Articles and advice:
College
Bound? Don't Come Home!
by Brian Raison. Originally published Dayton Daily News, June
15, 2006
Are you college-bound? Or do you know someone who is? Here’s
some advice: Don’t come home! Sound harsh? Not really, if
you understand my context. I’m not talking about college
graduates who want to move back to the nest, rent-free, and
enjoy home cooking as they explore career options (read:
seek entry level job with executive pay). They should move
on, or pony up some rent and grocery money. The “don’t come
home” message is for those just heading off to school.
First of all, I am not against regular visits home from
college. In fact, I strongly advocate stopping in to do
laundry on occasional weekends. Every college student knows
it’s nearly impossible to hoard quarters for laundromats
where dryers never really dry your jeans. And I really,
really, do not want our nation’s future leaders to be
reduced to the 3-bag clothes-recycling method which is
simply too horrid to discuss in a family newspaper.
When I say, “don’t come home,” I really mean, don’t drop
out. Each year, nearly 26% of the 1.8 million U.S.
first-quarter college freshmen do not return for their
sophomore year. Frequently, they are out thousands of
dollars and have little or no credit to transfer to a
community college. A smooth transition from high school to
college—two vastly different universes—can aid in student
success or failure.
So how can we help them? Talk. Tell stories. (Yes, they may
roll their eyes; but they do hear you.) Research shows that
youth will achieve greater success during their first year
of college if they are made aware of social scene and
academic protocol changes prior to their arrival on campus.
Now that sounds easy. But imparting advice to a high school
senior is, at best, a difficult task. Having completed 12
years of perfunctory education, and having reached the
pinnacle of adolescent development, high school seniors
anticipate little more than the freedom of what they presume
to be adulthood. They find themselves invincible (as we all
did at that age). Many are riding the crest of the senior
year wave, admired or feared by underclassmen, and at the
top of the proverbial food chain. Others anticipate escape
from high school peer pressure. And though many
college-bound seniors emit high levels of self-confidence,
some experience anxiety and even fear of this pending life
change. Still, capturing the attention of this group is a
great challenge. Perhaps a harsh “don’t come home” message
could resonate.
We have developed a new college prep seminar that approaches
high school seniors on their terms, utilizing direct quotes
from current college students to provide tips on study
skills, time management, and other academic and social scene
challenges. It will be presented at several high schools
this spring, and at the OSU Extension office, downtown on
the Fairgrounds on June 1 and 6 from 6-7:30 p.m. High school
seniors and parents are welcome. Please call to reserve a
spot: 224-9654.
Next time, I’ll offer some tips for “not coming home” and
quotes from current collegians regarding strategies for
freshman year success.
Brian Raison is a 4-H youth and community development
educator at Ohio State University, Dept. of Extension. He
may be reached at
raison.1@osu.edu |
