Finish!: A Guide Toward College Graduation and Personal Success

By Dr. Paul A. Bryant

Why do so many parents spend more time planning their family vacations than preparing their kids for life after high school? FINALLY, there's a "how to succeed in college" book that will not only help parents guide their student but also will be something students will want to read. Even if you're not a top performing student, this book will help guide you toward college graduation and personal success by offering alternative ways of looking at and dealing with questions most asked by students today including:
What college should I attend?
What major is best for me?
How do I get the most out of my college experience?
How do I stay focused, graduate on time, and succeed?
This book is a "we need to read this together" moment for parents and students thats quickly becoming recommended reading for every college student. Dr. Bryant draws upon over twenty years of experience as a university vice president and professional consultant (http://www.manageenrollment.com) to provide no-nonsense, clear advice on how to pick the right university and program of study -- and then how not only to survive college, but to succeed and thrive! As a parent, you've done so much for your student. Now, as they approach adulthood and college, you have one final step: set them up for success in college.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543416657

Dr. Paul A. Bryant

Dr. Bryant is one of seventeen children raised in a small town in North Carolina to parents who, although not well educated, managed to instill a strong spiritual foundation and sense of personal confidence. Dr. Bryant is a college executive, active church deacon, and co-founder of several charitable organizations. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the NC Governor’s Award for community service. Dr. Bryant has degrees in psychology, education, business and completed post graduate work at Harvard. He says often: “Don’t just wait for success to come your way; define it, seize it, and claim it for yourself!”

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Copyright © 2017 by Dr. Paul A. Bryant.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2017905854

ISBN:   Hardcover        978-1-5434-1667-1

             Softcover          978-1-5434-1666-4

             eBook               978-1-5434-1665-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Rev. date: 04/27/2017

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Contents

Book Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter One

College Acceptance

Chapter Two

Taking Care Of Business

Chapter Three

Smart, The New Cool

Chapter Four

A World Of Difference

Chapter Five

Those Who Study Together Graduate Together

Chapter Six

Failing Up: A Parental Approach

Chapter Seven

What You Practice You Become

Chapter Eight

Expanding Your Horizons

Chapter Nine

Toward Personal And Professional Fulfillment

Chapter Ten

Finish What You Start

BOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

No one succeeds alone. One way or another we depend on the generosity of others to help us along the way. It has been no different for me. Therefore, I dedicate this book to my many brothers and sisters who helped me along the way. To my dear sister, Renee Poyner who became more like a mom to me, thank you for the love and support you have shown me over the years. To my sisters Kenda and Chenay, who spent many nights babysitting my then young children so I could attend graduate school, your sacrifice and support have not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated. I would also like to thank Diane, Sheila, Michelle, Robert, and Michael. You have always encouraged me to continue moving forward despite life’s challenges. Finally, I would like to dedicate this book to my children (Shamba, Ashley, Brandon, and Jamaal). I believe in each of you.

INTRODUCTION

What’s the story of you? Has anyone ever asked you this question before? We certainly all have a story of our life. How did you get here? What was your childhood like? What experiences in your life helped form the way you see and react to the world around you?

Many centuries ago, the kings and queens of the land would seek out wise old men called oracles, who would provide spiritual, moral, ethical, and philosophical guidance. The knowledge received from the oracles was impressive that they were often treated like gods. The most well-known of these oracles was the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, located in Greece. As the decades went by, many traveled far and beyond to seek the wisdom of the Delphi oracle. After some time, the man himself ceased to exist. However, there within the temple was one important message found carved into the stone: GNOTHI SEAUTON (Know Thyself). The words are said to have originated from Apollo’s response to the question, What is best for man?

Whatever the reason, it can be said that before you begin to consider where you go from here in your life, it is best to take a good look at who you are and what you want to do. To truly address this question, you must begin to see yourself beyond the confines of those around you. Although you are to be grateful for the life you have been given and the wonderful things your parents, grandparents, caregivers, and others have provided for you, it is important to understand that this is your life to live. So what do you want?

A decision to attend college is not to be taken lightly. College is a very expensive investment (unless you are fortunate enough to receive scholarships or grants to help offset the cost completely or in part, which are discussed in later chapters of this book) in not only your time but also your money or, more realistically speaking, the money of your parents or guardians. Some colleges charge by the term and not by the credit, so whether you are taking a full load or a light one, you can still be charged the entire cost associated. It is not to say that you will be able to gather all the answers to life’s questions immediately, but to be successful in college, you must begin to consider these things and more.

Parents spend a lot of money getting their students into college, and once they get there, they think their job is complete. But the reality is quite different. Today less than 40 percent of students enrolled in college complete their degree in the traditional four-year period outlined in the program of study. Another 20 percent will finish in about five to six years. That leaves 40 percent, on average, across the United States who will never finish college at all. For many colleges, the graduation rates are far below the national average. In fact, a number of them barely graduate 25 percent of their students in four years and are well below 30 percent graduation in six years. You can easily check this information on the website of most colleges and universities around the country.

These statistics are even worse for students of color. And black males (on average) seem to lag behind all other populations with nearly 65 percent of the black male students attending college never completing their college degrees within the six-year-reporting time frame being used today. There are individual college campuses around the country enrolling more than three thousand new freshmen students each year (what we consider first time or full time) with overall four-year graduation rates of less than 15 percent and six-year rates of less than 40 percent. Yet each year, they manage to convince a new set of three thousand more students to attend their university. Why are students taking longer? The reasons vary from being academically unprepared to having financial difficulties. When students enter college without being academically prepared, they may be required to take remedial courses. Many of these courses do not count toward their degree requirements. I have seen students who have had to take as many as three remedial math courses before beginning to work on their degrees. Some states have begun to eliminate remedial courses from the four-year colleges, allowing only the community colleges to provide them. To get around this, four-year colleges invite the community colleges to provide instruction directly on their campuses. Students get