Keys to College Success: COVID-19 Success Updates and Coaching Included

By Carol Carter and Sarah Kravits

For First Year Experience, Student Success, and Introduction to College courses for students attending four year programs.





Keys to College Success sets the standard for connecting academic success to success beyond school, showing students how to apply strategies within college, career, and life. The Ninth Edition retains its tried-and-true emphasis on thinking skills and problem solving, re-imagined with two goals in mind: a risk and reward framework that reflects the demands today's students face, and a focus on student experience specific to four-year schools with a more extensive research base and increased metacognition.





Keys to College Success provides the established KEYS set of tools for success—an understanding of how coursework connects to career and life goal achievement, and analytical, creative, and practical thinking coverage that empowers a range of cognitive ability. This content provides:

COVID-19 Update: College students in 2020 need relevant information during the unprecedented time of COVID-19. This update of Keys to College Success includes up-to-the minute information on digital and distributed learning strategies and practical tips on resilience, persistence, purpose, and strength.

College Connection to Career and Life Goals: Infused with a focus on risk and reward, showing that the reward of success in the modern world demands a risk of vision and persistent effort over time. It raises the bar to show students that they must risk action to grow, thrive, and contribute in order to make their college investment pay off in gainful employment, meaningful work, and community involvement.

Thinking Skills coverage: Comprehensive content with research references lend credibility and perspective to concepts, targeted exercises that explore personally relevant situations in context, and sustained focus throughout each topic.

Tailored to the four-year program experience: Acknowledges global economic change and instability and hones in on student concerns about employability skills and debt management so the four-year college experience is framed in practical, work-relevant ways even as it supports the value of a liberal education. New coverage of resources, topics, and research support concepts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeBound
• Release date: Jun 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735189109

Carol Carter

Carol Carter has spent her entire career in the business world, where she has a track record of success in corporate America, entrepreneurship, and non-profit. Her student success work is driven by firsthand knowledge of what employers expect and demand from today’s graduates. As President of LifeBound, an academic and career coaching company for educators, her team teaches learning, interpersonal, and career skills to students and trains and certifies adults in academic coaching skills and facilitating in hybrid, virtual, and in-person environments. Carol speaks on educational topics nationally and internationally and has been a guest in 57 countries. In 2014, she founded and funded GlobalMindED, a 501(c)3 organization that works to create a capable, diverse talent pipeline, connecting First Gen to college, students of color, and other underrepresented populations to employment success and economic freedom. Carol is a co-author on many books including the Keys to Success series as well as Keys to Business Communication and the Career Tool Kit. She has also published a series of books on social/emotional and career development for K-12 students through LifeBound, including Dollars and Sense: How To Be Smart About Money and Majoring In the Rest of Your Life: Career Secrets for College Students. Carol is the 2020 winner of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honoree Award in conjunction with AACSB and member business schools around the U.S. and the world.

Book preview

The Rewards of College

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO RISK TO REACH YOUR GOALS?

What Would You Risk? John Diaz

THINK ABOUT THIS SITUATION AS YOU READ, AND CONSIDER WHAT ACTION YOU WOULD TAKE. THIS CHAPTER JUMP-STARTS YOUR TRANSITION, WITH INFORMATION ON WHAT COLLEGE HAS TO OFFER AND WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED.

A brother to three sisters and the only son of divorced parents, John Diaz grew up in Northern California. He headed to Humboldt State University aiming for a career in broadcast journalism. As a sophomore, he started working at the school newspaper and campus radio station. He knew a Humboldt diploma didn’t guarantee career success, but he felt confident in his prospects. He thrived in the close-knit environment where the professors were so engaged with the students. It really was the right fit for me, John says.

Back then, John had low-risk ambitions—he didn’t crave a wealthy lifestyle or imagine crusading for global causes through journalism. However, the reality of the job market stalled even his reasonable career goals. First of all, in the late 1970s, the Watergate scandal had boosted interest in journalism, creating, as John puts it, a glutted market of journalists looking for work. Second, John worked at a local truck stop during college to help cover expenses, so he wasn’t available for internships that could have improved his job prospects.

