This article will discuss the 6 habits of highly successful students in college.
As a college student, you are lucky enough to have a scholarship. It’s not so much a ‘free ride’ anymore, but it will most likely cover most of your college costs.
A scholarship is a gift, and there’s no feeling of being indebted to your college because you’ve worked hard to get one. You can walk into any classroom as any student.
You do not need to sit at the front or the back.
Do not be afraid to ask for help
Answers from other students to free online assessment tools are among the most widely used ways of learning in our modern educational environment. All too often, students are reluctant to seek advice and help from their peers.
In a poll of over 23,000 K-12 teachers and students from around the country, the National College Access Network discovered that most students are afraid to ask for help because they believe others will think they are stupid or need too much help.
This fear prevents students from seeking out the help they need from their fellow students, and this is the underlying reason why so many students struggle to pass their classes.
A recent study from the University of California found that in five different grade levels, “on average, students were more likely to take the more difficult way to the answer than to accept the quicker, simpler one. In fact, students were almost twice as likely to choose the more difficult path as the less difficult one.”
There is absolutely no reason to be afraid to ask for help. Every student has just as much knowledge as any other, and you are very likely more familiar with the material than many of your classmates.
Take course materials, not course credit
Many college students get the impression that taking the course materials is one more credit, but this is a misguided way of approaching college.
The truth is that most courses have an examination or a final exam, and there are no extra credit or “optional” assignments. Rather than getting the course materials and assuming you have mastered everything, take the course materials and assume you have mastered the material.
Why? Because the course materials will only count as a class credit when you pass the class.
A few classes have exam components, but it will only count as a class credit in most courses if you pass the class. If you do not pass the class, it does not matter how many books you read or how many assignments you complete; the course materials will not count as class credit.
Take challenging courses
When you enter college, many people will suggest that you take courses that will get you a high GPA to get into the right graduate programs and get a good job.
Those are not bad suggestions, but there is a much more rewarding path. And it is a path that will have you achieving more long-term career goals.
According to the National College Access Network survey, over three-quarters of students felt that their courses’ difficulty was either fair or easy. In contrast, only 33% of students felt their courses were either very hard or challenging.
When asked about the difficulty of their courses, college students feel like they are in the vast minority.
Take challenging courses
Over one-third of students felt like their courses were fair or easy.
If a student is not consistently taking challenging courses, they will not learn a particular skill, which may impact their careers.
Having a better understanding of a given subject will be more helpful when applying to jobs, whether working in the banking industry, being a lawyer or medical doctor, or even working as an engineer.
If you are taking easy classes, you are not being challenged, which will leave you less prepared to succeed in the workforce. There are always challenging classes to choose from, but you may need to study and research a particular subject before enrolling in it.
Take multiple credits
Each semester, the vast majority of college students take between 15 and 18 credit hours of classes. That is a total of 120 credit hours over the course of the academic year or five terms.
One of the most common mistakes college students make is taking courses for credit but not actually taking those courses. If you enroll in a class but are not taking the class, this will count against you on your transcript.
Multiple-credit courses are one of the most efficient ways to get ahead. By taking multiple-credit courses, you will have a substantial amount of credits under your belt by the time you graduate, which will put you ahead of the game in terms of your professional resume.
Save up some money
To afford an expensive college experience, many students are struggling to get by. With all the costs of tuition, books, and living expenses, it is not surprising that many students end up losing money as they head into the semester.
Instead of spending on clothes, food, and entertainment, students should be saving a significant amount of their budget or even have a second job while in college.
According to the 2010 study of the National Study of Learning, Comprehension, and Achievement, 83% of students said that they spend more money than can afford extracurricular activities.
To maximize their earnings potential, students need to get ahead in their spending.
