Going to school because Going to school because you you

want to.want to.

Setting your own course in life.Setting your own course in life.

Staying in school and getting Staying in school and getting

good grades.good grades.

Graduating and getting the Graduating and getting the

“right” job!“right” job!

What is College Success?

Yes!

High School vs. College:High School vs. College:What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

High School College Classes were small with a lot of instructor-student interaction

Classes are larger, more complex, and more impersonal

Your parents and teachers made sure you were in school every day

Attendance may be up to you

Tests and quizzes were given regularly to check your understanding of the material

College instructors give fewer tests

Parents and teachers gave a lot of guidance

Nobody treats you like a kid anymore

Reading assignments were generally short

You have to do much more reading now

Good grades were often easy to get, if you paid attention in class

Good grades are hard to get and require a lot of study

You had known many of your classmates for years

Your college classmates may be more diverse and brand new to you.

So what does it take to So what does it take to succeed?succeed?

Self-esteem: Self-esteem:

I am somebody who I am somebody who counts!counts!

Self-confidence:Self-confidence:

I have what it takes!I have what it takes! Positive Attitude: Positive Attitude:

I will do it!I will do it!

Been away from school for Been away from school for awhile?awhile?

What are your strengths?What are your strengths? You’ve been out in the “real You’ve been out in the “real

world” and you know how it world” and you know how it works.works.

You’ve held a steady job & raised You’ve held a steady job & raised a family.a family.

You’re older and wiser than you You’re older and wiser than you used to be.used to be.

You know how to get along with You know how to get along with people.people.

You know how to keep going You know how to keep going when things get tough.when things get tough.

The Mechanics of The Mechanics of Success:Success:

Setting GoalsSetting Goals Set goals that are Set goals that are challengingchallenging, ,

reasonablereasonable, , and and specificspecific..– ChallengingChallenging: Reach beyond what you : Reach beyond what you

are!are!– ReasonableReasonable: But don’t bite off more : But don’t bite off more

than you can chew!than you can chew!– SpecificSpecific: Be precise about what you : Be precise about what you

want!want! Set long-term and short-term goals.Set long-term and short-term goals.

The Mechanics of Success:The Mechanics of Success:Set Long-Term and Short-Term Set Long-Term and Short-Term

GoalsGoals Long-TermLong-Term

– Graduating with a Graduating with a degree in degree in Computer Science.Computer Science.

– Entering medical Entering medical school.school.

– Teaching college.Teaching college.

Short-TermShort-Term– Meeting with a Meeting with a

study group this study group this weekend.weekend.

– Completing a Completing a research paper research paper next week.next week.

The Mechanics of Success:The Mechanics of Success:Work onWork on Positive Character Positive Character

TraitsTraits Academic IntegrityAcademic Integrity

– Earn your degree with your own Earn your degree with your own honest efforts.honest efforts.

– Abide by your school’s honor code.Abide by your school’s honor code. Know YourselfKnow Yourself

– Realize that you’re the only one who Realize that you’re the only one who can make yourself get an education.can make yourself get an education.

– Know your strengths and also your Know your strengths and also your limits.limits.

– Take your health and wellness Take your health and wellness seriously.seriously.

– Honor the values you were raised with.Honor the values you were raised with.– Be proud of who you are and what you Be proud of who you are and what you

can do…can do…

Is that really me?

The Mechanics of Success:The Mechanics of Success:More onMore on Positive Character Positive Character

TraitsTraits Take ResponsibilityTake Responsibility

– Reward your successes and learn Reward your successes and learn from your failures.from your failures.

Be Self-MotivatedBe Self-Motivated– If you don’t do it, who will?If you don’t do it, who will?

Be PersistentBe Persistent– When things get tough, “hang in When things get tough, “hang in

there!”there!”– Rome was not built in a day. Rome was not built in a day.

Education takes time…Education takes time…

The Mechanics of The Mechanics of Success:Success:

More onMore on Positive Character Positive Character TraitsTraits

Self MonitoringSelf Monitoring– Keep an eye on yourself.Keep an eye on yourself.– Are you keeping an effective schedule?Are you keeping an effective schedule?– Do you plan ahead or “go with the flow?”Do you plan ahead or “go with the flow?”

