Category: College Goals

What is College Success?

Definition of College Success: There is no clear definition of college success, college success is relative and there is no clear cut measures or yardsticks to determine College Success. College success is defined by the parties involved because it has to do with the attainment of set goals or Targets.

For something or someone to be successful, goals must be set, such that progress can be tracked and measured against the goals set. Having graduated from college can be seen as a level of success attained in life, spending 2 years in college and graduating can be seen as an attainment of a goal. To some students graduating from college with good grades is college success, once the goals are met the student can describe himself as successful. While to others college success is more than having good grades in school but the knowledge and experience gained during the course of the study is a valid college experience. Graduating from college with good grades is not the total definition of college success but it is a part of the big picture, getting good grades is not the ultimate goal of college or the best way to define personal success while in college (College Success 2015).

What is Success? What does it mean to be successful, The Merriam- Webster dictionary defines success ‘as the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors, the accomplishments of one’s goals’.

Definition of Success is relative, varies from one individual to another, we come from different backgrounds, brought up in different societies, faced different challenging situations and want different things in life. So the definition of success is personal. My definition of success is to live a purposeful, to my full potentials and to affect people’s lives positively, contributing my quota to social and economic development in my sphere of contact.

Strategies to achieve success

I am responsible for my success, and I am motivated to take the following steps to ensure I am successful and fulfilled in life. I have a clear cut strategy towards the attainment of my goals. I have a clear vision of what I want; I want to be cybersecurity specialist, I am certified Microsoft certified technician (MCT) and A+ Certified, I am returning students and I have less time for studying because of other commitments at work and home, I work from home so a daily reading plan will fit right into my schedule.

1. To manage my time wisely, I designed a weekly study plan schedule to ensure all assignments are submitted in the discussion forum as at when due, so I can learn from my peers and be constructively criticized so I can do better in the course.
2. Adopt a Learning Cycle of Prepare, Absorb, Capture and review: It’s a cycle that is interwoven, it systematically flows from stage1 to stage 4 and back to stage 1 again it’s a learning process that never ends. And as a returning student with an online university I will stick to the flow of the academic Learning cycle to be successful.a. Prepare: I will go through the course requirements from my Moodle, download all the recommended books, journals and materials, and install the required software for my computer science courses.

   b. Absorb: I do not have the luxury of listening to an instructor teach/lecture, since I will be doing most of the reading on my own I must learn how to absorb and understand all the new information from the recommended textbook and other materials

   c. Capture: The act of note-taking while reading cannot be overemphasized, my plan is to take notes as I read every week. The more effective your note-taking skills, the better your learning abilities.

   d. Review: Reviewing discussion from the discussion forum, my personal notes, recommended text etc. it’s a way of ensuring that I have a full understanding of the materials.

3. My last strategy is to build social interaction with my peers through collaborative learning, When students explain what they’ve learned to peers, fading memories are reactivated, strengthened, and consolidated. This strategy not only increases retention but also encourages active learning (Sekeres et al., 2016).

How I will manage my course assignments

I am new to the new American system of education, My concerns are about the weekly assignments is the area of my writing skills, not knowing what to write and not having enough points about the subject matter. My writing organizational skills and also the issue of plagiarism is a major concern to me. I am disciplined enough to manage my time the only concern I have is about my writing skills.

My Enrollment at UoPeople (University of the People) has opened my eyes to opportunities I never thought existed, my expectations are to pass all my courses and gain vital experience, build a social relationship after my stay at University of the People,

References

1. College success. (2015). Retrieved from http://open.lib.umn.edu/collegesuccess/
2. University of the people catalog (2018) Retrieved from https://www.uopeople.edu/
3. University of the People. (2018). Welcome to University of the People Retrieved from https://my.uopeople.edu/mod/book/
4. Example of Study Plan (2018) Retrieved from https://my.uopeople.edu/mod/book/
5. 10.1101/lm.039057.115Learn. Mem. 2016. 23: 72-82© 2016 Sekeres et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Learning Memory © 2016 Sekeres et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

“One of the biggest lies we love to believe is education equals success.” says Dale Partridge, an author of the Wall Street Journal. Every day, millions of students go to college wondering if it will all be worth it at the end. I believe there is little value in college because students will have to suffer the consequences of student loan debt and fight off all the psychological effects that are included with it.

To begin with, as the average cost of tuition is increasing every year, so is the average student loan debt. “Over 44 million Americans collectively hold nearly $1.5 trillion in student debt.” states Abigail Hess, a Careers Reporter for CNBC. With roughly one in four American adults still paying other their student debt, they are still struggling to pay it off even after they find a job. It is shown that student debt gets in the way of their financial goals, leaving many with little savings for their retirement. “The average student in the Class of 2016 has $37,172 in student loan debt” according to Zack Friedman, the founder and CEO of a personal finance comparison site. Nearly half of student loan borrowers have put aside buying a car because of their student loan debt, and many are limiting their spending because they can’t afford to overspend. Student loan debt is holding students back who want to save for a house, invest or open a business. For many, student loan debt is becoming a hindrance and is getting in the way of the spending and business engines that run the U.S.

