparing for work ahead of time, studying, letting professors know you understand material and fighting for points.

Farley talked about choosing the right courses in terms of striking a balance.

“Don’t be idealistic,” Farley said. “Start at the correct level.” The professor lectured about not taking classes just because they look interesting. Auditing classes was also encouraged.

“You can get something out of a class without being enrolled in it.” Farley said.

Farley said researching courses before enrolling and getting to know professors are crucial elements to his plan of success.

Although it requires hard work and time to get straight A’s, Farley believes following these steps will allow this goal to become a reality.

Michael Beal, a new media student, argued against Farley’s idea.

“The problem with a lot of these lectures is a lot of people focus on their own experiences and how they perceive other people to be,” Beal said. “ They don’t really take themselves out of that and put themselves in other people’s situations. It’s unfair to say that everyone can do this.”

Beal attended the lecture and was not convinced Farley’s plan could help anyone without the time necessary to follow the steps presented in the lecture.

“A lot of it is common sense, and it is ideal if you have the time,” Beal said. “And time is the biggest thing. That’s the only way I could see it working,”

Farley said that with enough time and motivation, these key elements will lead students to success.

“Work hard, do all the work and don’t skip classes,” Farley said. “Do everything.”

This entry was posted on Monday, February 22nd, 2010, 2:25 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.