Self-ControlSelf-Control– Self-control is the key to happiness.Self-control is the key to happiness.

Be EnthusiasticBe Enthusiastic– Face challenges with a smile and a will to Face challenges with a smile and a will to

succeed!succeed!

The Mechanics of The Mechanics of Success:Success:

Mastering Effective Work Mastering Effective Work SkillsSkills Stay on task, on time, and under budget.Stay on task, on time, and under budget.

Go to class and take good notes.Go to class and take good notes. Participate in class: collaborate with Participate in class: collaborate with

other students and interact with other students and interact with instructors.instructors.

Develop good reading, writing, and Develop good reading, writing, and speaking skills.speaking skills.

Develop good study and test-taking Develop good study and test-taking strategies.strategies.

Use that incredible brain of yours a lot. Use that incredible brain of yours a lot. Work on your critical thinking skills.Work on your critical thinking skills.

The Mechanics of Success:The Mechanics of Success:Mastering Effective Work Skills- Mastering Effective Work Skills- Part 2Part 2

Plan ahead. Stay on top of your Plan ahead. Stay on top of your schedule.schedule.

Take charge of your own learning.Take charge of your own learning. Get Connected!Get Connected!

– Study with a group. Study with a group. – Get to know one person who cares about Get to know one person who cares about

you. you. – Get involved in campus activities. Get involved in campus activities. – Learn about campus resources.Learn about campus resources.– Meet with your instructors, advisors & Meet with your instructors, advisors &

counselors.counselors.

Very important!Very important!Don’t let boredom have Don’t let boredom have

you!you! Find a way to get interested in that Find a way to get interested in that

“boring” lecture. It’s there if you look “boring” lecture. It’s there if you look for it.for it.

Make your mind up to explore new Make your mind up to explore new paths.paths.

Explore interesting topics beyond the Explore interesting topics beyond the classroomclassroom

Develop a love of learning for all new Develop a love of learning for all new things.things.

Boredom is a major drag! Why make Boredom is a major drag! Why make yourself negative and unhappy?yourself negative and unhappy?

Always remember why you’re Always remember why you’re in college:in college:

The Rewarding Connection The Rewarding Connection between College and Careerbetween College and Career

A college education has lots of A college education has lots of positive results:positive results:– Higher IncomeHigher Income– Happier in life and workHappier in life and work– Longer lifeLonger life– More say in the world More say in the world

around you…around you…

We always need tobe realistic!

Academic Academic AutobiographyAutobiography

Activity 1.1Activity 1.1 At some point in your schooling, you’ve probably written At some point in your schooling, you’ve probably written

an autobiography about your life. In this assignment, an autobiography about your life. In this assignment, you’ll be writing about your you’ll be writing about your academicacademic life. life.

Consider the following questions and compose your Consider the following questions and compose your answers: answers:

How well have you been prepared through grade How well have you been prepared through grade school, middle school, and high school for the school, middle school, and high school for the scholarly requirements of college? scholarly requirements of college?

What are your strong points as a student? What are your strong points as a student? What do you predict will be your biggest academic What do you predict will be your biggest academic

challenge in college? challenge in college?

This assignment asks you to focus on yourself as a This assignment asks you to focus on yourself as a student, both by looking back and looking ahead. student, both by looking back and looking ahead.

The Ideal StudentThe Ideal StudentActivity 1.2Activity 1.2

Think about the characteristics of an ideal Think about the characteristics of an ideal student and create a “Top Ten List” of the student and create a “Top Ten List” of the attributes that an ideal student would display. attributes that an ideal student would display.

As a group, we will create a master list of our As a group, we will create a master list of our agreed upon most important attributes. agreed upon most important attributes.

When we have our class “Top Ten List”, write When we have our class “Top Ten List”, write the items down on your paper and identify the the items down on your paper and identify the ones you can promise to do throughout the ones you can promise to do throughout the course with a “Y” for “yes”. course with a “Y” for “yes”.

Consider your “yeses” carefully, as these Consider your “yeses” carefully, as these papers will be collected and reviewed papers will be collected and reviewed throughout the term. throughout the term.