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Did you Know
There is a significant and empirically established link between commitment and college
success (as defined by graduation).
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Did you Know
More than 40% of college students are over the age of 23.
A common misconception is that "Getting into college is the hardest
part." For the majority of students, the hardest part is completing
college
All of the factors listed above are cited as some of the most common reasons for
failing to finish college.
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Advice
'The sooner, the better' is particularly true when it comes to success in college
(Tool Box Revisited, 2006). Start college sooner.
"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana, philosopher.
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Did you Know
75% of today's college students are nontraditional in some way -- they delay enrollment
after high school, attend college part-time, or are considered financially independent.
Many are already working, and more than a quarter are parents
High school grades may be a strong predictor of success in college.
Yet, many average or even below average students in high school become academic
stars in college when faced with a more interesting and stimulating learning environment.
The complexity of reading material in college can be daunting, particularly for
first-time students.
Many average or even below average students in high school become academic stars
in college when faced with a more interesting and stimulating learning environment.
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Advice
We recommend preparing for college by occasionally reading technical journals, as
their style and complexity is distinct from what is most often read by the public,
yet they are similar to what is often assigned in college. For example, a common
and easily accessible technical journal is "Environmental Science & Technology"
which has a version online, too.
"Studies show that successful completion of mathematics beyond Algebra 2 is the
best single predictor of college success" (Adelman, 2006).
Three-quarters of higher education institutions offer remedial math, including 99%
of public two-year institutions, so there are many opportunities to catch up (Brookings
Papers on Education Policy, 1998).
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Advice
With all of the activities and responsibilities that most people juggle, a simple
daily planner can be an immensely helpful tool. Write everything in it. Having it
all on paper will help you realize what needs to be done and by when. That way,
if something else comes up, you'll see if you have time for it.
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Did you Know
While your parents education can help predict whether you will graduate college,
your parents' background can be outweighed by your own academic preparation and
continuous enrollment in college (Tool Box Revisited, 2006).
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Advice
One of the strongest, positive influences on development as a student is having
a peer group of other students (Astin, 1996). Thus, you should work to build one.
Millions of dollars in private money goes unrewarded each year! Students must be
creative and aggressive in pursuit of assistance as most students don't even consider
the majority of sources available to them.
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Did you Know
A majority of student estimates for college tuition are inaccurate; many over-estimate
by 2 or 3 times the actual tuition (Betraying the College Dream, 2003).
About two-thirds of recent graduates carry student loans, and their average debt
has increased by more than 40 percent over the past decade after accounting for
inflation. (Project on Student Debt).
Many part-time students qualify for financial aid and do not know it.
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Advice
Students need to think about financial aid EARLY. They must file a federal aid form
prior to when most colleges send out their acceptance letters. This applies to community
colleges, too.
Regrettably, many colleges and enrollment advisers will assume you are willing to
borrow a lot of money.
We implore you to first consider the financial resources you already have available.
And, then we encourage you to be mindful of your loan tolerance.
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Did you Know
80% of students studying for a BA and 35% for an AA use their own computers (Educause,
2004).
Success in the second year of college is most necessary in order to graduate which
means students should really look past any first-year challenges.
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Advice
While online learning is clearly more convenient, successful online learners require
stronger self-motivation than do on-campus learners.
Students who stop out of college and then resume are less likely to complete their
program (Tool Box Revisited, 2006).
The sooner, the better' is particularly true when it comes to success in college
(Tool Box Revisited, 2006).
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Did you Know
High educational aspiration is a very important predictor of whether students complete
degrees or programs (Cabrera, 2005 and Allen, 1999).
If educational expectations are aligned with career goals, then students should
earn their degrees quicker. Furthermore, specific knowledge about a specific career
would help the graduated student be successful in that type of job (The Ambitious
Generation, 1999).
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