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READING
E
XPERIENCE
3: Y
OUR
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AST
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OESN
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T
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EFINE
Y
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UTURE
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L
EARNING
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ECOMING
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ROWER
Table 2
Activities College Freshmen
Engaged in During the Past Year
Activity
%
Smoked cigarettes
2.6
Felt depressed
7.3
Worked on a local, state, or national political
campaign
9.0
Was a guest in a teacher’s home
18.5
Voted in a student election
20.8
Demonstrated for a cause (e.g., boycott, rally,
protest)
26.1
Skipped school/class
27.3
Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do
30.4
Discussed politics
30.7
Discussed religion
30.8
Asked a teacher for advice after class
31.5
Drank beer
33.4
Was bored in class
38.0
Drank wine or liquor
39.2
Publicly communicated my opinion about a cause
(e.g., blog, e-mail, petition)
44.1
Fell asleep in class
46.5
Failed to complete homework on time
52.0
Came late to class
53.8
Helped raise money for a cause or campaign
56.7
Performed community service as part of a class
57.2
Tutored another student
59.3
Socialized with someone of another racial/ethnic
group
71.2
Attended a religious service
73.2
Used the Internet for research or homework
81.3
Performed volunteer work
87.4
Studied with other students
88.7
2012 Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP)
Freshman Survey, downloaded from http://www.heri.ucla.edu/
monographs/TheAmericanFreshman2012.pdf
Higher Education Research Institute
Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
University of California, Los Angeles
Women Men
White
61%
55%
African-American
43%
34%
Asian-American
71%
66%
Mexican-American
53%
46%
Native American
41%
38%
Table 3
Degree Completion Rates within 6 Years
(Cohort Entry Year: 2004)
Higher Education Research Institute, Degree Attainment
Rates at American Colleges and Universities (CIRP 2011)
With all of these pressures, how do you choose
to spend your time? If you are like most college
students, research suggests you probably engage in
the activities listed in Table 2.
Some of these are productive and constructive
activities; others are negative behaviors that can
easily turn into roadblocks on the road to success.
The challenges of college aren’t only about the
school and classes. Some of the most significant
challenges you’ll ever face come from managing
your own fears and behaviors.
There are many support systems and services
available to you, such as academic and personal
advising services, career and financial aid services,
and various groups that focus on interests, cultures,
and life issues. If you are a single parent, for
example, there may be a supportive group of other
single parents at your school. If you are a returning
veteran, there may be a group of other veterans who
include potential friends and study partners.
As you can see in Table 3, making it through
college isn’t a sure thing. But you’re not alone, and
whatever pressures and challenges you’re facing,
there are people available to help. Remember Maya
Angelou’s words: “Nobody, but nobody can make it
out there alone.” Others who have been where you
are now can make all the difference in the world.