Get the most out of your college education

I find it very interesting that most students approach education in terms of only the minimum requirements. If you were to buy a car, you would want the best car for your money, right? But when students pay thousands of dollars in tuition, they tend to ask only about the minimum requirements to pass the course or get a grade. How did society learn to approach education in this way? What is your education to you? Are you paying $50,000 or more for a piece of paper that might help you get a better job or is it something more? When you attend classes do you view them as requirements or an opportunity to grow as an individual? Do you select professors based on the quality of instruction they provide or the ease with which they grade? Are you looking to be challenged or do you just want to get by?

For those of you who wish to get more than a piece of paper out of your college experience, I have a list of things that you can do to increase the value you are getting out of your education.

TREAT YOUR EDUCATION LIKE A JOB

I always like to tell my students to approach their school like a job. In all reality, college is a great place to develop the work skills and discipline required to be a good employee. Schedule study time and stick to your studies just as if you were working. The increased career fields and better paying job opportunities will be the payment you reap after completing your degree.

AVOID ONLINE CLASSES IF POSSIBLE

Roughly 80 percent of communication comes in the non-verbal form. Therefore, taking an online course often greatly reduces your ability to gain and retain information. I am sure that there will be a lot of education majors that will argue about the quality of education that can be possible through online access.

The short story is these courses are best for students who do not have the ability to attend a traditional class.

If you do have the chance to go to a traditional class, do so. You will learn much more from the professor and the interactions with your peers than what is possible through videos and discussion boards.

One of my biggest complaints about online learning is that questions that could be answered quickly inside the classroom usually take several emails to sort out in an online course. Additionally, it is far easier for a professor to detect when you are not picking up the information being presented inside a traditional classroom.

Often students who fall behind in online courses will stay that way because either the students do not request help or the professor does not recognize the problem.

GET TO KNOW YOUR PROFESSORS

I would recommend that every student go and meet with his or her professor outside the classroom once a quarter. If nothing else, stop by and introduce yourself. This will present a great way to check in on your progress in your courses and ask for additional resources if needed.

But most importantly, it demonstrates to professors that you are engaged. Professors will always take more time with and provide additional support to the students who are most engaged in classes.

SIT IN FRONT

Whenever possible sit in the front two rows. If these areas are filled, sit towards the center of the classroom.

Sitting up front will score you more eye contact with the instructor and allow you to see the board with ease.

Sitting in front will also provide you with some additional motivation to stay awake as you are no longer hiding in the back.

Statistics have proven that where you tend to sit in a classroom often determines how well you perform in class. Sit in front and show the professor that you are engaged and ready to learn. You will find that you get more attention and your questions get answered faster than when you hide in the back.

TREAT CLASS LIKE A BUSINESS SERVICE

You are paying good money to learn skills, knowledge, and behaviors. Treat college just like everything else that you invest heavily in. Always be looking for an opportunity to get more value out of your dollar. If you are excelling in a course, there is nothing wrong with asking for additional sources to expand on what is normally presented in class. Professors are here to support your academic and professional growth. So, it is up to you to ensure that you are getting the most out of the money you are investing in yourself.

TAKE THE CHALLENGING PROFESSORS

I am sure that in your time here at CSC you will find two professors who teach the same course. One might grade easier than the other, or one might expect more from his or her students. I will always recommend taking the more difficult professor. If you are paying for an education, it should be the one that requires the most personal and academic growth within a classroom. Years after you graduate, you’ll never remember the easy professors, but the professors that challenged you will be remembered for the rest of your life.

At the end of the day, you can either pay money for a piece of paper, or you can pay that much for a piece of paper and an education. You can treat college as a four year exercise in discipline which requires little more than sitting in a classroom or you can use this time to develop yourself.

The choice is up to you. What are you going to invest in your education?