Choosing (And Sticking With) A Major

There is this interesting phenomenon on college campuses. Students are changing their majors as much as three, four, or five times throughout their college career. The average student crams four years of education into six. Needless to say, every time a student declares a new major, the student loses credits and new course requirements must be met, thus extending one's time completing a degree. The piper will be paid in  the end when student loans accrue interest, and the lenders demand their money. Major-hopping is an expensive and unproductive venture. Sadly, many students who frequently change majors are disenchanted with the field they eventually choose. They abandon their training for jobs unrelated to their major and work for a company that doesn't require a college degree. In the end, the student is no further ahead now than he or she was before entering college. Here are a few tips in deciding--and sticking with--a major.

Isolate the reason for your discontent and deal with it. Discontent drives a lot of decisions. If we are not "feeling it" one day, we will change our mind the next. This is not a useful life skill. Determine why you are discontent. Address your doubts logically.

College is hard, and there is no easy major. There is no such thing as an easy major. There are majors one is more equipped to navigate than others. If math is your thing, choosing a major that is heavy in the humanities area may be more challenging. College is designed to challenge you. It is not supposed to be easy. The premise is the cream rises to the crop. Colleges want to produce the cream that enters the workforce. Changing to a rumored "easy" major is usually misleading. You will eventually discover that the new major isn't any easier than the previous major.

Skill, and not earning potential, should be the deciding factor. Sure, you can study to be a lawyer. But if you are not a good lawyer, you will not make much money. Students are choosing higher paying careers without the ability to follow through on the curriculum requirements. You may not be cut out to be a doctor or engineer, especially if you barely passed precalculus in high school. Yes, you should consider if you can make a living from your future career. However, money--particularly tales of supposed unlimited supplies of money--should not be the ultimate driving factor.

Experiment before college. If you are still in high school, join clubs, take personality assessments, visit professionals at work, take an internship, and research your options. Your guidance counselor can help you in this area.

Know your strengths and weaknesses and plan accordingly. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. I have mild dyslexia. I turn numbers around frequently. I know accounting is not a viable career choice for me. Don't ignore the obvious. If you hate math, you may not want to pursue a career as a math teacher. However, if you like helping people, consider social work. It doesn't pay well monetarily, but there other rewards involved.

Don't do what is expected of you. Part of becoming an adult is making decisions for yourself. Your parents will not answer to your boss or pay your mortgage. They will not stay up with you at all hours of the night thinking through existential questions of why you were placed on this planet. And they should not choose your major for you either. They will not do your homework or talk to your professors. If your plan differs from your parents' plan, cordially explain your case and choose the major you want early in the college process. If you present a proposal detailing what you can do with the degree, how much you can earn, how many jobs are available in that field, you can usually win them over. I know. I have done just that. It works.

Not everyone telling you can't do it is trying to bring you down. Sometimes, those close to you provide insight that you may not see. If a professor questions your ability to be successful in a particular field, it is his or her way of trying to tell you that this is not your thing. Count on people who have more expertise than you in a career area  or more wisdom concerning the things of life to steer you in an appropriate direction.

Finally, take a break if necessary. If you are confused about what decision to make and you are not obligated to accept a scholarship immediately after high school, take a year off to decide what to do. Again, you have to face the consequences of your actions. This is not a license to party or live off mom and dad's couch. Volunteer. Join a program that sends people overseas. Build your professional network and find people who will let you shadow them at work. You may find what you want to do. Then, you can go to college with a set goal in mind.

Millennials in the Classroom

I’ve read Jean Twenge’s book Generation Me three times and cited it in three different research studies. Twenge, a sociologist who garnered major media attention with a large-scale study of Generation Y, paints a disparaging picture of today’s youth whom she describes as entitled, narcissistic, sexually indiscreet, and lazy. Her work has become the gospel regarding the characteristics of a generation that is far removed from its predecessors. She also won favor in the academic community which cites her work repeatedly in studies for education, business, and psychology. Twenge is not the sole expert on Gen Y. Strauss and Howe conducted a study years prior that prophesied that Millennials would be the promise of a new, enlightened society. They emphasized a positive, team-oriented, entrepreneurial version of Gen Y that inspired the dot-com boom and produced young billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg. Unfortunately, Strauss and Howe don’t receive as much press time for their observations.

