Students Must Budget Their Time

One of the principal determinants of whether or not a student will do well in college is how well he or she can budget time. For many students new to college life, this will be a new experience.

New students are tempted to put off studying, term papers and other assignments until "the last minute." After all, their reasoning goes, they have to socialize with their new friends, attend athletic events, and pursue other interests. Wrong. College assignments come first; everything else can wait. Also, quizzes and mid-term exams have an annoying habit of coming sooner, rather than later, during the semester. Some students try to pull "all nighters," thinking they can cram enough facts into their heads at the last minute to do adequately on exams.

It rarely works out that way. The better students learn to spend long, lonely hours at the library with their books. They can't study if others are walking in and out of the dorm room, if the TV set is on, or if roommates insist on playing loud music. Also, shut off the cell phone! Your messages can wait!

Accreditation is Important

I am hopeful that new students checked the accreditation status of their college before enrolling. It is not a simple matter, and traps await the unwary.

First, the college or university must have an "overall" regional accreditation from one of the six college accrediting bodies. Click here for their names. For all colleges in Virginia, the accrediting body is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Second, the academic discipline that the student intends to major in must have professional accreditation. Business administration programs, for example, must be accredited by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Similarly, engineering programs must be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Similar professional accrediting groups exist for nursing, public administration, liberal arts, mathematics and many other disciplines.

The 2009 - 2010 School Year Begins

As I write this blog entry, many of your sons and daughters are in the process of getting settled on college campuses. Students at George Mason University started classes on Aug. 31; others will start soon. But they are all bound together by similar thoughts: excitement about their classes, and optimism about their futures. Good for them. I am hopeful that I (and others) can provide them with information that will assist them in their new college adventure.