• Unit 1: Motivating Success

    This unit starts by introducing the core concepts of succeeding in college. It challenges you to examine your personal identity, explore the many types of students you may interact with, envision the kinds of courses you might take, and understand how those courses may be delivered. In this stage-setting unit, we invite you to define success in terms of what it means to you personally. You should measure success by your own standards.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • describe how personality tests and skills inventories help to evaluate career paths and identify personal interests to meet educational goals;
      • describe the responsibilities of college student life and how they differ from high school or early career life;
      • identify different categories of students, noting characteristics that lead to student success;
      • identify differences in class delivery and compare strategies for success in each type;
      • identify differences in types of classes within your degree plan, such as electives and core requirements;
      • explain how to access college policies and resources; and
      • identify your strategies for achieving success in college, including the impact of grades.

    • 1.1: Why It Matters: Motivating Success

      • Why It Matters: Motivating Success Page

        Your first year in college is especially important. How will you maximize it for best advantage? Your greatest challenge may be balancing school, your family, and your job.

    • 1.2: Personal Identity

      • Personal Identity Page

        The journey of achieving success in college begins with a single step: identifying your personal values. Which are most important to you, and how do they fit into your educational goals?

    • 1.3: Types of Students

      • Types of Students Page

        There is no "one-size-fits-all" description of a college student. However, each student bears a responsibility to understand the diverse terrain that includes their peers. Who are the students you share class with? How have they come to share the college experience with you?

    • 1.4: College Overview

      • College Overview Page

        If college success is about anything, it’s about the choices you need to make in order to succeed. What do you want to learn? How do you want to learn it? Who do you want to learn it with and where? When do you learn best?

    • 1.5: Defining Success

      • Defining Success Page

        A college education is aligned with greater success in many areas of life. Are there patterns of success you strive for but aren’t yet reaching? Where might you shore up your support? What strategies can you use to achieve success in your college endeavors?

    • 1.6: Putting It Together

      • Putting It Together: Motivating Success Page

        If the idea of being in college feels daunting, think about the many gains you can experience. College success is an attainable goal. Be encouraged that you are on a path of great potential.