How to Succeed in College

So, how do you succeed in college?  I didn’t have to research this, I went to college twice.  The first time my grades were such that my Dad, who was paying the bill, invited me after 3 years of school and only 2 ½ years of college credits to join the United States Navy.  The second time I went back at thirty years of age and was more than once on the Dean’s List. 

So here's some of what I learned from experience.

One, go to class, read the assignments and do the homework.  If you have a problem, get a tutor.  College isn’t designed for you to fail.  If you do the above and have decent intelligence, you’ll have trouble not getting at least a C grade.

Two, you need three hours of studying for each hour of class depending on how hard your schedule is.  One rule of thumb that works well is to make college like an eight to five job, the extra hour put in for eating between classes, breakfast being eaten before eight O’ clock.     

You ”punch in” at 8 and don’t quit going to classes, studying and learning until you “punch out” at 5.  If you have a night class, keep the eight to five schedule, add the night class in.  If you work a college job, add it to the schedule, but block off time like a forty hour a week job for your school time.

Three, if you work, your boss’s interests aren't yours.  (This advice on work doesn't apply to internships, they can be rough on a schedule, hang in there). Your boss is there to sell doughnuts, supervise burger flippers or perhaps sell toothbrushes.  Even if a boss went to Harvard and is so kind that he or she is the bigwig who runs the newspaper company whose window Superman flies out of, they care ultimately about business, not your grades.

So you have to stick up for you.  When you did the interview for the job, you specified you went to school.  Still a boss may start pressing you in a small area, like blowing off just one class because Jonny is sick and soon you won’t know if you're a student or a store stocker.

That doesn’t mean you don’t want to advance at a school job, it looks good.  But you have to know when to say no!  Let me add, in this day and age, there are many kinds of students so if you’re working fulltime and have a family and doing school; a bad boss requires tact, balance and being mindful that a jerk boss firing you can mean your kids being homeless.

Four, don’t overload your schedule.  Those big dreams become nightmares quick when you need thirty hour days to do your school which, I can assure you, they have not been created yet.

Five, mark those books, make flash cards, invent stupid rhymes; whatever legally gets you the grade.

Finally, watch the partying.  Partying got me an invite to mop the seven seas.   

It’s my right, why how dare you!  No, listen to advice.  Rights in this area are like when a person says he or she can walk anywhere at night in the dark, it’s a right.  Really?  Do you think the muggers and murderers get those memos?

Are you a college graduate?  What led to your success?  Did any of these tips help you out when you were in college?  If you are still in college, what things are getting in your way to succeed?  Let us know in the comments.