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.
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, 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.
Of course, the difficulty of the courses a student chooses is as important as the number of credit hours he or she attempts. Try not to take more than two courses a semester in areas in which you generally struggle.
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.
There are, of course, many reasons students leave college without achieving their goals. Poor communications skills, lack of motivation, immaturity, inadequate time management skills, and poor study habits are just a few.
But, taking on too much...carrying an academic load that is too heavy or working more than twenty hours a week while a full time student, put more students at risk than anything else. Your best insurance against falling short of your academic goals is to be certain you choose your courses realistically and that you leave yourself enough time to keep up with your academic assignments.
