Educational skills needed for success, advisors report by Daryl Pollak, reporter

    College offers a different set of challenges and experiences.

    The first year for students, either coming directly from high school or returning after many years, can be trying and stressful. However, with a calm and positive attitude and good scholarly skills, anybody can succeed in a college education.

    “The main thing students can do to be successful is to have the basic reading, note taking and study skills. They also should be well organized and have a plan,” Kreta Trammell, NE reading department coordinator, said.

    College demands effective study and reading skills. If a student is a little rusty or does not possess these skills, TCC offers several classes that can be taken on each campus. The learning centers on each campus also contain videos to help improve one’s skills.

    “Another important thing for students to remember is that they are not alone. The campus contains many people and resources to help students out when they get stressed or overloaded. Students just need to know where to turn when times get rough,” she said.
    Students have a better chance of succeeding if procrastination is kept to a minimum.

    Tackling homework early will relieve the burden and make sure the assignment gets done so future events cannot get in the way, Trammell said.

    “Do not procrastinate. Studying for the test and doing all the chapter homework the day before doesn’t work,” John Hollis, TCC sophomore, said.

    Time management also plays a very important role in a successful college career. Students should keep in mind how their current lives will be affected by attending college. Because college requires more time outside of class than high school classes, students must make sure there will not be a conflict.

    “Students need to make sure they don’t overload themselves. Going to college is a full-time job, and they need to prioritize and plan ahead. So many TCC students have jobs on top of school, and the full schedules can create problems,” Dr. Shelly Cavin, NW Campus counselor, said.

    The rule of thumb is to plan for two hours a week for every hour of college classes a student is taking. This schedule will ensure plenty of time outside of class in order to complete homework, studying and other outside assignments.

    One last way a student can succeed is to use his or her time out of class to have one-on-one sessions with professors. These conferences are becoming more popular, and many experts believe they help promote success.

    Conferences provide help for students because they can learn exactly what the professors want, and students can practice networking.

    “Contrary to popular belief, professors are there to help the students. I’ve seen many students who visit their professors succeed on a higher level than others,” Cavin said.

    “It is also important to remember that students should not take grades or comments the professors give personally. The professors are not trying to fail or slam the student,” she said.