Two Rules for College Success
by Daniel Kane
Only about fifty-five percent of students complete degree programs within six years.
A good deal of research has been done to determine which students are most likely to earn a degree and why. As you might guess, there is a correlation between the rigor of a student's high school curriculum and his/her chance of success in college.
And, there is a high correlation between a student's grades in high school and in college.
And, students from families in which higher education is considered important...students from families which believe a college degree is a necessity...graduate in higher numberss than other students.
The important question is, what can a student do to maximize his/her chances for success in college? There are two very important rules.
First of all, students should not try to take on too much during their first few semesters of college. In most instances, students are better off limiting themselves to fifteen credits a semester during their freshman year.
Equally important is course selection. Whenever possible, students should spread out the courses they find most difficult instead of scheduling three or four of them during the same semester.
Like taking on too much academically, working too many hours is an enemy of college students. A very big enemy in fact. Students who work more than twenty hours a week are four times as likely to leave college without a degree.
Of course, there are any number of reasons why some students fail to earn a degree, from poor academic preparation and study habits to lack of motivation and failure to manage their time well.
But, for students who have what it takes, there are only two things to remember. Be realistic in choosing your courses and determining your academic load, and do not deny yourself the time and energy you need to be successful by taking a job that requires more than twenty hours a week.
Daniel Kane is a veteran teacher, college Director of Admissions, and university Dean. The websites he originally created as a hobby now assist students seeking information on colleges, college scholarships, and online degree programs, Click here for other unique 'online education' articles.
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