How popular has Twenge’s study become? Whenever college students perform below our expectations, the general response is “that’s Generation Me for you.” I think this perspective is a little narrow and disconcerting. Is an entire generation worthless? Are they academically and socially damned from birth?

I never intentionally set out to focus on Generation Y in my research. I’m a communication nerd by occupation and a sociology nerd by nature. I have 15 nieces and nephews, 2 stepchildren, and hundreds of students. I have observed Gen Y officially and unofficially and have come to a few conclusions about Millennials in college:

It’s too early to make a determination. I’m a Gen-Xer and so are many of their professors. Remember, fellow Gen X-ers, what the media and our elders said about us? We were the apathetic, lost generation that would amount to nothing, bring down society, and need years of therapy to overcome our latch-key kid neurosis. As Gen X enters their forties, I would like to think we’ve proven everyone wrong.

There’s nothing like a recession and mass unemployment to dampen an entitled spirit. The elder statesmen of Gen Y are entering their mid- to late-twenties. They can’t find employment. In fact, they are having the hardest time finding employment. They are defaulting on student loans at an alarming rate. They are moving back into their parents’ homes. They have been affected by a post-9/11 world. It should be interesting to revisit Gen Y in ten years and see if they have changed.

There are more outliers than we acknowledge. Few Millennials exhibit all the negative characteristics all the time. For example, I have mentioned that I have two stepchildren. One is Gen Y all the way down to the core. The other child is completely the opposite. I personally hated being judged by my peers. Just because my peers are irresponsible doesn’t mean I will skip out on my responsibilities as well. Blanketing a group of people for perceived idiosyncrasies is dangerous. It is the root of discrimination. It should not be the practice of scholars.

We are seeing the consequences of No Child Left Behind. The first group of students who were elementary students when No Child Left Behind took effect is enrolling in our colleges. Want to verify this assertion? Tell your students that you are not giving them a multiple-choice test or a detailed study guide. Watch them squirm and complain. They don’t know how to think critically or write a research paper. It’s not their fault. No one ever taught them how. For the record, I am not blaming teachers. They are doing what they are told to do by the state and federal governments.  Teachers have bosses too. Recently, a school district in Georgia provided false information about their school’s progress. This is not an isolated incident. When this behavior becomes the norm, our students suffer. Then, they come to college expecting the same treatment. Many flunk out or leave. They’ve been sold a bill of goods by taking college-prep courses that never lead to actual college preparation.

We are seeing the consequences of the consumer culture. If it involves a monetary transaction, it can be bought. If one buys a service, the customer is always right. Students are looking for a return on their investment. They pay us and expect us to give them the grade of their choice. Their parents bought houses they couldn’t afford, bought trinkets with credit cards, and bought goods with no deposit down. Many students have never observed delayed gratification or earned their way. If I had a dollar for every time an adult (my fellow Gen X-ers, always) tell me that giving my teenage stepchildren chores was cruel and selfish, I could pay for some lucky student to go to college. College is seen as nothing more than a transaction.

Generation X is partially to blame. I have a theory that helicopter parents (those parents who never let their child do anything on their own) were latch-key kids. In an effort to be better than our own hard-working Baby Boomer parents, we became permissive and smothering. We have created the American Idol syndrome. Children honestly believe they possess certain abilities that they really don’t have.

No, dear, you are not Mariah; you are tone deaf. No, dear, you will not be President; you are not disciplined enough to clean your room. But, you are good in this area.

We give merit badges for everything. Nothing is earned. Stop telling your child he or she is going to be a doctor when you are always doing their science homework for them.

By the way, showing up for class and turning in the minimum requirements does not earn you a merit badge or an A. You will earn a D, and that’s only if I decide to be lenient.

College is becoming a norm. I asked my students one semester why they chose to come to college. Overwhelmingly, they answered “because you’re supposed to.” They have been told the lie that a college education automatically guarantees a good-paying career. So, next time a college graduate refuses to work for slightly above minimum wage, they are not acting entitled. They are collecting what is due them.

