eXcel: A First-Year Experience Program
for StFX Students

LEARN - EXCEL - GRADUATE

"Without the eXcel program, I not only believe that my grades would
be much lower, but also that I would have had a much more stressful
first-year university experience. The eXcel program has helped me adapt
to university in unimaginable ways, giving me writing skills, confidence,
and knowledge that will help me not only through my journey at
StFX University, but also throughout the rest of my life."
(former eXcel student, Kelcie Gale)

The fall term will help you with typical first-year concerns and the transition from high school to university; the second term, called Writing Essentials, will focus primarily on the basics of writing, a crucial element in any discipline.

For more details, click on the eXcel syllabus link, eXcel brochure, or
eXcel application form.

Other institutions call it a first-year experience program or University 101. At StFX, we call it eXcel. This program introduces first-year students to the principles and practices of active learning. Designed by experienced Writing Centre staff, eXcel helps students become self-directed, responsible learners who develop their own personal learning systems to meet post-secondary standards. eXcel is an optional program that helps ease the transition from high school to university

Success in first year makes all the difference to a student’s university experience. We know that this is the period when students at all academic levels want and need the most support. This program can make a tremendous difference and is well worth the time investment.” Dr. Sean Riley, StFX President

ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM eXcel.

eXcel can help students:

• Adapt and enhance skills learned in high school.
• Experiment with new ways of learning.
• Improve critical thinking and writing.
• Become independent, active learners.
• Maximize learning potential.
• Deal with the unexpected academic demands you will face at university.

“eXcel is a demonstration of the famous Xaverian spirit –
caring about the students that make up the university,
and pushing them to reach their full potential.”
(former eXcel student)

As you consider enrolling in the program, please keep in mind that
eXcel is NOT

• A quick fix: eXcel requires your commitment to self-directed learning.
• A remedial service: Instructors do not tutor students having difficulty in specific subject areas.
• A counselling service: A full range of services are available through the StFX Counselling Centre.

eXcel CLASSES
Students are introduced to well-established university learning strategies in interactive classes, which are held once a week throughout the academic year.

Topics discussed in eXcel classes:

eXcel ONE-TO-ONE APPOINTMENTS
Students receive additional support in the form of one-to-one meetings with their instructor. These meetings will

• Help students apply the strategies learned in the eXcel classes.
• Provide personal attention regarding general academic concerns.
• Provide a support system during the critical first year.

There are no homework assignments or tests in eXcel.

Note: Although eXcel is a non-credit program, students who successfully complete this course will have this noted on their academic transcript.

"eXcel helps convert your old high school habits
into ones that will work at university" (former eXcel student)

How to Register
Complete the application form and mail or fax it to us, or call us at the Writing Centre: 867-5221

Comments from students' evaluations:

“Extremely helpful -
every student should have to take this course in first year!"

"Great course to take, helps a lot with academic success.
I would encourage others to take it as well."

"Worth taking.  Any help offered to first year students
should be taken advantage of."

“I would recommend the course to stressed-out, disorganized people
as a way to help them adjust. I am glad that I took eXcel.”

“We go over a lot of things that seem to be common sense,
but I never really gave them much thought until I came here.
I’m glad this resource is available to us.”

"I had heard from friends it would help with writing and organization –
two things I needed help with."

"To get rid of my bad habits from high school, such as procrastination,
and also to learn new and effective ways to study."

. . ."although I may have tried hard on the first paper, I was working with limited skills, but as the year went on I acquired a more advanced understanding of how academic papers were to be written through excel. Read more......  

. . . “free time” really is code for “time to write that paper." The
eXcel program helped me to adapt to a different life. I learned
that to succeed as a student, goals have to be set and a
schedule has to be made.”  Read more....

Although it only consisted of one class per week, we were taught so much in that short period of time about organizational skills, study habits, writing techniques, along with more of the necessities for a successful university career. Read more.....

Not only did it teach practical things such as formulating a thesis statement, but it also served to relax me, and to show me that I was capable of getting my paper done. Read more....

eXcel is different from other courses; it is not a class where students simply copy down notes, but instead it is an opportunity. Each lesson provides a new opportunity to enable students to succeed.  Read more...

E-mail received at the Writing Centre September 2007:

"I am in Grad school ... studying for my Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology. I have been in classes for two weeks now and let me tell you - the writing skills I developed at the Writing Centre and learning opportunities provided through the eXcel program have been indispensable! I never thought that what I learned in my first year eXcel course as well as my initial writing centre appointments would "really" serve me after I left undergrad. My colleagues and I at Grad school are taking a library introduction course and the syllabus covers APA and MLA formatting, research using electronic data bases and library tools, time management skills, using appropriate referencing and citation and the list goes on and on. I was very surprised to learn that about half of my colleagues had not received any "formal" or on-going training in these areas during their undergrad programs.Most of these students come from prestigious universities across the United States. I was also surprised that very few had never had any "1-on-1" appointments along the lines of what you and your staff offer at the Writing Centre. Now that I am gone - I realize that I have really benefited from this very important service you provide to the STFX campus community. It is people like you and your staff, providers of these key services, who make this university number one!"
~Marie Claire Roderick, Class of 2007

Dean Bennett's article in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald's Sunday edition (2008, April13, Arts & Life) tackles some of the differences between high school and university. Commenting on the workload, University of Alberta student Kayla Hynes told Bennett, "You're doing twice the information in half the time, so it's like four times the information all at once. It's hard to keep up." Read the article "Students need ZZZs for As: High school students unprepared for rigours of university exams."

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The Writing Centre
PO Box 5000
Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5
T: 902-867-5221
F: 902-867-5380
E: writingc@stfx.ca