While getting accepted to college is a major achievement,
succeeding in college and making it to graduation is perhaps
an even bigger achievement. According to a 1998 ACT study,
over 25 percent of students at four-year colleges and universities
drop out after their first year, and only about half the students
at four-year colleges and universities graduate within five
years. Our article "The Transition to College" introduces
the skills and strategies that play a role in succeeding in
college so that you can start planning for college when you
are still in high school. Once you are in college, the issues
are no longer hypothetical but an important part of your everyday
life. Among the most important skills that will help you make
it through college are effective time management and planning,
and the knowledge of how to use college resources.
Time Management and Planning
College
is notorious for being a busy time; the problem of having
a full schedule is often compounded by the fact that college
life tends to be unstructured. A typical day might include
an 8:00 a.m. English class, a 9:30 a.m. economics class, an
11:00 a.m. meeting with one of your professors, a 1:30 p.m.
Spanish class, 4:00 p.m. practice with the soccer team, and
an evening shift working in the dining hall. And this doesn't
even include eating, studying, hanging out with friends, or
going to meetings of clubs and organizations.
Here
are some tips for staying organized:
- Keep
a daily planner in which you write all your commitments
- Don't
commit yourself to more courses and activities than you
can handle -- for instance, if you are on a sports team
that competes in the fall, plan to take a lighter course
load that semester and a heavier one in the spring
- Find
out early what courses are required for your major and get
started on them so that they don't all pile up during your
final semesters
Using
College Resources
Colleges
are communities, and the more involved you are in your community,
the more likely you are to stay in college and complete your
degree. Several studies -- such as those by Alexander Astin,
UCLA professor of higher education and work in the Graduate
School of Education and director of the school's Higher Education
Research Institute, and Arthur Chickering, senior associate
at the New England Resource Center for Higher Education --
have found that students who live on campus and are involved
in school activities are more likely to graduate. Perhaps
the underlying connection between campus involvement and graduation
rates is that students who are more actively a part of their
college community are more aware of the resources, such as
those listed below, that their college has to offer.
- Academic
assistance: College faculty and administration can provide
academic support, while college writing centers and academic
tutors can help you develop specific academic skills. Professors
all have office hours, and you should not be shy about meeting
with your teachers, getting to know them, and asking them
any questions you have about assignments and course topics.
If you have a problem with a professor, you should speak
with the chair of the department or with a dean of undergraduate
studies. Students and teachers who work in writing centers
instruct native and nonnative students in basic composition
techniques and will often be willing to read your drafts
of papers and give you suggestions for revision. Tutors
are also often available to help you with work in particular
subjects. Sometimes a department will set you up with a
tutor. Other times you may have to seek out a tutor; many
tutors advertise on department bulletin boards. Study groups
with other students in your courses can also be a great
way to get academic assistance and support in a more informal
setting.
- Residence
services: Many colleges have "living-learning" programs
that help you bridge the gap between your course work and
your life outside of class. Although the programs differ
from school to school, they tend to provide you with an
opportunity to live with others who have similar interests
and goals; to interact with faculty outside of the classroom;
and to broaden your involvement in academic, social, and
leadership activities. College residences also usually have
some sort of resident advisor who can both provide information
and guidance about all the subjects not covered in your
regular courses (such as managing your time, coping with
stress, living away from family, handling peer pressure,
and dealing with health issues) as well as direct you to
other campus services for more specific forms of support,
assistance, or information.
- College
counseling services: Mental health counselors can help
you deal with emotional and psychological concerns. If you
are having a tough time coping with stress, with pressures
from home, or with problems in relationships, or if you
feel isolated or depressed or have other personal issues
that you want help working through, counselors are a great
resource. Colleges generally offer free and confidential
counseling to students for a set number of sessions or semesters.
If you have continued counseling needs, they can refer you
to off-campus counselors and psychologists.
- Health
centers: The doctors and nurses at college health centers
provide medical services and education. Services include
treatment of illness and injury, immunizations, and diagnostic
testing. Counseling and health centers often are joined
or work together with the goal of maintaining students'
overall wellness. Like counseling services, all services
at college health centers are confidential.
- Religious
centers: Most colleges have both chaplains, to whom
you can talk and from whom you can seek guidance, and religious
organizations that hold services and sponsor activities.
Religious centers can be a good source of support and a
stabilizing influence in what can otherwise be a hectic
and ungrounded environment.
- Financial
resources: The financial-aid office at your school can
help explain financial options for continuing to pay for
college and living expenses, and for using your loan money
judiciously. If you have questions about or problems with
work-study, this is the place to go. Forms can be daunting,
but financial-aid counselors know all the options and can
introduce you to financial options you may not have previously
considered.
The
key to meeting college demands is being knowledgeable about
the resources available to you. And the earlier you start
taking advantage of these resources, the better.
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