They differ than their professors on matters related to creative works. I conducted a study on Gen Y and music piracy. I had two conclusions: they don’t understand what intellectual property is nor do they consider creative works something that should be bought and sold. Remember this next time you bust a student for plagiarism. Let me be clear. I do not, under any circumstance, tolerate copyright infringement or academic dishonesty in my classes, period. But next time you surf the web looking for a MySpace layout, realize that the freely shared layout was most likely created by a Millennial. To them, piracy is not a sin. Not sharing your work freely for the world to use is a sin.

Each generation denigrates the generation that follows. No one will ever be as smart, intuitive, socially responsible, and hard-working as we are. Next time you shake your head and proclaim that you don’t understand kids nowadays ask your parents to recall key moments in your childhood. And stop sounding so, well, narcissistic.

The Freshman Fifteen: Surviving the First Week of Classes

 1) If you will be living on campus, don’t wait until the last day to move into your dorm. Moving in a day or two earlier will allow you to have time to prepare for the first day of class.

2) Print your schedule. Make sure you have a copy readily available for the first day.

3) Find your classes before the first day. The best time to walk around campus is usually the week before classes or during campus moving-in activities when the buildings are unlocked. Most of us take attendance on the first day. Not knowing where the class is and being tardy on the first day gives the impression you are not able to plan or take initiative.

4) Buy your books and supplies. If you wait until the first week to see if you need the assigned books (FYI-you will), you will be stuck in the last minute madness. Professors will assign homework that will be due  the next class meeting. It is not unusual for the bookstore to sell out of a particular textbook, especially if the book is required for a course everyone on campus must take. Avoid the last minute chaos.

5) Get organized. Organize your dorm. Organize your folders. Organize your desk.

6) Read each syllabus later in the day after the shock wears off. You will feel overwhelmed during class with so much information being presented all at once. Also, classes will start to run together.

7) Don’t stay up late, sleep in, or take long naps. You need to wire your internal clock to your new schedule. Failing to wake up on time is also not an excuse for being tardy.

8) Schedule your week. Factor in meals, study time (however long you studied in high school on average, multiply it by two or three), work, classes, sleep, and other obligations. Make your new schedule a habit.

9) Don’t procrastinate. Work piles up quickly, and assignments completed at the last minute rarely receive full credit. Once you fall behind, it is nearly impossible to catch up and maintain momentum.

10) Don’t stress eat. It’s a bad habit that you don’t need to start. A poor diet will make you ill (generally before the pop quiz or exam you can’t make up).

11) Get to know your fellow classmates. Single out sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Not only can you glean valuable advice from them, but you never know when you may have to miss class.

12) Get to know your professors. It is always a good idea to develop a positive student/professor relationship early in the semester.

13) Get to know the campus. Every campus has a map. Make sure you know where student services, dining, campus security, administrative offices, and other key places are located.

14) Make sure the college has your correct information on file, especially emergency contacts.

15) Take a deep breath. The first week is chaotic for everyone (your professors included). It is especially hectic for students who are new to the college environment. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for directions.

Mind the Gap

I visited London earlier this year. Part of my initiation into British culture included this fabulous trend known as a “gap year.” A gap year is a year-long gap between high school and university. Sometimes, this year is set aside for civil service, volunteer work, or other humanitarian pursuits. Prince William served in Belize during his gap year.

I am not suggesting the government institute a mandatory gap year of civil service for U.S. students, even though I not adversely opposed to the idea. The idea of taking a year off from school is not an immediately popular one in the States. The truth is we don’t trust our youth to make mature decisions regarding their young adult life. What if they slough off college and never go? I propose this question. What if we send our young adults immediately into college--do not pass go or collect 200 dollars--and they drop out of college altogether before the year’s end?

I am also not suggesting our young adults fritter away their gap year following meaningless pursuits, partying, or sitting around the house doing nothing. I think giving them the option to explore the world around them and truly see the human condition will add another perspective to the college experience. Eighteen-year-old novice adults are still relatively impressionable and phenomenally confused about the direction of their lives. After all, college is one part academics and two parts finding oneself in the larger picture of society. If taking a gap year gives some sort of perspective to their life, I am a large supporter.

