CollegeCollege SuccessSuccess

What’s it all about???What’s it all about???

College SuccessCollege SuccessWhy are you in South Texas College?Why are you in South Texas College?

You’re here because you want to be You’re here because you want to be here, nobody made you do it!here, nobody made you do it!

You’re here because you want get You’re here because you want get more education to get a good job and more education to get a good job and have a successful life. In other words, have a successful life. In other words, make more money than you would make more money than you would with just a high school education.with just a high school education.

THIS TAKES WORK!THIS TAKES WORK!Make no mistake about it, a Make no mistake about it, a good life takes hard work. It good life takes hard work. It isn’t going to fall off a tree isn’t going to fall off a tree like a ripe orange.like a ripe orange.

If you start college with the If you start college with the attitude that you are going to attitude that you are going to work to get the education you work to get the education you want, you will do fine.want, you will do fine.

Just don’t give up!Just don’t give up!

What kind of work does it take?What kind of work does it take?

First, attitude is everything! You’ve got First, attitude is everything! You’ve got to motivate yourself to get up and get to motivate yourself to get up and get going and stay going! And nobody else going and stay going! And nobody else can do it but you!can do it but you!

Next, you need to get your mind and Next, you need to get your mind and your brain to work with you. This your brain to work with you. This takes effort and willpower.takes effort and willpower.

Remember…Remember…Grades and Grades and numbers may be a numbers may be a big deal in school, big deal in school, but in the “real but in the “real world” they don’t world” they don’t mean ZIP!mean ZIP! What’s really What’s really

important is learning important is learning how to “think things how to “think things through” and then through” and then applying that applying that thinking to do things thinking to do things well…well…

The SyllabusThe Syllabus

A syllabus is an outline or A syllabus is an outline or “guide-book” which tells “guide-book” which tells pretty much all you need to pretty much all you need to know about a college know about a college course.course.Even if you think it’s long Even if you think it’s long and a little boring, it’s a and a little boring, it’s a really good idea to keep really good idea to keep checking with the syllabus checking with the syllabus to see what’s going to to see what’s going to happen next, so you can happen next, so you can plan ahead…plan ahead…

So what are we going to do?So what are we going to do?Self-DiscoverySelf-Discovery: what : what are “learning styles”?are “learning styles”?Do you learn by seeing, Do you learn by seeing, hearing or touching?hearing or touching?The more you know The more you know about yourself, the about yourself, the more you have to use more you have to use to make yourself a to make yourself a better life…better life…

Time Management:Time Management:getting a handle on getting a handle on scheduling your time…scheduling your time…Do you procrastinate Do you procrastinate or get it done right or get it done right now?now?Can you set deadlines Can you set deadlines for yourself and stick for yourself and stick to them?to them?Do you plan ahead or Do you plan ahead or let things go to the last let things go to the last minute?minute?

What else will we work on?What else will we work on?Note-taking:Note-taking: if you if you really want to really want to remember something: remember something: WRITE IT DOWN!!!WRITE IT DOWN!!!

And the more And the more organized your notes organized your notes are, the better you are, the better you can use them to get can use them to get ahead in your classes.ahead in your classes.

Test-taking: Test-taking:

Dealing with “test Dealing with “test anxiety” – don’t let anxiety” – don’t let tests get to you!tests get to you!

How to study and How to study and prepare for tests…prepare for tests…

Tips and strategies for Tips and strategies for kicking “you-know- kicking “you-know-what” on tests.what” on tests.

Now we work on the mind…Now we work on the mind…

Memory:Memory: is the mental is the mental glue that holds everything glue that holds everything you learn & know you learn & know together.together.The trick is to learn how to The trick is to learn how to control and organize your control and organize your memory so that you memory so that you remember what is remember what is important and necessary important and necessary and forget what isn’t.and forget what isn’t.

Critical thinking:Critical thinking: your brain your brain is a far better computer is a far better computer than anything invented so than anything invented so far by man.far by man.But, like any other muscle But, like any other muscle in your body, it needs to be in your body, it needs to be exercised to be strong.exercised to be strong.That exercise is called That exercise is called “THINKING”!“THINKING”!To know, comprehend, To know, comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize, apply, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and organize are evaluate and organize are all parts of the thinking all parts of the thinking process.process.

The Research ProjectThe Research Project

To To researchresearch is to make a is to make a thorough and extensive thorough and extensive investigation about a investigation about a subject.subject.

In this class, you will do a In this class, you will do a research project about what research project about what it takes to succeed in it takes to succeed in college.college.

The best place to do The best place to do research is the STC library.research is the STC library.

We will go to the library so We will go to the library so you can see how to use it.you can see how to use it.

Your research will involve Your research will involve books, periodicals books, periodicals (magazines & journals), (magazines & journals), the Internet and personal the Internet and personal interviews to discover the interviews to discover the secrets of College Success.secrets of College Success.

Finally, you will publish the Finally, you will publish the findings from your findings from your research in an essay and a research in an essay and a in-class presentation.in-class presentation.

A Final Word: Choosing a CareerA Final Word: Choosing a CareerChoose a career in Choose a career in something you really like something you really like to do.to do.

If you can get an If you can get an employer to pay to do employer to pay to do something you already something you already like to do, you are way like to do, you are way ahead of the game…ahead of the game…