Secondly, college can lead students to depression and anxiety due to their student loan debt. “More than 74 percent of respondents reported shutting other people out of their lives due to their student loan debt stress.” stated Shannon Insler, a writer for Student Loan Hero, Business Insider, Huffington Post and others. People, now than ever, are isolating themselves because they don’t want others to know how broke they are, or because they are constantly working all the time to earn money to pay back the debt. For others, isolation is better than being vulnerable and devastated about what is going through their lives. “A 2013 survey of college students found that 57% of women and 40% of men reported experiencing episodes of ‘overwhelming anxiety’ in the past year” announced Gregg Henriques, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at James Madison University. Students are now starting to experience physical symptoms of their stress. Respondents describe their feelings as: overwhelming, horrible, frustrating, annoying, heavy, awful and hell. Many start to lose motivation as they are forced to battle their debt, along with their health.

Many believe that a college degree will guarantee you a good paying job. But the reality is that it is now harder for college graduates to even find a decent job. “There are many more students in colleges now than ever before. So that means that when your parents and/or grandparents applied to jobs out of school, there were only a few applicants for each job, whereas now there are thousands of applications for every entry level job.” says Erin Berkery-Rovner, a Career Advisor from Quora. Society tells students: go to school, get a degree, and then you get a job. They spend all their effort and money working toward this goal, with the promise that they were going to be given a good job. With companies getting thousands of job applications for positions, the likelihood of graduates getting accepted is very narrow. “Upon graduating they realized that this economic promise didn’t come to fruition so easily. Again, they did nothing wrong. The problem is in the framework and in the way our economic model incentivizes people.” announced a Quora Contributor on Forbes. With the economy largely controlled and depended on by companies, they decide whether they want to hire you or not. Companies simply operate to maximize profit and won’t think twice about firing employees or closing stores. If they don’t find an interest in your skills, then unfortunately… you’re out of luck.

To conclude, there is little value in college because of the thousands of dollars of debt people face and all the psychological effects that are caused by it. With society drilling our heads with the understanding that only education will lead us to success, we become incognizant of the other options. I encourage you to look into opening a business, investing or even making your YouTube channel, streaming on Twitch or even blogging. I remind you that the most successful people, such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Henry Ford, Kim Kardashian and others, didn’t even graduate from college.

Introduction

‘Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.’ (Picasso as cited in Houston, 2019).

I have always thought of the phrase ‘First Impressions matter’ (Shamim, 2017) and was quick to compare it with starting strong and setting goals. Like in a racing stadium, I believed it was about the energy and force with which an athlete picks up at the sound of the whistle. I also knew of the phrase ‘slow and steady (Henry, 2019)’ but technically did not believe in it. It was like I needed to set off even at the neglect of the instructor’s direction. I needed to start off this ‘music’, dictate the tone and the tempo. I thought of and believed it was about energy and some important skills but truly I guess I was so correct.

I was wrong but not totally because before this lesson on starting strong and setting goals I believed certain traits/factors were necessary for starting strong and college success (Staley, 2016 pp.34-35). I believed at least in the need to study well, take notes and attend class regularly. And that was not all. I also was of the view before this lesson that too much media could be dangerous. I also knew that a certain amount of ‘professionalism’ was needed like going to class, knowing the rules, showing respect and investing enough time (Staley, 2016, pp.40-42). But were they enough. I could try to be in class, respect the teachers and do my assignments but that was all. I was purely not well-grounded on starting strong and setting goals.

One very interesting thing I gained from this lesson is that multi-tasking could be destructive especially when ignored or neglected (Staley, 2016, pp.43-47). I can say I was quite ignorant of its effects and consequences until the test on it was carried out. More so, I could now see that the word ‘Hope’ was not only of spiritual connotation but has academic implications and applications, especially when starting strong and success is needed (Staley, 2016, pp.55-57). But the greatest of all was that I have come to discover the need for values in life, the difference between dreams and goals and the necessity of setting these goals in the light of SMART AND FOCUS challenge or perspective (Staley, 2016, pp.58-62).

The story is now quite different and the lessons learnt and ready to be applied. I have a draft schedule of my activities and programs, plan of my workload, university code of practice, organized social and study life, a maintained balance between social life and other family responsibilities (McMillian & Weyers, 2012, p.19). I am now more challenged by my set goals and values. The picture is now clearer and the adjustments and repositioning already in place. It is a blueprint or a map in my hand, guiding me towards success; controlling my excesses and keeping me in track towards that ultimate goal and price.