Part of the problem lies with our educational system. We don’t make it easy for students to consider a variety of options. I am a fan of alternative scholarship opportunities. Low-income first-generation students who may have missed the mark on standardized test scores, non-traditionals returning to school after several years, and high school graduates who choose to spend a year backpacking Europe are denied the monetary benefits scholarships afford. I have even advised my own stepchildren that if they should receive a scholarship to immediately enroll in college the following Fall, lest the college renege on its offer, considering deferments are rarely given.

One of my students, who incidentally would be very embarrassed that I’m using her as an example, spent a year as a missionary to an underdeveloped country. The university that offered her a scholarship agreed to a deferment. In the end, she decided to change universities to a program that had a higher international student population, better medical and international studies programs, and plans to dedicate her life to medical missions. She was not only academically prepared, but she was also more emotionally mature than most of my other freshmen.  Above all else, she was grateful for the opportunity to have what the people she helped could never dream of having. Her brother has decided to pursue the path.

I won’t belittle the importance of financial assistance. College is expensive. But if your high school graduate is uncertain about college and desires to pursue a noble interest in helping others and contributing to society, I think the option of taking a gap year should be discussed.

The Freshman Fifteen: First Installment

What Your Professor Expects You to Know That You Never Learned In High School:

1) This is not high school.

This statement may seem self-explanatory, but I’ve noticed many students ignore this assertion in theory. Freshmen know there is an intrinsic difference between high school and college, but the differences generally involve unrestricted freedom to whatever one pleases or not being told what to do. College doesn’t exactly work that way. Also, what worked in high school may not, and most likely will not, work in college. You will have to develop different study habits. You will be expected to adhere to certain rules that never existed in high school. It is understandable that students compare their ideas regarding college to their previous learning experiences. However, college is not an extension of high school. It’s a completely different animal altogether.  I encourage you to forget your former experiences in high school and accept college life for what it is.

2) You are an adult.

Again, this seems like another self-explanatory statement. Many students want the freedom of adulthood to do what they want, go where you want, and answer to nobody when doing it. Unfortunately, there is more to being an adult than not answering to your parents regarding your whereabouts. For the first time in your life, education is not compulsory. If you fail to attend school on a regular basis in high school, you were declared truant. You are in college, because you choose to be. This is the decision of an adult. And in the adult-filled classroom, we will treat you as an adult, expect you to behave like a cordial adult, and implement adult-appropriate consequences. Adults are in control of the learning process, which is in stark contrast to how the education of children is approached. We expect you to be active. We expect you to attend (or you will fail). We expect you to carry on an adult conversation with us (this means no whining, blaming, or name calling).

3) Undecided is not a major.

I know many people will disagree with my opinion on this matter. I’m not a rope-them-into-college-by-any-means-possible kind of gal. Here is the method behind the madness. Goal-setting is a skill that successful adults master. It is not wise to engage in any long term decision without a clear plan or goal. Undecided, or undeclared, is an option on an admissions form that is a catch-all category for those who have no idea what they want to do with their life. You could take the general requirements and then wait until your junior year to take courses in your proposed major. However, general requirements differ from major to major. You want to avoid taking unnecessary courses. If you entered college undecided, actively attempt to remedy the problem before you finish your freshman year. There are services on campuses designed to guide you in the right direction. Otherwise, you may spend several extra semesters floundering in decision from major to the next in order to fulfill the need to find a discipline that interests you and may still end up unfulfilled and under a heavy load of debt. People who enter college with a clear goal (or some sort of goal, even if it changes along the way) have more success and are more fulfilled than those who fly by the seat of their pants.

4) The ground in the classroom is level.

I have no idea if you were a straight A student or if you came from the worst performing school in your district. I have no idea if you are enrolled in remedial classes. If the powers-that-be decided that you met the minimum requirements to be admitted into the college, you have the potential to succeed in my class. If you need help, please ask for help. I want to extend the same opportunities to everyone. However, if you are falling behind, responsibility rests with you to make up the difference. If that means working with a tutor, meeting with me during office hours, or utilizing other resources that the institution offers, please take advantage of those lifelines. Again, as an adult, you are an active participant in your education. Find a way to make it work. You earned your way into the college in the first place.

