Academic success by Bander Nahar AlRasheed 201261280 English 102-59/13 for Mr. John Hamilton 14 December 2014
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................... 3 I. SETTING STRATEGIES ..................... 3 A. Knowing your strength ................. 3 B. Habits for Academic Success ............ 3 C. Optimism .................................. 4 II. REMOVING OBSTACLES ............... 5 A. Academic Obstacles ................... 5
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A college diploma means a lot. It represents the achievement of not only a student, but also the success of a whole family. However, to get a four-year college diploma, a student has to use specific strategies and be aware of many obstacles. I.SettingStrategiesSuccess in higher education is linked to different strategies. They are mainly related to: the knowledge of your strength, your habits and your optimism. A.Knowing yourstrengthWhat is essential for a college student to do is to avoid “first generation” behavior. In fact, some students arrive to college unprepared. They have weaknesses and “feel out of place” once they go to college (Hamedani, Maryam 1). The new environment is different from where they come from. They have difficulties adapting, don’t engage in extra-curricular activities and feel confused or isolated. What should they do? It is important for a student to select courses in normal areas he has been prepared during the time he was in high school. First and foremost, a student who is expected to reach his goals must be interested in what he is studying(Halverson,Heidi 2). This way, he will know his strength and once he knows it, he will be able to use positive strategies that psychologists call promotion focus. The result is that the student feels enthusiastic and ready to succeed (Hamedani, Maryam 1). To be successful, college students have to …show more content…
In addition, he will be more acquainted with his teachers by visiting them during office hours (Conley,David 2). The teachers will help him to better understand his lessons and he will find a way to succeed. Direct contact with instructors and classmates can make a student feel comfortable asking and answering questions. A friendly environment is necessary at a college level(Hamedani, Maryam 1). It is also a good idea to frequently visit academic advisors who can give you advice when you choose your subjects or have questions about your career. More help can be obtained from a partner you choose to study with or a tutor who can help you in a subject you may not be very good at. Another important practice is time management (Conley,David 1). In college, there are many subjects and they all have to be understood very well. However, what is studied in class is not enough. As a consequence, spending more time studying outside class is very important(Conley,David 1). Some teachers advise spending the same amount of time or more studying outside class for every amount of time you study in class. For example, a college student who has 2 hours of class has to plan to study for 2 or 3 hours outside class. To really understand what is studied in class, college student must take detailed notes. Better, they have to copy their notes as soon as they are out of class. This method is one of the most important strategies to not only understand the class lecture and find ideas not
Going off to college is probably one of the best things a person can do to further their education. The promise of a degree from a university seems achievable but is shadowed with the many challenges that come with a higher edification. Often many college students find themselves bothered by these obstacles which can determine whether the college student succeeds or not. There are many endeavors in college but it depends on how the student reacts to these situations.
Determination Generates Success Many people believe that students that encounter hard lives will commit academic sins. However, many professionals that successfully graduated college while having struggles in their lives, proved otherwise. In fact, Culpepper mentioned in his composition, “The Myth of Inferiority”, students might succeed in any academic institution, even if they experience hard lives (330). Also, he states that students with light loaded routines have the same chances to fail in college (330).
Colombo explains that “Beginning college can be disconcerting experience” (Colombo, p.1). That there will be more peer pressure from your peers and an increase expectations that you have never faced during your high school days. “In the dorms you may find yourself among people whose backgrounds make them seem foreign and unapproachable” (Colombo, p.1). Colombo also states “If you commute, you may be struggling against a feeling of isolation that you’ve never faced before” (Colombo, p. 1).
Students entering college for the first time become concerned with their college life. The students are on their own once they enter college. There are no parents or guardians telling them when to do homework, when to go to bed, or how to eat healthy. These students are now responsible for how they are going to succeed in school and meet their own needs. From the beginning, these students wonder what their experience is going to be like and are they going to handle the demands of college?
Although perhaps supportive of higher education, their parents and family members may view their entry into college as a break in the family system rather than a continuation of their schooling. In families, role assignments about work, family, religion and community are passed down through the generations, creating intergenerational continuity. When a family member disrupts this system by choosing to attend college, he or she experiences a shift in identity, leading to a sense of loss. Not prepared for this loss, many first-generation students may come to develop two different identities: one for home and another for college, the student might feel he needs to do better in college than his parents.
