7 Tips To Avoid the College Low Expectations Game

Home
>
College & University
>
7 Tips To Avoid the College Low Expectations Game

7 Tips To Avoid the College Low Expectations Game

Many public universities play the "Low Expectation Game" (see article "College 'Low Expectations Game' Cost Students, Parents & Taxpayers Thousands of Dollars"). As a student or a parent, you can avoid this game using the following tips:

Tip #1 ? Register for 15 hours.

To graduate in 4 years, not 5 not 6, requires a minimum of 15 hours per semester. If you are having problems securing 15 hours, ask the following question: Since I am earning a 4-year degree, how can I do that only taking 12 hours per semester? If the university's designated person continues to refuse your request for 15 hours, ask for his or her supervisor. By being proactive at this time, will save you thousands of dollars.

Tip #2 ? Secure Your BINGO sheet.

When registering, secure a copy of all the required courses that you will need for your field of study. In some colleges or universities, this is called a BINGO sheet. If you are unsure, look through the college course catalog and see what courses are required for your different interests. Register for those shared required courses.

Tip #3 ? Keep all Course Schedules and Offerings.

Universities publish the schedule of the courses for the next semester. Do not discard these publications. With many courses being only offered during the spring or fall, this is the only tool that you have to learn when a specific course is offered or who teaches a course. Keeping these schedules becomes even more critical when you are planning your junior and senior years.

Tip #4 ? Plan Your Courses Now.

With the BINGO sheet in hand, begin to plan the courses that you will take during the next 3.5 years. This plan will change due to course changes, degree changes, etc. However, this 4-year plan provides you with the "BIG" picture and then allows you to begin to take small bites.

Tip #5 ? Plan Your Weekly Schedule.

Plan your weekly schedule including study time, research time, etc. For each 3-hour course, expect to spend 2 to 4 hours per week. Some courses such as English Literature may require substantial reading. If you are a slower reader allow for more reading time. If you are only going to school for 15 hours per week, there is plenty of time to study before, in between and after your classes. Many baby boomer graduates worked full time jobs while taking 15 to 18 hours.

Tip #6 ? Focus on Your Graduation Goal Date.

Every additional semester that you spend in college is costing you a minimum of $20,000 - $5,000 tuition and $15,000 in loss earnings. All of your actions should be directed to achieving your graduate goal date.

Tip #7 ? Make Wise Choices.

You, and only you, are responsible for the choices that you make. For parents, set the expectation that you expect your daughter or son to graduate in 4 years. Students accept that expectation and run with it. If you are having trouble with time management, goal planning and achievement, studying skills, course content, decision making or problem solving, make a wise choice and find some solutions.

Remember, by graduating in 4 years, you have an edge over those students who chose to play the "Low Expectation Game" and you can start the life that you dreamed only 4 years earlier.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. She is one of the first national certified facilitators for America's Rising Stars and coaches young people to create a life long plan for success. Leanne believes we need to stop setting our young people up for failure. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential: 7 Capacities for Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement (Fall 2005 release), she speaks nationally to a variety of audiences.

Contact Leanne at 219.759.5601, leanne@processspecialist.com or visit http://www.processspecialist.com/youth.htm if you are seeking amazing results.

Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

India names Pakistani masterminds, date plot to 07 (AP)

AP - A Pakistani militant group apparently used an Indian operative as far back as 2007 to scout targets for the elaborate plot against India's financial capital, authorities said Thursday, a blow to Indian officials who have blamed the deadly attacks entirely on Pakistani extremists.

Carmakers' bailout pleas hit Senate skepticism (AP)

AP - Desperate U.S. automakers ran into fresh obstacles from skeptical lawmakers Thursday as they appealed with rising urgency and a new dose of humility for a $34 billion bailout. Without help, said one senator, "we're looking at a death sentence."

US mulls unusual tactic as Blackwater charges loom (AP)

AP - Blackwater Worldwide guards involved in the deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting of Iraqi civilians could face mandatory 30-year prison sentences under an aggressive anti-drug law being considered as the Justice Department readies indictments, people close to the case said.