References

1. Henry T., (2019). Slow and steady does not win the race. Retrieved from https://accidentalcreative.com/productivity/slow-and-steady-does-not-win-the-race/
2. Houston, E., (2019). What is goal setting and how to do it well? Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting/
3. McMillian K., & Weyers J., (2012). The study skills book (3rd ed.) Harlow, England: Ashford Colour Press.
4. Shamim A., (2017). First impressions matter: here is how to make all of them great. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/293098
5. Staley, C. (2016). Focus on college success (5th ed.). United States of America: Cengage Learning

Over break, I spent most of my time skating, and some time working. I also spent time with my family- both of my uncles from Quebec came here. I ate a lot of good food over break. On christmas, my grandpa came over and we ate a lot of food: lasagna, ham, corn, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, crackers and cheese, shrimp, rolls. Later I celebrated Christmas with my cousins- we ate a pancake brunch then exchanged gifts. On the last day before break ended, my other uncle came over and made us chicken, rice, and broccoli with champagne sauce.

I was not happy with all of my grades because my goal going into 1st semester was to get straight A’s. Even though I worked very hard in both, I didn’t get an A in Honors Chemistry or Honors Algebra 2. I was happy though, that I ended with a B in chemistry because I started the semester with a very low grade, and the highest my grade was this semester was an 86.

I was very happy with my non-academic ventures. I am a competitive figure skater and I have worked very hard to keep up with the physical, social, and mental demands put on me. All of the goals I have made for skating have been met or have gotten very close. My competition season starts in April, so I am hurrying right now to decide on the music I use for my program.

I can improve by working a little bit harder and studying every day. I can also figure out a better way to take notes so that I can study from them more easily. Another thing I can do is I can stay organized to keep myself on track to success.

Yes, I will improve because my parents expect me to do good in school. I also want to do good in school so I can get into a good college and get scholarships to go to that good college. There is an level of expectation that I hold myself to, and one of these things I expect from myself is good grades.

One thing you can do to help me be more successful in second semester by giving our class more partner work. I think that sometimes I can learn from my peers, especially if I don’t understand something. Another thing you can do to help me be more successful this semester is rephrasing things. If I ask a question about a topic, it probably isn’t because I don’t understand it. It is probably because I don’t understand the wording.

My academic goals for the new year are to: get straight A’s, work as hard as I possibly can in all of my classes, do well on all of my tests and quizzes, and do better this semester than I did last semester. My personal and athletic goals are to: workout every day in 2019, to grow my artistry in my figure skating, land a specific jump in figure skating (a double axel), to be more flexible, and learn a list of skills for figure skating.

Something positive: we are more than ½ way through this year, and summer is getting closer by the day!!

“You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential”- Steve Garvey.

In Get Focused Stay Focused, I have learned that the types of goals you set will lead you down various paths that will shape your life. Whether it is a commitment to improve your physical health, get a good grade on a math test, or use your time more wisely after school, goals give you something to strive for. There are many goals that I set daily for myself, without even thinking about it. Three types of goals that we have learned about are short term, long term, and lifestyle goals. In my Freshman year, I have set three different types of goals for myself, a long term, short term and three lifestyle goals.

Long-Term Goals for Me as a College Student

The long term goal that I have set is to become an anesthesiologist by the age of thirty. I know that this will require a lot of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, but I am willing to make the sacrifices needed to become a doctor. I have three action steps that will help me achieve this goal. Starting this year, I will study and earn at least a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) during my four years of high school, so I can get into a competitive college. Once in college, I will continue to be focused on my end goal and use the good study habits that I developed in high school. I will find a major that I enjoy and allows me to fulfill the pre-requisites for medical school. I will study hard and do well in college. I know that I have to maintain a high GPA to get accepted into a medical school. After graduating from college, I will take the MCAT and hopefully score well on it. I will then apply to medical schools where, once accepted, I will continue to study and begin to apply the skills I am learning about. Second, by the end of my Freshman year, I will talk to my dad about the struggles he had in becoming an anesthesiologist and learn how I can avoid these obstacles. Third, I will shadow an anesthesiologist at a nearby hospital by August 2023 to see if the job is actually what I think it is. While this is an ambitious long term goal, I am willing to do what it takes to reach it.

Short-Term Goals for Me as a College Student

The short term goal I have set for myself is to earn a 4.0 grade point average by the end of high school. By setting and working towards this goal, I hope to get accepted into a competitive college. To reach this goal, I will set many smaller goals. I will develop good study habits, so I do well on the tests that I have in my classes. By January 2020, I will establish a quiet place to study without distractions. I will study on average two hours a week or until I feel completely prepared for each class I have a test in, until June 2023. I will make quizlets, take practice tests, and have someone read over my work before assignments are turned in. Second, I will spend at least thirty minutes every night and put in my maximum effort on every homework and classwork assignment from now until June 2023. I will use this time to look assignments over and not rush through them to understand the material and get the best score possible. Finally, I will talk to my parents and school counselor by April 2020 to talk about the classes that I should take in the future and the best four year high school plan to reach my long term goal. I want to take Advanced Placement classes, so I get a grade bump and the chance to take the AP tests, so colleges will view me as a competitive candidate. Having a short term goal will help me reach my long term goal.