5) Choose your battles wisely and only after you have gathered a body of research.

It is possible we may have graded your assignment incorrectly. Then again, your assignment may really be an effort worthy of a C. If you have a genuine concern, there is an appropriate way to express it. Make an appointment to meet with the instructor during office hours or a mutually agreed upon time. Bring documentation and/or evidence to back your claim. Approach the concern from a place of logic and not emotion. You should rarely air your grievances unless they are founded. Some students complain about and contest every little thing. The squeaky wheel makes a poor impression. Harassment or threats of violence will result in disciplinary action.

6) Treat college like a profession.

Instead of viewing college as a training ground for your future occupation, treat college as an occupation. Even the federal government recognizes the designation as “student” as an occupation on tax forms. If you view college in this context, you will need to attend class regularly and on time, wear appropriate clothing, and meet deadlines. There are two points I want to emphasize. First, I don’t expect you to wear a polo and khakis or a suit to class but displaying your undergarments on a regular basis may affect whether or not I agree to recommend you for an internship, job, etc. Second, please address all email correspondence to your instructor in a professional manner. It is really difficult to take anyone seriously whose email address is hotpants64@whateverdomain.com and writes in text speak. Your professors know people, lots of people, and often people in important hiring positions. If you don’t take my class seriously, I may not seriously consider recommending you.  

7) You are responsible for you.

Now that we have established that you are a full-fledged adult and are an active participant in your educational experience, let’s extend the burden a bit further. I am particularly fond of a word used in sociology—“agency.” Agency is the ability to interact with the world and exercise choices. In other words, you are not a mere product of your environment. You can enact change. You have the agency to make your life work. In the end, you cannot reasonably blame others for your faults or disappointments. Always take responsibility for your life and decisions. You live by your choices.

8) There is no such thing as an unimportant class.

I know that public speaking or literature class you have been dreading may seem like a waste of your time when you are an engineering major. Why do you need a humanities elective anyway? Do communications majors really need pre-calculus? When the liberal arts curriculum was devised in ancient Greece, the idea was to encourage free thought, logic, and critical discussion. Humanities courses teach you how to write and think critically. Mathematics teaches linear thinking and calculating solutions. Science courses teach students how to observe the world, ask questions, and find answers. All of these skills are needed in the real world. If that doesn’t convince you, you need to make a decent grade in the class to meet your degree requirements and accumulate credits.

9) There are few acceptable excuses, and we have heard them all.

Your printer was out of ink (you waited until right before class to print it out because you wrote the assignment at the last minute). Your computer crashed (you didn’t save and save often). Your dog ate your syllabus (you have no idea what was going on the class to begin with). Excuses are a dime a dozen. The problem with fraudulent or irresponsible excuses is it makes it difficult for students whose grandmother really died to attend to family matters. Some of your professors may be jaded. I don’t care if you skipped class everyday of your senior year and missed the day the teacher discussed creating outlines or if you mother didn’t raise you right or you didn’t know college was going to be this hard. I sympathize, probably a little more than most instructors. Excuses are, well, an excuse to avoid responsibility. If you are ill, don’t come to class and make everyone else sick. If a close family member died, please place family ahead of college. But if come up with a bizarre excuse that doesn’t have documentation to accompany it, forgive me if I look a little exasperated.

10) There are programs to help you.

Some students view college as a some-have-it-and-others-don’t scenario. It’s okay to admit you are struggling. Your college offers free advising, free tutoring, free counseling, and many other free services. Your student fees pay for your access to these services. If you don’t what is offered, peruse the college’s website or ask your instructor.

11) There is a difference between helping and hand holding.

I am more than willing to meet with you and answer your questions. If you are unclear about an assignment or think you are doing it wrong, ask me. But please show me that you are willing to put forth the effort. I will not do your work for you. If necessary, do the assignment as you think it is supposed to be done and show me what you have (FYI--this only works prior to the assignment’s due date. Never ask the day it is due and after it is turned in.).