Although discouraged by the fact that the number of journalism students exceeded the total jobs in the industry, John was ready to take a risk. He polished his résumé, created broadcast demo tapes, and sent out hundreds of job inquiries. His initial reward was exactly one positive response that turned out to be a dead end. Two months after graduating, he was working in a shoe store, wondering if any reward would come from his effort in college. I was hoping lightning would strike, John recalls.

To be continued …

IN THIS TEXT, YOU WILL MEET PEOPLE LIKE JOHN WHO HAVE TAKEN RISKS THAT HELPED THEM ACHIEVE IMPORTANT GOALS. WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH THESE PEOPLE, THEY WILL EXPAND YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND INSPIRE YOU TO MOVE AHEAD ON YOUR OWN PATH. YOU’LL LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN, AND THE REWARD RESULTING FROM HIS ACTIONS, WITHIN THIS CHAPTER.

status CHECK

How Ready Are You to Risk Effort for the Rewards of College?

For each statement, fill in the number that best describes how often it applies to you.

1 = never        2 = seldom        3 = sometimes        4 = often        5 = always

Each of the topics in these statements is covered in this chapter. Note those statements for which you filled in a 3 or lower. Skim the chapter to see where those topics appear, and pay special attention to them as you read, learn, and apply new strategies.

REMEMBER: NO MATTER HOW PREPARED YOU ARE TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE, YOU CAN IMPROVE WITH EFFORT AND PRACTICE.

WHY IS COLLEGE A RISK,

and what reward does it offer?

Think about the word risk. What, specifically, comes to mind? There are two different ways to think about risk. One involves risky behavior—impulsive decisions made with little or no forethought—such as substance abuse, unsafe sex, or breaking the law. The other concept is one of deliberate risk calculated to bring reward. Examples of this kind of productive risk include buying shares of stock in a new company or serving in the combat division of the military. This is the concept of risk that will take focus in this text—the one that will give you the power to achieve the rewards that are meaningful to you.

College is often seen as a risk-free, safe choice that increases your chances of career stability. However, striving for a degree in higher education is one of the most potentially rewarding risks of your lifetime. To follow this path, you will risk your most valuable resources—time, money, and yourself. You will dedicate time to learning and self-improvement. You, and anyone helping to finance your education, will commit a significant amount of money. You will sign up for years of responsibilities and challenges for both your mind and your body. Obtaining your degree is a perfect example of a targeted risk, calculated to produce reward down the line.

Well then, why take calculated risks? Why not save your money, time, and effort? Because only with productive risk-taking (not risky behavior) come the rewards essential to your success. Skills, intelligence, motivation, employment, growth, and advancement can be yours, but only as a result of hard work, dedication, and focus.

The Value of Risk in the Modern World

You are beginning your college experience in a time marked by rapid change that presents both opportunity and crisis. For example:

■  Many formerly domestic jobs have moved overseas.

■  Graduates working in the United States now compete with and work with people who live in different time zones, speak different languages, and have different perspectives.

■  Civic unrest is growing. With the Occupy movement of late 2011, for example, people pushed back against a tough economic climate and sparse job ­outlook.

■  Global media, communication technology, and transportation methods enable exposure to different people, places, values, cultures, beliefs, and perspectives.

■  Technological development continues at an ever-faster pace, demanding constant learning and training.

Even as college itself is a risk, it offers you the training, habit of learning, and comfort with risk-taking that you need to survive in this environment. It also improves your earning power. As Key 1.1 illustrates, statistics show that college graduates still earn an average of $40,000 more per year than someone without a degree. Money isn’t everything, but that amount can make a significant difference in your ability to pay loans, manage costs, and provide stability. Increased income is just one reward that makes a college education worth the risk. There are many more.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 2009. Current Population Reports, Series P60-238, September 2010.

The Rewards of College

You are aware of the risk you face. What rewards await you? You are an investor who has purchased four years of citizenship in a college community, with access to everything it has to offer. As such, you seek a rewarding return on the risk of that investment. Think about the following rewards as you choose how to spend your valuable time and energy. Your college website, student handbook, and course catalog will have specifics appropriate to your school.

A liberal arts education

Going back to the earliest days of education in this country, the focus of four-year colleges has been to give students a liberal arts education. In fact, the concept of a liberal arts education has its roots far in the past. Educators during the Roman Empire in the fifth century A.D. defined the liberal arts as those areas in which a free person (as opposed to a slave) needed to develop. Thus the term liberal, which comes from the Latin liber, meaning free.

