Pressing Question

<p>I read on the UVA website somewhere that there is compulsory attendance, or that if students cannot attend a lecture/class because they are sick they have to call into an attendance "office" as well as notify their professor. I wish I could find the link, but I can't. I just want to know, is there compulsory attendance at UVA? I mean, I'm not the type of person to skip on a usual basis at all, but I was wondering if they check up on you or punish you for not attending lectures if you take care of it with the professor on your own and make up any missed work.</p>

<p>I'm just worried because I thought that was something I could finally leave behind in high school.</p>

<p>It's up to each individual professor. A professor does have the full ability to take attendance and adjust your grade based on that, although very few actually exercise this.</p>

<p>will professors make this clear? do all the non-slacker uva students always make it to every single lecture then?</p>

<p>Yes, one piece of paperwork that comes with practically every class (on the class webpage, and sometimes also discussed during the first lecture) includes the professor's policy on attendence. The most typical in my experience option is along the lines of "attendance is highly recommended, but up to you".
Examples:
more typical one - <a href="https://toolkit.itc.virginia.edu/cgi-local/tk/UVa_CLAS_2006_Spring_ECON201-7/displaysyllabus/%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://toolkit.itc.virginia.edu/cgi-local/tk/UVa_CLAS_2006_Spring_ECON201-7/displaysyllabus/&lt;/a>
attendance required - <a href="https://toolkit.itc.virginia.edu/cgi-local/tk/UVa_SEAS_2006_Spring_APMA308-2/displaygeneralinfo/%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://toolkit.itc.virginia.edu/cgi-local/tk/UVa_SEAS_2006_Spring_APMA308-2/displaygeneralinfo/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Non-slackers always coming to class - depends. It doesn't matter what you do in terms of coming in most cases as long as you learn the material and are able to demonstrate this on exams. It is obviously in your best interests to attend as much as possible, but you can still do well with some absenses (how many of course varies upon your own study skills, etc).</p>

<p>usually big classes attendance isn't taken. discussions generally do have attendance, and for language classes attendance is required. </p>

<p>anyway - the best thing you can do in college is go to class. you can get away with doing so much less reading by going to class. i wish i would heed my own advice.</p>

<p>For macro-econ, I went to every single class and didnt do any hw, NEVER read the textbook until the actual midterm day, and scored a 99%.</p>

<p>GO TO CLASS, you learn better that way.</p>

<p>doing homework is kinda optional. if you understand the material, you are fine.</p>