Three Lifestyle Goals

I have three lifestyle goals, which are to become an anesthesiologist by the age of thirty, have a family of my own by forty, and to purchase a house by the age of thirty-five. My work goal is the same goal that I set as my long term goal, to become an anesthesiologist by the age of thirty. Things that I can do now to help me clarify if my lifestyle job goal is the right choice for me are to spend one hour a week with ill patients over the summer of 2020, go on a medical mission with my dad and other doctors in the summer of 2020, and interview three doctors that are not anesthesiologists to see if their specialty appeals more to me by the summer of 2020. For my personal lifestyle goal, I plan on being married and having two children by the age of forty. One action that I can take now, to prepare myself for the challenges of parenting, is babysit five kids by the end of my Freshmen year to see if I even enjoy kids. I will also help my mom out weekly with household chores such as cooking, laundry, and making lunches to get a better understanding of the things she does on a daily basis for a family of four. Throughout highschool, college and beyond, I will continue to develop healthy relationships with men, keep my body healthy by working out, and not get pregnant at a young age. My last lifestyle goal is my material goal. I plan to purchase a house by the age of thirty-five. To help me prepare for this big purchase, I will work on saving money. In order to purchase a house I will have to establish good credit and have saved money. I will ask my parents to open a debit account that is linked to my savings account by January 2020, so I can begin to manage my own expenses. In April 2020, I will apply for my first job as a summer swim coach and start saving money from my paychecks. I will develop a healthy relationship with money where I spend some, save some, and donate some of my earnings. Purchasing a house requires having a job or income, good credit, and knowing where you want to establish your roots. When traveling with my family, I will look at cities with a different perspective for the next four years and beyond. I will start to question whether this is a place that I ultimately want to live. By June 2021, I will visit five new cities and look into the cost of living at each place. These are some of the goals that I would like to achieve in my life.

In Get Focused Stay Focused, I have been planning my life journey, considering the goals of my life, and setting goals for my future. I have set a long term, short term, and three lifestyle goals. I have come to the conclusion that I want to be an anesthesiologist. This career path requires that I set and work hard towards many short term goals. The immediate goal that I have set is to get an average GPA of a 4.0 by the end of my senior year of high school to help me get accepted into a competitive college. I will develop good study habits, work in an environment conducive to learning, spend time on my assignments and studying for tests, and put in maximum effort in school. The lifestyle goals that I have set are to become a doctor by thirty, have a family by forty, and a house by thirty-five. While these goals seem almost out of reach right now, I know that they can be accomplished if I work hard, persevere, and make good choices. I want to strive for my true potential. Reaching these goals, begins with me taking action today.

Habits of successful people that will transform your life.

1. Set goals
2. Take responsibility for their action
3. Great self discipline
4. Observe with Self-development
5. Risk takers

Questions:

1. Choose three of the habits and discuss why they are important for student success.
2. Identify additional habits that students need and explain why they are important.

1. Three important habits for successful students.

To be successful in university students need to have some habits . The most important thing to be successful student is to work hard and to know from the beginning how to measure you success to achieve your goals. This essay will focus on few habits of successful student in the first part and identify additional habits and find out what they are important in the second part. Quality of habits determinate students to be a successful in their life. “The future belongs to the competent. Get good, get better. By the best’ said Brian Tracy . Developing good habits and being motivate are important for students to have success in future .

Set goals

To be successful students need to have their own goals , their own dreams and pursue them. According to Earl Nightingale “ People with goals succeed because they know where they are going,” Goal settings are important for students because they help to solve immediate problems and also to gain confidence and ambition, to set a clear path, to build sensitive of responsibility, to provide opportunity for success, to separate wishes from reality, to increase self-awareness, to improve decision making skills . Planning ahead help to reach the goal and motivate students to learn.

In addition to planning , attitude is important factor to succeed in study or career and to achieve goals , even if they are for short term goals or long term goals. In the word of R Federer “You have to believe in long term plan you have bit you need the short term goals to motivate and inspire you.” Short-term goals is it something that students want to achieve in near future ( today , next week , next month) like a take a class, finish your assignment in time , studying for assignment . Long terms goals is it something that the students want to achieve in the future, require time and planning and take more than one year to pursue it. Can include graduation, building a career, but involve and social relationship with other (family, hobbies). Usually the long term goals guide the short term goals , such doing good at exams and become steps by reaching the long term goals.

