This comes out to quite a lot of people who have loans but no degree. Or even if they didn't borrow money to pay for it, it might amount to a waste of time and leave someone with a big sense of failure at the start of his or her adult life. Sure, some of the most successful people are college dropouts. But I think for most, it would be better to either succeed in college and earn a degree or spend their time doing something else--working, starting a family, or even just goofing off.
I don't think this big problem is getting the attention it deserves. If it did, we might start thinking of some good solutions. The best I can come up with is to award degrees in increments. In concrete terms this could mean awarding an associate degree after completing the first half of a four-year bachelor's program. This way, it wouldn't be an all or nothing endeavor. Those finishing two years would have something to put on their resume. I know some PhD programs do this. On your way to the PhD, you earn a master's degree. Although the purpose of the program is the doctorate degree, not everyone makes it. But instead of dropping out as a failed doctoral candidate, you have your MA or MS.
I had a hell of a time getting through my undergraduate education. But by the time I was finishing graduate school, I think I had become a very efficient student. I knew by then how to use my time and energy in the best ways in order to succeed and avoid burning out.
Below is something I wrote in my journal when I was finishing graduate school and reflecting on how I got through it. I don't know if my experience applies perfectly to others. For example, I felt the need to try to avoid ever missing a class. I could imagine how someone else might need to complete every reading assignment, which was never the case with me.
At any rate, here is what worked for me.
- Never give up on graded assignments
- Ideally, start major assignments early
- Crank out first drafts without worrying about quality
- Just getting something on paper is usually a solid start
- You don't have to read everything
- When reading is not linked to a graded assignment, you may skim it or skip it if time is very tight for higher-priority tasks
- Depending on your learning style, you may be able to skip reading altogether if the material is adequately covered in lectures
- A skilled reader can often extract sufficient knowledge from a reading without reading the entire document
- Try not to take unnecessary notes
- For example:
- Do take thorough notes when reading a key source for a research project
- Do not write down a professor's personal family anecdotes
- Do not take notes that are available as PowerPoint slides on the course website
- Tolerate unlikeable instructors
- Don't let a personality clash get between you and your degree
- Be open with instructor about honest difficulty
- It is occasionally fair to ask for an extension for an assignment or to give an honest explanation for turning something in late
- Ask stupid questions about details of course expectations
- Seek help when stuck to avoid being overwhelmed
- Exploit technology to increase efficiency
- Do not manage citations manually, as citation management software is available
- Zotero, Endnote
- Note taking software: OneNote
- Be social
- Networking is key to landing an internship and eventually a job
- Being well-connected helps when a project includes getting in touch with people
- Engaging with classmates outside the classroom leads to knowledge exchange you might not have in the classroom