First Generation students, being the pioneers to join the university from their families deprives them the services of a role model. Their parents have no information about life in the university and, therefore, cannot offer guidance to their children in preparing for college or what to expect (Jehangir, 2010). The students also come from families of low economic status and survive college through hardships (Prospero, 2007). They lack sufficient funds for upkeep and cannot live the flashy lifestyles their counterparts maintain.
Society instills today's youth with that without a college education they will not be successful. But then again what defines success? Success is a wide-ranging term that has different meanings to different people. Some people believe that making money defines success, while others believe that success is having a loving family. Still, society seems to demonstrate and even promote that success is portrayed by making money. The general public states that in order to be a successful person one must make a heavy salary out of college. The problem with this philosophy is that some people are not meant for college. In Bird's article, she writes that college is not been effective for everyone. Half of all high school graduates attend college and the pattern of dropouts is becoming more and more obvious showing that some students don't fit the mold (305).
...d the way in which she makes friends, also suffered. So what can other first generation college students do to avoid what has happened to Sarah? The answer lies in directing a passion towards learning and education in students and their families that will build self-motivation and avoid the negative predispositions of being the first in the family to attend college. While Sarah has not been attending the University of Miami for too long, her experiences thus far have given her a very good understanding of her position in this academic community, and nevertheless, gives a representation of first year first generation college students. Sarah is only one person though and may not be fully representative of the population first generation college students, but as a member of this community, Sarah’s input is essential to the ideas and views of the students in this group.
After years of research, Dr. Ryan Padgett and Megan Johnson (2012) found that first generation students lack interpersonal skills when entering college because they are unfamiliar on how to interact with individuals who have a postsecondary education. By demonstrating a certain lack of skills before entering college, Jennifer Guerra of the National Public Radio extends the findings of Padgett et al. by stating first-generation students feel out of place when assimilating to their college campus. When I began college I had a small group of friends, but when I was trying to introduce myself to new people it came as a surprise for them that my parents did not attend college. After the conversations ended, I felt uncomfortable on how to act or think because I had a feeling of misplacement when talking with my fellow peers. I began to lose the confidence that I belonged in school and how I could not be the “savior” for my family without
It seems as though the majority of college students these days aren’t looking to further their education because it’s what they really want, they do it to please their parents, to be accepted by society, or because there’s nothing else for them to do (Bird, 372). These expectations have led to students being unhappy and stressed, and have pushed them into a school or a job that they don’t particularly care for.
Three Concepts to Academic Success Academic success comes in many forms. It varies from each individual depending on their own point of view. Some might believe that "interest" on the subject that they're studying matters the most, being passionate and enthusiastic when studying leads to academic success; while others could argue that stringent management of time is the scientific way to succeed academically. None of those beliefs are wrong, or better than the others, they differ on the people that practice them. A method can work perfectly on one person and reflect terribly on another.
There are several qualities to have to be successful in college. These qualities can range from attending class to going above and beyond what’s expected. Success comes from the journey taken or the path chosen. Success also comes from being prepared. As a student, I must step up to the challenge and find the path to success along the way. Several ways I define success is to uphold academic integrity, have the ability to prioritize, and to motivate myself to stay on top of what needs to be accomplished.
Certainly, school is a student’s very first job. As such, a student’s main focus must be on homework, tests, standardized tests, college, and eventually, employment. Ultimately, one is expected to become a successful student, by putting forth their best effort. Surely, it stands to reason that the...
Academic success is becoming increasingly important in today’s society because most occupations now require a degree of some kind before a job applicant will even be considered. For that reason, academic performance has a considerable impact on a student’s life and whether or not he or she is able to accomplish future career goals. There are many factors that can influence academic performance of a college student, including student personality traits and life circumstances. Life circumstances are sometimes out of a student’s control, but if a student was able to recognize a quality of his or her personality that was inhibiting academic performance, then he or she could possibly make an effort to
Having educational and career goals is a great way to keep students motivated and focused. Besides, setting up