All successful students know exactly what they want, they are writing plans and work for their plan daily. To can become better in your study learn and read continuously , attend the class , take notes . Another perspective on this is about time management. When you set your goals and have it in your mind the subconscious will work to achieve it. Michelle Obama said “ One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.”

Take responsibility

Successful students take responsibility for their actions and accept it. Responsability means control , ability to do something well. “ Education’s responsibility is to replace an empty mind with an open one’. Malcom Forbes. It is important to consider that taking responsibility for learning means that the student are responsible for their life like a student . Another perspective on this is active classroom participation . This skill help students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and plan what they need to improve or to find a different style of learning who is more suitable for them. Taking responsibility help students to decide what they want to achieve , to change their habits , their attitude , to be more motivate to face challenging and develop problem-solving skills.

In addition to this students need to be honest , working hard for project or assessment and trying all the best they can and not cheating . Even if the assessment is not very good take responsibility to work harder next time. “When you are cheating you are telling yourself that you are simply not smart enough to handle learning “ A guide for successful students , I. Steward and A Maisonville. Successful students do not play a victim role or put the blame on someone else , they need to stay motivated and focused to find a solution for all the problems . Taking responsibility is not mean failing , just adjust the attitude to do not happened again. “Failure is an opportunity to begin again more intelligently”. Henry Ford. Take responsibilities make student able to manage their study . A good study plan help students to gain independence.

Risk takers

Successful students take risk! . According to RF Kennedy “ Inly those who dare to fail greatly can over achieve greatly “. Successful students prefer to take a risk regardless to think at fail. Like that they develop confidence, learn more and find new opportunities and rewards. In addition to this to take risk help students to find solutions, to challenge , to take decisions and evaluate the risk. By taking responsible risk you can try new things constantly, find new adventures and you can have a feedback and action on it. When a student ask for help is taking a good risk and he is not thinking that he is less competent. Another perspective on this is student can have advise and guidance from teachers or colleagues. Risk can be good , bag and beautiful. Taking beautiful risk students take action and have a positive contribution for learning.

However not all students take risk. This students miss opportunities to receive feedback on their skills and strategies to increase their knowledge and improve their skills. This is the biggest reason to do not find a success. The fear to fail inhibe them to engage in intellectual risk. Sometimes the students are thinking if their answer is correct or not and do not take the risk to ask teachers to don’t look like they are less competent. They prefer to search by themselves and maybe they can not find the answer. Like that they miss the opportunity to find quickly what they want to know , losing time to do research.

Even in school, now , teachers prepare young people that is important to take a risk to can build your trust, your confidence, to develop skills of reflection and judgement because this is helpful for their future. Students need to learn how to take risk and reward to take the best decision . This is a part of learning and progression.

“Risk! Risk anything! Care no more of the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest think on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth! “ K. Mansfield This proves that is important for students to take risk.

2. Additional habits for successful students.

Time management

Time management is an important skill for students to master. “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focus effort “ in P.J. Meyer view. Firstly a good time management help students to prioritize task. By planning time , students are able to finish their assignment in time or staying on track and organized during the exam period. Students need to plan ahead, to set time that they need for assignment and use this time better. Secondly advantage of a good time management is that students become more confident , learn effectively and avoid procrastination problem.

It is also important for students to know how to study. SQ3R is it a method of reading developed to help students to read faster and study better , to absorb information and to fix it in mind . This concept presents five essential techniques to use it for reading : survey , questions , read , recite and review. Survey means to go quickly on the chapter to have some background about topics and to pick up the general information . The second technique help to make students curious and increase comprehension by turning the heading in a question. The third one is read , concentrate to find out the answer and to identify the main idea and take notes. Next one ,recite loud in your words what you read and the last one is review , look after notes to find out important information after finish reading one chapter.

In C. Paine view “ If you want to be more productive, you need to become master of your minutes “. Students need to use some tips to master time management : create a a schedule time, understand how to use time, set goals to check progress, break large projects in small one , take breaks, build better habits and routines, optimise study time, find a suitable study place. This provides that is important for successful students to know how to manage their time.

Study plan

Create a study plan is it important habit for successful students. Firstly , getting organized engage students to study by making a learning plan. Secondly, is it useful for student to have a study plan because this help them to finish assignment in time or to finish their learning for exams and to be concentrate at what it needs to be done. And finally, students get organized with study , work , family and social life. For online lessons is it also important to have a study plan because the students should be self-discipline and they need to have self-determination to complete their study. Students need to personalized they study plan according to their knowledge , , specific needs , classes and learning style. In the word of D. Carnegie “ Am hour of planning can save ten hours of doing “.

