Academic Success at the College Level
Making It as Easy as 1-2-3
by Caroline E. Bailey, Ph.D.
Achieving academic success in college is a challenging task for most students, particularly if they have learning differences. By implementing a systematic, organized approach to learning, students can meet this challenge. All college students with learning differences benefit when they embrace three fundamental principles of academic success: advocate, rejuvenate, and DO NOT procrastinate. While hard work is synonymous with the college experience, implementing these steps can make the road to academic success as easy as 1-2-3.
- Advocacy is a key factor in creating an optimal learning environment. Having open communication with instructors and establishing appropriate support services is a critical part of advocating for yourself. However, self-advocacy is not just about informing others of your academic needs. It also involves developing self-management skills that facilitate your awareness of your learning strengths and weaknesses and increase proactive learning. Below are ways you can advocate:
- Set reasonable goals for yourself that are focused on the present. Don't plan for what you will do, plan for what you are doing right now. For example, "I complete reading assignments daily," is a more powerful goal than "I want to complete reading assignments daily."
- If you require accommodations, register with the Disabled Students Office and request services at the beginning of the semester.
- Choose a course schedule that coincides with your optimal learning times. For example, if you learn best in the morning, schedule morning classes.
- Choose a major that truly piques your curiosity.
- Anticipate stressful times of the semester when you are likely to be overloaded, and plan accordingly.
- Take advantage of campus academic resources, including tutoring and writing assistance.
- Establish open communication with faculty. Provide clear descriptions of your academic needs. Visit your faculty at office hours to ask questions.
- Seek out corrective feedback on your work. Find out how you can improve.
- Set yourself up for success. Do not overload yourself with extracurricular activities.
- Find a living situation that is conducive to studying
- Rejuvenation and maintaining your health are key components of successful learning. A balanced approach toward time management, nutrition, and health are important to success in a university setting. Here are some examples of ways to rejuvenate:
- Get an appropriate amount of sleep every night.
- Maintain a healthy diet and incorporate exercise into your weekly schedule.
- Seek out supportive academic role models and mentors.
- Work smarter, not harder. Manage your time well and implement important study skills such as color coding notes, making flash cards, reading key terms, topic headings, and summaries before beginning to read a chapter, and studying on a daily basis.
- Avoid "all nighters" - cramming does not lead to long-term retention of material.
- Avoid excessive use of caffeine. Its stimulating effects are time-limited, and you may feel more drained after they wear off.
- The most difficult challenge for many students is implementing the third step, "do not procrastinate." Procrastination is a temptation for all students, but it is a particularly complex issue for students with learning differences. Often LD students procrastinate because they feel overwhelmed by an assignment, or are simply afraid that they may not be able to complete it successfully. The best way to face your fear and to avoid feeling consumed by the assignment is to be proactive. This replaces academic doubts with academic self-confidence. It is tempting to rely on the adrenaline rush that comes 24 hours before an assignment is due as a catalyst for facing academic anxieties. Instead, identify them early and set up a structured plan that allows you to address your worries and complete the assignment in a timely fashion. For example, if an assignment feels overwhelming, identify the smallest component of the task, do that first, and do it now. Here are some easy ways to make sure you DO NOT procrastinate:
- Consult your syllabi often. Familiarize yourself with due dates for assignments and projects. Then map out how you will complete the assignment before the due date.
- Break down assignments into manageable pieces that you can complete in an hour of studying.
- Set aside daily, designated study time and build this into your schedule as though it were a class.
- As soon as you start to feel overwhelmed by a looming assignment, begin working on it.
- Allow yourself extra time to complete assignments. They can take longer than you expect.
- Plan to finish your assignment with enough time to allow your instructor or teaching assistant to review it before the due date.
- Find a friend who can support you by pushing you to work ahead of deadlines.
- Reward yourself for completing work in a timely, planned fashion.
By setting action-oriented goals and implementing the three easy steps of "advocate, rejuvenate and do not procrastinate," students with learning disabilities can and will achieve classroom success.
About the Author: Dr. Caroline E. Bailey is an Assistant Professor of Human Services at the California State University, Fullerton. Her program of research is focused on reading and language disorders in children and adolescents with neurobehavioral disorders such as dyslexia and epilepsy. She is a neurobehavioral fellow of the American Epilepsy Society and a member of The International Dyslexia Association. Prior to her academic appointment, Dr. Bailey, who is Slingerland-trained, worked as a learning specialist with college students.
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