Finish!

What’s the story of you? Has anyone ever asked you this question before? We certainly all have a story of our life. How did you get here? What was your childhood like? What experiences in your life help form the way you see and react to the world around you? Many centuries ago, the Kings and Queens of the land would seek out wise old men called oracles who would provide spiritual, moral, ethical, and philosophical guidance. The knowledge received from the oracles was impressive that they were often treated like Gods. The most well-known of these oracles was the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi located in Greece. As the decades went by, many travelled far and beyond to seek the wisdom of the Delphi Oracle. After some time, the man himself ceased to exist. However, there within the temple was one important message found carved into the stone: GNOTHI SEAUTON, Know Thyself. The words are said to have originated in Apollo’s response to the question: “What is best for man?” Whatever the reason, it can be said that before you begin to consider where you go from here in your life, it is best to take a good look at who you are and what you want to do. To truly address this question, you must begin to see yourself beyond the confines of those around you. Although, you are to be grateful for the life you have been given and the wonderful things your parents, grandparents, caregivers, and others have provided for you, it is important to understand that this is your life to live. So, what do you want? A decision to attend college is not to be taken lightly. College is a very expensive investment (unless you are fortunate enough to receive scholarships and/or grants to help offset the cost completely or in part which is discussed in later chapters of this book) in not only your time but also your money or more realistically speaking the money of your parents or guardians. Some colleges charge by the term and not by the credit so whether you are taking a full load or a light one you can still be charged the entire cost associated. It is not to say that you will be able to gather all the answers to life’s question immediately, but to be successful in college you must begin to consider these things and more. Parents spend a lot of money getting their students into college and once they get there they think their job is complete. But the reality is quite different. Today, less than 40% of students enrolled in college complete their degree in the traditional four-year period of time outlined in the program of study. Another 20% will finish in about five to six years. That leaves 40% on average across the U.S. that will never finish college at all. For many colleges, the graduation rates are far below the national average. In fact, a number of then barely graduate 25% of their students in four years and are well below 30% graduation in six-years. You can easily check this information on the website of most colleges and universities around the country. These statistics are even worst for students of color. And black males (on average) seem to lag behind all other populations with nearly 65% of the black male students attending college never completing their college degrees within the six-year reporting timeframe being used today. There are individual college campuses around the country enrolling more than 3000 new freshmen students each year (what we consider first-time/full-time) with overall four-year graduation rates of less than 15% and six-year rates of less than 40%. Yet, each year they manage to convince a new set of 3000 more students to attend their university. Why are students taking longer? The reasons vary from being academically unprepared to having financial difficulties. When students enter college without being academically prepared they may be required to take remedial courses. Many of these courses do not count toward their degree requirements. I have seen students who have had to take as many as three remedial math courses before beginning to work on their degrees. Some states have begun to eliminate remedial courses from the 4-year colleges allowing only the community colleges to provide them. To get around this, 4-year colleges invite the community colleges to provide instruction directly on their campuses. Students get to live on or near the 4-year campus, enjoy some of the campus amenities like regular students (library, computer labs, sports, social events, etc.), but not be fully admitted until they successfully complete their community college requirements. The success of these academic collaborations varies from campus to campus. Now, to their credit many colleges will say that their success is measured in more than just student completion rates (actual graduates) and these other success categories (such as students who may transfer and complete their degrees at other colleges) justify their continued importance and existence. However, you must ask yourself: Are you attending college just for sake of saying you were once there or do you want to finish with a degree in hand? You don’t become an alumna of a college by just attending. You must graduate! You will be surprised at how many students will attend college just to join social organizations then return every year for homecoming and other similar events considering themselves part of the Alumni. Although campuses are glad to have the large number of participants during such events, things change when the alumni association begin to reach out for annual dues and donations. As a college graduate, you will be asked to become an active member of your alumni association. It’s an honor that only true graduates can appreciate. There is a profound sense of accomplishment and solidarity that surrounds the college alumni association. Author Steven Covey, talks about “thinking with the end in mind” among his popular list of seven leadership principles. You must also begin to see yourself as an alumna of your university. What will your graduation day look like? Who will you invite? How proud will your parents, guardians, or loved ones be of you? What will it take to achieve this goal? Understanding, appreciating, and approaching college with your mind focused on graduating is serious business. I employ every student to embrace this approach to its fullest. Where students attend college is also important. In an effort to live closer to home and save money, many students are beginning to look toward the community colleges. However, although the community college enrollment has increased significantly around the nation in recent years, their success rates in terms of student degrees and certificates still leaves a bit to be considered. For example, let’s consider Texas, who has one of the largest community college enrollment populations in the nation. In 2010, Texas community colleges enrolled over 50% of all college students in the state; nearly 80% of all minority students; and around 75% of students in their first and second year of college. Yet, after six years barely only about one in ten of these students earned some sort of degree or certificate. It is important to note that this is a national issue and like many other states, Texas does a phenomenal job of getting students into college, but graduating these students remains a real challenge.