It is also important to consider some tips to create a study plan. Plan schedule to have enough time to finish you assignment in time . Schedule weekly plan to cover all the material for study . Analyse personal study habits and learning because some students can study for long blocks and another one are more effective when they are studying for 30-45 minutes and take some breaks to refresh the brain. As well create a daily schedule for studying. Evaluate how much time is necessary for commitment: studies, review, classes and allocate time for work, family, social life. Take notes and review notes regularly help students to improve their memory and ask questions is the best way to learn better. Study zone should be a quiet environment , to be clean and without unnecessary things to distract attention . In R Collier view “ Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out’ . This evidence demonstrate that is it important that students to have a study plan.

Mental health and wellbeing

To be successful in university students need to put effort to keep themselves healthy. Research shown that is very important for students to have a healthy diet and to do regular exercises because both are interrelate and bring a lot of benefits for students to succeed. In the word of Keyes , 2002 achieving life balance as “flourishing “ and this will bring a lot of advantages to students: getting involved in activities, building strategies to help , manage and reduce stress, taking care of health, setting goals. It is also important to consider to plan time for wellness by monitoring nutrition and monitoring physical activities . Exercises increased energy and focus by pumping oxygen to the brain and students have a higher academic performance ( better perform class participation , higher test score ,improve the quality of study time , improve mental focus, decrease stress) .

In addition with this health food has a big impact on students performance. It is important to drink a lot of water and to have a healthy nutrition to optimise brain function. This improve mental focus and quality of study time. Because students make effort to master they spend a lot of time studying they need to be able to focus and this depend on their physical and mental health. Negative effects of not eating healthy: increase weight, increase fatigue, difficulty concentrating, risk of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, poor academic performance. This proves that is important for students to make time for exercise , to have healthy meals and sleep at least 8 hours per night.

Taking notes

To be successful at university students need to take notes. For this students go prepare for class, pay attention and concentrate to can focus at the lesson. It is also important to improve their listening skills to don’t write down all the lesson, just essential notes and focus on the main points that lecturer make . Good notes taking are helpful for students in-class because help them to focus and better understand the main concepts and because improve active listening, comprehension and retention. Post-class benefits of taking notes : save the time to study class material and can create a great resource for creating outline and study. In the word of Pyle (1992) spending more time on scribbling than watching defeat the purpose. This prove that students should be selective when they are taking notes.

There are few methods to take notes and every student should use the one who is suitable for them. The first one Outline method is about taking notes using bullets, phrases to can be accessed easier after class. Second one is Mapping Method and the main topic is write in the middle and subtopics around . The third one ,Charting Method, uses columns for different topics. Fourth one , Sentences Method , uses sentences to organize main idea with headings. The last one, Cornell Method use one column in right to write notes , another one for questions and at the bottom one to summarise the main points of the notes. Every method for taking notes has advantages disadvantage and that way is it important that every student to find the best one . Taking notes is an essential habit for students to succeed in university.

Education is an essential aspect of personal and professional growth. As a student, I have long been inspired by all that education can offer. Since childhood, I have fully understood the value of academic achievement and how it can lead to so many opportunities. Over time, my enthusiasm for learning has only deepened. Now, I’m intent on creating a plan of success through education that will help me realize my dreams and aspirations.

In this essay, I will outline my academic goals, aspirations, and the steps I plan to take to achieve them. By mapping my path to academic success, I am confident that I can turn my dreams into reality and make a meaningful contribution to society.

Mapping My Path to Academic Success

As a student, setting academic goals is an important step towards achieving success in one’s academic pursuits. My academic goals are driven by my desire to acquire knowledge, develop new skills, and achieve academic excellence.

A Strong Foundation in English Language

My first goal is to develop a strong foundation in English language arts through a solid understanding of grammar and mechanics. This includes developing my reading comprehension skills by expanding my vocabulary and learning how to use rhetorical devices effectively when writing essays or creative pieces.

Skills Improvement

My second goal is to hone my analytical and reasoning skills in order to apply them in problem-solving scenarios beyond the classroom. To do this, I will first focus on honing my active listening skills both in and out of the classroom. This will involve working with other students on group projects and practicing listening objectively with an open mind. By listening carefully, thinking critically and understanding the steps necessary to identify the most important points, I’m confident I can acquire the necessary skills for problem-solving success and achieve my academic goals.

Ability to Researching

My third goal is to improve on my research skills so that I am able to conduct independent studies for school projects or for personal enrichment purposes by conducting thorough research into topics of interest such as current events, historical figures, and other topics related to society at large. This knowledge will help me gain a better understanding of the world and its people, as well as how particular topics influence our current society. The necessary skills I’ll hone in on include assessing sources, determining credibility when needed, and using sound judgement to identify which data should be focused on.

