Why Students Fail

For many students, first term college heralds a new chapter, a new adventure in learning and in life. Yet amidst the excitement are adjustments students need to make as they transition to more responsibility. For some students, it's a rough ride, and they end up failing first term. Here are some of the main reasons.

Rude awakening

One of the main reasons why students fail first term in college is lack of preparation. In high school you were a star. Your teacher unquestioningly gave you A's, or perhaps you didn't have to study too much. Maybe you were one of these students who could do homework and watch TV, or maybe the standards in your high school were fairly low, and you developed poor study habits. Maybe if you did have some problems (such as with reading or with math), they were swept under the rug. High schools vary in academic standards, and in my observation, some simply don't prepare students for post secondary education.

Big adjustment

College life is much different than highschool, and for some students, it's a huge adjustment, one that they don't navigate well.

Structure - You're on your own. Each day is different, and there's no regimented schedule anymore with the same classes at the same time in the same place anymore as in highschool. Instead, you have five or six class at different times on different days. No one takes attendance, no one phones home if you don't show up, and no one runs after you if you don't hand in assignments. You're accountable to yourself, and you have to put more effort into managing your time and being more disciplined and self-directed in your studies.

Emotional - Some students are overwhelmed in their new surroundings. They are out of their comfort zones. They've come from a small town to a big city or even from a foreign country, and they have to adapt to new surroundings and make friends. Students tell me they find college life very lonely at times, a factor which also affects their academic...