Helping Our Sons and Daughters Be Successful
in College
Parents
whose sons and daughters recently went off to college want
their children to stay in college. Many of us hope and believe
that what is inherently desirable about the college experience
will be sufficient motivation for our children to do what is
needed to successfully negotiate the demands of higher education. And
yet, in the United States, more students drop out of college
than graduate! Equally shocking is the fact that 6 out
of every 10 jobs require a postsecondary education. What
causes so many students to be unable to sustain effort over time
and leave college without graduating?
Graduation
rates at public or state four-year colleges and universities
remain at only about 40 percent of entering students. Private
colleges and universities fare only slightly better: 57 percent
of their freshmen go on to graduate. Two-year public colleges,
or community colleges, have the worst record, graduating fewer
than 30 percent of their students. Sadly, these statistics
have been fairly stable over the past three decades, even though
more people than ever before now attend college.
If
we want to help our sons and daughters to maximize the chances
for success in college, there are a number of things that psychologists,
e.g., Raley (2007) have uncovered that can tip the balance in
favor of successfully completing college.
For Students:
- Research the college and visit prospective colleges; attend
open houses; ask questions.
- Assess
yourself: Are you ready to put the time, money
and effort into getting a degree?
- Attend
a college preparatory program in high school if one is available. Participate in summer programs and take
basic skills courses. Ask for a summer reading list. Register
and plan your schedule early. Attend student orientations.
- Do
not limit your options: Most students change their
major at least once, and any degree trumps none at all.
- When
a problem crops up, do not be shy. Seek out
college services such as psychological counseling, career guidance,
faculty mentoring or tutoring.
For Parents:
- Research the college with your son or daughter.
- Provide
emotional and social support, regardless of your child's choice of major or career. Set
goals for your child and provide financial incentives if
that will help.
- Help
your son or daughter prepare. Encourage participation
in summer programs and orientation sessions.
- Stay
informed and in touch: Is your son or daughter
involved in student activities? Has he or she made friends? What
are his or her grades?
While
in High School, encourage your high school senior to take advanced
placement courses to give them an idea of the academic challenges
they will face when they enter college. Important
skills in college are the ability to analyze literature, and
the ability to take effective notes utilizing advanced skills
in saliency determination. Also important is the ability
to support one's opinions. When these skills are
well developed, the student has a far better chance of successfully
completing college. When they are not well developed, high
school students should be encouraged to attend a summer program
or take remedial courses that focus on these skills. All
college freshmen would be wise to take a study skills course
if their school offers one. Such courses can help students
manage their time and take effective notes. Teaching saliency
determination will help the student focus upon the most important
content of a lecture or textbook, a skill that will help them
survive the next four years.
Lastly,
ties to the home and family remain important, even as students
try to move on. Parents should stay involved with
their children and ask them about their grades, friendships,
activities and overall happiness. Whenever practical, parents
should visit their son or daughter at college, and do whatever
is needed to help make school feel more like home.
Raley, Yvonne (2007) Scientific American Mind, Vol. 18, No.
4
August 2007