Writing and Communication Skills

My fourth academic goal is to develop strong writing and presentation skills. I believe that these skills are essential for academic and professional success. Therefore, I plan to take courses that emphasize writing and communication skills, attend workshops and seminars, and practice regularly. Writing will be a major part of my career as a teacher because I value the ability to clearly express myself in written documents. However, I have always struggled with this skill.

Student’s Development

Setting academic goals is an integral part of a student’s development, as the college years are when most students will encounter the highest levels of academic challenge and coursework. Setting a series of clear academic goals helps to structure a student’s academic pursuits, creating an environment that promotes high performance in the classroom and overall growth as a scholar. What makes these goals unique is their focus on creating a positive learning environment, making them something that students should consider designing into their schedules.

If you want to get more involved in a certain field or area of study, but your schedule does not allow for taking classes related to that topic, then it may be worth exploring other opportunities. There may be extracurricular activities or events that could allow you to gain the same knowledge and skills without those same time constraints. As well, remember that academic success can change over the course of your college career; what once seemed manageable may become more difficult as you take on advanced classes and level-up your learning strategy.

Conclusion

In summary, it is vital for every student who aspires to make a positive impact on the world to chart a course towards academic success. In this essay, I have shared my academic objectives and aspirations, as well as the actions I intend to take to accomplish them. I am resolute in my pursuit of knowledge and aim to make a significant contribution to society. Despite the challenges that lie ahead, I am determined to remain focused and dedicated to this journey towards academic triumph. With diligence, commitment, and a growth-oriented mindset, I am confident that I can attain my academic aspirations and create a brighter future for myself and those around me. My story is intended to inspire others to pursue their own goals and strive for academic excellence.

Almost three months ago, I found myself 31 years old, with four kids, failing as a student, and battling with life priorities. After failing out of the nursing program for the second time, I ask myself every morning, “How am I going to be successful?”. Well, the answer to this question pushes me to do what it takes, no matter what, why, and how many times I stumble and fail. I raise my head and push forward. With all intention, in this essay, I present my remediation plan. Developed to help me reach my goals in nursing school and be successful. After analyzing test scores and study skills, I finally concluded that I MUST change my strategy. Now, I have a better understanding of how I can successfully address my situation and make the best of it.

One of the main targets for me is organization. This is my starting point. I plan to start using a daily planner where I can put in everything I have to complete for lectures and clinical work. As I get so stressed and overwhelmed by the number of assignments and material to be covered, I expect that by planning what to study and when to study, I’ll make sure I have covered what’s required, which will enable me to relax and focus. I created a draft to see what it would look like. I divided the day into three parts. Set aside 2-3 hours a day to read and review with breaks of 10-15 minutes in between. It’s all about time management. This will allow me to plan when and what I will specifically study to not only get through reading but also to digest the material. My goal here is to focus on understanding the different concepts one at a time. Thus, preventing me from drowning with the amount of reading to be completed. I’ll carry this planner with me wherever I go to help me stay focused on the priorities for the week. This way I can keep track of due dates, exam dates, and any school plans ahead. My objective here is to be proactive and help myself keep a busy schedule organized, and not be all over the place trying to figure out if I missed something.

Secondly, I have to take control of the testing anxiety I have been experiencing. The fear of performing poorly has, certainly, affected me in many ways. I get anxious just thinking that after the test I’ll be judged by teachers, fellow students, family members, you name it. The level of anxiety surpasses me and I blank out on the material I know. Consequently, this has contributed immensely to my second failure in nursing school. With that being said, I’m working to find the right way to block out ‘performance anxiety’ up to a certain point so that I can concentrate and demonstrate that I do know the material. Undoubtedly, I have to allow myself to truly believe I can accomplish it. I also read some helpful handouts about testing anxiety. Moreover, I consulted with the Director of Personal Counseling Services. His advice was beyond beneficial to me. We spoke about strategies I can use to decrease my testing anxiety, such as how to do some serious ‘thought stopping’ and how to calm myself down. He also helped me understand how powerful my thoughts are and how I am the only one who can take control by using positive affirmation.

As far as social support, the plan here is to make it stronger. I had a formal conversation with my mother and close family members on how they could help out with my kids and endless household chores. I have always had a sense of guilt when I have to put my kids aside or when I have to ask someone for help so that I can get things done around the house, moreover, to do what I have to do for school. My mom is willing to pick up the kids after school and my aunts will take turns coming over to my house to help with chores and the kids. This will allow me to step out of the house, and go to a quiet place to study over the weekend at least for a few hours. I also plan to stay at school after classes to take care of school assignments, readings, etc. instead of heading straight home where I can’t concentrate a hundred percent.

Finally, yet importantly, I have researched nursing test-taking strategies I can put into practice. I found helpful resources. One of them is Kaplan. I signed up for one of their multiple free online NCLEX Success Seminars and for their Prescription for Success event to be held in Charlotte. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to acquire critical thinking skills.

