Personal Responsibility and College Success

Coming to college as an adult, we have many expectations and preconceptions of what college will or will not be. The expectations we have can influence our college life for the better or the worse. My experience since starting college has been an interesting one. People have misconceptions about college because they do not know what to expect. After doing some research, I have concluded that there are three major factors that are often misunderstood about college life. The first is the financial aspect of college. Second, is the relationship between the professors and students. Third is time management. These three factors play an important role in why people are afraid to go down the path to college.

According to Lupien, McEwan, Gunnar, and Heim (2009), going off to college involves significant adjustments to their daily routines; sleeping and eating habits, time-management skills, and stress levels will be altered in one way or another. First-year students have to adjust to the new school environment, different social settings, and new schedules, all without the help and guidance from their parents, who have been there for them for eighteen years. Over 30% of college freshman report that they feel overwhelmed (Klainberg, Ewing, & Ryan, 2010), where some students even opt to work as they juggle their class and work schedules. Some students work at a job or study harder than others, but they are all trying to get degrees so maybe one day they will have meaningful and significant lives. It is a constant struggle for everyone who is trying desperately to make him or herself into a success. And every college student wants to be involved in society in a positive manner, allowing contribution of their ideals and values to others.

Transitioning in to college has made me realize just how important all these traits are and how they correspond to my success. Wes’s visit to Longwood and speech helped me a lot too. Personal responsibility is the simple fact that I am an adult now and my action speak back on me. I have to take responsibility for myself, my actions and education. If I miss class that all on me and no one else and I will suffer the consequences.

Personal responsibility requires one to finally accept the truth that you are responsible for your own actions. Most of the time when mistakes are made, the initial reaction is to point a finger or find an excuse rather than accept involvement. Personal responsibility is the key to College success because at times, most students find themselves falling short of what lies in between these two. Some examples of are turning in homework assignments at the last minute, running late for class, and cramming for a test. As noted by Sullivan (2011), “Personal change also

Success in college requires one to identify key aspects of personal responsibility, understand the relationship between personal responsibility and college success, and establish a specific plan to follow that will ensure he or she incorporates the various elements of personal responsibility in every facet of his or her college experience.

Personal responsibility to me means taking accountability for your own actions, Making a commitment and sticking to it. In order to be a success in college, you have to apply your life learned lessons to the equation, to balance both school and out of school priorities. Because You are responsible for the choices you make, you are ultimately responsible for your success. Becoming a master organizer and learning how to manage your time efficiently, will help you achieve your goals. Taking responsibility for all that happens while you are in college will help you prevail in areas, where you may have lacked confidence. Critical thinking and a desire to succeed will help you accomplish your goals.

I was taught from the beginning that I have to take responsibility for my actions. As I got older more responsibilities were added to my plate. At the age of sixteen I began working in a pet grooming salon and adding more responsibility on myself. I worked thirty five hours a week while still in high school. Right after I graduated high school I joined the Army, this opened up a window of new responsibilities. This was the first time I was responsible for myself and for others around me. As far as being a student it is my responsibility to show up to class prepared for each day and be where I need to be at the correct time. It is my responsibility to make sure that I learn and fully understand the material that is being taught. It is also my responsibility to communicate if there is something that I don’t understand and reach out to find a way to understand

These are just a few tips that help maximize academic success. The hardest part about college is adjusting from High School teachers to college professors because they expect more from you. They expect you to take responsibility for your actions and manage your time to turn in their assignments.

Before applying to college, there is this understanding for all applicants that regardless of where you go and what you major in, the next four years of your life will remarkably change you. Constantly, reminded that the four years spent in high school won’t compare to the experiences found in college, you prepare yourself for that transition. From the classes to the teachers, college in general has a different feel and rhythm. The beauty of college is that it allows for choice. Each student has the power to decide how much they want to invest in their education. College does not contain the constraints of mandatory attendance or study hours required to excel. This is what makes college unique and transformative. It gives you the power to decide

First, college students must create a plan. The college experience grants students much freedom. It is up to the student to determine how best to spend their time in order to meet deadlines. Whether creating an outline for the week's tasks or using a calendar to hold study hours, students must map out their priorities for assignments, exams and dedicated study time (Blerkom, 2012).

Even though a person taking on too many responsibilities can lead to his or her downfall, personal responsibility can lead to success in higher education. Because responsibility is the force that binds an individual to the course of action demanded by the goal, personal responsibility can incur beneficial habits and admirable behaviors that will advocate successful outcome. The state of New York once sought to raise $24 million in donations to give to poor residents as an incentive to stay in school, stay at work, and stay on track (Traub, 2006). I will be revealing some examples, to implement, of personal responsibility and

Often times people go into college with their eyes closed tightly, meaning they are totally unprepared for what lies ahead. There are a variety of aspects that determine whether students are successful in college. Meeting basic requirements to enter college, selecting the right courses, learning how to study on the college level, and managing time are all key factors in becoming a successful college student. Throughout college life students are faced with a variety of temptations. How they choose to overcome these temptations determine whether they become successful or not in

Imagine the first day of high school classes. The beginning of a new chapter, brimming with possibility and opportunity. One student looks at their schedule, created by their high school guidance staff with the help of the interest inventory collected on the last day of middle school. Success! Geology, Geometry - everything that student needs to move forward towards college. Another student, whose high school uses an automated scheduling software, looks with dismay. This student struggles with math. However, the schedule placed the student in college-preparatory math that lies beyond their* knowledge base. Because the counseling office appointments are full, they are not able to see their counselor until the drop date for classes has

Non-traditional students are finding it easier and easier to maintain a job, a family, and pursuing a college career at the same time. This is possible because more and more non-traditional students are receiving an education using distance learning, as opposed to traditional, in-the-classroom teaching. Distance learning is basically taking college level, credit-bearing courses via the Internet. One of the most obvious advantages of distance learning is that it puts the classroom in your home, office, or wherever you can find a computer and log on to the Internet. However, there is much controversy regarding the quality of the courses being offered on the Internet versus the quality of

James Barsczc lays a lot of emphasis on Distant learning and its massive growth In the society. He mentions how it is being introduced and is being spread across schools. He argues that online education is not all that it is presented to be. He mentions that students who participate In online learning are more likely to drop out than those who learn in a normal school setting. He points out that students who participate in online learning are at a disadvantage compared to other students because they do not interact with their professors and fellow students face to face. This is rather true because I feel that there have to be more connections between the teacher and the students rather than online groups, live chats and maybe even Skype video calls. He further mentions several reasons why colleges and