Is Someone You Love Going to College? Their Success Depends …video.wallace.edu/pd/articles/Linked article - PDF... · 2016-03-29 · words . I used to harp on those three words

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Is Someone You Love Going to College? Their

Success Depends on Three Words

By Jeff Beals

It’s that time of year – college students are

making their way back to campus. Soon

picturesque quads across the nation will be

filled with backpack-toting collegians

walking under perfectly azure skies

crunching fallen leaves underfoot.

Thinking about the annual return of

students to campus reminded me of a note I

received from a reader several months ago.

He asked me to write an article about

college success. He wanted me to offer

advice to students about to enter college. I

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told him I would be happy to do that but wanted to wait until the article would be

timely. Well, that time is now.

If you have a son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew or anyone else you care

about who will be starting college this fall, please read on. If YOU are going to

college, it’s especially important to read on…

By the way, I’m actually quite comfortable addressing this question and fairly well

credentialed in doing so. Before entering the for-profit business sector 14 years

ago, I was dean of student affairs at a private college.

The keys to college success are quite similar to those of the professional world.

Three Words

Responsibility. Authority. Accountability. Success ultimately comes down to three

words. I used to harp on those three words when I would meet with new students

and upperclassmen. In order to succeed, each individual must take total

responsibility for his or her own life. You must graciously accept credit when it is

due, and more importantly, you must be the first to stand up and take the blame

when you have made a mistake.

If you get an “A+” on a term paper, it’s because you did the necessary work, not

because you got lucky. If you’re late for class, it’s your fault, not because you got

stuck waiting at a railroad crossing (you should have left earlier). People who

adopt this belief are almost always more successful than those who make excuses.

Every individual has responsibility for himself or herself. Nobody else can or

should make decisions for you. Fortunately, each of us has the authority to carry

out that responsibility. Nobody has the right to take away the power you have

over your own life. Finally, we are accountable for the decisions we make – good

or bad. You live with the consequences of your decision-making and actions.

While responsibility, authority and accountability come with a burden, they are

also liberating. Success begins and ends with you. People who abide by these

three words enjoy more success and lead richer lives.

No Passivity Allowed

Students must take the initiative to make things happen. Successful people live

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active rather than passive lives. To persist in college, you must deliberately make

things happen. Those students who sit in their residence hall rooms waiting for

something to happen tend to turn into professionals who sit in their offices

wondering why other people are so much more successful.

Get Involved

It may sound counter intuitive, but one of the best ways to succeed academically

is to get involved outside the classroom. I saw it all the time when I worked as a

college administrator – students who dropped out of school during their

freshman or sophomore years tended to be isolated and not interwoven into the

campus fabric.

Getting involved in a campus club, organization, Greek organization or athletic

team helps you develop relationships with fellow students. These relationships

consequently bind you emotionally to the school. If you are having a good time

and benefiting from meaningful experiences and relationships, you’re more likely

to work hard and do what it takes to stay there.

Collegiate involvement also makes the campus seem “smaller.” This is important,

because going to college can feel intimidating to freshmen especially at large

universities.

Time Management

While earning good grades takes hard work, you don’t want to be studying 24-7.

Your undergraduate experience should be one of the most fun and memorable

times of your life. You can enjoy the best of your academic and social lives if you

are a good time manager.

As in the professional world, time management habits are one of the single most

significant factors that separate the successful from the not-so-successful. If a

student is lacking in time management, there are several on-line resources that

provide tips, advice and exercises.

Find a Mentor

Mentorship has been proven over the years to be a highly effective path to

success. New students should seek out mentors on campus. They could be

professors, staff members, and most likely, an upperclassman who is leading a

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successful college career. Having a role model and a source for advice makes it

easier for a freshman to live a life of responsibility, authority and accountability.

Mentor-mentee relationships tend to be informal, developed over time as people

get to know each other and build friendships. That said, many colleges have

formal mentoring programs in which incoming students are matched with

upperclassmen who have agreed to serve as mentors and follow a designed

program.

Be On Campus

Finally, there’s no substitute for just being on campus. I’m a big believer of

on-campus living. By being on campus around the clock, you fully immerse

yourself in the experience.

However, I understand that on-campus living is not logistically or financially

possible for all students. In those cases, students should spend their free time on

campus. Instead of going home right after class, stick around. Do your studying in

the student center, the library or the quad. Eat your meals on campus. Just being

there makes it more likely that you will succeed.

Like so many things in life, college requires that you throw your whole self into

the experience. Make it your passion. Be a college student with all your heart.

There are some things in life that you can do half-heartedly. College is not one of

them. You need to give it your all and be fully committed.

Jeff Beals is a professional speaker, award-winning author and sales

consultant, who helps companies increase their profits and associations achieve

their missions through effective sales and personal branding techniques.

Here's Why Should You Choose Jeff Beals as Your Next Speaker:

“A couple of my Dean's Fellows recently said your presentation two years ago

about building your personal brand was their best experience at Creighton.” - Dr.

