Every fall a new class of wide-eyed innocent freshman start college full of high aspirations for a successful college career. Unfortunately, the hopes and dreams of over 380,000 are dashed when they fail out of college during their first year. One Internet site (http:www.ctl.ua.edu/CTLStudyAids/StudySkillsFlyers/GeneralTips/causesoffailure.htm) addresses this issue, and suggests several logical reasons for college failure. However, I believe students fail out of college primarily due to poor study habits, a lack of self-discipline, and an insufficient amount of positive motivation.
To begin with, poor study habits destine students to initiate a chain reaction toward failure. Adequate study habits should have been acquired in high school; unfortunately, this is not always the case. While average high school students may not have to spend long hours in outside study to get good grades, college students must devote several hours each day to independent study in order to obtain the same goal. In high school, work tends to be assigned in small units with a due date in the imminent future. Additionally, there is usually an instructor who physically monitors weekly progress. On the other hand a college student may be assigned a multiple level project that is not due until the end of the semester. The unassuming college freshman who believes high school learned study habits will be effective in college is soon awakened to a frightening reality.
Furthermore, a lack of self-discipline spells disaster for many college freshmen. Leaving the highly structured environment of high school and their parents" homes behind, college freshmen are immersed into a world of temptation and freedom the likes of which they have never known. There is no longer anyone who makes sure they wake up on time, to nudge them out the door to school, to enforce a curfew, or tell them what time to go to bed. They are now accountable to no one but themselves.