12) Reading the syllabus is not optional.

During my first semester teaching, students complained that they lost their syllabus. The following semester they told me they didn’t read their syllabus. Losing or ignoring the syllabus doesn’t negate your responsibility to follow the prescribed requirements for the course. The syllabus is also the instructor’s contract with the student. Remember that evidence I told you earlier to present in cases when an issue needed resolution? Also, if a 3-7 page syllabus is too much reading for you, college is going to be a long uphill battle, my friend.

13) You are a student first.

Ever noticed how some people are referred to as student athletes or student workers? This is not a mere distinction. College has a lot of options for entertainment (ahem, distractions). But in this sequence, the word student comes first. If you fail out of college, you have to leave the perks behind. By all means, enjoy college to the fullest. Become involved on campus. But only after you finish your homework, dear.

14) Extra credit should not be expected and is rarely given.

There is a debate over whether extra credit should be offered at all, and if so, how it should be executed. You will have instructors who will freely give extra credit. Others will tell you that you should have the work correctly in the first place. If it is given, it is the sole discretion of the instructor to do so. Never ask for extra credit. If you need it, don’t pass up the offer once it is laid out on the table. The only students who take the offer for extra credit usually have an A in the class already. My suggestion is never put yourself into a predicament that requires the extra credit point or two to pass the course.

15) College is tough, and grades are earned.

College is hard. It’s supposed to be. Will you have a class or two that will be a breeze? Probably. Remember you earn a degree for a reason. You must earn a good grade. Meeting the minimum requirements will earn you a C (for average). For an A, you have to go above and beyond. This is how the cream rises to the top. Please don’t approach your professor at the end of the semester when you haven’t turned in assignments, didn’t attend regularly, or failed to participate meaningfully in class and inquire why you have an F in the course.

***Come back regularly for other blogs in the Freshmen Fifteen series.

How to Know if Your Child Is Ready for College

It’s the $64,000 question. How do I know if college is the right decision for my child? Although ACT/SAT scores and grade point average is a fairly accurate gauge, there are other factors to consider.  Some students may be able to ace multiple choice tests, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have the time management or critical thinking skills that are vital in the college setting. I have seen both phenomenally brilliant students who were rarely challenged in high school fail college and remedial students who perform extremely well.  Most high schools fail to emphasize the intangible criteria for college. I argue that the intangibles may be as important, if not exceedingly more important, than the usual criteria required for college admissions. If your child does not possess these qualities, you don’t have to throw in the proverbial academic towel. Many of these qualities are learned responses.

1) Natural curiosity

Babies have an inherent curiosity that encourages them to interact with the world around them. Somewhere along the line, some individuals lose the desire to find out how the world works. If your child has a naturally curious nature that causes him or her to seek out answers to difficult questions, this is a good sign that he or she may stay engaged in classroom tasks. The purpose of college is to satisfy one’s intellectual curiosity. Curiosity is a prerequisite to research, which is a skill emphasized in all areas of study in college.

2) Ability to question

Questioning the status quo is not always a precursor to rebellion. Academe is built upon questioning the status quo. Where curiosity exists, questioning is bound to follow. Does your child accept every answer given or does your child want to know the “why” behind the occurrence? Either children are complacent in not asking questions to avoid thinking through difficult situations or the parent discourages questions to avoid the inevitable “I don’t know” answer. Questioning should never be handled as a taboo activity like using profanity or watching rated R movies. I understand some children use questioning as a means to disrespect or corner a parent. This is the not the type of questioning I am recommending. But do make a distinction between the two.

3) Ability to seek answers independently

It is also helpful even if you do know the answer to instruct your child to look for the answer on his or her own. A child who scoffs at finding answers independently will never seek outside resources to help him or her understand the course material or textbooks when the concepts are challenging.

4) Self-efficacy

How much confidence does your child exhibit when it comes to completing a task? Does she stop early in the process and exclaims that she is unable to do it? Does he repeatedly say that he isn’t good in a particular subject, because his brain just work that way? How a student views his or her ability to complete a set of tasks or an assignment on a consistent basis can impact future success if college. Sometimes, the words “I just can’t get it” really mean “I don’t like math and I’d rather do something else.” If a student lacks self-efficacy, college will be very overwhelming with its emphasis on deductive reasoning, accelerated pace to instruction, and fellow students who appear to understand what is going on in the classroom.