Believe it or not, I am thankful to be where I am now. Situations, circumstances, and life experiences made me who I am today. I am open to any suggestions and willing to go the extra mile when needed. My purpose is to serve and nurture those around me, my community. I truly believe that this time I will complete my nursing program and finally be able to fulfill my dreams.

Attending college is always a difficult phase for every student because they have to get settled in a different environment and with people from almost all over the globe. Meeting people who are perusing the same profession as you are challenging because you have a lot more pressure and you have to be able to look as professional as them. Career is one of the most important things in everyone’s life. Your career describes what are you going to be doing your whole life and what would be the source of income for you and your family. One needs to select a profession that he loves doing and get a degree in because he does not want to do something that he is not interested in. Getting up every day knowing that you would be doing what you love will make your day a lot better. However, if you know that you will be getting out of college learning and getting a job, it makes you feel good about yourself.

As an ambitious and growing college student, I have to enhance my knowledge of the community in which I reside. Rutgers has the capability to educate me both academically and culturally in the world around me. I could elevate myself to something new and innovative every day through its vast and diverse community. All I want to do is go outside the front door and speak to the thousands of people from all over the world who are enrolled in academic institutions to reach a high level of enrichment.

There are indeed hundreds of classes, programs, and important events on the campus to assist me in actually learning and leading along an understanding and acceptance path. Rutgers is distinctive and culturally diverse. There would be new levels of personal enrichment both within and outside the classroom each day. In order to study at such a diverse college and community at Rutgers, I could also achieve a secondary goal of exploring the world. During my studies, I could implicate myself to a new culture every day, enabling us to better understand and comprehend how others reside in their daily routines. Education and training oneself is also crucial step toward self-enrichment. Rutgers’ educational excellence is indeed a national standard. There are hundreds of courses offered on the campus in a hundred areas of study. All that is necessary is to take the first step and be ready to absorb a great deal of knowledge.

Through a phenomenal education and an extensive community, relationships can become much more realistic and practical with my personal career goals. They say lifelong friendships at college are always made. Life-long friendships are also the strides to establish a strong network that encourages and empowers you to take your life into your own hands.

As an immigrant, we struggle a lot as we come from different environments and different school systems, so, at Rutgers, I plan to pursue the myriad academic goals, which I have firmly established for myself. One of them is that I will be the first to earn a diploma in my family at a university in the United States of America. If I became an alumnus of Rutgers, I would make the rest of my family proud.

Being someone who has so many interests in exploring the various challenges that comes in life at different stages, I see this student exchange program as a very beneficial chapter that one can experience in their university episode of life.

That was a remarkable opportunity to be a participant of the Phase I of CSA – UWE student exchange program where so many collaborative activities happened with the students from UWE who visited Sri Lanka in November 2019 for 10 days. The experiences I gained from that program made me realize that the phase II of this program where 10 students from our studio (CSA) getting a chance to collaborate with UWE students at Bristol would be a once in a life-time opportunity to better my knowledge.

Therefore, I would like to express my strong interest for participating in this exchange program in January 2020, in which I see as an exciting next step in the expansion of my career outside my familiar surroundings and comfort zone. Being an eligible student since I am currently studying in Part II Year I where urban designing plays a major role in this academic year, the related program they would be hosting will ensure so much knowledge from a different perspective.

I perceive this exchange program would help me in broadening my knowledge base, acquiring skills and maturity through facing the challenges and significantly improve my present abilities with a global background. I hope that this would be an opportunity to increase self-confidence and gain a mutual understanding between another culture in which is so much different to my own in many ways.

In addition, this is a unique opportunity to meet new people, expand my contact network and meet new colleagues from the other part of the world. The excitement of living in another country even for 10 days, blended with the support and security from UWE as the host would great. Making new friends, and sometimes a new set of brothers and sisters who will last a life time and who will help you understand the world through new eyes. On the other hand, I hope that the friends we became friendly already and shared the cultural background of my own country would do the same for us and make us knowledgeable as well.

I see myself as a hardworking responsible individual, and as a strong team player. Therefore, I always strive to give my best in all the activities in school and especially in academics. I am convinced that my academic experiences combined with working experiences make me a suitable candidate for the program. However, it’s not only the academics that matter but how I stand for the opportunities to expand my boundaries with the fellow mates. Anyway, since we should be never too old to learn new techniques, where I see this opportunity is so valuable as per the conversations had with the UWE students, I am also looking forward to explore their technological background.

Finally, I would like to genuinely acknowledge that I would stand confidently to make sure that my school, CSA will be represented well at my best and that I would be helping in all the ways possible for the success of this program. Thanking in advance for this opportunity and for considering my application I would like to state that if I get the chance, this would not be just 10 days of my life, but would be another memorable chapter in my life within 10 days.