Flunking Out of College, Essay Example

The problem of flunking out of college is becoming a significant one, because the rates of dropouts increase every year. It refers primarily to freshmen. No doubt, new environment affects the freshmen; not all of them cope to adjust to it, to become successful and get high grades. The National Center for Education Statistics informs that the graduation rate of first time postsecondary 2001 starting cohort in all four-year institutions made 36,2 percents (Digest of Education Statistics).

Though Gray (2009) points out that “overexpansion of higher education has made it all but impossible to flunk out of most colleges” (177), multiple factors cause of failure. David Brooks names just a few: “They [students] drop out because they are academically unprepared or emotionally disengaged or because they lack self-discipline or because bad things are happening at home”. “No Size Fits All” by D. Brooks and responses evoked by this article justify the urgency of the problem.

Nevertheless, the number of factors leading to flunking out is not restricted to several of them. Absence of decent studying or organizational skills, like of taking notes or skipping classes, mismatch of expectations and specific program, homesickness, alienation in unfamiliar surroundings, financial problems, wrong choice of major often lead to drop outs. According to Gray, lack of commitment is the main cause of flunking out. He claims, that “they have no reason to stay” (177).

The reasons leading to dropping out prove that much depends on the student himself. The proverb says: “you can bring the horse to water, but you cannot make it drink”. The only person who can force you to study well is you. College gives school-leavers a chance to pursuit individual interests, which will become an interesting and profitable job. Toby (2010) affirms that the majority of students “believe, correctly, that most of the better jobs require a college degree” (93).

Chose the matter, you take interest in and consider your vocation, to prevent future disappointment survey thoroughly the institution you plan to enroll. If the college, program, extracurricular activities meet your expectations, you will not need to “make up” the motivation. One of the methods to raise motivation is to treat the process of studying like investment in your future prosperity. Besides, fun may be found inside college within hobby or sport groups.

Works Cited

Brooks, David. “No Size Fits All”. The New York Times. 16 July, 2009. 22 July, 2010 < http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/opinion/17brooks.html?_r=1>.

Digest of Education Statistics, 2009. National Center for Education Statistics, U. S. Department of Education Table 331.  July 22, 2010 <http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d09/tables/dt09_331.asp>.

Gray, Kenneth C. Getting Real: Helping Teens Find Their Future. California: Corwin Press, 2009

Toby, Jackson. The Lowering of Higher Education in America. California: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2010.