5) Relationship to reading

How does your child feel about reading? Reading is more than being able to sound out words. College requires critical reading about abstract principles in convoluted academic language (and there is a lot of it). To further complicate matters, students will be asked to regurgitate what they have read in papers, class discussions, exams, and assignments. Things to consider: your child’s reading level, the type of books your child reads, and reading frequency and speed. If your daughter consumes a steady diet of Twilight and Harry Potter in 11^th grade, a freshman-level biology book will be beyond her ability to comprehend. I suggest a steady diet of Shakespeare and poetry and save Twilight for weekend recreation.

6) Critical thinking

If you child does cannot think critically before entering college, the other qualities do not matter. Critical thinking means observing a phenomenon, dissecting ideas, making conclusions from evidence, and infer ideas from a text. Critical thinking is used to develop persuasive arguments, critique literature, and understand abstract concepts.  

7) Desire to attend college

When they were younger, we made them eat their vegetables, because we knew they could subsist on chicken fingers and pizza to the exclusion of important nutrients. It’s true that children do not always know what is good for them. However, your child is quickly transitioning into adulthood. You can emphasis a college education during their formative years, but it must be their decision to go. I cannot recall a single instance of a student going to college solely by their parents’ urging (or coercion) that ended well.  Motivation is key for successful college students. Take non-traditional students for example (students over the age of 25 attending college for the first time). They have discovered the value of learning and enter college of their own accord. Their approach to college is admirable as they juggle families and financial obligations with coursework. Your child needs to be motivated to attend college based on personal goals and interests not your goals and interests.

As a side note, if your child is academically strong, many colleges may allow your child to take a course or two. It’s called dual-enrollment. School systems and community colleges develop a way for high school students to take freshman-level courses for high school credit, and those same credits will transfer when the student begins college. If dual-enrollment is not an available option, contact the local college to see if they have any type of outreach program that provides access to college instruction. These programs often occur during the summer. It is a good way for your child to “try” college first before they incur debt from student loans for a degree they never finished.

What To Do When College Sucks

You are officially a college student. You have planned for this day for quite some time. Attached to your grandiose plan of complete college domination are expectations of how it should be. Unfortunately, you haven’t even made it midterm of your first semester, and you’re in the fetal position having an anxiety attack asking mom if you can come back home. Your bags are almost completely packed. Whether you are the concerned parent advising your child that “everything will be fine, honey” or the student having the emotional breakdown, here are a few words of wisdom:

1) Give it two semesters

Finish your freshman year before making any desperate decisions. Some students get into the swing of things by midterm. Some make it until the end of the semester. Some students need a second semester to sort out the chaos of their college experience. Most students who drop out of college before the end of their first semester or sooner never honestly gave college a try. They were never able to accurately access their situation, because they were so lost in their personal emotional turmoil. Decisions should be based in logic, not emotional outbursts. Halfway through your second semester if you still have doubts, talk to college officials and close family and friends. Respect their honesty and consider it. Many former students have expressed regret later in life when they are unable to return due to life circumstances. Also consider that how you exit college can affect a possible return to school later on, especially if you fail courses or ruin your chances at receiving financial aid again. Give it time, let the emotion wear off, and weigh your decisions carefully.  

2) Don’t fight the system

I constantly tell students that college is not high school. It’s amazing how many come into college with the expectation that it is an extended version of high school with alcohol, complete freedom, and an all-you-can-eat-buffet. If they were given topics by their teacher in high school for an English paper, they expect the college instructor to continue the tradition provide the topic  for them (my favorite line is “I can’t come up with anything. Why don’t you choose it for me.”). They resist classroom policies, deadlines, attendance, and the guidelines set forth in the syllabus. Not only will we not accommodate your requests or argue the fairness of the system with you, but we will stand behind the policies. We know what works. We have your interests at heart. We are helping you to transition into the college environment. Students who fight the system lose. Students who embrace the system (or at the very least accept it) perform better, enjoy college more, and gain more from their degree program.

