Introduction to the Tips for College Success Blog

Do you, your child or someone you know have plans to attend college?  Are you overwhelmed by the application and preparation process?  Are you already in college and just need some guidance on how to make the most out of your college experience?  Then this weekly blog is for you!  Over the years numerous individuals and organizations have contacted me to speak to their youth about college success.  Since so many have benefitted from the advice and guidance, I took the next logical step and moved forward with writing a book on surviving and succeeding in college.  The book will be published this year.

I do feel like I am an expert on college.  I have my B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees.  I attended an HBCU and a majority institution.  I attended a small private and a large public institution.  I was an honor student and in the Honor’s Program.  I participated in all types of extracurricular activities, did foreign study and traveled extensively throughout the US and abroad.  I served as a leader in various campus organizations.  I excelled in college and I had fun!

Since I already have my own blog, I decided to dedicate one day a week to share tips on how to succeed in college and make the most out of the college experience.  My tips on college success will be posted on Wednesdays.  Feel free to contribute to the discussion, ask questions or make suggestions on topics to cover.  I am eager and delighted to play my role in advancing the goal in higher education set by President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to move the US from number twelve to number one in the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.  Ultimately, the Obama Administration seeks to have the best-educated and most competitive and diverse workforce in the world, and you are a part of this effort.  You must do all you can to succeed in college and, most of all, graduate!  I hope these tips will help you on your road to become the great student and scholar that you are destined to be!

The Syllabus

On the first day of class your instructor will give you the course syllabus and explain its contents.  A syllabus is your contract for the class.  It is the most important resource you have to prepare to make an ‘A’ in the course.  The syllabus details everything you need to know about the class:  your professor; the professor’s office location, hours and contact information; course description, objectives and learning outcomes; the class schedule; attendance requirements; required books and suggested readings; course assignments and deadlines; exam dates; and your grading schedule.  The first step you should take in preparing to excel in any course is to read the syllabus in its entirety and obtain clarity about its expectations from the professor.

On the first day of class your instructor will give you the course syllabus and explain its contents.  A syllabus is your contract for the class.  It is the most important resource you have to prepare to make an ‘A’ in the course.  The syllabus details everything you need to know about the class:  your professor; the professor’s office location, hours and contact information; course description, objectives and learning outcomes; the class schedule; attendance requirements; required books and suggested readings; course assignments and deadlines; exam dates; and your grading schedule.  The first step you should take in preparing to excel in any course is to read the syllabus in its entirety and obtain clarity about its expectations from the professor.

So many students just skim or peruse the syllabus and do not read it extensively or make a mental note of its requirements.  As a result they do not read prior to class, miss assignment deadlines, are unprepared for exams and, when you get right down to it, do not accomplish the objectives of the course.  At the beginning of the semester, you must know emphatically what it is going to take–what you need to do–to excel in the course and ultimately make an ‘A’!  How are you going to accomplish this goal if you do not read the syllabus?  Accordingly, my first piece of advice on the road to college success is to read your course syllabus, set your mind on executing its requirements, and throughout the semester exceed its expectations!