Two Rules for College Success

Only about fifty-five percent of students complete degree programs within six years.

A lot of time and energy have been given to trying to discover what leads to success in college. And, as you might guess, research has uncovered a direct correlation between the rigor of students' high school curricula and their subsequent academic success in college.

High school grades and class rank are also pretty good predictors of college success.

And, there is strong evidence that students from families in which education is a high priority are more likely to complete college than students from families which may not place the same value on higher education.

But, once a student gets to college, what can he or she do to maximize the likelihood of graduation? You might be surprised by some of the "rules" for college success.

First, students should not overburden themselves academically. For most freshmen, carrying more than fifteen credits a semester is a big mistake. Many, in fact, would be smart to carry no more than twelve hours during their initial semester, as they adjust to the demands of college.

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.

Next to academic overload, the biggest student "killer" is employment. It's OK to work, but a job which robs you of too much time, energy or sleep is a prescription for failure in college. If you work more than twenty hours a week, your likelihood of dropping out of college is four times greater than those of your classmates who work fewer hours.

There are many things which may stand between students and earning a degree. Among them are immaturity, lack of motivation, poor study skills, an inability to manage time, and lack of self-discipline.

But, if you are mature, if you are motivated, and if you have reasonable academic skills, there are only two things you must remember to greatly increase your chances to complete college successfully. Schedule carefully; choose the number and kinds of courses you take thoughtfully, so you do not bite off more than you can chew, particularly as a freshman. And, do not under any circumstances, accept a job that requires late evening hours or more than twenty hours a week.

Article Source: http://www.christiannotepad.com

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,
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