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What I Learned in my Keys to College Success Class
Albert McCoy
VSU 1101-10 a.m.
Mrs. McClain
December 2, 2012
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Before taking keys to College success class I was not a very good student. I came in with
the assumption that I could get by doing the same thing I did high school. However, I quickly
learned that was quite the wrong assumption to make. I had poor study habits, constantly
procrastinated, and hardly ever asked for help when needed. These issues caused my grades to
drop quite significantly which lead to my advisor proposing I take this course.
Initially I was somewhat skeptical about taking this course, but I have seen improvement
in my grades over the semester due to skills I learned in VSU 1101. I have learned a number of
study tips that have improved my study habits such as the SQ4R method. Although
procrastination is still a bit of a problem for me, I have gotten a much better handle on it thanks
to this course. I have even learned to quit a few self-defeating behaviors, some of which I did
not even know I was practicing. The things I learned in this class definitely carried over into my
other classes which caused my grades to improve higher than I expected. For example, I would
take the initiative and get an early start on assignments that I knew would be due later. I was
also more hesitant to study for an exam at the last minute, instead choosing to review material
days in advance.
I would definitely recommend this course and instructor to any student who is currently
struggling to maintain their grades This class certainly taught me things about myself as a
student that I was not previously aware off. It made clear what things I needed to work on if I
wanted to improve as a student. It also made me feel better about myself knowing that there
were other students going through similar experiences as me. Mrs. McClain made the classroom
quite comfortable compared to other classes that I have attended since starting college. She
made her expectations quite clear and made sure we had all necessary materials available. Mrs.
McClain also engaged students to participate in classroom discussion and seek help if need be.
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Although this class has put a lot into perspective I am still unsure about my career path. I
do know that whatever career choice I make I want it to be one that I can live with for a very
long time. I do not want a career that I will be unhappy with; this is why I do not want to rush
my decision too soon. Though I have yet to come to a complete decision I do have some ideas
swimming around in my head. I have considered options in the medical field, computer field,
and even counseling.
With all of this in mind I still must boost my GPA before even declaring a major. Even
though I have shown signs of improvement my grades are still not where they should be. As of
right now, my main goals are to raise my GPA while deciding my major and career path. Once
these goals are successfully completed then I will declare my major and hopefully go on to earn
a degree.
Recently I have realized that one of my biggest problems was my attitude. If I did not
understand something right off then I would not try to make an effort to do so. Instead of asking
for help or doing my job as a student, I would simply continue through the class confused. Now
I know that it is my responsibility as a student to take my education into my own hands. If I do
not understand something or if I am struggling for whatever reason it is my duty to do something
about it, not anyone else’s. No one else is going to take care of your responsibilities for you so
must do what you have to in order to be successful.
While no one is going to do the work for you, I have also learned how resourceful a good
advisor can be. Advisors can help aid you while you are in college. They can help you
maneuver through the red tape of the university allowing your time at college to run smoother
than it would on your own. My own advisor has been a great help to me as well as quite
understanding of my difficulties. Besides advisors there are other useful resources available on
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campus such as the student success center which offers free tutoring to students. Although I
have not utilized this resource during this semester, last year I attended several tutoring sessions
as a result of my poor math grades. The tutors were genuinely friendly and constantly checked
with me to make sure I understood the material. Members of the faculty may also be a valuable
resource. They may have important connections that could useful to you in the future. They
might also be able to help navigate through the red tape and give little known tips. Other
resources such as the library, the career center, the financial aid office, and the bursary can be
helpful as well.
Another vital lesson that I learned thanks to this course is the importance of checking
your grades.
It is quite important to know where you stand in all of your classes. This allows
you to improve on your work ethic if you need to and make necessary adjustments. If you are
doing well in your classes, it will motivate you to continue the good work, at least in my case it
did. However, if your grades are not where you would like them to be a good idea would be to
speak to your instructors and ask for more feedback. Showing your instructors that you desire to
improve your grades may encourage them to help you more. They may be more inclined to
share valuable tips and skills that they do not share in class. You can monitor your progress
through blazeview or simply by making an appointment with your instructor. Keeping track of
returned assignments can also be a big help in monitoring grades.
Overall I would say that this course was quite useful to me not only as a student
but in general as well. It put a lot of things in perspective for me and presented me with a nice
supply of material that I can refer to in the future. As stated previously it taught me about selfdefeating behaviors that I was not even aware I was practicing. Along with bringing them to my
attention it also gave me the solutions to quit them. I am still a work in progress but I no longer
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put blame on the instructor, keep track of my grades, refer to the syllabus, and I have become
more attentive in class. My listening habits have change as well. Now I try harder to really
understand what my instructors are discussing instead of tuning them out because I found the
subject to be boring. Even the way I take notes has improved, thanks to the Cornell System and
the SQ4R method. The Cornell System in particular has been a big help to me, especially for my
sociology class. Using that method to study made me much more confident before taking a test.
This course truly showed me what it takes to be a successful college student. It takes
more than just being smart, you must also put it in work to get results. Because of this class I
now know that you to be successful at anything you must be motivated. You need to know how
to navigate but you must also have direction and guidance. Good study skills are also required to
be a good student. I will start setting high yet reasonable expectations for myself instead settling
for just enough to get by. And I realized that managing my time wisely can make a huge
difference in multiple areas of my life. VSU 1101 has helped me in so many ways, I am very
happy that I took this course. I still have many areas that need improvement but now I feel much
more prepared for college. And because of that, I am better student than I was before.