3) Going home doesn’t always cure home sickness

Parents may not like my next suggestion, but I am asking you to exercise some necessary tough love. If your child is in agony about staying at college, you may want to delay the inevitable holiday homecoming. I know you miss her and want to see her, but it may be better to encourage her to take that student organization’s ski trip to Aspen she mention over the phone last week. If you are the agonizing student, I encourage you to join the ski trip. I speak from experience. I had a family member who went home during Fall break just six weeks into the semester despite advising her and the family otherwise. After she posted her fun time back home on Facebook, she proceeded to make arrangements to return home. She withdrew three weeks later. Homecoming should be a time of being with the family not being rescued by the family.  

4) Join organizations

Research indicates that students who integrate themselves into the life of the college are more likely to graduate. Through my observation, young women seem to be more susceptible to leaving college due to a lack of social structure than young men. Young men leave for entirely different reasons. I’ve also noticed that students who are involved have much better grades on average. Of course, my observation is unscientific. Take advantage of Greek, professional, honor, and religious organizations. I also offer this word of caution. Only choose one or two organizations. Students who are too involved often perform poorly in their classes, because they don’t have the time to dedicate to their classes.

5) Seek counseling

Most colleges have free counseling services that are paid through student fees. The counselors are equipped to handle stress, depression, loneliness, and a host of other issues. Sometimes, they will offer workshops on time management and goal setting. If your problem is academic, there are services that offer tutoring, advising, career advice, and other services as defined by the institution. A word to the student: if you are depressed to the extent you are skipping class, sleeping too much, sleeping around, eating too little or too much, abusing substances, inflicting harm to your body, or having suicidal thoughts, call counseling services immediately. All sessions are confidential, and I promise they won’t tell your parents.  

6) Concentrate on what you do like

Not all things have to be doom and gloom. Surely, there is something you like about college. Is there a class you think is interesting? Do you like attending sporting events? Do you like the freebies and discounts that accompany the student ID? Have you made some really good friends? Think on these things. Oh, and by the way, there is no rule that states you must like everything about college. We have all had one of those professors or roommates.

7) Leave high school behind

Remember Jeff Foxworthy’s routine You Might Be a Redneck If? Well, here is my variation. You might be a dropout if you never update your networks on Facebook to include your college. You might be a dropout if you post last year’s prom pictures online well into your freshman year. You might be a dropout if you wear your high school senior year t-shirt anywhere other than the gym or a Habitat for Humanity project. I’m really not making light of the situation. There is no comedy involved in the decision to drop out of college. The point I am making is don’t hold on to the past. The class clown in high school isn’t as funny in college (and often is asked to leave the class for being a disruption). The beauty queen is no longer the prettiest girl in school. The star athlete spends the first year on the bench. The kid who never studied in high school honors course and had a 4.0 GPA is failing all of his classes. The opposite is true as well. The outcast finds a whole new circle of friends. The underachiever excels in the college environment. The wallflower is the lead in an on-campus production. Leaving the past behind and adapting to the future is a trait of adulthood. Instead of holding on to past labels, take the time to reinvent yourself. College is great place to reinvent yourself! It has plenty of resources, interests, and most importantly, new people who don’t know who you used to be.

8) Remind yourself that you are in good company

Brace yourself for this one. I would venture to estimate (unscientifically, of course) that 90% of freshman hate college too. How do I know this? My students tell me so. No one is fully prepared for college, and you can’t expect yourself to have everything worked out immediately. You may never have it fully worked out. After two degrees and teaching college courses, I don’t have it fully worked out yet.

My advice to seniors contemplating college: be prepared that your first semester in college may suck for you (in those words exactly). It’s okay. It’s happens to most of us. But if you forget this nugget of truth, cling to the other eight I have given you. College is only four years of your life (theoretically). If you like it enough, it may be longer as you pursue other degrees. You have survived 13 years of education thus far. Four years is miniscule in the grand scheme of things. And unlike high school, we have an all-you-can-eat-buffet!