I decided to write this book after observing the differences between my students who experience college success and those who don’t. Some students come into class with great study skills and learning strategies already in place. Other students struggle to earn a poor or mediocre grade. Unfortunately, about 50% of students who start college don’t ever earn a degree. So, I wrote this book with the hope of helping more students achieve College Success Now!

I’d like you to know a little bit about me before you read this book. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado and a Master of Science degree, also in physical therapy, from Boston University. I earned an additional 15 hours of education credits at the doctoral level and am currently working on a second master’s degree in biology. Along the way, I spent some time taking classes at a local community college. I have taught at the middle school, high school, and college level for the last fourteen years, so I’ve had lots of experience in educational environments, both as a student and as a teacher.

I’m also a parent. Three of my children earned bachelor’s degrees, and two of those children started graduate school this year. Another child is a senior in college this year, one is a junior, and the youngest one is a freshman. They all attend different colleges, so the logistics gets to be quite interesting!

I was able to share my experiences as a student and professor with my children, but not all students have that advantage. Many students are the first generation of their family to attend college and must learn the ropes on their own. You might be one of them, and I’m hoping this book will be especially helpful to you.

I designed this book to function as a mini-course to help you achieve your educational goals. In each chapter, I’ll give you a list to help you navigate the challenges of college right from the start. These lists will save you hours of unproductive study time and help you stay in control of the learning process. I’ll also suggest ways you can maximize your success in college before you ever step foot into your first class.

“I decided to write this book after observing the differences between my students who experience college success and those who don’t.”

As we go along, I’ll recommend some great resources that will give you some extra help where you might need it. If you’re reading this book on a tablet or computer, you should be able to open the hyperlinks to easily access the Web sites I recommend. If you’re reading it on a device that doesn’t open hyperlinks, or if you’re reading a print copy of this book, I’ve included the Web addresses for you to copy and paste into your browser. I recommend some books as well, and include each one’s title, author, publisher, and date published. Let’s get started on the road to College Success Now!