2-28-08

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…

It’s a widely held belief in higher education (among those who study such things) that the majority of students who are unsuccessful in college are not unsuccessful for academic reasons.  If you look at many of those students’ GPA’s, you might argue that point, but you’ll see what I mean in a few seconds.  Most are unsuccessful for what I call “social” reasons.  Not social in a partying sense, although that can be a part of it.  But social in terms of interacting with their new environment, dealing with the people, places, situations, and responsibilities of a college student.  In fact, it can all be boiled down to one simple thing – making decisions, and making the right ones!

Everybody knows, for the most part, what they’re supposed to do.  We all know we’re supposed to drive the speed limit, and we’re not supposed to steal or hurt other people.  It’s the people who do the right things that stay out of trouble, and avoid the problems that can be avoided.  So it is with college students, they know they’re supposed to go to class every day, they know they’re not supposed to drink four beers at a time through a funnel and hose, they know they’re supposed to study two hours for every hour they spend in class, they know staying up all night and cramming are not the best ways to prepare for tests, they know they’re not supposed to download pirated music and movies, they know if their friends are a bad influence on them…  It’s choosing to do the right thing that’s not so easy!

What students have trouble with is when they have to choose between something fun and what they know they should do, when they’re tempted or pressured to do something they know they shouldn’t do, and when they have the ability to indefinitely postpone doing something they don’t want to or don’t know how to do, in favor of something fun or easier.

Students, you need to know that you’ll be making LOTS of decisions about all kinds of things when you get to college.  Some you’ll be ready for, some you won’t.  What you should do is think about the predictable issues you know you’ll have to make decisions about, and decide how you’ll handle them ahead of time.  Know that you won’t have to go to class if you don’t want to – does that mean you’ll go, or not?  Know that you’ll be exposed to drugs and alcohol – does that mean you’ll use or abuse them, or shun those who do?  Know that you’ll be interrupted while studying with invitations to any number of activities.  Will you go do the activities or stay and study?  Will you even be available to be interrupted while you’re studying?

The reasons you did or didn’t do many things while you were in high school – because you were expected to, because your parents would kill you otherwise, etc. – will not be there in college.  You will be making all the decisions for yourself.  Your ability to make the right decisions – the ones that are right for you, that you can live with, the ones that help you reach your goals – will go a long way toward determining your success in college, and beyond.

Parents… you can help your student by coming up with examples of situations and decisions to be made.  Help them identify the kinds of decisions they’ll have to make later, so they’ll be ready.

Submit your questions to lance@collegeanswerguy.com and visit www.collegeanswerguy.com and www.collegeprep101.com.