Anthony R. Hendrickson, Dean, Heider College of Business, Creighton

University

“Jeff is sure to deliver an engaging and motivating speech! He cleverly ties

together his stories and makes the speech end with a punch. Being the closing

speaker is tough, but he stepped-up to the challenge and hit a home-run. Due to

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Written by

the high ratings and overwhelming response to re-watch his speech, we are

planning on using his video during our NextGen watch party.” - Megan

Dotson, Senior Client Success Consultant & Event Director, GovLoop,

Washington, DC

“Our corporate partnership team had great takeaways regarding how to network

smarter while also understanding the importance of our personal brand to

current and prospective partners. Jeff does a great job weaving in real-world

examples and how you can apply his teachings to growing your business and

building long-term partnerships.”

- Jason Booker, Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorships, The

Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball Team

+1-402-637-9300

Visit Jeff Beals' website for more information>>

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Like Comment

Elvis VallaElvis VallaPresident at Vanguard Motoring Advisors / Chief Technology Officer at Allen

Holdings & Investments Ltd.

Network, Network, Network! All great successes today had the advantage ofNetwork, Network, Network! All great successes today had the advantage of

socializing with people who could connect their ideas with others. Be it Stevesocializing with people who could connect their ideas with others. Be it Steve

Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg or even Bill Hewlett & Dave Packard (TheJobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg or even Bill Hewlett & Dave Packard (The

myth is they started in a one-car garage but in reality used the facilities/staffmyth is they started in a one-car garage but in reality used the facilities/staff

at nearby Stanford University). Unless your family name is Trump, yourat nearby Stanford University). Unless your family name is Trump, your

success is going to determined by what contacts you create & how you usesuccess is going to determined by what contacts you create & how you use

them to identify opportunities. This is something that the universities will notthem to identify opportunities. This is something that the universities will not

tell you as they would have to cut their rates if they did. Seek out a mentor astell you as they would have to cut their rates if they did. Seek out a mentor as

mentioned in the write-up but make sure it is some-one with hands-onmentioned in the write-up but make sure it is some-one with hands-on

experience in the real world not academia. Your mentor does not have to beexperience in the real world not academia. Your mentor does not have to be

wealthy financially but in experience, the school of hard knocks makes thewealthy financially but in experience, the school of hard knocks makes the

most resilient people that is who you should seek out. The time you spend inmost resilient people that is who you should seek out. The time you spend in

university can be used to delay reality or to begin learning what makes theuniversity can be used to delay reality or to begin learning what makes the

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Top V.C. on “Mostly Crap” Start-Ups, Mark

Zuckerberg, and Early Facebook’s Grim Lunches

world go round make the most of it. Anyone who can tell you how to do it hasworld go round make the most of it. Anyone who can tell you how to do it has

never done it themselves. A college degree does not guarantee employment,never done it themselves. A college degree does not guarantee employment,

a good social portfolio if applied correctly will secure your future. Justa good social portfolio if applied correctly will secure your future. Just

remember that life is about people so treat everyone you meet with kindnessremember that life is about people so treat everyone you meet with kindness

& develop empathy because you never know who or where you will end up.& develop empathy because you never know who or where you will end up.

LikeLike(5)(5) ReplyReply(2)(2) August 15, 2014August 15, 2014

Anne KretschmannAnne Kretschmann, , Christine EliseevChristine Eliseev, , dorothy Nunesdorothy Nunes, +2, +2

T. Arthur PoudrierT. Arthur PoudrierIndependent Philatelic and Numismatic Consultant

I think your comment goes to the heart of the value of attendingI think your comment goes to the heart of the value of attending

college. It is not only about learning to think well ("Check yourcollege. It is not only about learning to think well ("Check your

premises", as Ayn Rand admonished), but also, and especiallypremises", as Ayn Rand admonished), but also, and especially

important, engaging respectfully with everyone, for some ofimportant, engaging respectfully with everyone, for some of

them could be your future co-workers, employers, or businessthem could be your future co-workers, employers, or business

partners, or someone whom they know might be someday. Nopartners, or someone whom they know might be someday. No

matter how informed and competent you are in a field of work, ifmatter how informed and competent you are in a field of work, if

you behave poorly towards others, you will eventually makeyou behave poorly towards others, you will eventually make

yourself a pariah in your profession, and practicallyyourself a pariah in your profession, and practically

unemployable outside of it.unemployable outside of it.

LikeLike(5)(5) August 15, 2014August 15, 2014

Cheryl SavitCheryl Savit, , Charles ZorboCharles Zorbo, , Erin McWalterErin McWalter, +2, +2

Nadine Menezes de VasconcelosNadine Menezes de VasconcelosArticling Student at Legal Aid Ontario

Definitely most important - especially for college graduatesDefinitely most important - especially for college graduates

entering university in abysmal economic conditions! It's Whoentering university in abysmal economic conditions! It's Who

You Know - would be my four words to all entering university.You Know - would be my four words to all entering university.

LikeLike(2)(2) August 15, 2014August 15, 2014

Joanne Clary ApesosJoanne Clary Apesos and and Elvis VallaElvis Valla

Show MoreShow More

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Former Facebook employee Chamath Palihapitiya dishes the dirt—and more—on

Silicon Valley’s biggest companies.

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Is Someone You Love Going to College? Their Success Depends …video.wallace.edu/pd/articles/Linked article - PDF... · 2016-03-29 · words . I used to harp on those three words