The school year may only be a few weeks old. But a fair numÂber of colÂlege freshÂmen are getÂting ready to bail out.
AÂbout 10 percent of stuÂdents at pubÂlic four-year colÂleges quit beÂfore their seÂcond seÂmesÂter, studÂies show, and the dropÂout rate is twice as high at two-year colÂleges.
"These are pretÂty draÂmatÂic numÂbers," says DonÂald Foss, a MinÂneÂsoÂta naÂtive and proÂfesÂsor of psyÂcholÂoÂgy at the University of HousÂton. But he beÂlieves that more stuÂdents would stay in school if they knew how to avoid the most comÂmon pitÂfalls.
Foss, who got his Ph.D. from the University of MinÂneÂsoÂta, is the auÂthor of a new book: "Your ComÂplete Guide to College SucÂcess." In it, he outÂlines the four top cateÂgoÂries that can trip up stuÂdents — which he calls by the acÂroÂnym LAST.
L. LoneÂliÂness and iÂsoÂlaÂtion. "A huge numÂber of stuÂdents do end up feelÂing isoÂlatÂed and loneÂly when they come to colÂlege," he said. The soÂluÂtion: "Step outÂside their comÂfort zone" and join a group or a club "to try to make friends quickÂly." FindÂing that conÂnecÂtion can make a huge difÂferÂence in stayÂing in school, he said.
A. AlÂcoÂhol. Binge drinkÂing is not just a health risk; it can sabÂoÂtage a colÂlege caÂreer. Foss doesn't preach abÂstiÂnence, but says "overÂinÂdulÂging" leads to a viÂcious circle; stuÂdents start doing poorÂly in class, and drinkÂing more to blot out the bad news.
S. StudyÂing. Most new colÂlege stuÂdents don't have a clue aÂbout how to study efÂfecÂtiveÂly, he said. It's not just readÂing and highÂlightÂing paraÂgraphs. The trick is to "to test yourÂself a lot," drill yourÂself on what you know and don't know. Use flashcards. As he puts it, it's not enÂough to hum the tune. "You have to know the words."
T. Time manÂageÂment. When stuÂdents learn they only have class 12 or 15 hours a week, he said, they say, "That's a week? That sounds like a vaÂcaÂtion." His adÂvice: Book evÂerÂyÂthing on a comÂmon calÂenÂdar: not just deadÂlines, but when they're going to reÂsearch and write the asÂsignÂment. And do launÂdry. "Wow, the calÂenÂdar starts to fill up quick."
maura.lerner@startribune.com