Suicide blasts kill 17 as Iraqi council OKs pact (AP)

AP - Suicide bombers killed 17 people including two American soldiers and wounded more than 100 in a string of blasts in two Iraqi cities Thursday as a timetable for withdrawing all U.S. troops won final government approval.

Calif. couple charged with torturing, abusing teen (AP)

AP - A husband and wife were charged Thursday with kidnapping and torturing a 17-year-old boy authorities say was sometimes kept shackled inside their home. The boy's one-time guardian also was charged with similar abuse allegations.

Minn. teen girls charged in nursing home abuse (AP)

AP - Two teenage girls who worked at a nursing home have been charged with abuse, accused of taunting, spitting on and groping residents who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

Gun club, police chief indicted in boy's Uzi death (AP)

AP - Three men, including a small-town police chief, were indicted Thursday on involuntary manslaughter counts in the gun-fair death of an 8-year-old who accidentally shot himself in the head with an Uzi that a prosecutor said he never should have been allowed to handle.

Ex-'CHiPs' star Estrada to patrol with Ind. police (AP)

AP - Erik Estrada has returned to Muncie to take part in overnight police patrols in the city where he starred in the short-lived reality series "Armed & Famous." The former star of the 1970s motorcycle cop drama "CHiPs" is a reserve officer on the Muncie Police Department.

Man allegedly assaults girlfriend with burger (AP)

AP - A Vero Beach man faces a domestic violence charge after authorities said he assaulted his girlfriend with a cheeseburger. An Indian River County Sheriff's Office arrest report said a 22-year-old man and his girlfriend got into an argument as they sat in a car in front of their home.

Avery has 3-hour hearing with NHL commissioner (AP)

AP - Sean Avery surged past camera crews and reporters Thursday, choosing to save his comments this time for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during a three-hour disciplinary hearing. The Dallas Stars forward was suspended indefinitely on Tuesday just hours after he used a crude expression to describe former girlfriends now dating others while speaking to reporters.

Senators grill auto CEOs, eye GM-Chrysler deal (Reuters)

Reuters - The CEOs of General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC said they would consider restarting talks about a merger during a nearly six-hour congressional grilling on the industry's pleas for $34 billion in government aid.

AT&T cuts 12,000 jobs (Reuters)

Reuters - Top U.S. phone company AT&T Inc said it will eliminate 12,000 jobs, or about 4 percent of its workforce, in a fresh wave of cuts to cope with an economic downturn that has exacerbated a decline in traditional phone sales.

Europeans cut interest rates sharply to fight crisis (Reuters)

Reuters - Central banks in Europe slashed their benchmark interest rates by record amounts on Thursday to fight the global economic crisis, while U.S. automakers pleaded for a bailout to avoid collapse.

Pakistan vows to hunt Mumbai attack plotters (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday Pakistan had given assurances of its commitment to root out terrorism and round up anyone connected to last week's attack in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Iraq Presidency Council approves U.S. troop pact (Reuters)

Reuters - Iraq's Presidency Council has approved a security pact with the United States that paves the way for a complete U.S. troop pullout by the end of 2011, a spokesman for the council said on Thursday.

Russia's Putin makes warm overtures to Obama (Reuters)

Reuters - The United States will quickly feel a change in attitude from Moscow if President-elect Barack Obama transforms Washington's policies toward Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Thai king ill, misses much-anticipated speech (Reuters)

Reuters - Thailand's revered and influential king missed his traditional birthday eve address due to illness on Thursday, a speech many Thais had hoped would provide short-term relief to the country's intractable political crisis.

Arab-American hate crimes down since 9/11 (Reuters)

Reuters - Hate crimes against Arab Americans have decreased steadily since the September 11 attacks but are still more common than they were before the hijackings, a civil rights group said on Thursday.

European central banks slash interest rates to tackle recession (AFP)

AFP - Leading European central banks took historic action Thursday to ward off spreading recessions, slashing their key lending rates to boost businesses and consumers.

Bombers hit Fallujah as Iraq-U.S. pact endorsed (AFP)

AFP - Car bombers killed at least 15 people in a former rebel bastion on Thursday as Iraq's security pact with Washington won final approval before its launch at the end of the month.

7 Tips To Avoid the College Low Expectations Game

College & University College & University