Skills specific to academic subjects, career paths, or nonacademic areas

Nearly all students choose a major and take a series of courses focused on areas relevant to that major. For some professions (medical doctors, attorneys, college-level instructors), further graduate study is required. For other career areas, graduate-level study may or may not be beneficial. For example, some economics majors may want to continue on and obtain a Master of Business Administration (MBA), while others may go directly into the workforce. Some students dive into their careers even before graduating by volunteering or getting internships.

College also gives you a chance to build skills outside of your academic pursuits, as John did when he worked with the newspaper and radio station. Are you a performer? You may be able to audition for plays or find opportunities to sing. Are you into politics? Political clubs, as well as school government, may give you a chance to shine and to grow.

Opportunities to grow as a social being

Effective human interaction is an essential life skill. In school, at work, or in your personal life, you connect with people in some way every day. If you do it well, you will be able to accomplish your most important goals more easily. If you don’t, your progress may be limited.

You are building social skills and self-knowledge as you negotiate with a roommate over storage space, get to know new friends and stay connected with old ones, develop relationships with instructors and advisors, play collegiate or intramural sports, hang out between classes, and go to formal or impromptu social events. Later in this chapter, you will read more about how your emotional intelligence will help you handle social situations effectively.

Support in your times of academic, physical, or emotional need

While a wonderful opportunity, college is also a time of challenge and stress for most students. A study by UCLA found that just over 50% of students labeled their emotional health as above average, down from 55.3% in 2009 and 63.6% in 1985. Much of this drop can be attributed to high levels of stress.¹

When you are struggling physically or emotionally, you may experience difficulty thinking and managing your studies. Knowing this, colleges provide support services to help students manage their health and find a balance. Take advantage of services that support physical wellness (athletic facilities and clubs), physical and emotional health (student health and counseling services), and academic progress (tutors and academic centers).

Chances to expand your horizons

As a citizen of a global community, your ability to interact productively with people demands an understanding of other cultures and perspectives. Consider how college can help you expand your horizons.

Most colleges offer opportunities to study abroad for a full term, or a shorter period of time, at schools in other countries where they have partnerships. Some colleges sponsor travel opportunities for students, either over holiday breaks or in conjunction with specific courses. Colleges also provide less costly ways to travel through clubs and programs that introduce you to people, arts, and food from cultures other than your own.

Opportunities to give back to those around you

One of the best ways to develop valuable skills, both transferable and task specific, is through giving to others. See if your college has an office that coordinates volunteer opportunities. Your college might also offer particular courses with a service-learning component—courses that have specific service to an organization built into the curriculum that is required as part of the course. In this type of course, the curriculum is designed to prepare students for the service project, and the service project aims to improve the students’ understanding and mastery of the course material.

The reward you earn from college depends on the risk you take. If you engage fully with your educational team and actively pursue opportunities, you are likely to find that you can make the most out of your money and time—perhaps more than you ever imagined.

You Have Joined an Education Team

No student faces the risk of college alone. You lead a team with a single, focused goal: producing a graduate ready to contribute in the workplace and make the most of life. Everyone on the team has responsibilities. For example, your school and instructors are responsible for providing learning opportunities, guidance, and resources. As the student, you are responsible for taking advantage of those opportunities, choosing and using resources, and working hard.

Following are some essential strategies for effective teamwork. They are as necessary now, for working with others in college, as they will be in your career.

Defined responsibilities. The tasks necessary to move your team ahead are divided amongst team members. Key 1.2 lists responsibilities involved in graduating successfully from college.

Agreement on a goal and a plan. All team members need to be aware of the goal and plan, and they must be ready to adjust if goals or plans change. For example, you may have a goal of majoring in engineering, but you could end up switching majors, or changing schools due to an emergency. It is your responsibility to keep the team informed, updated, and involved.

Communication. Communicate with team members regularly. Every syllabus will have your instructor’s available office hours and contact information. Take advantage of those hours to ask specific questions about coursework or just to get to know your instructors better. Contact your advisor more than just once a term. Set up a communication plan with your family so you feel supported but not overwhelmed by texts and e-mails. Contact your dean or other administrators if there is a problem they can help you