If you are going to follow
the pack.. follow this pack!
Well, its that time of year
when folks of all walks of life start standing college. Whether you
retaking classes for enrichment, increasing your job skills, seeking a degree
or all of the above, there is a formula to being successful in college. If
you follow these 8 traits of amazing students you too will walk away with not
only a solid college degree but also important job skills that will be the
foundation for your career.
1. Amazing students
are self-driven to achieve their goals and education.
Amazing students are
empowered through self-motivation to drive their education. They show
strong desire and motivation to complete their education and not just complete
it, but allow it to transform them into something better. They don’t quit
especially when facing overwhelming odds.
In advance of taking classes, know what you want from your college
experience. Explore careers that
interest you and set some goals you have in life. The results of this exploring and goal
setting will help you get back on track if you veer off the path. Think about what your plan B might look like
when plan A is not possible. Too many
students quit when they hit an obstacle when all they really needed to do was
to have a plan B and implement accordingly.
2. Amazing Students go
to class and read the syllabus.
Although you might think..
Duh! You would be surprised how many students find themselves in trouble early
on in their academic career. Amazing students go to class and if for some
reason they can’t go to class they are communicating with the professor and
also asking what they might have missed.
You are paying for your education; get the most out of it by going to
class. Also, amazing students will read the course syllabus and mark important due
dates and test dates in a calendar. They
read the instructors policies and expectations.
This document should be viewed as a contract between you and the
Instructor. Keep it safe and follow it
closely.
3. Amazing students do
the work.
Going to class is just not
enough. Amazing students will do the work expected of them. They
take good class notes and then rewrite those notes by the end of the day.
Studies show that students retain learned material at higher rates if
they rewrite their notes before the end of the day they took them. You
could also rewrite them by typing them. Although studies show that typing
notes up by using a laptop or iPad shows lower retention than if you had handwritten
the notes.
Also, as you read the
material, write down questions related to the topics you are reading. Bring them to class and be sure to ask the
instructor. It speaks volumes to
instructors that you are engage in the class and making an effort to learn the
material. Showing that kind of effort
can easily turn a “B” into a “B+”!
To get a head start during
the summer and winter breaks, find out what the instructor is planning for the
course in terms of reading material and start reading. Having a base of knowledge before going to
class will help you better understand the lectures and have an overall better
learning experience.
Amazing students also
connect with classmates and join or form study groups. If you are assigned a group project, be
active and do your share of the work.
Working together in groups is an excellent experience and can help reinforce
learning that will benefit you beyond a letter grade.
In my career in higher
education, I have heard every excuse one can come up with to avoid doing the
work. Nothing worth getting is ever
done so easily. Make an effort and you
will gain much from the experience.
4. Amazing students get
involved.
Service learning is a higher
education buzzword that means applying what you learned in the classroom to the
regional community. Professors take their classes out in to the community
and have students apply what they have learned to find answers or solve a
problem. For instance, the chemistry professor that has his class
test for lead paint on the homes of the local community. If your class isn’t doing something like
this, ask the instructor if an activity like this could be arranged.
Getting involved in college
can take many forms. Amazing students
will join clubs and organizations that surround activities that they
enjoy. Involved students can apply skills
learned in the classroom and develop new ones like running a meeting or
conflict resolution. These soft skills
are often essential to navigating the real world and sought after by employers. Students in Student Government or elected
type student leadership positions will often receive scholarships and or
stipends for their time and effort too.
5. Amazing students
seek to understand the differences among us.
If you want to achieve
success after college, you need to understand that we all come from different
backgrounds and upbringing. Amazing
students make an effort to be culturally competent. They make an effort to connect and make
friends with students coming from various backgrounds and cultures. Technology makes the global workplace a
reality for even small businesses. Learn
how to socialize and communicate with different cultures so that you can be a
valuable asset to your organization.
6. Amazing students
know where the money goes.
Amazing students are aware
of the costs of college. They value the
experience and the investment they are making in themselves. However, they are smart to avoid excessive
student loans and seek out scholarships to help pay for their education. Amazing students will work 10-15 hours a week
while taking classes and learn to manage their money. They will refrain from getting a credit card
and minimize student loans to avoid going into debt.
7. Amazing students
work to stay healthy.
Staying healthy is at the
core of an amazing student’s daily activities.
Stay active by getting involved in college intramural sports or clubs
that conduct regular outings like a hiking club. Be careful of what and how much you eat at
the cafeteria. If you don’t know what
the best food options are for your, ask the dining hall staff for a food guide
and plan your meals ahead of time. If
you just don’t know, use the Internet to learn what the best food options are
out there for you. Pizza and burgers are
ok in moderation but should not be eaten everyday!
8. Finally, amazing
students makes the most of their time.
Amazing students plan their
time. They make a schedule and keep to
it. They plan for the work, studying and
more importantly the plan their fun time.
General study rule is to plan at least two hours of study time for every
hour you spend in class. With a 15
Credit hour load, you should be studying about 30 additional hours a week.
No matter where you got to
college and what you plan to study, follow these traits of amazing students and
you will find that success is within your reach. I always tell my kids, its not enough just to
do the job, you should strive to do the job well. Follow the path of amazing students and you
too will be amazing.
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