Join the 50 percent who graduate from college.
Yes, that’s right, only about 50 percent of students who begin a four year college ever graduate.
That’s why college graduates have the economic advantage in our country. Did you hear recently that while over 20 percent of high-school graduates are unemployed, fewer than 7 percent of college graduates are unemployed? Did you hear that most of the newly created jobs require college degrees?
What You Will Need to Succeed
– Resolve: Let nothing get in your way of turning in your best work every time on time!
Schedule study breaks, social events, and kicking back with friends around your academic responsibilities. By keeping academics first, you’ll never have a dilemma of which activity to choose. With resolve, you will keep careful track of assignments and dates for quizzes, tests, and exams and organize your time around them. Become highly skilled in your field of study. The jobs are waiting for those who can demonstrate what they know and can do.
– Resourcefulness: Know where to go and whom to see if you ever need assistance. Need help with that paper? Go to the Writing Center* several days before the paper is due. Stuck on a math problem? Go to the Math Center*. Unnerved by a personal matter? Check out the Counseling Center. Not sure of your career direction? Check out the Career Center. Being resourceful means that you won’t let your ego get in the way of reaching out to others who can help you succeed. Much of the time, all you need is a good friend. And don’t forget your parents.
– Resilience: Know deep within you that you can overcome any adversity. A bad grade? Prepare better and get the assistance you may need for the next assignment or test. What you think of yourself, what you expect of yourself, and what you say to yourself determine your future. Resilience is fortified by having good eating, sleeping, and exercising habits.
– Relationships: Find and connect with friends who share your goal of success and with whom you can receive and give support as well as enjoy leisure time together. Here, the message is to also engage with people and in activities for fun—for your rejuvenation. And that takes us back to good eating, sleeping and exercising habits. The more rejuvenated you are the more focused and productive your studying will be.
Does this overall message mean that, in the face of a high brick wall, you should never change your direction or drop a course**? No. What it does mean is that you will utilize all helping resources before deciding to make adjustments in your program of studies or your goal. That help may get you over that wall.
**Know the dates for dropping and adding classes without penalty. If you drop a class after the drop date deadline, it may go on your record as drop/failing.
Here’s to your success!
Russ Ingersoll is a college and career counselor with Harbor Counseling Services LLC in Waynesboro. More information is online at www.HarborCounselingServices.com.
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