No one enters college with a plan to fail.

Well, at least no one who is serious about their education.

However, some students do fail – despite their desire to succeed. What do successful students do to achieve their educational goals?

Successful students employ strategies to master the art of being a good student. Some of those strategies include:

• Engagement – Students who succeed take ownership of their educational pursuits. They actively participate in classes and are open to learning new things. They recognize that their education is an investment in themselves and so they are engaged in the subjects and classes they take to complete their education.
• Balance – While full engagement in classes takes effort, successful students also recognize the need for rest. They spend time with their family and friends and away from their studies. Often, students find they do much better in their studies after a break. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the pressures of higher education. A break helps students deal with the stress of college.
• Organization – Being fully engaged in college while taking a break when needed sounds easy in theory, but how does it work in practice? The key is organization. Note due dates or important exam dates on your calendar, keep a file or notebook for each course that includes the syllabus and other important handouts, and plan your daily or weekly schedule in advance so you know what you need to do each day.
• Persistence – Even the best students will encounter problems. But good students know that while there will be disappointments – such as a poor score on an exam – they also know that they can learn from those problems. If you encounter some type of issue with your education, how can you do better next time or who can you ask for help?

College is an investment in yourself. It’s also an investment of your time and your money. Your family may also be investing in you. And, if you receive any type of financial aid, a lot of other people are investing in you and want you to achieve your educational and career goals.

Just make sure you have a plan and employ strategies to succeed.